Thread W1 (131 replies so far) Thread W2 >
Replies 41-60
<< replies 1-20 < replies 21-40 replies 61-80 > replies 81-100 >> Replies 101-120 >> Replies 121-131 >>
.JPG "Nick Dean gallery")
DATE: 20 April 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
I can still recall the red 1938 carriages [see reply 40], although, as a kid, I thought it was rather special when the new silver stock started to appear. I took this photo at the London Transport Museum of an attempt to recreate the 1960s. I have added also one I took on the IoW in the mid '90s. I had thought the station was Shanklin, but the helpful information on the weblink provided by Vic leads me to conclude that it must have been Sandown.
.jpg "James Cowen gallery")
Then & NowDATE: 28 April 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
I believe the Island Line tube stock is still refurbished Northern Line stock and not from the Victoria Line [see reply 40]. They are all red in colour and run by Stagecoach South West Trains. Their website does seem to confirm this. The station in the photo would appear to be of a through station, Nick, rather than the terminus at one end such as Shanklin. You both show great knowledge worthy of my old fellow Transport Society Secretary, Mr Bell, who loved buses and tubes. Was there still a Transport Society in your day, Nick? Whether so or not you would be worthy to be a Secretary of one.
VIC ADDS: Yes, that's unmistakeably 1938 stock in Nick's photo, yet I'm afraid I absent-mindedly put "1970s" in the original caption!
DATE: 29 April 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Jas - I think there was a Transport Society in my day and that Martin Gould was President, but I confess I never came into contact with it. In fact, I feel a bit like the putative hotel inspector in Fawlty Towers who insists that he is not a wine expert (though I do know that a Bordeaux is a claret). My own interest in the railways - and in other infrastructure - relates primarily to design, architecture and social history. I would not, for example, derive much pleasure from listening to gramophone records of trains going up gradients, which is what one of my contemporaries used to do.
Then & NowDATE: 01 May 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
Well April 23rd was another exciting day for Andover on the steam railway front. Not content with having the Cathedrals Express train to Cardiff on Mar 1st (St David's Day) we had a train starting at Andover on St George's Day, pulled by West Country class 34046 Braunton, unfortunately also with a diesel loco on the front as far as Salisbury. This went to Stratford-on-Avon of William Shakespeare fame, appropriately both the date of his birth and death. Present on the platform was the current MP who lives at Penton Mewsey (Sir George Young) as well as other local minor celebrities. I have sent four photos for my gallery.
I must confess to listening often to Argo gramophone records of trains going up gradients and moving elsewhere, Nick [reply above], like your contemporary. I do still have the records but alas the record player rarely comes into use these days with all the conflicting demands of radio, TV, DVDs and CDs. I do have many Videos and DVDs of trains (not too many as my wife may say) and these do see use with their accompanying steam engine sound tracks. Playing my records again comes into the category of the bucket list (a thousand things to do before I die). Am I a hoarder and should I chuck them out? I say "yes", to the first, "no" to the second. They really will get a play some day.
Then & NowDATE: 29 July 2014
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
On the way back from Derbyshire recently my wife and I went to Arley station on the Severn Valley Railway. There and at other stations along the line they were having a World War Forces Commemoration Weekend. I have only been to one similar event before on the Mid Hants Railway (Watercress Line). All who take part really seem to enjoy the occasion and I enjoyed taking photos of the men in uniform and the ladies in WW2 fashions as well as the old posters. There were old cars and a replica WW1 plane. This celebrates the camaraderie of personnel on a par with Dad's Army and Allo Allo on the TV and of course is a far cry from the horrors of the trenches and the battles that took place, which we are remembering elsewhere. I hope to develop the photos when Boots in Andover gets its replacement photo printing machine.
Then & NowDATE: 07 April 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
It is a long time since the last reply in this thread. Maybe as spring is here and summer soon some stories and even photos of railway events experienced may appear again. Do others have a Facebook connection with Steam Railway and marvel at the number of posts received, nearly as many as I get from Southampton Football Club? In regard to railways programmes on TV I am enjoying the series on India's Frontier Railways. They are well produced and interesting. Do others approve? Of course I enjoy also Michael Portillo's Continental Journeys, even the second time round. I like Michael's colourful shirt and tie attire.
Then & NowDATE: 18 April 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
On a rare recent visit to Central London recently for the purpose of seeing my younger daughter Marie's OU graduation at the Barbican my wife and I were sitting on a bus and we noticed one next to us with a RM identifying number. I thought that maybe it was one of those wedding or other similar buses but not so. It was a Routemaster bus on a regular route. This was news to me and shows how out of date I am with London matters. The Routemaster buses have been resurrected on routes in London, a bit like the modern minis have appeared as a new version. Has anyone travelled on one and do they move as smoothly as those Routemaster buses of old?
