Otterington 1-4-2000 Recently re-instated 56031 passes the former signalbox at Otterington whilst working 6D78 Redcar-Scunthorpe service with coke for the steelworks

Commentary.

 

Each year many owners of dwellings with impressive gardens,

open their doors to visitors.

Money given for the privilege is given to a variety of nominated charities.

Such a case applied to Holford Manor, near North Chailey in East Sussex,

towards the end of May, 2022.

Holford Manor donated their takings to a number of local charities supporting

people with severe disability, particularly children, in their educational setting.

Holford Manor used to be a farmstead.

Now, it is a privately owned house with splendid gardens, one pond and one lake.

Adjacent to the house is an Iris Nursery, nationally recognised for its wide variety of the plant.

Irises also feature in several borders in the garden.

Set nearly a mile from the main A.272 road, linking Haywards Heath and Newick.

Roses and Allium also feature in the colourful borders.

The trees are mature and impressive, ranging from Lebanon Cedar to Ash, Pine and Fir.

Copper Beech, ordinary Beech and Yew hedging has been used to separate different plots.

One area has been left as wild meadow containing, Buttercups, Poppies and Ox-Eye Daisies.

This is so important, so as to attract pollinating insects and keep the ecology diverse,

thus, re-instating the essential food-chains.

To the north-east of the house is a sizeable lake with two islands

and flocks of breeding Geese.

In future years, such a visit is well worthwhile for the charities,

the sustaining of Iris varieties and a diverse local ecology.

 

A shot from the “lost” five strips of 126 instamatic black and white negatives recently found from my week long 1973 Western Region Railrover holiday in July 1973. The Western Region Railrover commenced at 00:01 on the Sunday morning and the preceding Saturday was taken up with making our way from Nottingham to London Paddington via Grantham, Peterborough, Cambridge, Stratford, Hither Green, Willesden and Old Oak Common. Following the DMU ride to Grantham here is 1524 approaching Grantham with 1A01, 06:00 Cleethorpes – London Kings Cross which we will board for our next stage of the journey to Peterborough, 3rd July 1973.

 

Locomotive History

D1524 was the fifth of the production series of Brush Type 4’s built at Brush, Loughborough. It was fitted with a Brush TG-160-60 Mk4 main generator, Brush TM64-68 Mk1a traction motors connected in a series parallel arrangement, a Spanner Swirlyflow MkIIIB steam heating boiler and was vacumn braked. It was dual braked in February 1971 renumbered 47004 in November 1973 and had it's steam heating boiler isolated during October 1987.

 

It entered traffic in June 1963 allocated to Finsbury Park MPD, spent six month allocated to Tinsley from May 1967 followed by six months back at Finsbury Park before transferring to Tinsley permanently in May 1968. This was followed by transfer to Stratford (April 1970), Holbeck (October 1971), Gateshead (April 1972), Immingham (May 1972), Stratford (June 1972), Gateshead (September 1973) where it was renumbered 47004, Stratford (May 1975), Eastfield (March 1983), Tinsley (November 1990) from where it was withdrawn in July 1991. However four months later it was re-instated and transferred to Old Oak Common. In early 1994 it was repainted in two tone green with full yellow ends and in March 1994 transferred to Stratford followed by Toton in March 1996, Immingham in October 1997 and finally Bescot in July 1998 from where it was withdrawn for a second time in December 1998. It has subsequently been sold for preservation and is currently (January 2014) to be found at the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Railway.

 

Kodak Instamatic

 

Finally got my 25 MPH runby and called it a chase...the crew said on the radio they were going to park it in Spring Green, anyway. Most of the slow orders which had been repealed the last time I chased a train out on this line prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, seem to have been re-instated.

25322 (as D7672) 910216 Entwistle Sulzer Salute Railtour

 

When 25322 was re-instated it was only a matter of time before the BR Hierarchy would get wind of it and decide to shut the project down, despite all the goodwill it generated.

So in early 1991 the dimulative little loco started a series of "farewell" tours and this was Pathfinders contribution "The Sulzer Salute which look the loco from Sheffield across the Pennines to Manchester and up to Hellifield before running back to Sheffield from Bradford.

In snowy conditions the Rat approaches Entwistle station in the afternoon on it way upto Blackburn and Hellifield. It was clearly under pressure on load 10 but it made it through.

16th February 1991

75 was new to Lothian Buses in 2020 as 75.

She is seen here at Chesser ASDA.

 

Lothian Buses gained the Service 20 tender for the first time in 4 years, after First Scotland East won it after Lothian didn't bid to renew tenders.

 

Since McGill's took over the First Scotland East operations, the dubbed "Eastern Scottish" operations suffered hugely, which was service buses based at Livingston.

 

When McGill's renewed the network, they reduced their offering in West Lothian with odd routes, and eventually withdrawing their operations in West Lothian for the Eastern Scottish operations.

 

Because their services 20, 63 and 68 bus routes were tenders, they couldn't withdraw them.

 

Lothian had previously operated the Service 20 from Ratho to Chesser, though Edinburgh Council adjusted the tenders, though this service previously operated under two combined tenders.

 

The Service 63 used to be under Lothian too, from South Queensferry to Heriot-Watt University, when First took on the service it was extended to Balerno. After a reshuffle, the northern section was given a new number (71).

 

The southern section (including the extended Balerno section introduced by First) was retained, but a new northern section to Cramond was instated to facilitiate a new service for Cramond.

After spending nigh on 1 year out in the open at Swindon Works about 15 or so 46's were re-instated to traffic.

Here - 46037 was only back in service a few days (if that) and she was pressed into service on the

2030 Newc - Kings X 1A40.

 

With no tripod - a spare Brute was the best stable thing I could find to take this picture and the result was something of a winner!

The faded Blue look was not the influence of the Kings X lighting - she really did look like this!

In lieu of the recent events the withdrawn Scanias from Croydon have been re instated at MB and one of the jobs I was tasked with was blinding buses. These are a nightmare to deal with. Half of the interior panels had to be taken off to get to them and as you can see there were still things in the way making it hard

This is a quite splendid photograph of Colmore Row taken in 1934. The picture shows the row of fully roofed bus shelters situated next the the churchyard of St Philip's Cathedral, the railings were removed in the wartime scrap drive and not re-instated until the 1990's. On the corner of Church Street a man is selling newspapers (S'patch or Mail!! being the cry), nearer the camera a lad is towering over his mother but he is still wearing his school uniform cap. By the bus shelter a gent is pedalling a shop bike with a large basket at the front, it looks hard going.

Over the partially demolished Blue Coat School are the premises of Birmingham's premier departmental store Edward Grey, it was situated on Upper Bull Street but was somewhat eclipsed when Lewis's opened. On the left in the distance is the building of the Wesleyan and General Insurance Co. They have returned to the site today but in a huge modern building.

 

This and the other pictures in this set were taken by Miss Phyllis Nicklin on her new Leica camera, she was active with her 35mm work up until war broke out when she stopped, she re-started photography in the 1950's using colour slide film. Her colour work was left to the University of Birmingham and it has been scanned and is available for consultation, it is a wonderful collection of Birmingham views taken from around 1953 up until 1969. The pictures were used for a 'Then and Now' project during 2017 with the title "In the Footsteps of Phyllis..." the project involved 71 photographers who took 857 pictures. An exhibition of the work is planned for later in the year, it was coordinated by Dave Allen.

 

The story of these black and white films follows a familiar path. Phyllis Nickin's book and paper collection was left to the School of Geography, it was huge and took an entire room, with it arrived a box of rolled up 35mm films, nobody wanted them and they gathered dust until...yes "dump them" indeed a lot of them are unidentified blurry holiday pictures and are of no use but among them are some gems, Phyllis seemed to use the last few frames around Birmingham before handing the film over to 'Camera House' (Cannon Street) for processing. The real problem I have is that the films have coiled for 83 years, they are like bed springs and the only way of scanning them is the rather brutal method of using low-tack tape and taping them down to the scanner.

