tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87226395712562842112024-03-08T21:17:31.130+00:00Vince's WorldThe unreliable diaries and occasional observations of an old gitVince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.comBlogger401125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-75570634679669257392021-10-29T15:44:00.079+01:002021-10-31T21:29:08.952+00:00Inside Track's 'Blackpool Lighter'<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Time for another short break before Covid perhaps puts a stop to it again. This one was close to home - in Lancashire. A local train from Alderley Edge on Friday 22nd October took me to the meeting point for the start of the holiday - Wigan!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Please click on any picture for a larger image.</span></p><p><i style="color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Friday</span></b></span></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuGs4LSlRySyjwn4iRadfjHK1AgpqpuLXozNB_cPOj-5_PybBg3JXKW5DAfpvXolcFIRBriUYrcdYrKymnC0-il8xmkbEM08redHoPdZWnBulNmBvUq19G08UGVgQgE9jk9sEgZf-I4I/s2048/IMG_0266.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuGs4LSlRySyjwn4iRadfjHK1AgpqpuLXozNB_cPOj-5_PybBg3JXKW5DAfpvXolcFIRBriUYrcdYrKymnC0-il8xmkbEM08redHoPdZWnBulNmBvUq19G08UGVgQgE9jk9sEgZf-I4I/w400-h300/IMG_0266.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>First stop, Martin Mere Wetland Centre.. and otters (and tea & Sandwiches!)</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8pJd7WMV9yhcnhkFjC1-SBbcgkMJDfJRB2gVI-hLADW4llFLwhD7Ingd99VFhyphenhyphenM7dMvL8pEy1NfJdrL-YEHonsf7OmZajxc5Xs2igylZbf87dzCVmodl_R2VeJjx471sJSQkW-aeEO0/s1052/IMG_0269.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="1052" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8pJd7WMV9yhcnhkFjC1-SBbcgkMJDfJRB2gVI-hLADW4llFLwhD7Ingd99VFhyphenhyphenM7dMvL8pEy1NfJdrL-YEHonsf7OmZajxc5Xs2igylZbf87dzCVmodl_R2VeJjx471sJSQkW-aeEO0/w400-h300/IMG_0269.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Quarry Hunslet 'Irish Mail', ex-North Wales slate quarry loco (most named after race horses) at the West Lancashire Railway.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;" /><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #2b00fe; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">We saw and heard more skeins of arriving geese, in their hundreds, here, at Hesketh Bank on the Lancashire coast than at Martin Mere - most impressive.</span></span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8t4_d-1efEFPHYVePqos2gQYrJ0rzx2_9USFvZSXI0zedyfxBpfcbCnC_L334bbcubrI5p0bKDsozIkTwSJytiJvx-Eadb11zeWaMViak7CnHVaLrZGc3zvWdIyInxg5kx3MqtCIKRY/s2048/IMG_0270.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8t4_d-1efEFPHYVePqos2gQYrJ0rzx2_9USFvZSXI0zedyfxBpfcbCnC_L334bbcubrI5p0bKDsozIkTwSJytiJvx-Eadb11zeWaMViak7CnHVaLrZGc3zvWdIyInxg5kx3MqtCIKRY/w400-h300/IMG_0270.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Our coach took us to book in to our hotel for the next four nights, <span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">the Mercure Dunkenhalgh (The Dunk!) near Blackburn.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJCtN3TnI7awQDgq98-OFF-leGdPaPXIQOE_GolTY6gNYNWRGv05Nhg7rc0X7II0SZuJKozrDmk5QILvrjT5UeJIANL5wkndpyC0MeIgDYiro8VlzP73IVovjInAPwxximVPFu9EFW0c/s2048/IMG_0274.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJCtN3TnI7awQDgq98-OFF-leGdPaPXIQOE_GolTY6gNYNWRGv05Nhg7rc0X7II0SZuJKozrDmk5QILvrjT5UeJIANL5wkndpyC0MeIgDYiro8VlzP73IVovjInAPwxximVPFu9EFW0c/w400-h300/IMG_0274.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><div style="font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Our coach at our hotel </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i style="color: black; text-align: center;"><span><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: large; text-align: start;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Saturday</span></b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span></span></span></i></span></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3a-WDPNqqzmYb5VnBoOy8AaaLk-9mOnI7Z72shIsmh7I4x73Lf0EvGKHMBYookugD8cQW30JE9lEpjIkomyJ9xOquwnssJc9tPaiipOY_yuHIyiM_4PCe_0y-8dSt9hyzdzG9WHzLqI/s2048/IMG_0271.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3a-WDPNqqzmYb5VnBoOy8AaaLk-9mOnI7Z72shIsmh7I4x73Lf0EvGKHMBYookugD8cQW30JE9lEpjIkomyJ9xOquwnssJc9tPaiipOY_yuHIyiM_4PCe_0y-8dSt9hyzdzG9WHzLqI/w400-h300/IMG_0271.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">You don’t often find a western engine in Lancashire. Gloucester Warwickshire Railway’s ‘Dinmore Manor’ hired in for last weekend’s gala was still earning its keep a week later on the East Lancashire Railway, here backing out of the headshunt and about to run round its train at Rawtenstall.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;" /><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #2b00fe; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">Earlier we had visited MoSI museum in Manchester, very well known to me as I was steam loco crew volunteer there for a few years before that railway’s demise.. Sadly, it was mostly closed for refurbishment (and no doubt, more dumbing down).</span></span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQKpw6oE6mx2Ku3VauYv7lEnLR8r_gGoQLsuizled1PgwLeobm9tcuBH1FoQY0jr5QBlBtDu7wRead6U2OUcTDIarSqROPztq9_OmKlXLPi9jJbSnj-YwhvxPRw4AcFbCImcgTedBHrA/s2048/IMG_0272.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1421" data-original-width="2048" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQKpw6oE6mx2Ku3VauYv7lEnLR8r_gGoQLsuizled1PgwLeobm9tcuBH1FoQY0jr5QBlBtDu7wRead6U2OUcTDIarSqROPztq9_OmKlXLPi9jJbSnj-YwhvxPRw4AcFbCImcgTedBHrA/w400-h278/IMG_0272.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Dinmore Manor</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Sunday</span></b></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZg9VW_Ea9JbriMUuUp_qfbM_YDX2lBGR_O87IhZlt59CjWxUybZnHLFi-9sCamURxuHKqFwe6tU6YBBaMIeDFRb8h7WQz27jENlrOo2eGWIVKhgOBHR13X0MeLVLMuZxPBZcp4W3Sl4/s2048/IMG_0277.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1501" data-original-width="2048" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZg9VW_Ea9JbriMUuUp_qfbM_YDX2lBGR_O87IhZlt59CjWxUybZnHLFi-9sCamURxuHKqFwe6tU6YBBaMIeDFRb8h7WQz27jENlrOo2eGWIVKhgOBHR13X0MeLVLMuZxPBZcp4W3Sl4/w400-h294/IMG_0277.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><i><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">This is the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway… Not much to say about this.... A smart little industrial loco and a short, slow, but quite pleasant ride in ex-BR Mk1s.</span></span></span></i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHwH5eHyE2owfuDCJd_f7giP39ZgXaHlToeBl4Ga0_BO4BW3_U674Gqo-3XP7kNagWS2TIpu7JXYSBAxEDZfRZFw7JDkyspeEv_0ocf8b-xe36CqN3edLqtu7qicBQwvehpUdXlKCHPQ/s2048/IMG_0279.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHwH5eHyE2owfuDCJd_f7giP39ZgXaHlToeBl4Ga0_BO4BW3_U674Gqo-3XP7kNagWS2TIpu7JXYSBAxEDZfRZFw7JDkyspeEv_0ocf8b-xe36CqN3edLqtu7qicBQwvehpUdXlKCHPQ/w400-h300/IMG_0279.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>There wasn't room for us all to take the return journey on the train so some of us returned in our coach. On the way we stopped to photograph the train.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Our coach took us on to Keighley for the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-pEhp3AkJpCbM8LtbXklP6TxYcyOyeKbJEF72OGjdTqa_fe3QyZ_5cefJsYbc1bRnr947LIAe5OdOU79IlVAO5x7psZ6Aq8o2l1092bGDO0W2tyTFPaF6ZdRCbTLcwbHBd7J3z9mafU/s2048/IMG_0283.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-pEhp3AkJpCbM8LtbXklP6TxYcyOyeKbJEF72OGjdTqa_fe3QyZ_5cefJsYbc1bRnr947LIAe5OdOU79IlVAO5x7psZ6Aq8o2l1092bGDO0W2tyTFPaF6ZdRCbTLcwbHBd7J3z9mafU/w400-h300/IMG_0283.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">A Midland 4F on the Keithley & Worth Valley Railway. Here we had an excellent private shed tour, and enjoyed steam up and down the valley with a superb real ale or two available on draught in the buffet car. Heaven!</span></i></span></div></blockquote></div></blockquote><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKS5LRppp_3uwwJRYVBR1nd3BrDQ1jQAKX60MbYm6BmVn5kprTsDWSwGXYE2XqLwycwkbjcQEemKLJN0s75crHTMDVCCvU-bBBvJFEpVAbHAu_D6sxXxCCgFsUQJLoSPFRSxwYydNpQw/s2048/IMG_0284.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKS5LRppp_3uwwJRYVBR1nd3BrDQ1jQAKX60MbYm6BmVn5kprTsDWSwGXYE2XqLwycwkbjcQEemKLJN0s75crHTMDVCCvU-bBBvJFEpVAbHAu_D6sxXxCCgFsUQJLoSPFRSxwYydNpQw/w400-h300/IMG_0284.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Lunch on the move!</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeT2CmwYw1cbPgfHQXPUh0kYK77xGh78cwpAQBoLoFwW2lwOrfKGk0WBKRA1prSu9Ywwhha3tOazWrAX6328D3eIWK3Cw5goOy5y_ueW8Oe_YbHXETBju4qnloILwKl1RnBTrudf1FfY/s2048/IMG_0286.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeT2CmwYw1cbPgfHQXPUh0kYK77xGh78cwpAQBoLoFwW2lwOrfKGk0WBKRA1prSu9Ywwhha3tOazWrAX6328D3eIWK3Cw5goOy5y_ueW8Oe_YbHXETBju4qnloILwKl1RnBTrudf1FfY/w400-h300/IMG_0286.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The 4F has a drink at Keighley</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjocPLnQop0ooUmotmWuM8rfmyHB3L86yK6PJmeso8NcmNpEbyD3kC7vX-Il1gj7tI5xQajuR9RP777I6kAt7nG_2Gry-2o5XaKBB4-YRp_iHAuiY31hQHBMYOJ16SRbiqYcZcJ7KJWs0/s2048/IMG_0287.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjocPLnQop0ooUmotmWuM8rfmyHB3L86yK6PJmeso8NcmNpEbyD3kC7vX-Il1gj7tI5xQajuR9RP777I6kAt7nG_2Gry-2o5XaKBB4-YRp_iHAuiY31hQHBMYOJ16SRbiqYcZcJ7KJWs0/w400-h300/IMG_0287.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>We enjoyed a very informative visit to Haworth sheds. They've got a Pacer in there as well as far more interesting stuff!</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilub8V5bIaKDAJ7spqan_abbjpEp9cqrxqew3F0f51mXSdsCLlIYXMzpgYxr8Ij2RCOBQaWzJR6gKNQJLi2q_2oHQdKnB7X_v4S-bMMl4qxYQA0w1LzoDtwh7RmAA1wmFke3S3C8KHAGU/s2048/IMG_0289+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilub8V5bIaKDAJ7spqan_abbjpEp9cqrxqew3F0f51mXSdsCLlIYXMzpgYxr8Ij2RCOBQaWzJR6gKNQJLi2q_2oHQdKnB7X_v4S-bMMl4qxYQA0w1LzoDtwh7RmAA1wmFke3S3C8KHAGU/w395-h400/IMG_0289+%25282%2529.JPG" width="395" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">A lovely S160 seen on the shed tour (we have three of these on the Churnet Valley Railway). This one they call ASBO, as they can't get it to behave properly. I'm sure the CVR could advise!</span></i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitttZhLzGAhuP945vMZfFt58O-LKpFeXPSvXa4rXPuj43KgwVUZ66B4Exbav5LkoQUHTTjDmLdMBA_iNH2_g_QaZ1GPbMG6oO9fg9Ub1mJdegZaococlt5EjuqmKwIa4Nh4jy0SnldGNI/s2048/IMG_0292+%25283%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1521" data-original-width="2048" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitttZhLzGAhuP945vMZfFt58O-LKpFeXPSvXa4rXPuj43KgwVUZ66B4Exbav5LkoQUHTTjDmLdMBA_iNH2_g_QaZ1GPbMG6oO9fg9Ub1mJdegZaococlt5EjuqmKwIa4Nh4jy0SnldGNI/w400-h297/IMG_0292+%25283%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The 'Green Dragon', star of the original 'Railway Children' film which, like its sequel, was made on the railway. </i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Qo_8sVkSEtqgtPaV6FzjhCNuGHuiobVlshx-jBY_x71VdDuiP9NVK6SYRWAM4-v1CR_k5pugIoIWrOMnm1tRM7NwrDxmAX-sueM-pueuQJWbP0Btivweub4eiZDK8zyAuaCf26eLrJc/s2048/IMG_0293+%25283%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Qo_8sVkSEtqgtPaV6FzjhCNuGHuiobVlshx-jBY_x71VdDuiP9NVK6SYRWAM4-v1CR_k5pugIoIWrOMnm1tRM7NwrDxmAX-sueM-pueuQJWbP0Btivweub4eiZDK8zyAuaCf26eLrJc/w400-h300/IMG_0293+%25283%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>This Class 37 was used in a TV documentary about The Great Train Robbery, masquerading as the Class 40 involved in that heist</i></span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sXDQS1wS-0gzvBA8efBwlZbzETdvz2NP0GAGHV3rrHlnoZN1WR2ZT4PDomwHZiuxyywdcxtbzeUvAEksDxe57o_kJVy4U_UMf4650-yD7prFKpBkhbI0IJuLAUsNeCVZhX4f1YBH5w8/s2048/IMG_0294.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sXDQS1wS-0gzvBA8efBwlZbzETdvz2NP0GAGHV3rrHlnoZN1WR2ZT4PDomwHZiuxyywdcxtbzeUvAEksDxe57o_kJVy4U_UMf4650-yD7prFKpBkhbI0IJuLAUsNeCVZhX4f1YBH5w8/w400-h300/IMG_0294.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>This is 'Vulcan', a one-off diesel electric shunter owned by English Electric (which no longer exists!)</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQyX_Uz6FuxFGZmjwC5mGN1hnxxZ23pzP5FnDehqqgwd2zkbg2HLiEETZ5ey-2UcH2mXa4U62pc3PmD2uJK9Lnocd46MHWCfhp4PWihKEAl7FK-P8iK5zP9zBwzw71fLDhfAkdeJY5E0/s2048/IMG_0296.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQyX_Uz6FuxFGZmjwC5mGN1hnxxZ23pzP5FnDehqqgwd2zkbg2HLiEETZ5ey-2UcH2mXa4U62pc3PmD2uJK9Lnocd46MHWCfhp4PWihKEAl7FK-P8iK5zP9zBwzw71fLDhfAkdeJY5E0/w400-h300/IMG_0296.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">This Ivatt Class 2 MT locomotive re-opened the line in 1968</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmIS_6_4EQPRI3kpsAt6p-F9-EdEE5319GQW8cVWG_TjvyhVckRyKCDaRP047Ntg0WrUi5f5Qj4bSqE3b46UqfcZp5I_or4tuZVIBuQHky07lXNezF_mq0kZMDzoT3Jt3cJ1LNvYvb58/s2048/IMG_0297.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmIS_6_4EQPRI3kpsAt6p-F9-EdEE5319GQW8cVWG_TjvyhVckRyKCDaRP047Ntg0WrUi5f5Qj4bSqE3b46UqfcZp5I_or4tuZVIBuQHky07lXNezF_mq0kZMDzoT3Jt3cJ1LNvYvb58/w400-h300/IMG_0297.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>A visiting Class 26 from Barrow Hill Roundhouse</i></span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgId3svXDoVjhw6v2SJ7NMsZHrGtpnfA1x958K3wUuumGmzdfqMYppOC5NDy82zhyJR92JlrEcHvsL7LpNuZIKL4ioeYGiGlnfd4oS8PpAimdNd1JP-TLo9lxCokQCnsIuH7w193yKtFqc/s2048/IMG_0298.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgId3svXDoVjhw6v2SJ7NMsZHrGtpnfA1x958K3wUuumGmzdfqMYppOC5NDy82zhyJR92JlrEcHvsL7LpNuZIKL4ioeYGiGlnfd4oS8PpAimdNd1JP-TLo9lxCokQCnsIuH7w193yKtFqc/w400-h300/IMG_0298.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Our host in the orange hi-viz</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssi9m4jAWJb1Bm0ej4nRYiTewYRJou4M0FyzVIdnBZ-kzFfGlMHvXruXL-j3ywgV2YYUIFht3hjcMrQTSSssmTXOZNNOaNZZGx47KOo45Oj3tpNa2aHzWumxS-VmP7QDuTc7Fnx-Mx6c/s2048/IMG_0299.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssi9m4jAWJb1Bm0ej4nRYiTewYRJou4M0FyzVIdnBZ-kzFfGlMHvXruXL-j3ywgV2YYUIFht3hjcMrQTSSssmTXOZNNOaNZZGx47KOo45Oj3tpNa2aHzWumxS-VmP7QDuTc7Fnx-Mx6c/w400-h300/IMG_0299.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>This Black Five is owned by Ian Riley and had just returned from a summer season on the 'Jacobite' services in Scotland (Harry Potter and all that)</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-RBozB9h4IQAmCvhRMyiD9vu9ZFR7-cqWagVKt6o4id6DNhrnAJF77Y6nKWv_nzVUf1cBzouau8l41j8gCqihyphenhyphennN7dvTuBKak4OP8OVImZNntceSfx1CRUDMZs_2485hP_LM0rl5JZU/s2048/IMG_0300.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-RBozB9h4IQAmCvhRMyiD9vu9ZFR7-cqWagVKt6o4id6DNhrnAJF77Y6nKWv_nzVUf1cBzouau8l41j8gCqihyphenhyphennN7dvTuBKak4OP8OVImZNntceSfx1CRUDMZs_2485hP_LM0rl5JZU/w400-h300/IMG_0300.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Also back from its holidays was double-chimney Jubilee, 'Bahamas'. It had spent the summer and autumn working steam specials mostly in the South West of England.</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXduImS8TWHqHc5Pxddmsj84yu-dppDuO_YAc2dkVq2yqZw9pB8KVTBjHO-s11nF6vZIwmEy4rQCfrJ24Rh9ERTlbN3Y6ev5wTYzxsEucBriKeOjck23LDK_qzwfQzcP9Ngv6J6NGSJuw/s2048/IMG_0301.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXduImS8TWHqHc5Pxddmsj84yu-dppDuO_YAc2dkVq2yqZw9pB8KVTBjHO-s11nF6vZIwmEy4rQCfrJ24Rh9ERTlbN3Y6ev5wTYzxsEucBriKeOjck23LDK_qzwfQzcP9Ngv6J6NGSJuw/w400-h300/IMG_0301.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1GyaXsOGmN8Uy-AoiepfcRaahI8tasjiMuiGGZBGl1_F3YsAQujLoOqmqVs5E3Q8n_rvdgpnNIF2oCpQI2uJyNvAKQxwX9oWjfTG_BY2gKcqO7DSjSL7acYMIbKDNBcoCEP6_tOfqtqc/s2048/IMG_0303.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1GyaXsOGmN8Uy-AoiepfcRaahI8tasjiMuiGGZBGl1_F3YsAQujLoOqmqVs5E3Q8n_rvdgpnNIF2oCpQI2uJyNvAKQxwX9oWjfTG_BY2gKcqO7DSjSL7acYMIbKDNBcoCEP6_tOfqtqc/w400-h300/IMG_0303.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>'Bahamas' flight deck</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiS02fHx1EE70m7IfcbKZW5m8AgmVLmn6GlFapJ9c8QM3azzxPRggfhFxZ_35ZLN_BmocPl0gzen-uQwdnD_-cYKnYHzOCOiFrSgJ80m59KCjuNLieNyYX-MvNPgtQjWzpRmi1boGoToE/s2048/IMG_0304.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiS02fHx1EE70m7IfcbKZW5m8AgmVLmn6GlFapJ9c8QM3azzxPRggfhFxZ_35ZLN_BmocPl0gzen-uQwdnD_-cYKnYHzOCOiFrSgJ80m59KCjuNLieNyYX-MvNPgtQjWzpRmi1boGoToE/w300-h400/IMG_0304.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>A lovely spiral staircase in Haworth shed</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorOd4KmLaNklyHnz0nKmT2hJXKuwREeCSeXmFq1lKZLqpVq2cujALMkqkyRvTn72E5xxsHhwo85HkvcZR6lxkNkU-CBZgn0XfZPzAnG2uIzrmoT1flUIL_zHhr21vxNMhpee50PZNMKU/s2048/IMG_0305.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorOd4KmLaNklyHnz0nKmT2hJXKuwREeCSeXmFq1lKZLqpVq2cujALMkqkyRvTn72E5xxsHhwo85HkvcZR6lxkNkU-CBZgn0XfZPzAnG2uIzrmoT1flUIL_zHhr21vxNMhpee50PZNMKU/w400-h300/IMG_0305.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>This loco is on the railway's wheel drop. This enables locomotive (and coach and wagon) wheels to be dropped out of the frames for maintenance of the wheels or horn guides, without having to lift the vehicle.</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqUr42Sgo5cNM_55_5t3Q5gABxFyadAaw1LFjIHQ1nq2LlVygA10ZTHURRnMVPN_IL1lCmCCPRTcn5-DvWCYmP27wjf7t1ryiGxOXkAERn4zerz2xbMVwcq4wH1Qg8MMzmK_sozif3-RI/s2048/IMG_0306.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqUr42Sgo5cNM_55_5t3Q5gABxFyadAaw1LFjIHQ1nq2LlVygA10ZTHURRnMVPN_IL1lCmCCPRTcn5-DvWCYmP27wjf7t1ryiGxOXkAERn4zerz2xbMVwcq4wH1Qg8MMzmK_sozif3-RI/w400-h300/IMG_0306.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>It's that 4F again! Time for another ride</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQEs9g4_aQAEMTAbaVG8AjfTHGpLcqx-7hWBoZk4DsstFEZYg9IiQjG7s2IOLDXykaALccF15bF8B47MVWqWbq4Yt4xJYqNb4LIRG4POJFZmO8C7xpo7G-FZusqaJMdF74FToLObJx0Ek/s2048/IMG_0309.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQEs9g4_aQAEMTAbaVG8AjfTHGpLcqx-7hWBoZk4DsstFEZYg9IiQjG7s2IOLDXykaALccF15bF8B47MVWqWbq4Yt4xJYqNb4LIRG4POJFZmO8C7xpo7G-FZusqaJMdF74FToLObJx0Ek/w300-h400/IMG_0309.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The end of the day at Oxenhope. The gentle hiss of gas lamps complements the ticking of the clock as they illuminate the booking hall after the last train has gone, and as we wait for our stragglers before returning to our coach for the drive back to the hotel.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><i style="text-align: center;"><span><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>Monday</b></span></span></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESmRO8cjPLH-HZZKAgi9BUjFCGVf4um403ca_vCQoIBxIy6seNiKhrk3idhX8znoRLQjdMVqzwL6n0YxnkjtM4LJ_f65VbLpsXZ_8id-J2j6Ez8L-PF5BQS0IjFW1UfMrsMJgbg3V7DY/s2048/IMG_0311.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1688" data-original-width="2048" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESmRO8cjPLH-HZZKAgi9BUjFCGVf4um403ca_vCQoIBxIy6seNiKhrk3idhX8znoRLQjdMVqzwL6n0YxnkjtM4LJ_f65VbLpsXZ_8id-J2j6Ez8L-PF5BQS0IjFW1UfMrsMJgbg3V7DY/w400-h330/IMG_0311.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Starting at Skipton we travel on on the ‘Staycation Express’, an ex-GWR HST set on the Settle Carlisle in 1st class. </span></span><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">David settles into his 'armchair' in the 1st class Mk3 and looks forward to his Cumberland sausage bap and cup of tea.</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">A 1st class Mk3 coach is undoubtedly the best riding and most comfortable stock there has ever been on a British railway. The big windows, perfectly aligned with the comfy leather ‘armchair’ seats were just the job to observe the fells.</span></i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimT3JkrhWQ2JrlVYDmn8zJRvKCOT5dUdipTyYpjE7O2PE0v6go1DdZcWPEbOVc1WgdwUnhPaiNIPgvgje2IEpbLDrey4xyrWtDouYjyL4bZ_Gn6Pgjk6Wywo12s7Xlm4CK5JQPUpnyu_M/s2048/IMG_0315.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimT3JkrhWQ2JrlVYDmn8zJRvKCOT5dUdipTyYpjE7O2PE0v6go1DdZcWPEbOVc1WgdwUnhPaiNIPgvgje2IEpbLDrey4xyrWtDouYjyL4bZ_Gn6Pgjk6Wywo12s7Xlm4CK5JQPUpnyu_M/w400-h300/IMG_0315.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>As we pass Hellifield Junction this freight train (Leeds to Arcow Quarry at Horton-in-Ribblesdale) awaits its path behind us.</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xUMpz6FtwfUaNZlHpuGLtLEtFaTqOp8WhimUmUOqRkv0DjY-FE6A9uAxUcSwvv2jUegbg6QJ0IULe03Nhk9ti_7D8fSeF9f_NH7MkEEzzkEu1-m1HQDBy3XM4kBXcgepCYGOLZRms8w/s2048/IMG_0316.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xUMpz6FtwfUaNZlHpuGLtLEtFaTqOp8WhimUmUOqRkv0DjY-FE6A9uAxUcSwvv2jUegbg6QJ0IULe03Nhk9ti_7D8fSeF9f_NH7MkEEzzkEu1-m1HQDBy3XM4kBXcgepCYGOLZRms8w/w400-h300/IMG_0316.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Pen-Y-Ghent to our right</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGAdf3v0So-rzEZ59EwN4k4eqdb88wqiUlb3NrdIuBtvZR1r67TCvROwthB4qYn6n3Rt9ChpBq51CftOwd0gw-329znQqtmlxpL5dWgfTpPGt5x8QQxGLP_NK-RNlXIagRKEcmXoOWCM/s1792/IMG_317+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="937" data-original-width="1792" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGAdf3v0So-rzEZ59EwN4k4eqdb88wqiUlb3NrdIuBtvZR1r67TCvROwthB4qYn6n3Rt9ChpBq51CftOwd0gw-329znQqtmlxpL5dWgfTpPGt5x8QQxGLP_NK-RNlXIagRKEcmXoOWCM/w400-h209/IMG_317+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Approaching Ribblehead Viaduct, photographed through an open </span></span><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">vestibule door windows with strict instructions not to lean out. Those stickers are cheaper than NR maintaining the trackside vegetation which brushes the train at times.</span></span></i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh983tM9CFa5q8katPBfzprzmTUq5BW2TXrlhmk2OfdRiCteGqM7jEOdLLVY5WqJPCI4BkhehH4jjpoSBNahp8FieKg16sQSoBg5VD7xKmhuCn1IlcX_-4ULVzkAvwdQedC7QmDfvTvJaQ/s2048/IMG_0324.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh983tM9CFa5q8katPBfzprzmTUq5BW2TXrlhmk2OfdRiCteGqM7jEOdLLVY5WqJPCI4BkhehH4jjpoSBNahp8FieKg16sQSoBg5VD7xKmhuCn1IlcX_-4ULVzkAvwdQedC7QmDfvTvJaQ/w400-h300/IMG_0324.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Many parked cars, walkers, and train photographers at Ribblehead</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fIFRtLYKDs4jTHPrfd7cOOokB01r4AYTLRnDdlx7QJBRdgM6wsBpqG0RpCsrt7xZ5xzvX5xVmJ_rkhuyOGqKJzhMBKauloqHF8gNwuTaEv6CSjWe5XTBMOAqV7JPcKI8OhylDHhcaTk/s2048/IMG_0327.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fIFRtLYKDs4jTHPrfd7cOOokB01r4AYTLRnDdlx7QJBRdgM6wsBpqG0RpCsrt7xZ5xzvX5xVmJ_rkhuyOGqKJzhMBKauloqHF8gNwuTaEv6CSjWe5XTBMOAqV7JPcKI8OhylDHhcaTk/w400-h300/IMG_0327.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>We were very lucky with the weather.....</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQaKWfKKVTcFF-xQakLxpEa0V-UM0EzKdji0vHxwJB096lso0IqjyqMbIZ0KkofcZYuRyC7yXlO8RxcP4-JEQydpWL_0qm_C4rI-WQfHbZ2AjknN-_H37nVaHgZqFyNE1DgaluXx8VlM/s2048/IMG_0329.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQaKWfKKVTcFF-xQakLxpEa0V-UM0EzKdji0vHxwJB096lso0IqjyqMbIZ0KkofcZYuRyC7yXlO8RxcP4-JEQydpWL_0qm_C4rI-WQfHbZ2AjknN-_H37nVaHgZqFyNE1DgaluXx8VlM/w400-h300/IMG_0329.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>So often one can't see this wonderful scenery for the mist and rain, but not today</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfrLF0-fshA4PjyR6K13NEYACbWHD2ybrHolqJ6zmU6nOBz4z7lrNAwVL1Qye0yQmcLl59oLPWz7aa2leYmaOqTkQDP-KE1cDd_ZNwH9cD4KhqJfEp8oRnJrIs-1ftfeb3I9gsJl1sLs/s2048/IMG_0331.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfrLF0-fshA4PjyR6K13NEYACbWHD2ybrHolqJ6zmU6nOBz4z7lrNAwVL1Qye0yQmcLl59oLPWz7aa2leYmaOqTkQDP-KE1cDd_ZNwH9cD4KhqJfEp8oRnJrIs-1ftfeb3I9gsJl1sLs/w400-h300/IMG_0331.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Dent Cottages, available as lineside holiday lets</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCfNmLoCVy0bbEHDytzhBR1f5-DmFZgrp_SWnn8Wke-o6x1UZx6_unagvte7lJZPbLuXZni2LbzsDFZpmGxJb_1eS4mKDoxV8iZglIRZ6F9SLMf13PwtnJ0t_P2PEuh0dqQh3cstgVI0E/s2048/IMG_0332.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCfNmLoCVy0bbEHDytzhBR1f5-DmFZgrp_SWnn8Wke-o6x1UZx6_unagvte7lJZPbLuXZni2LbzsDFZpmGxJb_1eS4mKDoxV8iZglIRZ6F9SLMf13PwtnJ0t_P2PEuh0dqQh3cstgVI0E/w400-h300/IMG_0332.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Dent Dale</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiplvnQoWgrLHOSO_FnNQOBnqwUHikHcTpoNvGxaqT9Glij3UlJLhSbreCJsueSosNojJvwXLNi5GxcSnD8GmZpO3Hl4NfIyTeUMFCCoJrxtixNEa5ypFED81lmxrwjeGwY3qaqq9Y7sso/s2048/IMG_0334.