Rugd1022

I'd make a start by revisiting a much beloved location with family connections... 1) Straight in at number one pop pickers - Old Oak Common on 17th March 1906, the day the new shed opened and the day my maternal great grandfather (fireman) and two of his brothers (both engine cleaners) transferred there from Westbourne Park, imagine the pristine interior of that vast roundhouse with four turntables, filled with Mr. G.J.Churchward's finest etc. Lovely. Seventy seven years later I found myself working there. 2) All of the London termini during that period after nationalisation when there was a fascinating mix of Big Four and experimental new BR liveries - David Jenkinson's wonderful book 'The Big Four In Colour' gave us a tantalising glimpse into what it was like, but imagine seeing so much more of it in glorious real life colour. 3 ) Paddington station in early 1965 - WR steam is all but gone and it's now wall to wall Diesel-Hydraulics in maroon and green livery, plus of course of D1015 'Western Champion' still carrying its one off golden ochre paint job,the three eight car Blue Pullman sets, D0280 'Falcon' in two tone green, a batch of new two tone green Brush Type 4s and the ubiquitous 350hp shunt engines. 3) Waterloo station in the first half of 1967, with the end of SR steam edging ever nearer and the Bullied Pacific's 'last fling' in the more than capable hands of so many of Nine Elm's footplate crews.... with The Kinks' 'Waterloo Sunset' wafting out of a little transistor radio, naturally. 4 ) Crewe station in 1970 / 71, watching the Class 50s backing onto the Anglo - Scottish expresses, endless AC Electrics and 24s, 25s and 40s on all sorts of traffic. My very first visit to Crewe with my Nan was just like this, we were on the way to visit relatives near Stockport and changed trains there.

I binge watched 'Hadleigh' on DVD early last year and really enjoyed it - in a couple of episodes he drives round in a RHD Monterverdi 375 Coupe, one of just six built.

Footage around Greaves Sidings in the '80s - note the glimpse of the GWR Toad brake van at 32secs, the bottom half of which is still there today, rotting away...

Not a film or TV series but this is great - George Fame does a spot of overtime as a Signalman in 1968...

Higher Than The Sun - Primal Scream

Green Onions - Booker T & The MGs

There's something very homely and 'right' about those two photos... lovely stuff!

Here's D1051 'Western Ambassador' passing under Deppers Bridge heading north on 19th April 1963, photo by Dave Mogg, note Greaves Sidings 'box's up distant below Southam & Harbury's up section signal...

Photos of the Old Oak batch are few and far between, but John Vaughan's book 'This Is Paddington' (Ian Allan, 1982) has this shot of D9521 passing through Acton Mainline on the down relief... D9521 went new to Old Oak in November '64 then moved to Bath Road in October '65.

Lovely shot of the 25 on a tripper at Depper's Bridge, the site of Southam Road and Harbury station, it's probably a Washwood Heath - Banbury or Hinksey job I reckon. The 100 mile post is near the back of the train on the up side, and one of the large GWR running in boards from the station is on display at Kidderminster railway museum. The Great Western pub just a few yards off to the left used to serve a rather nice lunch once upon a time!

Photo by Ian Waters : Cardiff Canton in June '84...

Lovely Hillmorton photos Dave - none of which would look out of place in official BR / LMR publicity material of the time 😉.

I've had a few like that Jim, 'not pleasant' just about covers it! With this morning's well loaded 6M39 out of Basford Hall I did exactly as you describe in your first paragraph - it was a long slog up to Madeley at an average 30mph, then a quick burst of speed as I went over the top before doing the running brake test. It was freezing this morning but all was well.

I found it on pinterest when looking for something else 😉

Not much at all in my inventory at present, having had a clear out a while ago I'm left with... 4mm : an old Hornby Class 25 body fitted with flush glazing, repainted in BR blue and weathered to buggery, a Lima Siphon G body in BR blue, a Slaters LNER CCT van in BR maroon livery, sundry Ratio and Wills huts painted in BR / WR brown and cream and weathered and a box full of etched nameplates for Westerns, Warships and Brush Type 4s. 7mm : an old Slaters 5-plank open painted and weathered to vaguely resemble a WR china clay hood. And that's yer lot! I'm currently having a reshuffle of the book collection and will be building a cupboard and new shelving in the alcove in our back parlour to accommodate the large number of Bradford Bartons, OPCs and Ian Allens I appear to have acquired. Don't ask about the growing number of car books though, it's supposed to be a secret...!

Photo by Dave Hill : D6706 at Brum New Street on 6th January 1962... Photographer unknown : D6769 at Thornaby in the '60s... Photo by Bryan Trent : 6997 at Cardiff General in 1972...

Green diesel paradise at Thornaby on 27th May 1964, c/o J.M. Boyes / Ernie's Railway Archive on flickr...

Mick Jagger and Brian Jones en route to Marseilles on 30th March 1966...

A nice mixed bag at Long Itchington diner this morning...

Only just spotted your post, thanks for sharing those - the BMC container pic would be September '61 at the earliest as those half hidden Minis will be 997cc Coopers in Smoke Grey with Old English White roofs, or possibly 850cc 'Supers' which shared the contrasting roof and stainless steel door trim with the Cooper models, but were only available for about a year.

Marquee Moon - Television

Photo by Tony Babb : D5313 and D5314 at Haymarket Shed, Christmas 1965...

He'll be accelerating like Billyo after the permanent 20mph restriction round the sharp curve at Bordersley Junction, hoping he doesn't get two yellows at Widney Manor for the busy level crossing at Bentley Heath!

Could easily be a crew training run too. Lovely pic by the way!