Phyllis Nicklin (Collection Geoff Dowling: All rights reserved)

An April 1990 view taken from Pedmore Road bridge, Dudley where the 6M40 01:15 MSX Cardiff Tidal to Wednesbury had an unusual combination at the business end with BR 47097 leading 37885, I assumed the 37/7 had a problem.

The 47/0 was carrying the unofficial name 'Falcon' that was applied when it was allocated to Tinsley in late 1989. The locomotive had technically been withdrawn in 1989 but then re-instated. Judging by its general state it was no surprise to note it was allocated to HQ and withdrawn in April 1990, so this working must have been just before it was finally switched off.

 

All images on this site are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without expressed written permission of the photographer. All rights reserved – Copyright Don Gatehouse

On its first day out in the new 'Local' c/s, Stagecoach Yorkshire Alexander Dennis Dart SLF / Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 SN56 AYF (36071) passes through Ashgate, Chesterfield operating the newly re-instated service 2A Walton - Green Farm circular, 12/04/21

St Margaret’s Chapel in Glastonbury, Somerset, was sympathetically restored in 2011. This included re-instating one of the two west windows. The chapel is open daily for quiet prayer and contemplation.

Trees and re instated fenn land, Bricket Wood Common

66734 "Platinum Jubilee" - 6L41 (0948 MO STP Grain Foster Yeoman - Harlow Mill Reception, which was formed of 18 Nacco HYAs, 17 loaded with sand & the 17th empty) - Slipe Lane, Turnford - 1455 (83 late, after originally being cancelled & then after being re-instated departing 15 late, before being heavily delayed by the failure of Network Rail's signalling system at Highbury & Islington [nothing new there]) 14/11/22.

 

Thanks John for the text that it was running & the loco allocation, as it was still shown as cancelled on RTT.

A newcomer to Hockley in 1998 is EX-Bee Line 2430 which came to WMT in 1997 and sat in the Garage until repaint in 1998 then being re-instated at Hockley.

 

Location: Birmingham Bull Street

September 1998

HY

C/n 0073478346 del 8/87 to Soviet A.F/Aeroflot as IL-78 with refueling pods, noted 9/94 with BSL Airline refueling equipment removed, to Ukraine A.F by 5/02, returned to Russia at Ryazan stored, acquired by Pakistan A.F as R09-001 by 2009 with the refueling equipment re-instated, still operational in 6/23

With the raised metal 'D's' painted over in green paint, 'Hymek' Type 3 diesel hydraulic No. 7054 is stabled between duties at Gloucester Horton Road MPD on 6th November 1969. New from Beyer Peacock Ltd in November 1962 and initially allocated to Bristol Bath Road (82A), it had a very short service life of ten years and one month. In reality, however, it was even shorter than that, as it was condemned and re-instated twice (1/72-4/72 and 7/72-9/72) before final withdrawal in December 1972. The loco was cut up at Swindon Works during April 1975.

The picture gods really didn't want me to get this...

 

6D60, the outward journey from Tuebrook to Penmaenmawr, was cancelled about an hour and a half after it should have started, then, unbeknown to me, was re-instated and ran about three hours late. First I knew was seeing the last couple of its 24 JNA's passing over a bridge near Sandycroft.

 

I assumed that because they'd sent 24 down they were going to load 24. Wrong...

 

So, I gets home from work thinking I've got a good couple of hours before 6K22 will appear with all 24 loaded. Wrong. It passed Ludo Junction around 45 down three minutes ago with just 14 in tow.

 

My knees sadly don't do mad dashes any longer...

 

However, 60076 was in no great rush and I reached the bridge with a few minutes to spare. The drama isn't over though...

 

Look at it. Strong sun masked by hazy foggy stuff. The recipe for disaster. Or at least a dicey photo...

 

So all in all, I'm mighty pleased to present to you a piss poor rendition of 60076 Dunbar leading just over half of 6K22 Penmaenmawr-Tuebrook through Rhyl on 28 March 2022.

 

As goes the GB 60's, three of the ten have now done this still relatively new job. The aim, of course, is to picture all ten at work on the coast. And by crack I'm gonna get a decent shot out of one of them. I hope...

20006 and 20190 trundle trough Nottingham station with a class 9 unfitted train of empty coal hoppers bound for Gedling colliery, 15th May 1980.

 

Locomotive History

20006 is one of the original batch of class 20 locomotives from 1957 and was originally D8006 and was allocated to Devons Road MPD in Bow, London to work cross-London transfer freights. It remained in the London area until the end of the 1960’s when it transferred to Toton and I first saw this engine on Toton shed on the 19th July 1969. In 1982/83 20006 was one of a number of Toton vacuum braked class 20’s, put in secure storage inside the large goods shed at Wigston South awaiting an improved financial climate (following the 1982 steel strike) to allow classified repair and dual brake fitment. Examples stored at Wigston included 20006/13/40/63/67/81. At this time it was also transferred to Eastfield but I do not think it actually ever went north of the border. Eventually traffic levels and finance improved and 20006 was overhauled, fitted with air brake equipment and re-instated and by the end of 1984 was back working off Toton. Final withdrawal came in October 1990 and it was broken up by MC Metals, Glasgow in June 1991. 20190 is still in existance as 20310 owned by DRS although it has been in store since December 2008.

 

Praktica LTL, Ektachrome 200

Dawn has recently broken but the sun has still to rise above the horizon to cast its warming rays at Swansea East Dock on the 24th August 1975. Stabled here with the six Class 08 pilots was at least four Class 37’s, one of which was 37231. This is one of my early colour photographs after my move from number taking to photography using a Hanimex Compact non SLR “point and shoot” camera with a 40mm lens of dubious quality around the edges of the frame.

 

Locomotive History

37231 was released from the English Electric Vulcan Foundry, as D6931 in March 1964 and allocated to Landore MPD where it would remain allocated for the next fifteen years until transferred to Bristol in August 1979. It stay at Bristol was short and it transferred back to South Wales (Cardiff Canton) in February 1980. It was back at Bristol in May 1980 before settling down at Cardiff in March 1981. It entered Crewe Works for refurbishment and reappeared in December 1987 as 37896. During this refurbishment the English Electric generator was replaced with a Brush BA1005A alternator, the locomotive was extensively re-wired and ballast weight was added to give extra 'pulling power' when hauling heavy freight trains. It remained at Cardiff for ten years before its final transfer to Toton in November 1998. With introduction of the class 66 many class 37 locomotives were withdrawn and 37896 was stored in March 2000. It was sent overseas to France for infrastructure duties in May 2000 returning in September 2000. Re-instated to traffic at the end of 2001, allocated to Crewe it was stored in December 2002. Re-instated to traffic again at the start of 2004 it was stored again in May 2004. It was eventually broken up during August 2010 by Hulls, Rotherham.

 

The view is of Stanier Black Five 45272 standing with a train in the fish dock at Birmingham New Street station, from the dedicated fish dock fresh fish was brought from seaports overnight and sent to the excellent fish market in Birmingham. Hill Street is in the background, to the right is part of the Futurist Cinéma, the first 'talkies' in Birmingham were shown here in March 1929. The building still stands but is no longer a cinéma.

45272 was built by Armstrong-Whitworth in November 1936, it was withdrawn in October 1965 and cut at Cashmore's (Great Bridge) 01/1966

Peter Shoesmith June 1959.

This picture appeared in Past and Present 61 (Dowling & Whitehouse 2010), in that book is was printed rather small, I have also re-instated a large portion of the roof, lost in the book version.

Copyright John Whitehouse & Geoff Dowling; all rights reserved

A scene taken in Greenfield, Saddleworth. These workers are re-instating the bank wall that has collapsed here. I am surprised at how shallow the canal is. Must be cold in there as the outside temperature is only about 4C.

ROG transfer with 89001 the subject of the move. 47813 leads the convoy with 37510 very recently re-instated, taking 89001 from Barrow Hill Loco Inspection Point to Soho Light Maintenance Depot. This shot is at Tamworth, High Level p4.