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiplvnQoWgrLHOSO_FnNQOBnqwUHikHcTpoNvGxaqT9Glij3UlJLhSbreCJsueSosNojJvwXLNi5GxcSnD8GmZpO3Hl4NfIyTeUMFCCoJrxtixNEa5ypFED81lmxrwjeGwY3qaqq9Y7sso/w400-h300/IMG_0334.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Whernside</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2XdGi3J-xyIsVG4j1dtMYp12nWi_tbkmQFZS3R3gHaOuVLZId9na8L9QlcHQwYvKZUSbEZPa5D7EDa4uvmCmQeZKoIHt1UmbMcdPCr4w53FRMMAZkplez5MLGbTivgG_g60ZjZzi7hc/s2048/IMG_0336.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2XdGi3J-xyIsVG4j1dtMYp12nWi_tbkmQFZS3R3gHaOuVLZId9na8L9QlcHQwYvKZUSbEZPa5D7EDa4uvmCmQeZKoIHt1UmbMcdPCr4w53FRMMAZkplez5MLGbTivgG_g60ZjZzi7hc/w400-h300/IMG_0336.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">One of the two HST power cars (43059) at Appleby, where we left the train for a trip through the dales in our coach to Hawes, then on back to Ribblehead for lunch in a pub.</span><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"> </span></span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zmEMzUdhFHBxM6kluzqzRWhVRRGOvMQAOI5NdisdoMjE8F3TxWpQD5gl19T8i5fwXhSUyvG7ja5ijKyyFfnOuFLZ9qBvwKqfhvBxjG1N79_n_XOSS9sYqvtIm0AbHzhLDI2Jpx8PZ04/s2048/IMG_0338.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zmEMzUdhFHBxM6kluzqzRWhVRRGOvMQAOI5NdisdoMjE8F3TxWpQD5gl19T8i5fwXhSUyvG7ja5ijKyyFfnOuFLZ9qBvwKqfhvBxjG1N79_n_XOSS9sYqvtIm0AbHzhLDI2Jpx8PZ04/w400-h300/IMG_0338.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>43059 again</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAykgiBWQgPI9nGk0dmLLl9N-D7NNycoGsZriqGla__YOsqwPNwhjnd6GGTfBJXRFMYo6EZZhO7BYQK9JKnlY8-izHbA_GrRLvlvyv694bQMe4_ptbXRn01n6iXpCmRhTbrM-_xnI76uo/s2048/IMG_0339.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAykgiBWQgPI9nGk0dmLLl9N-D7NNycoGsZriqGla__YOsqwPNwhjnd6GGTfBJXRFMYo6EZZhO7BYQK9JKnlY8-izHbA_GrRLvlvyv694bQMe4_ptbXRn01n6iXpCmRhTbrM-_xnI76uo/w400-h300/IMG_0339.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Back in our coach, off to Hawes</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkclNGGL9m5FlZddiCSIWDQgdHcYcKpLlYf_1sA7IlXrNoOtBgnvgGQsXLLRgblRshpABHaOIOZTljfGdgA2Gm9GOmiTIwau_u0aLmWoZmHnJfomDJ7m7FFx0IO13FYwXHaWbMBI5AwE/s900/IMG_347+%25283%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="900" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkclNGGL9m5FlZddiCSIWDQgdHcYcKpLlYf_1sA7IlXrNoOtBgnvgGQsXLLRgblRshpABHaOIOZTljfGdgA2Gm9GOmiTIwau_u0aLmWoZmHnJfomDJ7m7FFx0IO13FYwXHaWbMBI5AwE/w400-h209/IMG_347+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>We stopped off at the Hawes Countryside Centre, dodging the showers (and no, there's no railway at Hawes any more - just a loco and a couple of ex-BR Mk1s).</i><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDMTYDjGYkPnY1LSm1ntUsmrXAroAfqROc4WpOTWUoF6WDo74SmrC9YkSU3H8MVp0Y6JhGfaiTnfJz_uVoI2CwifcxUiLFZ4CHl7CH0a6Vs6aXy9uf7rhL-CyxolymLTwxrByc0QI_S4/s2048/IMG_0344.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDMTYDjGYkPnY1LSm1ntUsmrXAroAfqROc4WpOTWUoF6WDo74SmrC9YkSU3H8MVp0Y6JhGfaiTnfJz_uVoI2CwifcxUiLFZ4CHl7CH0a6Vs6aXy9uf7rhL-CyxolymLTwxrByc0QI_S4/w400-h300/IMG_0344.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">On by coach to Ribblehead - the young river Ribble</span></span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVtWs6P1KVDDxbNUkhP2TOwYEW2i-5KKnnx_uuZ_y3lfPVBAxWf0yAeUxOy1MGbrV-x0QxJIGL8t83NethLb3Ro-HhdAlNAXD0ikrhnxhSDeWl9rc-h7-VldplL6e4wQ4Hx4MJECJDeQ/s2048/IMG_0345.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVtWs6P1KVDDxbNUkhP2TOwYEW2i-5KKnnx_uuZ_y3lfPVBAxWf0yAeUxOy1MGbrV-x0QxJIGL8t83NethLb3Ro-HhdAlNAXD0ikrhnxhSDeWl9rc-h7-VldplL6e4wQ4Hx4MJECJDeQ/w400-h300/IMG_0345.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ribblehead Viaduct from the our coach</span></i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnul-0L1hiHcZkaym9Gpoaw0-H0MV1WK3o18GHg-W7C4NBm0snSA_hygfyphgVom62lVcEOY5uAIQme-tLiNLwbiwvzSRD1DjylZi1_jG-w28JiEKEi0EGqPUza2nu9rEfh3WPrxnuGVU/s2048/IMG_0346.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnul-0L1hiHcZkaym9Gpoaw0-H0MV1WK3o18GHg-W7C4NBm0snSA_hygfyphgVom62lVcEOY5uAIQme-tLiNLwbiwvzSRD1DjylZi1_jG-w28JiEKEi0EGqPUza2nu9rEfh3WPrxnuGVU/w400-h300/IMG_0346.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">After a late (very late!) lunch our coach took us on to the ‘highlight’ of the holiday, Blackpool Illuminations seen from our privately-hired double deck tram.</span><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"> </span></span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNtp6pEERO7gCGI12w25VSUi4yV0_d2rUn70im8CPx_iGdvci3cHr9Oma0jkczs2b72SHODy67F2bNJD2QGyk5Fy1NLdB5PmQ2wPy-U7by1nzOczsmsr5dSUstRocGRDZscjHuxP9iXQo/s2048/IMG_0347.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNtp6pEERO7gCGI12w25VSUi4yV0_d2rUn70im8CPx_iGdvci3cHr9Oma0jkczs2b72SHODy67F2bNJD2QGyk5Fy1NLdB5PmQ2wPy-U7by1nzOczsmsr5dSUstRocGRDZscjHuxP9iXQo/w400-h300/IMG_0347.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JuG9-43Fxbu4X-sr-cZx6NQ0jCw6aQbAzqQLBlZOQSCeYML08-yQSIlYhJ0DvGv-4I0pSrpUVNKauUgP2_0VNB3gkM9k0-CZrGZE59JYjqchtmnSfYczKAYfMenWAmolMDX4kyR11qQ/s1422/IMG_347+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1422" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JuG9-43Fxbu4X-sr-cZx6NQ0jCw6aQbAzqQLBlZOQSCeYML08-yQSIlYhJ0DvGv-4I0pSrpUVNKauUgP2_0VNB3gkM9k0-CZrGZE59JYjqchtmnSfYczKAYfMenWAmolMDX4kyR11qQ/w400-h180/IMG_347+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO322II6xT45QDIESBq_3GVl_7_H8lLcYFZFk7eLBHokL60BAI7_SHxb33RGH60Qxd64rxByF05R9GXl4WI0g7_Cg-ROyw7t06dT_GqwwAM-fLYN1CVLI-CKLA4nZgF51esW7eBqfdVEw/s1420/IMG_347+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1420" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO322II6xT45QDIESBq_3GVl_7_H8lLcYFZFk7eLBHokL60BAI7_SHxb33RGH60Qxd64rxByF05R9GXl4WI0g7_Cg-ROyw7t06dT_GqwwAM-fLYN1CVLI-CKLA4nZgF51esW7eBqfdVEw/w400-h180/IMG_347+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oIfiteAldch3WitqTHYwKOy0YlcELPiY_U8kRS5wViyuQGUJfurTZBIbJd6zsD0UIjG0ECoiP0CjXMvtV7Pmj2XigCdT4IJjIqmMUeNK-lkkS6aSJYRs8TpaTmpEjQreaDdaY3LfWzU/s1420/IMG_347+%25284%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1420" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oIfiteAldch3WitqTHYwKOy0YlcELPiY_U8kRS5wViyuQGUJfurTZBIbJd6zsD0UIjG0ECoiP0CjXMvtV7Pmj2XigCdT4IJjIqmMUeNK-lkkS6aSJYRs8TpaTmpEjQreaDdaY3LfWzU/w400-h180/IMG_347+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD49ozKZABJSJGz30WYzv1uZy9GmAQu6RyPJE7klq73ioA0VQoj-yq4DMhhXb-Be4MOa-CFDk7XRiWN0tBEAusVx7WKCdglqTe_CX5-6kQ-0WAjcnh1eSTs0shF2xGkJwROUoBmQ4xauY/s1420/IMG_347+%25285%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1420" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD49ozKZABJSJGz30WYzv1uZy9GmAQu6RyPJE7klq73ioA0VQoj-yq4DMhhXb-Be4MOa-CFDk7XRiWN0tBEAusVx7WKCdglqTe_CX5-6kQ-0WAjcnh1eSTs0shF2xGkJwROUoBmQ4xauY/w400-h180/IMG_347+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBiUnvc41gPs_2srYNdFaCmcfFfkoObA5L9ymkeR5C1zIpfjhSe8U82y-W8Lba4Km7vH5h6mL0BG8_MFCfGtz0TPvZj8L0Nzl3QWCPh0v5TWTmb3UBQAx27aOMDnZfuGh99CpM9_bjkfM/s1420/IMG_347+%25286%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1420" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBiUnvc41gPs_2srYNdFaCmcfFfkoObA5L9ymkeR5C1zIpfjhSe8U82y-W8Lba4Km7vH5h6mL0BG8_MFCfGtz0TPvZj8L0Nzl3QWCPh0v5TWTmb3UBQAx27aOMDnZfuGh99CpM9_bjkfM/w400-h180/IMG_347+%25286%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2Wny3I4tlueiNMm5qMm31XhZQZi6Jgp67hsTpIWzqOn3VnBbtyXAslgzm8oIAp_Dhl4sHfp14xl1BJZ0gbUaHlkHkGuuQtt_K0phyphenhyphenSW50h3q4nNQNWwCb0xTUDhbB3X2tPWPsSPgD-M/s1420/IMG_347+%25287%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1420" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2Wny3I4tlueiNMm5qMm31XhZQZi6Jgp67hsTpIWzqOn3VnBbtyXAslgzm8oIAp_Dhl4sHfp14xl1BJZ0gbUaHlkHkGuuQtt_K0phyphenhyphenSW50h3q4nNQNWwCb0xTUDhbB3X2tPWPsSPgD-M/w400-h180/IMG_347+%25287%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Blackpool Illuminations form our tram</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1su7iWzGKG5wl6JgAKJr8cqwQjuV1T0rweOrMTQ-ZR2hn0HTHnOYCKXUgnZ72nZR2GSZ5QVq0HuVtfcoLBPLtDU_MsLBWhVC92y5e8TjyzvSODCgl8en8mFOMOU3DoFASbCjksJAjxGM/s2048/IMG_0357.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1su7iWzGKG5wl6JgAKJr8cqwQjuV1T0rweOrMTQ-ZR2hn0HTHnOYCKXUgnZ72nZR2GSZ5QVq0HuVtfcoLBPLtDU_MsLBWhVC92y5e8TjyzvSODCgl8en8mFOMOU3DoFASbCjksJAjxGM/w300-h400/IMG_0357.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">After the tram ride from Bispham to South Pier and back up to North Pier, Stephen, our tour guide, briefs us on where to meet our coach when it's time to return to the hotel (that'd be at 9pm, after we'd found some late supper and a drink, and enjoyed a short on-foot look at this - tackier than I remember it - resort). </span></i></span></div><div><br /></div><div><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>Tuesday </b></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZkKWVxyv-bblwOcIHOdfiaF1jVr4eem4E6lg0eo0DnGmtnzDdJ0NA6X_rRGcf6c5P08YXAP5k151fZtnA0D4Qze8M52sAJY64hkST0AX_5FMUr7ey-6TP-VNpA17PtD1XJ_zxaoELL0Y/s521/Rishton+listing+signal+box.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="521" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZkKWVxyv-bblwOcIHOdfiaF1jVr4eem4E6lg0eo0DnGmtnzDdJ0NA6X_rRGcf6c5P08YXAP5k151fZtnA0D4Qze8M52sAJY64hkST0AX_5FMUr7ey-6TP-VNpA17PtD1XJ_zxaoELL0Y/w400-h210/Rishton+listing+signal+box.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> We travelled by local train from Rishton to Bamber bridge from where our coach took us to Leyland for the Commercial Vehicle Museum. Above is Rishton's heavily-supported 'listing' signal box!</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNCEzobJdmJwsr7NXno1QoviuVfPcMlMI-q-3PaJ2IEnqFyxTiwbYmmfHphqcYEhShUAfdkrJJd9rY-9HfQ9N-w33ES8JmvcEERdlH-8NYw_dKMA2maQ1BhGsxHm19FRoxrjDvujwbNQ/s2048/IMG_0360.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNCEzobJdmJwsr7NXno1QoviuVfPcMlMI-q-3PaJ2IEnqFyxTiwbYmmfHphqcYEhShUAfdkrJJd9rY-9HfQ9N-w33ES8JmvcEERdlH-8NYw_dKMA2maQ1BhGsxHm19FRoxrjDvujwbNQ/w400-h300/IMG_0360.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwz1aOsz8F1cGbPAFiPZWr_GGgwr5bJ9OIA7Ohh1aCZ1beSmKO4qREwZ_9JXZc0ZKSPP_pTXdjym10bKah8YjKCKP5h66-bsiy4gRWY5URvpG5yKWr-qpr1ZsybfuZTl7iM-ZdmuYFFM/s2048/IMG_0361.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwz1aOsz8F1cGbPAFiPZWr_GGgwr5bJ9OIA7Ohh1aCZ1beSmKO4qREwZ_9JXZc0ZKSPP_pTXdjym10bKah8YjKCKP5h66-bsiy4gRWY5URvpG5yKWr-qpr1ZsybfuZTl7iM-ZdmuYFFM/w400-h300/IMG_0361.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjv1ZUa8lI5iPstKjDRO8VeyX64xDqv05SwO3QzTvgMYvhS36LLhR_tzKj1iu6SiPMGwxYzewOwYY3_e2DeUuuNOERPFgBQpBZwVOLpD4Qt7xfTLMjRhptvNj01NviTuzm35ozba11mqQ/s2048/IMG_0362.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjv1ZUa8lI5iPstKjDRO8VeyX64xDqv05SwO3QzTvgMYvhS36LLhR_tzKj1iu6SiPMGwxYzewOwYY3_e2DeUuuNOERPFgBQpBZwVOLpD4Qt7xfTLMjRhptvNj01NviTuzm35ozba11mqQ/w400-h300/IMG_0362.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7YHeOVWiR6N8g_PhifCLuoZQbhnkoZbZJrzPtPmO_OXicJDoS_9hjP8gVNvcVdGeZdZHF3DkJVeC2rg4TZYElut4DkKgNdMFjmifZdDNuixfqpcY6nvgiz828_pG2feDgOOJh4J4bvo/s2048/IMG_0363.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7YHeOVWiR6N8g_PhifCLuoZQbhnkoZbZJrzPtPmO_OXicJDoS_9hjP8gVNvcVdGeZdZHF3DkJVeC2rg4TZYElut4DkKgNdMFjmifZdDNuixfqpcY6nvgiz828_pG2feDgOOJh4J4bvo/w400-h300/IMG_0363.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajoHymMq5yQ72ClNH_EiHYCmKfY4POh7w_8Pqa7K0K7pnKmb5wjssYGafDfluw1oxO_AGX0YcuTpe79-mt2l8BqlLkYcU0uFvMdTfUpNuUA0yX9gzyqIoEbNPUpKheUnNx2zm14rMMxg/s2048/IMG_0364.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajoHymMq5yQ72ClNH_EiHYCmKfY4POh7w_8Pqa7K0K7pnKmb5wjssYGafDfluw1oxO_AGX0YcuTpe79-mt2l8BqlLkYcU0uFvMdTfUpNuUA0yX9gzyqIoEbNPUpKheUnNx2zm14rMMxg/w400-h300/IMG_0364.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Some Leyland Commercial Transport Museum exhibits.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From here, it was coach to Preston for trains home about lunch time. A Northern train to Stockport, then another to Wilmslow for me.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;">.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-16569799051478551242021-10-08T21:10:00.002+01:002021-10-08T21:10:18.369+01:00Nice ride out today<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The big BMW R9T had a ride out today, up into the Peak District. The sunshine on the Cheshire plain was replaced by low cloud as I climbed into it ascending the Cat & Fiddle. Dropping down the other side to Buxton put me in the clear again, but visibility still was not the best. Must be a pretty moist south westerly air stream.</span></p><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">From Buxton it was Harpur Hill, Longnor, up onto the ridge road between the Dove and the Manifold, dropping down to Hulme End. Then a lovely blast along the sweeping and traffic-free B5053 from Warslow down through Onecote and back into cloud on the ridgeway (Blakelow Road - nothing but grey mist at the viewpoint above The Roaches near Mermaid pool) to the Winking man cross roads at Royal Cottage (back down out of the cloud by then).</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Down through Gradbach to Allgreave for a late lunch stop by Bosley locks and an interesting chat to a Canal & Rivers Authority volunteer lock keeper as I helped lock a couple of narrow boats though the top lock. </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I didn't take many pictures as the inside of a cloud is not very interesting. Here are the ones I did take.</div><div dir="auto" style="color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8A7bOXHJ9s6t4wWmApNnikWxbJwNJTx_NRvS9ZlbF0doy8OTe5pH7LTaf-bGK9pJ2tRZ1vFkp6QjyrpAITg7AVCaytbDTDOwYd1qOIMvJW7DGRTGeD14kOIAtjkJ53DWStbi-2HWW5II/s2048/IMG_0253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1247" data-original-width="2048" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8A7bOXHJ9s6t4wWmApNnikWxbJwNJTx_NRvS9ZlbF0doy8OTe5pH7LTaf-bGK9pJ2tRZ1vFkp6QjyrpAITg7AVCaytbDTDOwYd1qOIMvJW7DGRTGeD14kOIAtjkJ53DWStbi-2HWW5II/w400-h244/IMG_0253.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="text-align: start; white-space: normal;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">On the ridge-top road between Longnor and Hulme end, beneath the low cloud. Sheen Hill ahead, the Manifold Valley to the right, the Dove Valley dropping away sharply but out of sight to the left of the road.</span></i></span></div><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9FWEntSpAeqr7DIXuNXIo-eN3lMyXKTtHJE97NOUOSthvCPhmZkEL4D79LCPLmo6PD-ZEEbp-sQNR_soM-2FDOorfVhfq4bRtZCwoYOBzPf7_DQaso9zmCGpQvGV47RqLiOQtNeyHrE/s2048/IMG_0254+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1452" data-original-width="2048" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9FWEntSpAeqr7DIXuNXIo-eN3lMyXKTtHJE97NOUOSthvCPhmZkEL4D79LCPLmo6PD-ZEEbp-sQNR_soM-2FDOorfVhfq4bRtZCwoYOBzPf7_DQaso9zmCGpQvGV47RqLiOQtNeyHrE/w400-h284/IMG_0254+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="text-align: start; white-space: normal;">Interesting house near Gradbach. A very strange woman came out and told me not to photograph her house, but she was too late.</span><br style="text-align: start; white-space: normal;" /><span style="text-align: start; white-space: normal;">I wonder if she realises Google have been here before me with their location-revealing camera and this is far from the first time her house has appeared on the web (but their picture is sans these lovely autumn colours)?</span></span></i></div><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7ij8QdiZ4-vp3uheKXcY7xtxybEMnu6Xl0tbL-nteXLpvQ9__bp87e9Jl9eGek-TMjR0Jq1JTtGEtTPSPEivD6zflB3NX-ANA379VlEXvVTKBlZEo2tFXKW6xa6teP0GpU1nGAu_4eI/s2048/IMG_0257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1420" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7ij8QdiZ4-vp3uheKXcY7xtxybEMnu6Xl0tbL-nteXLpvQ9__bp87e9Jl9eGek-TMjR0Jq1JTtGEtTPSPEivD6zflB3NX-ANA379VlEXvVTKBlZEo2tFXKW6xa6teP0GpU1nGAu_4eI/w278-h400/IMG_0257.JPG" width="278" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Late lunch at Bosley Top Lock. The top of the old GPO tower on Sutton Common was frequently enveloped in cloud as I watched.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">.</span></i></span></div><div dir="auto" style="color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div></div>Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-75390424421785938432021-09-28T14:53:00.006+01:002021-09-28T14:53:48.877+01:00Aberdaron with the family last week<p> Seven days in a lovely bungalow overlooking the bay at Aberdaron, with Chris, Helen, Claire, Dave, and 10 month old Ellie.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MaL-j-GYc_x1f8IwIAcl7IMOShHRjtGz_yhMExGRRisn9hajs6urZo-3IFnU0TzuT5g1h6oRJVUo3i0LV57kMBtLdYyp3GGU30i5GbUZEtALv1CnzWZcGxJwQDa2GP3XwBvYpFfv_Kk/s2048/20210914_143925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MaL-j-GYc_x1f8IwIAcl7IMOShHRjtGz_yhMExGRRisn9hajs6urZo-3IFnU0TzuT5g1h6oRJVUo3i0LV57kMBtLdYyp3GGU30i5GbUZEtALv1CnzWZcGxJwQDa2GP3XwBvYpFfv_Kk/w400-h300/20210914_143925.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The bungalow's rear decking view</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC41Wl5vTCQwlskCZzUJEdOeK1Osp69cVhPQcWQdwEnwAQ7L5WZ-wlbfsX0xHMbYBTRQGBOwSAaQm2gj9n2k7CBwJpzAPCsnF_S-WgLrpuSEQXnhD04E_uWGewQ7ItMxOwDbPhjfRaYSA/s2048/20210915_102200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC41Wl5vTCQwlskCZzUJEdOeK1Osp69cVhPQcWQdwEnwAQ7L5WZ-wlbfsX0xHMbYBTRQGBOwSAaQm2gj9n2k7CBwJpzAPCsnF_S-WgLrpuSEQXnhD04E_uWGewQ7ItMxOwDbPhjfRaYSA/w400-h300/20210915_102200.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Aberdaron beach one morning</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-3CjfmCEKKqei15RZRJ0ZcuQtv1ZVoNDKJSjg4pT3d3_RsSuqcdhU8jTbaYY7KJj7H4-GPpKOv5LJrXlnkeBmplABIB3_QIvJvIFIscaqLcBbgqUTGOtg2zdzQlCxjIk_bD1-N0-13g/s2048/20210919_145750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1384" data-original-width="2048" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-3CjfmCEKKqei15RZRJ0ZcuQtv1ZVoNDKJSjg4pT3d3_RsSuqcdhU8jTbaYY7KJj7H4-GPpKOv5LJrXlnkeBmplABIB3_QIvJvIFIscaqLcBbgqUTGOtg2zdzQlCxjIk_bD1-N0-13g/w400-h270/20210919_145750.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>'The Rivals' from Morfa Nefyn beach after an excellent Sunday lunch at The Ship, Edern</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijtXJJgt90CNKqvEIAfFYEi77Ek3JJhJ1SUate4Q1tqCKHDUpKPyHh9gwG9k3ge-iS8h1bPflDWjsvOAEPi3d4Lhzg-39Rk3eRbcDmCHz6mIpGzaQEgFjzLRwdflKiyLryAWQ6GuSLvgM/s2048/20210920_111758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijtXJJgt90CNKqvEIAfFYEi77Ek3JJhJ1SUate4Q1tqCKHDUpKPyHh9gwG9k3ge-iS8h1bPflDWjsvOAEPi3d4Lhzg-39Rk3eRbcDmCHz6mIpGzaQEgFjzLRwdflKiyLryAWQ6GuSLvgM/w400-h300/20210920_111758.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Aberdaron beach</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaY82rr-njt3a0j_wpMOVSkN4P1d6HMa4lAFYSYanpN971tggcAaCEp_b-BxNoiRP2dpaxZOGHGX2dg_grjGlCyntLxM2LoSouQgLRL7y7-LMh0OL1e68sWoKprqNO5t3ebAmEBEsVTDA/s2048/20210920_130615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaY82rr-njt3a0j_wpMOVSkN4P1d6HMa4lAFYSYanpN971tggcAaCEp_b-BxNoiRP2dpaxZOGHGX2dg_grjGlCyntLxM2LoSouQgLRL7y7-LMh0OL1e68sWoKprqNO5t3ebAmEBEsVTDA/w300-h400/20210920_130615.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Lunchtime at the pub, Aberdaron</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZI5nCRi8ZsYMJ-YwxhuMyND06TRiyMyYyOjlNkSVsh6bAsCCyuPeljVFOXkDu99u36nW0O8ThP8dk41Ql8U_T6fQKP8ghgjrvdiS3Pk731rOCZbKsdD33WG7pnc4Ygm3_cEQhaQHD9HQ/s2048/IMG_0214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZI5nCRi8ZsYMJ-YwxhuMyND06TRiyMyYyOjlNkSVsh6bAsCCyuPeljVFOXkDu99u36nW0O8ThP8dk41Ql8U_T6fQKP8ghgjrvdiS3Pk731rOCZbKsdD33WG7pnc4Ygm3_cEQhaQHD9HQ/w300-h400/IMG_0214.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>A late afternoon glass of wine and a read back at the bungalow</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvzs9d6-csAnxcyD3jjqATI1F9qqddBr9iOdbnYmXp-wb2FArNl8XC2yISkmETJm9P1CMr5f1eKzVBEqYWrCi-LXb7TyvUy6hNi9IGQDNA9eid-1_8D7RW79q0Vu7CbDzj3GM6E9r7Oo/s2048/IMG_0229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1529" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvzs9d6-csAnxcyD3jjqATI1F9qqddBr9iOdbnYmXp-wb2FArNl8XC2yISkmETJm9P1CMr5f1eKzVBEqYWrCi-LXb7TyvUy6hNi9IGQDNA9eid-1_8D7RW79q0Vu7CbDzj3GM6E9r7Oo/w299-h400/IMG_0229.JPG" width="299" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Me, Claire, Ellie</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">.</span></i></div>Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-72326085392467856662021-09-09T14:39:00.005+01:002021-09-16T22:41:03.430+01:00Off again! Inside Track's 'Eastern Scot' this time.<p><b>Day one - Thursday 2nd September.</b></p><p>Not much more than a week after returning from Inside Track's 'Western Flyer' I was off on my travels again. I was making the most of the (who knows how long-lived) reprieve from Covid clamp-downs on such frivolity. I was off and away on Inside Track's 'Eastern Scot' holiday.</p><p>Early morning found me heading north from Wilmslow on a local train to Manchester Piccadilly to join a Trans Pennine Express class 185 train to York, and then on by LNER 'Azuma' to Aberdeen, the start point of this holiday.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJ3KW0BnRpNfFtoMxi1CMNjNG3qxSOlqyLHCQDZML9aMbZLUY3hzL7LfYdV20GFSPKncbfTFLC3jre2O1eT2ChsZEQvaXInDugcMYp7ea_kMbvG5T_xWkwDrijl0jQ1sbX89gQSnLf-o/s2048/20210902_132832.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJ3KW0BnRpNfFtoMxi1CMNjNG3qxSOlqyLHCQDZML9aMbZLUY3hzL7LfYdV20GFSPKncbfTFLC3jre2O1eT2ChsZEQvaXInDugcMYp7ea_kMbvG5T_xWkwDrijl0jQ1sbX89gQSnLf-o/w300-h400/20210902_132832.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Aboard the LNER 'Azuma' bi-mode high speed train from York to Aberdeen, first class. Nothing like as comfy or airy as 'first' in a Virgin West Coast Pendolino. And the at-seat catering was pretty sparse, too. Still, it is a state-run rail company, so what do you expect?</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2StUPpT7BQIS7-EySsJDJ2igG9OPlAcZWpp63ihvHIv1xlK3u43pQejRvBS6uctDzE04yAzFqQtMvtY4pNcxZ5LF8TYwJ1LEMt1LMDWYrv__KBvWjG5wHG1PlSslA13MIqeK-uhssC4/s2048/20210902_133853.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1416" data-original-width="2048" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2StUPpT7BQIS7-EySsJDJ2igG9OPlAcZWpp63ihvHIv1xlK3u43pQejRvBS6uctDzE04yAzFqQtMvtY4pNcxZ5LF8TYwJ1LEMt1LMDWYrv__KBvWjG5wHG1PlSslA13MIqeK-uhssC4/w400-h276/20210902_133853.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Crossing the Tweed into Scotland over the Royal Border Bridge, looking downstream to the road bridges.</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnG5lEGfHIg7lX-Wov7uGt26KiCdYtwlsecAVOUFd6tlintot1CJgMJ98su3jeqTQgJaAvLMhWKFR19sNPAgmN9W_LNQtfYShGXruDf51_JD8v8LhBEljsCbZo1I2i9xfhjjO0EuiuGVA/s2048/20210902_145131.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1543" data-original-width="2048" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnG5lEGfHIg7lX-Wov7uGt26KiCdYtwlsecAVOUFd6tlintot1CJgMJ98su3jeqTQgJaAvLMhWKFR19sNPAgmN9W_LNQtfYShGXruDf51_JD8v8LhBEljsCbZo1I2i9xfhjjO0EuiuGVA/w400-h301/20210902_145131.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>This is what passes for lunch on LNER. Not even a plate for the sandwich! Operator of Last Resort, the DfT call it after taking the franchise away from Virgin. 'Last resort' seems most appropriate! DfT know the cost of everything and the value of nowt.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEistRT4WtVREXaFhTVIO4_ouvobqjIaO9JY-WlegwmJuTNbvNSci2smq8oJHxYcPcQCRxlSM1VWOzu3bDGpiP6I8k9DOqoWPxH4BPnd4ExxfyW6oCJjftc7mN815C7WutALflvIBXrkj6k/s2048/20210902_161816.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEistRT4WtVREXaFhTVIO4_ouvobqjIaO9JY-WlegwmJuTNbvNSci2smq8oJHxYcPcQCRxlSM1VWOzu3bDGpiP6I8k9DOqoWPxH4BPnd4ExxfyW6oCJjftc7mN815C7WutALflvIBXrkj6k/w400-h300/20210902_161816.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The East Coast Main Line does touch the coast a few times north of Newcastle, unlike the West Coast Main Line which runs well inland all the way to Glasgow except for one point at Hest Bank.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">After arrival at Aberdeen, Steven, our tour guide, took us by coach through the rush hour traffic to our hotel for the next three nights, the Jurys Inn (not 'the Jury's Inn', or even 'the Jury's in') at Dyce. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Day 2 - Friday 3rd September.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Next morning a smaller coach than the 52 seater of the night before turned up for our first foray into the Highlands - but it was still a 42 seater for 18 of us so plenty of room to spread out. Smaller so it could negotiate the tight bends etc. we would meet today. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's a fair way though the Cairngorms to Aviemore for our first heritage railway visit, so we stopped for a leg-stretch at the Lecht Ski Resort on the way. The weather was not the best, and we were soon into low cloud as we climbed into the hills. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJbhvq05Gtdg0FKs9YtnzRo6jRMk6lOczl6ubQkztMzMep1wEUYo96pxzbVqH03KLwBhwJQszKYQAuEyiJP5wU5uST6db3KdVryDS4akjQc7Wb0zEX1Hcfu9fWKFGcXX7uQhyphenhyphencfCH17g/s2048/IMG_0017.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJbhvq05Gtdg0FKs9YtnzRo6jRMk6lOczl6ubQkztMzMep1wEUYo96pxzbVqH03KLwBhwJQszKYQAuEyiJP5wU5uST6db3KdVryDS4akjQc7Wb0zEX1Hcfu9fWKFGcXX7uQhyphenhyphencfCH17g/w400-h300/IMG_0017.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Our coach in IMC (Instrument Metrological Conditions) at Lecht </i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fuX4kLv_XrBs0K8ZU0797Vj1YDJVGpq7hu6Ax4kxl_g1R_aA_9GDA7tldcBvv3WgsDLZ-IG_wlDe-dstaqawB__nq_-3Z_BzPpUrwCFzEkZ1e2l6wkEv1zogs51CHJNZrD27LrMMEeA/s2048/IMG_0018.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fuX4kLv_XrBs0K8ZU0797Vj1YDJVGpq7hu6Ax4kxl_g1R_aA_9GDA7tldcBvv3WgsDLZ-IG_wlDe-dstaqawB__nq_-3Z_BzPpUrwCFzEkZ1e2l6wkEv1zogs51CHJNZrD27LrMMEeA/w400-h300/IMG_0018.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Aviemore is the start point of the Strathspey Steam Railway. Here our ex-LMS Black Five locomotive is about to run-round the train at Broomhill, the far end of the line.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLVOD4XnvRPJRQDmIRxlrwE3TmS58Dl8mjnuPcs7iAhKIjqsG_dAVHLYuH0Cn4ynA9Zxbp0ruLz1WFgoHdwFIgqoi6p3vjUVdhYpEgNJGjfSfs2ik2OSf5CRgYW_fGjNS71NGe8kF8B8/s2048/IMG_0021.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1415" data-original-width="2048" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLVOD4XnvRPJRQDmIRxlrwE3TmS58Dl8mjnuPcs7iAhKIjqsG_dAVHLYuH0Cn4ynA9Zxbp0ruLz1WFgoHdwFIgqoi6p3vjUVdhYpEgNJGjfSfs2ik2OSf5CRgYW_fGjNS71NGe8kF8B8/w400-h276/IMG_0021.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Broomhill station shed retains its 'Glenbogle' running-in board as the station was used in the TV series 'Monarch of the Glen' bearing that name.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQaG1NKYfM-sDPZ517JD5gwF9x83uJJimVnAMDTvwdD75R5EzmhRYHGZlN8X1deoRyf43ujXrnvt6vMHrbenQdH30YXcicYd5O1xmwAkPJg0Xvgh0ZHTOrk2UqisVWdONB4WuGUQnRE8/s2048/IMG_0026.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQaG1NKYfM-sDPZ517JD5gwF9x83uJJimVnAMDTvwdD75R5EzmhRYHGZlN8X1deoRyf43ujXrnvt6vMHrbenQdH30YXcicYd5O1xmwAkPJg0Xvgh0ZHTOrk2UqisVWdONB4WuGUQnRE8/w400-h300/IMG_0026.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The 'flight deck' of the Black Five No. 5025. This locomotive only came out of a lengthy and extensive restoration earlier this summer.</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZ-3SnLpP8_BBYsgJNG52x2hcyeXkVwZbV2HsStCDPp57mDQuBaWx-14xALK4cR3hJ5irUozKUbJiMUGIzik2WvaGj9ov93DZTkomCgvsYL6IYNQJnYe6ovruut0shkwfFz4h1cZJ8pc/s2048/IMG_0027.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1431" data-original-width="2048" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZ-3SnLpP8_BBYsgJNG52x2hcyeXkVwZbV2HsStCDPp57mDQuBaWx-14xALK4cR3hJ5irUozKUbJiMUGIzik2WvaGj9ov93DZTkomCgvsYL6IYNQJnYe6ovruut0shkwfFz4h1cZJ8pc/w400-h280/IMG_0027.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>This is a significant locomotive as although Black Fives were numerous on BR, this was the first Black Five to enter service. The first two batches were built at Crewe works of the LMS and at the Vulcan Foundry, Newton Le Willows. The first of the Crewe-built batch carries the number '5000' and is preserved in the National Railway Museum at York. However, the first one to be completed and enter service was this one, 5025, the first of the Vulcan Foundry batch. So, has the NRM preserved the wrong locomotive?</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhmoLU2ygOj9ldFnz_nIq3aTVCp7knboOXJKV7vykjmvWU9jFD8P0XXd1zk_VdN-3uhAqNaXi9Bk-IIefldElC6IxDClsbRgWU-ycN5nntXlr1TZP9NlVO-zxN45RlR9OMUjptbNHiOig/s2048/IMG_0029.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhmoLU2ygOj9ldFnz_nIq3aTVCp7knboOXJKV7vykjmvWU9jFD8P0XXd1zk_VdN-3uhAqNaXi9Bk-IIefldElC6IxDClsbRgWU-ycN5nntXlr1TZP9NlVO-zxN45RlR9OMUjptbNHiOig/w400-h300/IMG_0029.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>We continued by road up the route of the erstwhile Spey Valley Railway to Keith, to board a heritage Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) for the trip to Dufftown on the Keith & Dufftown Railway.</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqxTnClkHpHCv3ysMjwkEsLVlaTxzzAKG5uDDDsO_9h31_luBqt8oU3w97hHw0xCbtFEgg64PSRMYVSzpS7ZF80T2TtxFLS6g9jhLnsTXiDNF0DvJ3ij81_8N5NsiSNv8Mpw7j8Z0s9Zo/s2048/IMG_0030.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqxTnClkHpHCv3ysMjwkEsLVlaTxzzAKG5uDDDsO_9h31_luBqt8oU3w97hHw0xCbtFEgg64PSRMYVSzpS7ZF80T2TtxFLS6g9jhLnsTXiDNF0DvJ3ij81_8N5NsiSNv8Mpw7j8Z0s9Zo/w400-h300/IMG_0030.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>A feature of these first generation DMUs is a view out of the front of the unit through the driver's cab, something that has not been repeated in the many DMUs produced since. I wonder why? Rail union insistence perhaps? Although the driver could (if he was a meanie) pull down blinds to retain his privacy from the passengers behind him. Needless to say, on heritage railways this is never done!</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIA28TDjtB1a78Md_DZnrrChX80d0O5d2c0Q5DGHMIpZdKMJAYCWgZdydbriut7LJMptjaYsieRUGFZpxEPd8gEU0E1jIhJPqLcPgxPwFUB-mr0JbktSSAEZi8PwCG_Q5GRhJryoAWD_o/s2048/IMG_0033.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIA28TDjtB1a78Md_DZnrrChX80d0O5d2c0Q5DGHMIpZdKMJAYCWgZdydbriut7LJMptjaYsieRUGFZpxEPd8gEU0E1jIhJPqLcPgxPwFUB-mr0JbktSSAEZi8PwCG_Q5GRhJryoAWD_o/w400-h300/IMG_0033.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>An overgrown intermediate station on the Keith & Dufftown Railway</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span>Tea / coffee and local shortbread was served to us in the Dufftown tea rooms before we re-boarded our coach for the return to our Dyce hotel. A whisky tasting would have been good, but apparently not Covid-compliant.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><b>Day 3 - Saturday 4th September</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span>About an hour's drive from Dyce is the Grampian Transport Museum at Alford, and quite excellent it is with traction engines, cars, motorbikes, bicycles and much more.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5X4eJgoxcJlzOItHcUVRugbBhNeQBDMmqOazzyV-_-_qi05yYbPNRnOsWZMge9s9RHigStaUThASrHuZQXp_dvRrYdH8fighPpTQQd5QxZlOKwGbus_BrJZkFbaWQy6-tNCA9mOvMDDE/s2048/IMG_0042.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5X4eJgoxcJlzOItHcUVRugbBhNeQBDMmqOazzyV-_-_qi05yYbPNRnOsWZMge9s9RHigStaUThASrHuZQXp_dvRrYdH8fighPpTQQd5QxZlOKwGbus_BrJZkFbaWQy6-tNCA9mOvMDDE/w400-h300/IMG_0042.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The Grampian Transport Museum. Note the 'Outspan Orange' vehicle, based on a BL Mini.</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpDVqYYBLK9xVbC7STFyAsThWvbpxA_RNc4_zSqMqaBI8e_Qt5CchaPA22RlCGxLvcJq1MMWy5S1w4kKFjZJMmZtbbsXUgfgVykkepBzTcfImKJ6JertJ_CDuZwtreIwZpSl-XJ7GfUo/s2048/IMG_0039+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpDVqYYBLK9xVbC7STFyAsThWvbpxA_RNc4_zSqMqaBI8e_Qt5CchaPA22RlCGxLvcJq1MMWy5S1w4kKFjZJMmZtbbsXUgfgVykkepBzTcfImKJ6JertJ_CDuZwtreIwZpSl-XJ7GfUo/w400-h300/IMG_0039+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>This is nice - an original (Mk1 and much sought after) Moto Guzzi Le Mans in immaculate condition. I was very tempted to sneak it out and ride it home! </i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAIQjwgS_6gJCwQjr4mCbD-6-JhlxuUkvWd_jDXIGlQyJbUtoKxxxIah2zkxCn_K7f9Cl9jq73HyxtyGn8L5hVgzbHZ8DzxNUpRRw_alxzSFDg2OzArTCbOWz7CiukGAYOUYygPjmqZw/s2048/IMG_0041.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAIQjwgS_6gJCwQjr4mCbD-6-JhlxuUkvWd_jDXIGlQyJbUtoKxxxIah2zkxCn_K7f9Cl9jq73HyxtyGn8L5hVgzbHZ8DzxNUpRRw_alxzSFDg2OzArTCbOWz7CiukGAYOUYygPjmqZw/w300-h400/IMG_0041.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>It's difficult to think of a car which, however stunning it looked when introduced, doesn't look dated after a decade or two. A rare exception is the Ford GT40. It was built in Britain, commissioned by Ford America and largely Lola-based to win the 1966 Le Mans motor race, which it did. And the '67 and '68 races too. This is a replica and to me it looks as good today as it did back in the mid '60s.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigiu2crrQ8g1I1yqcPOkgK2YJBjqLepDUZbEJNjSsgxcodeQ9-EMLEvdHJyx5AIkKwRCMfNlIYsR2IemVCJwLKDrm0gfSna6dGhgFiMMNMA6j7iFWQYFHXqQrCdlzCKzxPuoU040NOpkk/s2048/IMG_0044.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigiu2crrQ8g1I1yqcPOkgK2YJBjqLepDUZbEJNjSsgxcodeQ9-EMLEvdHJyx5AIkKwRCMfNlIYsR2IemVCJwLKDrm0gfSna6dGhgFiMMNMA6j7iFWQYFHXqQrCdlzCKzxPuoU040NOpkk/w400-h300/IMG_0044.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Next stop was Crathes for the Royal Deeside Railway. This little engine (an Andrew Barclay loco named 'Bon Accord') is actually owned by the Grampian Transport Museum and used to haul coal though the streets to the gas works, hence the skirts over the motion.</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ97_ZR2wF4cINkjYiO1QDr_RLI05UmQJv3UhytTdYX_LGbzpeSVobimxz-c8WUTXvhgFtClNQWYzaIX22VlX9nqdrfkE1Sdpmd4YuWocWbXH488LXuZJtxKInEbXwLfg203byHaqaxh0/s2048/IMG_0045.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ97_ZR2wF4cINkjYiO1QDr_RLI05UmQJv3UhytTdYX_LGbzpeSVobimxz-c8WUTXvhgFtClNQWYzaIX22VlX9nqdrfkE1Sdpmd4YuWocWbXH488LXuZJtxKInEbXwLfg203byHaqaxh0/w300-h400/IMG_0045.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><i>'Bon Accord' flight deck and fireman</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a ride up and down the line we set off again by coach for the Caledonian Railway, stopping briefly (this holiday comprises lots of tight schedules!) en route at the Falls of Feugh. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our coach became a mobile sauna for the last few miles to Brechin. Whether this was a fault or 'operator error' we never found out, but happily it was fixed by driver Bertie for our return to Aberdeen.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTf5vuilL2Ko_wOaQuk6iGCEwZVHGFmZd69qvnMaRRbpU8K4F7HET01fdSLszeP8h7VaDdgKnFVo4gXilhWRKrC0GkeZgQRuyzJfkt4M0HKXHDrt2tkuwFOm9ATqTAaTDAlpEBjaajcIk/s2048/IMG_0046.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTf5vuilL2Ko_wOaQuk6iGCEwZVHGFmZd69qvnMaRRbpU8K4F7HET01fdSLszeP8h7VaDdgKnFVo4gXilhWRKrC0GkeZgQRuyzJfkt4M0HKXHDrt2tkuwFOm9ATqTAaTDAlpEBjaajcIk/w300-h400/IMG_0046.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The Falls of Feugh</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCkz0Vt3MzUE2P2ukhCOpksal35Q3nCw0uaLmVknfmlNgl3qJviWbzp4Ur2HuavzPUydS8uIM80qKnhvylCj-JilEwpLoiuDjzOF6I23b7EqdnMWYocbF_tcrml15vJy7QjSPlUdxaPg/s2048/IMG_0047.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCkz0Vt3MzUE2P2ukhCOpksal35Q3nCw0uaLmVknfmlNgl3qJviWbzp4Ur2HuavzPUydS8uIM80qKnhvylCj-JilEwpLoiuDjzOF6I23b7EqdnMWYocbF_tcrml15vJy7QjSPlUdxaPg/w400-h300/IMG_0047.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>As a volunteer on the Churnet Valley railway I am used to the deep-throated tick over of our Sulzer engined Class 33 locos. This class 26 sounded similar, although it is less powerful than the 33. We enjoyed a journey to the end of the line at Bridge of Dun and back behind it.</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mGX6nVUmjJIvmMV4JOpwENWL9q3_uE97IIEmk71U9ywhQ9P6ayjX3K2NyTw8h4ZvXDXCqJqU4nzguRpxXyUuhkn9noJpaoLMNnjAYcVwq6vGhwVyiPxY3wKhffVNE6-W-aqec1ZbI5M/s2048/IMG_0050.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mGX6nVUmjJIvmMV4JOpwENWL9q3_uE97IIEmk71U9ywhQ9P6ayjX3K2NyTw8h4ZvXDXCqJqU4nzguRpxXyUuhkn9noJpaoLMNnjAYcVwq6vGhwVyiPxY3wKhffVNE6-W-aqec1ZbI5M/w400-h300/IMG_0050.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>On returning to Aberdeen we had a walk around the old Aberdeen fishing village. My wife (who does 'family history') tells me that this is where my ancestors came from. No wonder I feel at home in a shed,</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAbaUN9Lx7oD7qomnhskGpWahtgdWk7eL0FSq2TW2q6PHerpJOiPmKyk3qmG1PeaA8goZJNHVr2tJkpckdNNqm8CQNaTIni2DEP9jmdZuj1epwCz96hAxY59tWBbmlpG_Wg8pKc_NUrE/s2048/IMG_0052.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAbaUN9Lx7oD7qomnhskGpWahtgdWk7eL0FSq2TW2q6PHerpJOiPmKyk3qmG1PeaA8goZJNHVr2tJkpckdNNqm8CQNaTIni2DEP9jmdZuj1epwCz96hAxY59tWBbmlpG_Wg8pKc_NUrE/w400-h300/IMG_0052.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>This part of Aberdeen is nothing like the 'Granite City' proper</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSRxa6lYWla4ZH6FUKJA9o1l37D-DbHOD_CTIsDne3EeDN9FdbHLl6udjCoffMoUbd45Ib1XY4C7xo8VFBjmOPpYGA-APF4kQToBKsq0hZRA8K74gDN1W5vtqttdxxUaNl4-qsggEnc8/s2048/IMG_0057.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSRxa6lYWla4ZH6FUKJA9o1l37D-DbHOD_CTIsDne3EeDN9FdbHLl6udjCoffMoUbd45Ib1XY4C7xo8VFBjmOPpYGA-APF4kQToBKsq0hZRA8K74gDN1W5vtqttdxxUaNl4-qsggEnc8/w300-h400/IMG_0057.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>A delight was meeting this friendly cat. She loved company and just wanted lots of fussing!</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Day 5 - Sunday 6th September</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This was transfer day, to our second location; Edinburgh. It was planned to be by train, but Scotrail were on strike (!) so a 58 seater luxury coach took us south instead. It was a pleasant journey and having seen the route by train on Friday on the way north, it made a change to see it from the road.</div></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOUX_LlweK4ArAVZGzLVWtXD7itMPLD0SOKq_1Y718sLj5tgML2MMxLJOotCHL68G3J1RGok1ZB0EPSjairm7ckubLLiOE97x4NmbP0w7Jb_6oBOhVMqB1c8iYxYlE-YU4AAsyrEXOm8/s2048/IMG_0061.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOUX_LlweK4ArAVZGzLVWtXD7itMPLD0SOKq_1Y718sLj5tgML2MMxLJOotCHL68G3J1RGok1ZB0EPSjairm7ckubLLiOE97x4NmbP0w7Jb_6oBOhVMqB1c8iYxYlE-YU4AAsyrEXOm8/w400-h300/IMG_0061.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The 'High Girders' of the Tay railway bridge I had passed over heading north on Friday, seen here from our coach on the Tay road bridge.</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtBDfhg7rgtI-NQbADWAHf_VUyuhaqlTPKT0uI2ZxocJBsCCs1aQ_5AFxw5hg8dqGlTG30FB26rMx2hcKDN9_kkAPZ_eyh-iOFS28jSTOH0dBoAaDDG0Q7FCzxGqu-KRNlBzIiZtErngM/s2048/IMG_0065.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtBDfhg7rgtI-NQbADWAHf_VUyuhaqlTPKT0uI2ZxocJBsCCs1aQ_5AFxw5hg8dqGlTG30FB26rMx2hcKDN9_kkAPZ_eyh-iOFS28jSTOH0dBoAaDDG0Q7FCzxGqu-KRNlBzIiZtErngM/w400-h300/IMG_0065.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The rolling countryside of the Kingdom of Fife</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Q3TjhvoBfdrVsguyGxb8tjbGhyrwM0jvHUVvfAw3BTQzj2MdJ14RO62tr5zVZNPiiYqDDQN1vNp39w87kzkAemkUqrmZEKVAJNFP-3sj1RDe0_VQqpU2h_XZpCwF9USuvZF1mV02i0I/s2048/IMG_0068.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Q3TjhvoBfdrVsguyGxb8tjbGhyrwM0jvHUVvfAw3BTQzj2MdJ14RO62tr5zVZNPiiYqDDQN1vNp39w87kzkAemkUqrmZEKVAJNFP-3sj1RDe0_VQqpU2h_XZpCwF9USuvZF1mV02i0I/w400-h300/IMG_0068.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Crossing the Forth on the new cable-stay road bridge</i></span></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Wfs4og8pvIeksWAk-_rFir6ab2xH9i9q2y5t_GbpX1oXyZ4l2ZrifQahZRstWh1shUTCGZbANyJHyceyK_kOo-cTthhZNdLAcvJXRDJ2BnVRU6gLMMDjO26ga4aRR5DsnZ3zCH3ouJQ/s2048/IMG_0069.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Wfs4og8pvIeksWAk-_rFir6ab2xH9i9q2y5t_GbpX1oXyZ4l2ZrifQahZRstWh1shUTCGZbANyJHyceyK_kOo-cTthhZNdLAcvJXRDJ2BnVRU6gLMMDjO26ga4aRR5DsnZ3zCH3ouJQ/w400-h300/IMG_0069.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>First call today was at the Bo'ness & Kinneal Railway. Masquerading as a 'Thomas the Tank Engine' was our loco, Neilson Reid 0-6-0T Coltness Iron Co. Ltd. No.1 'Lord Roberts'. We had a run up the line to the terminus at Manuel beside the main Edinburgh to Glasgow line (no trains there due the strike!), enjoying a packed lunch on the way as we have a lot to pack in today (nothing new there on this holiday!). Next, just up the road, we visited The Kelpies.</i></span><i style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjRat4buD86fQuBSZfttV6CdYue2NsG_mVO8QgdGOEI-Lsmsb5SUtjfcr_N9L2ZxyuUv44_Vc5ArZpFWTsQXFlO41NR11webDxsQO6HhHnCgjZoSf0J2GdeUsmo6Xu_lBARtRubAcO14s/s2048/IMG_0071.JPG" style="font-style: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjRat4buD86fQuBSZfttV6CdYue2NsG_mVO8QgdGOEI-Lsmsb5SUtjfcr_N9L2ZxyuUv44_Vc5ArZpFWTsQXFlO41NR11webDxsQO6HhHnCgjZoSf0J2GdeUsmo6Xu_lBARtRubAcO14s/w400-h300/IMG_0071.JPG" width="400" /></a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="color: #2b00fe;">If you wake up with one of these in your bed, you know you have seriously upset someone! This massive sculpture is known as 'The Kelpies' and celebrates the Scottish legend of that name, where the horses rise from the deep and if anyone pets them they stick to them and get dragged under the waves! Nice, eh?</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekN9nE8EBCs18x024UrEagMtM4Qz29JL1sIPunOMaMLFjItMF-M70YlrLVbAiuLFqE0xMWAY8_S0S2jTazagIs6fgktmZMrqNFdiu40-3pUiMn1FTj5e7bxmCul44ki3KJuFaoQlVNSw/s2048/IMG_0105.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekN9nE8EBCs18x024UrEagMtM4Qz29JL1sIPunOMaMLFjItMF-M70YlrLVbAiuLFqE0xMWAY8_S0S2jTazagIs6fgktmZMrqNFdiu40-3pUiMn1FTj5e7bxmCul44ki3KJuFaoQlVNSw/w400-h300/IMG_0105.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>On again to the Falkirk Wheel, for me one of the highlights of the holiday. </i></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div></div>
<div><span style="color: #444444;">It is a rotating boat lift connecting the Forth & Clyde Canal with the Union Canal reconnecting the two for the first time since the 1930s. It opened in 2002 as part of the Millennium Link project. Planners decided early-on to create a dramatic 21st-century landmark structure to reconnect the canals, instead of simply recreating the historic lock flight which had long fallen into disuse.</span></div><div><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #444444;">Boats enter either the upper or lower caisson, watertight doors are closed, and the wheel rotates 180 degrees so the caissons swap positions. Boats in the upper caisson are thus lowered, and those in lower caisson are raised. Because the boats displace their own weight of water on entering the caissons (Archimedes Principle) each caisson containing boat and water weight the same, so very little power is needed to rotate the wheel. </span></div><div><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #444444;">The wheel raises boats by 24 metres (79 ft), but the Union Canal is still 11 metres (36 ft) higher than the aqueduct which meets the wheel. Boats must also pass through a pair of locks</span><span style="color: #444444;"> </span><span style="color: #444444;">between the top of the wheel and the Union Canal. The Falkirk Wheel is the only rotating boat lift of its kind in the world, and one of two working boat lifts in the United Kingdom, the other being the Anderton Boat Lift in Cheshire.</span></div><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQlcRwXml10lVE58GEP6aT2nsnxgFtiwOWBWNLK_6JbjVVvMiMWqvaeJsoP6zxJOgy0hDvCVCc778vE-s-qMtD6Ah9eGW-jEGmLGWlfLIEkUtk9d1abJWsa-kZYSnZ0YfkUoD5tH5u7Y/s2048/IMG_0102.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQlcRwXml10lVE58GEP6aT2nsnxgFtiwOWBWNLK_6JbjVVvMiMWqvaeJsoP6zxJOgy0hDvCVCc778vE-s-qMtD6Ah9eGW-jEGmLGWlfLIEkUtk9d1abJWsa-kZYSnZ0YfkUoD5tH5u7Y/w400-h300/IMG_0102.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The upper caisson offer extensive views, including this chimney, all that remains of the former Longannet coal-fired power station which closed in 2016. This makes me feel old; I remember writing a proposal for a computer control system for this station back in the 1980s. We didn't get the job but if we had it would have been designed, installed, commissioned, and run for about thirty years before the station closed!</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-QZIl2PcKTOC5n-PCTldxD4gg2chHLPfgvUEwzjWhQV_B_1oni4bjFN6foAmnMeo6nUkRLE2d_vx2ZKVcA20J9MJQYTcaS5fsEywYI1llyABbzzGDsWLFThrw0Po699HXqjjcvALUE8/s2048/IMG_0081.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-QZIl2PcKTOC5n-PCTldxD4gg2chHLPfgvUEwzjWhQV_B_1oni4bjFN6foAmnMeo6nUkRLE2d_vx2ZKVcA20J9MJQYTcaS5fsEywYI1llyABbzzGDsWLFThrw0Po699HXqjjcvALUE8/w400-h300/IMG_0081.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>We enjoyed a trip up the wheel, through the tunnel on the upper level to the canal basin, and back.</i></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcZoSGN2QfLFLYv29JU6KJPaW1zjoumQAxyTKAAvNkmssWE4jFSKiZyGovViSDYAOwZ8zptWMP8dITiLY2_9Kv4vwOFILqo3_klVMHD0ZXvJrNSUcNHCDnrL7bUYQUkECOn3FQzZswfk/s2048/IMG_0076.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcZoSGN2QfLFLYv29JU6KJPaW1zjoumQAxyTKAAvNkmssWE4jFSKiZyGovViSDYAOwZ8zptWMP8dITiLY2_9Kv4vwOFILqo3_klVMHD0ZXvJrNSUcNHCDnrL7bUYQUkECOn3FQzZswfk/w400-h300/IMG_0076.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Entering the lower caisson</i></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjknfP7P8WW_1WSd0qCVxUxsbJsAzGsRyW_qfT47ttdkEDl4cJrCReh-MM5HJSbxnkoYN7vVrKkrYWpFCTUTp-_nQC4hOdMo0ufiVo2AWpIXHuxocOWTga8ya3_SSNMHwKC9huprPVHW3I/s2048/IMG_0085.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjknfP7P8WW_1WSd0qCVxUxsbJsAzGsRyW_qfT47ttdkEDl4cJrCReh-MM5HJSbxnkoYN7vVrKkrYWpFCTUTp-_nQC4hOdMo0ufiVo2AWpIXHuxocOWTga8ya3_SSNMHwKC9huprPVHW3I/w400-h300/IMG_0085.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Out of what is now the upper caisson after wheel rotation, we enter the Roughcastle Tunnel under the Antonine Wall</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXUvYaYZhTpyq93ogQ50-haLjn2LBP3AqvgGyziJ4UQdhMZ2s4ZS0mcqEQ8DTbtTuQ0jB07txISEBxnNiJOvXEdQkILV2UhqTg6pmGOxychA4j0iMGHVGxAlpjoF_zB9Bj0eq09oZ-Ao/s2048/IMG_0088.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXUvYaYZhTpyq93ogQ50-haLjn2LBP3AqvgGyziJ4UQdhMZ2s4ZS0mcqEQ8DTbtTuQ0jB07txISEBxnNiJOvXEdQkILV2UhqTg6pmGOxychA4j0iMGHVGxAlpjoF_zB9Bj0eq09oZ-Ao/w400-h300/IMG_0088.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>We turned in the canal basin, here looking back to the tunnel we have just come though</i></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkjmwgVClwJH_wZYTwfgCjfhUvi1lbdFMhHyRJNjOWU0NYgKoKusnxoRhPpRb6CuGDBsWogFCYdkyDVNuPODnku-3zI7c0C1_ZjEciLau9n9q-VIv8LfTD1sx-iDCJKdJ5RK7g6bc320/s2048/IMG_0094.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1549" data-original-width="2048" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkjmwgVClwJH_wZYTwfgCjfhUvi1lbdFMhHyRJNjOWU0NYgKoKusnxoRhPpRb6CuGDBsWogFCYdkyDVNuPODnku-3zI7c0C1_ZjEciLau9n9q-VIv8LfTD1sx-iDCJKdJ5RK7g6bc320/w400-h303/IMG_0094.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>We wait for the other tour boat to exit the upper caisson before we enter it to descend</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTf-X2i8oHM5xTf6XnexFCwWsdKv6YfoDAjjnBgtzBl_j-l6MgJf9eX6WTq0pm3nf9r4ye2ZZJglZkoK5CnZ4MIaFbb0lbsRGzcZir4GqzYG5ebY44rvwDHvXSu7QnQ1inlQiemTYGxHQ/s2048/IMG_0100.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTf-X2i8oHM5xTf6XnexFCwWsdKv6YfoDAjjnBgtzBl_j-l6MgJf9eX6WTq0pm3nf9r4ye2ZZJglZkoK5CnZ4MIaFbb0lbsRGzcZir4GqzYG5ebY44rvwDHvXSu7QnQ1inlQiemTYGxHQ/w400-h300/IMG_0100.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>For the descent we were joined in the caisson by a day hire narrow boat</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnIHwwfvfiAHjAT1tSFFq_QVONwdz3LcoFk3oi2lKCq0o-Ndp4iTJmRI768Y4hz99MrkS3RkB3IbA7YMv8fCXa-rk4FQVzHbkuW12UOsNLWisBTiMSll10M8dfKQhzzsb98T3QKTD64Y/s2048/IMG_0099.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnIHwwfvfiAHjAT1tSFFq_QVONwdz3LcoFk3oi2lKCq0o-Ndp4iTJmRI768Y4hz99MrkS3RkB3IbA7YMv8fCXa-rk4FQVzHbkuW12UOsNLWisBTiMSll10M8dfKQhzzsb98T3QKTD64Y/w300-h400/IMG_0099.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>This picture shows the watertight doors in place at the end of the caisson, raised into position from the canal bed before the wheel rotates</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK97B526tkNCOc7fYnHykktcrG_Vr2zkOsFl4PyTEqBWpfjIxMOYxAIVBjKC8xdxQfi3Xilb-X_ELKkSIRkuboM2n_pUrdKBmpfsg-B1bOwNL30AOVzRvQ3dOAV8p-FOY2lhP0lsHefyk/s2048/IMG_0107.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK97B526tkNCOc7fYnHykktcrG_Vr2zkOsFl4PyTEqBWpfjIxMOYxAIVBjKC8xdxQfi3Xilb-X_ELKkSIRkuboM2n_pUrdKBmpfsg-B1bOwNL30AOVzRvQ3dOAV8p-FOY2lhP0lsHefyk/w400-h300/IMG_0107.