DaveF

In theory but not always in reality. I think by 1983 there was a lot more movement of power cars and less emphasis on keeping them in sets with the coaches. David

My window cleaner does all my house for £5! He uses a ladder and is a lot cheaper than those who use the long poles. David

It's been a typical Thursday with a visit to church for the usual service, I did the intercessions for the first time. I have realised that I need to print them off using a larger font so I can actually see the words clearly, fortunately this morning I had almost memorised them. After coffee at church and a good natter I visited the beach where everything looked grey and there was a keen cold wind with rain starting so I didn't stay long. There were a number of sandpipers running around dodging the waves. I could see why they are called clockwork birds as they move so quickly and quite jerkily. Today I was able to go into the greenhouse without getting my feet wet so I brushed most of the mud off the floor. It has rained quite a bit this afternoon so a small amount of water has returned. I am hoping that the forecast of dry weather for the next few days will be correct. I did some more work on a model and since then have been looking at Living North, a local lifestyle magazine. This month's issue has 160 pages for £3-45 which is good value. In other words a calm quite relaxing day. David

This afternoon we travel to Bentley, between Manningtree and Ipswich on the Great Eastern Main line to loo at trains in May and June 1975. At the time Dad sometimes had a few days in Ipswich for his work and used to go out in the evening to take photos. Bentley Class 47 Liverpool St to Yarmouth May 75 J4299 Bentley Class 31 Peterborough to Parkeston Quay June 75 J4374 Bentley Class 47 up June 75 J4375 Bentley Class 47 down June 75 J4378 Bentley Class 47 Norwich to Liverpol St June 75 J4491 David

Changing the subject a bit to speed limits I wonder how many people follow the signs displayed on car screens picked up by the car's built in camera. Near home mine always displays 20 on one piece of road actually limited to 30 as going round a sharp bend the camera picks up the 20 sign from a side road. Then on a stretch of road recently changed from 40 to 30 it displays 40 as it picks up a sign on the exit before mine as I drive round a roundabout. I wonder how many people have been caught speeding as a result of that. I simply don't believe what I see on the in car display most of the time. David

I remember interviews having been on both sides of the table - more often as interviewer along with the Headteacher and sometimes (but not always) school governors. I remember one interview after which I was told I was the best candidate for the job but they already had someone who thought like me on the senior management team so they appointed someone else. Another time the successful candidate for a deputy head post had not taught for about 10 years having worked in the Education Department at County Hall so the governors thought he would have admin experience. Knowing what happened next in both those schools I was pleased I hadn't got the job. I didn't have interviews for my last 3 posts, for the first I was simply asked if I would stop being Head of Science to become overall Curriculum Manager of the school and manage the Learning Mentors, recommend teaching staff numbers, look after some of the finances etc. A few years later I told the Head that I though we needed better provision for very disruptive students, shortly afterwards I was asked to do the job which involved working Mon to Thurs 1.30pm till 7pm and normal hours on Fridays. I also kept my other responsibilities which I did at times to suit me and kept my A level IT teaching. For that I got a good pay rise. When I decided to retire I was quickly asked to work part time as an IT consultant to sort out software problems, write the timetable, and increase the use of IT in admin and lessons etc. I said I'd do it for a year and finished 8 years later. I always found the most useful information when interviewing was listening to and watching candidates as we showed them round the school and had coffee and lunch with them. It was rare that our minds were changed in the "real" interview. As for school governors' involvement there was only one I rated. He was a senior air traffic controller at the local airport, he always knew how truthful a candiate was being. David

Another look at Grantham this morning. GranthamClass 105 Grantham to Skegness and Class 114 to Nottingham Sept 71 J2776 Grantham Class 55 up Sept 71 J2777 08.10 Newcastle to Kings X Grantham Class 114 Nottingham to Skegness May 72 J2926 Grantham Class 55 down Flying Scotsman Jan 77 J5617 Grantham HST up Oct 83 C6289 David

