cary hill

Two possible excuses: 1. The Rhino has decided overnight to disrespect the inviolability of GWR lineside fencing after all.....or more historically accurate perhaps... 2. We are currently experiencing (in August 1947) the 3rd hottest Summer since records began, so some 60' track panels have buckled rails but the PW gang haven't arrived yet.

When I placed my pre-order I knew a 64xx and an Auto Trailer for 1p each sounded too good to be true.

Indeed, even a "narrow" search for "A Nod to Brent" images, innocently hoping for all things GWR, can quickly lead to annoying anomalies: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=a+nod+to+brent&hl=en&rlz=1I7SNYT_enGB349&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=GBLhU8yCCsex0AWnpYDQAQ&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAw&biw=1600&bih=743#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=4tmGBm6rnyCUVM%253A%3BydGFZu3pjlkuBM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.rmweb.co.uk%252Fcommunity%252Fuploads%252Fmonthly_07_2014%252Fpost-6675-0-39647300-1406049524.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.rmweb.co.uk%252Fcommunity%252Findex.php%253F%252Ftopic%252F69664-a-nod-to-brent%252Fpage-206%3B1720%3B972

The nameplate looks like a distant and superior cousin of one of my desperately poor nameplates using Coopercraft products.

Spookily a lazy Google search for "Don Breckon's Brent paintings" unearths these gems: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=don+breckon&hl=en&rlz=1I7SNYT_enGB349&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Kv7gU6usJuSf0QWdiYDABA&ved=0CCEQsAQ&biw=1600&bih=743#hl=en&q=don+breckon+brent+paintings&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=1C6lI1WAw2Hm7M%253A%3BiPjkmOd0HwiVHM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.rmweb.co.uk%252Fcommunity%252Fuploads%252Fmonthly_06_2013%252Fpost-126-0-87996700-1372274093.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.rmweb.co.uk%252Fcommunity%252Findex.php%253F%252Ftopic%252F69664-a-nod-to-brent%252Fpage-36%3B1915%3B877 https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=don+breckon&hl=en&rlz=1I7SNYT_enGB349&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Kv7gU6usJuSf0QWdiYDABA&ved=0CCEQsAQ&biw=1600&bih=743#hl=en&q=don+breckon+brent+paintings&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=0c7OINlh5IIjDM%253A%3BiPjkmOd0HwiVHM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.rmweb.co.uk%252Fcommunity%252Fuploads%252Fmonthly_06_2013%252Fpost-126-0-00624900-1372271086.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.rmweb.co.uk%252Fcommunity%252Findex.php%253F%252Ftopic%252F69664-a-nod-to-brent%252Fpage-36%3B1915%3B840

Yes that photo of the planned track rationalisation at Brent is a big worry, as is prospect of Bert Grump attempting to clear the line of obstructions armed only with a fancy red-framed squash raquet

I have to agree and I particularly like the illusion of depth in this one even though there are no trains on view: I almost feel like trepassing across the tracks to give those woods a thorough exploration

I must admit to being slightly disappointed that the LT liveried pannier was on duty when we travelled the line in early June. Even SWMBO was moved to observe "aren't the steam engines here usually green?". I know the livery is authentic and it's supposed to be celebrating the 150th Anniversary of London Transport and all that, but it seems a bit naff celebrating that in rural South Devon.

The loan of a "Spam Can" for the inaugural run through the newly refurbished Seawall section perhaps?

Breaking news ........ "Finching sisters clinch deal to acquire a third beach hut on behalf of the ANTB Beach and Seawall Amenities Improvement Scheme (1947) Sub Committee" (photo courtesy of the Torquay Herald Express) "Flora and Minnie Finching supervising the removal of the last waste paper from the former Wartime Paignton Paper Salvage Depot. Also in the photograph are Septimus Smith, who will be transporting the beach hut to the Seawall using his recently acquired ex-Army lorry, and Arthur Chandler, Managing Director of the Paignton Waste Paper Company (1945), now in liquidation." Flora Finching was quoted as saying "We are thrilled to have acquired such an historically significant beach hut on behalf of the Commitee, and it takes us one step closer to our vision of how the ANTB Seawall will look when the landscaping is completed and the floodlights are installed later this year."

I was initially surprised to see that you didn't make it to Broadsands, but I suppose the recent live firing exercises may have put you off: Seems a bit OTT to me as means of clearing a couple of squirrels and a bat from the beach.

Probably this ? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Gay_Archer_(P1041). Suspect that name has had it's day.

A good bus anorak's worth of stuff re the Agatha Christie Leyland Tiger here: http://busmanjohn.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/a-new-job-with-an-old-tiger/#more-2441

Yes times do change - fifty five years ago we had to rely on one of these old Regents to get about - not the worst thing in the world up top in good weather. And a couple years later we relied on one of these brand new Atlantean "Seadogs" : Never took a photo like this though: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/26549074 The old Regent bus apparently dates from 1934, so I think it's older than the loco, but it still gets to Broadsands occasionally. On a different point, does anyone know how the name Happy Valley comes about - I did see the sidings described Simla in one book and there was a large house called Simla, apparently bombed in the Second World War on pre-war maps of the site. Shimla, Happy Valley, Darjeeling?

Goodrington Beach not looking too bad in these late Victorian/Edwardian postcards: This colourised postcard features the Finchings sitting on the beach, whilst visiting friends who lived in Goodrington Cottage, which was the only building at that end of the beach at that time. Once Goodrington started to develop as a "resort" in the late 1920s/early 1930s the Finchings couldn't stand the place, but fortunately their friends moved to Salcombe, which was much more to their liking.

Yes, a very poorly executed "view blocker", as the photographer hasn't really got close enough to the bottom of things and just created a distraction.

Latest news from South Devon:

"P&DSR line side fire lays waste to Goodrington?"

Rob's not the only person who can go on a seaside holiday to the South Hams: The Finchings bathing at Beesands in July 1914 just before the outbreak of World War One. Does anybody know who the "older" lady in the middle of the sisters is? Trying to get back on topic I stumbled across this rather splendid painting of a Dean Single below Dartmoor, near South Brent, 1913 http://bp1.blogger.com/_CbwnjooteyI/R07lxAlpIRI/AAAAAAAABu8/kh9bfzOyyUw/s1600-h/LastScan+5.jpg I thought the background looked familiar, so I googled "large" Brent Hill images. Google must be faulty as this was one of the images which came up A picture of some bloke on holiday in Devon: Back to Rob on holiday which is where I started....

Keeping an "eye" on the thread might be better than an "ear".

She could be in luck as I believe "Black 5s" were once common in Bristol.

Background thinking: "Looks like the annual Disney Fantasy Sand Castle build is cancelled this year as Goodrington Sands have turned into a pile of shelving dry cr*p after the winter storms. Cue more family arguments"

"What the hell have the "dancing monks"on the front cover got to do with anything? I wish I'd waited for the English language version of Model Rail"

"Harumph! Still no sign of my "A Nod to Brent" layout feature article. I sent it in months ago!"

"So that's what the NRM/Locomotion Models new model is. It's a xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx..............ssshh"