Castle Aching

[Nearholmer]

Frame-rate and resolution are incredibly good.

 

Continuity errors though, I think, and probably a good thing that last one wasn't made in The Severn Tunnel ......... goodness knows how far matters might have progressed at the speed that train was travelling.

[Edwardian]

6 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

For UK readers only, I'm afraid:

 

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-through-millers-dale-near-buxton-derbyshire-midland-railway-1898-online

 

 

Superb.  Latent cravings to model this line re-stoked.  A 'wealth of detail' in the hackneyed phrase.

 

I noticed the changing condition of the ballast and the home signal with white dot, rather than bar.  Noted also in pictures of the Rother Valley!

 

4 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

These 19th century films are of superb quality compared to what was to come later. Yet another case of Gresham's Law, I fear.

 

A couple more of my favourites, for those who may not have come across them when I've linked to them elsewhere:

 

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-railway-traffic-on-the-lnwr-1897-online

 

Never tire of that one.

 

Quote

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-the-kiss-in-the-tunnel-1899-online-0

 

 

How rude! Yet, how clever of them to change trains in the tunnel!

 

 

 

Edited May 1, 2020 by Edwardian
spelling!

[Donw]

The film does show what a great bit of line that was. There are still some bits of railway that are worth travelling just for the journey. Exeter to Newton Abbot is one of my favourites. Some years ago we were able to book a ticket for a circular tour. you could probably still do the tour but have to book it in bits. We chose to go from Shrewsbury to Chester, Chester to Llandudno Jcn, Llandudno Jcn to Blaenau Ffestiniog, Ffestiniog to Portmadoc, Portmadoc to Shrewsbury via Machynlleth  took about 12 hours. A great trip for someone used to having to drive on scenic tours.  Admittedly you do have to walk from the Harbour Station to the BR one.

Another that occurs to me Is  should one be staying at Llandudno get the train from Llandudno then unfortunately is has to be a bus to Carnarfon but you can then get the WHR to Portmadoc, Portmadoc to Blaenau Ffestiniog then down to Llandudno jcn.  We ought to be doing as many of these as possible once the lockdown is over.  I remember taking the train from Gloucester to Motherwell changing at Tamworth it certainly beat flying  all that faffing about booking in and handing around in departure lounges not to mention having to get to and from airports.

 

Don

 

[St Enodoc]

8 minutes ago, Donw said:

The film does show what a great bit of line that was. There are still some bits of railway that are worth travelling just for the journey. Exeter to Newton Abbot is one of my favourites. Some years ago we were able to book a ticket for a circular tour. you could probably still do the tour but have to book it in bits. We chose to go from Shrewsbury to Chester, Chester to Llandudno Jcn, Llandudno Jcn to Blaenau Ffestiniog, Ffestiniog to Portmadoc, Portmadoc to Shrewsbury via Machynlleth  took about 12 hours. A great trip for someone used to having to drive on scenic tours.  Admittedly you do have to walk from the Harbour Station to the BR one.

Another that occurs to me Is  should one be staying at Llandudno get the train from Llandudno then unfortunately is has to be a bus to Carnarfon but you can then get the WHR to Portmadoc, Portmadoc to Blaenau Ffestiniog then down to Llandudno jcn.  We ought to be doing as many of these as possible once the lockdown is over.  I remember taking the train from Gloucester to Motherwell changing at Tamworth it certainly beat flying  all that faffing about booking in and handing around in departure lounges not to mention having to get to and from airports.

 

Don

 

There used to be the North Wales Land Cruise:

 

[Donw]

53 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

There used to be the North Wales Land Cruise:

 

 

Yes but after the Afon Wen bit northwards was closed and the Ffestiniog had completed the deviation the idea was revived using the Ffestiniog link which in some ways was a real plus. sometime around 1980 cost £10 each.

 

Don

[Nearholmer]

the circular from Porthmadog via Blaneau etc. by public transport has "gone all difficult" in recent years, it appears.

 

There was a long period, even before the FR deviation was completed, and certainly well before the WHR was reinstated and extended, when it worked very well using a combination of  FR train, BR train, and decent 'buses, and it was quite actively marketed. But, when I last tried it about two years ago the 'bus bits seemed specially arranged to make it difficult/impossible, so I opted for a simple return on the WHR in a day-long torrential downpour instead.

