It’s Heritage Open Days weekend – and after the fun and games yesterday, a change of focus – Flounders’ Folly, the recently-restored tower which has for many years been a Wenlock Edge landmark.
Visit the Flounders’ Folly website for more details
Saturday 13th September – the date’s been in the diary for some time – the first public open day at the Moseley Railway Trust‘s new home at the Apedale Heritage Centre near Newcastle-under-Lyme.
And what a great day it was – their collection of 2’ gauge equipment is immense – I don’t think I’ve seen as many Motor-Rails, Rustons and similar at a single gathering – and they’re not all there yet.
A Rail Diaries entry will follow in a day or two, but in the meantime, a couple of snaps as a taster…
Just published to “Geoff’s Rail Diaries“, the illustrated account of our visit to the somewhat soggy Rhiw Valley and its super little railway. Visit “Rhiw Valley Rainway” now!
Just back from a foray into the rain-sodden foothills of mid-Wales – a fine lunch at the Lion, Berriew – then a short drive up the valley of the Rhiw to an elusive little 15″ gauge railway. No, I know a railway can’t be elusive – but it’s a private line, very rarely open to the public, perhaps twice a year. A super little setup – a complete loop of 1¼ miles through the fields beside the river, with a triangular junction leading to the terminus station. “Powys”, an 0-6-2T built by Severn Lamb in 1973 (similar to Dougal on the Evesham Vale), 
and the much younger “Jack”, an attractive 0-4-0 tender locomotive, took turns in hauling trains around the line (sometimes clockwise, sometimes anti-).
A “Rail Diaries” page will of course follow in due course
Just published to Geoff’s Rail Diaries – an account of a (fairly) impromptu visit to two lesser railways west of the Solent – the Exbury Steam Railway, a recent 12.25″ gauge line in the gardens near Beaulieu, and a ride on the Hythe Pier Railway (apparently the oldest pier railway in the world).
Visit “Exbury and Hythe” for the illustrated account…
Just published to “Geoff’s Rail Diaries“, an account of a visit to the 2′ gauge South Tynedale Railway at Alston, and a ride behind a 90-year-old Henschel tank locomotive, named after the inventor of the old-fashioned railway ticket we used to be familiar with. Can’t remember his name? Visit “South Tynedale” and find out…
Just published to “Geoff’s Rail Diaries” – the illustrated account, with video, of the “Steam in the Park” event on Sunday 13th July. Visit now!
Just back from a great afternoon at Wicksteed Park, Kettering – the annual “Steam in the Park” event, with visiting locos Kerr Stuart “Peter Pan” (doesn’t he get around?), Baguley “Rishra” and Hunslet “Alice” all seeing action on the 1.25 mile circular track. Fine sunny weather too – at last!
A “Rail Diaries” page will follow – soon…
Saturday 21st June – the longest day, ideal for an early-out late-back trip on one of the country’s newest rail services (albeit one with a bit of old-fashioned style and customer service) – and a revisit, after nearly 30 years, to London Transport’s fine revamped museum at Covent Garden.
Visit (Wrexham &) Shropshire and Covent Garden, on Geoff’s Rail Diaries, for a full account of an excellent trip
Monday morning at work. “Did you have a good weekend?” “Yes, we had a day out in Birkenhead”…
Scoff not. The newly-constructed tramway from Woodside ferry terminal (I think we parked in what used to be Birkenhead Woodside station) to the tramway museum in Taylor Street is well worth a visit – especially when a fine vintage tram like Birkenhead No. 20, over 100 years old, is running. 
Riding the open top deck on a warm June afternoon, what more could one want? Well for afters, a cruise down the Mersey…
Visit “Birkenhead’s trams” on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries”
