Before getting into Barrow Hill I had to do a spot of fieldwork.

Robinson GCR/LNER O4 2-8-0 no 63601 stands alongside 'Improved Director' Class D11 no 62660 Butler-Henderson

New build Peppercorn A1 Pacific no 60163 stands on the Barrow Hill roundhouse turntable

0-6-0T 1F no 41708 - A rare survivor of this diminutive class of shunting locos.

The nameplate of A1 no 60163 Tornado with the naming details by TRH The Prince of Wales & The Duchess of Cornwall

60163 Tornado receives its final polish before it departs the roundhouse. - Note to organisers. Why do the cleaners HAVE to wear hi-viz in so many inappropriate places? The loco was clearly not going anywhere and there was no danger of another locomotive 'hitting' anybody. The gala was essentially a photo opportunity so please lets not have any more unnecessary use of hi-viz.

The first of several line-ups. Gresley A4 nos 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley and 60009 Union of South Africa flank Peppercorn A2 no 60532 Blue Peter

Gresley A4 nos 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley and 60009 Union of South Africa flank Peppercorn A2 no 60532 Blue Peter while Peppercorn K1 no 62005 passes with the shuttle train.

Part of the enormous crowds that filled the viewing bank.

I like the hat

The star attraction 60163 Tornado moves out of the shed and receives the adoration of the crowds.

60163 Tornado

60007, 60532, 60009 & 60163

62005, 60007, 60532, 60009, 60163

60009 & 60163

60007& 60532

60007, 60532, 60009 & 60163

The crowds were thick and getting thicker

The star attraction - 60163 Tornado is admired by the spectators

Even young girls were waving.

60163 Tornado makes one of many passes on the shuttle service

60163 Tornado hauls one of the shuttle services

An impressive line-up of 60163, 60007, 60532 & 60009. (I must own up to removal of a couple of lights in this shot.)

I've included this one to show the corridor tenders on the A4's

Little & large - 63601 with a scale model.

60164 Typhoon

The model O4 looks superb

Out of (boiler) ticket Stanier black 5 no 45110 was inside the shed.

The real O4 no 63601 is on its holidays from the GCR.

The UK Railtours/Past-Time Rail tour has arrived from Kings Cross. Once all movements on the Barrow Hill site have ceased it gets the green flag to move onto the headshunt hauled by 67028

Bringing up the rear was class leader 67001

67001 brings the excursion into the Barrow Hill platform

The crowds by this time were enormous and were about to swell by another 500 or so from the 13 carriage excursion from London Kings Cross.

67028 at Barrow Hill

67028 at Barrow Hill

This model looked familiar.....

I wasn't aware that the other Beavertail carriage was being restored. This was the original sloping roof style.

A traction engine was on display. It's steam Jim, but not as we know it.

GER N7 Class loco no 69621 stands on the turntable

GER N7 Class loco no 69621 stands on the turntable

Ivo Peters famous Bentley was on display

Danny Hopkins, editor of Steam Railway mag.

The 1946 Swiss built Brown-Boveri Gas Turbine loco no 18000. It ran mainly on the WR until withdrawal in 1960. It was returned to Switzerland from where it was returned to the UK in 1995. It was nicknamed 'The Kerosene castle' by workers at Crewe.

69621 on the turntable with 62660, 45110 & 41708

Finally the two apple green locos stand alongside each other. 60163 & 60532

60009 & 63601

60163, 60532 & 60009

60007 Sir Nigel Gresley powers past with a shuttle service

The amazing site of an A1 & an A2 Pacific. Together again after 45 years