2005

St Pancras, 13 August

This magnificently decorated dome is at the top of the grand staircase of the former Midland Grand Hotel. During the society's tour it was quite dark and gloomy, but this superb picture shows off the colours at their best.

St Pancras, 13 August

Big fireplace - small member! One of the surviving original features of the former Midland Grand Hotel is this wonderful fireplace on the first floor, seen here with MDRS member Tim Speechley included for scale...

St Pancras, 13 August

One of the highlights of the society's tour around the former Midland Grand Hotel was the magnificent room that was once the Ladies' Drawing Room and included a terrace overlooking the Euston Road. It later became known as the Ladies' Smoking Room - the first in London and slightly shocking at the time!

St Pancras, 13 August

Included on the society's tour around the former Midland Grand Hotel, but not on the normal public itinerary, was what was originally one of the top private suites. This is a portion of the ceiling showing part of the original decoration under the later white paint.

St Pancras, 13 August

Photographed with faith, as it was in almost complete darkness, was the ceiling above the staircase at the station entrance of the former Midland Grand Hotel. With the benefit of a flashgun its amazing oriental designs become visible.

Following the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, 13 August

After the hotel visit at St Pancras, the MDRS party set off to follow the new Channel Tunnel Rail Link through north and east London to Essex, travelling by several varieties of public transport. While waiting for a North London line train at Camden Road, 66099 passed with a train of hoppers.

Following the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, 13 August

An 'extra' in the itinerary was a return trip from Camden Road to South Hampstead via Primrose Hill. This line does not carry a regular passenger service, but was being used as a diversionary route during engineering works on the line via Gospel Oak and Hampstead Heath. From the platform at South Hampstead a Chiltern 168 unit could be seen between the tunnels on the approach to Marylebone.

Following the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, 13 August

The end of the guided tour was Grays, reached via C2C at extra cost as it is outside the Travelcard zone (thanks for negotiating the discount, Mark!). Here a 357 unit leaves from the bay platform.

Following the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, 13 August

With the weather getting gloomier and rain on its way, the party split into smaller groups for alternative routes home. Here one group waits at Upminster for the train to Romford via Emerson Park as a District Line train arrives.

Isle of Man, 23 July

Douglas horse tram no 8.

Isle of Man, 23 July

Isle of Man Railway No 11 'Maitland' at Douglas station with the 10.15 departure for Port Erin.

Isle of Man, 24 July

Snaefell Mountain Railway cars no 4 and 6 at Laxey.

Isle of Man, 24 July

The two original locos of the Groudle Glen Railway, 'Sea Lion' and 'Polar Bear', double hear along the cliffs.

Isle of Man, 24 July

A train on the Groudle Glen Railway headed by 1998-built 'Annie'.

Leighton Buzzard Railway, 20 July

Hauled by 'Beaudesert', a 4-wheel diesel-hydraulic built by Alan Keef in 1999, our special train poses by the level crossing at the 'Clay Pipe' pub during the photo-stop on the outward journey.

Leighton Buzzard Railway, 20 July

4wDM locos 16 (Lister) and 24 (Motor Rail) on display at Stonehenge.

Leighton Buzzard Railway, 20 July

'Penlee', the Freudenstein 0-4-0T from Cornwall, on static display at Stonehenge.

Leighton Buzzard Railway, 20 July

An unidentified 4wDM on display at Stonehenge.

Leighton Buzzard Railway, 20 July

With 'Beaudesert' having run round the train, MDRS members prepare to board our special at Stonehenge for the return run to Pages Park - via a refreshment stop at the 'Clay Pipe'.

Leighton Buzzard Railway, 20 July

Refreshment - and reading - at the 'Clay Pipe'. On the right is the late Eddie Lewcock, former MDRS Chairman, on what was to be his last outing with the Society.