Ghosts in the Machine.

[Ben B]

I might have a look at the Middleton connection in a few weeks whilst at their Diesel Gala- hopefully the Balm Road branch will be in use. Last time the far level crossing was out of use, and trains were top and tail instead of running-round the loop near to the gate to the exchange sidings...

[rockershovel]

Not actually railway related, but definitely a ghost - Werrington Bridge. Isolated by the reconstructed A15 junction, half-buried in the bushes and now serving as a public footpath 

Edited April 28, 2023 by rockershovel

[eastwestdivide]

Wemyss Bay was mentioned a bit earlier, but apparently not these old posters when I passed through a couple of weeks back:

[Wickham Green too]

I wonder how many people walk up to the ticket office and ask for those fares ? 🙃

[mcjlf1]

Bit of a long shot this one, but it's been in my mind for a year or two.

 

In central London near Moorgate there is a wine bar called Fox Fine Wines & Spirits, whose shop front and signage has an attractive black & silver art-deco styling.    Either side of the company name are two silver foxes (see attached). 

 

It seems to me that these two foxes are almost identical to those fitted on A4 60017 'Silver Fox', being a pair which are right and left-hand facing, and about the same length, with same face and same bushy tail.  I am wondering if somebody acquired the two fox sculptures after the loco was scrapped, and thought "they'll look good on the front of our shop"?  

 

I am almost certain they are the same design, if not the actual pair from the loco.  What do others think?

 

 

[cctransuk]

6 minutes ago, mcjlf1 said:

Bit of a long shot this one, but it's been in my mind for a year or two.

 

In central London near Moorgate there is a wine bar called Fox Fine Wines & Spirits, whose shop front and signage has an attractive black & silver art-deco styling.    Either side of the company name are two silver foxes (see attached). 

 

It seems to me that these two foxes are almost identical to those fitted on A4 60017 'Silver Fox', being a pair which are right and left-hand facing, and about the same length, with same face and same bushy tail.  I am wondering if somebody acquired the two fox sculptures after the loco was scrapped, and thought "they'll look good on the front of our shop"?  

 

I am almost certain they are the same design, if not the actual pair from the loco.  What do others think?

 

 

 

I am bound to wonder what RECOVERS and REPAIRS have to do with FINE WINES AND SPIRITS!

 

I would guess that the latter have been affected later, when the premises changed it's occupation.

 

CJI.

[4069]

That was formerly the City shop of Fox, the umbrella manufacturers, which explains the reference to repairs and recoverings.

 

https://www.foxumbrellas.com/pages/fox-umbrellas-ltd

 

[Bon Accord]

1 hour ago, mcjlf1 said:

Bit of a long shot this one, but it's been in my mind for a year or two.

 

In central London near Moorgate there is a wine bar called Fox Fine Wines & Spirits, whose shop front and signage has an attractive black & silver art-deco styling.    Either side of the company name are two silver foxes (see attached). 

 

It seems to me that these two foxes are almost identical to those fitted on A4 60017 'Silver Fox', being a pair which are right and left-hand facing, and about the same length, with same face and same bushy tail.  I am wondering if somebody acquired the two fox sculptures after the loco was scrapped, and thought "they'll look good on the front of our shop"?  

 

I am almost certain they are the same design, if not the actual pair from the loco.  What do others think?

 

 

 

At least the original right hand fox affixed to 2512 is captive at the NRM and before that Clapham.

I'm unaware as to the location of the other one.

[Wickham Green too]

1 hour ago, cctransuk said:

I am bound to wonder what RECOVERS and REPAIRS have to do with FINE WINES AND SPIRITS!. ..

Maybe it's somewhere you go to get your spirits repaired when you've overdosed on 'Level Crossing Stupidity' ??!?

[mcjlf1]

23 hours ago, Bon Accord said:

 

At least the original right hand fox affixed to 2512 is captive at the NRM and before that Clapham.

I'm unaware as to the location of the other one.

Ah, yes I had forgotten about the plate + fox in the NRM.  Guess that at least one of the foxes on the wine bar isn't ex-loco then.   The similarity is still remarkable though - perhaps the same sculptor got both gigs?! 

[petethemole]

3 hours ago, mcjlf1 said:

Ah, yes I had forgotten about the plate + fox in the NRM.  Guess that at least one of the foxes on the wine bar isn't ex-loco then.   The similarity is still remarkable though - perhaps the same sculptor got both gigs?! 

Comparing the two, the posture is almost identical but there is more sculptured detail in the shop fox design and the face and ears are different.  The loco, completed December 1935 and the shop front in 1936, so it's quite possible that the then boss, apparently a Mr Dixon, saw Silver Fox and thought 'We'll have some like that'.

[eastglosmog]

Track in the air on Llanthony Bridge over the East Channel of the River Severn at Gloucester.  GWR Docks branch has been defunct for nearly 40 years.

[melmerby]

On 02/05/2023 at 10:31, Bon Accord said:

 

At least the original right hand fox affixed to 2512 is captive at the NRM and before that Clapham.

I'm unaware as to the location of the other one.

I wonder when the nameplate is from? The loco didn't have them when new.

[Southernman46]

Been done I suspect but ........................

 

[Ben B]

20 hours ago, eastglosmog said:

Track in the air on Llanthony Bridge over the East Channel of the River Severn at Gloucester.  GWR Docks branch has been defunct for nearly 40 years.

Unusual, it's usually the rails that dissapear, not the sleepers :)

[melmerby]

3 hours ago, Ben B said:

Unusual, it's usually the rails that dissapear, not the sleepers :)

Termites?

(Global Warming............)

[eastglosmog]

5 hours ago, Ben B said:

Unusual, it's usually the rails that dissapear, not the sleepers :)

Yes, it is a bit odd.  That longitudinal baulk seems to have completely disappeared, whilst others, whilst badly rotted, are still there. 

[Wickham Green too]

1 hour ago, eastglosmog said:

... That longitudinal baulk seems to have completely disappeared, ...

Maybe it had been replaced at some stage prior to closure and was still good enough to find another use of some sort.

[rockershovel]

I just encountered these in Whitby. Not railway-specific; they might not be "ghosts" as they are still in use for their original purpose 

 

https://www.prefabmuseum.uk/content/about/tarran-prefabs-in-st-hildas-gardens-whitby

[melmerby]

These are still in use in Birmingham, all 17 of them:

 

EDIT

They are Grade 2 listed

Edited May 23, 2023 by melmerby

[PhilJ W]

https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/historic-railway-track-restored-at-paddington-station-62848/

Barlow bridge rail used to protect a wall from road traffic.

[rockershovel]

I don't know if it is original or a refurbished item in its current iteration as a shared TransPennine / NYMR Station, but Whitby has an LNER clock facing Baxtergate 

[andy stroud]

 

Last week I had a look around Bridge of Orchy station on the West Highland Line, just out of curiosity. The former signalbox on the platform seemed to be in a very good state of repair although it was not possible to see through the windows. I was very surprised that I was able to push the door open and find the lever frame still inside, although the floor was rotten away. I reckon this box would have closed due to RETB about 1986.

 

Edited May 30, 2023 by andy stroud

[eastwestdivide]

Not a very old ghost, but probably older than the many maroon signs around the station.

Settle, earlier this month, some BR-era Rail Alphabet signage still going strong on the station approach:

[Andy Kirkham]

Pill on the Portishead branch.  Hopefully "Railway Station" will be repainted before too long, but  I fear it's unlikely we'll see the Shirehampton ferry returning.