Cuckmere Haven - a very small slice of southern electric.

[Nearholmer]

A guy I used to work for would get very annoyed about what he called “fart and fly forward” project management (explanation available if required) but as a means of propulsion for crossing a continent it might work quite well.

[phil_sutters]

Why are 'gratuities' actually mentioned in the wagon train advert? If the staff are doing a good job, just adjust your prices to pay them a decent wage. Don't rely on the goodwill/guilt of your customers. 

Free p&p? No - you have just factored it into your prices. 

Edited March 25 by phil_sutters

[Hando]

Ah - I was wondering when you were going to start working on that CVLR concept!

I must say I'm quite tempted by the idea of SR/BR(S) electrics on a backwater.

I went to the Cuckmere Valley a few years back for a day during a Sussex family holiday and fell in love with the place as so many do (incidentally I came up with some Ian Rice style layout concepts after my visit too, but it's nice that someone else is building something I know I'd never get around to, and a more interesting interpretation of such a concept as well!).

I look forward to seeing how the layout develops...

 

Alex

[Nearholmer]

May bro has sent me this, of CH at its moodiest, taken as he was walking his dog this morning, trying to dodge an impending downpour.

 

[SR71]

We got that downpour inland this morning. He was right to avoid it!

 

Great photo.

[hmrspaul]

On 20/03/2024 at 18:52, Mol_PMB said:

Agreed. And Egrets weren't common here in the 1970s - they're a recent import.

The Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) is a charming white heron with striking white plumes on its crest, back, and chest. It boasts black legs, a black bill, and eye-catching yellow feet. Let’s delve into its fascinating history in the United Kingdom:

Arrival in the UK:

The Little Egret first made its significant appearance in the UK in 1989.

It followed a natural range expansion from western and northern France in the preceding decades.

Breeding and Colonization:

In 1996, this elegant bird successfully bred in Dorset, marking a pivotal moment.

Since then, it has become a familiar sight in various parts of the UK.

Little Egrets have colonized much of southern Britain and Ireland, both as breeding species and winter visitors.

Distinctive Features:

With its yellow feet, which it uses to flush prey while feeding in shallow water, the Little Egret stands out among its heron relatives.

Distribution:

These graceful birds can now be observed in most regions across the UK.

 

From the RSPB. The golden feet is a distinctive feature. And yes, not so small !

 

Paul

[GRASinBothell]

This has gone very quiet...

Or has it just moved to a new thread?

Gordon

[Nearholmer]

Quiet.

I’ve just been very busy with family things over the past month, and will be for at least the next couple of weeks. In fact, I’m off down to the Eastbourne on Wednesday to collect my mother, who will be staying here while her flat is redecorated. When I take her back, I’m hoping to make a side excursion to Cuckmere Haven.

 

 

Edited April 29 by Nearholmer

[phil_sutters]

"With its yellow feet, which it uses to flush prey while feeding in shallow water, the Little Egret stands out among its heron relatives."

The golden feet are a distinctive feature. And yes, not so small !

Edited April 29 by phil_sutters

[Nearholmer]

Which reminds me: last time I was down there, a French school teacher randomly picked on me, an innocent passer-by, to explain to his class what the term “wading bird” meant, because he didn’t understand it himself, so couldn’t translate it for them. I panicked, made a right hash of it, confused them all, and resorted to giving an impression of the bird’s legs, using my arms, with hands on the ground, while still on my bike! I was probably recorded in all their journals as “le cyclists fou”.

 

Of course, a few hundred yards further on the necessary words came to me, but I was too embarrassed to turn back and give a cogent explanation. 

[Nearholmer]

I thought I’d share a panoramic view of the majestic South Downs, towering above the upper part of the Cuckmere Valley, which I took from the train in-passing this morning.

 

[Dunalastair]

Bright and sunny by the (Great) Ouse this morning ...

[Nearholmer]

I live close to the (Great) Ouse, and when I left this morning that was shrouded in thick mist too, in fact the whole journey down was shrouded in thick mist, except the bit on The Underground. 

[Mol_PMB]

 

[Northroader]

Off topic, I’m afraid, but knowing your interests, have you picked up on this, Kevin?

 

https://irishrailwaymodeller.com/topic/16011-end-of-the-line-in-offaly/#comment-233268

 

(there’s another thread started on “BnM preservation”).

 

 

Edited May 1 by Northroader

[Nearholmer]

Yes, I’ve been following the “winding up” of operations, and Ted made a post on Facebook on the day. There is talk of some sort of tourist operation being created, a bit similar to the two that operated before but focusing on the history and ecology, plus ideas for a velorail being kicked around.

Edited May 1 by Nearholmer

[Tom Burnham]

On 20/03/2024 at 11:39, C126 said:

 

Were there not 04s allocated to Brighton as well once?  Something a little different and equally handsome.

 

 

AKA Drewry.  They replaced Terriers on the K&ESR goods trains from around 1959 until the service was withdrawn in 1961.

[zarniwhoop]

On 08/06/2024 at 13:02, Tom Burnham said:

AKA Drewry.  They replaced Terriers on the K&ESR goods trains from around 1959 until the service was withdrawn in 1961.

I think I've seen a picture of one shunting at Shoreham Harbour in one of the Middleton Press books, I suppose it was in Brighton to Worthing.

[RodneyS]

I remember standing on the end of the coast line platform at Brighton, possibly 1960 or 61 and a Drewry came 'hurtling' in travelling light.   It seemed to be going quite fast and lurched as it hit the points.  I don't know what their top speed was.

I assume that had come from Shoreham.

Rodney

[Nearholmer]

I think they were 30mph. If you ferret around on the “Sussex Motive Power Depots” website, you can find the Shoreham picture, and a few others.

 

The one I remember lived in the London end bay on the Down side at Woking,  and was used to shuffle mail vans on and off the back of trains. There was another one at Guildford that was used for much the same thing. TBH I don’t remember seeing any in Sussex, although we used to go to Hayling using trains Lewes-Brighton-Havant, bus at each end

 

Off at a bit of a tangent, but combined bus and train trips seemed much easier in the 60s and 70s, because they could be planned using nice simple printed timetables, and even obscure places had the odd bus service. Some of the tiny villages near us had a couple of trips TThSO, and you’d see people “coming into town” to shop or go to the pictures - it was an “outing” to come six or seven miles.

[RodneyS]

Thanks, I suppose hitting the points even at that speed with such  short wheelbase would be exciting.

Times certainly have changed.  My mother was brought up in Newick in the 1930s and it was a rare event to take the train to Lewes.

Once a year they would have a day at the seaside, usually Hastings.

It was quite a walk from the village to the station but that was just accepted.

Rodney