In October 2006 GNER put 89001 up for sale, with a six-week deadline for bids. The AC Locomotive Group launched an appeal and fundraising effort to save the locomotive, which was ultimately successful, and purchased it in December 2006. The locomotive was mostly complete, although a number of major components required expensive overhaul before it could run on the main line again. A thorough survey was undertaken to establish exactly what was required and costs drawn up. Cosmetic work in 2007 saw the loco return to its original InterCity Executive colour scheme. Electrical restoration work focused on repairing and/or refurbishing the items that led to the locomotive being withdrawn from service, namely the traction motors and their associated field converter electronics. The locomotive was lifted by Harry Needle Railroad Company at Barrow Hill Engine Shed in December 2010 and three traction motors were removed, including the one known to be faulty. In February 2011 these were being examined at Bowers to allow repair cost estimates to be made. Two of the field converters were removed, one being faulty, and again repair estimates were sought. Initially it was intended, as funds became available, to allow one power group (i.e. one bogie) to become fully operational.

 

On 30 April 2020 the locomotive was moved from Barrow Hill Engine Shed to Toton TMD to be repainted. It was outshopped in Intercity Swallow Livery. In October 2020 it was hauled to Soho TMD for testing.

nteded for use on 377. BY APRIL 2010 All B10L`s were transferred to other Garages .1402 Now works for Acocks Green working 71A to Solihull.

 

LIFE OF BUS 1402

 

New to Perry Barr Garage September 1996

Transferred to Birmingham Central September 2004

Transferred to Yardley Wood March 2005

Transferred to Walsall October 2007

Withdrawn June 2010

Re-Instated at Acocks Green 25/07/2010

Withdrawn November 2011

 

Location: Chelmsly Wood, Interchange

24 March 2011

AG

   

Standing in the sun on the headshunt at Ruddington, Great Central Railway (North) on the 1st September 2018 are 46010 and 47828.

 

Locomotive History

46010 was originally D147 and was built at Derby works, entering traffic in December 1961, allocated to Derby MPD for Midland Main Line and North East – South West cross country duties. A short spell at Cricklewood was followed by a transfer to the Nottingham Division (Toton) in 1964,where it was to remain there until 1971, when a major fleet re-organisation occurred and 46010 was part of a batch of class 46 locomotives transferred to Bristol Bath Road as replacements for the then rapidly disappearing diesel-hydraulic fleet on the Western Region. 46010 was transferred to Laira in October 1974 where it was to remain until October 1980 when it was stored unserviceable at Swindon works. A year later an increased demand for Type 4 locomotives found British Rail looking to the storage lines at Swindon for an answer and 46010 was one of eleven class 46 locomotives re-instated in December 1981. The expectations demanded of these locomotives must have been something of a challenge as they had been in open storage for at least twelve months. However that challenge was met by 46010 as it would give over two years further service, allocated to Gateshead. By May 1984 46010 was approaching five years since its last classified works repair (Derby works, September 1979) which included the year in open storage and was becoming increasingly unreliable and spent most of the summer of 1984 under repair intermingled with brief bouts of work. By the end of August 1984 it was stopped awaiting repairs at Gateshead and these were not sanctioned and 46010 was officially withdrawn on the 4th November 1984. 46010 was then moved to Doncaster Works along with several other class 46’s for breaking up, however in 1985 it was selected to test new depot protection scotches (being such a heavy locomotive) at Doncaster MPD and moved across to the depot where it was basically forgotten. It was eventually offered for sale by tender in February 1993 and bought for preservation and following restoration moved under its own power for the first time since 1984 in July 2000.

47828 was originally D1962, built at Crewe Works and entered traffic on the 2nd October 1965 allocated to Cardiff Canton. Under the 1973 TOPS renumbering scheme it became 47266. In the summer of 1985 47266 entered Crewe Works for classified repair and to be fitted with electric train heating and in June 1989 it was fitted with long range fuel tanks and renumbered 47828. It entered preservation in April 2016.

 

22 was new to Lothian Buses in 2014 as 22.

She is seen here at Cramond.

 

Lothian Buses gained the Service 20 tender for the first time in 4 years, after First Scotland East won it after Lothian didn't bid to renew tenders.

 

Since McGill's took over the First Scotland East operations, the dubbed "Eastern Scottish" operations suffered hugely, which was service buses based at Livingston.

 

When McGill's renewed the network, they reduced their offering in West Lothian with odd routes, and eventually withdrawing their operations in West Lothian for the Eastern Scottish operations.

 

Because their services 20, 63 and 68 bus routes were tenders, they couldn't withdraw them.

 

The Service 63 used to be under Lothian, from South Queensferry to Heriot-Watt University, when First took on the service it was extended to Balerno. After a reshuffle, the northern section was given a new number (71).

 

The southern section (including the extended Balerno section introduced by First) was retained, but a new northern section to Cramond was instated to facilitiate a new service for Cramond.

 

Lothian had also previously operated the Service 20 from Ratho to Chesser, though Edinburgh Council adjusted the tenders, though this service previously operated under two combined tenders.

The Opel Rekord is a family car which was built in several generations by the German car manufacturer Opel, since 1929 a subsidiary of General Motors.

The Rekord name evolved into the main name of the model; at first the name was used in close relationship with the Opel Olympia name, which pre-dated the Rekord but was also re-instated in a separate model in 1967.

(Source: Wikipedia)

 

1959 Opel Rekord

 

Sintra (Portugal)

 

More classic cars here.

 

Cargofleet 1-4-01 (SUN) Recently re-instated 56131 "Ellington Colliery" passes Cargofleet on hoppers loaded with rock-salt from Boulby Mine for Middlesbrough Good

Three months after the Conflict in Tehran, Iran...

 

After the airstrikes RIM operators moved into central Tehran and eliminated any remaining opposing forces. Those that surrendered or refused to fight in the initial conflict were combined into the RIM and US supported Iraqi Security Forces that were fighting Scimitar in Iraq and thanks to the additional troops Iran as well. This force was commanded by the Prime Minister of Iraq and largely condemned for its use of excessive use of force. Around the same time a group called the Gulf Conglomerate combined all the royal houses of the countries of the Arabian Peninsula into one oil giant and also drew a great deal of criticism from the media for attempting to monopolize the world's oil industry. It was also largely speculated that RIM profited largely thanks to their aid in this establishment. In Iran RIM used this regional allies and vast troops and resources to create infrastructure, and nowhere could this be seen better than Central Tehran. RIM spared no expense to build a lavish Regional Administrative Building to house their man, the newly instated Shah, a young man who spent most of his years in Los Angeles but was given the title as he was one of the only living relatives of the original Shah. He lives a lavish life and is never seen in public without his rose-quartz sun glasses.

 

Pictured above is the Shah hosting a dinner party conference of the Prime Minister of Iraq, Prince Bashdir of the Gulf Conglomerate and his entourage, and RIM Executive Mr. Ashton accompanied by an operative only known as Mr. Church. The event is held in the RAB and heavily guarded by all RIM and ISF forces in the area.

 

One final post before Brickworld Chicago! The RAB will be part of The Epic Conflict's collab: Greetings From Sunny Tehran. So feel free to stop by our table! Thanks.

So this isn't an entry for the amalgam contest, I just saw Dan's alliteration of the mix and had to give them a go in my own way.

 

So I give you the Avengers of Justice! United in the threat of the Starlactus, the gods among men joined forces to defeat an enemy far to strong for one person to defeat!

 

From left to right:

Aquamor, the Submariner (Aquaman + Namor)

Son of the late human Tom Curry and Atlantian princess Fen, the pink skinned Aquamor was raised among the blue skinned Atlantians as the Bastard son of the royal empire. Never promised the throne Aquamor became the ambassador for mankind to help ease the growing threat of the Atlantian hatred for the 'surface dwellers' into no existence. Unfortunately Aquamor's efforts were in vain as his treacherous half brother Attumorm launched an attack on the throne room hoping to cease the crown before Thakkor had passed and succession was his so he could destroy the humans above. In defence of his grandfather Aquamor defeated his brother's forces saving Thakkor from Attumorm's attack. He was rewarded for this with his grandfather instating him as the rightful heir in place of Attumorm for the fight against his mutiny. Aquamor was then known as the protector of earth's oceans and link between the two worlds above and below the sea.

