Thread W1 (131 replies so far) Thread W2 >
Replies 81-100
<< replies 1-20 << replies 21-40 << replies 41-60 < replies 61-80 Replies 101-120 > Replies 121-131 >>
DATE: 06 December 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: there 1957-64
Just managed to pick up the December edition of Backtrack at our local newsagents. The shop owner told me that he sometimes supplies copies of magazines to WH Smith in Croydon - such is the size of his magazine display! Thanks again to Mike Carter for the heads up on this fascinating issue.
.jpg "James Cowen gallery")
Then & NowDATE: 24 December 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
Further to my reply 71 and with reference also to replies 62,63 & 67, I have e-mailed Steam Railway about 46100 and 46132 in the blue liveries and I hope it will be published and replies received with information. I have not e-mailed Heritage Railway or Back Track magazines, as I do not regularly receive these and could not monitor any replies. Maybe others may like to do this, if receiving either of these regularly. I did not inquire about 46159 as per Vic's reply 68, as it does seem likely on the balance of possibilities that it was at least for some time in blue livery, though if not mentioned in any Steam Railway correspondence I may ask further about it. Maybe someone somewhere has a photo of it in blue.
Then & NowDATE: 28 December 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
I have decided on second thoughts to e-mail an inquiry to Steam Railway about any evidence of 46159 "The Royal Air Force" being in blue livery on the real engine rather than the model and have now done so.
DATE: 29 December 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: there 1957-64
I'm certainly looking forward to seeing any feedback you may receive from the various railway publications James.
DATE: 01 January 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1957-63
Good luck with your enquiries, James [Reply 83]. As an aside, the Railway Magazine 1963, January shows 46100 as being withdrawn. A letter in the February edition mentions that the locomotive had been offered for sale to a particular preservation group (along with a locomotive they were particularly interested in) for £1900 (seems a bargain!) but they were unable to raise the money for both and it was likely that 46100 would go for scrap. As is known Billy Butlin came to the rescue and the preserved locomotive ended up at Skegness Holiday Camp, arriving there in July 1963. Railway Magazine states that it cost Butlins £4000 for the locomotive which had been restored to original livery by British Railways.
Then & NowDATE: 02 January 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
In regard to engines in blue livery I enjoyed eating my Christmas Day dinner this year with the plate over a place mat from the Bluebell Railway with a blue liveried Stepney No 323 pulling along a vintage coach on the Bluebell Line. I also have a drinks mat with the same scene on it. I also got out my steam engine mugs with various locos in blue, red and green liveries. I do not use them too much for fear of breakage in the washing up, that is by others I should add. In use also was a J Salmon Ltd print of a Trevor Mitchell painted scene of No 52509 in a station, which is pretty and nostalgic and reminds me a bit of the current Swanage station. This I got from a shop in Bognor. Some family members including myself also completed a jigsaw of Standard tank engine 80135 at the fictional Heartbeat station, a joint 2000 production by Heartbeat and Yorkshire Tea (from Taylors of Harrogate). Thankfully it had all its pieces.
DATE: 07 January 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1957-63
I can recommend the Gibson range of jigsaw puzzles to anyone interested in a railway themed puzzle. Over the years they have produced quite a few based on paintings by well known artists. When my wife and I used to run our post office and gift shop on the Norfolk Broads, we used to stock virtually their full range and always looked forward to receipt of the new catalogue each January to try and see which would be the best sellers for the coming season. We used to carry between 350/400 different designs in stock, not quite as many a shop in Grassmere in the Lake District that has some 5000 puzzles to choose from.
Then & NowDATE: 09 January 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
Regarding the Royal Scots in blue livery [replies 82-85] I have received a first reply from Toby Jenkins, the Assistant Editor of Steam Railway magazine. He says that he does not have any knowledge of Royal Scots being painted in blue livery and says that usually this was reserved for class 8 power engines such as the Coronation class and not for class 7 engines such as Castles, Bulleid Light Pacifics (Battle of Britain and West Country engines) and the Royal Scots. He thinks that the model of 46159 "The Royal Air Force" in blue is modellers' licence (like artistic licence). I do find this surprising and I will press further in regard to 46100 and 46132 coming out of the tunnels, the former in eyewitnessed reality and the other on that "Good Companions" puzzle. In regard to blue liveries on the ex-GWR King 8P class I have recently obtained from Didcot Railway Centre a drinks mat with 6023 in blue livery, looking wonderful, and it is in regular use.
DATE: 13 January 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1957-63
I am very impressed with the speed with which you got a reply to your enquiries, James. As a matter of interest the R.C.T.S. Series of booklets on the Locomotives of the G.W.R. states that 6001/9/25/26 were painted in the experimental ultramarine blue livery in the summer of 1948 and the whole class received the standard light blue livery before it was finally abandoned in favour of green. I must admit the photographs of the preserved Kings in blue that have appeared in the railway press have looked very special.
Then & NowDATE: 18 January 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
Thanks for the info about the Gibson range of jigsaw puzzles, Mike [reply 87]. They look really fine and I especially like the railway ones. I will bear them in mind and the Grasmere shop, if I run out of a stock of puzzles for the Christmas family jigsaw completion. I am OK at present for next Christmas, as I had a new railway puzzle in reserve to the Heartbeat/Yorkshire Tea one. This year my grandchildren Wendy and Mikey and I left the puzzle we were doing uncompleted on Christmas Day evening and my eldest daughter Grace and her husband Richard arrived 4 a.m. the next day. Richard could not resist finishing all the edges then and telling us of some mistakes of ours. I am amazed how large a stock of puzzles you had in your shop. It is amazing how many people make the time to do puzzles all the year and not just like us at Christmas. My youngest daughter Marie also used to do lots but does not these days. I also liked your information, Mike, about the ex-GWR King class [reply 89]. In regard to 6023 in blue livery, besides the drinks mat I also have a well-known brand tin of travel sweets with the same engine in blue but enlarged, so not all of it is on the tin, unlike the drinks mat. In regard to Kings in green livery I have a DVD of 6024 in action and several other items including a tea towel, which i use as an apron sometimes when eating meals. In regard to the blue livery I have a larger sweets tin with the Coronation train in blue with a Duchess engine. Unfortunately it has got slightly bashed, as I stood on it when arising from the sofa. I like the blue and the green liveries, both in objects and on the actual engines.
