Simon Lee

AM PORT CARTIER - 13 / 92151 GRT Dunquack Est for Portland (the UK one) 18. miles away, traffic is flowing southward,towards the Atlantic Ocean. P1340985 by David Todd 2012, on Flickr P1340987 by David Todd 2012, on Flickr

The residents of Aycliffe live behind an acoustic wall to shield them from the A20 noise, which is pretty much 24/7 road noise. About the only thing you could hear up there was the Hovercraft, which you could hear just about all over the town. Depending on the wind strength you could smell the fuel from them as well.

Anyone got any old BR uniforms lurking in their wardrobes ? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRITISH-RAIL-RAILWAY-TRAIN-UNIFORM-1975-76-JACKET-SLIPOVER-2-TROUSERS-NEW-TAGS-/301914231475?hash=item464b7d92b me thinks he's a bit deluded ?

Nothing on the Dover Marinas site about the seawall, though it has been mentioned on other forums regarding the changes in Longshore drift of shingle since Samphire Hoe was built. Don't know if the new construction could be left "open plan" for the sea to wash under like a viaduct / bridge and the old sea wall left as a sacrificial barrier ?

To ensure it will stay up ?

News from Nigel Scutt's Dover Marina FB site. The plan of work is to install 100 x 30 meter tubular piles that will then be filled with concrete. On top of this will be laid a concrete raft for the track bed. The footbridge is to be reinstated using a GRP structure. No mention as yet as to any further sea defence works. Thanks t Nigel and his Facebook page for the info.

Classic Hull traffic flow in Dave's photo, empty 241/2 ton hoppers en route from Earles Cement at Wilmington back to Hessle Quarry. Ran every day year in year out, but we never gave it a second glance, for ever greatful for photos like this one.

A few years later and a EE Type 1 heads back to Priory Yards with an evening trip working. For those who know the area, the bridge is over the filled in Cottingham drain, houses in the background on Ella Street.

WD between Ella St and Chanterlands Ave 1964/65

Samphire Hoe is worth a visit if your in the area, offers a different perspective on the cliffs and the English Channel, and try to imagine what it was like when there was a colliery there. Looking at the latest videos, there has certainly been a change in tidal flow / stream over the years. When I worked in the Ferry /Town yard complex, there was certainly very little over topping in the Town yard, most of the times we got wet was on the Admiralty sidings when there was a full SW gale blowing. When you look at the remains of the footbridge, there is a large drop from the bottom of the steps onto the beach, where as in the 80's the beach came up to and covered at least the bottom step. Given that the only development in recent times is the construction of Samphire Hoe, it would be interesting to know how the tidal pattern has changed since it was constructed. It used to be possible at low tide to walk from Shakespeare beach, round the bottom of the cliff, to what is now Samphire, I don't know if it still is possible ( appreciating that access off the beach at the Western end would be difficult)

Bit more pointless trivia - this area in Davids photos was used quite a lot during the filming of the 1969? film "Battle of Britan". One man I worked live on the estate featured in some of Davids photos and had photos of mock ups of various German and RAF planes that were left after the filming for a few weeks until disposed of.

He is a link to a short video of the operation at Svartebukt :- www.vimeo.com/110650708 Hope its of interest.

They came from Svartebukt in Norway, unloaded on the Admiralty pier, which is the large pier that features in a lot of Davids posts and bought round by dumper truck.

Anlaby Road Junction, first 47048 on a returning Bridlington - Banbury Excursion, followed by 37037 and 37102 on the East Coast Pullman Salute Railtour.

55005 just about to head under Hessle Road flyover early 1981.

Little piece of local history, the brick wall arrowed, indicates where the Seafront railway left the main lines at the start of its run to the Eastern Arm via Strond Street, Union Street, the Prince of Wales Pier and along the seafront. (sorry for scribbling on your photos David !!)

Most certainly one of the two DHB tugs in Davids photos :- http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:3555427/mmsi:232004784/vessel:DHB%20DAUNTLESS/_:46bd3535536d9b7c2be2eb958eef90f4 http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:183336/mmsi:232004783/vessel:DHB%20DOUGHTY/_:46bd3535536d9b7c2be2eb958eef90f4 Hth

Heavy lift ship "Fairlift" currently Norway for Cyprus details :- http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:268628/mmsi:246465000/vessel:FAIRLIFT/_:46bd3535536d9b7c2be2eb958eef90f4 HTH

Bet that was fun up and down Western Heights in an East Kent bus !! Where had Adolf dropped his dud ?

There was a lot of shingle masquerading as ballast in the Town yard, and at the stops end the loco shed floor was still in place. Where they are digging was a mix of ballast and shingle plus plentiful quantities of Sea Cabbage plants, that sometimes concealed adders, that used to come out and sun bathe in the warmer months.

The second number 78218 is the crane number, the former PMV would be its runner/equipment/mess van.

The whole area of the town yard and where the ferry yard was/is a maze of trestles and drains. Was in the Town yard one day, when some of the shunters were messing around, one banged a hook switch pole on the ground in mock anger and it disappeared into the ground about half its length. Then one night in the Ferry the numbertaker came in said he could hear running water, so we went out to investigate and found a hole had opened up under two of the sidings, where a culvert that discharged into the Tidal had backed up and scoured away the earth above. That took a dozen or so Grampus with rock and spoil to cure, very much a make do repair but it lasted until the new berth opened.

As mentioned above, Henriette is berthed on the Admiralty and currently discharging to dump trucks using it's on board excavator. Liamare is currently ETA 0700 Tuesday 12th.

View from the bridge in 1982 :-

There were also the Danish, Italian and Turkish Bosphorus train ferries, as well as those linking the UK to Europe. For anyone with an interest in the subject "Train Ferries of Western Europe" by Ransome - Wallis is well worth a read.