A pair of 175s heading downhill towards Abergavenny.

The cognoscenti are gathered for Nunney Castle's performance.

And Nunney Castle didn't disappoint, she appeared climbing slowly but perfectly steadily and laying down an exhaust which obliterated the surrounding countryside.

Judging by the darkening of the exhaust the fireman was being kept busy.

Despite the weather, it was bitterly cold, the heads of the fans are dotted along the train, to experience the sound and the fury.

And now for something completely different. Some 50 miles west the weather was much better. This is the Onllwyn Washery of Celtic Energy. Here I met up with fellow FMi member Hooverman.

The telltale sign that the train is approaching is the arrival of the EWS shunter in his white van. A few minutes after he appeared some more fans arrived, confirming the train was only a few minutes away. Here it is, 25 loaded MEAs from Parc Slip behind 60039.

The train is slowing down as it approaches a Stop sign and the derail, which has to be reset to allow the train into the Washery. The driver must also contact Neath & Brecon Junction.

With the derail reset (the white van of the shunter is just to the left of the loco) the train recommences its slow approach.

The surroundings are quite wild, giving an impression of remoteness, despite Onllwyn only being a dozen miles from Neath.

60039's paint is looking very faded.

The train enters the Washery.

After running round the loco reappears and...

...recouples on to the loaded wagons...

...pulls them out of the reception siding and...

...backs them into, presumably, the unloading siding (under the eagle eye of the shunter).

Again, the bleakness of the surrounding countryside is a great backdrop.

No signal box anymore, these are the sole pieces of signalling 'equipment' in evidence. The sign tells the driver to contact Neath & Brecon signal box to release the token and get permission to proceed. The lever operates the de-rail.

There's nothing to wait for so as soon as the brake test has been completed 60039 starts off back to Margam

This is a great location on what, I guess, was once a spoil heap.

The 60s remain a commendably 'clean' design, they look very well for their 20+ years.

A few miles south west the line passes the former anthracite colliery, and now mining museum at Cefn Coed.

The colliery, which was reputed to be the deepest anthracite mine in the world, closed in 1968. I guess back then this would have been a very different scene. Now quite pastoral, but back then a scene of intense industry.