G'day Captain Tom and fellow travelers at the bar!
Ruth, I have a powerful thirst and am hankerin' for something wet! Hmmmmmmm - oh yeah, a frosty mug of Schaefer if you please!
Miss one day and it doesn't appear as if I've missed all that much! However, there was some fine material shared since my last visit and all appears well at the Bar by the Ballast (our latest reference to the bar, thanks to Nick in West Wales!).
I too would have thought that "Tom's Blasts from the Past!" would surely have shaken the tree quite vigorously and had Left Coast Dave amongst us. But, didn't happen - yet. There IS a time zone difference - or is that a "warp" when one is talking about California Also - thought 20 Fingers Al was supposed to be back with us this week. On again, off again . . .
Yanks clinched! Yanks clinched! Sort of a "back into" affair - but with that lead, can't take anything away from our 2nd winnAH in NYC! to the Pinstripes from the Bronx!
Nice URls, Pete - Irish rail is an interesting set and one could easily get immersed in those sites. Did I catch a reference to your return to the old sod once again Pleasure, I hope. Perhaps you can get us a good deal on a London to Glasgow rail sojourn for a Rendezvous - with free air fare thrown in!
Good to see ya "bookend" of mine - BK - and hope all is well in Alberta. Noted that your former leader has resigned - just caught a bit of news - 13 years as the boss. That's quite a long time for an elected official in any land. So, when is the next voyage Noted your comment about a possible foray to GB - are you also going to make it to Sweden on that trip
Appreciate the e-mails from those of you who give a Rat's Patoot - thanx!
I should make special mention of Captain Tom's fine layout - and I am really looking forward to viewing it come this spring at the Rendezvous. Now with the news of a "beer fridge," well that's just added topping to what should be a fine desert! Great trainroom and perhaps once I log a few hours in it, I'll return to my digs and begin one of my own. Yeah right - and King Kong will return to the Empire State Building!
Nick, someone needs to furnish you with a large bar of Octagon soap for that potty mouth reference! You'd think we're a bunch of sailors in a bar with those inuendos and such!
Hang in there Doug and Rob - your work schedules are overtaking the fun you are missing here at the bar!
I hear the Mrs. bellowing, ooooops - beckoning my name - so I'll have one "quickie" Ruth my deAH, then I'm outta here!
Boris, ring the bell, a round on the Larsman!
Until the next time!
Lars
Tom's Blast from the Past!
PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #67
from page 239Here’s something to enjoy regarding the Southern Pacific (SP) from a 1948 advertisement in my personal collection. On your S.P trip to California See twice as much for the same rail fare Go one way – return another Here’s an exciting travel bargain for your California trip: South Pacific offers you four routes. Choose one S.P. route to California, a different S.P. route returning, and you’ll see twice as much for the same roundtrip rail fare from most points! You’ll ride on some of these famous trains: Our Sunset Limited and Argonaut, via romantic New Orleans to Los Angeles across the great Southwest (Sunset Route). Our new Golden State, 45-hour extra fast, extra fare streamliner, and our Imperial, Chicago to Los Angeles (Golden State Route). Our sleek 50 ¾ hour extra fare streamliner City of San Francisco, and our Overland, Chicago to San Francisco via spectacular Salt Lake and Reno (Overland Route). And our Cascade and Beaver through the evergreen Northwest (Shasta Route). And on your 470 mile scenic trip between Los Angeles and San Francisco you have our exciting streamlined Daylights and our famous all-Pullman streamlined Lark that the movie stars ride. Send for the guidebook to plan with. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S*P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The friendly Southern Pacific . . . . Enjoy! Tom
Hi Tom and all.
I'll have a couple of Bathams to keep Tilla ticking over please RUTH and can you save me some of NICK"S Fish 'n' Chips for later.
DOUG Good to see you in.Hope those long, long days are over soon.
NICK I had not made the connection with the S&D and the Isle of Sodor before. I think you could well be right though, I had a look on a S&D web site and there were some Midland Railway class 3F 0-6-0 'Jinty' tank engines delivered.to the SDJR in 1929. I have not been able to find out if these were in Prussian Blue but it is very possible they were. A dead ringer for Thomas the Tank.
I have some links to some Irish Railway photos.
http://northernirelandtransportphotos.fotopic.net/
http://irishrailwayimages.fotopic.net/
http://nirailwayphotos.fotopic.net/
There is some pics of the new Irish DMUs.
BK. Come and have a lager with me. Hopefully the newcomers are reading the posts and will be calling in again soon.
TOM.Looking forward to Nicks photo's.Great news about the Beer Fridge.
Another great Blast From the Past. I dont suppose any passenger train travels 51 miles through Mexico on the way to Los Angeles nowadays like the SP Imperial did in 1946 . Perhaps DAVE will give some details of the SP through Mexico, I suppose the Imperial used SP locos during the ride over Mexican rails.
