Castle Aching

[Donw]

3 hours ago, Andy Hayter said:

 

In part Don you are right that altitude does have an impact, but there is also the impact of a continental climate s opposed to a maritime one.  This year spring has been particularly slow in unfurling and temperatures generally remain several degrees below the average.  

 

They do here this year with have been subject to winds from the polar area much too often. Even in the south west tempertures are below expected. Of is it just my age making the difference.

 

Don 

[Donw]

1 hour ago, uax6 said:

Ah... I realise that photos from the time would be almost impossible, but there must be examples that still exist that show treenails that could be photo'd now....

 

Andy G

 

 

 

There was a lovely set of stone blocks for a tramway turnout at Gorsty Knoll FOD at the rear of the Mushet works hope they are still there. The Bixslad tramway was still carrying stone horse drawn down to the work as late as 1946 probably a bit too late to find someone who looked after the line. The plates had gone by the time Iwalked down it. Mayby some photos in the S&W/FOD books by Karu and Pope. I think Ian might be the best source of info on this.

 

Don

[simonmcp]

There is a section of stone blocks on the embankment West of Lanner in Cornwall which was maintained by the Cornwall Railway Society. Pictures should be on their excellent website.

[Klaus ojo]

The stone sleeper system did not last much more than 20 years in the very beginning. It was not very durable. I´m not so sure that you will find much of wooden parts after 150 or 200 years. 

picture of  Cromford and High Peak Railway (Wikipedia):

Edited May 3, 2021 by Klaus ojo

[Edwardian]

I am happy to draw a line under the whole upsetting affair with the Great Eastern Railway Society (GERS). I was flattered and happy to be approached to contribute to its new online "showcase".  This existed in, as it were, draft form before going live and I was granted advanced access to it.  I had a very positive discussion with a very nice chap called George, who felt that a slice of Norfolk and pre-Grouping GER modelling (sadly under-represented in the Society as elsewhere in the hobby) would be just what they needed. He was also very happy when I mentioned I had some RTR loco conversions for MGN stuff.  To have a pre-Grouping contribution in the popular scale/gauge that could be emulated by those (like me) who were relative beginners would be most valuable.  I pointed out that I had nothing ready, but would concentrate my modelling to bring to fruition something for them as soon as I could.  Both George and I seemed to believe that this was fine because the "Showcase" would remain open for contributions, as and when.

 

Then, a couple of weeks later, last week, in fact, the bloke in charge contacted me wanting to know when he could expect me to post my contribution.  I said I didn't know, but was working on it. Well, he said, there was a 30th May deadline.  I explained would do my best to have something ready, but that the lifting of the lock-down restrictions in the second half of May meant I needed to see my parents so, actually, I'd effective only have a couple of weeks.  I was told to view this like an exhibition deadline; a spur to activity. Well, one reason I don't exhibit is that I don't have the luxury of committing to modelling deadlines, even those months away, let alone the 4 weeks' notice the GERS was giving me to prepare. 

          

So, I made the mistake of questioning the powers at be.  Why did it have to close? It was described as a "showcase", but was being treated like an exhibition, yet, as an online feature, it was freed from the tyranny of dates and did not need to close.  To fulfill its brief to encourage GE modelling, shouldn't it be a permanent feature? Why not, then, leave it open to rolling contributions? It seemed to me that GERS was neglecting the full benefits of the digital platform. What I was thinking was more that they seemed unable to think beyond the constraints of physical events, and seeking to go no further than trying to emulate those limitations online. 

 

When I mentioned that I had not been told of this hard deadline when I agreed to sign up, I was told that I should have known because it was "implied".  I'm afraid nothing in the concept of an online "showcase" implied this to me. I did not, and still do not, understand why it has to close permanently to content before going live.    

 

I was told that it was not closed inasmuch as I could edit posts to add further content after it went live, just not create new posts. To me this added an inconsistency that simply rendered the prohibition of new posts even less logical. Me being me, I pointed this out, too.

 

Now, I know that I should just wind my neck in sometimes, but GERS at no stage managed to give any sensible or remotely logical explanation for these arbitrary and unnecessary rules. By nature and profession, if someone cannot or will not answer a question properly, I tend to keep going.  

