Castle Aching

[Edwardian]

"Take us to your Leda!"

 

[Compound2632]

Swan on right, looking at camera, head cocked: "You'd better not be posting this online."

[wagonman]

12 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

To avoid getting tempted into spending too long peering at that painting, which might, hopefully, corrupt me, can I ask: why were all these railway companies interested in Blakeney?

 

Its a very nice place, with a pretty good hotel, but it doesn't seem like the sort of place to support much railway traffic. Did they see potential for growth (its a bit silted-up for that isn't it?), or was it actually a hubbub of activity a century and a half ago?

 

Blakeney harbour offered the only sheltered water (if you discount Wells) in a long stretch of deceptively dangerous coastline. In the C19, long before the hotel was built, it was still a moderately busy port though it lacked an easily accessible hinterland and the creeks were silting up – which is why the L&F scheme included a new jetty out into the only deep water part of the harbour. The bar might have been a problem though.

 

Plus, as Stephen points out, speculation on building new seaside resorts was gathering momentum at that time. In Blakeney's case it lost its maritime trade to Lynn, Yarmouth and Wells, and its seaside trade to Sheringham, Cromer...and Wells. I'm quite glad really!

 

 

[Hroth]

4 hours ago, Edwardian said:

"Take us to your Leda!"

 

 

Form an orderly queue.......

 

Looks like there's a Golden Shower coming in from top right too!

 

 

Ahem...   Lets get back to property speculators, seaside towns and so on, please?

 

For example, many of the resorts of the North Wales coast are due to the Chester - Holyhead LNWR main line just being there.  Colwyn Bay, anyone?

 

 

Edited September 5, 2019 by Hroth
spelin, as ushual...

[Edwardian]

34 minutes ago, wagonman said:

 

Blakeney harbour offered the only sheltered water (if you discount Wells) in a long stretch of deceptively dangerous coastline. In the C19, long before the hotel was built, it was still a moderately busy port though it lacked an easily accessible hinterland and the creeks were silting up – which is why the L&F scheme included a new jetty out into the only deep water part of the harbour. The bar might have been a problem though.

 

 

 

Apart from Birchoverham neext the Sea, Birchoverham Staithe and Fakeney, obviously ...

 

24 minutes ago, Hroth said:

 

Form an orderly queue.......

 

Looks like there's a Golden Shower coming in from top right too!

 

 

 

 

Better than a load of Bull 

 

But then, we're supposed to keep off Europa ....

 

 

Edited September 5, 2019 by Edwardian

[ianathompson]

Re Norfolk coastal resorts.

 

Hunstanton was effectively created by the Le Strange family from nothing.

The fishing village of Old Hunstanton still remains to the north of New Hunstanton (as it was called) but is separate from the Victorian town.

The town's growth was based upon attracting holiday makers from the East Midlands, who, of course, arrived by train.

In many respects Blakeney was lucky that the railway did not arrive otherwise it would be a clone of Hunstanton.

 

Incidentally, despite visiting the town numerous times across the years for sporting activities I have never understood the attractions of Great Yarmouth as a holiday resort!

Best of luck to any-one arriving there for a week.

 

Ian T

[Tom Burnham]

"The House on the Beach" by George Meredith is set against a background of property speculation in a thinly-disguised Seaford.

[Hroth]

1 hour ago, ianathompson said:

Incidentally, despite visiting the town numerous times across the years for sporting activities I have never understood the attractions of Great Yarmouth as a holiday resort!

 

Only visited Great Yarmouth once but I don't recall anything about it as it was so dull...

(We weren't on a boat so we didn't see any Hullabaloos being impaled on marker posts on Breydon Water.  That would have been interesting!)

 

Actually, one of the most depressing things about it and its hinterland is the "Holiday Village"* to the south along the coast, that is used for carpet bowls tournaments and seems to be a major attraction for the "Grey Pound".

 

* I wonder if it is as attractive as the Butlins one at Pwllheli appeared to be when we drove past it on another holiday many years ago.  It had the appearance of a WW2 Stalag...

 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2019 by Hroth
anecdotal snark

[Nearholmer]

Butlitz are easy to mock (hard not to), but they've given a heck of a lot of people an affordable and enjoyable holiday over the years, and I think they've done pretty well to survive the near-total-disappearance of "mass" culture since the 1970s, the culture that involved lots of people doing things together in big groups, working in factories, going to church, going on holiday, watching The Two Ronnies, that sort of thing.

 

I've only been to a couple, taking my son to footy tournaments, which use the accommodation off-season, and they work well for that, providing things for the boys to do when they aren't on the pitch. The one at Bognor really appealed to my like of retro things: we were give a tiny flat in one of the oldest (=cheapest) blocks, built straight after WW2 I think, and last refurbished a very long time ago. The block was two-storeys, with a walkway under a canopy on the upper level, exactly like a typical Victorian Army Barracks. It was well-maintained, and clean, but so entirely out of time that I'm amazed anyone ever books to go on holiday in it ....... maybe long-retired soldiers and their wives like it.

 

PS: And, Billy Butlin did a fair bit for railway preservation in 'sixties, and miniature railways.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Nearholmer

[Andy Kirkham]

14 hours ago, Hroth said:

 

 

 

 

There is actually a dirty joke in Mansfield Park:

“Certainly, my home at my uncle’s brought me acquainted with a circle of admirals. Of Rears and Vices I saw enough. Now do not be suspecting me of a pun, I entreat.”

 

 

 

[corneliuslundie]

I assume that there were also felt to be commercial prospects in Norfolk for new ports, such as the ill-fated Sutton Bridge. That feeling may of course have been rather more optimistic than realistic.

Just back after a week or so away from the net, and catching up.

