Having been impressed by the line in 1979, a return trip the following winter was a high priority.

More by luck than judgement, I found myself at the country end of Ponferrada station shortly after sunrise on a gloriously clear 30 December 1980. The yard was already full of engines and columns of rising steam. When No.18 came off shed the scene was complete.

Taking pictures like this was way beyond my competence level at the time and I still marvel that this one worked as well as it did.

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