[Compound2632]

1 minute ago, Nearholmer said:

a day-long torrential downpour instead.

 

That's the bit they do really reliably well, in my experience...

[Annie]

9 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

For UK readers only, I'm afraid:

 

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-through-millers-dale-near-buxton-derbyshire-midland-railway-1898-online

 

[Tom Burnham]

About 5 years ago we were staying at a farmhouse in Dinas, N Wales - the farm access road actually used the alignment of a cut-off section of a Nantlle Railway - and as we were a short walk from Dinas WHR station, we looked at the possibility of going to Blaenau Ffestiniog and back.  Apart from the cost, which gave sober men pause for thought, it wasn't in fact possible to do the return journey in a day.  We compromised on going to Portmadoc and back, which cost quite enough as it was.  Spectacular journey, though, and on that day it was fine and sunny (which certainly wasn't the case for much of our week there).

 

When staying in Windermere, we did once to a circuit from Windermere-Lancaster-Grange-over-Sands by train, then bus to Haverthwaite (via Kendal, but that's another story), steam train to Lakeside and steamer back to Bowness.

[Hroth]

3 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

so I opted for a simple return on the WHR in a day-long torrential downpour instead.

 

3 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

That's the bit they do really reliably well, in my experience...

 

Its not always raining.

 

Sometimes it snows!

 

At least, if you're on the train, you're indoors and the rain is on the outside.

 

When I went on the WHR from Canaervon to Portmadoc (and back) for my Birthday,  it was a gloriously sunny day, and that was in May.... 

[Nearholmer]

1 minute ago, Hroth said:

At least, if you're on the train, you're indoors and the rain is on the outside.

 

I travelled one way in a modern coach, and the other in a heritage one, to 'get the full flavour'. The heritage one had compartments, of which I bagged one to myself, and was exceedingly chilly - no heating and a steady draft of damp mountain air. This was late-May/early-June.

 

I've been to that part of the world for Easter and seen snow plus gales so strong you could barely stand-up, but in fairness I have been there in glorious sunshine too (one week in all the many trips I used to make in the 70s and 80s).

 

Other thing I noticed was that Caernarfon looked less prosperous than it used to, and it was never flowing-over with riches. I felt a bit sorry for the town. Conversely, Portmadoc looks and feels better.

[Compound2632]

7 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

The heritage one had compartments, of which I bagged one to myself, and was exceedingly chilly - no heating and a steady draft of damp mountain air. This was late-May/early-June.

 

That sounds like authenticity to me.

[sem34090]

I visited the Ffestiniog twice last year, in the same week. First time spent the day in modern stock, second time in Coach No.20. It was chucking it down, it was cold, but to be honest I preferred the hard wooden bench as we rattled along behind Merredin Emrys - Far more character than a 'super-barn', with the added benefit of no screaming children. I was, however, a bit worried that the guard locked us in - surely that's a serious problem in the event of an accident?

 

Mind you, I'm clearly insane - I've always gone for the veranda at Tanfield, come rain or shine and will be sad to see the 1938 tube stock disappear from the Isle of Wight.

[Compound2632]

2 minutes ago, sem34090 said:

I was, however, a bit worried that the guard locked us in 

 

That's to prevent you running off with the carriage, which is, after all, a priceless historical artefact. 

[monkeysarefun]

4 hours ago, Annie said:

No VPN?

 

Though I guess your government is more trustworthy than ours!

[Compound2632]

4 hours ago, robmcg said:

Clearly it's time I brought balance back to this thread.

 

Far too many small engines here, apologies to Annie and others who see single-wheelers as proper.

 

I do think you are mistaking the ambiance of this topic. It's West Norfolk, not Norfolk & Western. This is a large engine:

 

[Edwardian]

On 01/05/2020 at 00:52, runs as required said:

Those have got to be just the most persuasive pics of Oz I have ever seen.

2

I hadn't realised our own Durham Tanfield railway was so special.  

We have always loved it's works (at right angles to the running line) which you can visit on the bleakest winter weekend afternoon and warm up by the open forge hearth, before inspecting the 'yard of Hope' outside.