As you may have realised I went to a funeral this morning, one of the readers at church who died quite suddenly about three weeks ago of a stomach cancer she didn't know about. I set off in plenty of time and found nowhere to park near church so used one of the town car parks nearby. The church was very full with extra chairs behind the pews and a choir of about 35 as the local choral group she went to were also there. 2 vicars took the service which lasted about an hour, there were at least another 5 in the congregation. Afterwards the family and close friends went to the crematorium in town, the rest of us migrated to the church hall for snacks. Snacks turned out to be pasties, sausage rolls, pork pies, lots of sandwiches, scones, other savoury things and cream cakes along with unlimited tea and coffee. I left after about an hour and decided to visit Betty who is 100 and lives next to the flat Mum had. We had an enjoyable chat and I got home about 1.30. As I left there was a sudden short lived downpour from a very black cloud. I didn't need any lunch! I shall cook a piece of salmon for tea shortly. The afternoon has been spent quietly catching up on things. My garage rang to say they will refinish the alloy wheel on my car next month so I have got a date and booked a courtesy car for the day, having assured them that I can drive a manual car. David

Now we go back to the East Midlands with photos at Stanton Ironworks, Stanton Gate on the Erewash Valley line and near Sutton Bonnington on the Midland north of Loughborough. Stanton Ironworks Rolls Royce Sentinel 0-6-0 diesel in scrap iron furnace shop April 69 J1626 Stanton Iron Works level crossing Sentinel April 78 J5987 Stanton Gate LMS Ivatt Class 4 2-6-0 down empty coal, in mist April 66 J449 Sutton Bonnington Class 45 up Jan 71 C452 Sutton Bonnington Class Class 45 down empties Jan 71 C453 David

Just a quick check in this morning as for once I have something I really do have to do in about 15 minutes time. I have to wear a suit and black tie. At least it isn't raining though it is still very cloudy. My neighbour mowed her lawn yesterday, she said the only problem was that the mower wheels kept sinking it was so wet. David

Some photos taken at Southside on the ECML in Northumberland. One shows the Whittle colliery exchange sidings . Southside Whittle colliery exchange sidings Aug 80 C5158 The NCB wagons got about a bit, we are nowhere near Lambton. Southside 254003 up Aug 80 C5159 The line to the colliery diverges to the left. Southside Class 254 up April 81 C5328 Southside Class 37 down oil Nov 82 C5877 Southside Class 47 47401 up ballast 24th June 85 C6964 David

Now for a general post. The day has been quiet, or perhaps boring. I went to the garage and filled the car for the first time since early February, in that time I have done 246 miles. Normally I would have done just over 1,000 miles in two months. This time I was able to get at the garage as it was no longer on a single track set of roadworks. However you leave the garage onto a side road which it is just possible to turn into as over half the road width is a big hole with a sort of barrier round it. After that excitement I went to have a walk along the Links, the wind was bitterly cold, I should have worn a winter sweater and a jacket with a fleece zipped into it. The council are working on refurbishing the wooden seating areas on the promenade. When it was done getting on for 20 years ago the council engaged consultants to advise them. The result is that the bonded gravel surface is coming off leaving very uneven bits and the wood has rotted. One might wonder why no one thought that might happen. Back home I spent quite a lot of time looking up information about photos on here and flickr to answer peoples' questions, by then it was time for a cuppa. Later on as I mentioned I'll go to the church AGM. David

In theory I accept that we should eat less meat, though there is an argument as to which livestock cause the most problems. However for conservationists as a group to say we should eat less beef while also stating that in rewilded areas some forms of cattle are useful for maintaining a good diveristy of flora does strike me as odd. I also wonder about the water usage, is the figure given including all the water the animals take in by virtue of their eating plants which have a high water content and the water they drink in some places from natural sources which would otherwise just end up in streams/ rivers. It is rather like "clean water" - the is a huge problem caused by sewage in waterways and the sea from humans but we also have to remember that every living thing produces waste products so there is always a level of contamination, even if you remove anything caused by humans. Even a lovely clear stream has things living in it producing wastes. Sadly the media do not explain any of this so many people now think that if we get rid of farm waste and human waste from waterways the water will be perfectly clean. As a biologist I do wish that things were more fully explained. Yes it is a bit of a rant, there is an urgent need to change how we live but it needs explaining and "selling" much better to us all. David

Around Grantham in black and white about 1950/1. Grantham rear of down pullman c1951 JVol1173 Grantham A4 l e for down Northumbrian c1951 JVol7010 60015 Quicksilver Grantham Barrowby Road A2/2 60504 Mons Meg down ex pass c1950 JVol7366 Grantham Barrowby Road Junction A1 down ex pass c1950 JVol3176 Grantham Barrowby Road Junction A1 up pullman c1950 JVol3168 David