 

Black Bat (Batman + Black Panther)

Bruce T'Challa

Heir to the T'Challa estate, fortune and company, Bruce's parents were murdered before his eyes by a rival companies hit man in an attempt to take the market by storm, free of competition. Vowing revenge for his parents murders, Bruce returned to his home land of Wakanda and trained under the watchful eyes of the elders in the nation to hone his skills to their peek from the young age of 14 till he was 22. Upon returning he took the mantel of his people, the Bat, and began fighting corruption and crime as the Black Bat.

 

Lady Soar Hol, Goddess of Thunder (Thor + Hawkwoman)

Lady Soar, daughter of the alien Thanagar god, Odin Hol, sent from her kingdom during the war between the Thanagraians and the Frost Ravens by her closest ally Loki Son, Lord of Shadows (her watcher) she now roams earth in her quest to find something upon the primitive planet that could help turn the tide of the war on her home. Armed with the magical mace Mjolnir she battles her way through many of her problems in her thirst for battle.

 

Witch of Wonders (Scarlett Witch + Wonder Woman) and Quickscarlet (Quicksilver + the Flash)

The brother and sister Diana and Barry Maximoff were born from a long line of 'miracles' each gifted with control over a worldly power. Diana gifted with magic a kin to that of the Amazonians and Barry with the speed of lightning, they prefer to stay in the dark, away from the judging eyes of humanity. Until the world became threatened and they were forced to emerge and defend their home.

  

Green Hawk (Green Arrow + Hawkeye)

Clinton Queen a former trick shot circus performer with a knack for the bow and arrow questions his morality when he joined up with the military organisation of A.R.G.U.S. Believing it the only way to quench his need for thrill he knew it would be the death of him. He almost believed it to have occurred when he became stranded alone on an island for 5 years in a mission gone wrong. Saved by the Atlantian Aquamor, Clinton returned to duties, but the cocky danger seeker he once was had been hardened into who he is now.

From a few days ago. I was going through my hardships and trying hard to stay positive, when I got this in a fortune cookie.

I'm not gonna get preachy, you already know what you believe. And I know this worked.

I made rent, paid my newly instated renters insurance (-_-) like it was nothing, and have no troubles. Everything is perfect, and always was. I just needed to remember that, and this picture will always remind me ;)

 

Again, thank you to everyone who brought the good vibes :)

Looking remarkably intact is the prototype Brown Boveri Gas Turbine locomotive 18000 which spent its working life hauling express passenger trains from Paddington before being withdrawn in late 1960. The machine, as is perhaps inevitable with prototypes, proved neither reliable nor cheap to run. After withdrawal the locomotive was kept at Swindon Works for four years before being repatriated to mainland europe where the gas turbine was removed and the locomotive used as a testbed for experiments on rail-wheel interaction. Once these experiments were concluded the locomotive was put on display in Vienna in 1975 and was eventually secured for preservation in the UK in the early 1990s initially being stored at Crewe.

Although there is no realistic possibility of re-instating the original type of power unit, it is still good to see that the locomotive is safely in preservation. Externally, some repairs are needed, to be followed by a repaint to the original livery of black and silver. Internally, there is a good deal of conservation to be undertaken. The intention is to use 18000 as the focal point of a display relating to the post WW2 business plan for the 1950s, published by the GWR under the title 'NEXT STATION', of which the new gas turbine electric locomotive was an important part. (With thanks to the Didcot Railway Centre website for the above information).

www.westminster-abbey.org/

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_Abbey

 

The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to popularly and informally as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English, later British and later still (and currently) monarchs of the Commonwealth Realms. It briefly held the status of a cathedral from 1546–1556, and is a Royal Peculiar.

 

Westminster Abbey is governed by the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, as established by Royal Charter of Queen Elizabeth I in 1560, which created it as the Collegiate Church of St Peter Westminster and a Royal Peculiar under the personal jurisdiction of the Sovereign. The members of the Chapter are the Dean and four residentiary Canons, together with the Receiver General and Chapter Clerk. One of the Canons is also Rector of St Margaret’s Church Westminster Abbey (who currently also holds the post of Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons). In addition to the Dean and Canons there are at present two full time minor canons, one precentor the other succentor. The office of Priest Vicar was created in the 1970's for those who assist the minor canons. Together with the Clergy and Receiver General and Chapter Clerk various Lay Officers constitute the College, including the Organist and Master of the Choristers, the Registrar, the Auditor, the Legal Secretary, the Surveyor of the Fabric, the Head Master of the Choir School, the Keeper of the Muniments and the Clerk of the Works, as well as twelve Lay Vicars and ten of the choristers and the High Steward and High Bailiff. There are also forty Queen’s Scholars who are pupils at Westminster School (the School has its own Governing Body). Those most directly concerned with liturgical and ceremonial matters are the two Minor Canons and the Organist and Master of the Choristers.

 

According to a tradition first reported by Sulcard in about 1080, the Abbey was first founded in the time of Mellitus (d. 624), Bishop of London, on the present site, then known as Thorn Ey (Thorn Island); based on a late 'tradition' that a fisherman called ' Aldrich ' on the River Thames saw a vision of Saint Peter near the site. This seems to be quoted to justify the gifts of salmon from Thames fishermen that the Abbey received in later years. The proven origins are that in the 960s or early 970s, Saint Dunstan, assisted by King Edgar, planted a community of Benedictine monks here. A stone Abbey was built around 1045–1050 by King Edward the Confessor as part of his palace there: it was consecrated on December 28, 1065,[1] only a week before the Confessor's death and subsequent funeral and burial. It was the site of the last coronation prior to the Norman Invasion, that of his successor King Harold. It was later rebuilt by Henry III from 1245, who had selected the site for his burial.

  

A layout plan dated 1894.The only extant depiction of the original Abbey, in the Romanesque style that is called Norman in England, together with the adjacent Palace of Westminster, is in the Bayeux Tapestry. Increased endowments supported a community increased from a dozen monks in Dunstan's original foundation, to about eighty monks.[2]

 

The Abbot and learned monks, in close proximity to the Royal Palace of Westminster, the seat of government from the later twelfth century, became a powerful force in the centuries after the Norman Conquest: the Abbot was often employed on royal service and in due course took his place in the House of Lords as of right. Released from the burdens of spiritual leadership, which passed to the reformed Cluniac movement after the mid-tenth century, and occupied with the administration of great landed properties, some of which lay far from Westminster, "the Benedictines achieved a remarkable degree of identification with the secular life of their times, and particularly with upper-class life", Barbara Harvey concluded, to the extent that her depiction of daily life[3] provides a wider view of the concerns of the English gentry in the High and Late Middle Ages. The proximity of the Palace of Westminster did not extend to providing monks or abbots with high royal connections; in social origin the Benedictines of Westminster were as modest as most of the order. The abbot remained Lord of the Manor of Westminster as a town of two to three thousand persons grew around it: as a consumer and employer on a grand scale the monastery helped fuel the town economy, and relations with the town remained unusually cordial, but no enfranchising charter was issued during the Middle Ages.[4] The abbey built shops and dwellings on the west side, encroaching upon the sanctuary.

 

The Abbey became the coronation site of Norman kings, but none were buried there until Henry III, intensely devoted to the cult of the Confessor, rebuilt the Abbey in Anglo-French Gothic style as a shrine to honour St Edward the Confessor and as a suitably regal setting for Henry's own tomb, under the highest Gothic nave in England. The Confessor's shrine subsequently played a great part in his canonisation. The work continued between 1245-1517 and was largely finished by the architect Henry Yevele in the reign of King Richard II. Henry VII added a Perpendicular style chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1503 (known as the Henry VII Chapel). Much of the stone came from Caen, in France (Caen stone), the Isle of Portland (Portland stone) and the Loire Valley region of France (tuffeau limestone).

