jonny777

This is neither a Castle nor a branch line, so completely O/T, but it does show what might turn up if your station is on the running-in route. King Charles II at Wantage Road on 13th May 1961. What grieves me about this, is that the loco was withdrawn 16 months later.

There was no kudos in preservation in those days, let alone any political mileage in it. The Americans had sent a man into space, were building 16-lane highways and 50+ storey skyscrapers; and the 'cool, with-it' British wannabees were going to copy that technology for the space-age society, not waste their time on preserving old Victorian technology. BR management seemed to know what they wanted - a sleek and fast railway to compete with the airlines - but did not really have the technology to be able to get it precisely when they wanted it. Hence the apparent financial incompetence of chopping and changing with different ideas about traction along the lines of "Oooh, they look modern, lets order lots of those" followed a little later by "Oooh, those newer ones are even better, lets order lots of those, and scrap the previous ones"... and repeat.

Oh my goodness. Am I dreaming these wonderful photos? Just look at that washed-out paintwork. I may never be the same again. Excellent stuff. Thanks Gareth.

Thanks eastwestdivide; I didn't think to look on Wikipedia.

This is an intriguing photo. The station is Ingatestone, during rather inclement weather. At first glance the unit could be a 305 or 308, but the unit number is 020, which was a 304 (disregarding the 306s, which were ex-LNER jobbies). Does anyone know if many 304s operate on the GE before moving to the Northwest?

On the subject of goldcrests, I was watching one through the binoculars a few minutes ago as the bird darted around the holly tree when - knock me down with a feather - a second one appeared. I do hope they are a pair and will nest somewhere close by this spring. I would love to see a whole family of them.

Yes, during the winter the Newcastle to Colchester was cut back to Lincoln. Lots of RAF bases in that area.

Another angle of the same event https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/e3/be/76/e3be7644b2dc6c444a86ed8a1cb7a610.jpg

I'm sure you have seen this, Paul; but just in case - the NLS have added 1:2500 maps of London 1947-64 on their site. http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/sidebyside.cfm#zoom=19&lat=51.5342&lon=-0.1237&layers=173&right=BingHyb

Absolutely wonderful. A GWR prairie in Wales with an LMS porthole coach numbered SC24551M.

I just put a few small pieces of coal into an old jiffy bag; lay it on the garage floor, then hit the bag with a hammer.

Goodness me, so it is. The cameraman must have been standing in a position which completely obscures all the sidings and signalling at the far end of the station. I like the ground frame for the crossover though; very civilised. Thanks very much for the id.

And now we have this, a station with a wobbly platform.

Thanks very much. I would never have found it from my interpretation of the s/box name, which I thought ended 'OUGH'.

Does anyone recognise this location? I have tried to read the name on the signalbox but cannot quite make it out.

Yes the Sparrowhawks makes occasional swoops in the direction of my feeders, and then kindly perches on the fence for me to have a good look. I know from experience to stay perfectly still, because at the slightest movement it will be off. My day has been made by seeing a goldcrest on the suet block. I often see them in the nearby bushes but never before out on the feeders.

Brains undrinkable? I lived on Brains Dark when I was exiled over there 35 years ago. Mind you, it needed to be kept properly in warm weather or the 'ring of fire' became inevitable.

I was at Exeter for the last two weeks in Aug 1969, and D827 and D828 were working Waterloo services fairly regularly then, and D867 worked one on one day.

Sent a PM.

You can have a bag of my ash from the coal fire. I have loads of the stuff. I can't guarantee it will be 7mm scale though.

Excellent. Thanks very much. It seems that my unknown photographer might have been on holiday.

I think you have got it spot on. Creating the effect of years of oily boots might be tricky.

And another...

Let's move swiftly on... Anyone recognise this station?

Oh yes, so it does My truth is out