Couldn’t see anything local that appealed particularly – but this caught my eye – the Aston Manor Road Transport Museum in Birmingham (just along the road from Aston hall and Aston Villa…). Two of the preserved vehicles were offering rides – a 1954 Daimler, the classic Birmingham bus of the 50s and 60s, and a 1963 Midland Red coach (another very familiar vehicle). The museum itself is housed in a former tram depot, complete with tram rails – an interesting little collection, well worth a visit.

For more photos visit Aston Manor Transport Museum on Geoff’s Pages

There’s enough of interest at Summerlee to merit a “Rail Diaries” – several (static) steam locomotives, and more of the tram in action. Visit Summerlee for the full story

More photos etc. on Geoff’s Rail Diaries – visit “Evesham’s Gala”

The 15” gauge Evesham Vale Light Railway held a special “Weekend of Steam” event on the 3rd and 4th of July – we thought we’d better go and have a look. Stars of the show would be Welsh atlantics “Count Louis” of Fairbourne fame, and “John” from the Rhyl Miniature Railway. A “Rail Diaries” page is taking shape, in the meantime here are a couple of tasters.

Just published to Geoff’s Rail Diaries, the full(ish) account of Sunday’s outing, plus 14 more photos. Visit “The Amerton Gala”

      

A pleasant afternoon at Amerton – in the company of five 2’ gauge steam locomotives, contra-rotating on the circular(ish) line, between Stafford and Uttoxeter. Resident “Isabel” is back in action – along with vertical-boilered “Paddy”, Wrens “Jennie” and “Peter Pan”, and “Max”, the O&K 0-6-0 from Statfold. A super little railway – especially when the sun shines like it did today.

A “Rail Diaries” page will appear before too long…

Just published to “Geoff’s Rail Diaries”, an illustrated account of Saturday’s open day at the Statfold Barn Railway. Ten locomotives in steam (and one more on compressed air), a 2’ gauge Land Rover (should that be Rail Rover?) and all the usual additional interest. Visit “Ten again at Statfold”.

Manchester had a tramway many years ago, long before Metrolink – sadly it closed as long ago as 1949. A tiny fragment remains, and is active, in Heaton Park, in Manchester’s northern suburbs. Visit “Heaton Park Tramway” on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries” for the usual illustrated account of this short visit (on a day when many of the northern steam railways seemed to be running trains with faces…)

Just published –  the illustrated account of Saturday’s fun at Apedale. Visit “Edward Sholto” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries

Translation – today, the Industrial Railway Society held its Annual General Meeting at Apedale, Staffs, home of the Moseley Railway Trust’s new narrow gauge railway. Such events provide an ideal excuse (should one be needed) to get out everything that works and give it a run. In the case of the MRT, the range encompassed by “everything” is truly eclectic – from recently-restored (last steamed in the 1950s) Hunslet “Edward Sholto”, to a Motor-Rail that looks, for all the world, like a garden shed on rails.

A “Rail Diaries” page will inevitably appear in due course, in the meantime, here’s a sample of sublime and ridiculous!