Last Updated on April 23, 2026
The Ayr to Dalmellington bus obligingly deposited me outside Dunaskin Washery. The celebrated Waterside system at last, and not a minute too soon as it turned out. On the way to the office the sun finally broke through, lifting the spirits as it did so. As I did the necessary in the office, signing along the dotted line, a steam locomotive could be heard grappling with an obviously heavy train. A mental sigh of relief always follows the first sign of the locomotive, which you have come miles to photograph actually in steam and working. So often these days, one arrives at a steam location only to have one’s hopes demolished by finding all motive power quite cold and confined to the murky depths of their shed. Even more galling is to be informed by some well-meaning soul that they had been in use the day before!
Worse still happened to me last year when the Austerity at a certain northern location had failed with injector trouble and had limped back to the shed, literally minutes prior to my arrival.
This book was previously for sale at Margot’s Books. The shop is now closed — this post is kept as an archive record only.
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