Home»All Photographs»Year Albums»2025»December»2025_12_26 GCR Boxing Day

The weather forecast for the post-Christmas days of 2025 was for mostly fine cold conditions except for Boxing Day which was expected to be cold but sunny throughout. The GCR timetable was for six passenger trains; all steam hauled by two unidentified locomotives. The first train out of Loughborough was too early for my liking but the other five were quite feasible. I went first to Rushey Lane for the 12:15 and 13:00 departures where full sun illuminated both trains. After lunch, I decided to go to Fielding Road footpath crossing as I had insufficient time to be sure of the Loughborough departure. Of course. by 14:30 in late December most of the line was in deep shade but I obtained winter shots of both the 14:00 and 14:45 Loughborough departures. Was it time for home as the sun was only just above the horizon? I decided to drive along The Ridings past Swithland reservoir and the light was very attractive with the sun setting over the Charnwood Hills. Unfortunately, 73156 stopped with the second diner on the viaduct which spoiled the photograph I had composed with 78018 hauling the 15:30 departure from Loughborough.