I am quite looking forward to seeing the UP diesel which is going to be painted in SP heritage livery,although it will have to be a photo, as I doubt if the loco will be in this area.
I 'll have another Bathams and do some outside chores now as the wind is picking up and they have forecast rain here.
Pete.
Good Afternoon Captain Tom and all assembled!
Ruth, it surely does not appear that we have an assembled lot today. No matter, I shall have a number three and a stein of whatever lager is convenient.
When accessing this thread, I noted an "old friend" who is on the forum - but not here. Bolsters what I said and provided a week or so ago. Rather odd, not to drop by and even moreso to have departed without so much as an adieu. Takes all kinds.
Thought we would have some repeat visits from the two newcomers by now, but perhaps that is expecting too much. Interesting how when one is retired, there is a propensity to look at others as if they have all the time in the world to do this or that. <grin> Oh how quickly one forgets what it is like to be gainfully and fully employed!
Nice "blast from the past" Captain Tom! Maybe it will get West Coast Dave out from wherever they have him sequestered. I recall reading something about his being restricted to the base, or something like that. He did not provide elaboration. If Southern Pacific does not get him here today, I dare say, nothing will. <grin>
Enjoyed reading the comments from Pete - Rob - Nick and Doug, as always! Let's hope that our military in either country ever gets to the dire straits shown in that 'funny' of yours, Doug!
Saw Shell and Esso at 93.9 a litre the other day. So multiply that by 4 (actually 3.79) to get an idea of what we pay for that liquid gold.
This surely must be a holiday, for it is as quiet as I have ever seen it. Time for a nap!
BK in Alberta, Canada's beautiful high mountain country!
G’day Gents!
A late start for me – but it doesn’t appear that anyone has been around since Doug’s very early morning Post! So, I haven’t missed a thing – and apparently neither have YOU!
Petrol up at “Collusion Corner” is at $2.26 (rounded) – a perplexing sign in that world oil prices have dropped considerably, but the pump prices are rising. Just last week they were under $2.10 a gallon. Go figger that . . .
Hang in there Doug! Wondering if you’ve considered renting that condo – at least until you can see a bit of daylight Perhaps we could use it as an “annex” – hmmmmm, come closin’ time, that neighbor of yours just might have his hands full with the likes of the Track Gangs, Boris and Leon!
My late nite ‘catch up’ Post pretty much did that very thing – so I await some business!
Ruth, take a break and I’ll watch the bar for an hour or so . . . .
Later!
Tom
Good morning Tom and all. I'll have a quick light breakfast and skee-daddle, but I didn't want to miss another day of not dropping in. Two-Jobs-Doug leaves around 5am and gets home about 10pm these days. The bride has ordered a workless-Saturday, which means I will only be working on the farm instead of somewhere else. Great theme-day stuff guys, and pleasant bar-banter yesterday. I finally figured out why many of the pix here don't fully enlarge. They are the "sized" versions at the URLs! Yuck!
Make a great day, and see ya'll soon!
Military cutbacks
Well-I have formed a photobucket account and loaded up some pix-now all I have to do is work out how to get them here-the rest of you seem to have no trouble so I`m sure it is not beyond the wit of mortal man-but a couple of hints would`nt hurt.......have checked out the F.A.Q`s here and they are no help at all ,likewise the photobucket site ">
Evenin gents(and Lydia of course)-a round of fine foaming ales for all present,glad you all enjoyed the whirlwind tour of U.K. rail-apologies for the rather vague and dateless nature of my submission,but having wandered in after a few days absense it was thrown together on the fly,as it were,without access to any reference materials-so-ROB thanks for heads -up R.E C.N Zebra stripes-at risk of extreme cheekiness,could you furnish any ball-park dates ??-agree that the green variants were the class act but that red & Zebra combo has an impact long lacking over here
TOM-A visit to your train room is always a bright spot in the day,the Can-Am is looking well and the S-capades very fine indeed -so tell me-are you still enjoying the tail chasing (behave you lot...) something very soothing about watching a favoured consist gently passing by again and again-the click of the rail joints,the whirr of the motor.......................the memories of journeys past.
PETE-chitterlins are to pigs small intestines what Haggis is to sheeps stomachs-nuff said.-not a footie man meself but saturday tea-time in autumn without the rugby scores & match reports would be a strange thing indeed. The only street running I can call to mind is Wexford Town,which we have mentioned before and is not strictly in the U.K.