  

Flag of Westminster Abbey, featuring the Tudor Arms between Tudor Roses above the supposed arms of St Edward the ConfessorIn 1535, the Abbey's annual income of £2400-2800[citation needed] during the assessment attendant on the Dissolution of the Monasteries rendered it second in wealth only to Glastonbury Abbey. Henry VIII had assumed direct royal control in 1539 and granted the Abbey cathedral status by charter in 1540, simultaneously issuing letters patent establishing the Diocese of Westminster. By granting the Abbey cathedral status Henry VIII gained an excuse to spare it from the destruction or dissolution which he inflicted on most English abbeys during this period. Westminster was a cathedral only until 1550. The expression "robbing Peter to pay Paul" may arise from this period when money meant for the Abbey, which was dedicated to St Peter, was diverted to the treasury of St Paul's Cathedral.

 

The Abbey was restored to the Benedictines under the Catholic Queen Mary, but they were again ejected under Queen Elizabeth I in 1559. In 1579, Elizabeth re-established Westminster as a "Royal Peculiar"—a church responsible directly to the sovereign, rather than to a diocesan bishop—and made it the Collegiate Church of St Peter, (that is a church with an attached chapter of canons, headed by a dean). The last Abbot was made the first Dean. It suffered damage during the turbulent 1640s, when it was attacked by Puritan iconoclasts, but was again protected by its close ties to the state during the Commonwealth period. Oliver Cromwell was given an elaborate funeral there in 1658, only to be disinterred in January 1661 and posthumously hanged from a nearby gibbet.

  

Westminster Abbey with a procession of Knights of the Bath, by Canaletto, 1749.

Layout of Westminster Abbey, 2008.The abbey's two western towers were built between 1722 and 1745 by Nicholas Hawksmoor, constructed from Portland stone to an early example of a Gothic Revival design. Further rebuilding and restoration occurred in the 19th century under Sir George Gilbert Scott. A narthex for the west front was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in the mid C20 but was not executed.

 

Until the 19th century, Westminster was the third seat of learning in England, after Oxford and Cambridge. It was here that the first third of the King James Bible Old Testament and the last half of the New Testament were translated. The New English Bible was also put together here in the 20th century. Westminster suffered minor damage during the Blitz on November 15, 1940.

 

Since the coronations in 1066 of both King Harold and William the Conqueror, all English and British monarchs (except Edward V and Edward VIII, who did not have coronations) have been crowned in the Abbey.[5][6] Henry III was unable to be crowned in London when he first came to the throne because Prince Louis of France had taken control of the city, and so the king was crowned in Gloucester Cathedral. However, this coronation was deemed by the Pope to be improper, and a further coronation was held in the Abbey on 17 May 1220.[7] Lady Jane Grey, whose reign lasted just nine days and was of doubtful legality, was also never crowned. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the traditional cleric in the coronation ceremony.

 

King Edward's Chair (or St Edward's Chair), the throne on which British sovereigns are seated at the moment of coronation, is housed within the Abbey and has been used at every coronation since 1308; from 1301 to 1996 (except for a short time in 1950 when it was temporarily stolen by Scottish nationalists), the chair also housed the Stone of Scone upon which the kings of Scotland are crowned, but pending another coronation the Stone is now kept in Scotland.

 

Henry III rebuilt the Abbey in honour of the Royal Saint Edward the Confessor whose relics were placed in a shrine in the sanctuary and now lie in a burial vault beneath the 1268 Cosmati mosaic pavement, in front of the High Altar. Henry III was interred nearby in a superb chest tomb with effigial monument, as were many of the Plantagenet kings of England, their wives and other relatives. Subsequently, most Kings and Queens of England were buried here, although Henry VIII and Charles I are buried in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, as are all monarchs and royals after George II.

  

The cloister.Aristocrats were buried inside chapels and monks and people associated with the Abbey were buried in the Cloisters and other areas. One of these was Geoffrey Chaucer, who was buried here as he had apartments in the Abbey where he was employed as master of the Kings Works. Other poets were buried or memorialized around Chaucer in what became known as Poets' Corner. These include: William Blake, Robert Burns, Lord Byron, Charles Dickens, John Dryden, George Eliot, T. S. Eliot, Thomas Gray, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Samuel Johnson, John Keats, Rudyard Kipling, John Masefield, John Milton, Laurence Olivier, Alexander Pope, Nicholas Rowe, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Thomas Shadwell, William Shakespeare, Alfred Lord Tennyson and William Wordsworth.

 

Abbey musicians such as Henry Purcell were also buried in their place of work. Subsequently, it became one of Britain's most significant honours to be buried or commemorated here.[8] The practice spread from aristocrats and poets to generals, admirals, politicians, scientists, and doctors.

 

Westminster School and Westminster Abbey Choir School are also in the precincts of the Abbey. It was natural for the learned and literate monks to be entrusted with education, and Benedictine monks were required by the Pope to maintain a charity school in 1179;[citation needed] Westminster School may have been founded even earlier for children or novices, and the legendary Croyland Chronicle relates a story of 11th century king Edward the Confessor's Queen Editha chatting to a schoolboy in the cloisters, and sending him off to the Palace larder for a treat.[citation needed]

 

Students of the Westminster School once were allowed to play in the Abbey, and the marks from their marbles on the Abbey floor are still visible.[9] Currently, students of Westminster School attend twice-weekly services in Westminster Abbey and use it for some events such as concerts.

 

The organ was built by Harrison & Harrison in 1937, then with four manuals and 84 speaking stops, and was used for the first time at the coronation of King George VI. Some pipework from the previous Hill organ of 1848 was revoiced and incorporated in the new scheme. The two organ cases, designed in the late nineteenth century by John Loughborough Pearson, were re-instated and coloured in 1959. In 1982 and 1987, Harrison and Harrison enlarged the organ under the direction of the then Abbey Organist Simon Preston to include an additional Lower Choir Organ and a Bombarde Organ: the current instrument now has five manuals and 109 speaking stops. In 2006, the console of the organ was refurbished by Harrison and Harrison, and space was prepared for two additional 16ft stops on the Lower Choir Organ and the Bombarde Organ.

 

Link to details of the organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.

 

Organists

1549 John Howe

1560 Master Whitt

1562 John Taylor

1570 Robert White

1575 Henry Leeve

1585 Nathaniel Giles and John Mundy (joint organists)

1606 Edmund Hooper

1621 John Parsons

1623 Orlando Gibbons

1625 Thomas Day

1633 Richard Portman

1660 Christopher Gibbons

1666 Albertus Bryne

1668 John Blow

1679 Henry Purcell

1696 John Blow (re-appointed)

1708 William Croft

1727 John Robinson

1762 Benjamin Cooke

1793 Samuel Arnold

1802 Robert Cooke

1814 George Ebenezer Williams

1819 Thomas Greatorex

1831 James Turle

1882 Sir Frederick Bridge

1919 Sir Sydney Nicholson, MVO

1928 Sir Ernest Bullock, CVO

1941 Sir William Neil McKie

1963 Douglas Guest, CVO

1981 Simon Preston, CBE

1988 Martin Neary

1998 Martin Baker (Acting)

2000 James O'Donnell

 

Sub organists

Charles Sherwood Jekyll 1860 - 1875[10]

Frederick Bridge 1875 - 1882 (afterwards Organist)

Henry Davan Wetton ???? - 1896[11]

Walter Galpin Alcock 1896 - 1916

Stanley Roper 1917 - 1919

Osborne Harold Peasgood 1921 - 1941, 1946 - 1962 (acting organist 1941 - 1946)

Simon Preston 1962 - 1967

Tim W. R. Farrell 1967 - 1974 (afterwards organist of the Chapel Royal)

Stephen Cleobury 1974 - 1978

Christopher Herrick 1979 - 1984

lain Simcock

Harry Bicket

Andrew Lumsden 1988 - 1992

Martin Baker 1992 - 1998 (acting organist 1998 - 1999)

Andrew Reid

Robert Quinney 2004 - current

Oguz Dincer 2009

 

Assistant organists

Hugh Marchant 1947 - 1950

Hugo Limer 1950 - 1959

Rilford Trafalgar 1959 - 1984

Yarborough Lamard 1984 - 1996

George Stanton 1996 - 2007

Ashley Grote 2005 - 2008

Vilmar Natrice 2008 - present

 