 

Next I fell victim to another 'rule' of which I had not previously been informed, when my access to the showcase was revoked a full month ahead of the submission deadline because I had not 'pledged' a contribution by then.  No one else seems to have heard of this rule, which, again, would seem to be entirely unnecessary and I suspect was merely a reaction to someone here title-tattling to GERS because I'd had the temerity to express my exasperation here (you know who you are and, so far as I am concerned, I'd prefer not to see you on Castle Aching in future). Any detriment to the GERS is a function of the way it has handled things, not of my recitation of that course of events. 

 

I feel I have allowed myself to fall foul of peak cap and clip-board mentally, with the society more interested in enforcing poor decision-making than securing the content it said it wanted. I could have gritted my teeth, I suppose, and avoided a row, but my somewhat volatile mental health was not really in the mood to put up an unnecessary set of rules that even the makers of them apparently could not begin to explain or justify. I don't suffer fools gladly, I'm afraid, and I certainly have no space for BS in my life just now.  I expressed my frustration and disappointment and the bloke in charge has been kind enough to indicate that I am no longer welcome to contribute.

 

So, that's that.  Any of my GER modelling, and I am actually doing some at the moment, will be available to view here, as and when there is something to see.  It will certainly not be seen via the GERS!  A worthy institution, generally populated by courteous and helpful people, the inept handling of this showcase issue by its hapless steering group notwithstanding. However, I'm a bit like Austen's Darcy; once you get on my sh1t list, that's it. So, Satan will be going to work on ice skates before I'll contribute any of my modelling to the GERS. 

 

I have been coincidentally assembling  a stash of GE kits and components for some time now, so hopefully CA will benefit from this silly spat as, thinking my contribution was required, I'd moved the GE stuff up the 'to do' list. I look forward to posting some updates on that before too long.  

 

 

Edited May 3, 2021 by Edwardian
spelling and grammar

[wagonman]

On 01/05/2021 at 13:49, Donw said:

 

 

I remember Maypole dancing in junior school more fun than most lessons

 

Don

 

 

 

I seem to remember Sir Thomas Beecham saying that he would try anything once – except inc*st and country dancing...

 

 

Edited May 5, 2021 by wagonman
missing exception!

[uax6]

I have to say that your discription of what occurred is very nicely put, but I have to say that I admire your resolve to carry on with your GER building, as I am afraid to say, that something like that would make me not want to touch them for at least several years.... 

 

Having said that my modelling output is at a standstill, I just can't seem to get going. I don't know if its a reflection of what is going on in the world, or whether I have had my interest diverted away to other things (I've got a new old van to rebuild, and a full sized semaphore to repair, a garage to rebuild, etc, etc). 

 

Andy G

[Edwardian]

8 minutes ago, uax6 said:

I have to say that your discription of what occurred is very nicely put, but I have to say that I admire your resolve to carry on with your GER building, as I am afraid to say, that something like that would make me not want to touch them for at least several years.... 

 

Having said that my modelling output is at a standstill, I just can't seem to get going. I don't know if its a reflection of what is going on in the world, or whether I have had my interest diverted away to other things (I've got a new old van to rebuild, and a full sized semaphore to repair, a garage to rebuild, etc, etc). 

 

Andy G

 

Thanks, Andy.

 

I was very, very upset - rather depressed in fact - but that happened when I found that this apparently immutable deadline existed, meaning that I probably would be unable to contribute.  This drained me of motivation and I posted about this at the time, last Thursday.

 

All the bickering that has followed - essentially the person concerned doubling-down on the poor decision-making he was unable to explain or justify - was simply nonsense, and has not really added significantly to my little store of misery. The main issue for me was the loss of a focus for some modelling given that I struggle for focus, motivation and confidence.  I am sorry to learn from your post that I am not alone in the want for motivation; I believe it is the times in which we live. The last five years have, for me, seen the World become increasingly worrying and intrusive and lock-down has had a toll on us all in profound yet not obvious ways.  

 

However, GERS is clearly more than just the increasingly bad-tempered person who does not want my contribution, essentially because I disagree with him, and it's full of kind and knowledgeable people and a seat of scholarship.  I don't feel inclined to join in their community online in the light of recent events, but none of this negates the overall value of the society. 

 

Anyhow, looking for positives, it means that I did get round to picking up my pile of D&S wagon kits and, while I cannot say the task of building them engenders much affection for them, I feel I should continue with them, as I believe I've at least got them worried! 