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>We finished the day driving over the Kincardine Bridge in our coach, arriving at our second hotel of the holiday about 7pm. The Doubletree / Hilton is located at North Queensferry on the north bank of the Forth, between the original road suspension bridge and the new cable-stay road bridge. Here is the view from the hotel reception.</i></span></div><div style="color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><b>Day 5 - Monday 6th September</b></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3FOOyzj22VxeRV35wT5Ajyb219bEG7_SAf9NEQmgxPdP-n3R6dvVbonOibkqKSdmDlXxnBBLFdN7HfcgsOLh0wEUZE4wRDgsP64l8SH8zf7iX4JRgXg7qWF8pveEQz-7bHe188g1ueE/s2048/IMG_0109.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3FOOyzj22VxeRV35wT5Ajyb219bEG7_SAf9NEQmgxPdP-n3R6dvVbonOibkqKSdmDlXxnBBLFdN7HfcgsOLh0wEUZE4wRDgsP64l8SH8zf7iX4JRgXg7qWF8pveEQz-7bHe188g1ueE/w300-h400/IMG_0109.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Today began with a short coach trip to North Queensferry railway station for a train to Haymarket (above), where we re-joined our coach for a city tour of Edinburgh given by a blue-badge guide.</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JI_wkfY_acoSkBxQ2hgW70fC9Tpifjl6uMkYRUPqiL2tZ55Gk_yKOBVCAuQx6dfUEtkNTrQ3EE4zarDQdkh-_s15P440eiv3R9QDRzOXt497azYoK7Zm-V6yda9eGHEB5OowdWn5-eI/s2048/IMG_0111.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JI_wkfY_acoSkBxQ2hgW70fC9Tpifjl6uMkYRUPqiL2tZ55Gk_yKOBVCAuQx6dfUEtkNTrQ3EE4zarDQdkh-_s15P440eiv3R9QDRzOXt497azYoK7Zm-V6yda9eGHEB5OowdWn5-eI/s320/IMG_0111.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The castle</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2svwdGncVCGP30doDh9NUQjCmHRx68b3_DY2elaBZduJwsagAHtLXlg-s2Xexj7melUuR8HNyEKpOwbVp1rkCXzKDRBk3NA_RHsay5ihhgVe1UBTM8JbYUB3LE-cxPj_Y9cpN1A0TCw/s2048/IMG_0113.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2svwdGncVCGP30doDh9NUQjCmHRx68b3_DY2elaBZduJwsagAHtLXlg-s2Xexj7melUuR8HNyEKpOwbVp1rkCXzKDRBk3NA_RHsay5ihhgVe1UBTM8JbYUB3LE-cxPj_Y9cpN1A0TCw/w400-h300/IMG_0113.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The two hour tour ended with a climb on foot up Calton Hill for views over the city</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFra7QGAGAOB28SGK0cZUlmeRqaFLK5RmCqCfy9HLZjPlb744BB91n2W04A1ksPX2j2SoC_sCgad6gIaCdI8O2arUelRyObXgsiujxVxa_Ccjnhw9UkFsZHyMuhQ6_iZ2QpTkrgY2v-8/s2048/IMG_0120.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFra7QGAGAOB28SGK0cZUlmeRqaFLK5RmCqCfy9HLZjPlb744BB91n2W04A1ksPX2j2SoC_sCgad6gIaCdI8O2arUelRyObXgsiujxVxa_Ccjnhw9UkFsZHyMuhQ6_iZ2QpTkrgY2v-8/w400-h300/IMG_0120.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>This is Old Calton Cemetery, final resting place of philosopher David Hume ("</i></span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Generally speaking, the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous") among many others</span></i><br /><i style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVWe6c-lbKBW104iK8AHlziXY0_tcpWtVWv6IARXW3-QL_N258NO9WyP4aYSDz-rwYYw7X-HFneMsAPG83OZ2bMFXNCFhkJ-ky_XyVcOJgeqUZYVYavTiFLX0k8rihwXHGenB3GaAmcE/s2048/IMG_0121.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVWe6c-lbKBW104iK8AHlziXY0_tcpWtVWv6IARXW3-QL_N258NO9WyP4aYSDz-rwYYw7X-HFneMsAPG83OZ2bMFXNCFhkJ-ky_XyVcOJgeqUZYVYavTiFLX0k8rihwXHGenB3GaAmcE/w400-h300/IMG_0121.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The coach picked us up after lunch and took us to Leith to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia. Here is the Bridge; No steering wheel, no engine controls - everything is done by voice commands to the windowless wheelhouse below the bridge, and from where engine commands are sent to the engineroom via engineroom telegraph. Chinese whispers, anyone?</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPm7ImRVMF_c3GFhT3zkCzlogBwfFmMFMOihVp_SXeskkt-9Dci0xT-myH1gZHuq4CJ9NeowjAn_YW6LFn4ut2t7yeFeScKhbbssjVXyZTocFxZo25Dp8Vi5lc69G5NADy8J9WsJCw2UU/s2048/IMG_0125.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPm7ImRVMF_c3GFhT3zkCzlogBwfFmMFMOihVp_SXeskkt-9Dci0xT-myH1gZHuq4CJ9NeowjAn_YW6LFn4ut2t7yeFeScKhbbssjVXyZTocFxZo25Dp8Vi5lc69G5NADy8J9WsJCw2UU/w400-h300/IMG_0125.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Behind the Bridge is the ship's flag locker for signalling purposes</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7i_n2Unk-vJ7qonbwPBhPcX3bnWiO3qtQDcdr-PGOzce1zCG3_dEj49D4bjcCYH-XAL5tchgZDk5qKEy4XlkPSDIs7pr37jClVvvrvCFr5vaxtE3L7Faet8GNcYnTcgdytFh9BK1ZBI/s2048/IMG_0126.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7i_n2Unk-vJ7qonbwPBhPcX3bnWiO3qtQDcdr-PGOzce1zCG3_dEj49D4bjcCYH-XAL5tchgZDk5qKEy4XlkPSDIs7pr37jClVvvrvCFr5vaxtE3L7Faet8GNcYnTcgdytFh9BK1ZBI/w400-h300/IMG_0126.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The view from the Bridge wing</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1KEVbdtaZxfk4iLLXjQFh7mZfRaEAaqpDY2zAQNYLybdljszdWLZCqfUC9H_c-u-mSYh6N1f0Wgig2DFNSlmsrnhHrkbXaJjcCAG39rPF8wLzGxPw_u0PW4JtZAHSO7wMjZccn8VI6A/s2048/IMG_0128.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1KEVbdtaZxfk4iLLXjQFh7mZfRaEAaqpDY2zAQNYLybdljszdWLZCqfUC9H_c-u-mSYh6N1f0Wgig2DFNSlmsrnhHrkbXaJjcCAG39rPF8wLzGxPw_u0PW4JtZAHSO7wMjZccn8VI6A/w400-h300/IMG_0128.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The garage, here housing a Mk1 Land Rover. It sometimes housed the Royal Rolls Royce, minus its bumpers so it would fit.</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik2fjz05xdE5W67vGA3bwpnwjKkDhbF5hL25H0oGWHZj9tiJ_30L2Vd_fiWiOu7zu67yVcEhI-Rq8nV4cmIBsk35cf5jH-rUTNdcwYBUYDSkkWbyncrw0S5o-0CkeSd2FeAKnXtmsvgsM/s2048/IMG_0130.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik2fjz05xdE5W67vGA3bwpnwjKkDhbF5hL25H0oGWHZj9tiJ_30L2Vd_fiWiOu7zu67yVcEhI-Rq8nV4cmIBsk35cf5jH-rUTNdcwYBUYDSkkWbyncrw0S5o-0CkeSd2FeAKnXtmsvgsM/w400-h300/IMG_0130.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The aft deck</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTkr-IcOBWb-j3wemTXA_k1tD2Ry75PvVPbjZv-6qtyKHZuFezt1NyFU4xfM63VEqiYb0_RiBKiUU-nHqqNz7ptOJ9s4ONd3DC0GtfaCQWgbM-9wr65cQ2L2HK8JSq4HepBGm3ggMUfdU/s2048/IMG_0132.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTkr-IcOBWb-j3wemTXA_k1tD2Ry75PvVPbjZv-6qtyKHZuFezt1NyFU4xfM63VEqiYb0_RiBKiUU-nHqqNz7ptOJ9s4ONd3DC0GtfaCQWgbM-9wr65cQ2L2HK8JSq4HepBGm3ggMUfdU/w400-h300/IMG_0132.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>This room, overlooking the aft deck and with a view over the stern of the ship, is where the Queen liked to take breakfast</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3IjyM23Vi0nrM5rR5iX9uOuzSeKDcQVW32KR015zokNw5Hudjy3EY5SWElznJ8hK282_blHuVB9DrIwT9HVB0f8d3xp2i4stESKCF6nCpxQsJxhNnFTIQKup0vsHD722_1fj-dd7oh10/s2048/IMG_0134.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3IjyM23Vi0nrM5rR5iX9uOuzSeKDcQVW32KR015zokNw5Hudjy3EY5SWElznJ8hK282_blHuVB9DrIwT9HVB0f8d3xp2i4stESKCF6nCpxQsJxhNnFTIQKup0vsHD722_1fj-dd7oh10/w400-h300/IMG_0134.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The Queen's bed - hardly the height of luxury!</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vU55Pf-UT_uP0vL0A6b5JIOc9kV5dU_c5uIwvnkRDJuzXMNlQ2ir51G0h5dzBklZG195q688xgk6jLTfWd7FmuE_hW_m2FHr85VZVLr_CXCMhybGPO5uAwKg0zLB5ahyxXCPbi2r_wg/s2048/IMG_0135.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vU55Pf-UT_uP0vL0A6b5JIOc9kV5dU_c5uIwvnkRDJuzXMNlQ2ir51G0h5dzBklZG195q688xgk6jLTfWd7FmuE_hW_m2FHr85VZVLr_CXCMhybGPO5uAwKg0zLB5ahyxXCPbi2r_wg/w400-h300/IMG_0135.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The Duke of Edinburgh's is the same! I dunno, spend billions building and running a massive Royal Yacht, then sleep in a tiny utility bed while on board! Who were they trying to kid? </i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipC0zKbeLPoyMzF277RTwuCBIhMRKUEK004Na9N6TNoNx6nk_8Id_2PnIq2KAYZzymzi2w4Pb9KtHym9Vsxflm7046AebOr1Kc8RwZ4pJEdwpnI_uoUygul8dpGncEPvLzkyjh-U302is/s2048/IMG_0136.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipC0zKbeLPoyMzF277RTwuCBIhMRKUEK004Na9N6TNoNx6nk_8Id_2PnIq2KAYZzymzi2w4Pb9KtHym9Vsxflm7046AebOr1Kc8RwZ4pJEdwpnI_uoUygul8dpGncEPvLzkyjh-U302is/w400-h300/IMG_0136.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The only double bed aboard is this one - installed by Prince Charles for his honeymoon cruise with Diana</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqiZHy7KFZ0KmO31h3JoRXrb0dByGvBcsrikufXvI4_fDhqh5_D-3q9GTQkmwMghRLUZNt9Z-xJGYO2M0N1YzBsTLDo-Zz1y4LT1UDTla3ZVeBTTl9We10jzFDunFveYH4bg5dNTd8kM/s2048/IMG_0137.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqiZHy7KFZ0KmO31h3JoRXrb0dByGvBcsrikufXvI4_fDhqh5_D-3q9GTQkmwMghRLUZNt9Z-xJGYO2M0N1YzBsTLDo-Zz1y4LT1UDTla3ZVeBTTl9We10jzFDunFveYH4bg5dNTd8kM/w400-h300/IMG_0137.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The officers' ward room</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivin6eIAhDt4t1oVp75KJs4e6f8gg-rng6Mq3eGCgG6k6oUUiyhnmGlN1ZCJc6DYflcRL5eMzhaI2dy_t4gXq8kmUlLf5dv7_TmVXUrUseQcHVhOUvbIFjgVG4BLDCbe8tz-v1CqgAqss/s2048/IMG_0139.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivin6eIAhDt4t1oVp75KJs4e6f8gg-rng6Mq3eGCgG6k6oUUiyhnmGlN1ZCJc6DYflcRL5eMzhaI2dy_t4gXq8kmUlLf5dv7_TmVXUrUseQcHVhOUvbIFjgVG4BLDCbe8tz-v1CqgAqss/w400-h300/IMG_0139.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Officers' mess</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkvulL_LP2pUmSyxKwQd7BgC9AafLtBEyUvri0P-fxzMKD57Ov2hYyy0XrpVvI4KXg27089Z4osL5aT8ntH18lBOk4bOcgce8A8b9rt_bMj-0vA74GHDzLWigXGgS6HMHNLmXqj8CKBxE/s2048/IMG_0140.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkvulL_LP2pUmSyxKwQd7BgC9AafLtBEyUvri0P-fxzMKD57Ov2hYyy0XrpVvI4KXg27089Z4osL5aT8ntH18lBOk4bOcgce8A8b9rt_bMj-0vA74GHDzLWigXGgS6HMHNLmXqj8CKBxE/w400-h300/IMG_0140.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>This is where official dinners were hosted on board</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE095gneKvHa9xR16P7IDBuAr6EpTBODJrA5_Xb3Chy5iL_e0ahp40uNuSBoLe-3EUVQa1Lijp63R3dE5YtVCejkj1qZ3A04ghaod7YFX9shlB1Bl12PiWcFrku5FZZMDQY1sykL-d0Bk/s2048/IMG_0141.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE095gneKvHa9xR16P7IDBuAr6EpTBODJrA5_Xb3Chy5iL_e0ahp40uNuSBoLe-3EUVQa1Lijp63R3dE5YtVCejkj1qZ3A04ghaod7YFX9shlB1Bl12PiWcFrku5FZZMDQY1sykL-d0Bk/w400-h300/IMG_0141.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The Queen's office</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi5bS7gorMQOVSB2vFHQrQXGeFW-H-k8LIdsygq4txCaYYnGSPSayBu75Z00R6TiSaVP6x-ab8VdzA9xsMKJHHb4__keJ1KnuDZ8-kEh_p8W1cTY54zayAoqdfI65Qhur7eejv-2DTDJ0/s2048/IMG_0142.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi5bS7gorMQOVSB2vFHQrQXGeFW-H-k8LIdsygq4txCaYYnGSPSayBu75Z00R6TiSaVP6x-ab8VdzA9xsMKJHHb4__keJ1KnuDZ8-kEh_p8W1cTY54zayAoqdfI65Qhur7eejv-2DTDJ0/w400-h300/IMG_0142.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The Duke's office</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BGLUpQCkUm1H1kmBg3XvzwWYhSFFhRaQEfgg7wVRMNQxpP0Yyk7D2Qq7BmmILSt3uqDNPP9qT09O8uFCHBa0Y2erNURnF3ZqRrRCxE9qTjwj1B_r9D6PTuQ_JvfIszMMkUTtKdzOg30/s2048/IMG_0144.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BGLUpQCkUm1H1kmBg3XvzwWYhSFFhRaQEfgg7wVRMNQxpP0Yyk7D2Qq7BmmILSt3uqDNPP9qT09O8uFCHBa0Y2erNURnF3ZqRrRCxE9qTjwj1B_r9D6PTuQ_JvfIszMMkUTtKdzOg30/w400-h300/IMG_0144.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>On board drawing room</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7j9yiInBq0VkqxeYUsHJoIq-qI_DQBzM5vyhEHF8ix8xiTYTMe3KuH16ooEOuBboykxSGBZOAcVPfbVOddWvRzUrjQHd__p2rPqL8UM1MrC_ahcYGeyK7d8m8xbDrfnG0IshhoHjqzk/s2048/IMG_0147.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7j9yiInBq0VkqxeYUsHJoIq-qI_DQBzM5vyhEHF8ix8xiTYTMe3KuH16ooEOuBboykxSGBZOAcVPfbVOddWvRzUrjQHd__p2rPqL8UM1MrC_ahcYGeyK7d8m8xbDrfnG0IshhoHjqzk/w400-h300/IMG_0147.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The bar for non-officer crew</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ixVu5cTylW5QIcGJg_hWAHQeuopcuYR-OgMsQt-9CYG9EUkEL73OHclG3nMQb-pooYTOqPGL-e5fbcGkVUVJ7p7LgnFN24gFCCPDZhDe0-7xSKJpK02iMJsMwhz5WJrpAs6osuNATrs/s2048/IMG_0148.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ixVu5cTylW5QIcGJg_hWAHQeuopcuYR-OgMsQt-9CYG9EUkEL73OHclG3nMQb-pooYTOqPGL-e5fbcGkVUVJ7p7LgnFN24gFCCPDZhDe0-7xSKJpK02iMJsMwhz5WJrpAs6osuNATrs/w400-h300/IMG_0148.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Bunks for ordinary seamen and soldiers on board</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLqy1xpLxbNcolptpgi_L6Q5wrbPPCrtny86-_PWwkfefbDfE54SI5bp9mom4NVlQuYpH0LclTiQSYqCyEIvcCUY-Q91lfBvf1lv3hPRn8YAjoAdraYbHNCA1bTbVMZIGHragHFDIWDM/s2048/IMG_0149.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLqy1xpLxbNcolptpgi_L6Q5wrbPPCrtny86-_PWwkfefbDfE54SI5bp9mom4NVlQuYpH0LclTiQSYqCyEIvcCUY-Q91lfBvf1lv3hPRn8YAjoAdraYbHNCA1bTbVMZIGHragHFDIWDM/w400-h300/IMG_0149.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The Royal Yacht had a band, which had to practice quietly so as not to disturb guests!</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uBty_yi-JUN-OMHUyWRX49EBAjsR56t3OFD_NMt9TYAgeucSg3SdiCB3f64PwuyYrpjV1x7iGnoE0VT1j9q812_VrhbjT9yfk1p0OVc4LhMqbuJduchQ-rwCYN-od_O__99ezkLXQJc/s2048/IMG_0150.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uBty_yi-JUN-OMHUyWRX49EBAjsR56t3OFD_NMt9TYAgeucSg3SdiCB3f64PwuyYrpjV1x7iGnoE0VT1j9q812_VrhbjT9yfk1p0OVc4LhMqbuJduchQ-rwCYN-od_O__99ezkLXQJc/w400-h300/IMG_0150.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Yet another bar. The different strata of crew did not mix on board! It exemplifies the British class system.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnI7ohPUuxeu95NcvWzEaWqmtnDFEh9YggVR7SQR-CH-8xSyyxjSnAiN_cNc236bcDvwpULzYlOXl2Bipfu8JdMqI_GHwqWDMSkk5DYrP-opixHA6KzDMMRvUHuMB7eRgFu3lnx83YVlE/s2048/IMG_0151.JPG" style="font-style: italic; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnI7ohPUuxeu95NcvWzEaWqmtnDFEh9YggVR7SQR-CH-8xSyyxjSnAiN_cNc236bcDvwpULzYlOXl2Bipfu8JdMqI_GHwqWDMSkk5DYrP-opixHA6KzDMMRvUHuMB7eRgFu3lnx83YVlE/w400-h300/IMG_0151.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The ship's medical area</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9M6lgkm2B4bzbpHJN72CYR0fR3KHOSz3K3wTE_GXK5KPw5lkzLRFcld8_HmpUsJpmol2zQJZHIoJrdFDp8pnQxn5dEVSyQzQbpQt-UHrWsJaypcZdHWet9nrPUIjy_SqZ9MIqE1n6TPA/s2048/IMG_0154.JPG" style="font-style: italic; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9M6lgkm2B4bzbpHJN72CYR0fR3KHOSz3K3wTE_GXK5KPw5lkzLRFcld8_HmpUsJpmol2zQJZHIoJrdFDp8pnQxn5dEVSyQzQbpQt-UHrWsJaypcZdHWet9nrPUIjy_SqZ9MIqE1n6TPA/w400-h300/IMG_0154.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The engine room showing the high pressure steam turbine and the larger low pressure turbine</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvYyZuZgVwJ4ZCMKqLhWEG6uZNnf0dvy6u97DIY7zIDdNaZH50Y3IYKnSDsrXX-UWB_3eE9uodYllwoiXEUMDXNTGrMSXJ9EcFdhapi0_wJNZltueaGVcOABHTVB1ElC54Y4sc0MkfYg/s669/ba.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="669" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvYyZuZgVwJ4ZCMKqLhWEG6uZNnf0dvy6u97DIY7zIDdNaZH50Y3IYKnSDsrXX-UWB_3eE9uodYllwoiXEUMDXNTGrMSXJ9EcFdhapi0_wJNZltueaGVcOABHTVB1ElC54Y4sc0MkfYg/w400-h266/ba.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>After our trip to Leith. it was back on the coach for the transfer to South Queensferry for a cruise on the Forth, under the bridges, on the 'Maid of the Forth'</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdIVVsGgvgJAQtGrXyp-JliPUXo13PuyFldVncoD-9PS9nQDuJ58_yW4ddfGo0BvVwmEnnWce7FpAPa9gkVTbwhmGmITyTMt8OXhomY5thFYV9ucWuorte7i_B_1O00qKRLku9XpuYok/s2048/IMG_0181.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdIVVsGgvgJAQtGrXyp-JliPUXo13PuyFldVncoD-9PS9nQDuJ58_yW4ddfGo0BvVwmEnnWce7FpAPa9gkVTbwhmGmITyTMt8OXhomY5thFYV9ucWuorte7i_B_1O00qKRLku9XpuYok/w400-h300/IMG_0181.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The three bridges - the new cable-stay road bridge, the 1960s suspension road bridge (suffering from corrosion of the support cables and deck, but still carrying light traffic on one carriageway), and the first bridge across the Forth, the iconic cantilever railway bridge.</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKdw1mr3E53BBCz3Pe4Sl4RUUGKWdN8hjgLSepfyWeWqZRrKCy_7UsXwYXUZ_kfl1zW0rHwjGDNswcfNlPPAxhhTmwaUp8l77utIiQvtYqkWXECZR2LV7Nj5AWmKyEXmq4eI18vjl2jQ/s2048/IMG_0174.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKdw1mr3E53BBCz3Pe4Sl4RUUGKWdN8hjgLSepfyWeWqZRrKCy_7UsXwYXUZ_kfl1zW0rHwjGDNswcfNlPPAxhhTmwaUp8l77utIiQvtYqkWXECZR2LV7Nj5AWmKyEXmq4eI18vjl2jQ/w400-h300/IMG_0174.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The new road bridge. the right hand pier sits on a pillar of rock rising 60 metres from the bed of the river.</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfx3u42yph7f7STRWry1CAZIYT_4Vj0_nOZA8LiPltF-qiAs596-N8cVynoHLQMhLKvW6c3LEMyflGFW0EZh_5ZlRx4DVAFxGtv4jbENPEjjOT1IplAIOAeNStL_JWvJ7P7Z-mNjgWLk/s2048/IMG_0170.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfx3u42yph7f7STRWry1CAZIYT_4Vj0_nOZA8LiPltF-qiAs596-N8cVynoHLQMhLKvW6c3LEMyflGFW0EZh_5ZlRx4DVAFxGtv4jbENPEjjOT1IplAIOAeNStL_JWvJ7P7Z-mNjgWLk/w400-h300/IMG_0170.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>In between the new and old road bridges nestles our hotel, on the skyline.</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHN4dwGwHqN_kIspSL64eVZ0h19aq-ChDp88AmWrUK32sWffsKCwbnmnL6ByfdWP0KXDxz8ChN1126pYdR27F8_0cPROG_tX5RC8BklH0KpoHgC6OrGoC1IRnAltUI1EePo-gERMreXs/s2048/IMG_0167.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHN4dwGwHqN_kIspSL64eVZ0h19aq-ChDp88AmWrUK32sWffsKCwbnmnL6ByfdWP0KXDxz8ChN1126pYdR27F8_0cPROG_tX5RC8BklH0KpoHgC6OrGoC1IRnAltUI1EePo-gERMreXs/w400-h300/IMG_0167.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">Opened in 1890 and still as good as the day it was built, the Forth rail bridge</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7E5i98XojDVAt0AW9QWsG0ia5wpYfPR9ar1p2FHY1w-umJMkrD4Qc-JqwDcZBYIOw39XyTiGB2jNzJaRPk5wDb_rCnTDMzw8hbybrN-VFr9e4GsxU1b5kGWPL3oUqkBUhPXzRQZRupcM/s2048/IMG_0185.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7E5i98XojDVAt0AW9QWsG0ia5wpYfPR9ar1p2FHY1w-umJMkrD4Qc-JqwDcZBYIOw39XyTiGB2jNzJaRPk5wDb_rCnTDMzw8hbybrN-VFr9e4GsxU1b5kGWPL3oUqkBUhPXzRQZRupcM/w400-h300/IMG_0185.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Just in front of the parked cruise ships (sans inmates!) at Rosyth there are three Polaris nuclear submarines awaiting scrapping. But not for at least 25 more years when the radioactivity in the reactor room has decayed sufficiently. </i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjok97405Q-yFypzexbb4mfGQE3OuIZX-DVRgPplCN46OJ-pwj9gmUrDqvF1RLLD-XshppUD1TmLY6jOWsw8ESMITG-lD63a3LeDG8PO2VccUebuymFcjEYUwoxLAlT3_0sDcCumVu3xLU/s2048/IMG_0186.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjok97405Q-yFypzexbb4mfGQE3OuIZX-DVRgPplCN46OJ-pwj9gmUrDqvF1RLLD-XshppUD1TmLY6jOWsw8ESMITG-lD63a3LeDG8PO2VccUebuymFcjEYUwoxLAlT3_0sDcCumVu3xLU/w400-h300/IMG_0186.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The giant crane built by Babcock Rosyth to build the RN aircraft carriers</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wkd853I-qU2aF2NU3Y_wA3DozO0xymj26KDNVU3N3ACsxyk4UGlp-Z-sQjLx8bdVJKoKet7vL4GdLOd88xdsf_CcFhHJvGEDhPadAZqet40c8pOWBHg1PwINeiupgge3xY2kx2TWE9c/s2048/IMG_0187+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="2048" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wkd853I-qU2aF2NU3Y_wA3DozO0xymj26KDNVU3N3ACsxyk4UGlp-Z-sQjLx8bdVJKoKet7vL4GdLOd88xdsf_CcFhHJvGEDhPadAZqet40c8pOWBHg1PwINeiupgge3xY2kx2TWE9c/w400-h200/IMG_0187+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The bridges from afar</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After our cruise we repaired to the nearby Hawes Inn for our evening meal and first inclusive drink of the holiday! Cheers Inside Track (the tour leader purse strings on Inside Track holidays are usually a tad looser than this)! After this, our coach returned us to our hotel for the final night of the holiday.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><b>Day 6 - Tuesday 7th September</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span>The last day of the holiday started with our coach taking us to Ingliston Park & Ride near the airport to board a tram for Edinburgh city centre. We could leave our luggage on the coach as we would meet it again later in the day.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiP7nfjbeIStbNTYiatn-0o-m2nMc2LkorVm10_Z8yF95D_9K4ayvzU4CiX1G6M8Ci2hEj-IYzIxwm-mOV0IZO1OX2-bjeePXLjeNQXn8grhDoc7wgrmnAjv8kBGdsU2r7aFr_mX1akVM/s2048/IMG_0190.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiP7nfjbeIStbNTYiatn-0o-m2nMc2LkorVm10_Z8yF95D_9K4ayvzU4CiX1G6M8Ci2hEj-IYzIxwm-mOV0IZO1OX2-bjeePXLjeNQXn8grhDoc7wgrmnAjv8kBGdsU2r7aFr_mX1akVM/w400-h300/IMG_0190.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>On board the tram, heading for St Andrews Square near to Waverley Station. At Waverley we boarded a train for Tweedbank, the present terminus of the recently re-opened northern section of the old Waverley route to Carlisle closed in the 1960s.</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkweab810JBpOT2eMf4dK0hfiO8gc_MvuZhMD25SomoaWc7VZMS8XNu-5TqRiatpYeN56AZq2NDulEEjOPDqoV0k_gPYY9DcbhLjhz1RZ6Yzeaxz69KOwtyLeiO_y6imNouyviZDzW8RE/s2048/IMG_0193.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1404" data-original-width="2048" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkweab810JBpOT2eMf4dK0hfiO8gc_MvuZhMD25SomoaWc7VZMS8XNu-5TqRiatpYeN56AZq2NDulEEjOPDqoV0k_gPYY9DcbhLjhz1RZ6Yzeaxz69KOwtyLeiO_y6imNouyviZDzW8RE/w400-h274/IMG_0193.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>The Borders countryside is undramatic but very easy on the eye</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSH49iWk7bLyhoI3jUtRwibfi7T3dvjsGxPA8C5JWV75HOObJPRIlLZPmMMKo7E4sfBldkxR4AdcGHX7leS_3mZQW7Ti1RrRHnleqZyBZh3KpYkxAn7vRcA-uj2MS47FZ84UyL7X-Ktw/s2048/IMG_0196.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSH49iWk7bLyhoI3jUtRwibfi7T3dvjsGxPA8C5JWV75HOObJPRIlLZPmMMKo7E4sfBldkxR4AdcGHX7leS_3mZQW7Ti1RrRHnleqZyBZh3KpYkxAn7vRcA-uj2MS47FZ84UyL7X-Ktw/w400-h300/IMG_0196.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Tweedbank station, with our Class 158 on the left. The re-opened line has proved far more popular than predicted and will probably be extended further south. The chickens of parsimony are coming home to roost, however, as it was only rebuilt as a single track railway with passing loops so capacity is limited. Furthermore, the replacement bridges were only built to single track width so doubling would be very expensive. Short sightedness once again in rail planning! It looks like similar silly cutbacks are about to impact HS2. When will they learn it is so much more cost effective to do it right first time! </i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavivIFzdwzd9M4EYFL8tluXjQMg-ZbaHf2HbENry55DLmyLsElhF_SSz3vYo6G-Vp6Cl7nyr62cVKQ9p605ZEA9jX1rwETUIWoSeql46EVqbVq82XTWWo4Cu9r5I_5PCir8tMzLpTTYI/s2048/IMG_0198.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavivIFzdwzd9M4EYFL8tluXjQMg-ZbaHf2HbENry55DLmyLsElhF_SSz3vYo6G-Vp6Cl7nyr62cVKQ9p605ZEA9jX1rwETUIWoSeql46EVqbVq82XTWWo4Cu9r5I_5PCir8tMzLpTTYI/w400-h300/IMG_0198.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>More Borders scenery observed from our coach, which met us at Tweedbank and will drop us off in Kelso for lunch. </i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBHsLXfSgoauoVhnxRcg9Dq2dcbxlpqrgwielOj1I7wNet8Bp9QovTZhV49SzW8HmHKLcKygG30SF5pITktbHSOu95C5FPxBH5wMkj_g7RosgvrTLGrBRKgjei3VPCR3nG9ZTsDqg-zQ/s2048/IMG_0203.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1616" data-original-width="2048" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBHsLXfSgoauoVhnxRcg9Dq2dcbxlpqrgwielOj1I7wNet8Bp9QovTZhV49SzW8HmHKLcKygG30SF5pITktbHSOu95C5FPxBH5wMkj_g7RosgvrTLGrBRKgjei3VPCR3nG9ZTsDqg-zQ/w400-h316/IMG_0203.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>We ate our lunchtime snacks in the sunshine in Kelso town square. This impressive building was once the town hall but is now a fishing museum.</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6SBQY6CU3hm8y3rUmRRczC7TG9MnVzNfLMrya3lWhj4KHwuZFjSYzxb-clAgQJUxWwLn0PP_Tf1jNrTVX_npQ1WWdbcuhZnVJHzYzEYe9ryl7X8uMZxe3mawD2rH3ieGQEkF7i3SzgwQ/s2048/IMG_0206.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="2048" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6SBQY6CU3hm8y3rUmRRczC7TG9MnVzNfLMrya3lWhj4KHwuZFjSYzxb-clAgQJUxWwLn0PP_Tf1jNrTVX_npQ1WWdbcuhZnVJHzYzEYe9ryl7X8uMZxe3mawD2rH3ieGQEkF7i3SzgwQ/w400-h235/IMG_0206.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Our final journey on our coach was on to Berwick on Tweed for trains home. Here is the Royal Border rail bridge seen from the road bridge. My LNER Azuma will be taking me across that bridge in a half an hour or so,</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiTnTPu4t9K79fyS5SWWX6msnywz-yYymsWdx_7Yx8PJ5rPvWHt-1XLptpY1P8MNe4ezlswoWih0HkO1ozpFpCvxapHSCDvtXMPzHygJy9Usp6Qi9wz9nH9NNt1R6043YB8rkVViNDYgs/s2048/IMG_0210.