Treat for steam buffs as The White Rose roars through Warrington

Report & Pictures Paul Bellas

LOCAL train enthusiasts were given another treat this week when “The White Rose” steam train roared through Warrington.

Stopping at Warrington Bank Quay in both directions on Wednesday, Saphos Trains `The White Rose` was on a rail tour to York.

The tour originated at Hereford, being diesel-hauled up to Crewe, then steam-hauled to York and return by Bulleid Pacific West Country Class 34046 `Braunton.`
The locomotive was built in 1946 for the then Southern Region railway and is now in preservation based at Crewe after being restored and returning to steam in 2007 for the first time in 42 years!

The White Rose roars through Warrington Picture Paul Bellas

The early morning diesel-hauled leg was delayed for an hour at one stage, finally reaching Crewe over 40 mins late.
Braunton had shaved 3-4 minutes off that by the time she arrived in Warrington, eventually arriving in York 5 minutes early!

Picture Paul Bellas

She is captured making a volcanic departure out of Warrington in the sparkling morning sunshine, then working hard up the incline of Walton Bank in the evening twilight.
It was one of a number of iconic blasts from the past captured on camera.