3

As a 'full circle' bellringer, my bell tower will be forever grateful to world famous bell founders (now former) Taylors of Loughborough for casting bells enabling us to upgrade an abandoned belfry of 4 bells into a new 8 bell ring - in good time for us to ring in the new Millennium.

We first approached them with some 'dead' bells from a demolished church in Blackhill (NW Durham  better known as a former NER station) which they reduced to molten bell metal to cast four new ones.

These were then very skilfully 'tuned' with our existing 3 c18 bells plus the big hour bell of an 1886 clock into a musical ring of 8 (with the old hour bell as no. 8, the big heavy 'tenor' bell).

The new bellringers in training at Newburn (of Swindon CME's house fame) were invited to L'boro to witness the casting of our new bells followed by the inevitable 'cold collation'. 

 

 

 

The West Coast Wilderness Railway and its route look to be really quite something. I shall never now go so far, indeed, leaving my Northern Fastness for anywhere is impractical for the moment.

 

We talked about how dull some journeys on preserved lines are where the scenery is unspectacular or the stock merely dull BR Mark I coaches. Seems to me that the Tasmanian line would offer top scores on all fronts. Those coach interiors are quite special. 

 

As is the Tanfield.  I love the Tanfield.  It's really two railways, of course.  The mainline is a NER branch that intersected a private colliery line, crossing on the level.  The station at Andrews House (a modern creation, there never was a station there) is on the NER line, but the Marley Hill shed, at right angles to it, was on the private railway.

 

 

Marley Hill is the site of one of those 'preservationalist graveyards', but its contents are more than usually fascinating.

 

 

The line runs little tank engines and a combination of tramway-style and old 4-wheel coaches that makes a wonderful change from the soulless Mark Is, and makes it a sort of Fantasy Light Railway.

 

Loughborough. Taylors of Loughborough is certainly one of the town's highlights. 

 

Despite all I've said, it was the metropolis in my little village world and I have a nostalgic affection for the town: 

 

The fine town hall, it's architecture and its pantomimes, childhood trips to the cinema, teenage assignations in the corporation bandstand, the wonderful London Extension station on the preserved line, and, finally, escape via the Midland.

 

 

[Northroader]

Perhaps our friends in Oz could send us a Map of Tasmania so we could understand it all better?

[St Enodoc]

5 minutes ago, Northroader said:

Perhaps our friends in Oz could send us a Map of Tasmania so we could understand it all better?

In Australian slang a "map of Tassie" has an entirely different meaning...

 

Nevertheless, here's a link to the railway itself:

 

https://www.wcwr.com.au/

 

There's a map at the bottom of the home page.

Edited May 2, 2020 by St Enodoc

[Regularity]

3 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

It's West Norfolk, not Norfolk & Western.

Isn’t “Norfolk & Western” some form of popular music?

[Nearholmer]

Not popular music, no.

 

Mostly unpopular, as I discover when I sing it as I go about domestic tasks.

[Compound2632]

22 minutes ago, Regularity said:

Isn’t “Norfolk & Western” some form of popular music?

 

And equally, Country & Western is not to be confused with West Country.

 

I'm now thinking of going all H0 and building myself a shortline: the Blue Rhythm Rail Road.

[brack]

4 hours ago, Edwardian said:

Marley Hill is the site of one of those 'preservationalist graveyards', but its contents are more than usually fascinating.

Absolutely, at least it isn't a line of mk1s, rusting merchant navies and class 50s and 31s.

 

There is loads of fascinating stuff. I once asked where the 1883 2' gauge black hawthorn 040st (much rebuilt) was. I was told I was standing on some of it! Then shown where the boiler, tanks and frames were (all in different places - sadly it seems one gentleman thought it was 'his' dismantled it but never did much else. At least they knew where it was. Surely the ideal loco for Beamish's NG line)

[Edwardian]

1 hour ago, Regularity said:

Isn’t “Norfolk & Western” some form of popular music?

 

 

 

 

[Hroth]

The May illustration on my wall calender is full of period ambience!  Its captioned as "Steam Trains in Victoria Station, London, c. 1887"

 

 

You can see where Hornby got the idea for their four-wheeled coach and, standing in front of it, where Dapol got the idea for the Terrier. All you need do to upgrade the Hornby coach would be to position a row of paint cans on the roof...

 

I rather like the little saddle tank loco with the Willesden headboard.