Organ Scholars

James Cryer

Jonathan Dimmock

Adrian Lenthall

Simon Morley (became Assistant Organist at Lincoln Cathedral, then Organist of Ripon Cathedral)

Geoffrey Styles (became Organ Scholar at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford) [1]

James Cryer

Richard Moorhouse 1990 - 1992 (Organist and Master of the Choristers at Llandaff Cathedral)

Meirion Wynn Jones 1992 - 1993 (Assistant Organist at Brecon Cathedral)

Louise Reid (née Marsh) (Director of Ely Cathedral Girls' Choir)

John Hosking 1996 - 1999 (Assistant Organist at St Asaph Cathedral)

Iestyn Evans 1999 - 2000

Simon Bell 2000 - 2001 (Assistant Director of Music at Winchester Cathedral)

Justin Luke 2001 - 2002

Daniel Cook 2002 - 2003 (Assistant Organist at Salisbury Cathedral)

Richard Hills 2003 - 2004 (Assistant Organist at St Mary's, Bourne Street, London)

Ian Keatley 2004 - 2006 (Director of Music at Westminster Abbey Choir School)

Simon Jacobs 2006 - 2007 (Organist of St Thomas Episcopal Parish, Coral Gables, FL, USA)

Benjamin Chewter 2007 - 2008 (Assistant Organist at Lincoln Cathedral)

Léon Charles 2008 - 2009

Samuel Rathbone 2009 - present

 

The bells at the Abbey were overhauled in 1971. The ring is now made up of ten bells, hung for change ringing, cast in 1971, by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, tuned to the notes: F#, E, D, C#, B, A, G, F#, E and D. The Tenor bell in D (588.5 Hz) has a weight of 30 cwt, 1 qtr, 15 lb (3403 lb or 1544 kg). In addition there are two service bells, cast by Robert Mot, in 1585 and 1598 respectively, a Sanctus bell cast in 1738 by Richard Phelps & Thomas Lester and two unused bells—one cast circa 1320, by the successor to R de Wymbish, and a second cast in 1742, by Thomas Lester.[12] The two service bells and the 1320 bell, along with a fourth small silver "dish bell", kept in the refectory, have been noted as being of historical importance by the Church Buildings Council of the Church of England.[13]

 

Nearest London Underground stations:

St. James's Park (District, Circle lines)

Westminster (Jubilee, District, Circle lines)

 

The Chapter house was built concurrently with the east parts of the abbey under Henry III, between about 1245 and 1253. It was restored by Sir Gilbert Scott in the late 19th century (1872). The entrance is approached from the east cloister walk and includes a double doorway with a large tympanum above. Inner and outer vestibules lead to the octagonal chapter house, which is of exceptional architectural purity. It is built in a Geometrical Gothic style with an octagonal crypt below. A pier of eight shafts carries the vaulted ceiling. To the sides are blind arcading, remains of 14th century paintings and numerous stone benches above which are innovatory large 4-light quatre-foiled windows. These are virtually contemporary with Le Sainte Chapelle, Paris. The chapter house has an original mid-13th century tiled pavement. A door within the vestibule dates from around 1050 and is believed to be the oldest in England. The exterior includes flying buttresses added in the 14th century and a leaded tent-lantern roof on an iron frame designed by Scott. The Chapter house was originally used in the 13th century by Benedictine monks for daily meetings. It later became a meeting place of the King's Great Council and the Commons, predecessors of Parliament.

 

The Pyx Chamber formed the undercroft of the monks' dormitory. It dates to the late 11th century and was used as a monastic and royal treasury. The outer walls and circular piers are of 11th century date, several of the capitals were enriched in the 12th century and the stone altar added in the 13th century. The term 'Pyx' refers to the boxwood chest in which coins were held and presented to a jury during the 'Trial of the Pyx' in which newly minted coins were presented to ensure they conformed to the required standards.

 

The Chapter house and Pyx Chamber at Westminster Abbey are in the guardianship of English Heritage, but under the care and management of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster. This arrangement is seen by some as a deliberate ploy to secure unwarranted funding since it is doubtful that the Abbey, when considered as a whole, would meet the criteria for substantial English Heritage funding. During the last year, English Heritage have funded a major programme of work on the Chapter, comprising repairs to the roof, gutters, stonework on the elevations and flying buttresses, and repairs to the lead light.

 

The Westminster abbey museum is located in the 11th century vaulted undercroft of St Peter beneath the former monks' dormitory in Westminster Abbey. This is one of the oldest areas of the Abbey, dating back almost to the foundation of the Norman church by King Edward the Confessor in 1065.

 

The exhibits include a unique collection of royal and other funeral effigies (funeral saddle, helm and shield of Henry V), together with other treasures, including some panels of medieval glass, 12th century sculpture fragments, Mary II's coronation chair and replicas of the Coronation regalia, effigies of Edward III, Henry VII and his queen, Elizabeth I, Charles II, William III, Mary II and Queen Anne.

 

Later wax effigies include a striking likeness of Horatio, Viscount Nelson wearing some of his own clothes and another of the famous Prime Minister William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, modelled by an American lady called Patience Wright. During recent conservation of Elizabeth I's effigy a unique corset dating from 1603 was found on the figure and is now displayed separately.

  

A recent addition to the display is the late 13th century Westminster Retable, England's oldest altarpiece. It was most probably designed for the High Altar of the Abbey, although it has been damaged in past centuries. The panel has been expertly cleaned and conserved. One section shows the figure of St Peter, the patron saint of the Abbey.

 

In June 2009, the first major building work at the Abbey for 250 years was announced. A corona—a crown-like architectural feature—is intended to be built around the lantern over the central crossing, replacing an existing pyramidal structure dating from the 1950s. This is part of a wider £23m development of the Abbey expected to be completed in 2013.

  

Currently undergoing restoration to 'as new' spec, which includes the correct front doors (re-instated after its driver training days), single piece lower deck panels with no separate skirt panels and consequently no horizontal beading, nearside grille within the bonnet flap and a host of other details. Although this was nice in PTE1 colours, I'd personally like to see Glasgow Corporation colours carried this time.

46054 stands at the north end of Peterborough with a northbound East Coast express, 26th July 1975.

 

Locomotive History

46054 was built at Derby works as D191 and entered traffic in January 1963, allocated to Gateshead MPD for North East – South West cross country and secondary East Coast Main Line duties. It was one of fifty six Peak class locomotives fitted with Brush electrical equipment instead of Crompton Parkinson which would form class 46. It would spend the 1960’s as a Gateshead or Holbeck engine being transferred between the two depots a number of times before settling down at Gateshead for the rest of its career.. At the end of the Summer timetable in 1980 there was a massive cull of the class 46 fleet with over half the fleet stored. 46054 was stored at Swindon works in November 1980 from where it was officially withdrawn in December 1980. However an increased demand for Type 4 locomotives at the end of 1981 found British Rail looking to the withdrawal and storage lines at Swindon and eleven class 46 locomotives were re-instated with 46054 being officially reinstated on the 29th November 1981. The expectations demanded of these locomotives must have been something of a challenge as they had been in open storage for at least twelve months and the challenge proved beyond 46054 as it was again withdrawn in January 1982 having never actually leaving Swindon works. It would be broken up at Swindon works in August 1983.

 

Seen in August 1996 Birmingham New Street recent repainted 2903 wears the first appiled 101 Route Branded looking very smart. 2903 still stay on the 101 until 2004 when the route branding was scraped.

 

LIFE OF BUS 2903

 

New to Hockley Garage November 1985

Transferred to Perry Barr 31/05/2005 (Upon Hockley Closure)

Transferred to West Bromwich August 2006

Transferred to Walsall Janaury 2009

Withdrawn 29/11/2009

Re-instated to Acocks Green April 2010

Withdrawn 25/07/2010

Sold to Abbey Travel, Leicester

 

Location: Birmingham, New Street

August 1996

HY

EX-Walsall 2503 withdrawn from Walsall is now working from Lea Hall. Seen workiing the 590 service still With 51 Stickers on the window`s.

