5972 Olton Hall in Hyde Park

5972 with false "Olton Hall" nameplates, is displayed quite unclean (in fact quite dirty) at a remote corner of Hyde parks wonderland.... Quite why it's out of the way and not being hyped up as the harry potter loco is a mystery.. But it's there under a temporary cover with a viewing platform(closed to the public), and on the parks map as "Olton hall steam engine"... Could just as well of been any other engine...
But surely they could have put a clean rag over it.

It looks well protected under a plastic roof / breeze block structure, but there's no promotion of it, or it's significance, in fact no security around it.. In fact almost no one at all...
There must be at least 10,000 people in the park tonight (no exaggeration) but I and the engine were alone. I could have cabbed it without question (its not sealed) and I'm sure the local scrotes may notice the exposed brass work before too long.

It seems a bit of an after thought of the winter wonderland, it is set a back from the main activity half way down the Serpentine road, by the big wheel. I know had to ask thrice to find a member of staff who knew where it was.. and even then they only got it when I said "steam engine" and someone said "ar yes there is one down there".

The wonderland itself is heaving with people, and if you have kids I highly recommend making the excuse to see the loco, as the family will love the winter wonderland ... Best of all it's free to go in, very German feel (after all the rides are from Germany) ... It's also equally bizarre seeing Father Christmas on a pirate ship ride with signs in German..
The winter wonderland has many english and german feel wooden pubs / shops / bars, plenty of german sausage, at least 3 live music stands.. and all typical fair ground rides / ice rink for the kids.

 

sorry I need to rephrase the above.. 1 person was very interested in the engine.. I made sure of that, as this was her first ever encounter with a steam locomotive..
(I know I'm a bit slow)

 

It's if being advertised as Olton Hall then you can be 99% certain it's copyright that's forced someone hand...

 

I notice that the Hogwarts Railways crest is very conveniently covered up too.