Just published to Geoff’s Rail Diaries – this year’s first entry (at last!): “Tramlines“, an illustrated account of yesterday’s outing to Manchester.
Category: Railways…
…and trams, traction engines, buses, ships, boats, canals and other transport subjects
Riding the trams
Weds. 10th Feb: a day out, in and around Manchester. It’s several years since I was last there, and the tramways have expanded greatly (the trams have all been replaced too). A day return to Holmes Chapel and a Greater Manchester “Wayfarer” (just £6 for those of a certain age – brilliant value!) make this most enjoyable day out an inexpensive one too. There will be a “Rail Diaries” page of trams in due course, and a blog entry for the “other stuff”. In the meantime, a taster – car 3012 passing the magnificent Midland hotel.
Bridgnorth on Boxing Day
We’re out for a leg stretch and a breath of fresh air, on a mild but windy Boxing Day afternoon. The centre of Bridgnorth is busy, but we’re taking a quieter route away from the crowds. There’s a train due to leave the station – we’d better go and have a look…
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=371482&Y=292741&A=Y&Z=115
A small Scot in Wales
An unexpected find on a grey December afternoon – ALEXANDRA, built by Andrew Barclay of Kilmarnock in 1902 (works no 929). It was working at Millom ironworks when the latter closed in the late 1960s, and then spent many years at the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway. More recently, it lived in Gloucestershire – and now resides, after a short spell in Oswestry, near Criggion in Powys. I’d read of its recent moves, but hadn’t given it a thought when we set off earlier in the day. Yes, that’s (appropriately) a highland cow keeping it company…
Location (zoom out!)
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=328345&Y=314975&A=Y&Z=120
A last look at Royal Scot
On our way to the arboretum, we called in on the Severn Valley Railway, for a last look at Royal Scot, and perhaps Tornado too. It wasn’t an entirely successful trip… This is the best photo; there are three others on “Royal Scot” (I’d never make a salesman, would I?) on Geoff’s Rail Diaries.
Shrewsbury Signalboxes
Just published to Geoff’s Rail Diaries – an account of Saturday’s visit to three of Shrewsbury’s wonderful mechanical signalboxes – and 30 pictures. Visit “Salop’s boxes” now!
A privileged position
…looking down on the trains running in and out of Shrewsbury station, from three of its now-famous signal boxes. Shrewsbury is an island of mechanical signalling, a survivor because of its complexity, among other things. It came within a hair’s breadth of resignalling perhaps 30 years ago (what would we have been left with? Fewer platforms and less track, I suspect – and insufficient capacity for today’s intensive services). Its fame? Primarily because, for the last few years, Severn Bridge Junction, with its 180-lever frame, has been the biggest mechanical signalbox in the world. Wow! More photos will follow in a day or two, on Geoff’s Rail Diaries; in the meantime, a taster…
Stained glass to ABS
We’re in Shrewsbury: a quick lunch at the café in St Mary’s church before visiting “Brick City” – Warren Elsmore’s Lego exhibition in the Museum and Art Gallery. St Mary’s may have one of the tallest spires in England, but it’s redundant, under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. The plastic (ABS) Lego-brick buildings in the museum are in complete contrast to the stone, stained glass and tiles of the church – or are they? The centrepiece is St Pancras station – it’s huge! Like a well-designed model railway, the detail rewards closer examination. We liked the chap with the camera, leaning back to get everything in (not, in this case, St Pancras) – but there are some very strange characters milling around the railway station. The exhibition closes on Friday 11 October
St Mary’s church, Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery
Warren Elsmore
Foxfield: the movie
Just published to Geoff’s Rail Diaries – photos and video of yesterday’s great day beside the fearsome incline out of Foxfield colliery. Visit “Foxfield 2015 – the Autumn Gala“
Bellerophon
In Greek mythology, he was a great hero and slayer of monsters, apparently. He’s still fighting fit on the Foxfield railway, despite his age – built by Haydock Foundry in 1874, which makes him more than 140 years old. More photos and video, from an excellent day out in Staffordshire, will appear on Geoff’s Rail Diaries in due course (i.e. tomorrow. Probably).
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