A bird in the hand is worth many in the burning bush

Oh dear. Are West Toast Railway up to their old tricks?

According to yesterday's Press and Journal...

An extensive hill fire on an internationally-important Sutherland nature reserve yesterday was last night blamed on sparks from a passing steam train.

A helicopter was brought in to help firefighters by water-bombing the outbreak which was still raging as darkness fell.

Units from Helmsdale, Thurso, Bettyhill and Tongue joined RSPB staff in fighting the peatland blaze which had a three-mile front at its height.

The bird charity was very concerned about the potential impact on the reserve’s rare bird life as it coincides with the start of the breeding season.

The outbreak was found just before lunchtime on the 20,000-hectare reserve based in the tiny community of Forsinard.

It was reported minutes after a steam train, on a charter run, pulled out of the village station.

What a shame the wind didn't blow the sparks the other way.

But of course Wet Coat are averse to high winds and apparently Tornadoes in particular.

Cotton Mill Express - doomed

Telegrammed by 1Z51
Much fury in the North West over a charter train operation gone bad.

This from the Zelo Street blog...

One of the observers was from Network Rail (NR), where questions may well be asked about the lack of a test run by Scots Guardsman, to show it was fit for duty, after the first failure. NR will certainly be wanting one before they allow WCRC’s pride and joy out on the main line again.

What Woe!

UPDATE: This just in from Pillbox...

The original failure was not in away related to the more recent incident and a test run would have been worthless, as a static test proved the repair.

That being said, now a test run would be sensible when its fixed.

Bin laiden?

A naughty reader has sent Eye the following picture:

Amusing captions invited.

Unless of course it is just a bin at Fort William?

UPDATE: A very quick response from 'No trace at all'...

"Dave bin in?"

Very droll, can anyone do better?

West Toast Railway

Telegrammed by Jack Ketch
West Coast Railway Company appear determined to continue making their mark, despite losing out to EWS on the operation of Tornado.

Thus on Monday the company treated the residents of Crewe to a splendid fireworks display courtesy of 37712

With four appliances in attendance and the juice switched off for an hour there was much to see.

Although sadly very few of the trains that passengers were actually waiting for.