S&D was indeed steam to the last-Evening Star,a beautiful machine--I have a pet theory that the Rev. W Awdry based Thomas`s isle of Sodor,with royal blue locos & salmon pink coaches (look at the original artwork ) on the SOmerset & DORset line-the geography fits as well-enough,I`m rambling
CM3-Prescott is as much,if not more,of an embarrassment to us as the Duke of Edinburgh-I am sure he has only been kept on as a dis-incentive to those who would otherwise take out the idiot Blair-I seem to recall some V.P`s in your own recent history who have served similar functions................
Well-I have formed a photobucket account and loaded up some pix-now all I have to do is work out how to get them here-the rest of you seem to have no trouble so I`m sure it is not beyond the wit of mortal man-but a couple of hints would`nt hurt.......have checked out the F.A.Q`s here and they are no help at all ,likewise the photobucket site
Ah well-off to have another stab at it. See you all for F&C night tomorrow,apologies to anyone I`ve missed
take care,nick
Can I have a Bathams that BK offered on ROB's tab RUTH and a bacon roll if there is any left.
First to CMSTPP.
A great finish to the BR day with NICK's Somerset and Dorset post. a true favourite line in the hearts of many a UK enthusiast.I have read recently that the line stayed steam worked until the end. Another line that owes it demise to a regional take over. In the last years of the S&D the freight class 9F 2-10-0 locos were used with great success on the heavy summer Saturday trains over the Mendips hills. I believe the last Pines Express over the S&D was hauled by 9F #92220" Evening Star" the last steam loco built by BR. To think some of these fine locomotives had a life of less than 5 years barely run in and probably Britains best ever freight loco. .
Thanks for the info on COPPERKETTLE.
MIKE Great links. Can you imagine that the Euston Arch was demolished, although the Curzon Street in Birmingham still stands, I believe there is some doubt as to its future, if I find out more I will post it.
On the pic of the PLA diesel-electric switcher just below the radiator is a BTH logo meaning the electrical Equipment was supplied by the works I was at in Rugby.
Loved the pic of Metropolitan Metro-Vick electric loco #1 John Lyon. London Transport kept one of these locos in working order #12 Sarah Siddons, a few jears ago I went on a special which travelled the ex MET overground lines in the North West of London. There was also a loco of this class named Sherlock Holmes. At the end of their service a number of these locos were at Rugby awaiting the journey to the scrapyard I suppose, why they were at Rugby or where they went to I dont know. Perhaps someone knows and perhaps has some pics.
Many thanks for that Transport Archive link, fantastic pics of the GC being built, although the scenes of the line after it closed are sad, I have walked quite a few miles along the trackbed, In the pic#599 showing the bridge over the Oxford Canal at Rugby when first built, nowadays just one of the large brick pier survives mostly covered by vegitation.
CM3 Loved the song titles, what are chitlins.
Glad you liked the GC post thanks.
Sherlock Holmes adventures did involve a lot of railtravel, in the story of The Bruce Partington Plans it is a marvellous description of London Underground when it was still steam worked. Did the TV series on Sherlock Holmes which starred Jeremy Brett show over here. IMHO he portrayed the Holmes I pictured when I read the Books.
BK Yes it is indeed a privilege to see the CAN-AM. at the re-union I would think that a good amount of time will be spent there. I too am looking forward to Eric's return, I think he was going to go to the Swedish 150 railway celebrations it will be great to get the details and hopefully some pics.
ROB Great to see you in after the midnight shifts. Looking forward to the Canadian Passenger theme next week.
Thanks for the info on the CSR and Peanut line interchange. There is still here in Jeff City a part of a freight line that runs down the center of the street that is used most nights. I can't think of any where in the Uk where this happens now.
TOM Great pic of the CAN-AM. I bet it is great to see those snow covered hills when it it is nearly 100F outside..
Thanks for the link to the Johnny Most commentary. I must admit I still prefer the radio to listen to the Soccer commentary rather than TV. I can get the matches on the puter from the UK, they are from the regional stations so it is a biased commentary, you generally can choose which teams commentary you want. It is a wonderful feeling when I lived in over England, on a cold dark and wet winters night to have just the light from the gas fire and listen to a evening match on the radio with a beer.
Good afternoon Ruth if there is any room left on my maxed line of credit ( thanks to BK's buying of rounds ) I'll have a Keith's and a number 3. What is to say but this latest week of midnights is killing me should be the last one for a while however
Yesterday was a wonderfull outlay of Brit Rail chat and pictures 5x for BK , Tom , Lars , Nick , & Pete.Like CM3 I was a passeneger instead of a submitter, but I learned a great deal thanks folks, for making another fine fine theme day. Speacial 's to DL ,& James.Not only did both of you pop by as you promissed but you also added into with fine contributions of your own.
Next tuesday should be a gem of a theme day as well. I may be able to scare something up
Tom-Some fine shots of your fine dabblings in the world of MR 5x for your efforts sir. Just missing the garden and Zor N to make your efforts complete.