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="2048" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiTnTPu4t9K79fyS5SWWX6msnywz-yYymsWdx_7Yx8PJ5rPvWHt-1XLptpY1P8MNe4ezlswoWih0HkO1ozpFpCvxapHSCDvtXMPzHygJy9Usp6Qi9wz9nH9NNt1R6043YB8rkVViNDYgs/w400-h235/IMG_0210.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Crossing the Tyne at Newcastle, seen from my 1st class Azuma seat</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">The LNER Azuma arrived at York on time, and my onward Trans Pennine Express Class 185 from there to Manchester was also on time. It was a hot day and the the aircon on the 185 was defective so it was like a sauna in there (no opening windows of course).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">My final train of the holiday was a humble Class 323 electric train to Wilmslow. Lovely units, those - and it had all the top-light windows open so a cool breeze blew the length of the carriage! Bliss!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"> © Vince Chadwick. September 2021</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><br /></i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #2b00fe; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><br /></i></span></div>Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-76399142702319403342021-08-26T21:38:00.028+01:002021-10-04T17:40:41.989+01:00Ship shape & Bristol fashion....<p> Friday 20th August 2021 and I'm on Inside Track's 'Western Flyer' 4 day break in Bristol. An 06:47 departure from Wilmslow on a Transport for Wales class 175 DMU gets me to Newport in South Wales to connect with a GWR 'Castle' set (an HST with fewer coaches) to the lovely Bristol Temple Meads station; my first time through the Severn Tunnel!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPACCz4Qov-ruCoAfc6Wq0UjynoLFgGcUTqEtdwjusVoZfwZBURQAO_l1fP9A_hjcFSJmN0aXFM9Kf1EeOoPRWHBCJImnZY9ZTHGIM1CDOec0I-LuJ_UchZa4croMvIQ-QO5L4UqlKMyM/s2048/IMG_9935.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1469" data-original-width="2048" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPACCz4Qov-ruCoAfc6Wq0UjynoLFgGcUTqEtdwjusVoZfwZBURQAO_l1fP9A_hjcFSJmN0aXFM9Kf1EeOoPRWHBCJImnZY9ZTHGIM1CDOec0I-LuJ_UchZa4croMvIQ-QO5L4UqlKMyM/w400-h288/IMG_9935.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The GWR 'Castle' arrives at Temple Meads</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgbE6BUo5M_m6PVPZElaGDwFQ8j3BvFTI1LE4bEOSrhMpb9KOlqBLelfjRRnc38YumLhT556QOpoK9tHxYnpEYuTYCzp9dd18z911_6VAmIbb8sKIk0oJfcuBX4AgC4_PdJr0udDpIWus/s2048/IMG_9936.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgbE6BUo5M_m6PVPZElaGDwFQ8j3BvFTI1LE4bEOSrhMpb9KOlqBLelfjRRnc38YumLhT556QOpoK9tHxYnpEYuTYCzp9dd18z911_6VAmIbb8sKIk0oJfcuBX4AgC4_PdJr0udDpIWus/w400-h300/IMG_9936.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">First port of call is Bristol Docks, to see Brunel's 'Great Britain'. That's Nigel of our group strolling past.</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0kGthGTc03_Ao4VZMfMB2Ndxi2i32crZefh4Y9viUzgPrtfGRTAttytCGaQKnjtKDtPp5PWSYhA0lEQANAKvH5Dep4c-iTj20qAu0-tYllbivuuyD6A0uNCkx8Z5neciRgqxMB5qV-g/s2048/IMG_9938.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0kGthGTc03_Ao4VZMfMB2Ndxi2i32crZefh4Y9viUzgPrtfGRTAttytCGaQKnjtKDtPp5PWSYhA0lEQANAKvH5Dep4c-iTj20qAu0-tYllbivuuyD6A0uNCkx8Z5neciRgqxMB5qV-g/w300-h400/IMG_9938.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The ship is in a dry dock with a glass screen at water level with water running over it. So one can can go underneath to view the hull.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwaezC3tEJ4CgZ603ACzzTR7mIrnG9TmjTUOrV8uJewfiRDBstHr35ZVaUYSZETg7CUN4-7R-hOfZ66eP-KoZQbEZwmF7iLjq6jVB3VEFfmuZ3a_9FgeVpnJ2YSEfQPcxA2Us_YJuafQ/s2048/IMG_9939.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwaezC3tEJ4CgZ603ACzzTR7mIrnG9TmjTUOrV8uJewfiRDBstHr35ZVaUYSZETg7CUN4-7R-hOfZ66eP-KoZQbEZwmF7iLjq6jVB3VEFfmuZ3a_9FgeVpnJ2YSEfQPcxA2Us_YJuafQ/w300-h400/IMG_9939.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Brunel's propeller design was amazingly efficient. Not much less so than today's propellers. </span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8KYXp7X61OzPT_f7bQHixVsnMgkX4L09N6SKedNA3cpGoxFr49uLR8aJzdDckSwLbmYQh03GRqOj5gDFRlLFhgta0Wa_74iCCRFtyjyWvC_64NISS4oCgaCvxjjAynI6BWsvvzNCXfME/s2048/IMG_9944.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8KYXp7X61OzPT_f7bQHixVsnMgkX4L09N6SKedNA3cpGoxFr49uLR8aJzdDckSwLbmYQh03GRqOj5gDFRlLFhgta0Wa_74iCCRFtyjyWvC_64NISS4oCgaCvxjjAynI6BWsvvzNCXfME/w300-h400/IMG_9944.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">A view forward from the stern</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxCqsaQLiVgBvVVqGiQytkdccc9PWckjFwL3zyg_IDFYv9QNJXo0taEUnPT-bCpbk84c0ACQBxqY5AHzaNM6LWbwoov_8tL34N_Bb2rhSuIdud-PJkAT6u1_AouGMVoEXasxGwR6S0Tc/s2048/IMG_9946.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxCqsaQLiVgBvVVqGiQytkdccc9PWckjFwL3zyg_IDFYv9QNJXo0taEUnPT-bCpbk84c0ACQBxqY5AHzaNM6LWbwoov_8tL34N_Bb2rhSuIdud-PJkAT6u1_AouGMVoEXasxGwR6S0Tc/w300-h400/IMG_9946.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The engine is an inverted V4 'simple' (i.e. non compound) steam unit with condensing, and reduction drive. This is a replica engine made of lightweight parts (to reduce stress on the hull) and driven by an electric motor.</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxPS2-jJSxM3zOtYxuFnbUu7JcAFjv0CiURup4P8GO5yAHdEu8Q0yRanhY2Pb23wCmClmJDAvJSaCfmmyPpnFb7DKGhykdiYFB4PlXejxzKbPcw_QYL2-WdyACSw0n9hkrx5E22B1teY/s2048/IMG_9951.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxPS2-jJSxM3zOtYxuFnbUu7JcAFjv0CiURup4P8GO5yAHdEu8Q0yRanhY2Pb23wCmClmJDAvJSaCfmmyPpnFb7DKGhykdiYFB4PlXejxzKbPcw_QYL2-WdyACSw0n9hkrx5E22B1teY/w300-h400/IMG_9951.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">She's a handsome vessel! What a genius Brunel was. The Great Western Railway, the Clifton Suspension Bridge across the Avon Gorge, Bristol docks, and much, much more all from his fertile mind.</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISGpthx5nvDPHoBkKnMs2zBDo3EdYfXYthc3ye7bi-OzkNZg-lucYic3CJofvUbJyfiJiuUVB-jrgW1DxPuo-Wc56dfGeInmK14iRXXMzpmUc_ma_cexWsM-4S2LW-ME7C8XA4acFlqo/s2048/IMG_9952.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISGpthx5nvDPHoBkKnMs2zBDo3EdYfXYthc3ye7bi-OzkNZg-lucYic3CJofvUbJyfiJiuUVB-jrgW1DxPuo-Wc56dfGeInmK14iRXXMzpmUc_ma_cexWsM-4S2LW-ME7C8XA4acFlqo/w400-h300/IMG_9952.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">That's supposed to be a Unicorn (though I can't see Brunel being stupid enough to vote Brexit!) but it has temporarily lost its horn. How appropriate!</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlntn5UZa7yhjbAq5leJcnIAgPwVzbEKw9U89Nx1U59uxEF6apDgmoRTzG8-XsjyLAa-sdgDftX-baMw1si0oJN0QLx3pTSTBonyJmnnSvyz07GpjpyCy_FQjZRpxUUrnLTzOeEWT2mDE/s2048/IMG_9953.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlntn5UZa7yhjbAq5leJcnIAgPwVzbEKw9U89Nx1U59uxEF6apDgmoRTzG8-XsjyLAa-sdgDftX-baMw1si0oJN0QLx3pTSTBonyJmnnSvyz07GpjpyCy_FQjZRpxUUrnLTzOeEWT2mDE/w400-h300/IMG_9953.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Next on the agenda was a Bristol Harbour tour on this. Complete with a bar! It is an Inside Track holiday after all!</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-n2-5N9SKqmmSj-Y9HB35djC6DxICWBzYZ45tEvSb4ltj2oZJM28Fikg0GR9DUex3PomInDrWevGe6j6cwRdYEbkZXheIgj1wUipUjMropJ0ePjVkW6S0kHNGbjW5fO2aB-hfXrYOzE/s2048/IMG_9955.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-n2-5N9SKqmmSj-Y9HB35djC6DxICWBzYZ45tEvSb4ltj2oZJM28Fikg0GR9DUex3PomInDrWevGe6j6cwRdYEbkZXheIgj1wUipUjMropJ0ePjVkW6S0kHNGbjW5fO2aB-hfXrYOzE/w400-h300/IMG_9955.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Our Skipper on the left, Dean, our coach driver, on the right enjoying a Coke!</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfddGKrjvh_60sfqbUnIg1IaFmX_IVAullbYihifvMsc4BOPEejm27QsUYuf3Hk1dVWTCsG_XV1X9qCTKmpzuidaBxNqAz7Jx-w4FQggVtSbCGdzCe5Cav-4HKhQI7_jW2v6zdpqPA7IM/s2048/IMG_9956.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfddGKrjvh_60sfqbUnIg1IaFmX_IVAullbYihifvMsc4BOPEejm27QsUYuf3Hk1dVWTCsG_XV1X9qCTKmpzuidaBxNqAz7Jx-w4FQggVtSbCGdzCe5Cav-4HKhQI7_jW2v6zdpqPA7IM/w400-h300/IMG_9956.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Stephen, our tour guide, enjoys a pint from the 'bar' (the bar is that blue bucket containing tins, bottles, and ice).</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjle5mRF9_lPGXwU6Chkle-Apz6OP4_uPjyWNxHO6fxNH0p1wKQ46UIVtNh5DqUjEdnQjoyuUJyr4IZRAU3GEqu7Xa9Jng6MkLDorMnY4VKbifM6a8SQFKM7IvwoHFUJXKzkhIrORnQsL0/s2048/IMG_9967.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjle5mRF9_lPGXwU6Chkle-Apz6OP4_uPjyWNxHO6fxNH0p1wKQ46UIVtNh5DqUjEdnQjoyuUJyr4IZRAU3GEqu7Xa9Jng6MkLDorMnY4VKbifM6a8SQFKM7IvwoHFUJXKzkhIrORnQsL0/w300-h400/IMG_9967.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Dockside cranes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">On the way back to the hotel Stephen suggested a train ride to Avonmouth, so we were dropped off at Temple Meads for the trip along the Avon, and at Avonmouth Dean and his coach met us and took us to our hotel, the Hilton Double Tree at Aztec West, Bristol.</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTvwpI57VPZKk9m7YoK073zE0ytXxj52jVymEEW71-ZJZ2MbRSnAunLt9y4dNLBtpeb8pqCr2CV9se55QJxrXOPlWjNQYasq6YbyHp2kAn-jag6MJ5NrAmNLTV21MUVr2ZU_YnueRgvWA/s2048/IMG_9971.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1507" data-original-width="2048" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTvwpI57VPZKk9m7YoK073zE0ytXxj52jVymEEW71-ZJZ2MbRSnAunLt9y4dNLBtpeb8pqCr2CV9se55QJxrXOPlWjNQYasq6YbyHp2kAn-jag6MJ5NrAmNLTV21MUVr2ZU_YnueRgvWA/w400-h294/IMG_9971.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Next day was wet! Our coach at Tintern Abbey in the Wye Valley, in the rain.</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopZP79CABldfRgZxDqcYGLnyyU1pCd2WuBTb71XWdZ3GBSH2d3P1obmydEMFsIdMkNtVa-IpLICIAcCWjqXGqWzcZUTDnxKEV9g5TlHILtK38fkFPb39aRfLTW3Bvk4HcrCDOkfw8c8I/s2048/IMG_9972.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopZP79CABldfRgZxDqcYGLnyyU1pCd2WuBTb71XWdZ3GBSH2d3P1obmydEMFsIdMkNtVa-IpLICIAcCWjqXGqWzcZUTDnxKEV9g5TlHILtK38fkFPb39aRfLTW3Bvk4HcrCDOkfw8c8I/w150-h200/IMG_9972.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The rain continued as we proceeded to Coleford in the Forest of Dean to ride on the Perrygrove Railway. The loco is an Exmoor, seen from our train as it runs-round at the top terminus of the line.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">After this, the coach took us to Norchard for a complete end-to-end ride on the Dean Forest railway.</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58tQ2qUYsP5R6vx84wQndz-KlqIH6Y9r7LfQNei9j1w8sMRd5Dz8B9P7mLDN5Ahk6lDEDL1Ds3WMi6bFM1ApqRwI7g3Yl6V_Th5o0K0Qi-iQzwEm5K1q6CUCFCwCrYqfvEofyxEVzQpQ/s2048/IMG_9974.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58tQ2qUYsP5R6vx84wQndz-KlqIH6Y9r7LfQNei9j1w8sMRd5Dz8B9P7mLDN5Ahk6lDEDL1Ds3WMi6bFM1ApqRwI7g3Yl6V_Th5o0K0Qi-iQzwEm5K1q6CUCFCwCrYqfvEofyxEVzQpQ/w400-h300/IMG_9974.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sunday dawned sunny! First stop was Warmley Signal Box on the former Bath to Bristol railway, now a cycle track. More white levers here than in my box at Consall.</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLfIPi4pAhto5PqvBvsa2WS8x2UkP0k1FJ22rX0eDaUgBRz3j9K7Bdg_tuMu93Q0vg_KnCP5RwdSxyr1yZJ-CeYkkUHhA5U97DwDvpIoj3QuRc_MfF3JDTJg5RZvj12f5glALXr40JRA/s2048/IMG_9975.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLfIPi4pAhto5PqvBvsa2WS8x2UkP0k1FJ22rX0eDaUgBRz3j9K7Bdg_tuMu93Q0vg_KnCP5RwdSxyr1yZJ-CeYkkUHhA5U97DwDvpIoj3QuRc_MfF3JDTJg5RZvj12f5glALXr40JRA/w400-h300/IMG_9975.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">A former signalman who worked this box before it closed in the '60s gave us a most interesting talk on his time here.</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdOEFGE_TkD2N9ocTAXWF_luYq19lMs_n9rwYzAHguPlZPsbfISIRMOm2RUoyJagg49gqgFrOmRr9FoGixk-ovOjwF_AG-0E-gvDo5_RIyJmgxR03TepELl6f2I4OxDgm2Dy0RZjtoA0/s2048/IMG_9976.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1398" data-original-width="2048" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdOEFGE_TkD2N9ocTAXWF_luYq19lMs_n9rwYzAHguPlZPsbfISIRMOm2RUoyJagg49gqgFrOmRr9FoGixk-ovOjwF_AG-0E-gvDo5_RIyJmgxR03TepELl6f2I4OxDgm2Dy0RZjtoA0/w400-h272/IMG_9976.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">There used to be level crossing gates here, with no traffic lights. Now there is a pedestrian crossing with lights for the cyclists to use,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdu-n1Cf4sjhuoEnR5vVl1ftXWaZIa_9y4bWsQ9FeeXbPesvqSzZ7KkngLPjDyruIWqWTt_izgKhpBNdoZ_FCwwVT6RKykJi5JEyAaR2AxiIQfOB6qAv1twweLx-HGSKZZK20Wo4wZ5w/s2048/IMG_9977.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdu-n1Cf4sjhuoEnR5vVl1ftXWaZIa_9y4bWsQ9FeeXbPesvqSzZ7KkngLPjDyruIWqWTt_izgKhpBNdoZ_FCwwVT6RKykJi5JEyAaR2AxiIQfOB6qAv1twweLx-HGSKZZK20Wo4wZ5w/w400-h300/IMG_9977.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here we are just down the road from Warmley at the Avon Valley railway</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMbambhtuEudodLtMrMU31i3hT3YH0WKqdSX74Qb_Wk4orjAqyKBOPTjGVMkAH_aY1G2TLDnGbXdG5RF6xT99tLmdrELb_1AFjRQVKy-78BUncakoA846UFw6IEw0U6_Bi7gpZlw-wUw/s2048/IMG_9979.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMbambhtuEudodLtMrMU31i3hT3YH0WKqdSX74Qb_Wk4orjAqyKBOPTjGVMkAH_aY1G2TLDnGbXdG5RF6xT99tLmdrELb_1AFjRQVKy-78BUncakoA846UFw6IEw0U6_Bi7gpZlw-wUw/w400-h300/IMG_9979.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">My fellow CVR volunteers will recognise this Polish tank loco at the Avon Valley railway</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimMr_1xg2IZ2v_Y4PI5X80wdcILzSDv-uEqaDIaIDxp-BVUAYVRauiOHjPLlGpgLbymEhuKYj0KylbyY8d50GG4KVFbe9YhAo5GAL4VMXY9NKo-bSPs9J3kSrVb6AJeM2lvTW0EX4JJO4/s2048/IMG_9984.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimMr_1xg2IZ2v_Y4PI5X80wdcILzSDv-uEqaDIaIDxp-BVUAYVRauiOHjPLlGpgLbymEhuKYj0KylbyY8d50GG4KVFbe9YhAo5GAL4VMXY9NKo-bSPs9J3kSrVb6AJeM2lvTW0EX4JJO4/w400-h300/IMG_9984.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Further south, beyond Bath, we find ourselves on the trackbed of one of the most loved 'Beeching cut' railways, the Somerset & Dorset, at Midsomer Norton. But this is no 9F!</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS80obmj3CFwfDndIvcnCHiSzjUmm4M8We2EZ_oYkvfdekoGbwM0WW8xkYk8sXQn2PCuT6ccuDI_qE6SHXFrxiCOGZa9vrwgc_x6TpT71I1o1LKNSFvDoo6WCmEFR8SPwNIOwjrcWymrA/s2048/IMG_9985.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS80obmj3CFwfDndIvcnCHiSzjUmm4M8We2EZ_oYkvfdekoGbwM0WW8xkYk8sXQn2PCuT6ccuDI_qE6SHXFrxiCOGZa9vrwgc_x6TpT71I1o1LKNSFvDoo6WCmEFR8SPwNIOwjrcWymrA/w400-h300/IMG_9985.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Midsomer Norton 'box. The S&D ran from Bath Green Park to Bournemouth West over the Mendips and was always a thorn in the side of the mighty GWR. When it came under BR Western Region control, Swindon got their revenge; they cut services so it became an obvious Beeching target. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Its most famous train was the Pines Express between Manchester and Bournemouth, a train that continued beyond Bath on the line to Bristol past Warmley 'box. All that remains today of the S&D line is a mile or so of recently restored track from here up to Chilcompton summit.</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3b5tpHtdFVYMQ6M7lFchqke4-16nYTb-XLPcnnfJJtD7J3voX6CnsjnHzM4gZURfYXGU3amJ07JwizmzBkqztafkyH-bBRljYyXpnbVbSM0W05bXTcbbhyxmVrpFfZnk5Jnu5Mp6VDho/s2048/IMG_9988.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3b5tpHtdFVYMQ6M7lFchqke4-16nYTb-XLPcnnfJJtD7J3voX6CnsjnHzM4gZURfYXGU3amJ07JwizmzBkqztafkyH-bBRljYyXpnbVbSM0W05bXTcbbhyxmVrpFfZnk5Jnu5Mp6VDho/w300-h400/IMG_9988.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">On our way to the highlight of the day, we have a brief stop in Cheddar Gorge</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyQTkGO_mIaVju5Pabsj1acSXZwj0aMtZg_ka3KXO0Mg4-aNIFW2rn7jxdBYOuR0utPESuyraoirUzRcip0YX9TcyQHNWDe3_ZsVB7w6CTIFQasidmvpE8Unlc0Gx3JNB-GX-_e5Gn60/s2048/IMG_9990.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyQTkGO_mIaVju5Pabsj1acSXZwj0aMtZg_ka3KXO0Mg4-aNIFW2rn7jxdBYOuR0utPESuyraoirUzRcip0YX9TcyQHNWDe3_ZsVB7w6CTIFQasidmvpE8Unlc0Gx3JNB-GX-_e5Gn60/w400-h300/IMG_9990.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The highlight was the Helicopter Museum at Weston Super Mare. More specifically, a ride in this helicopter! This ride was an unexpected bonus from Inside Track, not on our schedule! Wonderful!</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFY9Mge0snOZB9gej4NVpxMS7qmGgR3vkUewjFUPGEBizECXAT_j22n0LWhGd8MDdqHw0jgT9mdpaAPQS3znTciXdo6YhnmsjqFSW1bI2ZIYtQxOuUYlKItea2Ixy1EFMaFxWZYsqskg/s2048/IMG_9992.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFY9Mge0snOZB9gej4NVpxMS7qmGgR3vkUewjFUPGEBizECXAT_j22n0LWhGd8MDdqHw0jgT9mdpaAPQS3znTciXdo6YhnmsjqFSW1bI2ZIYtQxOuUYlKItea2Ixy1EFMaFxWZYsqskg/w400-h300/IMG_9992.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lifting off and powering away from the museum</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhjco65S3tN3rQx6aTn_nTv5WJnqvBwI_jdfgis5c24pcabYmmuMfiP51SvwY1pR0C77EvuuPL96e-hTOxzlUSCLyokLquJ25P6udhzh_RopXiEqVskDZYkugExngN3AAB8UKWB4_2OM/s2048/IMG_9995.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhjco65S3tN3rQx6aTn_nTv5WJnqvBwI_jdfgis5c24pcabYmmuMfiP51SvwY1pR0C77EvuuPL96e-hTOxzlUSCLyokLquJ25P6udhzh_RopXiEqVskDZYkugExngN3AAB8UKWB4_2OM/w400-h300/IMG_9995.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Approaching the bay at Weston. Flat Holme island in the distance, the coast of South Wales beyond that.</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nJdtth6gQvtMYFV9_17Ooe3nOFx3f_Ru76PY6k69deSh7WRomyKkPL34X1p0gH72RsFabbVFOeT_g9K9hnubJJCfyJouf5qWIzeJA_OYcZDIOvuSFntUmHT3Ed_Kw9l3km1sWsIzigE/s2048/IMG_0001.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nJdtth6gQvtMYFV9_17Ooe3nOFx3f_Ru76PY6k69deSh7WRomyKkPL34X1p0gH72RsFabbVFOeT_g9K9hnubJJCfyJouf5qWIzeJA_OYcZDIOvuSFntUmHT3Ed_Kw9l3km1sWsIzigE/w400-h300/IMG_0001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">I got the front seat, next to the pilot, so we could talk '</span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">flying' as I enjoyed the view!</span></span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEmRSAp8EaKbnL5gKtjxFB2jRN-Uptkk3nu92I5-hssSeov16ZtHLjRrMS87annSPdYQLPS77gjXAfKquEk3wKKpQ9nz-FmLd_y-En-YS-esgCwTmMo0jRZPTgg-9wQLwQAniAODwCMA/s2048/IMG_0004.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1244" data-original-width="2048" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEmRSAp8EaKbnL5gKtjxFB2jRN-Uptkk3nu92I5-hssSeov16ZtHLjRrMS87annSPdYQLPS77gjXAfKquEk3wKKpQ9nz-FmLd_y-En-YS-esgCwTmMo0jRZPTgg-9wQLwQAniAODwCMA/w400-h243/IMG_0004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bristol Lulsgate airport is on top of that hill!</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAveH1u1_rGNIkK_CIfSj5CuBuZ4KvWAoJJe0ogAwcddLzrM_8DCmnZJLzmfFn-PUK5WCA4UqcoWCdSDEljcSfXnQNPJpuYyC2J0w2A6zsnyX_Xi99ivaW4TkKDBwHpaY9HGEmmKojCJI/s2048/IMG_0005.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAveH1u1_rGNIkK_CIfSj5CuBuZ4KvWAoJJe0ogAwcddLzrM_8DCmnZJLzmfFn-PUK5WCA4UqcoWCdSDEljcSfXnQNPJpuYyC2J0w2A6zsnyX_Xi99ivaW4TkKDBwHpaY9HGEmmKojCJI/w300-h400/IMG_0005.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Back at the Helicopter Museum. We will fly a circuit through 180 degrees to land just beyond, and heading towards, the far building. </span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7Bk_jrplRvayDKYdMu5m3wFmejY5o9h5fx4abdNf3ttbKsfosFZEP1fDvbPDNqtgvbQsgs9c3OT_iMcTUoIEeeKPL3aAMg54xnp39-OAPXu4cdDWOnNC7thyphenhyphenmbJ5FMGlDrspXjB3TEM/s2048/IMG_0006.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7Bk_jrplRvayDKYdMu5m3wFmejY5o9h5fx4abdNf3ttbKsfosFZEP1fDvbPDNqtgvbQsgs9c3OT_iMcTUoIEeeKPL3aAMg54xnp39-OAPXu4cdDWOnNC7thyphenhyphenmbJ5FMGlDrspXjB3TEM/w300-h400/IMG_0006.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Short final</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJ681UJw6ETRivf5vhlqgKfG3qr3CCHwAsHYCRyezDCh07DDQAPIh5hAuDWFzRABjfn72VH7AIbOqbrSkVYXbGFP5cmoP_QcC4T2DckhYxmtw1ndWzM-Wn9tzpbQtvZ7zQJNbr2Elt4U/s2048/IMG_0008.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJ681UJw6ETRivf5vhlqgKfG3qr3CCHwAsHYCRyezDCh07DDQAPIh5hAuDWFzRABjfn72VH7AIbOqbrSkVYXbGFP5cmoP_QcC4T2DckhYxmtw1ndWzM-Wn9tzpbQtvZ7zQJNbr2Elt4U/w400-h300/IMG_0008.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Touchdown!</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-aP0rlDHZBQVqWyd7f0Zp7UxrZvu0HvDZ53fZky3J9PsW5e2y_reQSWwnkN-maPKE2vFgvOpdls9dAgsQ7zta8BevjxKdQkwToAwLSpGWSZo0nGuX1IRVc5Tdtf8T4eN-5hPHQEkyRZs/s2048/IMG_0009.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1499" data-original-width="2048" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-aP0rlDHZBQVqWyd7f0Zp7UxrZvu0HvDZ53fZky3J9PsW5e2y_reQSWwnkN-maPKE2vFgvOpdls9dAgsQ7zta8BevjxKdQkwToAwLSpGWSZo0nGuX1IRVc5Tdtf8T4eN-5hPHQEkyRZs/w400-h293/IMG_0009.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">On our final day (Monday) we visited Aerospace Bristol, an aviation museum on the site of the former Filton Airfield, where all the BA Concordes were built.</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2vM3613DA4C36Tewi0pG1W9LosX66m8dbgP0jYH-u4pit62WnQQE6AAp4aZmSltIzLtAZ8Sz2sRieTB_bochLXwdjwjdh6mRhIBqEqUGqr7Srke-rK8XZJpp0W1J-yLlEHnum69-A5Bk/s2048/IMG_0013.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2048" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2vM3613DA4C36Tewi0pG1W9LosX66m8dbgP0jYH-u4pit62WnQQE6AAp4aZmSltIzLtAZ8Sz2sRieTB_bochLXwdjwjdh6mRhIBqEqUGqr7Srke-rK8XZJpp0W1J-yLlEHnum69-A5Bk/w400-h295/IMG_0013.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Concorde G-BOAF, the last to be built and the last to fly, is displayed here. Unlike at Manchester where I was a tour guide on identical Concorde G-BOAC for nearly 14 years there are no tours on AE. Some of our party wanted to know more than the sparse information on offer, so I conducted an impromptu Concorde Technical Tour underneath AE ! Some tourists not in our party tagged along and there were lots of interested questions. I enjoyed it. And more to the point, so did they! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">From Filton our coach took us to Temple Meads for our journeys home. Another GWR 'Castle' (comprising two power cars and a mere three coaches) took me to Newport, and a rammed 175 took me back to Wilmslow.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">What a superb few days! And in a few more days, I'm off on another Inside Track jaunt, this time to Scotland.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">.</div><div><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-42926712439845745632021-01-19T11:24:00.022+00:002021-01-19T11:35:25.568+00:00How times change! <p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilmh3xDa0_6DJXL_F5fMk2X0QmxsYr3tO2aWA26leMgzTyrynnFHXyhLwLJXgvBNApmw9O5QlZEh9Hkgzi1kGP-g0cbUKNRotyeUCBTyYtw1nQ5IEmCsbWHzc_GRTyC7LodCBrha36Zs/s810/Vic+pub.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="810" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilmh3xDa0_6DJXL_F5fMk2X0QmxsYr3tO2aWA26leMgzTyrynnFHXyhLwLJXgvBNApmw9O5QlZEh9Hkgzi1kGP-g0cbUKNRotyeUCBTyYtw1nQ5IEmCsbWHzc_GRTyC7LodCBrha36Zs/w400-h266/Vic+pub.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: medium;">BR pub for sale</span></i></div></i><p></p><span data-offset-key="33gl2-1-0" face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-text="true" style="font-family: inherit;">It's not that long ago that alcohol used to be an accepted part of the working scene. I remember an old railwayman telling me "until about the 1980s the railway ran on beer. After that, if you were caught so much as operating a photo-copier after having had a drink you were sacked".
In my own career (computing) I remember that a lunchtime pint or three (especially on a Friday) was the norm for most of us working in our software house, and the boss often put money behind the bar. When I was invited to presentations by computer and software manufacturers a buffet lunch with endless bottles of wine was the norm. Later, as we expanded through getting taken over, our Wavendon Tower site near Milton Keynes had a cosy bar in part of the old manor house. That went when we were taken over by a giant US corporation, though strangely the Paris office retained their miniature bottles of wine with their canteen lunch!
