Power

I was enjoying a very late breakfast, watching the rain pouring down and thinking how nice it was to be in the warm, when the phone rang.

"Keith, there's a steam engine heading your way - it will be there in about half an hour."

My friend Steve has his finger on the transport pulse because he likes to film these steam giants of a bygone age, and he knows how much I like to capture them in still pictures.

I hurried down my last mouthful of bacon and egg, pulled on my walking boots and mac, grabbed my camera and headed for the track.

The railway is only about 100 yards from my home, but I have to fight my way through overgrown, rain-sodden nettles and overhanging tree branches along a canal towpath to get to the path up to the track.

When I arrived, there were already a couple of guys waiting with video cameras for the big moment.

We didn't have to wait long. These steam engines can make a huge amount of noise, but this one took us completely by surprise - probably because it was coming from behind a hill, which shielded the sound.

Once it was bearing down on us, it became a ferocious beast - a truly magnificent sight. The connecting rods were moving ten to the dozen as the huge wheels spun, the peace was shattered by the sound of 100 tons of metal forcing itself and its carriages uphill and a huge cloud of steam filled the valley.

In just 10 seconds it had been and gone, with only the steam - with its delicious organic smell - still hanging in the air.

For any steam buffs out there, this was the LMS Princess Class 4-6-2 no 46201 Princess Elizabeth [6201].