Pete-I don't have any shots of the junction with the CSR and the peanut line. I've never actually been into Cornwall. The street railway folded in 1971 ( freight only from late 50's to 71 ) My understanding is that it was similar to the NS&T and CN intercahnge in Merriton On ( St Catharines ) with the Street railway pulling in behind the station into a yard. The yard lead and several of the yard tracks had catenery strung over them as both the street railway and the CPR were standard guage.Also to you inquery on railway as opposed to railroad. Mostly a regional thing. In Canada most are railways , where as in the US they are Railroads.Not a hard and fast rule but seems to be the case.Some company names sound better when said with the word railway instead of railroad. One of those odd semantic things.
Rob
Good Morning Barkeep and All Present; coffee, please; round for the house and $ for the jukebox. Let’s see, we’ll play some old favorites: “If the Phone Don’t Ring, You’ll Know It’s Me;” “You’re The Reason Our Kids Are So Ugly,” and one of Boris’s all timers, “I’ve Had a Churnful of Chitlins and a Belly Full of You.”
My goodness, it was fun logging into the forum this a.m. It’s acting like George McClellan when he commanded the Army of the Potomac and had a bad case of “the slows.”
Lots of great material yesterday and thanks to everyone. I really could not contribute much, but I sure learned a lot.
Nick – Somerset and Dorset post was informative. BTW, Prescott’s Conquest of Mexico and Conquest of Peru are better than any !@##$ novel. I agree with you about the names.
Mike provided a raft of URLs and commentary. The two volume edition Annotated Sherlock Holmes has a raft of material on Holmes and the railways if you’re not familiar with those books.
Pete – Thanks for the GC material – fascinating stuff.
Lars – Pictures, comments and the Mets. I know they’re in, now you have to sit back and wait for awhile.
BK – all sorts of livery/paint information.
Tom provided lots of pictures and information for us to read and digest. Bob Cousy? All right! Now, I’ll give you another you may remember. Radio broadcasts of Celtics games from “High above courtside,” by Johnny Most, an unabashed home team rooter if there ever was one. Used to listen to him on the old RCA radio (with tubes, yet!)
Warning Will Robinson! Tech talk, tech talk for our 'steamed prorietor. If you don't want to read this stuff, skip to the next paragraph, which has lots of rr-stuff!
Tom: If you have your material electronically formatted already. You can do a lot of tranfer work with Word once you deal with its conventions. IIRC, you didn't mention what format(s) you have available to you, but I have put a lot of my stuff on CD and backed it up remotely as well. Sybex has published several books under the general heading on "Mastering Office" which have a lot of screen captures and real world examples of this sort of activity. I have, in addition, esepcially with my locomotive rosters and lcomotive tech notes, done a lot by using OCR and working with it after it's scanned; this has also been especially useful for law and reg stuff at work which we use a lot. It does. however, sometimes take a bit of cleanup after you scan it, but it's a lot easier than retyping everyting
B4 I forget (age, you know!), a big welcome to both DL and James.
I can see we’re going to have some interesting fun with Canadian material. I assume we can do something with interline service on this day; for example, B&M, CV, D&H, and NYNH&H handling cars to and from Canada.
Herewith a couple of more short lines from the southern U.S.
Chattahoochee Industrial Railroad. You may remember their boxcars which carried the slogan, “Better by a Dam Site.” Back abt. 40 years go, they had another slogan which I think is a good one as well, “Connecting the lower Chattahoochee Valley with the Nation’s Rail Transportation System.” They were based out of Cedar Spring, GA and connected with the C of G at Hilton, GA and with the SCL at Saffold, GA.
Then we have the Cape Fear Railways, Inc. at Ft. Bragg NC; they prided themselves (for obvious reasons) on providing “Special Train Service at All Hours.” They operated 2 miles between Ft. Bragg and Ft. Junction, NC; and 9 miles between Ft. Bragg and Skibo. Connections with the SCL were at Ft. Junction, and with the Aberdeen and Rockfish at Aberdeen, and the (real) Norfolk Southern at Aberdeen or Fayetteville, NC.
Work safe
P.S. Don’t know whether I will drop by tomorrow or not; it’s going to be cold, so they have decided we get to go out and play in the mud and dirt for awhile.
Catch up again-TOM -fine pix of Brit steam,LARS-have read both of Hendry`s volumes shown and some very fine modelling detail-highly recommended for anyone contemplating a foray into western region/GWR modellingto both
Hey MIKE-you sneaked in behind me-how does it go-" She loves you yeah,yeah,yeah,she loves you ,yeah yeah yeah yeah will check out the links in the a.m
nick
Well a big hello to all at the `Bar by the ballast` (how many more synonyms & alliterations can there be ??)-welcome back ROB and PASSENGER FAN AL and to the new faces at the bar-pull up a stool the drinks are on-well- ROB actually .