I've had a look and haven't got any more photos of the loco. According to the IRS Industrial Locomotives 1979 Raine & Co Ltd, Delta Iron and Steel Works, Blaydon had 3 0-4-0 dieslel electrics shunters. They are shown as: Brush 339 /Beyer Peacock 7946 of 1961 Brush 340 /Beyer Peacock 7947 of 1961 (dismantled by 1979) Brush 443 /Beyer Peacock 7873 of 1962 There are three photos by Murray Liston on flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/188593380@N02/50789261713/in/photolist-2ko92Q5-2ko5f36-2ko9C2x-e8AVSP https://www.flickr.com/photos/188593380@N02/50790116137/in/photolist-2ko92Q5-2ko5f36-2ko9C2x-e8AVSP https://www.flickr.com/photos/188593380@N02/50790001096/in/photolist-2ko92Q5-2ko5f36-2ko9C2x-e8AVSP I hope this is useful. David

Just off the Newcastle to Carlisle line, much of it went foer the garden festival and of course the Metrocentre shops. The cokeowrks closed in 1986, this Wikipedia article gives brief details. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derwenthaugh_Coke_Works#:~:text=The works were closed in,gradually cleared and de-contaminated. David

A cold NE wind this morning, I don't think I'll be doing much outdoors except for a quick walk to stretch my legs. At least there are some breaks in the cloud. The groceries have come, this week's substitute is a wholemeal loaf with sunflower seeds and spelt. I will try it to see what it tastes like. I may do some modelling or photographic things today. This evening is the annual church meeting to elect churchwardens and to hear the PCC report on the year and elect the members. It does not sound exciting, I'm not sure if the day will even be interesting. I've found that yet another level crossing on a road I regularly use will be closed for about 10 days towards the end of the month. I begin to wonder if this is all part of a big scheme to make it impossible to drive anywhere. The bus diversionary routes will add quite a lot of time to journeys. One of the other roads I would have used to avoid it is also having a closure for yet more level crossing work. I just hope that once the trains actually start running, possibly late this year, that it will all have been worth it. Sadly my new local station will be just too far to walk to and I rarely go the places the line will serve, including Newcastle. David

Some photos taken around Derwenthaugh just west of Gateshead to start today. Derwenthaugh 0-4-0Ds in yard of Raine and Co Delta Works Jan 84 C6341 Derwenthaugh 37068 Jan 84 C6344 Derwenthaugh Class 101 Hexham to Newcastle Jan 84 C6345 Derwenthaugh Cobra coal containers Jan 84 C6346 Derwenthaugh coke works 08370 on loan to NCB Jan 84 C6355 David

It's been mainly dry here so far, just a few raindrops every now and then as clouds speed by on the wind. Leonie came and cleaned very efficiently as usual, I've got the washing done and dried. After coffee I went for a walk along the promenade, it was breezy and cold but invigorating. There were several patches of cowslips in the grass, larks singing overhead, house martins chasing insects and terns fishing some distance offshore. Real Spring weather! Even a kestrel flew past on its way to look at the grass in the dunes by the harbour. During the afternoon I have cleaned the fridge and tidied the freezer, some very old bread went in the bin - it had got behind other things, goodness knows how many months it had been there. I put some things in the garage and bought a small bottle of plastic solvent back into the house which I had used a while back. Later on I looked for the bottle as I thought I had put it on my modelling table. I eventually found it in the porch - then I remembered I'd picked up some leaflets which had come through the door and must have put the bottle down. I had an e mail from Teachers' Pensions saying I could download my P60 and look at payslips etc. It "only" took 10 minutes to log in as the site was very slow. Then I had to confirm my details but unless you actually pressed at least one "Edit" button nothing happened when you tried to "Confirm". Eventually I got what I wanted and downloaded it. To get back to the site from the pdf you see for downloading or printing you have use the back button which is not really a good idea. I have just had a look at the help pages, it actually says that even if you do not want to change any details you may have to press edit before you can move on. I think the software was written by the same company who wrote other software I encountered when I was teaching and afterwards, it was always poor and glitchy. I've had a look at my garden, there are 34 different species of plant in flower which is pleasing, the garden is only a typical 1980s semi detached house size. Cowslips by the beach David

