2009/10/09, 01. Ruston & Hornsby 0-6-0DM shunter "Lesley" is on an Allelys Heavy Haulage low-loader en route to Aylesbury Chiltern depot, where it will become the depot shunter. The low-loader is in Prebendal Avenue, Aylesbury, and should have turned left here into Leach Road and the entrance to the depot, but went straight on! 13:51, Friday 9th October 2009.

2009/10/09, 02. Having initially missed the turn into the depot at Aylesbury, the low-loader carrying "Lesley" has now turned round and found its way into the depot approaches via Leach Road. 13:58, Friday 9th October 2009.

2009/10/09, 03. Having initially missed the turn into the depot at Aylesbury, the low-loader carrying "Lesley" has now turned round and found its way into the depot approaches via Leach Road. 13:58, Friday 9th October 2009.

2009/10/09, 04. The Allelys heavy haul low-loader negotiates the entrance into the Chiltern Railways Aylesbury depot with Ruston & Hornsby 0-6-0DM "Lesley" on the trailer, destined for shunting duties at the depot. 13:59, Friday 9th October 2009.

2009/10/09, 05. "Lesley" crosses the footpath between the station and Aylesbury College, holding up a couple of students, as it enters Aylesbury Chiltern depot on the back of an Allelys low-loader during delivery to the depot. 14:02, Friday 9th October 2009.

2009/10/09, 06. The Allelys heavy haulage low-loader crosses the bridge over the river alongside Aylesbury Chiltern depot and into the depot itself, where a hard right turn has to be made. On board is "Lesley", the Ruston 0-6-0DM beng delivered. 14:02, Friday 9th October 2009.

2009/10/09, 07. Allelys low-loader has just entered Aylesbury Chiltern depot from the approach road to the left of the picture and has swung right alongside the building and is about to make a hard left turn round the rear of the building, with "Lesley" on the low-loader. 14:03, Friday 9th October 2009.

2009/10/09, 08. The Allelys low-loader squeezes round the rear of the depot building at Aylesbury, road "E" is the track embedded in concrete that the loco was to be unloaded onto, by the front of the tractor unit. A Wrexham coach can just be seen inside the building. A snag now arose, in that it had been thought that the loco would be unloaded from the rear of the trailer by simply reversing the low-loader until it was lined up over the track. However, it transpired that the loco had to be unloaded from the front of the trailer, which meant that a series of complicated moves had to be made to get the loco on the track and then extract the tractor unit and trailer! 14:11, Friday 9th October 2009.

2009/10/09, 09. After a fairly lengthy discussion between all parties concerned about how to unload the loco from the front of the low-loader, the unit is on the move again within the restricted space available, easing forward until it can clear the concrete stopblock at the rear of the trailer and then reverse onto the concrete apron over road "E", 14:18, Friday 9th October 2009.

2009/10/09, 10. "Lesley" is now being gingerly reversed on the low-loader through the narrow gap between the stopblock and the gantry hoist supports, to take up position directly over the track for unloading. 14:18, Friday 9th October 2009.

2009/10/09, 11. "Lesley" is now being gingerly reversed on the low-loader through the narrow gap between the stopblock and the gantry hoist supports, to take up position directly over the track for unloading. 14:19, Friday 9th October 2009.

2009/10/09, 12. After the low-loader was moved into the right position, the tractor unit and front part of the trailer were unhitched and moved alongside the rest of the trailer. The front of this was then lowered to the concrete deck and tempoarary track assembled to unload "Lesley". The loco is just beginning its descent from the trailer, its progress restrained by a block & tackle pulley system rigged from the tractor unit alongside. 15:26, Friday 9th October 2009.

2009/10/09, 13. "Lesley" has now been unshackled from the trailer and after descending the ramp rolls freely along the track at her new home for the first time, the man from Allelys about to put a scotch block beneath the wheels to stop the loco before reaching the stopblock! 15:29, Friday 9th October 2009.

2009/10/09, 14. Now back in a loco's natural environment - on rails - Chiltern's Driver/Instructor Steve Roast climbs aboard the engine to begin making "Lesley" ready for use. 15:31, Friday 9th October 2009.

2009/10/09, 15. Chiltern staff go about the business of getting the new shunter "Lesley" into working condition, soon after delivery, alongside the depot building at Aylesbury. 15:34, Friday 9th October 2009.