In my latter years in the industry it was all fizzy water and hurry back to work. I'm not usually one for hankering after the past but it seems the workplace was more fun back then.</span></span><div><span data-offset-key="33gl2-1-0" face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-text="true" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span data-offset-key="33gl2-1-0" face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-text="true" style="font-family: inherit;">Click on this link:
<br /></span></span><div><a href="https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/forgotten-pub-beneath-manchester-victoria-19648817?fbclid=IwAR1N7R3FP0ZTMZaIFLrX6trNCCIZJxyH-wROhQoybete_RxlqbBs8YGNY5g#ICID=Android_MENNewsApp_AppShare" target="_blank">Old BR pub for sale</a><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>.</div>Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-23603343458451558902020-10-25T17:55:00.012+00:002020-10-25T20:01:08.081+00:00A bit of baggage!<p>Now the W800 has gone, the little Honda Innova has inherited its Givi Maxia top box in place of the smaller top box it's had for a few years.</p><p>The R9T is much too attractive a bike to blight with a top box - I'm looking at fitting a pair of pannier bags for that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCkAkl_574XvXuDXBUC_defZLV-uOqpRt0RdgShdqEOlJ9aXWm6_1duAlnr_8TBebK8JrjIkgLllzvy01cr0V_EeL4NNfngBXUiniHjBjx2r5MVbRdsM0y4Nd51IZOdTjqpCXQhXM8W8U/s2048/IMG_3303.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1653" data-original-width="2048" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCkAkl_574XvXuDXBUC_defZLV-uOqpRt0RdgShdqEOlJ9aXWm6_1duAlnr_8TBebK8JrjIkgLllzvy01cr0V_EeL4NNfngBXUiniHjBjx2r5MVbRdsM0y4Nd51IZOdTjqpCXQhXM8W8U/w400-h323/IMG_3303.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Innova with small top box</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4a1LXeOeAFTd_Ww-oTUW59aQ3xDZJ77aof71FE9eWP4PrXuBru2CuouULohYxG4nOn2uy6Y7xLeLPjEvcPLrLNvnkKp6adtlCSV8Me72D1Uzd_RJrzUHG3xERFdIyXkF0i5YWcat0GRo/s2048/IMG_9728.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1619" data-original-width="2048" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4a1LXeOeAFTd_Ww-oTUW59aQ3xDZJ77aof71FE9eWP4PrXuBru2CuouULohYxG4nOn2uy6Y7xLeLPjEvcPLrLNvnkKp6adtlCSV8Me72D1Uzd_RJrzUHG3xERFdIyXkF0i5YWcat0GRo/w400-h316/IMG_9728.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjauPpik0Hlgn2PAY5eONXVwyMrZ6blePqecR6ibeI9fjQKM8MLCMJLXJxzp4LMgbVcCNnBm_d7AIypXlDddEtpvgypMCJktGMm47UvaADKT460QAxTk8eyZYhzSHB-XJhkuBpoCsUFQBk/s2048/IMG_9727.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1494" data-original-width="2048" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjauPpik0Hlgn2PAY5eONXVwyMrZ6blePqecR6ibeI9fjQKM8MLCMJLXJxzp4LMgbVcCNnBm_d7AIypXlDddEtpvgypMCJktGMm47UvaADKT460QAxTk8eyZYhzSHB-XJhkuBpoCsUFQBk/w400-h291/IMG_9727.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Now sporting the bigger Maxia top box</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-87215997866756784372020-10-25T17:42:00.008+00:002020-10-25T22:23:46.643+00:00Bye bye W800, hello R9T! And a few Covid-limited activities.<p> Due Covid things have been pretty quiet recently. I have run 'Lindow' and 'Penrhyn' at Urmston even though passenger carrying is suspended, and the rebuild by BP Locomotive Works of the 4MT 2-6-4 tank loco is proceeding, albeit not at a great rate lately - but there's no hurry as I cannot yet foresee when 'normal operations' at Urmston or indeed any other track will resume. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIuhZy9YhaTTYUmNTJffKXK_-v2FF4RZ4QzRrtMFpyo1MFiq85VVwx-l20OL697AX8PCjPLGL0pV0kl2CtcplhyphenhyphenrS0CncSKeYA9pfQkzTNJA2uSxhEag7WAF1gIcYfRmooFkiOLGaIbw/s2048/137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIuhZy9YhaTTYUmNTJffKXK_-v2FF4RZ4QzRrtMFpyo1MFiq85VVwx-l20OL697AX8PCjPLGL0pV0kl2CtcplhyphenhyphenrS0CncSKeYA9pfQkzTNJA2uSxhEag7WAF1gIcYfRmooFkiOLGaIbw/w400-h300/137.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The 4MT tank at BP Locomotive Works</span></div><p>Similarly, although driving at High Legh track would be possible as they have been running, it's probably not wise for someone in the vulnerable age group to participate, so I haven't.</p><p>Motorcycling locally, however, is relatively unaffected by covid and in August I decided it was time for a change from my Kawasaki W800 to something with more power and better brakes. So the W800 went onto eBay and found a new home in Abergavenny.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD50m2shTeXfFMIdctLCkzKryNj4h1KHdAfX5runfDCmog_EDq2KRt3-B4BtKoiPjO9AmD6b8Oc6d6WL3oEjpXonp7R86STbEhJdQbivmx-jc7f_O3mSi-HU-_KOWSShUqF3xayA_d9CY/s1024/IMG_4052.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD50m2shTeXfFMIdctLCkzKryNj4h1KHdAfX5runfDCmog_EDq2KRt3-B4BtKoiPjO9AmD6b8Oc6d6WL3oEjpXonp7R86STbEhJdQbivmx-jc7f_O3mSi-HU-_KOWSShUqF3xayA_d9CY/w400-h300/IMG_4052.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><div style="text-align: center;">The W800</div></span><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I settled on a BMW R Nine T, and actually ordered a new R9T Pure from BMW dealer Williams in Manchester, with ally tank, heated grips, head protectors, and rev counter. However, the factory refused the order as they have stopped 2020 Euro 4-compliant builds and started 2021 Euro 5 compliant builds for next year when they would again accept orders.</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">No doubt that would mean a price rise and a more inhibited bike, so I was not best pleased.</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then I realised I had had my test ride on a bike the dealer had for sale - a September 2019 (69 plate) R9T Pure Sport (as an extra, fitted with that lovely ally tank with the weld line I wanted, and the Sport pack gives heated grips, wire wheels, LED indicators, and chrome exhaust). So I went for that (about £2,500 off list price), and specified the engine protectors and rev counter (incorporating on-board computer) be fitted before delivery. </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So it's the bike I originally wanted albeit nearly a year old, at a lower price with a couple of extra extras, including wire wheels which I really didn't want but can live with.</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The previous owner was a BMW exec. As all car companies do, to keep new registrations looking healthy BMW execs get a new bike and a new car every year, and these then go to the dealers to be sold as used stock. Hence the low mileage.</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here's a picture of the bike as it was when I bought it. That hand-brushed aluminium tank doesn't look much in the photo, but in the flesh it's a work of art!</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSmVq65TmRxR6Bbx5uAwZwf3tVDeqwy4bARIt9L8NL7ewaCCxKFCtPKVBcw1WH9vHsb8csJSRK6ItVrvy9G7j_WptvO2OpulMOC91WH9V94-9nnDFUIm8yhl8fhiZUyjx2eq4sVQys2k/s2048/IMG_9659.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="2048" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSmVq65TmRxR6Bbx5uAwZwf3tVDeqwy4bARIt9L8NL7ewaCCxKFCtPKVBcw1WH9vHsb8csJSRK6ItVrvy9G7j_WptvO2OpulMOC91WH9V94-9nnDFUIm8yhl8fhiZUyjx2eq4sVQys2k/w400-h290/IMG_9659.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWymrx0430U1PuSs3za2i9LB98rxwkiBHd0E76fwin1DgfNZa2IIc8lFZNFT4CRQCzJ6Yrfg__76BJNwdaDcb01tXW59s4DdW8iCTeQJaXqtZZ8dsufuO_P8_gYu8kIxDNCTsraoQDeA/s2048/IMG_9661.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1585" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWymrx0430U1PuSs3za2i9LB98rxwkiBHd0E76fwin1DgfNZa2IIc8lFZNFT4CRQCzJ6Yrfg__76BJNwdaDcb01tXW59s4DdW8iCTeQJaXqtZZ8dsufuO_P8_gYu8kIxDNCTsraoQDeA/w310-h400/IMG_9661.JPG" width="310" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7k7K08ol-yFM6wPfsXmCa0kMCb3M9w5NM-McVYQc9PbX8h3ct2rGcvHxZbsz_NvIRDpDMR4NzjXfb6M9ycmjkrfdT2Kw-kbZGWqLD-H-I2GFyMV1oVGpn_uvR59PX8jClU3DpigiYjBE/s2048/IMG_9664.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7k7K08ol-yFM6wPfsXmCa0kMCb3M9w5NM-McVYQc9PbX8h3ct2rGcvHxZbsz_NvIRDpDMR4NzjXfb6M9ycmjkrfdT2Kw-kbZGWqLD-H-I2GFyMV1oVGpn_uvR59PX8jClU3DpigiYjBE/w300-h400/IMG_9664.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><div style="text-align: center;">The lovely aluminium tank with centre weld - a work of art.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had a few accessories planned to fit to the bike, and within a couple of weeks, that was done. Specifically, I fitted:</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">A Wunderlich centre stand so it stands upright in the garage and makes for much easier maintenance.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">An Evotech tail tidy to get rid of that massive rear overhang.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">A pair of Oberon bar-end mirrors in place of the standard ones for a much improved rear view and neater look to the bike.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">A rear wheel 'hugger' to prevent muck being thrown at the rear shock and under-seat area, and a front wheel fender extender to prevent muck and stones being thrown at the engine front and oil radiator.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">A BMW brushed aluminium tail hump to match the tank and to keep lock, tools etc in.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Here's the bike with those extras fitted:</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhyzMrli4w4_lxouiza0rhOW_8QY81wOsi90kC_5W8HEEUAemzpdatrlPmB0NEEmowebzcxJckhDf5H5CDJuYWSQVjHaHpU6AIDnvxu66Vianq5GAZ7HTNBu9HwiXVZn3-3qdYWvhDkg/s2048/IMG_9670.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1618" data-original-width="2048" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhyzMrli4w4_lxouiza0rhOW_8QY81wOsi90kC_5W8HEEUAemzpdatrlPmB0NEEmowebzcxJckhDf5H5CDJuYWSQVjHaHpU6AIDnvxu66Vianq5GAZ7HTNBu9HwiXVZn3-3qdYWvhDkg/w400-h316/IMG_9670.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPad1SVgCqw-qlzzenVgQH1HanWihDvfc2wlsBUPT-o-joOfDq65RVyKPy1e4Zjv2EyzpD9iKsoUS9SvAZhfX_jyt1O8GQxsSTfVgRjJR5Q92UnGLihU4h18EIhZsM7ONvHWmvjKzUSwM/s2048/IMG_9666.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1682" data-original-width="2048" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPad1SVgCqw-qlzzenVgQH1HanWihDvfc2wlsBUPT-o-joOfDq65RVyKPy1e4Zjv2EyzpD9iKsoUS9SvAZhfX_jyt1O8GQxsSTfVgRjJR5Q92UnGLihU4h18EIhZsM7ONvHWmvjKzUSwM/w400-h329/IMG_9666.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicA71B_tPKE0Y-pKlrcJ-yHOL1xN9jm5r3Y2nbIGMDyfALNOafG5hPtPzATCBm9oBCafKdo7FdO9AkpyyHGHrN8SZa-HK3phirBGl-S9tPEY5ElYmkceju1WsncS0GiHO_fNJ9FEyJsik/s2048/IMG_9675.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1534" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicA71B_tPKE0Y-pKlrcJ-yHOL1xN9jm5r3Y2nbIGMDyfALNOafG5hPtPzATCBm9oBCafKdo7FdO9AkpyyHGHrN8SZa-HK3phirBGl-S9tPEY5ElYmkceju1WsncS0GiHO_fNJ9FEyJsik/w300-h400/IMG_9675.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><div style="text-align: center;">Two silver machines!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="color: #050505; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It only remained to ride it! And I have been! Including a lovely ride out into the White Peak on a jewel of an autumn day. Warm if low sunshine, but a tad hazy so the views of this magnificent countryside were not at their best. </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Nonetheless, it was a day to be treasured and made use of! Out through Macclesfield and over the Cat & Fiddle, past Ladmanlow, Harpur Hill, and Brierlow Bar to a brief photo stop at the Dragon's Back Hills at Glutton Bridge. On to Longnor where a left turn took me down into the Dove Valley, over the river, then up the steep hairpins at Crowdecote. </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">A right turn before Hurdlow took me onto what years ago was a gated road (not these days, but still a minor road) paralleling the High Peak Trail as far as Parsley Hay (the other side of a low ridge) before climbing to the edge of the plateau north of Hartington and then descending to enter that village by its back door. </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">On to Hulme End for a lunch stop at what was up until the 1930s the terminus of the narrow gauge Manifold Valley Light Railway. After lunch a minor lane took me to Ecton to join the former track of the aforementioned Light Railway which is now a cycle and walkway, though this stretch is a public road. Through Swainsley tunnel and on down the valley to Wetton Mill where an acute right turn took me up the valley side on a narrow and steep lane to the delightful village of Butterton, its church spire rising above the trees as I ascended out of the valley.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">A quick blast south along the sweeping B5053 through Onecote almost as far as the Leek - Ashbourne road enabled me to join the Morridge Ridge way road. This ancient way, almost straight but with slight curves along the ridge top took me back north, with (despite the haze) extensive views to the west and north west of Cheshire, Bosley Cloud, Hen Cloud, Shuttlingsloe, and the Roaches, and to the east the rolling fields of the southern Peak District.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Dropping down off the ridge at the northern end of this dramatic road I crossed the Buxton - Leek road at the Winking Man, then back to the minor lanes around the back of the Roaches down to Gradbach, up along Burntcliff Top (no wallabies to be seen today!), to Allgreave to join the usually quite busy Congleton - Buxton A54. Today, however, the road is closed between here and Buxton so it is virtually traffic - free! </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">So what a great ride sweeping round the bends down to the River Dane, up past Cluelow Cross, the Wild Boar, and the old GPO tower on Crocker Hill, on down to the Cheshire Plain at Bosley and home through North Rode, Rode Heath, and onto the A34 at Marton. </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="color: #050505; font-family: inherit;">Lovely day; superb bike; great day out! Here are some pictures:</div><div dir="auto" style="color: #050505; font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #050505; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcXyBcKkStNqYq2Woy8ohQujz6KkGcTi_rrfvDdx4D3L3bmIRH9I_1gxPMsEvP_iltuK1Fu2tp3zT-XD6g4-qSgbWGN2J1dsOl7_iv8YJR-iy7lCcwpg1zOWadL64PFlzI_3gybvDpuU/s2048/IMG_9681.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcXyBcKkStNqYq2Woy8ohQujz6KkGcTi_rrfvDdx4D3L3bmIRH9I_1gxPMsEvP_iltuK1Fu2tp3zT-XD6g4-qSgbWGN2J1dsOl7_iv8YJR-iy7lCcwpg1zOWadL64PFlzI_3gybvDpuU/w400-h300/IMG_9681.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: center;"><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The aptly-named Dragon's Back Hills (Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hill) near Earl Sterndale.. Interesting hills to walk over!</span></span></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #050505; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLg3TNJyX5UAk4r6BYI5a_epRPoIc6Ro0zckp61ROYHRP7Xj8mkLeiMkQul1_uzi4OEJ9P5YU2e6XHI3uCgieAiGLao1fMjmevsto0K62l2jxZg5aJfqe6TSGL7KlVkiTmhBlZY1OsTu0/s2048/IMG_9682.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1630" data-original-width="2048" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLg3TNJyX5UAk4r6BYI5a_epRPoIc6Ro0zckp61ROYHRP7Xj8mkLeiMkQul1_uzi4OEJ9P5YU2e6XHI3uCgieAiGLao1fMjmevsto0K62l2jxZg5aJfqe6TSGL7KlVkiTmhBlZY1OsTu0/w400-h319/IMG_9682.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: center;"><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Lunch stop at the former narrow gauge railway terminus at Hulme End. This is the original station building.</span></span></div><span style="color: #050505;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #050505; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-lSFZlInqn-o-wTDJlRsPN4OFtsDH2lSbjCSXuPA7ECoOkSEE9QKD6M-JrPouImHOP-swgoQ1IIHf79azDpnmPsWocFVUGJYD1PWoHGrtSAW3uSKiMemZGjdtai15mMSYhd4QswB14A/s2048/IMG_9683.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1473" data-original-width="2048" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-lSFZlInqn-o-wTDJlRsPN4OFtsDH2lSbjCSXuPA7ECoOkSEE9QKD6M-JrPouImHOP-swgoQ1IIHf79azDpnmPsWocFVUGJYD1PWoHGrtSAW3uSKiMemZGjdtai15mMSYhd4QswB14A/w400-h288/IMG_9683.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: center;"><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Hulme End running-in board</span></span></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: center;"><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #050505; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlEwb_wTSW6geEXd6iEUUhtULL83IysasoXIJ3ULTLasJKGElL9L15XPusv-r-MpILwSpeUv5aEDAKq_KMFh8pqsoYR4nfSOnac6wxyXlcmBGHK5xwuF5remmFFXDo3qXKUjH07-YEog/s2048/IMG_9685.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlEwb_wTSW6geEXd6iEUUhtULL83IysasoXIJ3ULTLasJKGElL9L15XPusv-r-MpILwSpeUv5aEDAKq_KMFh8pqsoYR4nfSOnac6wxyXlcmBGHK5xwuF5remmFFXDo3qXKUjH07-YEog/w300-h400/IMG_9685.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><span style="text-align: start; white-space: normal;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Just south of Swainsley Tunnel on the old railway track bed.</span></span><span style="color: #050505;"><br /><br /></span></div><span style="color: #050505;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #050505; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjRs-nKHEfnreJFhuyTaJUusbTTJTuWKvjVssGKtWZ8c-1vxOId-je80exmLAytc5RqUgxFa7CHTbUXIF9UqEo5MfmawGRRPxPc82HgNguyXhBm6OuEU6FnUln-IbauS7w-1G_xZYJPPk/s2048/IMG_9687.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjRs-nKHEfnreJFhuyTaJUusbTTJTuWKvjVssGKtWZ8c-1vxOId-je80exmLAytc5RqUgxFa7CHTbUXIF9UqEo5MfmawGRRPxPc82HgNguyXhBm6OuEU6FnUln-IbauS7w-1G_xZYJPPk/w400-h300/IMG_9687.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start; white-space: normal;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The ancient Morridge ridgeway road. The distinctive scarp of Bosley cloud can be seen above the cattle in the distance</span></span></div><span style="color: #050505;"><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: #050505;"><br /></span></div>Several local rides have been enjoyed as well. Here's the R9T at Nether Alderley Mill where I am a National Trust volunteer, but that's another activity covid has knocked on the head for this year - at least.</span></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: #050505;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #050505; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweDi18NH1C8RiJQbnRabiwW78U-PLbfgbITNhIJ0_0eBgyhAJWXQQprA9tpmO48F_6Qky8cm4F9zLCA9RtD57LeOg4agrqxWwt03nrhYRRRBva6T88jc9gfwk0lBEreWcKFGjMdl-Bnw/s2048/IMG_9699+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1511" data-original-width="2048" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweDi18NH1C8RiJQbnRabiwW78U-PLbfgbITNhIJ0_0eBgyhAJWXQQprA9tpmO48F_6Qky8cm4F9zLCA9RtD57LeOg4agrqxWwt03nrhYRRRBva6T88jc9gfwk0lBEreWcKFGjMdl-Bnw/w400-h295/IMG_9699+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #050505;"><br /></span><div dir="auto" style="color: #050505; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="color: #050505; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="color: #050505; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="color: #050505; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="color: #050505; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="color: #050505; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">.</div></div></div>Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-85081282654212719562020-02-21T21:31:00.002+00:002020-02-21T21:35:36.146+00:00A run round High Legh track on a tram!Here's a video of a trip around the track at High Legh Miniature Railway on the T68 tram.<br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;">Click on the text:</span><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkZqnPj0jeQ&t=21s"><span style="color: magenta;">Round HLMR on the tram</span></a></span><br />
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Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-30507925304094396522019-10-20T17:25:00.001+01:002019-10-20T19:07:13.694+01:00'Lindow' stretches her wheels on the Wigan track today.<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
The last time I ran 'Lindow' (my Ride-On-Railways Hercules electric locomotive) was at Wrexham track several weeks ago. Today was the first Sunday since then with a favorable weather forecast when I have not been otherwise engaged, so I decided that instead of just visiting my home track, Urmston, I would venture a bit further afield and have a run around Wigan club's track in Haigh Hall Park.</div>
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I arrived fairly early to a warm welcome from Wigan club members, and was the first (of only two!) locos to run, and was soon hauling passengers around this delightful track. It winds its way through woodland and it takes a while to work out the shape of the track so many are the curves and glimpses of other parts of the track through the trees.</div>
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Here's a video I took of 'Lindow' doing a complete circuit of the track. Apologies for the camera sometimes pointing up into the trees; that's because 'Lindow' requires two hands to drive (one to hold the controller while keeping the 'dead man's button' depressed - if I release that, the engine will stop, and the other to operated the speed control knob). Lacking a third hand, the 'control knob' hand has the primary task of speed control, and the secondary task of holding the camera.</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boHoo4gxxtk&feature=youtu.be">click on this link for the video</a></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">'Lindow' about to couple up to her train.</span></span></i><span style="color: blue; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><i> Rigging a coupling first time at a strange track can be challenging. In this case, a length of chain between the pin on the truck and the shackle on 'Lindow' did the trick.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Off into the woods...</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">A glimpse through the trees of another part of the track</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>A sunny glade (it rained later!)</i></span></div>
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W<span style="color: blue;"><i>here does the track go now?</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Low autumn sun</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTJyUEoEEh5-kz6j2RhBqC_9vB_d6CTxTy4P3h9M-X1x42edf5fbG5Jyo4dcSTA_DWS5fvtsUjSjVd4fuz9thJ-WPQCvqw7nhVUyuKRjoqFBCnX1ypF7SuCiKRuIBgNgBAr0EIn6-Pqc/s1600/IMG_9536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTJyUEoEEh5-kz6j2RhBqC_9vB_d6CTxTy4P3h9M-X1x42edf5fbG5Jyo4dcSTA_DWS5fvtsUjSjVd4fuz9thJ-WPQCvqw7nhVUyuKRjoqFBCnX1ypF7SuCiKRuIBgNgBAr0EIn6-Pqc/s400/IMG_9536.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The track is not without its straight sections....</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>...But is also delightfully curvy</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">'Lindow' in the station to pick up passengers. By now a second train is also in service, in front of us.</span> </span></i></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: blue;">Is it a 747 or an A380? Lee and another Wigan member acting as station staff doing a bit of 'plane spotting!</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">I ran the loco all morning before deciding to call in at Urmston club on the way home. Just after I'd stowed 'Lindow' away in the car, it began to rain!</span></div>
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Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-87876877388742095412019-10-11T21:23:00.000+01:002019-10-20T21:35:23.870+01:00Churnet Valley Railway extension to Leek<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
This morning the first section of the extension of the Churnet Valley Railway to Leek was celebrated. A train, topped and tailed by an S160 steam loco and a class 33 diesel ventured onto the newly-laid track north of Leekbrook Junction.</div>
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There is a lot of work to do yet, and funds to be raised, but the intention is to restore the line northwards as far as the town of Leek.</div>
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Well done to all who have worked hard to achieve this.</div>
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Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-74276891996414809952019-09-26T21:37:00.000+01:002019-10-20T21:41:25.700+01:00Nether Alderley Mill volunteers win an award!<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
The volunteer millers and guides at Nether Alderley Mill have</div>
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won a Marsh Award for volunteering, which celebrates the work and achievements of museum volunteers. In our case, the win celebrated our success at gaining certification this year (a process which began as soon as the restored mill re-opened in 2013) to sell to our visitors the flour we produce at the mill.</div>
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A group of volunteers and National Trust staff went down to the British Museum on Monday of this week to be presented with the Award as North West Regional winners. Nether Alderley Mill will benefit from the prize of £500, which will be used to improve our facilities and equipment for milling and bagging flour.</div>
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This is an amazing achievement for Nether Alderley Mill, and we were told that we had faced considerable tough competition to win the prize.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: blue;">The group at the British Museum, London, Monday 23rd September 2019. Left to right: Mike (guide), Terry (guide), Vince (guide and miller), Bill (miller), Anne (guide), Darren (National Trust), Sharon (National Trust, with our certificate), Bruce (miller), Jennifer (National Trust), Carolyn (guide).</span></i></span></div>
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Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-19488865684344030732019-09-21T21:43:00.000+01:002019-10-20T21:44:40.711+01:00High Legh Railway<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Great day at High Legh Railway today, including driving this lovely beast. 'Bennu' was an ancient Egyptian deity apparently. This one is a very smokey deity (we were burning house coal!). It's a 7.25" gauge live steam loco big enough to enable one to sit in the tender to drive it.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Great fun, but it'll be better when run on steam coal when there'll be less chance of driver asphyxiation!</span><br />
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Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-74121174998098779092019-09-15T21:46:00.000+01:002019-11-02T20:06:14.235+00:00'Lindow' in welsh Wales!<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Wrexham Model Engineers are holding their 'Diesel Day' this weekend, so on Saturday morning I packed my little diesel-outline electric loco 'Lindow' into the car and Malc and I headed off down the M56 into Welsh Wales.</div>
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The Wrexham track isn't the biggest or the most demanding, but is in a delightfully rural location, and on a superb day such as yesterday made for a great day out.</div>
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Sale Area Model Engineering Society member Jason was there making a video of the event (for his 'LMS 4767' channel on YouTube), which you can watch by clicking on this link: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=AZNaOvLKT2E" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta;">Wrexham Diesel Day</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Lindow at Wrexham track</i></span></div>
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Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-2939800077784581872019-08-02T20:01:00.002+01:002019-09-12T16:24:12.141+01:00The fabulous Harz Mountains - again!This one didn't start well.<br />
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I had traveled down to London by train (cheap advance 1st class ticket) on Tuesday 23rd July for an overnight stay, to join Inside Track's 'Harz Mountaineer' holiday on the Wednesday morning at St Pancras International station. Clive, our courier, had distributed our Eurostar tickets to Brussels Midi when we noticed that trains to Brussels were showing on the departure boards as 'cancelled'. Clive made enquiries and it transpired that things were unlikely to improve as there was an infrastructure problem on Belgian rail (probably overhead wires down in the extreme heat).<br />
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So Clive moved us to the Betjeman Arms pub on the station concourse and opened a tab at the bar while he got busy on his phone. We enjoyed the St Austell 'Proper Job' and a spot of lunch while watching the Eurostar Paris departures and arrivals.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>After lunch drink and nibbles on the Virgin Pendolino as I whizzed down to London at 125mph</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>'Proper Job' and a fish finger sandwich at the Betjeman Arms as Clive sorted out our onward travel in view of Eurostar cancelling all trains to Brussels </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Watching the Paris departures and arrivals from the Betjeman Arms</i></span><br />
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We were booked into the Marriot Hotel in Cologne that night and should have been speeding to Brussels to change to a German ICE train to Cologne. That wasn't going to happen now.</div>
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But Clive and the Inside Track team came up with a solution. Our group of 22 were ushered into a row of taxis waiting outside St Pancras, to London City Airport (LCY) for a flight to Frankfurt. With temperatures in the 30s, even with the taxi windows open it was a long and sticky trip through the East London traffic. Our flight wasn't until 7pm so we had plenty of time.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>I photographed this Embraer 190 of BA Cityflyer at London City airport from the departure lounge as we awaited our flight. We flew on one of these, G-LCYY.</i></span></div>
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After a slight delay our flight was called. Take off from LCY was 'sporty' as I guess full power is used due the short runway. About an hour later we landed at Frankfurt and took a bus to to the terminal where the railway station is located for a train to Cologne. We arrived at the Marriot Cologne at about one o'clock in the morning (European time; GMT + 2). We were several hours late, but amazingly, we were back on our schedule! Well done Inside Track.</div>
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An early start next morning had us (after a nice breakfast) aboard our ICE train to Hannover, where we changed to a local train to Bad Harzburg before joining our waiting coach for the long climb into the Harz to Torfhaus. The Brocken (the highest mountain in the Harz) was used in Cold War times by East Germany as a 'listening post' spying electronically on the West, and the summit is a mass of radio masts. Torfhaus was the Western equivalent, but far less impressive as the West was perhaps less paranoid than the East.</div>
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The two could look at each other across the valley, and after we had enjoyed a super lunch of traditional sausage, mash, and sauerkraut we enjoyed our own views of the Brocken.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Bad Harzburg railway station boasts some impressive stained glass windows</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Lunch (and very good German beer!) at the Torfhaus restaurant</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Cold war aerials atop the Brocken, viewed from Torfhaus</i></span></div>
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Our coach took us to Drei Annen Hohne for our first HSB (Brocken rail system) train to Wernigerode station, from where our coach took us to our hotel for the holiday, the lovely Weisser Hirsch in the town square, which I have stayed at on two previous holidays.<br />
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<a href="https://www.wernigerode-tourismus.de/sehen/webcams/webcam-marktplatz/"><span style="color: magenta;">Click here for Wernigerode marketplace web cam</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Harz railway system</i></span></div>
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Clive distributed to each of us a five-day Harz pass, so we were free to travel the system as we wished rather than stick with the tour schedule should we decide to go 'off piste'.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Our HSB train for Wernigerode. The big 2-10-2 tank loco will run bunker first downhill to Wernigerode.</i></span></div>
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Friday 26th July was Selketalbahn day, the oldest line on the Harz system. But first we walked down to the level crossing near Westerntor station to watch a Brocken train depart.</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl9Zq472JWs&feature=youtu.be"><span style="color: magenta;">An HSB train leaves Westerntor for the Brocken</span></a></div>
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Our coach took us from Westerntor to the main station in Wernigerode for a train to Halberstadt, and another from there to historic Quedlinburg, the start of the Selketalbahn. Some of our group elected to travel on our coach to photograph the train at various points en route, but for me it had to be a train trip!</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Our locomotive at the Quedlinburg terminus, ready for the trip to Alexisbad</i></span></div>
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Here is a video of a nicely-handled re-start from a small halt on the line. The driver catches the loco with a reduction in regulator every time it is about to slip:<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRt384Qklt0&feature=youtu.be"><span style="color: magenta;">Nicely handled re-start avoiding slipping</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Many of the stations on the line are grand structures. This is Bad Suderode, </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Magdesprung</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>From Alexisbad we caught this Triebwagen (railcar) up the branch to Harzegerode where the cafe was closed (as it was last time I was here two years ago!). </i></span></div>
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The Triebwagen took us back down the branch to Alexisbad where we enjoyed an excellent lunch at the Hotel Morada, once more enjoying Clive's bar tab (though not too much - there was still a lot to do that day!).</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>After lunch we returned to Alexisbad station to continue to explore the remainder of the Selketalbahn. Here our train arrives from Quedlinburg.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Our loco takes on water at Eisfelder Talmuhle. It had</i></span><i style="color: blue;"> brought us via Stiege and its balloon loop to Hasselfelde, where the loco ran-around its train, back to Stiege, and on to Eisfelder, the the end of the Selketalbahn. Here our loco detached from our train and went onto the train for Nordhausen.</i></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The Nordhuasen departure ready to go. In a few days we will travel from Nordhausen to here.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Another view of the loco which brought us from Alexisbad to Eisfelder Talmuhle, ready to depart that station for Nordhausen</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Having lost our big 2-10-2 tank engine to the Nordhausen train, we took the loco off the arrival from Nordhausen to power our return to Stiege.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>That loco was the unique HSB 2-6-2 tank engine</i></span></div>
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From Stiege our coach took us back to our Wernigerode hotel.</div>
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On Saturday 27th July our itinerary was an optional walk after breakfast to photograph trains from the woods followed by a late morning train to Drei Annan then a gondola ride at Seilbahn Wurmberg, with a free afternoon in Wernigerode.</div>
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I decided to forgo all this, and got an early train to Drei Annan then another to Eisfelder Talmuhle. This latter is for me the most scenic line in the Harz and I was keen to 'do' it both ways, even though later in the holiday we would do it from Eisfelder to Drei Annan.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The train I traveled on from Wernegerode Westerntor to Drie Annan, seen at the latter station before continuing on to the Brocken. I will be catching a train from here to Eisfelder Talmuhle.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Before it tackled the Brocken climb, the loco's driver gave the right-hand big end some attention, adjusting the side to side play in this most vital of bearings on any steam locomotive</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>All done! The big end, coupling rod, connecting rod, and return crank ready for the upcoming hard climb to the Brocken summit</i></span></div>
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Here's a video of the Brocken train departing Drie Annan Hohne. Note the loud 'clonk' of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trofimoff_valve">Trofimoff</a> valves (the valve pistons are free to move on their shaft) seating themselves as steam is admitted to the steam chest:</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY4lxYUCfS8&feature=youtu.be"><span style="color: magenta;">Tank loco starts from Drie Annan for the Brocken</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGSgBMcjSHgPf29xa42DI4S9std6TI2S_ZgX5Pjtmr5mfZrl0q6QYRdm0KKjHmwvCoa_NOFA8ug87IACfAYYP-8TOEMw_bumPNWvNrLhtpbfwvYthxeCcOhdzTBU1byqIvxJlDEsdFeQ/s1600/IMG_9413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="876" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGSgBMcjSHgPf29xa42DI4S9std6TI2S_ZgX5Pjtmr5mfZrl0q6QYRdm0KKjHmwvCoa_NOFA8ug87IACfAYYP-8TOEMw_bumPNWvNrLhtpbfwvYthxeCcOhdzTBU1byqIvxJlDEsdFeQ/s400/IMG_9413.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Looking back from the rear balcony of the last coach as my train made its way from Drei Annan to Eisfelder</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Here is a video of it:</i></span></div>
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<i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-Yls5rxjgg&feature=youtu.be"><span style="color: magenta;">From the rear balcony, Drie Annan to Eistfelder</span></a></i></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>My train at Eisfelder</i></span></div>
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I then reversed the morning's route, pausing for an hour at Drei Annan to sample the Bratwurst and beer from the small hut on the platform there, before continuing on to Wernigerode, getting back late afternoon.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The Brocken summit just visible in the haze, seen from my Wernigerode hotel bedroom window (click on the picture to enlarge it)</i></span></div>
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Sunday 28th started with our coach taking us to Quedlinburg for another ride on the Selketalbahn. Having two bites at this line enabled any of us who had taken the 'photographic' option of following the train on our coach could this time travel by train, and vice versa. However, I once again took the train!</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Some of our group on the way to Alexisbad on the Selketalbahn</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>From Alexisbad our coach took us to Kurort Wippra to ride this classic old railcar to Klostermansfeld</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>A view out of the rear windscreen of the railcar</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Lovely comfy armchair seats and curtains at the windows! BR railcars were never like this!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Klostermansfeld is the home of the Mansfelder Bergwerksbahn. Unfortunately in the summer months they are not allowed to run steam for fear of starting lineside fires, so this steam loco was 'dead'. </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Our train on this 750mm line was hauled by an 0-6-0 diesel shunter</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The coaches are beautifully maintained with a varnished pine finish inside. We were served gherkins, sandwiches, and beer (soft drinks were also available) and there seemed no limit to how many beers one could ask for.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Ham sandwich and beer for lunch - lovely!</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The beer is specially bottled for the railway</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Our hosts on this quirky little railway also came round (twice!) with a basket of schnapps and brandy to which we could help ourselves!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The line once served the extensive coal mines that used to proliferate in the Mansfeld area, just like in Mansfield in England. Part of it has been preserved and now runs for several miles through fields of cereal crops and sunflowers. Here our loco takes a rest at the far end of the line....</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>....While we have a look around a stored steam loco in the shed there</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Another look at our cute little loco before we headed back to Klostermansfeld</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>On the return journey our train did a couple of run-pasts for the photographers at a triangle on the line. With a little diesel shunter I didn't really see the point of these but hey, it was fun!</i></span></div>
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Back on the coach we drove to Sandersleben for a standard gauge train to Halberstadt. Some rode the tram system here but others, including me, caught a connecting train back to Wernigerode.</div>
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Monday 29th July was the day of our literal highlight of the holiday, a trip to the summit of the Brocken, and the journey would complete my traveling of the entire HSB system as I had not managed to ride the Nordhausen branch on previous Harz visits. Having our coach available enabled us to be in Nordhausen to catch the 09:38 bi-mode (diesel and electric) tram from the hospital to Nordhausen station. However, we discovered that roadworks in the town meant the tram was not running. Luckily we discovered this in time for Clive to stop our coach from driving away, and we traveled on that to the station. </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>We had some time to wait before the only steam train departure of the day (there are other departures, but they are diesel railcars). One of our party pointed out this Russian (I think) big, powerful, and quite old diesel loco in the yard at Nordhausen.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Our train ready to depart Nordhausen</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Steaming through the outskirts of the town</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>At Ilfeld Neanderklinik we passed this Nordhausen bi-mode tram (these were still running to the town, but not through it to the hospital)</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>At Eisfelder Talmuhle we took the scenic route to Drie Annan Hohne which I had taken on Saturday when I went 'off piste'. </i></span><i style="color: blue;">A view here from the rear balcony of the last coach.</i><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>From Drei Annan Hohne our loco ran around the train as we reversed direction to take the Brocken branch</i></span><br />