Right,I`ll start with sunday pix `cos were not gonna live forever-DOUG -nice shots of Woodstock,looks like a fine place to live-the railway device is quite obviously a double sided off-set hoople gromit polisher and,as any fan of Dr Seuss will tell you,comes in all sizes from double ought to 14H and are often ( but not always) larger than each other-glad we got that settled...........
O.K,beer for the company-to avoid contentious debate R.E. the relative merits of British,American & Canadian ales,might I recommend Staropramen fine Prague lager to one and all..?
TOM & ROB-A delightful selection of VIA & GO Trains finest,many thanks -TOM-R.E the VIA/AMTRAK consist,my understanding is that it used AMTRAK cars (usually 2/3 coaches + F/S car) and alternated VIA & AMTRAK power on consecutive days-apparently,pass. stock could be almost anything that was not assigned elsewhere
PETE-very nice roundhouse shots-ROCO & Fleishmann could use those as a catalogue cover .
The mystery pic looks very much like one of Virgin Rail`s new "Pendolino" 5 car tilting trains-had the pleasure of travelling first class on one of these between Swansea & Paddington last year (bumped up from standard to make up for a 2 hour delay after some poor s*d jumped in front of the I.C 125 <see BK & Lydia`s excellent submission>on which we were originally travelling-you wouldn`t believe the hole in the nose fairing of the power car...) and can attest to their speed and comfort-I believe they are built to run at 225 kph,although the permanent way doesn`t yet allow for this.
So then-Brit day,well I have to go with my all time favourite road, the near legendary Somerset & Dorset Jt Rly,gather round the fire my dears,fill your glasses and relax........
Originally formed by the combining of two fairly minor lines,the Somerset Central & the Dorset Central,this line made a fairly rambling route north from Bournemouth,on the south coast,up as far as Evercreech in Somerset (not far north of the L.S.W.R main line at Templecombe Jn) then turned sharp left and wandered across the Somerset levels,past Glastonbury, to eventually arrive at Burnham -on-Sea,on the Bristol Channel.
In a bid to increase traffic returns,a northern extension was decided upon and a new line was built from Evercreech (now Jn) to connect with the Midland Rly at Bath (Green Park).
However the building of the extension (across the Mendip hills ,requiring some significant viaducts and some ferocious tunnel bores at the northern end) effectively bankrupted the company and the moribund assets were leased by the Midland & L.S.W.R (later L.M.S & Southern) whose networks were thus connected.
-The G.W.R,the other `major player` in this area were always in contention for S&D traffic and remained aloof,although interchange points existed at Burnham,Wells & Radstock North.
With a link established between north & south,the S&D came into it`s own and for many years the quiet countryside through which it ran was disturbed by huge volumes of summer holiday traffic from northern industrial towns such as Leeds,Bradford & Manchester to the south coast.
These `saturday extras` became a byword for variety in both locos and stock-it is said that a S&D layout can run almost anything,and give an historical precedent for so doing-a modellers dream.....
The everyday running of the line fell upon the L.M.S to provide the power & the Southern to provide the stock,although this was subject to availability-A `classic` S&D formation would be:- a Fowler 2p 4-4-0 (L.M.S) piloting a Bulleid streamlined light pacific (S.R.) pulling cars from all over the British isles
The principal train on the line was the `Pines Express` which departed Bournemouth West at 10.00am every morning for Manchester,with portions for Leeds,Bradford & points north.
Freight traffic included heavy coal working north from the pits around Radstock
In it`s later years,by a cruel irony, the northern part of the line came under the control of B.R(Western region) -the successors of the G.W.R (thus,pannier tanks & Collet 2251`s are also legitimate models) who as a matter of policy,directed traffic onto their own lines ( a jaundiced view to be sure.....) and the route was finally closed to traffic on 5th March 1965-my 5th birthday,although I try not to take it personally...................
So-there we go,a brief overview-I would ramble on,but it`s half past late again and to be quite honest,after yet another w/end of mindless overindulgence my liver is trying to crawl out past my spine & seek refuge and in truth I can hardly blame it
A big hello to LARS,CM3 and anyone else I `ve failed to mention -cant comment on the sports-outside my field,so to speak
Brief footnote-Copperkettle,the new kitchen assisstant-have recently been reading a rather weighty historical novel (contradiction in terms) about the last days of the Aztecs at about the time of Cortez & Montezuma--since most of the characters names are both polysyllabic and unpronounceable the minds eye renders them into something slightly more maneagable,thus Copaquetzal becomes Copperkettle and so on-as a copper kettle is a tradional part of a kitchen range he seemed a likely addition to the Addam`s family-like cast of characters hereabouts.........gentlemen.I cast myself upon your mercy (possible train link ( although tenuous-) Neil Young,the new(ish) part owner of Lionel wrote a marvellous song called "Cortez the Killer"which we use as a grand finale piece with one of my bands---well I did say it was tenuous.................
sleep well one and all,moonlight mile for me,speak soon
Hi Tom and DL and James and everyone, a round for the house
Well I've never been to England, but I kind of like the Beatles.
