geoffspages.blog

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The eagle-eyed may have noticed that a dot has appeared in the blog title, at the top of the page. That’s because the address is now geoffspages.blog – though geoffspages.wordpress.com will continue to work.

Re. “Walking to Benthall” (previous post) – I’ve been asked who Aileen is. Aileen was this year’s first named storm, arriving in the early hours of Wednesday, much earlier than last year’s Angus (late November). We were warned of strong winds locally, but they didn’t seem to come to much. Not complaining…

Wenlock to Benthall…

On By geoffspagesIn NT and EH, Photography, Shropshire hills, Walks4 Comments

…and home for tea. It was a last-minute decision – let’s go to Wenlock on the bus (the no. 18 double-decker – top deck, front seats) and walk back – via Benthall Hall for refreshments, of course. It’s not the most encouraging weather photographically – there’s some sunshine, but also some grey skies and a shower or two (which we weren’t expecting). It’s a pleasant outing anyway, calm before the storm perhaps (Aileen is coming tonight, apparently)

Benthall Hall NT

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=365070&Y=301486&A=Y&Z=120

Single track…

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

…takes on a different meaning at Nantmawr, close to Shropshire’s border with Wales. When we visited last September, the collection of monorail equipment was newly-arrived. They’ve had a chance to sort things out since then – today we were greeted by a sizeable circuit of track, complete with (the only) working locomotive and couple of “passenger vehicles”. We’d better take a ride…

More photos and video will appear on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries” in a day or two; meanwhile, here’s locomotive 20091 “Partington” about to perform a test run round the single track…

Beside the Severn to Hampton Loade

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

An easy stroll this afternoon – Hampton Loade and back – out by the riverside path, back past Chelmarsh reservoir. It’s a fine, sunny and warm afternoon, with puffy little cumulus clouds putting some detail in the sky. We can sit at Hampton Loade station, where we can watch the trains go by and perhaps have an ice cream. Perhaps not – the shop’s shut, but the trains are running and there’s (a very small amount of) chocolate in the camera bag. That’s what they’re for, isn’t it?

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=373755&Y=287526&A=Y&Z=120

Murky Mynd

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, Walks1 Comment

It didn’t actually rain, but the air did seem rather wet at times. The morning’s drizzle didn’t clear quite as soon as we’d hoped, and there was little point in using the toposcope on Pole Bank, even if we could see at least 10 yards in all directions. Minutes later, the air began to feel much drier. Did we feel a touch of warmth too? The tea and cakes / ice cream, back at the Cardingmill, were of course excellent, though our indulgence was punished by a last defiant little shower as we walked back to the car…

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The steam rally revisited

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CJ 9720 – 2017
CJ 4526 – 1972

Last time we went, it was the Bishop’s Castle traction engine rally – shame on you, did I hear? That could be around 30 years ago! It’s been held at Onslow Park, near Shrewsbury, in recent times. We’ve often thought about going, but seem to be tied up elsewhere at the end of August. Today – we made it. What a show! There’s so much to see, and so much going on, that it’s almost impossible to take it all in. We’ll have to go again next year.

More photos will appear in due course; in the meantime, here’s a taster. “Rusty Nuts” is in Herefordshire County Council livery, and bears the Herefordshire registration CJ 9720. In 1972 I met – and photographed – its sister engine CJ 4526 – working for Herefordshire County Council. It was the only steam roller I ever saw in normal service.

Shrewsbury Steam Rally

Belswardyne blackberries

On By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, Walks2 Comments

A walk from Sheinton to Harley and back – out by Homer and Wigwig, back past Belswardyne. The blackberries weren’t the object of the exercise, but when we saw them beside the hedge (well away from the roads) – big, juicy and ripe – we had to stop and pick a few (still had the bags with us from Tuesday’s abortive sortie). They seem to be ready early this year – as will be the bramble jelly!

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=360605&Y=302751&A=Y&Z=120