pre-grouping and never-grouped narrow gauge

[cornamuse]

Soooooooo, a new project for the railway (because I haven’t enough half finished things to do…) 

 

A friend showed me these pictures of a distinguished-looking relative, knowing that I have a fondness for harmoniums and travelling preachers. 
 

 

 

My immediate feeling was that the railway needed some godly presence (it will get a church, but only in time). A quick look on Ebay has resulted in this purchase, which will hopefully result in a fine little wagon, and a model of the gent with the admirable facial furniture… 

 

 

 

next step is measuring up and having a play with the card cutter to come up with a few bits. A speaker under the wagon with some good salvationist hymns might help, too! Better tell my choir to gird their loins for some uplifting Victorian music. A little Caleb Semper, I think… 

[Edwardian]

Bravo.  And you must do this!

 

I have been nursing a similar intention, though thought it might be more suitable to the Isle of Eldernell scheme than the West Norfolk, having been entranced by this picture ....

 

 

This is from the neighbouring diocese to Castle Aching.  The gentleman on the right is the Vicar of Barrington, who, I suspect, may be doing the actual work, whereas the gentleman in the centre I take to be the Bishop of Ely, attending for the promotional photoshoot.

 

This was very much a 'thing', in this case as the C of E tried to make up lost ground among the Godless and, worse, the non-conformists (!), of the Fens. It would be great to see it modelled.

 

Who was your chap, and where was his beat?

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 15, 2021 by Edwardian

[Nearholmer]

In the west of Ireland, I’ve seen in a museum a similar, but much more discreet, mobile church, a bit like a bathing machine, created so that mass could be celebrated between the high and low tide lines on a “hit and run” basis, because even after the Catholic Emancipation Act local landlords would break-up services and prosecute priests for causing an obstruction.

[cornamuse]

As an Anglican god-botherer-in-training, I feel I should support the non-conformists, although the wagon I have is episcopalian, which is our lot, to my surprise- much like Edwardian’s picture. However, the term hit-and-run service is also very appealing, and will be used at college tonight. I’m just off for an evening of church history with an exceptionally fascinating lecturer. Maybe a few changeable boards and a selection of different ministers and I can ring the changes! 

[Caley Jim]

58 minutes ago, Edwardian said:

Bravo.  And you must do this!

 

I have been nursing a similar intention, though thought it might be more suitable to the Isle of Eldernell scheme than the West Norfolk, having been entranced by this picture ....

 

As we might say up here, regarding the lady second from the right: 'Ah widnae like tae tak a broken pay packet hame tae her!'

 

Jim

[Regularity]

28 minutes ago, Edwardian said:

Liz Truss as Foreign Secretary.

 

Interesting choice.

I suspect we had similar initial reactions.

How long did it take you to clean up the tea/coffee from your computer after you saw that?

[Northroader]

I wondered why you’d slipped a reshuffle in here, James. Anyway, save the cost of a van.

[cornamuse]

Latest update.. the gentleman rejoiced in the name of the Reverend Ivor Hyndman. The wagon was used around Teesside (we think) so are there other photos? I seem to remember one of a preacher in Hutton Rudby. After the Great War, he traveled to America, where he lived until the 1960s. 

[Tom Burnham]

Two or three decades later, Amos Starkadder and his ilk would have progressed to a Ford van to go round the country like the apostles of old...

Edited September 17, 2021 by Tom Burnham
Autocorrect corrected.

[Edwardian]

There was a Fen lay preacher of old, Whittesey possibly, who stood on a farm cart in the market place and berated his audience in fiery invective.  I think he was a large, strongly-built agricultural type.  I imagine him as deep voiced, with arms windmilling for emphasis.

 

I had thought to include him if the Isle of Eldernell scheme was modelled. 

 

I also liked the idea, however, of the Diocese of Ely preaching wagon as the sort of C of E Empire Strikes Back response unit!

 

No disrespect to non-conformists past or present, but I suspect that the C of E in those days was concerned about losing bums from pews as well as finding new ones.  I suspect it was concerned to keep people in its fold, rather than lose them to the chapels, as well as trying to proselytize those of no denomination.  I think the Bishop of Ely would have seen our Starkadderesque lay preacher as part of the challenge!

[cornamuse]

Definitely a financial aspect to this; losing parishioners would have had a massive impact. However there was certainly a religious zeal to save the ungodly and do good works at them, should they wish it or no. I rather hope we are over that these days, although I’m not sure. 
 

As someone very new to official preaching, I’m impressed when I read of those who gave addresses to 100s outdoors for hours at a time. Neither talent nor bladder would allow that in me! 
 

the relative who provided the pictures is doing further research, so I am hopefully going to have more to share.. 

[Regularity]

The recently deceased Austin Mitchell was campaigning out on local farms, and happened to stand atop a muck-spreader to get a better position from which to speak. A wit in the assembled throng shouted out, “Put it in top gear, Mitch: it’s never had such a load on before!”