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It's notable in the Harz that at higher altitudes there are many dead trees. These are caused by the Borkum Beetle, which strips the bark from the trees. We wondered what sort of species would destroy its own environment like that (!). So we asked a |Borkum Beetle: "nothing to do with me mate. I'm just eating a bit of bark. No idea why there are loads of dead trees about".<br />
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Here is a video taken from the rear balcony of the rear coach as we climb the Brocken:</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnwJVMetMyc&feature=youtu.be"><span style="color: magenta;">View off the rear balcony going up the Brocken</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>At the famous 'passing siding' we climbed past a train bound down the mountain and parked there for us to have an uninterrupted run uphill. Already we are running into wispy cloud.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Looking back from the rear balcony of the last coach, at the train waiting to back out of the passing siding once we were clear</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Predictably, the cloud thickened as we climbed towards the summit</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Brocken summit station. It was obvious that the cloud was orographic (forming continuously as the moist air was forced to rise as it met the hill, causing the water it contained to condense out as visible vapour). Thus, it wasn't likely to clear,</i></span><i style="color: blue;"> there would be no summit views,</i><i style="color: blue;"> so some of us stayed on the train and returned down the mountain on it.</i><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The loco runs around at the summit ready for the return trip....</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>....Almost vanishing from view as it does so</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Now it was our turn to enter the passing siding. Here is the next summit-bound train working hard as it pounds up the hill past us. At Schierke there was time for a bratwurst and a beer before returning by train to Wernigerode.</i></span><br />
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Our final day in the Harz, Tuesday 30th July, was another where I decided to go 'off piste' where the itinerary was concerned, but not before the scheduled tour of Westerntor loco workshops. I have done this tour before but it was too good to miss a second go! I ducked out early to catch the 09:44 Brocken train from the adjacent Westerntor station while the majority of the group enjoyed a visit to the local castle, a witch hunt in the afternoon, followed by free time in Quedlinburg. It seemed a sin to have a five-day HSB pass and not use it on the fifth day! Besides, the Brocken summit looked clear from my hotel bedroom this morning.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>In the Westerntor workshops</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>A pre-war railcar in for maintenance</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>One of the big 2-10-2 steam locomotives with its motion stripped down</i></span><br />
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The workshop has plans to expand to take on more work which is currently done at Menningham main line works, and say their biggest problem will be recruiting skilled engineers to operate the machines. I had noticed their wheel lathe was entirely manual requiring a skilled machinist to operate it and asked why they don't invest in modern CNC machines to reduce the need for such skilled manpower. Our guide (through an interpreter) replied that that would just mean the operator would stand there watching the machine do it while he drank a cup of tea!</div>
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The concept of more efficient use of labour (instead of drinking tea and watching the machine the operator could go and do some other job) and the reduced need to find so many highly skilled machinists by use of modern CNC machines seemed not to be something they wish to pursue. </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The weather being clear and sunny the 09:44 was pretty full, especially after Drie Annen, but I managed to get a seat. In fact every train up the mountain was filled to overflowing, as were the descending trains after lunch.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Brocken summit station - that's better, what a difference a day makes!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Eastern Bloc 'listening' paraphernalia on the summit. The building on the right is now a museum. </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Views denied to us yesterday by the cloud</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Brocken summit 'cairn'</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Having been up here a few times previously I didn't hang around, and managed to catch the same train down as I'd come up on, where I bumped into a few more 'escapees' from our itinerary who had skipped the workshop tour and come up on the first train of the day. Here is a view seen soon after leaving the summit station.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The Seilbahn Wurmberg ski jump from the train, which was on the itinerary for a visit by gondola on a day I went 'off piste'</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>On the opposite side of the valley to the Brocken are the western bloc 'listening' aerials at Torfhaus which we visited on our first day in the Harz</i></span><br />
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On the way down we of course were put into the passing siding, where I took this video of a packed train working up to the summit. This big 2-10-2 engine is really working hard!</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlPzLN_Hcs8&feature=youtu.be"><span style="color: magenta;">Impressively hard working big loco on a crowded train to the Brocken summit</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The beer and the Bratwurst from the hut at Schierke really are excellent, so that's where I stopped for a late lunch while watching crowded rain after crowded train head up the Brocken. Quite a contrast to the trains yesterday when the weather wasn't so good.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Passengers for the Brocken trying to board an already packed train at S</i></span><i style="color: blue;">chierke</i><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>My train down from Schierke to Wernegerode, and the last HSB train for me of this holiday, enters the station having descended from the Brocken. This was also very busy as by now people were descending as well as still ascending the mountain!</i></span></div>
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Our last night of the holiday was celebrated by a meal, hosted by Clive, at our hotel, including drinks of course.</div>
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The next morning our coach took us to Goslar station for a train to Hannover, where we would join an ICE train for Cologne, changing there for another ICE to Brussels. However, shortly after leaving Cologne it was announced that our train had a fault and could not operate into Belgium (presumably it could not operate on the Belgian overhead line voltage). Some smart moves by DB got our train stopped at Duren, where shortly afterwards the opposite direction (Brussels to Cologne) service was also stopped on the opposite side of our platform, and all the passengers swapped trains. Our defective unit returned to Cologne with the passengers from Brussels, and we boarded the set that had come from Brussels to continue our journey. The trains being identical, reserved seating was maintained!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdrsY30sBkk1YiPypRpGG2ufcDcaUqDuP42V9Hrepu2oSTBZEhEYjwqu7FtQozYztL68-sPZE0pnfxdsbVfx35GYk8LerrPPhXEb_HZp0UZdHJO2nRpsGNT0Ig6PepK6MIx-960Lp-nE/s1600/IMG_9497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="899" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdrsY30sBkk1YiPypRpGG2ufcDcaUqDuP42V9Hrepu2oSTBZEhEYjwqu7FtQozYztL68-sPZE0pnfxdsbVfx35GYk8LerrPPhXEb_HZp0UZdHJO2nRpsGNT0Ig6PepK6MIx-960Lp-nE/s400/IMG_9497.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">We wait at Duren by our defective ICE train for the opposite direction train, with which we will swap</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Having swapped trains I took this view of our defective set at Duran before we left for Brussels and it left for Cologne</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Aboard the ICE train, enjoying a beer</i></span><br />
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The journey back through the Channel Tunnel by Eurostar was uneventful. However, the new Eurostar trains are not as comfortable as the old ones they have replaced. And in the tiny on-board bar when I asked for a beer the only thing on offer was a tin of Heineken! In Belgium FFS, the home of excellent beer! I think what Eurostar needs is a bit of competition.</div>
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But the wine (which I had instead) was good!</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I stayed overnight in London at Premier Inn Kings Cross which led to an i<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21;">nteresting finish to my Harz holiday, but something I could have done without. At 4:00am the hotel fire alarm went off. It was so loud I couldn't have stayed in my room if I'd wanted to.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Quick throw-on of some clothes was followed by half an hour standing in the street with several hundred others. The police turned up almost immediately, then more.... then some more. Twenty minutes later the fire brigade rolled up. Good job there wasn't actually a fire! </span></div>
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Got to bed again about quarter to five!</div>
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I later made a claim against Premier Inn under the terms of their 'undisturbed night' guarantee. I am pleased to say they honoured it and refunded my room charge in full.</div>
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Next morning I made use of the Virgin 1st class lounge at Euston before a lovely Pendolino ride home with a nice brunch and a couple of stiff G&Ts all included.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>'My' Pendolino pulls out of Stockport for Manchester having brought me from Euston. MLS clubrooms above the station canopy on platform 2.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The last train of the holiday. One of those awful 319s, but at least it got me home to Wilmslow.</i></span><br />
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Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-12427272194816818732019-07-14T20:13:00.000+01:002019-07-14T20:44:45.549+01:00Super 'Little Bike' ride out today.<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Great ride-out on the Little Bikes today. Malc and I rode to Chorlton to meet up with Nigel (a contact made through Jack at Mobberley Brewery) who'd invited us on a ride to North Yorkshire with some 'Little Bike' friends of his.</div>
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The three of us then rode to Clayton in north east Manchester where the group met up. We mustered about ten Little Bikes, <span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">and then the group hit the road!</span></div>
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We passed Burnely, Nelson, Colne, Skipton before arriving at Bolton Abbey, which is a terminal station on the Embsay & Bolton Abbey heritage railway, where we watched a<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;"> couple of trains come and go as we enjoyed an al fresco lunch outside the station cafe. At Bolton Abbey I met an old friend from MoSI steam driving days, Stuart, who was guard on a train at Bolton Abbey today.</span></div>
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The route home was magical, over the moors via Haworth, Oxenhope, Hebden Bridge, and Mytholmroyd, with absolutely stunning views and great biking roads over the tops.</div>
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Back in the Manchester conurbation, Malc and I peeled off at Middleton to take the M60 for the last lap to home.</div>
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Thanks to the guys for really enjoyable ride-out in superb countryside in excellent weather!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MRuwjzfBvniw0e6hdfxankQqXNASHt0A3lN0gnDxw0YDODhNkH9UaAhJcbmQUMr02kT4i8LBat32LSZrtgEfgymay_qM4WDV7Tm5968SwSAgMf00IvS6MYIQ4dSs0ILC0VVJfhv-M8o/s1600/IMG_9362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MRuwjzfBvniw0e6hdfxankQqXNASHt0A3lN0gnDxw0YDODhNkH9UaAhJcbmQUMr02kT4i8LBat32LSZrtgEfgymay_qM4WDV7Tm5968SwSAgMf00IvS6MYIQ4dSs0ILC0VVJfhv-M8o/s400/IMG_9362.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1e21;"> </span><i><span style="color: blue;">The first five arrivals at Clayton, by the Rochdale canal, this morning. Malc's C90 on the right, my Innova next to it.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1e21;"> </span><i><span style="color: blue;">The Little Bikes at Bolton Abbey station.</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84B-3BKV4Gotqsiiaxcb5NMELLPCLDd94Cc_BDK0AmszhE9jIn8pe0s0dY_LmaWQcz2wUbsj0d6MNKUxzk-nPTiyVYEc5lszRghqNg5tSU0SHYcvhpIe6G6dYqxgsIe04akZgzvFfy4I/s1600/4438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="500" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84B-3BKV4Gotqsiiaxcb5NMELLPCLDd94Cc_BDK0AmszhE9jIn8pe0s0dY_LmaWQcz2wUbsj0d6MNKUxzk-nPTiyVYEc5lszRghqNg5tSU0SHYcvhpIe6G6dYqxgsIe04akZgzvFfy4I/s400/4438.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><i>This superbly rebuilt petrol electric railcar was in the platform when we arrived</i></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2evr0mXJHToDMUk8wlf7KtpgVgJnaF67pIkEDTOzy56nSFQitYZioX0Qp-J7H7cXk2CMZnpcae54UVrMoqVk1yWZE9_D9hnKl6ZyOd5f5GJ8P93sEWSx0SgK65vE1ETWny1QKUABbOyY/s1600/IMG_9364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2evr0mXJHToDMUk8wlf7KtpgVgJnaF67pIkEDTOzy56nSFQitYZioX0Qp-J7H7cXk2CMZnpcae54UVrMoqVk1yWZE9_D9hnKl6ZyOd5f5GJ8P93sEWSx0SgK65vE1ETWny1QKUABbOyY/s400/IMG_9364.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1e21;"> </span><i><span style="color: blue;">Some of our contingent enjoy an al fresco lunch.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1e21;"> </span><i><span style="color: blue;">The Hunslet 0-6-0 runs around its train.</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNky10Z2MG6iRyZ66P2hFHK0JBCMsB-k2lS-pScDk5A2vqx93aLM6m6Xe_3_t39bfyI3mXx49JTBacemOOWTN9g2a5MHy7WlKhIR-QHbduRRY968fol05cbGqEB-MHbnVIdSWs7sYs0U/s1600/IMG_9366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNky10Z2MG6iRyZ66P2hFHK0JBCMsB-k2lS-pScDk5A2vqx93aLM6m6Xe_3_t39bfyI3mXx49JTBacemOOWTN9g2a5MHy7WlKhIR-QHbduRRY968fol05cbGqEB-MHbnVIdSWs7sYs0U/s400/IMG_9366.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1e21;"> </span><i><span style="color: blue;">'18' refers to its fleet number at Eastmoors Steel Works, Cardiff, where it spent its working life.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1e21;"> </span><i><span style="color: blue;">Another view of our bikes at Bolton Abbey.</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcKWpU8EKRS-YLpw8FvLMFT2Q452ClEs8fS_FtugYCLt4KOR7uC3ojo85Y_0mgca8pv1j7oCLv1QknDjZO2mKWRWriLAIVfMAVPupI9bv3XpvoLxJ9Wbave32huHqMo8a6YgdQ6h2AtMg/s1600/IMG_9368.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcKWpU8EKRS-YLpw8FvLMFT2Q452ClEs8fS_FtugYCLt4KOR7uC3ojo85Y_0mgca8pv1j7oCLv1QknDjZO2mKWRWriLAIVfMAVPupI9bv3XpvoLxJ9Wbave32huHqMo8a6YgdQ6h2AtMg/s400/IMG_9368.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: blue;">A final fuel stop on the way home, somewhere near Littleborough.</span></i></span></div>
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Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-65004626558511172732019-07-05T23:54:00.001+01:002019-07-11T22:39:12.868+01:00Claire's wedding - preliminary pictures!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Elder daughter Claire's wedding two weeks ago near Tewkesbury, What a stunning day! These are a few pictures by friends and family while we await the official photographer's pictures.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Click on any one for a larger image.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNIgPbyipXA8riftXxNqkTEMUFG7crLwVCSPdK6CgAGx8i2J6v0XLwanz65p8RIW-79AKU5RO9PGBGF17Cs_yC_23f6RdeXA_dJHbwhDCg7OzqwPNUYqTxpT4x4ayLxPbb-KleAP7FtM/s1600/FB_IMG_1561308955000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="622" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNIgPbyipXA8riftXxNqkTEMUFG7crLwVCSPdK6CgAGx8i2J6v0XLwanz65p8RIW-79AKU5RO9PGBGF17Cs_yC_23f6RdeXA_dJHbwhDCg7OzqwPNUYqTxpT4x4ayLxPbb-KleAP7FtM/s400/FB_IMG_1561308955000.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Married!</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZT2tKSULd9TG5I31140X859fkAzEOtMdlz_CNMHib5Htr4p75JTRey6R3S0ZA_5TL9Pw89DFULnzJQCyugKmxf5USH_9Rg1qarpKWsXaGMS6jRbIh8xv7KkyLuNkMyPGfz3C1niF29rY/s1600/FB_IMG_1561308905471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZT2tKSULd9TG5I31140X859fkAzEOtMdlz_CNMHib5Htr4p75JTRey6R3S0ZA_5TL9Pw89DFULnzJQCyugKmxf5USH_9Rg1qarpKWsXaGMS6jRbIh8xv7KkyLuNkMyPGfz3C1niF29rY/s400/FB_IMG_1561308905471.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The happy couple!</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhddnd-zx0zdllgpOOHmgPonq9nKPvl12nzOcOedYhAwa-xM5hPaUZkFW8Hgaxscx5QLVtxsFg7NfNHk0l9GIUlCLGZM7wTLrqLxtCrWd4ZhxLXSQ27uGTfwFofECG8EGysdEFc5FoQ3xA/s1600/FB_IMG_1561309008142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="1151" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhddnd-zx0zdllgpOOHmgPonq9nKPvl12nzOcOedYhAwa-xM5hPaUZkFW8Hgaxscx5QLVtxsFg7NfNHk0l9GIUlCLGZM7wTLrqLxtCrWd4ZhxLXSQ27uGTfwFofECG8EGysdEFc5FoQ3xA/s400/FB_IMG_1561309008142.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">The country house hired for the event, with the marquee. The ceremony took place in front of the house, hence the chairs laid out for the guests.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Thankfully, is was a beautiful day!</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwweKBYIUtubgsNejCcIG9YTL4gt3XAcMAuiTzd1oRMxEXL58DQyX0_SnKWgkzugrdwDDq2sCB9bbcfPkUTb59E73G6-lpZUjM_ZKapa26Nf7NQEeYsPRLwsvwvov2ED6RlHvZbvdQRE/s1600/FB_IMG_1561309072259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="960" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwweKBYIUtubgsNejCcIG9YTL4gt3XAcMAuiTzd1oRMxEXL58DQyX0_SnKWgkzugrdwDDq2sCB9bbcfPkUTb59E73G6-lpZUjM_ZKapa26Nf7NQEeYsPRLwsvwvov2ED6RlHvZbvdQRE/s400/FB_IMG_1561309072259.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>'Father of the bride' speech</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8Fs4h8cj7hNisOYEGjJEKqbAqRmw8n1d2qvYUHfO01q-2ZILsK69BXAtpMWu3KUqYiF47ICZzqWIGW7hqi0cX2ha_XsxEj6KblIS4WC4bx8ZLBGg6nqvyJNfEzFhNovsCpCDgEEvqMM/s1600/FB_IMG_1561308897796.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8Fs4h8cj7hNisOYEGjJEKqbAqRmw8n1d2qvYUHfO01q-2ZILsK69BXAtpMWu3KUqYiF47ICZzqWIGW7hqi0cX2ha_XsxEj6KblIS4WC4bx8ZLBGg6nqvyJNfEzFhNovsCpCDgEEvqMM/s400/FB_IMG_1561308897796.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>First dance</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoq1j93M-mZLHZmp2mF8A8dxcUNRPZvNK0Wjcsz5r7q8QZ8_ZrbYUBUOV0TPv0iy11cjOkfS_-LOQSXk5vF2buYx59XyfaaQ4ThmQ3oa2lejH8rTUrNpSvLhpqJZVMeno9-ANFXLSIELE/s1600/FB_IMG_1561309215431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoq1j93M-mZLHZmp2mF8A8dxcUNRPZvNK0Wjcsz5r7q8QZ8_ZrbYUBUOV0TPv0iy11cjOkfS_-LOQSXk5vF2buYx59XyfaaQ4ThmQ3oa2lejH8rTUrNpSvLhpqJZVMeno9-ANFXLSIELE/s400/FB_IMG_1561309215431.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i><span style="color: blue;">A bit of 'dad dancing' with his lovely daughter.</span></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimIaZslZg8LVDtcUDqyFjCLiia4X6WzltHQegQ3dD7m0OThPfkCqUL-qTSb_PwmO74Kua73lA8qlYN_qgUU-BHCqeegRkGtkhdoAAy1iJiu8iyufI0AtzpPUMhxP_QxZVbBs4s9R8h_Gw/s1600/FB_IMG_1561409410123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimIaZslZg8LVDtcUDqyFjCLiia4X6WzltHQegQ3dD7m0OThPfkCqUL-qTSb_PwmO74Kua73lA8qlYN_qgUU-BHCqeegRkGtkhdoAAy1iJiu8iyufI0AtzpPUMhxP_QxZVbBs4s9R8h_Gw/s400/FB_IMG_1561409410123.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i><span style="color: blue;">Appropriately for Claire being a vet, the bar was a horse box and hay bails enhanced the outdoor seating!</span></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUejBlGLUiVpZSXuSsRJ_S2e5dFzJlB9ZbK4vp7sLMpAXC436zLiRjWuXpbQiyW_imJdGucel-Ssgx4NJAPlIWBNqvazJzpZCQ2v5auIxfgw0DACQSq-dz700LhVtEyE7KCx-aahNW8xE/s1600/FB_IMG_1561409424083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUejBlGLUiVpZSXuSsRJ_S2e5dFzJlB9ZbK4vp7sLMpAXC436zLiRjWuXpbQiyW_imJdGucel-Ssgx4NJAPlIWBNqvazJzpZCQ2v5auIxfgw0DACQSq-dz700LhVtEyE7KCx-aahNW8xE/s400/FB_IMG_1561409424083.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Looking back to the house from the bar, late evening.</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i><span style="color: blue;">The Chadwick family: The bride, me, the bride's mother, and bride's sister, Helen taking a 'family selfie'!</span></i></span></div>
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<br />Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-46392888868789256182019-06-29T16:18:00.004+01:002019-06-29T16:18:42.239+01:00Some pictures from a very hot Apedale today....The event was entitled 'Swords to Ploughshares' and was held to commemorate the centenary of the signing of The Treaty of Versailles, which finally ended the First World War.<br />
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Click on any picture for a larger image.<br />
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<i style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: blue;">The Kawasaki W800 at Apedale. OK riding down there this morning, but bluddy hot riding home!</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwS8GHS6y7iI1SngW55cDbIjMLaYtz8yKsYuiOJdF33TUDoi83piUDlVMJs31TQ1f-6YeNq37BMKH_sM7y2BuyGsflxtYl8uumFgZ6VDxGEyECc3X-L7yr18P1nygB4nV3F0wWRsvHaV8/s1600/IMG_9348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="1024" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwS8GHS6y7iI1SngW55cDbIjMLaYtz8yKsYuiOJdF33TUDoi83piUDlVMJs31TQ1f-6YeNq37BMKH_sM7y2BuyGsflxtYl8uumFgZ6VDxGEyECc3X-L7yr18P1nygB4nV3F0wWRsvHaV8/s400/IMG_9348.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i><span style="color: blue;">First - a train ride! Hunslet 1215 (WD303) has brought the train in. Kerr Stuart 3014 Joffre (built in 1916 in Stoke for the French army) waits in the loop to take our train out again.</span></i></span> </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i><span style="color: blue;">This lovely looking thing (Edgar) is the first of a batch of new-build 2ft-gauge, three-ton Decauville 0-4-0T locomotives built by North Bay Engineering Services Ltd.</span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">A couple if internal combustion WW1 rail tractors by the shed.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3014 runs round at the end of the line.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">Cummin through!</span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i><span style="color: blue;">Backing down onto its train for the short return journey.</span></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKb0lKp1BNLL_QZ_99ngKIQTtombui-d5Wy5X0S1kt3kzMWDGvgU_-CZ15Q6d9cVfxiZA3_w4uD1zSToRA0EagV5g_ugC7q_a__t6gIWXqIMXVbZILJ6TwI1La28lJIzpcEI7_8usxMo/s1600/IMG_9354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKb0lKp1BNLL_QZ_99ngKIQTtombui-d5Wy5X0S1kt3kzMWDGvgU_-CZ15Q6d9cVfxiZA3_w4uD1zSToRA0EagV5g_ugC7q_a__t6gIWXqIMXVbZILJ6TwI1La28lJIzpcEI7_8usxMo/s400/IMG_9354.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i><span style="color: blue;">Steam locomotive No.104 is an 0-6-0 well tank and was built in 1916 by Hudswell Clarke for Robert Hudson Ltd of Leeds for the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation, Ghana.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: blue;">This coach came from the Ffestiniog Railway. Apedale have fitted it with new bogies (from South Africa) and air brakes instead of the Ffestinog vacuum brakes.</span></i></span></div>
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Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-70560063012031644092019-05-22T12:11:00.004+01:002019-05-24T15:18:06.442+01:00A little 'hop' into KentThere are several heritage railways in the south east of England that have long been on my 'to do' list, and having enjoyed our Cornish holiday with 'Inside Track' tour company, I booked onto their five-day 'Kentish Man' holiday.<br />
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Please click on any picture for a larger image<br />
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<u>Thursday 16th May</u><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The 06:58 Virgin Pendolino whisked me first class to Euston, with a rather good breakfast served on the way. Very civilised (apart from the early hour!).</i></span></div>
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From Euston I battled through the crowds on the packed, rush-hour, Victoria Line to London Victoria for a 'Southern Railways' electric multiple unit to Hayward's Heath, where the holiday commenced. There I met Nigel, our tour manager, assisted by Steve, who had been our tour manager in Cornwall, our coach driver Aron, and the rest of the holiday group.</div>
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A short drive from Hayward's Heath took us to the Bentley Miniature Railway, where we rode their track behind two 7.5" gauge steam locomotives.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1VEnJo9PDQjYjyIE2n7_Jvvq7uYdBUuOagO1f_qH8VvTrvhUqOdyKFeuqbPXYm-gAbuSXsXO54469SEDMo9h5wUTLDPKt3bnrPtd47TD__TJR3z61zsakDDxFK4oAE49bIMkLs574TGo/s1600/IMG_9197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1VEnJo9PDQjYjyIE2n7_Jvvq7uYdBUuOagO1f_qH8VvTrvhUqOdyKFeuqbPXYm-gAbuSXsXO54469SEDMo9h5wUTLDPKt3bnrPtd47TD__TJR3z61zsakDDxFK4oAE49bIMkLs574TGo/s400/IMG_9197.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">Here's 'Elaine', a 7.5" gauge Quarry Hunslet of the 'Alice' class. My own live steam Quarry Hunslet is a model of the larger 'Large Penrhyn' class, but in the smaller scale of 5" gauge. </span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ66MAHMELCGEibZJF46VL0hc8tvsldqNEM05r2yUYdGnNEsWmvhinXUtDsprhLOIgEUChhEPz0f-Ad_OPa1HtN250py9IjVbYRuImAAU0hnHrHS5LX6ybyIc_9Ddhdcb2bO_VKNK2RAE/s1600/IMG_9182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ66MAHMELCGEibZJF46VL0hc8tvsldqNEM05r2yUYdGnNEsWmvhinXUtDsprhLOIgEUChhEPz0f-Ad_OPa1HtN250py9IjVbYRuImAAU0hnHrHS5LX6ybyIc_9Ddhdcb2bO_VKNK2RAE/s320/IMG_9182.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<i><span style="color: blue;">For comparison to 'Elaine', here is my 5" gauge Quarry Hunslet 'Penrhyn' at Urmston track</span></i><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>We set off in 'sit in' coaches behind 'Elaine' at the Bentley Miniature Railway</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">7.5" gauge BR Standard Class 2 loco was the other locomotive in steam. Its train comprises 'sit on' rather than 'sit in' coaches.</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUxTPJBrJNKpE2GiUQ-1Mf4IYDJAIwZzvlPTqDQ5e-DqpDWi5UTziA8gzLhMh2yBcTRYkEhb0AilFf9ZxeR92v8QA1W5y39U7bLSbDFJdtRrkTnbOUq-U43iuTG_mF_B3KSe196fzwHM/s1600/IMG_9193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUxTPJBrJNKpE2GiUQ-1Mf4IYDJAIwZzvlPTqDQ5e-DqpDWi5UTziA8gzLhMh2yBcTRYkEhb0AilFf9ZxeR92v8QA1W5y39U7bLSbDFJdtRrkTnbOUq-U43iuTG_mF_B3KSe196fzwHM/s400/IMG_9193.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The two trains meet, ours heading outbound, the Class 2 heading inbound</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Two more Quarry Hunslets at Bentley </i></span></div>
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Here's a video of the railway.Please click on the link below:<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOPS8h_Ai2A&feature=youtu.be">Sitting astride the 'coaches' behind the BR Standard Class 2 loco</a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The 'Class 2' handled this load with ease</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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From Bentley we headed across to Sheffield Park for the Bluebell Steam Railway; complete with bluebells at this time of year!</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Several of us sounded out some rather pleasant Kentish ale which we enjoyed on the platform at Sheffield Park while awaiting our train </i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">Jim looks happy as we enjoy a cream tea aboard the train to the other end of the line, East Grinstead</span></i><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Looking back from East Grinstead station over Imberhorne Viaduct to the cutting beyond. This had been infilled by some 300,000 cubic metres of household rubbish in the 60s and 70s, which had to be dug out and disposed of to re-open the railway to East Grinstead.</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Our locomotive, Maunsell S15-class 4-6-0 No.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;">847</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">. Built in 1936, runs around its train at East Grinstead</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>A nice pint of 'Sussex Best' enjoyed as we steam along</i></span></div>
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From Sheffield Park our coach took us to Uckfield for a ride on the Southern Railway service train along the branch to Ashurst, where we re-joined our coach for the journey to our home for the next four nights, the Mercure Hotel in Royal Tonbridge Wells.</div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">Mercure Hotel, Tonbridge Wells</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EMsj1AnrO_3KCqu4kHriEBtHHjuNk0js3VPpYKMyXy6vvJ589Oyos5N-UDx-r0g6W8PedIe-qlhey3dZ87d7P2IuFSh5syyapa94f-ygwyj4V2wHotQMGzFwZpgllEV57JqO9GdhxHQ/s1600/IMG_9215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EMsj1AnrO_3KCqu4kHriEBtHHjuNk0js3VPpYKMyXy6vvJ589Oyos5N-UDx-r0g6W8PedIe-qlhey3dZ87d7P2IuFSh5syyapa94f-ygwyj4V2wHotQMGzFwZpgllEV57JqO9GdhxHQ/s400/IMG_9215.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Nice to see the Mercure provides a double room for single occupancy, unlike some hotels which fob off those booking a single room with a glorified broom cupboard</i></span></div>
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<u>Friday 17th May</u><br />
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After a leisurely and rather good breakfast, our coach took us the thirty seven miles to New Romney for the Romney, Hythe, and Dymchurch Railway, with plenty of time to admire the model railway display there before the arrival of our train to Hythe.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>'Hercules' arrives at New Romney with a train from Hythe</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>'Hercules' ready to depart for Dungeness</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Shortly afterwards, our train for Hythe arrived from Dungeness in the charge of 'Samson'</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The coaches of this 15" gauge railway are a tad 'cosy'</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Approaching Hythe the Romney Marsh gives way to higher ground at Lympne. The railway has traversed Romney Marsh from New Romney, and Walland Marsh from Dungeness to New Romney. </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>'Samson' turns through 180 degrees on the Hythe turntable</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>As a volunteer signalman on the Churnet Valley Railway I was interested in the signal box at Hythe. Apparently it is one of the few original features of the railway having been in use ever since the railway opened in 1926. The horizontal handles sticking out of the front of the panel are the releases for the levers in the frame; the equivalent of the 'hand triggers' on conventional signal levers. </i></span><br />
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<i><span style="color: blue;">Samson's builder's plate</span></i><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Samson's flight deck</i></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><i><br /></i></span>Here is a video taken as we travel the line. Please click on the link below:<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srA2PjLJYTs&feature=youtu.be">Rattling along on the 15" gauge Romney, Hythe, and Dymchurch Railway</a><br />
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From Hythe station our coach took us to nearby Peene, to the Elham Valley Line Trust Museum & Countryside Centre for a superb buffet lunch. Peene is close to the entrance to the Channel Tunnel and as well as the Countryside Centre they have a miniature railway and some Channel Tunnel memorabilia including a 'man hauling' train used by workers to reach the tunnel cutting face.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>We ride the Elham Valley miniature railway</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The Centre also hosts a superb working model of the Channel Tunnel UK approaches and portals, with automatically operated Eurostar and car transporter trains. This was constructed over several years as a publicity aid by the Channel Tunnel Company and spent some years touring before finding a permanent home here. The French also had a model of their side of the Tunnel, but after it had been used for a few publicity events, that one was broken up to save storage and maintenance costs. Our host at the Trust said it cost them around £6,000 per year to maintain the model, so maybe the French had a point!</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">I spoke to a couple of volunteers at the Trust who are local residents and asked them what effect the building of the tunnel had on the village of Peene. "Absolutely devastating" said one. "Everything got filthy because of the constant dust and grit in the air, and the months of pile driving almost drove me up the wall", he continued. "The vibration never stopped.... thump, thump, thump all day and night, the house shaking with each one. If a Tunnel worker bought a house in the village, they wouldn't let on where they worked!". </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">After our visit here, our coach took us to Hawkinge for the Kent Battle of Britain Museum. They don't allow photography for security reasons (all that top secret 1940s technology!) so here are some pictures from their web site.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Reconstruction of a Messerschmidt BF109 G downed in Kent. A big fuel-injected Daimler-Benz inverted V12 engine, 5 powerful cannon, a tiny cockpit, and nothing else that isn't essential to a lethal killing flying machine.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Two Spitfires</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Three Hurricanes</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;"><i>One Boulton-Paul Defiant. None of the aeroplanes in the museum are capable of flight.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Back on the coach by 15:30, we headed back to Hythe station on Romney, Hythe, & Dymchurch Railway to head down to Dungeness for 'nuclear powered fish & chips'! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Inside Track had arranged for this last train of the day to be steam-hauled (it's usually a diesel) and to run the entire length of the line to Dungeness (it usually terminates at New Romney).</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">A very strange place is Dungeness. Shingle, shacks, an old lighthouse, and a nuclear power station.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Samson brings our train to the station at Dungeness. The grey extension to the white building is the station cafe where our fish & chips will soon be served.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Fish, chips, mushy peas, bread & butter (for making chip butties!) and a 'help yourself' bar. Lovely!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Our coach, by the old lighthouse</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The somewhat less charismatic new lighthouse</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>We re-board our coach for the journey back to our Tunbridge Wells hotel, with the nuclear power station in the background</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Strange shacks, like over-grown garden sheds, litter the scrubby landscape here</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Aron steers us between the shacks as we leave Dungeness</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>More Dungeness dwellings. One or two are quite posh, but most are not. This one has a tower!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>In nearby Rye an illegally parked car temporarily blocks our coach's way </i></span><br />
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<u>Saturday 18th May</u></div>
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A late departure from the hotel had us at the old Tunbridge Wells West station, today the terminus of the Spa Valley Railway, in plenty of time for our 10:20 train to Eridge.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Our train will be topped and tailed. This Robert Stephenson Hawthorne 0-6-0 austerity saddle tank loco 'Ugly' will be on the back on the way to Eridge...</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>....While this Class 33 'RJ Mitchell' will be on the other end. For the return journey, the steam loco will therefore be on the front and the 33 on rear.</i></span><br />
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The final section of the Spa Valley Railway runs alongside the National Rail line we travelled on for Thursday evening's run from Uckfield to Ashurst.</div>
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After this trip we were off to Bodiam for the Kent & East Sussex Railway. It was their 1940s weekend so there was much re-enacting and 1940s entertainment at Bodiam and Tenterden, and even a fly-by by a WW2 Spitfire.</div>
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One of the steam locomotives had failed, so was replaced by a Diesel Multiple Unit which we boarded at Bodiam for the intermediate station on the line, Northiam. It was only a 2-car unit, so somewhat overcrowded.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Aboard the inadequate 2-car DMU which we rode from Bodiam to Northiam</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The view of the line from the DMU as it makes its way to Northiam</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>There was absolutely nothing going on at Northiam, so as some folk made their way to a local Indian restaurant for a drinkie or two, I walked up to the signal box and was invited in. Northiam is a passing loop on the K&ESR, much like my own 'box at is at Consall on the CVR, so it was interesting to compare notes with the signalman.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><i>One thing that surprised me was the apparent lack of FPL (Facing Point Lock) levers in the box, which are by normal convention painted blue. The signalman explained that his points are motor-operated, and it's Southern Railway convention to use plain black levers for those even though a motor point incorporates a form of FPL. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><i>Normal convention elsewhere is black for a point lever and blue for an FPL lever, and at Consall we have a mechanically operated point with those two levers, and a motor-operated point with a single lever painted half black and half blue indicating a motor point with built-in lock. That does seem more logical to me.</i></span><br />
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Here are some videos of our visit to the K&ESR. Please click on the links beow to view them. Sorry about the 'shaky camera' on the Spit vid. I was filming from the open window of a moving train:<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yf5dwSuKQ-0&feature=youtu.be">Our train leaving Northiam for Tenterden</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjBNiwOOkyw&feature=youtu.be">Our loco working hard on the climb to Tenterden</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U6s_FVEIzo&feature=youtu.be">A Spitfire displays over our train during its climb to Tenterden</a><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>A Class 17 'Teddy Bear' at Tenterden</i></span><br />
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After a beer in the sunshine, listening to Glen Miller and other '40s hits, we caught the last train from Tenterden where Aron and the coach met us to run us to Hastings station for a service train to Tunbridge Wells where Aron again met us to run us back to the hotel.</div>
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The train journey from Hastings was interesting in that the narrow tunnels outside Hastings station required the use of narrower than normal multiple unit trains. When those trains became life expired, the future of the line was in doubt because of the high cost of building new non-standard trains. Instead, the obvious solution of single-tracking the former two-track tunnels was adopted, and now trains built to the standard UK loading gauge can access Hastings station.</div>
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<u>Sunday 19th May</u></div>
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A non-railway beginning to this day! Our coach covered the 35 miles or so to Chatham Naval Dockyard Museum in plenty of time for their opening at 10:00am.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Launched in 1878, HMS Gannet was steam screw and sail powered</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Built in 1944, HMS Cavalier was once the fastest ship in the Royal Navy. A Destroyer, she was paid off at Chatham in 1972. </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The open bridge of 'Cavalier', with canvas 'roof'. This the captain's chair, but there is no ship's wheel on the bridge. Immediately beneath the bridge is 'steering station' where the helmsman stood at the ship's wheel, taking orders from the bridge above. It was deliberate that the helmsman had no outside view in order that he would not hesitate in following 'steering' orders even if such an order might be to deliberately ram an enemy ship.</i></span><br />
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<i><span style="color: blue;">The dockyard had an extensive railway system, and this Robert Stephenson Hawthorne locomotive, Ajax was built in 1941 and worked at Chatham until all the steam locomotives except this one were disposed of in 1972. She is still in working order and regularly steamed. She is a sister locomotive to 'Agecroft No.1' which I used to drive and fire at the Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester when that organisation had a working railway.</span></i><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Next stop was Sheerness station on the Isle of Sheppey to board this 'Southern' train to cross the River Swale on a lifting bridge, to leave Sheppey with its flat, pylon-inhabited landscape, for Sittingbourne on the mainland.</i></span><br />
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<i><span style="color: blue;">The Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway was built by papermaker Frank Lloyd in 1904 to transport raw materials in and finished product out, between Ridham Dock and his Sittingbourne paper mill after the creek which originally served the mill silted up. The mill later became part of the Bowater Group.</span></i><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Kerr-Stuart 'Brazil class 0-4-2 'Melior' saddle tank was our train loco. It has Hackworth valve gear.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Much of the railway is on a reinforced concrete viaduct, which is in poor condition</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Another Brazil class, 'Leader', in the Kemsley loco shed.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>'Melior' runs round her train at Kemsley ready for the trip back to Sittingbourne</i></span><br />
