Last of the light…

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…on Hope Bowdler Hill

We were a bit later setting out than intended – but this one was just right for the time remaining. It’s that time of year again – the clocks have gone back, and the sun’s setting around 4.30pm. As a result, it was still bright –  broad daylight – when we left the car, but the sun was lowering rapidly ahead as we headed back along the humpy ridge of the hill.

Hope Bowdler Hill isn’t high – a whisker under 1400′ – but it’s a great viewpoint, with the 2000′ Radnor Forest clear on the horizon to the south-west, some 25 miles away. The TV mast is just visible on Black Mixen, but other than the much closer mast on Hazler Hill, and scattered farms, man-made objects are not prominent in the views to the south.  What really catches the eye on an afternoon like this is the pattern of ridges, one after another, receding and fading into the distance. But the sun is setting, and it’s too cold (a biting wind) to stay still for long.

On Cannock Chase

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A dry day – and lots of sunshine at home. The forecast suggested it might get cloudier later, perhaps the chance of a shower to the north-west – we’d better head eastwards.

The sunshine had already gone when we left home – might it shine again later? Inevitably, it waited until we were well into the forest, clouding up again as we emerged from the trees and headed towards the “glacial boulder” prominently marked on the 1:25,000. Some fitful sunshine made the birches glow, before it disappeared altogether…

We walked this route almost exactly a year ago (see Cannock Chase) – this time, we walked anti-clockwise…

Barry Island

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Still sounds slightly tacky, doesn’t it?  Many of us will associate Barry Island with Butlin’s, even if we never went there. But the holiday camp has long gone – an estate of modern houses occupies the space. Yes, there’s still the funfair (closed on this cold but bright autumn day) opposite the railway station, and amusements, fish and chips and other familiar features of the old-fashioned “seaside” in and around the western colonnade. But beyond, there are rocky headlands and a fine sandy beach, with extensive views to Somerset and the islands (Steep Holm and Flat Holm – lovely names!) in the mouth of the Severn – or is it the Bristol Channel here?. Great for a stroll after lunch, before the long drive home.

Wilderhope

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The boots were still sodden from the trip to Foxfield – so with slightly lighter footwear, this was never going to be more than a short walk. It was pleasant in the warm sunshine – the morning’s mist had mostly cleared, though there were still some patches rolling around. The last stretch of the path along the edge is seriously muddy…

Foxfield

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Last train by geoffspages

At the end of the day, Bagnall 2842 lifts its train away from Foxfield colliery and heads for home. It was half an hour late leaving; the sunshine was by now intermittent. Would we have had full sun if it had left on time?

It was an excellent day at the railway’s autumn gala yesterday – a “Rail Diaries” entry will follow shortly

Last train, a photo by geoffspages on Flickr.

Half a century – narrow gauge in north Gloucs.

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Taking the M5 south, we turn off for Toddington at Ashchurch – passing the site of the works where the Dowty RPS was formed in October 1962. The site, on the curve connecting the main line to the branch to Upton-on-Severn and beyond, is no longer recognisable, though trains still stop at Ashchurch (for Tewkesbury) station, and the MOD depot to the west of the main line is still rail-served, by the stub of the former line to Evesham, Redditch and, ultimately, Barnt Green.

The preservation effort in the 1960s was standard gauge – I remember my first sight of 6201 “Princess Elizabeth” in store there in 1968 – today’s efforts are a few miles further east, to a much smaller gauge (2′ 0″), and operational under a different guise – “The Toddington Narrow Gauge Railway“. Nevertheless, a 50th anniversary would provide a reason (or excuse?) for a gathering and a steam up. We had to go…

Haven’t had time yet to put together the “Rail Diaries” page – soon, perhaps; in the meantime, a sample – it’s Henschel 0-8-0T no. 1091 of 1918, rather a fine old machine.

Not 44932…

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A trip out today, to see Black 5 no. 44932 hauling “The Welsh Borders Steam Special”, from Crewe to Shrewsbury via Chester, then, later in the day, back to Crewe by the direct route. The light was lovely – the sun shone when the train came. A bit of white steam against those autumn leaves would have been very pleasant, even if the location wasn’t perfect.

I don’t know what went wrong… I’d had high hopes of a location for the return trip – perhaps another time?