Did you see the locomotive that chugged through Ealing Broadway?

Well you may have missed it as the steam locomotive had left by 6:20am on Saturday 16, October, and a further diesel locomotive passed through after 11 at night, as them made their way to York and back.

Leaving from Ealing Broadway in the morning was the Jubillee class steam locomotive No.45596 Bahamas, a preserved British steam locomotive built in 1934, and named after The Bahamas.

Constructed in Glasgow by the North British Locomotive Company for the London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS), it then became the property of British Railways after the nationalisation of rail services in 1948.

However, in 1966 Bahamas was withdrawn from traffic and lingered on the scrap line for some time while officials deliberated how to dispose of it.

Out of this the Bahamas Locomotive Society formed and managed to rally funds to buy the train, orchestrating a high-level intervention within British Rail.

Now, the locomotive is open for recreational excursions around the UK, with its trip last weekend arranged by the Railway Touring Company.

Those who bagged a ride had a 6:17 am start from Ealing Broadway, before chugging around West London through Acton Wells and and Neasden South Junction.

Steaming down the Brent curve to join the Midlands Main Line near Cricklewood, the train then headed north before joining the former Midland Railway Nottingham direct line.

The train climbed to the famous Harringworth Viaduct, the longest masonry viaduct in Britain.

After joining the East Coast Main Line, there was a fast run up to York, where passengers arriving in the early afternoon.

On the way back, passengers boarded a diesel locomotive (Class 47 47746), which left

York at around 5:15pm taking a route via Leicester, back down to Ealing Broadway and returning around 11:15 pm.

Prices for the journey ranged from £259 for a premier fare, to £99 for standard.

If you missed it this time, next up is the York Yuletide Express!

Setting off from Ealing Broadway by 'Tornado' on the Saturday, 27 November just after 6am, the steam line run will take a festive trip up to York and back.