An Alco 251 reverberates on Beaverbrook…

The ‘thrum thrum thrum’ overlaid on the ‘ggg the the thur ggg the the thur ggg the the thur’ is something you only notice after a few minutes of listening to HMLX 8032. It has been months since this Montreal Locomotive Works veteran has tread the boards of Beaverbrook…Sat idling next to the TerraTransport office, the crew taking a break, I’m indulging in my own - a pause between other projects whilst the 8032 sits idling. I’m supposed to be doing something else but I swing my car this way fairly often to see if anything’s moving, my camera on the seat beside me hoping for a catch. Today means success. Usually it doesn’t.I sit with the window down, listening to the idle - the crew, heading back spot me and wave, a quick toot on the horn and they’re off down to the Co-op. I grab a few frames and listen, watch the striped radiator end disappear behind some stored cars before starting up my VW and heading back to my day.Obviously I can’t wait for people to ask in a year or so ‘is that a…