.JPG "Nick Dean gallery")
DATE: 27 February 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Flying Scotsman approaching Brookmans Park on 25 February. Unfortunately an ill-timed local train came through at just the wrong moment, preventing closer views!
DATE: 29 February 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: there 1957-64
What bad luck Nick, same thing happened to me when trying to photograph 35028 "Clan Line" at Coulsdon in Surrey, when a Gatwick Express got in the way! Still that's a great picture you have there.
Then & NowDATE: 07 March 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
Yes a very good photo, Nick, despite you saying you wanted to get closer. I myself have received some photos of the 25th February trip to York on Facebook and my Internet Account. My youngest son Matthew was on Hatfield station as it came through, on his way to work in Central London. He snapped it on his mobile phone and the photos are rather blurred. My old room mate from Woodcock Hill Farm, Barnet Lane days sent two photos on the Internet, one of it crossing Digswell Viaduct near Welwyn and that certainly is a good view. I hope to go to the Severn Valley Railway Gala in the Autumn, when it is due there and I hope it does get there with no damages. I missed not going to the East Lancashire Railway earlier this year but I have photos on my sites from when it was there.
Then & NowDATE: 10 March 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
As one of those who did not win one of the five pairs of tickets nor wished to shell out £450 for the one-way journey to York behind Flying Scotsman, I especially enjoyed the BBC4 half hour programme on Monday night (7th March 2016). I hope others did too or will watch it on I-player, if on there. I liked especially the journeys made on the East Lancs Railway, on the Settle to Carlisle route and the run to York. What a lot of people turned out to watch on all these runs!.
Then & NowDATE: 14 March 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
In regard to Flying Scotsman I note from the Salisbury Journal (Thursday March 10th) that the engine is due to visit Salisbury on 21st May. It is due to arrive at 12.30pm and leave at 5.30pm and is a run of the sold out Cathedrals Express run by the Steam Dreams organisation. I expect to be one of those watching it come through Andover station and maybe will also go to Salisbury. I write this in case there any OE readers in this region who have not noted the railway trip from either the Salisbury Journal or the railway press such asSteam Railway.
Then & NowDATE: 04 April 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
I enjoyed travelling on the Ongar to Epping line with my family over the Easter period. Two trains were in operation, an electric train and one with a steam engine on one end and a diesel at the other. This certainly catered for all. I prefer the steam engines,of course. Because there was power at both ends on the latter we were able to travel the whole length of the line without changing at High Weald as last time. On another tack I have really been enjoying the railway books of Julian Holland. His book "The Lost Joy Of Railways" is especially worth either purchasing or borrowing from the library for those of us who remember the golden age of trainspotting. Besides sections on trainspotting and lamenting the dastardly diesels the book is filled with examples of his trainspotting notebooks. Mine are long gone, no doubt disposed of by "Helpful" relatives, who also slung out my school time copies of The Elizabethan. ☹
DATE: 06 June 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
A few days ago I was passing through King's Cross and made a minor detour to see the new statue of Sir Nigel Gresley, which is at the Euston Road end of the new Strawberry Hill Gothic concourse. As was reported at the time of the unveiling, the duck that was originally intended to have been at Sir N's feet was vetoed by his family. I gather that some enthusiasts initially placed, or tried to place, rubber ducks there instead, but now there seems to be only a paper bag.
Then & NowDATE: 22 June 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
I think it is a pity that the relatives of sir Nigel Gresley have moved against the insertion of the mallard duck, which would have been a reminder of the A4 60022 Mallard's wonderful speed record. Now it is just another ordinary statue. Maybe there will still be a change of heart, though realistically I doubt this.
DATE: 22 June 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1957-63
During a recent holiday in the Dales my wife and I decided to walk from Askrigg to Aysgarth Falls (and back). Much of our walk followed the old track bed of the former Wensleydale Railway which was closed in this part of the world in 1965. Quite a bit of the old track bed is accessible and easily recognisable although sheep, rabbits and humans have had an effect on the embankments. Two of the old farm over ridges are still in place as are the abutments of the former cattle creeps. In some places farmers have closed the track bed by using locked gates or planting of trees. In this case the footpath follows the base of the embankment or takes a detour up and down dale. Our 8 mile walk eventually ended up at over 10 but was well worth it. I must admit however as I am at best just a casual walker to be pleased to get back to our holiday cottage which by the way had been used as the former surgery in All Creatures Great and Small. The Dales visitor Centre still uses the old station buildings at Aysgarth but you would be hard pressed to realise that they were once in railway use.
Then & NowDATE: 02 July 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
It was interesting, Mike, to hear about your Dales walk etc. Maybe my wife and I will undertake it when we are that way next. In regard to the Flying Scotsman visit to Salisbury (the one mentioned in the 95th reply) thankfully it took place despite a potential engine failure occurring just previously. There was also a tour from Salisbury round Wilts and Dorset in the afternoon, fully booked as was the main train. There was some difficulty, however, for some passengers boarding due to the weight of the crowd of onlookers. Many came to look.