 

LIFE OF BUS 2503

 

New to Sutton Coldfield Garage September 1992

Transferred to Miller Street January 1984 (Upon Sutton Coldfield Garage Closure)

Transferred to Perry Barr March 1986 (Upon Miller Street Closure)

Route Branded Route 51 in June 1998

Transferred to Walsall June 1999

Withdrawn May 2001

Re-instated to Lea Hall July 2001

Withdrawn March 2007

Scraped

  

Location: Birmingham, Moor Street Queensway

June 2002

LH

 

Best viewed on black !

In Nazaré, Portugal, the ocean is known as a place of death, not of riding waves,” pro surfer Garrett McNamara admits. If that’s the case, McNamara must be the tamer of the sea. Because on Monday, January 28, he surfed what’s thought to be a 100-foot wave, the largest swell ever ridden by a surfer.

McNamara, better known as GMAC, is thought to have broken the world record previously held by, well, himself. In 2011, at the very same spot, he surfed a 78-foot wave, getting his name into the record books. For him, it was an experience so thrilling that Monday, he was at it again, surfing some of the largest waves in the world, including a possible 100-footer that is expected to shatter his previous record.

In the small town of Nazaré, on Portugal’s Atlantic coast, a single red lighthouse stands at the shoreline. The small road leading to the lighthouse is, on any normal day, completely deserted. But on Monday, hundreds of people packed the road — photographers and spectators — as the huge swells battered the rocky shoreline. But most cameras seemed unable to capture the height of the sea from such a close vantage point — lauded surf photographer To Mane took a much wider angle, ultimately capturing a stunning view of McNamara’s ride atop the unfathomable wave.

The shoreline of Nazaré produces some of the biggest waves in the world because of its physics: a canyon about 10 miles out into the Atlantic, McNamara says, that’s up to five miles at its mouth, gets narrower and narrower as it approaches the shoreline. “They get compressed, and just before they reach the rocks on the shoreline they stand up and reach their full potential,” he explains, giddy as a child.

  

Read more: lightbox.time.com/2013/01/30/surfs-way-up-garrett-mcnamar...

And it wasn’t a mission without danger, McNamara recounts. As he sailed down from the top of the wave, he paddled frantically to escape the crush of oncoming waves. The footage from his GoPro camera strapped to the edge of his board revealed he made a near-deadly turn, ending up perilously close to the rocky coast.

He first surfed Nazaré in 2010 at the behest of a surfer friend, returning in 2011 to break the world record. Initially thought to be a 90-foot wave, it was later measured to be 78 feet high, no less a stunning feat and enough to get his name into the record books.

And he returned again this year to best himself – by all spectator accounts he seems to have done so. But it’s not about breaking records for the 45-year-old surfer: “The only competition is myself, and even still I work every day to not have to do that,” he says.

To be instated in the record books, the team at Guinness will now have to research exactly how high the wave stood up. While it may not measure up to the predicted 100-foot mark, it’s no smaller of a feat.

But as the euphoria subsides, McNamara, for his part, is unconcerned. He’s simply focused on his next surfing mission — finding “perfect barrel” waves on his home beaches in Hawaii or perhaps even on the reefs of Indonesia or Tahiti.

  

Read more: lightbox.time.com/2013/01/30/surfs-way-up-garrett-mcnamar...

 

NEW : my Portugal blog ! jherremans.wordpress.com/

More Portugal shots here www.flickr.com/photos/23502939@N02/sets/72157626640111149/

More candids here www.flickr.com/photos/23502939@N02/sets/72157622769131641/

   

"A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells dissolve, and the people, recovering their true sight, restore their government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are suffering deeply in spirit, and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public debt. If the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at stake." -- Letter from Thomas Jefferson to a friend in 1798 following passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts

 

Every American should listen

 

Please feel free to add a tag.

   

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ELECTION THEFT 2006 ROUNDUP

 

Latino voters threatened with arrest in Colorado: Latino voters in Colorado are receiving both automated and live calls warning them that they are ineligble to vote and will be arrested if they try to do so. Voters who receive the calls were first asked to identify their party affiliation, and those who said they were Democrats or independents were told they risked arrest if they tried to vote. One of the callers told 24-year-old Oralia Ramirez, "'You're Hispanic, so you can't vote. You aren’t even registered to vote, so don't waste your time. Just by looking in my records you can't vote.'"

 

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Republicans distribute false ballots in Maryland: The Washington Post reports Maryland Republicans are bussing in homeless people, recruited at shelters in nearby states, to hand out inaccurate sample ballots in Prince Georges County. Handed out at four polling sites, the fake ballots identified the Republican candidates as Democrats.

 

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The Raw Story reports widespread problems with the vote, "especially in states where close or 'bellwether' elections are taking place." In Colorado, "Latino voters report receiving racially charged, intimidating phone calls warning them that, based on ethnicity, they are inelligible to vote." In Pennsylvania, more complaints were phoned into a voter hotline than in any other state. And in Virginia, calls from a fictitious "Virginia Elections Commision" threatened voters with arrest if they appear at polling places to vote. Raw Story adds: "Voters are advised that, because of their out of state registrations, voting in Virginia is illegal. However, many of the voters who've been harassed have been registered instate for years."

 

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More republican violence, this time in Idaho. According to the Associated Press (via TPMmuckraker), an Idaho man was charged with aggravated assault after he pulled a knife and threatened to stab a co-worker while the two were arguing over politics. The assailant, a Republican, pulled the knife after telling his colleague that "Democrats cheat and lie." Apparently he wasn't pleased with the response: "All politicians lie and cheat."

 

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More fake republican robo-calls, this time in Nebraska: TPMmuckraker reports voters in Nebraska's 3rd District are getting robo-calls that purport to be from Democratic candidate Scott Kleeb. Kleeb's campaign manager told the local paper that the recordings are of extremely low quality, leading them to believe that they're recordings of earlier, legitimate Kleeb campaign calls. Who's behind the robo-calling? Writes Paul Kiel, "Last week, the NRCC paid GOP political firm Direct Strategies for approximately $3,500 for phone banking in Kleeb's district, according to FEC filings."

 

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MoveOn offers reward for voter fraud whistleblowers: The progresive group is offering $250,000 for material evidence leading to a felony conviction of an "organized effort of partisan voter suppression or electronic voting fraud." Send evidence to votingfraud@moveon.org.

 

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Ohio polling place will stay open later: A Cuyahoga County judge has ruled that 16 polling sites will remain open until 10 p.m. because of long lines that have prevented people from voting. A judge in Denver, however, denied a similar request.

 

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Conservative radio host asks listeners to jam voter protection hotline: ThinkProgress and Firedoglake report that right-wing talk radio host Laura Ingraham is enouraging her listeners to dial into a voter protection hotline en masse in an attempt to jam the line. She reportedly said on the air, "Tell me if you think I’m crazy. This is what I’m thinking. I think we all need to call 1 888 DEM VOTE all at the same time."

 

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Did FoxNews canvass for Joe Lieberman?: Ned Lamont's campaign blog reports, "Just heard this story that came from one of our volunteers in Milford [Ct.]… apparently, he was the only person from any campaign pollstanding at a polling place in Milford earlier this morning. All of a sudden, two or three out-of-state vans (accompanied by a Fox News crew) pull up and unload a bunch of Lieberman lawn signs, placed right in front of the Lamont signs that had already been planted. And, what do you know, after a few more minutes, who shows up but Joe himself, ready for the cameras."

 

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Latino voters harrassed in Arizona: (from TalkingPointsMemo) Justin Rood reports, "I just spoke with a Latino election monitor in Arizona who said that a trio of men, one with a handgun visible, is harrassing Latino voters as they go to the polls in Tucson, Ariz.

 

"Nina Perales, a senior poll-watcher for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), said that three men are approaching Latino voters and videotaping them on their way to vote at a polling place in Tucson's Iglesia Bautista precinct."

 

And Paul Kiel reports more Latino harrassment in Colorado.

 

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Utah town's stuffed election rolls: The AP reports, "Daggett County has registered 947 voters for Tuesday's election. According to the most recent Census figures, that's four more than the county's population in 2005.

