eastglosmog

A few ghosts from the long gone Midland branch to Tewkesbury: The railway bridge over the southern branch of the River Avon, into Healings (Borough) Mill and on into the mill and terminating at the river Quays on the main branch of the River Avon. The bridge betrays its origin by being flat, unlike the humped road bridge beyond. The line ran on the left hand side of the gap in the mill buildings to the quay, which is now covered in trees. Station Street in Tewksbury has not had a passenger station since 1864, when the original station in Tewksbury was closed in favor of a new one on the Ashchurch Great Malvern line. The base of the signal box still lurks in the undergrowth near the junction of the Tewksbury branch with the Ashchurch Great Malvern branch.

The LNWR had several locos named SIrius (the dog star).

Tilly was sick last night (fur ball trouble). She made a direct hit into my shoes. Well, I was thinking i needed a new pair, certainly do now!

Apparently, whilst some were Masons marks, most are not and the ones illustrated are unlikely to be. Their precise purpose is not known with certainty and there were probably many different reasons for them - see Medieval Graffiti by M. Champion for a discussion of the many different types and possible meanings. (I bought a copy of this book on a visit to Hales Abbey a year ago and now look out for them when ever I visit an old church.)

Some little details for a model of a pre-16th Century church - graffiti on the door jamb. Would be considered vandalism today, but was apparently common practice in Medieval times. These were seen on St Mary's church, Ampney St Mary, but they can be found on many old churches that have not had the stonework heavily restored.

There was a 3 car Class 165 on the 17:45 service to Moreton today, unlike the usual 2 car Class 165:

As an illustration, as happened last Saturday. Bright sunlit road suddenly going into dark shadow under overhanging tree canopy. Cyclist totally invisible, except for the high viz vest he was wearing.

Who indeed? I had the same question when my first cat Sally (the same age as Rhubarb) was found by the roadside 40 odd years ago. Anyhow, life has got a lot better for Rhubarb now.

I like how "There may be the odd damaged part or buffer missing". Not much "may" about it definitely "is"!

Back in 1854/8 Denmark had 11 Crampton locomotives that were all named not numbered. There were quite a few German Cramptons that were also named.

Depending on the function of the tunnel in your layout, I would suggest opening it out into a deep cutting (there are several prototypical examples of this happening) and spanning it with a girder bridge.

From what I have seen, the service is going to need a hefty subsidy, whoever runs it. Is this going to be the Scottish Government subsidising Scots people to travel to London or subsidising English people to travel to Scotland?

On a more cheerful note, next doors cat Toto is definitely tubby, he weighs as much as Tilly when he ought to weigh about half. So he has been put on a diet. This seems to have overcome his timidity as he has started visiting both my house and the one at the other end of the terrace (also cat owners) to see if he can scrounge more food! He mistimed this mornings visit, as I hadn't given Tilly her breakfast when he called.

There is also Lansdown Junction at Cheltenham where the Banbury and Cheltenham left the Midland line to Gloucester. https://maps.nls.uk/view/109724763

Stuck at Crewe for 40mins having missed connection due to late running Avanti train from Glasgow so spent the time train watching. One Class 175 DMU came in, on a Transport for Wales service to Manchester Piccadilly, so here is a picture of it:

My spotting days are well gone, but why with all the other colours at £20 does the purple one come at only £12? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394059383762?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20200818143230%26meid%3Dee59da8133924921bc6b8fd24b324b91%26pid%3D101224%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D393629364835%26itm%3D394059383762%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DDefaultOrganicWeb&_trksid=p2047675.c101224.m-1 Doesn't look any more worn than the others. Still £12 more than I would pay for one.

Try Yarnton Junction, where the Witney Railway met the OWW https://maps.nls.uk/view/106017234 It is a basic single line splitting into two for the junction, plus a few additional sidings on the main line plus a further double line junction for the LNWR Yarnton loop to the Oxford Bicester line.

I remember reading somewhere a long time ago that the reason Johnny Foreigner drove on the right was because they all got conquered by Napoleon, and his armies deployed by the right whilst our conservative lot stayed with deploying by the left (or it may have been the other way round)

Order to put in the 55ft turntable was made in May 1947 and it was installed by 1951. A 43xx or a 4-6-0 might have been able to fit the turntable, but someone would have had some questions to answer had one been sent down there, the line being coded yellow! Whilst most locos were turned at Fairford, there are a few photos of tank engines running bunker first. The Witney blanket specials must have resulted in some bunker and tender first running (Sir Alexander 2-2-2's were used on these specials in the early 20th century). Photos of these show chimney first running leaving Witney goods station (i.e. heading to Yarnton and Oxford) but they must have come in bunker/tender first with the empties as there was no turntable nearer than Oxford (12miles away).

A riverside bollard just upstream of the (now disused) Llanthony Lock on the River Severn (East Channel). A small thing a few yards from the GWR Gloucester Dock branch bridge over the east channel.

Far to bent to be subject to fracking or a sink hole. With the bend in the chimney, looks more like its suffering from Sulphate (Sulfate if you are American) attack in the mortar.

A stag and doe in Cornbury Park this morning. The evening air will soon be rent by the bellow of rutting stags.

Don't think the coal would have gone rusty, either (or be left in the bunker for very long)!

As a kitten, Badger often used to come in whilst I was in the bath and walk around the bath rim. Until one day he found he had grown too wide for the wallside traverse and tumbled in with a great splash. Was he worried? Not a bit. MaineCoons don't mind getting wet!

Weird, is the Cartmel bloke colour blind? Looks to be GWR Green to me, not BR Black as in the description!