Chaloners Whin Junction, south of York in 1966 and 1967 for this tea time. Chaloners Whin Junction Class 25 D7509 up freight Oct 66 J652 Chaloners Whin Junction Class 55 D9007 down Oct 66 J656 12.00 Kings X to Edinburgh Chaloners Whin Junction Class 40 D258 up freight Oct 66 J657 Chaloners Whin Junction Class 47 D1523 down March 67 J797 11.00 Kings X to Newcastle Chaloners Whin Junction Class 101 Leeds to Scarborough March 67 J801

I didn't sleep too well last night, I felt sore - in other words I had done a bit too much over the past few days and the scar was complaining. When I woke I was bothered about something, eventually I realised it was the rug I'd put back on the living room carpet because I no longer like it and was worrying about lifting it. In the end I went back to sleep. This morning it took about 2 minutes to roll the rug up and then to roll it across the room and back behind the sofa again until such time as I am able to take it to the tip. What a stupid little thing to bother about! This morning is sunny after some heavy overnight rain so the greenhouse is flooded yet again. I've done my part of the housework - the dusting. Leonie should be here soon to do the rest. The washing is on so now I can settle down to have a hopefully quiet day with a bit of rest. Talking of cars, I have a Toyota Yaris Hybrid. On the journey home from the garage on Saturday the fuel consumption was exactly 100mpg. It drives nicely, it is comfortable, quiet and has enough space for me. It has more power than you might expect as when I put my foot down it uses both engine and battery, very useful when joining dual carriageways from slip roads at busy times. I intend to keep it for as long as possible, the previous one was just 5 years old when I swopped it last autumn and this new model is better. The only annoying thing is the lane change warning and that is mainly becasue of the way some road markings are painted. David

A trip to the Lake District this morning to look at Lakeside station on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway in August 1975. Lakeside station from Gunners Howe Aug 75 J4603 Lakeside Fairburn 4MTT as CR 2085 Aug 75 J4604 Lakeside Fairburn 4MTT as CR 2085 Aug 75 J4605 Lakeside Fairburn 4MTT as CR 2085 Aug 75 J4606 Lakeside MV Swan Aug 75 J4607 Lakeside MV Swan Aug 75 J4608 David

I can see how you had you wheel smashed by the Range Rover. I used to enjoy driving over them but that was in the 80s and 90s when I quite often went that way, though not often in summer. If I did go in summer is was early in the morning when it was quieter. To me they were a lot easier to drive over than some of the Swiss roads. The one I found most hair raising was high above the Rhätische Bahn on the line to Disentis from Chur. The road was on the south side of the line from Castrisch to Bonaduz with a small detour to Versam Safien to look at the station. It was quite narrow, some hills and bends but big sheer drops with hardly anything to stop you if you went off the road. I only drove along it once. The better road is on the north side. Some of the narrow Northumberland lanes can be "interesting" especially now more people have big4 wheel drive cars such as Range Rovers and no idea of how to drive them. They won't even go onto verges on the single track sections. I avoid some bits of road in the holiday season and am wary of them except in the depths of winter - because then the Range Rovers don't come out because they can't drive them in ice and snow. I used to enjoy driving in the north of Scotland but I don't think I would now for the same reason. David

Once again all went well at church today. As the bishop was acting as a stand in vicar he just wore the normal robes (chasuble) for a Sunday between Easter and Whitsun along with his cross, no mitre and no crook (crosier). On the way to church I saw something very unusual - 2 BMWs with working indicators, even more unusually they went in the direction they indicated. Back home I decided a reasonable Sunday lunch was needed not the rather bland ready meals I've eaten since surgery. So I got out a ready to heat up pulled pork in sauce and did fresh vegetables, followed by apple pie and custard. Next step on the road to normality will be to cook raw meat! I had some pleasant wine with it, the only trouble was I ate a lot and needed a nap later on. The water level in the greenhouse has gone down a lot, I was able to brush some of the mud out of it but sadly rain is forecast for overnight. Tonight will be some TV. I note Countryfile this evening is partly about driving over the Wrynose and Hardknott passes. Is it meant to be difficult? Then I'll watch Midsomer Murders for light relief. David

Grassington in 1965,1966 and 1967 along with Cracoe in 1973. Cracoe Tilcon Class 31 running round Aug 73 J3360 Grassington BR Class 4MT 75039 Aug 65 J289 Grassington Class 4 75041 Dec 66 J721 Grassington Class 4 75041 Dec 66 J722 Grassington Class 4 75021 July 67 J938 David