Jonathan

[TT-Pete]

2 hours ago, ianathompson said:

I have never understood the attractions of Great Yarmouth as a holiday resort!

Best of luck to any-one arriving there for a week.

Agreed.

 

A day trip to Lowestoft was always preferred over Gt. Yarmouth when staying with my parents in Beccles.

 

The words "preferred" and "Lowestoft" serve to indicate just how grim the alternative would have to be... (but of course being middle-class we usually ended up in Southwold for the day instead. :-) )

[Edwardian]

37 minutes ago, Andy Kirkham said:

 

There is actually a dirty joke in Mansfield Park:

“Certainly, my home at my uncle’s brought me acquainted with a circle of admirals. Of Rears and Vices I saw enough. Now do not be suspecting me of a pun, I entreat.”

 

 

 

 

But that's the Crawford siblings; a corrupt and corrupting influence.

[Regularity]

1 hour ago, Nearholmer said:

...the 1970s, the culture that involved lots of people doing things together in big groups, working in factories, going to church, going on holiday, watching The Two Ronnies, that sort of thing.

Ah yes.

Torture: the only way to live until the 1970s.

[Edwardian]

Oh God, the '70s!  Don't! I still get flashbacks. 

 

 

[Nearholmer]

We’ve been here before.

 

Which I suppose is what flashbacks are all about.

 

 

Edited September 5, 2019 by Nearholmer

[Edwardian]

30 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

We’ve been here before.

 

Which I suppose is what flashbacks are all about.

 

 

 

This thread ....

 

Round
Like a circle in a spiral
Like a wheel within a wheel
Never ending nor beginning
On an ever-spinning reel
Like a snowball down a mountain
Or a carnival balloon
Like a carousel that's turning
Running rings around the moon
Like a clock whose hands are sweeping
Past the minutes of its face
And the world is like an apple
Whirling silently in space
Like the circles that you find
In the windmills of your mind

[Edwardian]

What do parishioners make of this as the basis of a layout?

 

[Nearholmer]

Two thoughts:

 

- it’s not radically different from CA, being a ‘right FY’ BLT that looks to have roots in the early days, which may, or may not, be a disadvantage;

 

- why do those two sidings cross? If it has prototypical basis, fine, it’s interesting, but it is a bit odd, because the arrangement ‘sterilises’ much of the warehouse siding.

 

NE/S&D?

 

 

Edited September 5, 2019 by Nearholmer

[Annie]

Interesting, - a bit quirky in parts.  Might be a BLT, but it's certainly no cookie cutter clone.

[Compound2632]

2 hours ago, Edwardian said:

Oh God, the '70s!  Don't! I still get flashbacks. 

 

 

Seeing your parents' curtains swirling before your eyes? - 50 shades of brown.

[runs as required]

2 hours ago, Edwardian said:

What do parishioners make of this as the basis of a layout?

 

It has been the only thing occupying our minds since ...

Are you able to keeping us guessing until Halloween ?

[Edwardian]

1 hour ago, Nearholmer said:

Two thoughts:

 

- it’s not radically different from CA, being a ‘right FY’ BLT that looks to have roots in the early days, which may, or may not, be a disadvantage;

 

No, but would have a very different look

 

1 hour ago, Nearholmer said:

- why do those two sidings cross? If it has prototypical basis, fine, it’s interesting, but it is a bit odd, because the arrangement ‘sterilises’ much of the warehouse siding.

 

Well, I am attempting to rationalise and simplify this plan:

 

 

The prototype station opened 9 July 1856, and was closed to passengers on 1 May 1862.

 

Now, the map is dated 1858. I don't know if I can trust that. In 1858 it was still open as a passenger station and was the only station.  Yet, it is labelled "Old Station". The new station did not open until 1861. 

 

I mention this because, post 1862 it became a goods only station and later Victorian maps show a significantly changed track layout.  This map is clearly at least close to the original arrangement but there are oddities.  look at where you'd expect (and I have put) the end of the run-round loop. 

 

1 hour ago, Nearholmer said:

NE/S&D?

 

 

 

Well done. I'm thinking (i) turn of the century (ii) Central Division. So, I am looking at what the arrangement might have been had it remained open to the 1900s. 

 

1 hour ago, Annie said:

Interesting, - a bit quirky in parts.  Might be a BLT, but it's certainly no cookie cutter clone.

 

I have little experience in operationally prototypical and practical track layouts, hence opening it up to questions from the floor. 

 

58 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Seeing your parents' curtains swirling before your eyes? - 50 shades of brown.

 

"Aubergine" and "Avocado" in my parents' case (they were very 'on-trend'

[Nearholmer]

I don’t think that sissy dings cross in that plan, but it isn’t easy to be certain.

 

As to run-rounds, they don’t seem to have been universal, and I wonder if here they unhitched and sidelined the loco, and gravitated the coaches in ........ is it downhill to the stops? Or, manually pulled/pushed them into the lay-by siding near the platform in order to release the loco. Early operating practices could be quite bizarre by later standards. And, passenger trains were often only a couple of light four-wheelers.

[Edwardian]

1 minute ago, Nearholmer said:

I don’t think that sissy dings cross in that plan, but it isn’t easy to be certain.

 

As to run-rounds, they don’t seem to have been universal, and I wonder if here they unhitched and sidelined the loco, and gravitated the coaches in ........ is it downhill to the stops? Or, manually pulled/pushed them into the lay-by siding near the platform in order to release the loco. Early operating practices could be quite bizarre by later standards. And, passenger trains were often only a couple of light four-wheelers.

 

OK, interesting, but any suggestions as to a practical interpretation of a track plan for this station for a c.1900 setting?

 

No indication of potential gravity working, so far as I'm aware.