22.10.11 - 47580 1Z47 Ayr - York, Smardale

A 10 minute ride out from home this morning between DIY jobs allowed me to capture today's S&C charter. The forecast had promised us blue skies by lunchtime and that's the way it turned out as the Compass Tours excursion passed through Smardale bang on, if not slightly ahead, of time. The attractive 47580 'County of Essex' in a variation of BR large logo blue led the 1Z47 Ayr - York working past a windy but distinctly Autumn feeling scene. This shot was used in the Jan 2012 edition of The Railway Magazine.