71000 Upton Scudamore – Once described as “the irreparable hulk”, British Railways 3-cylinder Pacific 71000 Duke of Gloucester has emerged, Phoenix-like, as probably the finest steam locomotive built in Britain. Painstakingly and expensively restored over many years, the mistakes made in its original building have been put right and additional improvements added – for example,  a Kylchap exhaust system. The result is that this Caprotti valve gear 4-6-2 today seems easily able to master any train weight, gradient and schedule that it is asked to deal with. Here the Duke takes on the four miles (6.4km) of 1 in 70 (1.43%) gradient to Upton Scudamore, Wiltshire, with consummate ease. The train is the return “Cathedrals Express” from Bristol and Bath, to London. 21 July 2005.

Digital picture by Roger Griffiths; jrcs@blueyonder.co.uk