Thursday 6 December 2018

Nether Alderley Mill produce its first flour for sale for decades.

Nether Alderley Mill
I've been a guide at Nether Alderley water mill since it re-opened in 2013 after full restoration by the National Trust, and a Miller since a year later. We have been milling flour for demonstration purposes during visitor tours since re-opening, but we did not have clearance to sell it.
Yesterday, however, we produced our first bagged flour which will soon be for sale at Nether Alderley, Styal Mill, Harehill, Little Moreton Hall, and used in foodstuffs sold in the Styal Mill restaurant. The hoops we have had to jump through to obtain permission to sell the four for human consumption have been considerable.
We have had to show successful vermin control (almost impossible in a medieval stone water mill) and be compliant in countless areas, have documented processes and signing procedures including batch and individual bag tracability. We had to pass audits by the Food Standards Agency and Cheshire East Food Standards among others, and most onerously internal National Trust standards for food hygiene! One presumes things were simpler back in the 1600s!

Me keeping an eye on the grain level in the hopper as the runner stone spins above the bed stone to mill it into flour
However,we have at last made it. Yesterday a group of Millers took two sacks of Suffolk wheat grain that had been transported from Styal Mill in a catering-approved vehicle and fed them through the mill stones. The flour was sieved to ensure nothing was there that shouldn't be (it wasn't), weighed into bags under sanitized conditions, sealed, and labelled.
From a bag of wheat to many bags of flour
So soon our visitors, and those to other NT properties in our local group, will be able to buy flour milled in our ancient water mill.

The finished product








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Sunday 2 December 2018

Two Jubilees at Urmston

Rain first thing, then dry! Good day at Urmston today.

My friend Adrian from Leeds has a Kingscale Jubilee like the one I had but returned to Kingscale in a buy-back deal for their upcoming BR Standard 4MT tank loco. Fellow Urmston member Trevor also has a Kingscale Jubilee. Both Jubilees were running at Urmston today, and very well they went, too.

I had an enjoyable drive of Adrian's Jubilee 'Trafalgar' and Jim's Venezuelan tank.

Click on any picture for a larger image. The last seven pictures are by Jason Lau.

A Quarry Hunslet and two Jubilees. Alan's superb 'Tilly' in the foreground, and two 'Trafalgars' beyond, with Adrian working on preparing his to run. 

Rick's rather nice 3.5" gauge Lynton & Barnstaple Manning Wardle 2-6-2 tank loco 'Yeo'  

Dave prepares his Garratt in the foreground, Adrian's and Trevor's Jubilees, then the Hunslet and the little Manning Wardle. On the left is a 3.5" A3 Pacific - together with Aiden's B1 (which was already running on the track when I took these pictures),and Jim's Venezuelan Tank (which arrived later) that was total loco turn-out today.
The Hunslet didn't run due to a leaking wet header. 

Early rain soon cleared to dry day

Me watching Alan trying to fix his Hunslet

Trevor preps his Jubilee in early rain

Adrian and me with his Jubilee

Mike on Jim's Venezuelan tank 

Rick with the Manning Wardle, on the inner track


A visiting model Foden steam lorry

The steam lorry's flight deck


Click on the link below for a trip around Urmston track behind Adrian's Jubilee 'Trafalgar' 



We also had a visit from this, seen here passing Abbotsfield park:





Sunday 11 November 2018

CVR's 'Gronk'

John Stein's superb picture of the Churnet Valley Railway's 'Gronk' at Leekbrook.

The loco looks excellent after its re-paint at Cheddleton from faded EWS livery, but it could do with a bit of mechanical TLC.
When I was Consall signalman some months ago the loco was rostered on a service train. The practice, for 'down' trains coming to Consall from Froghall, is to hold the Consall home signal 'on' until the train activates the outer track circuit. The signalman then knows that the driver has that 'on' signal in sight, and that it can then be cleared to 'off'' and the driver will see this. This is 'approach control' and informs the driver, in the absence of 'distant' signals, that although this signal has been pulled 'off'', the next one (the Consall station starter) WILL be 'on'.
That day, the 08-hauled 'up' train arrived at Consall. As I performed the token exchange the driver said "don't bother with approach control when we return from Froghall" (as the 'down' train but UP the valley, so uphill). "If I have to stop at the signal we'll never get going again. I'm supposed to have 360 horses under the bonnet but 275 of them have escaped".



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Sunday 4 November 2018

Me, Malc and Lindow visit Daresbury track

Bit of a change of scene for our train driving this week. I decided to take 'Lindow' to Warrington & District Model Engineering Society's track near Daresbury.

