46233, Duchess of Sutherland leaves Stonehouse

I've known for some months that this steam engine was booked to be passing through Stroud but wasn't sure whether I would be around. As it happenedI had plenty of time to day. Sadly the weather has been poor.

It was cloudy and dull all morning and then started to rain at lunchtime. I tracked the journey online and saw that the engine was making good time, so headed down to a new vantage point on the north-west side of neighbouring Stonehouse.

I try to get a different type of shot each time I see a steam train, but today there would be no getting away from a backlit view. In fact as I stood waiting the light brightened a little and then the clouds broke in the background and foreground just as the train approached.

It was very quiet and another man standing near me nearly missed it as it appeared out from the houses on the embankment leading to the junction with the main north-south railway from Bristol to Birmingham.

I'm going to go to Stroud station in a while to watch it return and try to get a more close up view, and dynamic view. But the clouds have returned and not the sunshine that was forecast. Ahh well, it will be testing, especially as the sun sets earlier and earlier these days.