2009/10/09, 16. After much fiddling about beneath the engine covers and a couple of unsuccessful attempts at starting the loco up, some portable extra battery units were brought in and a successful "jump start" was made, "Lesley" bursting into life for the first time at Aylesbury depot. Smiles all round! 16:04, Friday 9th October 2009. I had to leave at this point, so did not see what moves had to be made to extricate the Allelys low-loader and tractor unit...

2009/10/30, 01. Having been delivered to Aylesbury depot three weeks earlier, Ruston & Hornsby 0-6-0DM "Lesley" is ready for the official ceremony for the naming, in front of invited guests and press. Friday 30th October 2009.

2009/10/30, 02. Prior to the unveiling of the name of the new shunting loco at Aylesbury depot, Chiltern MD Adrian Shooter checks that the Champagne is of a suitable vintage to Christen the loco (built 1963), together with his Personal Assistant, Lesley Knight, after whom the loco is named. Friday 30th October 2009.

2009/10/30, 03. Chiltern Railways MD Adrian Shooter addresses the assembled guests and press of the virtues of his long-suffering (sorry, long-serving!) Personal Assistant, Lesley Knight, who is about to perform the unveiling ceremony at the naming of the shunter at Aylesbury depot, the loco being named after her. Friday 30th October 2009.

2009/10/30, 04. Whilst Chiltern MD Adrian Shooter extols her virtues to the guests and press at Aylesbury depot, his Personal Assistant Lesley Knight listens, perhaps with a slight air of disbelief, prior to naming the new shunter after her. Friday 30th October 2009.

2009/10/30, 05. Speeches over, Lesley Knight, Personal Assistant to Chiltern MD Adrian Shooter, unveils the nameplate on the cabside of Ruston shunter "Lesley", named after her, during the ceremony at Aylesbury depot. Friday 30th October 2009.

2009/10/30, 06. Chiltern MD Adrian Shooter and Personal Assistant Lesley Knight pose in front of the Ruston shunter "Lesley" at Aylesbury depot during the naming ceremony on the morning of Friday 30th October 2009.

2009/10/30, 07. Lesley Knight poses proudly alongside the newly named shunter at Aylesbury depot, after unveiling the nameplate on Friday 30th October 2009.

2009/10/30, 08. Lesley Knight prepares to launch the newly named shunter "Lesley" into service with the traditional bottle of Champagne during the ceremony at Aylesbury depot on Friday 30th October 2009...

2009/10/30, 09. ... and does so in fine style, though perhaps not with the words "I name this engine Lesley, and may God bless all who shunt in her". "Lesley" is officially launched! Friday 30th October 2009.

2009/10/30, 10. Lesley Knight, Personal Assistant to Adrian Shooter, has just "launched" Ruston shunter "Lesley" with the traditional bottle of Champagne, after naming the loco a short while earlier, and looks very happy at the outcome! Friday 30th October 2009.

2009/10/30, 11. After naming and "launching" Ruston shunter "Lesley" at Aylesbury depot, Lesley Knight is presented with flowers and a bottle of bubbly by Adrian Shooter, MD of Chiltern Railways. Friday 30th October 2009.

2009/10/30, 12. After naming and "launching" Ruston shunter "Lesley" at Aylesbury depot, Lesley Knight was presented with flowers and a bottle of bubbly by Adrian Shooter, MD of Chiltern Railways. Lesley poses with "Lesley". Friday 30th October 2009.

2009/10/30, 13. Lesley Knight admires the nameplate on the Ruston shunter, newly named "Lesley" after her - I daresay it's doubtful if the loco will have such a glamourous crew in the future! Friday 30th October 2009.

2009/10/30, 14. After naming the shunter at Aylesbury depot, Lesley Knight is interviewed by the local Bucks TV, while the reporter from the "Bucks Herald" newspaper makes notes. Friday 30th October 2009.

2009/10/30, 15. Nameplate on the cabside of the Ruston shunter "Lesley" at Aylesbury depot after the official naming ceremony on Friday 30th October 2009.

2009/10/30, 16. After naming the shunter after herself, Lesley Knight climbs aboard the loco for her first driving lesson! Aylesbury depot, Friday 30th October 2009.