Me with 'Lindow' in the station at Daresbury

It's a delightfully rural wooded track, at half a mile about the same length as our home track at Urmston, but very different in character as the videos below show

A very nice 2-6-4 MT tank departs the station
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbuZK6wHYxQ

Malc driving round the track
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wrRUB1h8wM

Malc whizzing past with 'Lindow'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q3wLB1sRIc



'Lindow' struts her stuff 

Weaving through Daresbury's trees


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Saturday 27 October 2018

Crown Inn, Goostrey, steam party

Will this be the last steam gathering of the season? 
I went down through the local lanes to Goostrey this afternoon on the little Innova motorcycle to the steam party at the Crown Inn. I didn't stay long as it was pretty cold, but there was a fair few engines there.
Click on any picture for a larger image.

 Full size engine and miniature steam lorry

Probably more rollers than traction engines present 

The late Fred Dibnah's roller 'Betsy' 

 Matt Jodrell (volunteer  steam driver / fireman on the Churnet Valley Railway) with his roller and living van. The dirty marks down the boiler were caused by the roller 'priming' on its way here from Matt's home in Crewe. 'Priming' is boiler water being picked up with steam by the steam feed from the boiler to the cylinder, and ejected from the chimney. Priming on a steam locomotive is usually caused by too high a water level in the boiler, but Matt tells me his roller will prime even with 1/4 gauge-glass of water if the boiler water sloshes around too much when on the move.

 General view towards the pub. It was bit of a dull and cold day buy hey, it's nearly November!

Matt's roller, with his living van on the left 

Peter Flitcroft (Urmston steam railway member) admires a very strange 'steam pickup'

 The steam 'pick up', with Ribble Steam Railway's roller behind

 The Crown Inn car park was pretty full of engines...

 The vertical boiler of the steam pick up, with the V-twin engine just in front of the steering column

 A closer view of that 90 degree V-twin steam engine in the pick up

Miniature engine and full size






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Friday 12 October 2018

A couple of days of Welsh narrow gauging..

Please click on any picture for a larger image,

Talerddig passing loop on the single-line but fast Shrewsbury to Machynlleth mid Wales line

I have just returned from what is becoming an annual pilgrimage to Porthmadog to ride the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland railways, travelling Arriva Wales from Wilmslow, via Shrewsbury and Machynlleth, and up the Cambrian Coast on that wonderfully scenic line through Towyn, Barmouth, and Harlech to Porthmadoc.

Friog, overlooking Fairbourne and Barmouth from the train on the Cambrian Coast line

Approaching Porthmadog the National Rail line crosses the 2 foot gauge Welsh Highland Railway on a flat crossing. I'll be crossing here tomorrow morning on the narrow gauge.

I stayed two nights in Porthmadog, getting there about lunchtime in time to walk through the town to Harbour Station to buy my tickets for the two narrow gauge railway trips (saving around £45 with my Heritage Rail Card). I spent Tuesday afternoon on a return trip the length of the Ffestiniog Railway to Blaenau Ffestiniog. Double Fairlie 'David Lloyd George' was our loco, and very splendid she was, superbly turned out with gleaming brasswork and spotless paint. 

Double Fairlie locomotive 'David Lloyd George' at the head of our Ffestiniog Railway train in Harbour Station, Tuesday afternoon. The Cob has been widened here to accommodate the Welsh Highland Railway lines and platform, and the new signal box and relay room on the right. 

The passenger stock too is of a very high standard, and there is an efficient and friendly at-seat snack and drink service. It was a lovely afternoon, warm and reasonably sunny, with the train moderately busy despite being out of school holiday season. 

Photographed through a window toplight, our loco climbs the constant up-gradient  of the line from sea level to the terminus at Blaenau Ffestiniog, with a nice steady bark from both chimneys 

The gradient is ever upwards so it's hard work for the loco (and fireman, with two fire boxes and trying to remember which of the eight corners he last fired!)

'David Lloyd George' starts the climb of the Dduallt Spiral

The spiral and a new tunnel were built to raise the line to a higher level after a hydro power station lake drowned much of the original track bed. Before the lake, the original track bed can be seen on its embankment at a lower level than the current track (Click on the picture for a larger image).

The hydro power station lake from the dam, which the train crosses 

Having taken water and run-round at Blaenau Ffestiniog, we pause at Tanygrisiau on the descent back to the coast

The railway clings to the valley side for most of its route

Back at Porthmadog, our loco shunts its stock into a station road for overnight stabling

I noticed a group of Victorian re-enactors on the station who had travelled in on the Welsh Highland Railway train from Caernarfon

A trip on the Ffestinniog is always enjoyable and this was no exception; but far better was to come the next day.

Wednesday was forecast to be a stunner, and it was! Dawning bright and warm, the temperature rose to the mid 20s by early afternoon with a cloudless blue sky, the heat from the low autumn sun quite noticeable. This was my 'Welsh Highland' day, a return trip right across the peninsula from Pothmadog, through Snowdonia, to Caernarfon and back on my favourite Welsh narrow gauge railway, and I could not have asked for better. I have seen this line in low cloud and rain, and in good weather too, with Snowdon clearly visible, but I have never before seen it on a day as superb as today. I bagged a seat in the open-sided coach, which soon filled up.