The Power of Steam on Land
Like the steamship, the railway predates the Victorian era. Steam locomotives were extensively used on colliery and quarry lines, particularly in the north east of England, and experimentally in other areas, during the first decades of the 19th century, with the technology being constantly improved by engineers such as George Stephenson and Richard Trevithick. However, the start of the modern railway age is usually marked by the opening of the Stockton and Darlington line in 1825.
Other early steam-hauled lines included the Canterbury and Whitstable and the Liverpool and Manchester, both opened in 1830. It was on the latter's line that the Rainhill locomotive trials were held in 1829, won comprehensively by Robert Stephenson's Rocket. With its multi-tube boiler, blast-pipe exhaust and pistons connected directly to the driving wheels, it set the standard for locomotive design. It also hauled its train easily at 30 miles per hour, proving to the world that locomotive haulage was the way to the future.
Railway building now began apace and a number of predominantly local lines opened during the 1830s. The first trunk routes to be completed, in 1837 and 1838, were the Grand Junction Railway, linking Birmingham to Manchester, and the London and Birmingham Railway, engineered by Robert Stephenson.
The same year saw the opening of the first section of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Great Western Railway, which was finally completed between London and Bristol ten years later. Other early lines were the Midland Counties Railway, linking Derby, Nottingham, Leicester and Rugby, and the London and Southampton, completed in 1840.
A railway boom and mania followed during the 1840s, with promoters planning lines the length and breadth of Britain. By 1845 some 2441 miles of railway were open and over 30 million passengers were being carried.
The success of the railway was in part due to the legislation pushed through Parliament in 1844 by Gladstone, which ensured that trains conformed to standards of speed and comfort and that cheap travel was broadly available. This Act also compelled railway companies to allow the new electric telegraph to be carried alongside their lines.
There is no doubt that the popularity of the railways was immediate, despite public dismay expressed by figures as diverse as the Duke of Wellington and William Wordsworth. From the earliest days railway companies ran excursions, to race meetings, to temperance gatherings, even to public executions.
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Robert Stephenson (1803-1859)
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London & Birmingham Railway
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http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/upload/img/42620001.jpg
Coventry Station
http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/reference.asp?index=61&main_query=train&theme=TRANSPORT%20(RAIL)&period=&county=&district=&place_name=&imageUID=52553&=&JS=True
Port of London
http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/reference.asp?index=61&main_query=train&theme=TRANSPORT%20(RAIL)&period=&county=&district=&place_name=&imageUID=82521&=&JS=True
Queen Victoria's sitting room
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Kings Cross Station
http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/reference.asp?index=13&main_query=train&theme=TRANSPORT%20(RAIL)&period=&county=&district=&place_name=&imageUID=75789&=&JS=True
Liverpool Street Station, London
http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/reference.asp?index=25&main_query=train&theme=TRANSPORT%20(RAIL)&period=&county=&district=&place_name=&imageUID=76845&=&JS=True
Lime Street Station, Liverpool
http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/reference.asp?index=37&main_query=train&theme=TRANSPORT%20(RAIL)&period=&county=&district=&place_name=&imageUID=76341&=&JS=True
Charing Cross Station
http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/reference.asp?index=25&main_query=train&theme=TRANSPORT%20(RAIL)&period=&county=&district=&place_name=&imageUID=17284&=&JS=True
St. Pancras Station
http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/reference.asp?index=13&main_query=train&theme=TRANSPORT%20(RAIL)&period=&county=&district=&place_name=&imageUID=76943&=&JS=True
Paddington Station, Westminster
http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/reference.asp?index=13&main_query=locomotive&theme=TRANSPORT%20(RAIL)&period=&county=&district=&place_name=&imageUID=76949&=&JS=True
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/upload/img/34890001.jpg
http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/reference.asp?index=49&main_query=train&theme=TRANSPORT%20(RAIL)&period=&county=&district=&place_name=&imageUID=75553&=&JS=True
http://www.3sixtydegrees.com/Bridge%20FP.jpg
http://www.geoffspages.co.uk/grp/Colour02/Isabel_Radstock_29_9_74.jpg
Metropolitan Railway Electric # 1
http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/aimages/L2601.jpg
Electrics
http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/aimages/L2634.jpg
Trainwatching
http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/aimages/L1174.jpg
Metropolitan Railway Electric #1 John Lyon
http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/aimages/L2546.jpg
http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/aimages/L1274.jpg
Llangollen
http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/aimages/L2360.jpg
Midland 0-6-0
http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/aimages/L1010.jpg
4-4-0
http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/aimages/L2598.jpg
4-4-4T
http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/aimages/L2594.jpg
0-6-4T G Class
http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/aimages/L2595.jpg
4-4-2T
http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/aimages/L3382.jpg
4-6-0
http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/aimages/L3386.jpg
Leicester Central Station
http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/aimages/L3100.jpg
Gallery of locomotives
http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/table.php?searchitem=%25photograph%25&mtv=L1&pnum=1
681 kilobytes of a train on a bridge in London
http://www.michaelpead.co.uk/photography/london/fullsize/thames/04-04-05%2035%20Thames.JPG
Mike
Hi Tom!
