Sandy in Bedforshire is where, for a short distance, the former L&NWR Bedford to Cambridge 'Varsity' route (closed in 1968) and the GNR lines that are now part of the ECML run in parallel for about half a mile but do not connect. Both companies had separate but adjacent stations with a shared island platform, this is now merged into one station. Climbing away from Sandy with a train for Bedford in April 1935, is un-named ex-LN&WR Bowen Cooke 'Prince of Wales' 4-6-0 No. 25828. It is passing a fine rake of owner wagons on the ex-GNR lines below. 25828 was built by Beardmore of Dalmuir in Feb. 1922 as L&NWR No. 558 and was withdrawn in Nov. 1936.

© Les Hanson-David Hanson Archive