Porthmadog Harbour on Wednesday morning; what a superb day!

While waiting for my Welsh Highland Railway train to run in from the sheds at Boston Lodge, I had a chat with the driver of 'David Lloyd George', which was once again one of the locos rostered for Ffestiniog Railway trains as it was yesterday. The other Ffestiniog loco yesterday was replica Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Manning Wardle 'Lyd', and today the second loco is large Quarry Hunslet 'Blanche'.

Snowdon, the pointy mountain on the left, seen from Porthmadog station  on this glorious morning

Our Welsh Highland Railway train runs in from the sheds at Boston Lodge, on the other side of the Cob

Our loco was Garrett NG143, built in Manchester as late as 1958, the very last Beyer Peacock Garrett out of Gorton works. It spent its working life in South Africa. These splendid machines are ideal for this line, being powerful to haul long trains up the steep gradients, and their articulated configuration allowing them to negotiate the sharp curves of the line while their 2-6-2 + 2-6-2 (so 12 driving wheels) wheel arrangement is well suited to using their power without excessive slipping. They are modern steam locomotives with a generous area of superheat.

It being a fabulous hot day, I chose to sit in the open-sided coach (the 'windows' are un-glazed)

There are good views of Snowdon even before the train begins its climb from the flatlands of the Glaslyn valley

Once she hit the climb up though Nantmor NG143’s bark was most impressive, her chimney blasting a blizzard of brilliantly-sunlit golden leaves from the trees, especially as she occasionally ‘lost her feet’ in a brief flurry of slipping. The low sun brought out the best of the fabulous autumn tints, and the long shadows picked out the rugged landscape, especially through the picturesque Aberglaslyn pass.

Beginning the climb up to the Aberglaslyn Pass
 The Aberglaslyn Pass

At Beddgert we pass the opposite direction train, also Garrett-hauled 

Snowdon, on the left 

A Garrett in the wilderness.... 

On the descent now, approaching Llyn Cwellyn 

Looking back towards The Rhinogs 

What a great day to be in the 'open' coach!

Lleyn Cwellyn 

NG143 at Dinas.... 

....To take on coal 

A view of Caernarfon Castle you can only get from the train 

Built in Gorton, Manchester, as late as 1958 these are modern steam locomotives with a generous amount of superheat. NG143 was in fact the last Garrett built by Beyer Peacock at Gorton. 

 The loco spent its working life in South Africa

The big Garrett detached from its train at Caernarfon, ready to run-round for the return journey 

The low sun casts long shadows on NG143, including mine! 

The new Welsh Highland Railway station in Caernarfon is not yet ready for use. It's good to see the trackbed to the tunnel under the town is still unobstructed; next stop Bangor?  (Click on the picture for a larger image to see the tunnel, to the right of the station buildings, more clearly). This tunnel, and indeed the WHR trackbed from here to Dinas, used to carry the standard gauge railway from Bangor to Afon Wen, a Beeching closure of the early '60s.

Snowdon again, seen on the return journey 

The afternoon sun gets lower in the sky as we head south, the Rhinogs on the horizon again 

Llyn Cwellyn seen as we climb towards the summit of the line  

What a cracking day! 

Passing the opposite direction train allows a look at its 'open' coach, identical to the one I am in. It's as well patronised as the one on our train on this wonderful day.  

It's a long day out; heaven for us narrow gauge enthusiasts but maybe a bit much for some! 

On the descent by the River Glaslyn  

Inside our 'open' coach 

 That flat crossing of the main line again, seen from he narrow gauge this time
The amazing weather had brought out the customers, and the train was full. Indeed, on the return trip some passengers had to stand. 

Back at Porthmadog I sat in sunshine enjoying a pint of ‘Snowdonia’ outside Spooner’s Bar and contemplated my wonderful two days of Welch narrow gauge, while watching the Ffestiniog Double Farlie shunt its stock for overnight stabling into a station road.

Back at Porthmadog 'David Lloyd George' is preparing to shunt its Ffestiniog Railway train for overnight stabling in a station road 

The Double Fairlie's driver concentrates as he buffers up to the stock, reverser in 'full back' gear 

 Reverser 'forward' again, ready to move the stock. Of course on a double engine 'forward' and 'reverse' only has meaning relative to which end of the loco is attached to the train!

The Ffestiniog stock stabled for the night, I enjoy a pint of 'Snowdonia' outside Spooner's Bar, and contemplate a great two days on these amazing little railways 

What a difference a day makes.... On the way home next day, rain near Harlech seen from the Arriva Wales train heading down to Machynlleth

Barmouth Bridge. Bit gloomier than yesterday!

Next morning an Arriva Wales train took me home along the Cambrian Coast. But what a difference a day makes! By Harlech we were in heavy rain..... And next day, the Friday, all services on the FR, WHR, and Cambrian Coast were cancelled due forecast 70mph winds and heavy rain!

Lucky or what?




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