   

[jwealleans]

I'd persist with the D & S kits, James, they're an acquired knack.   I find I can knock off the simpler ones in an evening these days if I put my mind to it.  They also repay the investment, IMO.

[Edwardian]

Just now, jwealleans said:

I'd persist with the D & S kits, James, they're an acquired knack.   I find I can knock off the simpler ones in an evening these days if I put my mind to it.  They also repay the investment, IMO.

 

I will, thanks.

 

With 4 GE D17s, I'm making small changes to them to reflect different batches - e.g. filling in the solebar hole for an early batch, adding a representation of Monarch patent door balancers for a later build etc.

 

Unfortunately I find several are missing their brass fold-up W irons and one has the wrong buffers, which will slow things down a bit. 

[Donw]

55 minutes ago, Edwardian said:

 

Thanks, Andy.

 

I was very, very upset - rather depressed in fact - but that happened when I found that this apparently immutable deadline existed, meaning that I probably would be unable to contribute.  This drained me of motivation and I posted about this at the time, last Thursday.

 

All the bickering that has followed - essentially the person concerned doubling-down on the poor decision-making he was unable to explain or justify - was simply nonsense, and has not really added significantly to my little store of misery. The main issue for me was the loss of a focus for some modelling given that I struggle for focus, motivation and confidence.  I am sorry to learn from your post that I am not alone in the want for motivation; I believe it is the times in which we live. The last five years have, for me, seen the World become increasingly worrying and intrusive and lock-down has had a toll on us all in profound yet not obvious ways.  

 

However, GERS is clearly more than just the increasingly bad-tempered person who does not want my contribution, essentially because I disagree with him, and it's full of kind and knowledgeable people and a seat of scholarship.  I don't feel inclined to join in their community online in the light of recent events, but none of this negates the overall value of the society. 

 

Anyhow, looking for positives, it means that I did get round to picking up my pile of D&S wagon kits and, while I cannot say the task of building them engenders much affection for them, I feel I should continue with them, as I believe I've at least got them worried! 

   

 

I gave this a like because you have ended on a positive note a good sign

 

Don

[monkeysarefun]

I dont even know what a GERS is but they do sound a bit up themselves.

Edited May 3, 2021 by monkeysarefun

[Donw]

Societies depend very much on volunteer members.  Sometimes the volunteers or some of them can become a bit high handed. It can be unfortunate as it can upset members and also other volunteers and disrupt the running of the society.

 

Don

 

[Malcolm 0-6-0]

10 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

I dont even know what a GERS is but they do sound a bit up themselves.

 

"a bit" hmmm... 

[Compound2632]

2 minutes ago, Malcolm 0-6-0 said:

 

"a bit" hmmm... 

 

It would be a bit unreasonable to write off the whole Society on the basis of one unsatisfactory interaction - or indeed for the Society to write off one member ditto.

[Malcolm 0-6-0]

1 minute ago, Compound2632 said:

 

It would be a bit unreasonable to write off the whole Society on the basis of one unsatisfactory interaction - or indeed for the Society to write off one member ditto.

 

Oh I wouldn't dream of that .... 

 

But some people can be a tad over "enthusiastic" .....  

 

In any case, in coming up to 3/4 of a century on the planet I have, I think, managed to upset either intentionally or quite unintentionally many "well meaning" people, Thankfully I've got inured to this failing of mine. Which is a good thing because otherwise I'd feel terrible. 

 

Our host is a big boy, I'm positive he'll cope.

 

[Compound2632]

1 minute ago, Malcolm 0-6-0 said:

Thankfully I've got inured to this failing of mine. 

 

Ah, but have they?

[Malcolm 0-6-0]

1 minute ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Ah, but have they?

 

To be honest, in some cases, I really hope not 

[Edwardian]

28 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

It would be a bit unreasonable to write off the whole Society on the basis of one unsatisfactory interaction -

 

As I hope I made clear.

 

However, the experience has discouraged me from active participation in any aspect of the GERS, perhaps unnecessarily, but for fear of more pointless grief, which I really don't need right now.

 

Evaluating the GERS at the moment, every so often the Journal comes out with a cracking article of use to pre-Groupers, though compared with the early Journals, which I now have on disc, the weight of content and interest has certainly shifted toward the BR era, which is not, to my mind, GE at all and just represents more of what we see everywhere.  