Like I said I would be here, but this is my first time posting so hopefully I can sink right in at the bar.
I read your rules, and I will follow them, starting with the top two words.
So I noticed that the theme of the day was Great Britain (classical) Trains.
Well I've got a picture but I don't know a lot about it. I know that it is a passenger train but of the likes I've never seen!?
I know it's a train since it sits on rails and you don't need a Stirring wheel to drive it!! Heehehehe.
Hopefully you will have no problem for me coming in.
BTW: Can I have a cold one?
James
Hi Tom and all .
I am really enjoying the BR theme day so RUTH a Bathams for me and what the others are having on my tab please.
The Great Central (London Extension) Part 2.
At the BIG 4 grouping in 1923 the GC became part of the London& North Eastern Railway. The Midland and the L&NWR were part of the London Midland & Scottish Railway.
With Nationalization of British Railways in 1948 not a lot changed with the GC being part of what now was the Eastern Region of BR. One great innovation was the introduction of what became known as the Windcutters, which were fast freights, hauled by the then new 9F 2-10-0 freight locos. These locos were on fast schedules between Nottingham and Woodford.
It was in 1958 that the GC was transferred to the London Midland region and I’m afraid it was downhill from there. First the express passenger trains were withdrawn then many of the cross-country trains disappeared until all that was left was a semi-fast London Nottingham service. The end of the London Extension came on September 6th 1966 with a small service between Rugby and Nottingham lasting a couple of more years.
In the early days the GC was served by some handsome and good engines designed by J.G. Robinson. In LNER days there was even Gresleys A1/A3 pacifics on the line, Flying Scotsman was allocated to Leicester Central Shed for a time. In BR days the ex LNER V2 2-6-2s and B1 4-6-0s gave way to LMS types. Some Royal Scot class locos which had been displaced by diesels elsewhere were allocated to Leicester. These locos were very run down but Leicester shed got them back into good condition and they did fine work. From what I read as soon as the LM authorities heard of this they had the good Scots transferred away from Leicester and sent another batch of rough engines to Leicester, which broke the moral. Old rivalries die hard.
One train in my youth that was well worth seeing on the GC, was the Grimbsy Fish train this was hauled by one of Immingham’s Britannia Pacifics with names like Boadicea, Robin Hood or Hereward The Wake.
Probably the best place to see the trains in Rugby was at the Girder Bridge where the GC crossed over the LMS, but I shall never forget being on Rugby Central station as a Windcutter came through with a 9F hauling a rake of 16 ton unbraked mineral wagons at unbelievable speed. How do you describe this when someone asks, “What do you see in steam trains?”
Fortunately a part of the GC main line as been saved. It is the stretch from Loughborough and the site of Belgrave & Birstal station to a new terminus station named Leicester North. About 2/3rds of the line is now back to double track. There are 3 of the original stations, two being of the type that served smaller towns and a larger version that served Loughborough, all are of the island type. The station at Rothley is lit by gas lamps and it is a great Edwardian atmosphere to be there on a cold winter night with the loco wreathed in steam and the cars being steam-heated. There is also a fairly large museum at the preserved Quainton Road station. The site is in two halves with the old GC/MET line passing through the station still seeing some use as a freight only line
The locos of the GC were not as lucky with only 2 of the railway being saved. Although there are some of the GC locos that served in the war that found there way to Australia.
One loco is a Robinson Director 4-4-0 # 506 BUTLER HENDERSON it ran for at time at Loughborough and is now in the National Railway Museum at York.
The other is a 2-8-0 freight loco #63601 also part of the national collection. This loco was part of the Steam Railway magazine appeal to restore her and now she can be seen at work at Loughbourgh. Another appeal from the same mag, which caught the imagination, was for some of the 16-ton mineral wagons that were found at a motor manufacturer works after they were long gone on BR. The money raised bought a good rake of these and paid towards there upkeep. Having donated some money I was invited the first outing with these wagons and was there when a 9f loco #92212 was returned to steam at Loughborough and hauled the wagons, apart from the loco being in immaculate condition, it was like going back years.
