Tanked up around Stourbridge! Make it a double!

Just got back from a spot of gricing at Stourbridge Junction.

Not that I went to cop some smelly DMU's. No, today was in search of STEAM!
The Vintage Trains tour "The Panier Rambler" was running today, Starting from Tyseley going out to Stratford on Avon, returning then to Birmingham to complete stage one of the tour.
The second leg of the trip was from Birmingham to Worcester via Stourbridge and Kidderminster.

Stourbridge Junction is my local station so a quick trip down the road to watch it pass through.

Here it is, 9600 leading 7762 (in London Transport livery)

Not really the best picture in the world,but considering the light was not great and they were doing over 40MPH using shutter priority meant that the Depth of field would be absolutely P!$$ poor!





(Click to enlarge Image)





The final leg of this trip will be the best part though. Shame that it will be too dark for pictures with my equipment.
The run up the Lickey Incline unassisted should be spectacular. there will be some real fireworks from the chimneys  as the little panniers work flat out up the bank.
I won't be there to see it but I know a man who will and I'll be getting a rep[ort from him in due course.

Now, slight change of subject.
Some of my regular readers may recall my blog entry The Pedant and odours, well I could add on the latest moan from me and that is the "Rucksack Traveller"
The station was quite busy to day, almost as busy as it was back in steam days when I did my "train spotting" on this station and all stops to Dudley!
Anyway, I digress (Again!)
Today seemed to be the "day of the rucksack traveller or Rucksack Gricer! they were out in force at the "up" end of the Down platform this afternoon! Just when You find a vacant couple of square feet in which to stand to take your shot some idiot with a rucksack almost knocks you flying with his payload!
A quick visit to the gents for "Leak of the week" was fraught with danger!
Walking into the tool room I was confronted by the back end of a large rucksack, almost twice the size of the idiot wearing it! I had to do a three point turn (Not easy with my five bellies!) to get to the next urinal, even then the width of his rucksack impeded on my space so ended up using trap 2 for my relief!

I must write to London Midland suggesting rucksacks be banned from all of their operated stations!