Category: Railways…

…and trams, traction engines, buses, ships, boats, canals and other transport subjects

Kirkham Abbey

On By geoffspagesIn NT and EH, Photography, Railways...Leave a comment

Saturday 20 October: we’re in Yorkshire, exploring after lunch. The ruinous remains of Kirkham Priory stand beside the river Derwent, between York and Malton, and are worth exploring. The York – Scarborough railway passes through the valley on the other side of the river, crossing the minor road by means of a level crossing. It’s controlled by a mechanical signal box, “Kirkham Abbey”: the crossing gates swing out across the road when a train is coming. Kirkham Abbey is a now-rare survivor of a once-common scene.

Photo note: today’s outing wasn’t expected to have photographic opportunities. I took the photos using the smartphone – not the best tool for the job, especially considering the railway is in deep shade, mid-afternoon in late October. We’ll have to revisit…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=473260&Y=465760&A=Y&Z=120

A full day: Glasgow

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Wednesday 26 Sept: Up at 6am! We’re catching the 9.09 Pendolino from Crewe; at Carlisle, we’ll join the 11.12 for Glasgow Central – via Dumfries and Kilmarnock (our choice – slow but scenic). We then have a whisker over 3 hours, into which we’ll squeeze
– St Enoch Square – for a look at the old Subway station
– the riverside walk to the Riverside Museum
– a subway ride to Buchanan Street, for a look at Queen Street station
– a walk back to Central station, and
– an expensive (£4.75!) pint…
before heading for home on the 16.40 to Euston. It’s not going to call at Crewe, so we’ll have to change at Lancaster – onto a train that decides to stop at Preston for almost an hour. We’ve no driver – signals problems away down south mean he’s late. So we’re on a later-than-planned train from Crewe back to the car, and at about 10.45pm, I’m home again. Did all of that happen in just one day?

That’s enough for now – a few photos below; more to follow.

Not flying…

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Flying Scotsman certainly could fly, metaphorically, in his youth. Today we’re visiting a couple of Scotsmen whose top speed is barely into double figures – definitely not flyers – at the Telford Steam Railway. One of them, built by Grant, Richie of Kilmarnock in 1894, is just visiting for his summer holidays, which are almost over – we’d better go and see him. Take a look at “Scotsmen, not flying” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries – now!

TTTT – 303

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No 303 is a very fine newly-restored WW1 Hunslet 4-6-0, making an appearance at the Moseley Railway Trust’s Apedale Valley Railway, on the occasion of their 2018 “Tracks to the Trenches” event. It wasn’t the only participant in the weekend’s fun and games, but it will have to do for now. A “Geoff’s Rail Diaries” page will appear in due course…

Morecambe to Seaton?

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Railways..., WalksLeave a comment

My fingers got the better of me! We walked from Moreton, on the north Wirral shore, to Seacombe, to a bus stop just beyond the ferry terminal. We were making for Hamilton Square station, and to continue walking could have meant a missed connection…

Yesterday’s outing by rail had been planned a week or so in advance. In the event, it would be too warm for any longer journeys, and there could be (there were!) pleasant sea breezes away from the train. Before the walk, a ride to the end of the line at West Kirby (it was emphatically Wet Kirby, last time I was there) meant we could take refreshments (a pleasant little cafe in the railway station building), before riding back as far as Moreton. From the shore, there are hazy views to Wales and to Liverpool, and wind turbines out at sea. Around the corner at New Brighton (it’s busy here!), we’re following the west bank of the Mersey, with interesting views of the docks. Below, on the sands, are oystercatchers and four curlews.

We might have made it to Hamilton Square on time, but the bus proved a wise choice. The bridge across the docks was closed for maintenance/road works – if we’d had to follow the alternative route on foot, we’d have been home much later. We’d walked a little under 8 miles anyway – quite enough for this warm afternoon.

View OS Map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=329465&Y=394095&A=Y&Z=120