In the 70s a wonderful photographic book titled Main Line Lament by Colin Walker was published which featured the London extension. The cover photo was of a bare trackbed looking towards Catesby Tunnel taken on a moonlit midnight.
Two of Alan's pics of # 63601 at Loughborough Central.
BK Good to see the BR double arrow logo. when it was first introduced in the 60s it got a fair bit of ridicule but now is probably the most reckonized symbol in the UK. Good pics of the Inter-city 125 or HST and the IC225, the electric loco is now known as a class 91. The class 91s work the East Coast trains in Push Pull mode with the loco at one end an an unpowered Driving Van Trailer (DVT) at the other, when the first part of the East Coast main Line was electrified to Leeds the DVTs were not ready so a few of the HST powercars were adapted. With the class 91 at one end and the 2,500 HP of the HST at theother it was said the accelleration was superb.
I hope you do get to England and are able to sample the rails there as DL says the Brit-Rail pass is a great way to get about there, if you have any queries about the trains over there let us know, if I dont know I can get Alan to find out.
LARS Great book covers. Another Our Place coincidence as well as a fellow englishman calling in on BR day, on the first book , shown in the bottom right hand is a picture of a 16 ton mineral wagon, which I mentioned in the post on the GC.
DL-UK May I add my welcomes to TOM and LARS. This is a great site and I am sure you will enjoy it. Thanks for the info on the GC. I too used to visit Loughborough quite regular when I lived over there. Do you know what is happening to the preservation scheme at Ruddington now a days.
Yes it is a shame what as happened to Rugby station. I will have a look at the link in your post.
TOM Many thanks for the Theme day.. and for looking into the railways/railroads. It is strange in Britain, where they are known as railways, the rail staff always say that when a signal clears that they have g
Good Morning Captain Tom and all assembled!
Wonderful write up from Sir Pete and we are looking forward to Part II. This idea to feature the railways of Great Britain comes at a good time, for we are planning a trip to the British Isles in the spring or early summer. Nothing definite, but with all of this railway chatter - I would not be surprised if we wound up sampling the rails, once or twice!
Your account illustrates what must have been a grand era for the railways in England. Different times - different way of life and far different pace. Oh to return to those days - but of course that will never be. Therefore for those with such cherished memories, consider yoursleves blessed.
Good to be back amongst the "regulars" at my favorite tavern and hope all of you are doing well. There seems to be a bit more coziness to this place of ours now that the pace has slowed somewhat - far fewer pages to catch up with and far less long-winded postings. A-men, brothers! I do NOT care for those data dumps in any shape or form and would hope that we have finally come to a point of consideration for those viewing this thread, along with a bit of self control.
Ruth, another round if you please and I could use a refill, with a "splash" - thank you!
Nice work from our Captain and add me to the list of those who appreciated seeing the Via Rail photos - brought back some vivid recollections of our round trip to Vancouver from Jasper not that long ago. Also, your "Blasts from the Past!" are looked forward to along with the energy you provide to keeping this thread so "alive"! Thank you, Sir!
The return of Sir trolleyboy Rob and all that he brings to the bar - we missed you and welcome back to the "fold" so to speak. Do not let these "Yanks" get to you with regard to the holiday time - they are simply envious! grin> If they think we have a liberal vacation policy, take a look at many European countries - now that is what I would call overstating it.
Been a bit busy around here with household maintenance and domestic life. We - or should I say: I - have been trying to catch up on reading which of course keeps me away from the "tube" and the computer screen - not such a bad thing. I am an avid reader and enjoy immersing myself in books. Fortunately, Lydia is the same way and we spend hours doing so with only a break now and then to get the dogs out.
I have enjoyed the postings from Sirs Dave (red lead story!) - Lars (how do you really feel?) - Doug (very funny photos) and CM3 (obscure RRs along with reflections). Also, the photos posted on Sunday were excellent and I hope to get back in the swing of things - but must ascertain just what this "warning" is all about. I have ALWAYS ensured that my photos are posted with full and proper credit and never do so if they have stated prohibitions. Unfortunately, one does not always retrieve the photos fromt the "original" web site and may wind up with a copy of a copy of a copy.
Sorry that I cannot join in on the sports chatter going on, other that to agree that today we see more and more of the spoiled young men and far fewer of the dedicated and humble soul, thankful for the "gift" and happy for the opportunity. Different times - different people and far different way of life.
Enough of my nostalgia rant - it is time to get back to my real life - so I leave you with this thought:
Change is inevitable except from vending machines.
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