 

John Watling's guide to GE coaches (in the website) remains invaluable, although, as Annie and I have discussed, for any drawings the information necessary to model the coaches, you really need to go elsewhere. It would help if the GERS published facsimiles of the diagram books, basic as the drawings are, as, for instance, NERA has done for NER and ECJS stock.  Lyn Brooks's series of locomotive drawings also remain invaluable.  Both of these you can obtain without membership.  Most of the other valuable information is locked away in Journals 1-180, available for sale to members.  Now I have these, I suppose they could chuck me out tomorrow and it wouldn't be a great inconvenience, but they are welcome to my subscription for so long as they want it. I just shall not feel welcome, or inclined to participation after my recent interactions with them. Life's to short to seek out places where one might encounter aggravation or unpleasantness. 

 

The best resource for the subjects it covers (some GE locos and GE goods vehicles) is the incomparable Basilica Fields Blog.  It has not been updated for some years now and one wonders how long it will stay up.  I owe nearly everything I know about GE wagons from this source, and could not hope to model GE goods stock without it. 

[monkeysarefun]

Hey here's a question from an ignorant Aussie. How come many uk railway companies had 'Great' at the start of their names Great Western, Great Northern etc. (Ok maybe just a couple of them)  The only Great thing we have is the barrier Reef. Does great refer to them thinking themselves pretty splendid and so named themselves accordingly or does great mean in the sense of a large area like "greater Sydney" is used to denote Sydney and surrounds. 

[Compound2632]

8 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Hey here's a question from an ignorant Aussie. How come many uk railway companies had 'Great' at the start of their names Great Western, Great Northern etc. (Ok maybe just a couple of them)  The only Great thing we have is the barrier Reef. Does great refer to them thinking themselves pretty splendid and so named themselves accordingly or does great mean in the sense of a large area like "greater Sydney" is used to denote Sydney and surrounds. 

 

England

GNR

GER

GCR

GWR

GNoER (A NER constituent)

 

plus some joint lines:

M&GNJR

GN&GEJR

GC&MJR

 

Scotland

GNoSR

 

Ireland

GNR

GS&WR

MGWR

the latter two the principal constituents of the GSR

 

No doubt some other early companies.

 

But only the Grand Junction Railway, I think.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 4, 2021 by Compound2632

[Edwardian]

21 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Hey here's a question from an ignorant Aussie. How come many uk railway companies had 'Great' at the start of their names Great Western, Great Northern etc. (Ok maybe just a couple of them)  The only Great thing we have is the barrier Reef. Does great refer to them thinking themselves pretty splendid and so named themselves accordingly or does great mean in the sense of a large area like "greater Sydney" is used to denote Sydney and surrounds. 

 

I suspect it's "great" in the sense of projected size and territorial ambition rather than meaning "ooh, aren't we rather splendid", though, of course, you never know!

 

That might explain why there are almost no "Grand" railways ion the UK, as there was in canal naming, or it could just be a fashion shift. 

 

India has its Grand Trunk Road, of course, and Discworld its Grand Trunk clacks.

 

The GWR is, as ever, the exception, as it was "great" in the sense of being God's.  

[St Enodoc]

26 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Hey here's a question from an ignorant Aussie. How come many uk railway companies had 'Great' at the start of their names Great Western, Great Northern etc. (Ok maybe just a couple of them)  The only Great thing we have is the barrier Reef. Does great refer to them thinking themselves pretty splendid and so named themselves accordingly or does great mean in the sense of a large area like "greater Sydney" is used to denote Sydney and surrounds. 

We had our own Great Western Railway once, as immortalised by the restored Millthorpe station:

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/29029178@N03/34385482020/?map=1

 

[Compound2632]

Great Northern Railway probably wins the popularity poll, though, with Australian, Canadian, and United States-ish examples along with the well known Irish main line and the lesser Lincolnshire potato railway.

[dunwurken]

GERS.  To anyone North of Hadrians Wall living in Nicky Sturgeon's wee country GERS is Glasgow Rangers Football Club currently managed by a chap from Liverpool called Gerrard.  The one thing GERS (Glasgow) and GERS (Railway) have in common is the colour blue.

Just another piece of useless but interesting information which normally is well received on this thread.

Malcolm