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Leaving Sittingbourne we headed just a few miles to 'the middle of nowhere' to the most immaculate railway I have ever seen, the Bredgar & Wormshill Light Railway. It<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> is a two foot gauge private line which has been built up as a hobby by a group of friends since the early 1970s.<span style="font-size: 13.3333px; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">It has a station, engine sheds and workshops at Warren Wood station, and a smaller station at the other end of the line, known as Stony Shaw.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Immaculate locomotives in the shed</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>They even have a Quarry Hunslet, 'Alice' class 'Lady Joan'</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Bagnall 'Armistice' is just one of many 2 foot gauge locos in the shed. There are also some miniature locomotives, including a 10.25" gauge Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway loco and a 7.5" Dholpur loco. Sharing the shed are several vintage tractors, traction engines, cars and other historic vehicles.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Adrian enjoys a ride on a coach balcony</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Setting off into the immaculate parkland</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Through the woods....</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Stony Shaw station with its signal box</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Our steam loco for our visit was Orenstein & Koppel 0-4-0 'Helga'</i></span><br />
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<i style="color: blue;">Seen from the coach balcony, 'Helga' crosses the drive to the house</i><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Douglas observes the fully-working beam engine, with condenser and operating water pump system, at the back of the loco shed</i></span><br />
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This railway was absolutely superb. Everything was in top condition - it all, stations, track, signal boxes, stock, locos - everything, looked as if it had just been built. David, the owner, told me the coaches are not only stored indoors, but they are polished after each day in use.</div>
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We boarded our coach for Headcorn to travel on part of one of the longest straight sections of railway in Britain - the 25 miles from Ashford to Tonbridge. We travelled Headcorn to Tonbridge, then changed trains to reach Tunbridge Wells where Aron met us to drive us back to the Mercure.<br />
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<u>Monday 20th May</u></div>
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Our last day of the holiday began with a 32 mile drive to Eastbourne, where we transferred to an open-top double deck bus for a trip up to Beachy Head.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Eastbourne pier, from the bus top deck</i></span><br />
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<i><span style="color: blue;">The high pressure which has brought us dry weather for this holiday has its downside. Its descending air and lack of wind traps pollution close to the ground leading to much reduced visibility as this view of Eastbourne from Beachy Head shows.</span></i><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Looking west the visibility is no better</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The Belle Tout former lighthouse, west of Beachy Head, is now a B&B! The cliff edge is constantly eroding here, so in 1999 the Belle Tout was moved seventeen metres further back from the cliff edge. </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>A closer look at Belle Tout</i></span></div>
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Aron picked us up from Beachy Head and drove us to Seaford from where we caught a train to Brighton, from where I headed home.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>I decided to sample one of the new Thameslink Class 700 trains from Brighton to St Pancras International.<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white;">What a super train the Class 700 is; fast
acceleration, quiet, big well-positioned windows, and despite complaints in the
railway press about hard seats, I found them far more comfortable than those on
the old-tech Class 319 trains which the 700s have replaced. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Those old 319 trains have been foisted
onto us long-suffering northern oiks, and are now whining their glacial way
between Crewe and Liverpool lime Street, having replaced the far superior Class 323s we have enjoyed for many years. It's indicative of the vast difference in spend on public transport in the capital
and in the regions that we get their cast-offs and they get nice lovely new
trains like the 700s to replace them. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>It's a short walk from St Pancras International to Euston where I arrived in plenty of time for my Advance First Class booking (so very good value!) on the Pendolino home to Wilmslow. A lovely salmon, haddock, and cod linguine was served on the journey, followed by lemon cheesecake, all washed down with white wine and followed by a large G&T as the countryside flashed by at 125mph. This sort of train travel is magical.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>It will be a sad day indeed if the anti-rail DfT succeed in removing that thorn in sides, the excellent Virgin Trains, from the UK rail scene.</i></span><br />
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So ended a short but intensive break of an enjoyable few days in the far south east of England, with many heritage and national railway lines travelled.</div>
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Thank you 'Inside Track'. I look forward to the next one - the Harz Mountains revisited, in July.</div>
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Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-18979961810018077012019-05-08T22:07:00.003+01:002019-05-08T22:07:25.355+01:00'Samuel' is now 'Penryhn'.<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
My recently acquired Quarry Hunslet today received its new nameplates. It was built by a much respected engineer who is a member of my club, and he named it 'Samuel' after his grandson.</div>
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Since it is a 'Large Penrhyn' Hunslet, one of half a dozen of the type built for Penrhyn slate quarries in North Wales (there were more similar 'Port' class of the type built, and the smaller 'Alice' class are very numerous), and I didn't particularly fancy any of th<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">e names of the actual Large Penrhyns, I decided to name it simply 'Penrhyn'.</span></div>
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Nick from 'Nameplates' in Coalville, Leicestershire made them and as he was at our Urmston open day today with his lovely 5" gauge 'Duchess' pacific, he brought them with him and I fitted them. My measurements (especially the mounting hole position and dimensions) were spot on, as was Nick's machining, and they fitted a treat!</div>
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I have also fitted the beautifully-made (by Dave Noble of Ashbourne) tri-cocks for the water gauges. These each have three cocks (hence the name) enabling not only the usual blow-down of the water gauge, but also its isolation should a glass break.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: blue;">'Penryn' shows off her new plates. Urmston club carriage shed in the background.</span></i></span></div>
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Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-42570940392632218462019-04-19T19:27:00.000+01:002019-05-08T22:00:21.472+01:00A little trip 'out west'....On our various rail-based holidays with Great Rail, Ffestiniog Travel, and Rail Trail, I've had 'Inside Track' holidays recommended to me. They are reputed to be informal but excellently-run. So last week Chris and I decided to sample their 'Scilly & Cornish' holiday. The holiday was based in the lovely country-house Penventon Park Hotel on the outskirts of Redruth, but it started in Liskeard on Friday 12th April and finished in Plymouth on the following Tuesday.<br />
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Our younger daughter lives in Falmouth, so we were able to combine this short holiday with seeing her and her partner. We stayed with them the night before and the night following the holiday, thus extending our break and making for a relaxed rather than rushed journey down to the West Country and back. So Thursday 11th saw us on the 09:11 Virgin Pendolino to Euston, enjoying a pleasant breakfast in 1st class. We had a sandwich lunch in the first class lounge at Paddington, before boarding our early afternoon train to Redruth.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Chris makes the best of GWR's superb leather armchairs in 1st class on the HST. Enjoy it while you can!</i></span></div>
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We were lucky in getting one of the 'old' HSTs or High Speed Trains for our journey, as Great Western Railway has ordered new bi-mode 'Azuma' trains to replace the HSTs and these are notoriously uncomfortable compared to the old trains. Why are new trains the epitome of mediocrity? Why this step backwards in standards? I don't see car companies turning out vehicles which are inferior in comfort and ambiance to older models; quite the reverse. I suspect inept meddling by DfT civil servants in train procurement is the cause. Our railways are privatised in name only, of course. I think it's time that changed and the DfT backed out of stuff they don't understand.</div>
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The at-seat catering in 1st on GWR is complimentary sandwiches, snacks, and soft drinks, but the trolley comes around frequently. </div>
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It is possible to travel more directly between Cheshire and Cornwall via Birmingham and Bristol, but that entails using the awful Cross Country Railway 'Voyager' trains with their cramped seats even in 1st, poor first class standards, overcrowding (the trains are far too short for the routes they operate), lack of luggage space, and noisy underfloor engines. The actual journey time isn't much different, and I wanted to travel the West of England main line out of Paddington as it would be new to me, at least beyond Reading. I also found that 'Advance' first class tickets were cheaper via London than by Cross Country.</div>
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I was particularly keen to travel the scenic sea-wall route at Dawlish, between Exeter and Newton Abbot. </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Along the sea wall at Dawlish</i></span> </div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;"> When I was about seven years old we had a family holiday in Sheldon, Devon. I remember crossing t</span></i><i><span style="color: blue;">his bridge almost daily, over the river Teign between Sheldon and Teignmouth on our way to the beaches along the sea wall.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Leaving Plymouth, about to enter Cornwall</i></span> </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Brunel's magnificent Tamar Bridge at Plymouth, connecting Devon and Cornwall. The view of the bridge from the landward side has been obliterated by an ugly adjacent road bridge, opened in 1962.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The great man signed his work!</i></span></div>
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We were met at Redruth by our daughter and her partner and spent a lovely evening with them at their home near Falmouth. We dined at the nearby Norway Inn, so named because during the height of tin mining, Cornwall was almost denuded of trees for use as pit props so timber was imported from Norway and landed by the river here.</div>
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Even today it is notable that there are few really mature woodlands in the county, most trees being young and sparse.</div>
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One aim of this holiday is to travel the length of every passenger railway in Cornwall. Let's see if we achieve that.</div>
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Here's a dynamic map of Cornwall which may be useful to refer to when reading the blog:</div>
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<a href="http://www.mapmoose.com/maps/Cornwall.jpg"><span style="color: red;">MAP OF CORNWALL - CLICK ON IT TO ENLARGE</span></a></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">Next day, Friday, was the start of our holiday proper and we travelled from Truro to Liskeard by train (an awful Cross Country Voyager absolutely packed to the seams and then some!) to meet our tour guide and the others on the tour. Here, some heritage diesels have arrived at Liskeard from Bodmin for the leading class 47 to run-around its 'train' of two 'dead' locos so it could haul them to Long Rock depot at Penzance for a diesel gala the next day.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">This class 50 looks nice, but is not main-line cleared so has to be dragged by the class 47 to Long Rock</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">Coupling up - not a task I ever enjoyed when I did it as loco crew at MoSI</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Having met our tour guide and left our luggage on our coach, we travelled Liskeard to Looe and back via the switchback and delightful Looe branch line. Here is the river bridge at Looe.</i></span> </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The view from the class 150 diesel unit on the way back up to Liskeard from Looe</i></span> </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>We knew we could not avoid the new GWR 'Azuma' trains for long, and our first (above) took us from Liskeard to Par for the Newquay branch</i></span> </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The two coupled-together 'Azuma' units at Par which brought us from Liskeard. Running the 5-car units as two, to make a 10-car set, means there is no way from one unit to the other during travel.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>We travelled the Newquay Branch (also known as 'The Atlantic Coast Line') from its start at Par, to its terminus at Newquay on this diesel unit, seen at Newquay. It's not a particularly scenic line, running as it does through the China Clay-mining area of the county and originally built as a goods line. </i></span> </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>We leave on our coach for our hotel at Redruth. We had got onto the coach directly off the train at Newquay, "about the right amount of time to spend in Newquay", said our tour guide, Steve.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Saturday morning saw us at the Lappa Valley Railway, a 15" gauge line built on the track bed of the former Truro to Newquay line. The nearer loco is ex-Longleat Safari Park 'Muffin', built by David Curwen. The other loco is 'Ruby', an 'Exmoor' loco like those I used to drive at Rudyard Lake Railway.</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">Our coach, seen from the little train as we set off up the valley</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>This being a 'special' train run for our tour only before public services began on the railway, we were offered a 'run by'. We all (or most) got off, the train reversed out of sight round the bend, then ran past for a photo-shoot before returning to pick us up.</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UBmVwaDv0s&feature=youtu.be"><span style="color: red;">Run past video</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>East Wheel Rose Mine was the reason the original railway was built, as a horse-drawn tramway to take the ore to Newquay for shipment. The chimney is remote from the engine house as the ground adjacent was not firm enough to support it.</i></span> </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>A 10.25" line runs a further mile or so along the old track bed, from the mine. Here. the loco runs around its train.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>This was a busy main line railway until it closed under the Beeching axe in the early 1960s. During WW2 it was upgraded in case the alternative coastal route was damaged in air raids, and this bridge shows evidence of widening of the arch (note the brickwork on the stone, and the 'shoulder' in the end of the arch) to accommodate tanks on flat wagons.</i></span> </div>
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Our coach took us from the Lappa Valley to Bodmin for a trip on the Bodmin & Wenford railway.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Our loco, a Hunslet 0-6-0 'Austerity' saddle tank spent its working life with the NCB in South Wales</i></span> </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Lunch included - as were all meals on the holiday, and quite a few free bar tabs, too!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4m-vKuFGMU&feature=youtu.be"><span style="color: red;">Climbing back to Bodmin - video</span></a></i></span></div>
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Our coach took us from Bodmin to Par, where we caught a train to Cambourne (another Azuma!). Here we re-joined our coach to Trevano Farm for the Helston Railway, a short restored stretch of the former Gwinear Road to Helston branch.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Our brake van was propelled up the line by a diesel shunter. I stood on the front balcony of the brake van to get a good view of the line.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Others, including Chris, traveled inside where a pot-bellied stove kept things nice and toasty.</i></span> </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Our short train approaches Trevano station</i></span> </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The terminus, for now, is within sight of Helston. The typical Great Western platform shelter was built from scratch by the volunteers on the railway - as was the entire station!</i></span> </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Looking back from the over-bridge at Truthall Halt</i></span> </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The end of the line - for now!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Our coach took us back to the hotel</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Sunday morning dawned wet as we drove down to Penzance, past St Micheal's Mount</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>St Michael's Mount on a cold, wet, Sunday morning</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>At Penzance we took the diesel multiple unit (DMU - a Class 150) to St Ives, turning off the main line at St Erth where our driver picked up the single line token for the St Ives branch. </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Lovely beaches along this stretch of railway.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>We could either spend an hour each in St Ives and Truro, or two hours in Truro. As the weather was not particularly pleasant, we decided to stay on the train for its return trip to St Erth, from where we caught yet another 'Azuma' main line train to Truro, the only city in Cornwall. We had lunch there, then visited the rather lovely cathedral where an orchestra and choir were setting up for a rendition of St John's 'Passion'.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>We returned to our coach after lunch only to be transferred to a double decker bus, since we were now off to Malpas to join a boat for a cruise down the Carrick Roads to Falmouth and our coach was too long to negotiate the tight bends of the narrow twisty lane down to the boat. As it turned out, selfish drivers visiting the pub at Malpas for lunch had parked on double yellow lines and our bus could not get through! Steve, our guide, aided by a burly sailor from our boat, got the errant drivers out of the pub to shift their illegally-parked vehicles.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The vessel above is a bulk carrier stored in the river out of use, awaiting further work.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The weather was quite windy and there had been doubts as to whether our boat would sail, but it did, albeit on a rather 'lumpy' (the Captain's description) river estuary. Here is the King Harry Ferry which crosses the river at Mylor, providing an alternative for motorists to a 30+ mile drive around the estuary.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The ferry landing on the west side of the river</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">The 'King Harry' is a chain ferry, and as soon as we had passed, it commenced its crossing of the river</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The young la<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">ds manning this sail training ship were having a hard time in the strong winds! [EDIT: thanks to a friend, this boat is now identified as the </span></i></span><span style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Eda Fransen, on which one can book sailing holidays].</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Our boat had a bar, and once again Steve our tour leader was 'in the chair'. I took my large (very large!) G&T up 'on top' with me to help keep me warm.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5AdoF9f7v8Bf3CoXDe9ZyVT2N6OZHDpXI1MWyL3WxISjqMAMPeeIo9cQkwFsvg1LzQ9S467_dh6kcm-eIrZiLdHG02Rs_Nc2j30zbeIjXc07FKBdyvNKmdHk1d0RO0h7qDdBHX9WGNaI/s1600/IMG_9122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5AdoF9f7v8Bf3CoXDe9ZyVT2N6OZHDpXI1MWyL3WxISjqMAMPeeIo9cQkwFsvg1LzQ9S467_dh6kcm-eIrZiLdHG02Rs_Nc2j30zbeIjXc07FKBdyvNKmdHk1d0RO0h7qDdBHX9WGNaI/s400/IMG_9122.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">One of many substantial mansions on the shores of the Carrick Roads</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82DI6OQyyDtJwjgbYuNcwnq2rGiswmCi3cvD07CrXDpUNg3Ruuq3C_VhPazKh2cPS_oBOJZI3_AeCoqr2nxklFzfNOxReWmL9XXNfOiokc7LyDWp7J25DUJ6jiU8j4b3e_yWuxCUDgXQ/s1600/IMG_9128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82DI6OQyyDtJwjgbYuNcwnq2rGiswmCi3cvD07CrXDpUNg3Ruuq3C_VhPazKh2cPS_oBOJZI3_AeCoqr2nxklFzfNOxReWmL9XXNfOiokc7LyDWp7J25DUJ6jiU8j4b3e_yWuxCUDgXQ/s400/IMG_9128.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>At </i></span><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">about 05:40 on</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"> </span></span></i><span style="color: blue;"><i>18th December 2018 this Russian cargo ship, </i></span><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">The Kuzma Minin, grounded off Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth. She was successfully re-floated and moored in the Carrick Roads, but immediately impounded for failing many safety checks. She is now sold for scrap and awaits her fate. </span></span></i><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Falmouth in sight. It was quite rough, and I was alone in venturing out onto the open cabin roof!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRm21Pe1AAg&feature=youtu.be"><span style="color: red;">Video of the approach to Falmouth on the boat</span></a></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Safely moored in Falmouth Harbour</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Next stop was the excellent national Maritime Museum in Falmouth. After this we made our way to Falmouth Town station for the Class 50 DMU to make the short hop to Falmouth Harbour station (so we will have completed the entire Falmouth Branch line) and stayed aboard to return through Falmouth Town to the branch's terminus in Truro from where our coach took us back to the Peventon Park Hotel.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Monday the 15th April was to have been the highlight of the holiday - a flight to St Mary's on Scilly and a visit to Tresco. But it wasn't to be. An early start got us to Lands End Airport in good time, driving though heavy rain and wind, but this is as far as we got. A Britten Norman Islander and a dH Twin Otter on the wet apron at Lands End.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>We might have made it to Scilly, but more bad weather was forecast for later in the day and we probably would not have made it back. Skybus, the airline that runs the service, was only flying customers who were staying on the islands, not day trippers. However, one must hand it to our tour company, Inside Track. At this point they could have just given us a 'free day' somewhere, driven us there, and picked us up later. Instead, Steve was busy on his phone and soon we were on our way to the Eden Project.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Eden Project's geodetic domes occupy an old clay pit. The front had gone though and the weather was dry for this visit. The 'rain forest' dome in particular was interesting - and hot and humid!</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Steve's phone did not get much respite! He, with coach driver John's help and local knowledge, had organised a lovely buffet lunch in a pub near the Eden Project, with a free bar tab as well! More 'Proper Job'! Excellent!</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>This part of Cornwall was once littered with conical waste tips from the China Clay mines. They were brilliant white, and known as 'the Cornish Alps'. These days, following the Aberfan disaster in South Wales, most have been flattened to minimise the chance of land slips, but this one remains and even has a preservation order on it! Vegetation growth has toned-down the once brilliant white appearance.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Next on Steve's 'instant itinerary' for today was Wheal Martyn, a one-time China Clay mine but now a museum. Our guide showed us around, and as he was recovering from a broken leg we thought following him would be a doddle. Not So! Years of working in this mine meant he scuttled up steep slopes as if they didn't exist! But his 'patter' was first rate as one would expect from a real ex-China Clay mine worker. </i></span><span style="color: blue;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>In the video below, note the 'ballast weight'. The wheel is driving a pump, and the ballast weight is raised by the water wheel during the return stroke of the pump, and its descent aids the water wheel on the power stroke of the pump.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va-GYV4afTM&feature=youtu.be"><span style="color: red;">Water wheel video</span></a></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>At the top of the ridge one could see into a still-working China Clay pit</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Next stop was Marizion in our coach to visit a model railway. By now the second front had arrived (the one which would have prevented our return from Scilly) and it was bucketing down. Steve divided us into two groups as the model railway premises was quite small, the first group to wait in a rather cosy pub for our turn to visit the model railway. Again Steve had set up a bar tab.... Well, we never actually made it to the model railway, but the Proper Job went down very well! Cheers Steve!</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>As if to mock us for yesterday's appalling weather, our last day dawned warm and sunny. We set off in our coach to Bodmin Moor where we stopped for coffee at the Jamaica Inn, made famous by Daphne Du Maurier's novel about Cornish smugglers. Continuing on, we arrived at the Launceston Steam Railway, a 2-foot gauge line built on part of the track bed of the long closed North Cornwall Line.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>The LSR was started by Nigel Bowman and his wife Kay. Nigel had acquired Quarry Hunslet locomotive 'Lillian' from the Penrhyn slate quarries in North Wales and had restored her. Lillian and sister locomotive 'Covertcoat' are resident at the LSR and our loco on Tuesday was 'Covertcoat'. I have a 5" gauge live steam model of a Penrhyn Quarry Hunslet so I was delighted to get a footplate ride on 'Covertcoat' during our visit.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>'Covertcoat' running around her train at the far end of the line</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZntyrQ97ckNKgby7Xwi8r2fY85rEYyCA0uzHA-Nx_3p6a6rxAMK7Mzj4_WXa7tcnd7V8RlAk65_jcs0_8W300QKMfQH_gFkZd2Nk9-dLOKO_dUzbPlavkY3iL5-_bqtiTbAdUDcbLF6U/s1600/IMG_9161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZntyrQ97ckNKgby7Xwi8r2fY85rEYyCA0uzHA-Nx_3p6a6rxAMK7Mzj4_WXa7tcnd7V8RlAk65_jcs0_8W300QKMfQH_gFkZd2Nk9-dLOKO_dUzbPlavkY3iL5-_bqtiTbAdUDcbLF6U/s400/IMG_9161.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>We travelled up the line immediately behind 'Covertcoat', so on he way back we had a nice view back along the line</i></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GvjCpG5q8M&feature=youtu.be"><span style="color: red;">Video of Covertcoat run-by</span></a></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLxbFkU4k0A&feature=youtu.be"><span style="color: red;">Video of footplate ride on Covertcoat</span></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiId09vNzgaXFdaYp5rD8SBSIpfiK0pRkOuf_EtLlXJ8G5pNdPiFTFZCei_1eEQrLcnzoHemFlyerfFz47fExgpEtTuNjX6y-R0FlLbjiPLe1TTFi1ds1DFUa7RFFSYQNLGjalubT6Wz5w/s1600/IMG_9164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiId09vNzgaXFdaYp5rD8SBSIpfiK0pRkOuf_EtLlXJ8G5pNdPiFTFZCei_1eEQrLcnzoHemFlyerfFz47fExgpEtTuNjX6y-R0FlLbjiPLe1TTFi1ds1DFUa7RFFSYQNLGjalubT6Wz5w/s400/IMG_9164.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>'Lillian', like my model Quarry Hunslet, has an open footplate.Here she is in Launceston shed.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Lillian's flight deck; just like my model!</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlfWS7Edn840Hx1ecEfPRXnkWLzd88QPb2wt0Qha7_5OD9t8nT-Zp7_Foej5RyeZjPDjJPs9zYREhGBaFbKMtHlzOmAUwA6MVlHaubUK9eptxnmBCyXpoiQ_lsCxapsINHicL_-quHf4/s1600/IMG_9004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1211" data-original-width="1600" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlfWS7Edn840Hx1ecEfPRXnkWLzd88QPb2wt0Qha7_5OD9t8nT-Zp7_Foej5RyeZjPDjJPs9zYREhGBaFbKMtHlzOmAUwA6MVlHaubUK9eptxnmBCyXpoiQ_lsCxapsINHicL_-quHf4/s400/IMG_9004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: blue;"><i>My 5" gauge Quarry Hunslet</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>This vertical-boilered loco was buoilt for a challenge to see if it could be done for less than £1,000. They almost did (it cost just a little more!).</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>On leaving the LSR our coach took us to Gunnislake for our final Cornish branch line, the Gunnislake branch from Plymouth. We said our goodbyes to coach driver John before boarding the inevitable Class 150 DMU for Plymouth. </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>Here </i></span><span style="color: blue;"><i>crossing Calstock Viaduct over the river Tamar into Devon as we rattle down to Plymouth and the end of our brief holiday in Cornwall - in Devon!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>And yes! We DID travel on every mile of every passenger railway in the county!</i></span><br />
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We said our goodbyes to Steve and the rest of our group. While they made their way east and homeward, we went west back into Cornwall on yet another Azuma train, to Truro for a final night with our daughter and her partner. They had booked us into the delightful 'Pandora Inn' on a river creek near Falmouth for an end-of-holiday meal - a super finale to a super week in the West Country.<br />
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And the final delight..... Our train home next morning from Redruth to Paddington was NOT an Azuma - it was a delightful old HST with those lovely leather first class arm chairs! HSTs may be old, but they still hustle along at 125mph and have better performance on these non-electrified lines than the new Azumas! Ours ran Plymouth to Paddington non-stop save for a stop at Exeter and Reading.</div>
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A very full (even in 1st class) 16:40 Pendolino whisked us home from London. Steve wasn't 'in the chair' of course, but Virgin trains were just as generous with the G&Ts!</div>
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Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-12503663097365241232019-03-31T19:38:00.001+01:002019-03-31T21:10:04.473+01:00The latest loco in the fleet<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Here's the latest member of my miniature locomotive fleet (for now!). It's a 5" gauge model of a 'Large Penrhyn' Quarry Hunslet, and has replaced the Fowler locomotive 'The Wildfowler'.</div>
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This model is of the 'Large Penrhyn' type of Quarry Hunslet, and was built in 2009 by Alan Green, a master model engineer and fellow member of Urmston model engineer club, where we run the locos. It is named 'Samuel' after Alan's grandson, but I intend to rename it, probably to 'Penrhyn' as I <span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">am not particularly attracted to the names of any of the 'full size' locos of this type (they are far less numerous than the smaller 'Alice' class quarry Hunslets, or the similar sized 'Port' class)..</span></div>
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The loco is just over four feet long and weighs about 250 pounds!</div>
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The locomotive is a tribute to Alan's engineering skill (he is an ex-Metro Vickers professional engineer; their top apprentice in 1952). It is an absolute work of art and it's a privilege to own it).</div>
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Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-70415052097722949432019-03-10T21:34:00.003+00:002019-03-10T21:42:20.040+00:00This is just delightful....In my experience this rings true.<br />
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The best non-pilot 'pilots' I took flying were young girls like this. They have no pre-conceived ideas, and they don't treat it like driving a car (it isn't!). </div>
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And the scene in the video where she runs her hand along the leading edge of the wing..... you know she's thinking 'wings are very very special'. And of course, they are. </div>
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Understand the wing, and you understand flight.</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2LfuVa94uE"><span style="color: magenta;">CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO!</span></a></div>
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Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-17628395024915376582019-02-20T19:24:00.004+00:002019-02-20T19:54:55.816+00:00A run out to MLS, by a rather indirect route....<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Wednesday is Manchester Locomotive Society (MLS) day and though I don't go every Wednesday, I decided it was time for a little run out by train using my 'Northern' pass, so went to the club rooms on Stockport Station by a slightly indirect route.</div>
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I cycled down to Wilmslow station and tied up my steed (no parking problems with a bicycle) in time to see a Northern 323 Crewe to Liverpool Lime Street was due, so boarded that. It was a lengthy journey - it stopped at EVERY station on the way, including little-used Styal. It reversed at the Airport, emptied and filled again at Manchester Piccadilly and Oxford Road, before heading out over Chat Moss. It even stopped at places I'd never noticed before, such as Roby!</div>
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Through Olive Mount Cutting, Wavertree, and Edge Hill we snaked, and finally drew into the recently refurbished Lime Street.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><i>A 'Northern' class 323 electric unit</i></span><span style="color: #1c1e21;">, </span><i><span style="color: blue;">one of which took me to Lime St this morning.</span></i></div>
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Now where? The journey had taken from 09:46 to 11:30 or thereabouts, so the day was rapidly getting used up. What I needed was quick whizz back to Stockport and the MLS club rooms. I couldn't find any destination indicator on the main concourse at Lime Street, only individual ones for each platform, but I didn't need one; the only quick way back to Stockport would be by an East Midlands train to Norwich, and on the far side of the station I espied that distinctive livery. Of course, my 'Northern' pass would not be valid, but I have yet to find that a problem!</div>
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The four-car 158 was due out at 11:52 but was still being prepared, with some passengers waiting to board. About ten minutes before departure, the doors were unlocked, and I found the Train Manager, showed him my pass and asked if I could ride as far as Stockport... "of course you can !".</div>
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The journey back was by the Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC) route via Liverpool South Parkway, Widnes, and Warrington stopping only at those places, then Oxford Road and Piccadilly, before arriving in Stockport about an hour after leaving Liverpool. On the way we'd sped through Chassen Road station at about 70mph, the station adjacent to Abbotsfield park home of our Urmston & District Model Engineering Society club railway track.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: blue;">East Midlands Trains class 158, my fast transit from Lime St to Stockport. The one I used comprised two of these units coupled into a 4-car train.</span></i></span></div>
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Just time for a quick visit to the MLS club rooms; a cup of tea, a biscuit, a chat to a few members, pick up my club 'Mancunian' magazine, then back out onto platform 1 for the 13:16 to Crewe, a 'Northern' class 319 ex-Thameslink unit (that south east line now enjoying new replacement units - of course!).</div>
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I found one of only two seats in the 319 with a good window view (there are only two such seats in the entire train - one facing in each direction) and enjoyed a scenic run through the verdant Cheshire countryside down to Crewe, stopping at all stations. The return journey in the same unit, about twenty minutes after arriving in Crewe, ran non-stop Holmes Chapel to Alderley Edge, missing the Goostrey and Chelford stops.</div>
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I left the train at Wilmslow, my jolly by train ending pretty much where i came in; the 319 would continue to Lime Street as an all stations stopper, the same diagram as my first train this morning.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: blue;">'Northern' class 319, ex-Thameslink cast-off. which took me Stockport to Crewe and back to Wilmslow.</span></i></span></div>
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Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722639571256284211.post-64176244665480987422019-01-21T22:07:00.001+00:002019-01-21T22:07:13.594+00:00The 4MT sees its first fire!<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
I took the new 4MT Standard Class Tank loco to Urmston club on Sunday for its hydraulic and steam test, and to see how it runs.</div>
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It passed both tests with no issues at all. A few teething troubles were revealed on running it, but once those are put right under warranty I think it has the potential to be a superb locomotive.</div>
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The pictures tell the story. </div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">On the 'arrival' table at Urmston club. This can be raised or lowered by compressed air to suit the height of one's car load area. </span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"> </span><span style="color: blue;"><i>The flight deck</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"> </span><i><span style="color: blue;">On the prep bay. I'm replacing the two safety valves with one blanking plug and one blanking plug with a connection to 'Boiler' Bob's (standing next to me) calibrated pump and pressure gauge (behind the loco).</span></i></div>
<br style="color: #1c1e21;" /><span style="color: #1c1e21;">I have filled the boiler to the brim with water, and Bob will pressurise it to 1.5 times working pressure (135 psi for a working pressure of 90 psi). If it should fail (which it won't as it has a manufacturer's shell test certificate to twice working pressure) there will be no explosion, water being incompressible.</span><div style="color: #1d2129;">
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"> </span><i><span style="color: blue;">With its door open so Bob can check the front of the boiler for hydraulic leaks, here's a look into the smoke box. </span></i></div>
<br style="color: #1c1e21;" /><span style="color: #1c1e21;">The blast pipe is in the foreground (the exhaust steam from the cylinders exits her to blast up the chimney), below the skirt of the chimney petticoat. The two big copper pipes exiting the sides of the smoke box are the superheated steam feeds to each of the two cylinders from the s</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1c1e21; display: inline;">uperheater header.<br /><br />In the background is the the front tube plate of the boiler showing the boiler flue tubes that run through the water space from the firebox at the back of the boiler.<br /><br />The partial vacuum formed in the smoke box by the blast pipe is what draws the hot flue gasses through the boiler tubes and draws the fire to almost white heat when the loco is working hard.<br /><br />The small copper pipe into the side of the blast pipe feeds boiler steam to the blower, controlled from the cab this gives a blast up the chimney to draw the fire when the loco is not on the move.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">The steam test followed the hydraulic test. This ensures that the boiler has at least two methods of getting water into it (the 4MT has a live steam injector, a hand pump, and an axle pump) and that with full blower to give a maximum fire the safety valves blow off at or just before working pressure is reached, and can dissipate the steam at a rate that holds the boiler pressure within the limit.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline;">
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<i><span style="color: blue;">After I'd driven the loco around the track a few times 'Boiler' Bob has a go, watched by Malc. Loco blowing off healthily through both safety valves!</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: blue;">The 4MT in its element - albeit on the short Urmston track.</span></i></span><br style="color: #1c1e21; text-align: left;" /></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Note that the cylinder drain cocks have not fully closed hence the steam from the front end, one of several 'teething' faults to be addressed before we take her out on the main track.</span></div>
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Vince Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09574535415334583121noreply@blogger.com0