Then & NowDATE: 25 April 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1957-64
Thank you Jas for prompting so many happy memories of collecting Bus numbers in the late 50's. The 'Bible' was of course Ian Allan's booklet on the London bus fleets of the day setting out numerous RT RTA GS and other i/d numbers duly ticked off when spotted. I think RMs came along after I had forsaken Bus, Tube and Train spotting for collecting the numbers of the local girls but I still wonder which pastime was the more fulfilling.
DATE: 11 June 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Regarding reply 41, I am posting very recent evidence that my 1990s photo of an Isle of Wight tube train was indeed taken at Sandown and not Shanklin. This is Shanklin, with original wrought iron features. For good measure I have added another pic taken this month, on Ryde Pier.
Then & NowDATE: 22 July 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
In relation to your reply 48, Adam, with the statement that the Bible of bus number collecting was Ian Allan's booklet on the bus fleets of the day, I read in my copy of Steam Railway of the recent death of Ian Allan. There is also a selection of tributes both to the man and especially to fond memories of his publications, especially the combined volume of steam and diesel motive power. I do still have my old combined volume as well as some individual regional books (LMS, Eastern Region etc.). I did also more recently obtain an updated combined volume containing the numbers of steam locomotives in preservation as well as the diesel and electric motive power. Maybe there is a booklet of buses somewhere in our house also. Looking at my old combined volume I am taken back nostalgically to my old trainspotting days in all regions, which the modern steam preservation, though a lot better than nothing, cannot fully replicate.
Then & NowDATE: 29 July 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
Whilst in Bognor Regis a couple of weeks ago I acquired a tea towel with vehicles of a previous era. One of them is of a British Road Services Ltd lorry with lovely red writing. Of course these BRS vehicles no longer appear on our roads, as the business was acquired long ago in 1985 by the German firm Deutsche Post DHL and in 2005 they also acquired Excel. I still see many Excel vehicles on the road as well as Eddie Stobart's, the subject of TV documentaries, but I still have a soft spot for BRS, not just because of the missing BRS vehicles on the road but for the fact I worked as an accountant for the firm from 1971 to 1977. I shall dry dishes with my newly acquired tea towel with great pleasure. Unlike that dear American writer and broadcaster Garrison Keillor's expression ("It's been a quiet day in Lake Wobegon") it is rarely a quiet day, apart from Sundays, here in Ludgershall. The traffic trundles by most of the day and especially great big lorries. No longer are they British Road Services lorries (or BRS Parcels, BRS Contracts, etc.) but I do recognise the names of some from my BRS days, in particular Lenham's Haulage and Storage, based in Andover. I still enjoy seeing the different makes of lorry and how confidently they turn the corner by my house. There are of course loads of types of cars and motor cycles to enjoy seeing go by also. I do prefer living here to some sleepy village with nothing at all going by and have a good view up the High Street from our windows.
DATE: 02 August 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Last year I posted this picture of the A1 60163 Tornado in blue livery at Potters Bar [reply 38]. A few days ago, purely by chance, I spotted from a train window the same loco - but this time in green - just outside Temple Meads station in Bristol. I managed very hastily to take this snap.
DATE: 04 August 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: inmate 1957-64
Super photo Nick, I took a few photos of Tornado at Bromley South a couple of years ago, which I will try to locate and post. I hope to see 60007 (my Hornby 00 train set loco!) and 46115 at some point, but they rarely seem to journey south. In fact there seems to be very little steam activity at all this summer.
DATE: 07 August 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: inmate 1957-64
I found the photos I took of Tornado in June 2009 [see above] and here is one of them.
Then & NowDATE: 08 August 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
I too rejoiced to see another photo of 60163 [replies 52 & 53], this time in apple green livery rather than its previous blue after its intermediate overhaul. It has had a busy main line schedule over recent months, as recorded in Steam Railway. As the number 443 issue of the magazine states it has travelled a long way, as far as Brora on the Far North line to Kingswear in Devon. One of its main runs for us down south to see was 'The White Rose' from York to Kings Cross in London on the 7th July. It is due to run again amongst its many other trips on 26th September on the Silver Jubilee 'Talisman' from Kings Cross to Darlington. In the latter part of the year it is due to be engaged on 'The British Pullman' taking over from Merchant Navy class 35028 Clan Line, which itself is due for an overhaul. In connection with this photo may I also make a plea for others besides Nick Dean and myself to send photos on this and other subjects on site. Vic should cope with them OK.* Regarding the various liveries of steam engines I have always rejoiced to see the variety of colours besides the standard black. Back in my school trainspotting days I waited patiently for some hours on the grass besides Elstree tunnel one day for 46100 'Royal Scot' to emerge in lovely blue livery on a special train in the days when blue livery engines pulling trains was a very rare event indeed. I never did ascertain why the train was running so late behind schedule but of course in those days that was a common occurrence for the evening expresses from Scotland ('The Thames Clyde Express' and 'The Waverley'). I like the maroon painted engines especially but of course this is a different red from my namesake James, the red engine, in the Reverend Audrey's books, though sometimes for special Thomas the Tank Engine events a tender engine is painted up as James the red engine. *Anyone sending a batch of at least eight photos (preferably an even number) can have their own gallery like those of Jas and Nick. Any subject (mmm ... perhaps that's rash) but they must be all your own work.