[ianathompson]

On 17/09/2021 at 09:51, Edwardian said:

No disrespect to non-conformists past or present, but I suspect that the C of E in those days was concerned about losing bums from pews as well as finding new ones.  I suspect it was concerned to keep people in its fold, rather than lose them to the chapels, as well as trying to proselytize those of no denomination.  I think the Bishop of Ely would have seen our Starkadderesque lay preacher as part of the challenge!

 

I've probably told this story before, albeit elsewhere, but here goes.

I was told it by a member of the local clergy.

 

I think that the Victorian Bishop of Ely had enough on his plate preaching to the "converted".

 Having sexual intercourse with relatives was a major problem in Fenland villages and particularly rife in Southery, around 1900, as I understand it.

The good bishop preached a sermon on the subject at the church which was met with stony silence.

As the Bishop left the village in his carriage he had to run the gauntlet of the villagers who lined up at the side of the road and stoned his carriage as it passed!

 

Southery still is, or was until very recently, a wayward village, typical of fenland intransigence.

When I taught at the local High School the staff used to ask me about disciplinary issues with certain problem classes containing the "Southery Mafia".

"No problems", I used to reply to gasps of disbelief.

I played football for the village and was usually to be found standing alongside their brothers or fathers as we sorted out idiots from other villages and towns round about or recounted the tales in the pub afterwards!

 

Theologically I have always crossed the diocesian boundary, away from the heathen, to sing in the High Anglican tradition at Lynn Priory (now Minster).

 

This posting has had to be edited because it REPEATEDLY CENSORS the word sounding like insest.

The posting makes no sense without the word. 

 

Ian T

 

 

Edited September 18, 2021 by ianathompson
Website censorship

[Regularity]

1 hour ago, ianathompson said:

insest.

Well, it’s cheap and keeps it in the family…

 

It has been said that one should tray everything in life except insest and folk dancing, and as I commented to my cousin at a barn dance celebrating my father’s 75th birthday a few years ago, our do-si-do was frighteningly close to both at the same time…

[cornamuse]

I must ask that we keep this decent and do not discuss folk dancing, barn dancing or line dancing. It really is most upsetting. 

As to the other, it happens up here, too, reputedly. Always pays to check that the locals don’t have extra fingers and so on. 
 

there is a song- “I’m my own grandpa” which I can highly commend to the house… 

[cornamuse]

Finally, we have electricity in the station, and even a sky, of sorts. Must say I prefer painting when the canvas if 15 feet long. What would be fiddly in my other scales becomes much more fluid. We are going with an impressionist landscape to match the less than accurate everything else 🤣 

 

 

[cornamuse]

Glad you like, Jim. No, not a terminus, more “this is where we ran out of money and stopped.” Which is fairly true, given the cost of LGB track… 

 

There may one day be a goods shed where the siding is, plus an engine shed to the right, off the picture. But the size of everything means a snail’s pace. That said, I have so much stock, the obvious thing to model would be a preserved line, but they are often hard up, too… 

[Regularity]

That’s rather nice. Unfortunately, it had me looking back through the thread to find out more, only to discover the loss of images. :(

[cornamuse]

I know, and I can’t really remember what was there. I’ll post some pictures of the stock if you like?

 

 

 

 

[cornamuse]

A few more… 

 

the fan on the radiator is an electronics component, and runs, but only when the loco is in reverse…

 

 

the vb loco is a bit more pre-grouping… I’m hoping to have a short standard gauge length of track with an old coffee pot loco on it too, unless I get all excited and build another Locomotion… 

 

 

[cornamuse]

Last few for now.. 

 

 

breakfast in the unfinished Corris brakevan. 

 

and an 18” gauge loco built on a Smokey joe chassis 

 

 

proof of manufacturing medium - card and junk… 

 

[cornamuse]

In the shed in the rain, so I thought I’d get the properly pre-grouping stuff out.. 3 basic types of early plus a very early bogie coach (one of the earliest still running IIRC) and a sentry box brake van. 
 

 

 

[cornamuse]

I must finish that van, it is the Corris one and part of my small but developing selection of Corris and Talyllyn stock. I’m also looking at lines where slate wasn’t king, as my model is set firmly up here in and around the sales and moors. Livestock and fish would probably make up a portion of the transport need, with maybe ironstone or coal. The intention is a wooded valley after the station, then a small port with white cottages on the other side of the room. 
 

something bucolic and sleepy where running an occasional mixed train when the mood takes me feels authentic.. 

[cornamuse]

You get no posts for months, then 10 come along together. Maybe I’m modelling the wrong transport system? 
 

grass, trees, a distant church tower… 
 

 

 

 

[Regularity]

Nice.

 

Mind you, 45mm gauge would be perfect for 20mm scale for Talyllyn and Corris Railways, and ¾” scale (1:16 vs 1:15 - easier maths if rescaling imperial drawings) is also pretty close.

 

What a shame that the original larger scale narrow gauge was for 2’ gauge prototypes on 0 gauge track! A slightly larger scale and better ratio (1:19.05?) would have provided for bigger boilers and cylinders, etc…