Rail buffs steamed up over VIP Wigan visit

Trainspotters had another treat as the locomotive 70000 Britannia steamed into Wigan.

Reader Chris Winstanley captured this image of the impressive BR Standard engine with carriages on a trip to Carlisle.

It stopped at Wigan North Western to pick up passengers, giving Chris time to take several admiring shots of the visitor, plus one of the driver and fireman prior to its departure.

Although superseded by diesel and electric trains, steam engines have never gone away and are occasional visitors to the town.

Earlier this month an A1 class 60163 Tornado locomotive, on a run from Darlington to Chester, was seen but those with cameras had to be much quicker because it didn’t stop.