DATE: 08 August 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Thanks for posting that, Stephen [Reply 54]. The Tornado's livery seems to have gone from green (2009) to blue (2014) and now back to green. I don't know much about this sort of thing and wondered if you, or anyone else, could shed any light on the thinking behind it.
Then & NowDATE: 11 August 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
In regard to steam engine liveries I have sometimes seen Stroudley Terrier 0-6-0 'Stepney' on the preserved steam Bluebell railway in a brownish yellow livery (i.e. as opposed to a bright yellow). Maybe this is called ochre but if wrong, I stand to be corrected. In issue no. 443 Page 27 of Steam Railway (July 17th to August 13 of 2015) there is an example of a similar engine - Stroudley Terrier 0-6-0 No.54 'Waddon' in Quebec museum's repair shed and due to return to the main facility building 5 for public display. I went on the Bluebell Railway the other day on August 4th and enjoyed going the whole trip from Sheffield Park to East Grinstead, which I have never done before. I went on 2 trains with different coaching stock, one veteran stock with a tank engine at the front and the other double headed with a tank and a tender engine. It is certainly a railway with a very good distance of track now, though of course not as long as others. In regard to Royal Scot No 46115 'Scots Guardsman' [reply 53] there is a very good photo of the engine pulling 'The Fellsman' excursion on pages 4 and 5 of issue no. 442 of Steam Railway magazine (June 19-July 16 2015). This ran over the Settle and Carlisle route and I think you are right, Stephen, in saying it does not come south very often. As for 60007 'Sir Nigel Gresley' it is seen more often down south but won't be for some while soon, as it is due for overhaul, with its main line certificate running out on 21st September. It is due for a special farewell at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, where it is based, on Sept 19/20th. As to engines owned by a single owner, Nick [reply 54] the livery is decided of course by him or her, though they do at least keep liveries they ran in during their main line running days and might be swayed to change them for a special reason or if enough non-owning supporters plead for a change, but this is unlikely given the cost of repainting. The owner is often indignant in replies to possible changes, as after all it is the owner's engine. In regard to an engine such as 60163 Tornado built and maintained from public subscriptions and other fund raising the choice of livery is decided by the supporters/shareholders. There are some who like blue and some green and others both colours. A decision was taken accordingly to alternate them at the next overhaul. I personally like both and am glad to see the changes, though green is still more common than blue or red on the totality of engine fleets.
Then & NowDATE: 16 August 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
I see from the current edition of Steam Railway (No.444 for 14/8 to 10/9/15) that 46100 Royal Scott has now returned to service in what is called BR green. It is poised to make its long awaited return at the Severn Valley autumn steam gala on Sept 17-20 and its first main line run since 1962 could follow immediately afterwards. On page 8 of the magazine there are contrasting green liveries shown of 46100 and 60163 in early BR apple green. I personally prefer the apple green to the other but of course still recall that day long ago when 46100 appeared from one of the Elstree tunnels all in blue with blue coaches to match, as stated earlier.
Then & NowDATE: 02 September 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
I have travelled this summer on both the Bluebell line from Sheffield Park to East Grinstead and the West Somerset line from Minehead to Bishops Lydiard. The first was a new experience for me, as I have not before gone the full length of the extended line whereas the second is a pleasure I have often enjoyed. The engines in their painted liveries are so well maintained and the colours so bright. Those maintaining them deserve congratulations. I recently (last Saturday) had a private visit with some of my family to the restored signal box besides St Albans station courtesy of one of the key volunteers and I enjoyed the fun of pulling the levers to work the signals they have kept in the garden nearby. This signal box is open to the public on two Sunday afternoons plus other special days in the Summer and once a month otherwise and I would recommend others to go. On the signal box wall was a photo of a Jubilee on an express. How grubby they often were in those old days!
DATE: 18 September 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
This month I visited the Isle of Man for the first time. Easy to drive around (and park), but twice made use of the interesting railway system, which consists of two electric tramways - one from Douglas (Derby Castle) to Ramsey, via Laxey; the other from Laxey to the top of Snaefell - and a steam line from Douglas to Port Erin. I've added two photos to my gallery: one of the Snaefell tramway at Laxey, the second taken at Castletown (the ancient capital) on the Douglas-Port Erin line. Laxey, incidentally, is the location of the famous Victorian water wheel, Lady Isabella, which a number of people, my wife and I included, first encountered some years ago in an early episode of Lovejoy.