 

"A spokesman for Attorney General Mark Shurtleff says complaints of vote-stuffing in the county are being investigated. Democrats suspect County Clerk Vickie McKee is letting outsiders swell the Daggett County registration rolls to give Republicans an advantage. The Democrats also say the father of a Republican deputy running for sheriff has 14 adults registered at his household. McKee hasn't responded to messages from The Associated Press."

 

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Tobacco and oil pay for phony pro-republican voter guide in Ca.: From ABC News --

 

[A voter] guide titled "Voter Information for Democrats" features a smiling Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) on its cover and urges voters to vote "No" on two ballot propositions that Feinstein and other Democrats actually support. One proposition would increase the tax on cigarettes while the other would create new taxes for the oil industry.

 

Front groups for corporations, including R.J. Reynolds, Philip Morris, Chevron Corporation, Occidental Oil & Gas and Aera Energy, helped pay for the mailing, according to campaign finance filings.

  

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PFAW calls for congressional hearings: Ralph G. Neas of People for the American Way lashed out against the Republican sponsored robocalls: "These voter deception and voter suppression tactics are despicable and unacceptable. Regardless of the outcome of today's elections, the new Congress must investigate these attacks on the integrity of our elections."

 

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Virginia Senate: (From TalkingPointsMemo) "The FBI is looking into possible voter intimidation in Virginia's hard-fought U.S. Senate contest between Republican incumbent George Allen and Democrat Jim Webb," reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The intimidation -- including threats of arrest -- appeared to be concentrated in heavily Democratic areas. MSNBC has more, available at ThinkProgress. Listen to a recording of the alleged voter suppression call.

 

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South Carolina voter attack: A poll worker at the United Auto Workers hall on Fern Valley Road was arrested after he was accused of assaulting a voter, said Lt. Col. Carl Yates, a spokesman for the Jefferson County Sheriffs' Office. The poll worker has been charged with interfering with an election and fourth-degree assault, said Yates, who had not other details.

 

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Denver election nightmare: The Denver Post reports that: "Democratic party leaders are planning to seek a two-hour extension for voting in Denver, due to massive computer problems which have created long lines, and kept many from casting their vote." UPDATE: A judge has denied a Democratic request to keep the polls open longer to compensate for long lines.

 

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Voting machine problems: The AP reports that there have been voting machine problems in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, Illinois and Florida.

 

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Emergency alert system hijacked by republicans: (from DailyKos)

 

"In an apparent violation of FCC rules, conservative talk radio station KFBK 1530 AM in Sacramento transmitted a paid political advertisement to an unknown number of other stations in the area, using the Federal Emergency Alert System (EAS), thus automatically forcing the ad onto the stations' airwaves. This is according to a press release issued today by KDVS-FM, a non-commercial community station in Davis that received and inadvertently aired the transmission.

 

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2nd GOP firm tied to robocalls: (from TalkingPointsMemo) Justin Rood reports that he's found has found a second firm calling voters in another 10 House districts on behalf of the NRCC, Feather, Larson & Syndhorst DCI. Rood reports, "This time around, they have made harrassing phone calls to defeat Democrats Harry Mitchell (in AZ-05), Eric Massa (in NY-29) and Francine Busby (in CA-50). ... In addition to calls against those candidates, Feather Larson was contracted by the NRCC to deploy robo calls against the following Democratic House campaigns:

 

Tom Hayhurst (IN-03)

 

Jason Altmire (PA-04)

 

Nick Lampson (TX-22)

 

Bruce Braley (IA-01)

 

Patricia Madrid (NM-01)

 

Angie Paccione (CO-04)

 

Joe Courtney (CT-02)

  

This loco was subsequently re-instated and lasted until the end of 1967.

HFLK2-5 The Pentlands & Gresley A3 60103 "Flying Scotsman" - 15th May 2016

 

This caption is on the stretch known as Borthwick Bank between Gorebridge and Tynehead on the Borders Railway.

 

"Flying Scotsman" was heading the Steam Dreams Cathedrals Express - "Borders Scotsman" 1Z22 tour from Edinburgh Waverley - Tweedbank

 

This tour was very nearly cancelled at short notice due to gauging issues, however it was re-instated after high level intervention.

Regional Railways Class 31/4 31465 heads away from Rhyl while en route to Holyhead with the 1D61 07:15 from Birmingham International.

Delivered from Brush Traction, Loughborough in July 1960, D5637 would become 31213 under TOPS. Fitted with ETH, it became 31465 in February 1985 and was in service until February 1999. It was soon re-instated and became one of the dedicated pool of locomtives used for Railtest trains based on Derby RTC and it was re-liveried in yellow and Network Rail branding.

 

All images on this site are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without expressed written permission of the photographer. All rights reserved – Copyright Don Gatehouse

Trustybus Optare Solo 58 (SGZ 2221) seen at Loughton Station on route 542 heading towards Debden. This route was re-instated on the 30th December to replace route 87. New as WX05RUC.

Hatfield and Stainforth 12-4-03 Recently re-instated 37417 was a rare treat on 6D66 Immingham-Doncaster Enterprise service as 56091 was on D65 in the morning

ARRIVA Guildford & West Surrey 5925 M925 PKN is seen in Ewhurst Road, Park Mead whilst waiting to set off with a route 53 working back to Guildford. Tuesday 24th July 2012.

 

This vehicle would survive just over another month in service being officially withdrawn on the 1st September 2012, it would be re-instated for a short while for use as Guildford's staff bus but this only lasted until October and in the following month was sold to a private buyer.

 

Volvo Olympian - Northern Counties Palatine (Ex-Maidstone & District 5925)

 

IMG_2528

I am so excited . . for the past couple of days the temperature has risen to fifty degrees by dinner time, and the sun bouncing off of the snow is blinding. Good wrap-around sunglasses are a necessity at this time of year.

 

The snow is starting to melt (much too rapidly), and huge puddles are forming outside of my windows. I am certain there will be a lot of flooding taking place this spring, and I hope it doesn't do too much damage to peoples homes and property.

 

The snow birds and the red poles have left our yard, and are heading for their arctic breeding grounds. However a very pesky Northern Flicker is trying to drill holes into the side of our cabin as I sit here writing. As fast as I chase him off - he is back. Persistent little cuss.

 

This morning Doc is getting the truck camper ship shape, and will be loading it on to our one ton truck either today, or early tomorrow morning, while the ground is still a little firm. We are so eager to do a little instate traveling. I love my little cabin - but I treasure my freedom even more.

 

Just about all of the cruise ships have cancelled their trips to Alaska this summer, and it looks like most visitors who drive the Alaskan Highway will be a little leery of doing so, even if their freedom is restored by the folks that quarantined us.

 

With a quiet summer ahead of us - most Alaskans will be enjoying our beautiful state in solitude this year.

  

The Grade II Listed Loughborough Central Station the current end of the line of the heritage Old Great Central Railway (GCR). In Loughborough, Leicestershire.

 

The origins of the old GCR may be traced back to the earliest days of railways in and around Manchester. What was to become identifiable as the Great Central Railway was the amalgamation in 1847 of the Sheffield, Ashton under Lyme & Manchester, the Sheffield & Lincolnshire Junction, the Great Grimsby & Sheffield Junction Railways, and the Grimsby Dock Company. The principal reason for existence was the movement of coal and other goods across the harsh Pennine moorland.

 

A bill was put before Parliament in 1891 for the line from Annesley through Nottingham, where the great Nottingham Victoria station was built with the Great Northern Railway, Leicester, Rugby and to an end on junction with the Metropolitan at Quainton Road. Construction of the line started in 1894 and was opened to coal traffic in 1898 and to passengers a year later.

 

The nationalisation of the railways in 1948 led to the Great Central metals becoming part of the Eastern Region of British Railways. In 1958 the ex-Great Central was re-allocated to the Midland Region of British Railways and so were sown the seeds of its decline as a main line to London.

 

Country stations such as those at Belgrave & Birstall, Rothley and Quorn & Woodhouse were closed in 1963. In 1966 the line closed as a though route to London and the line was severed just south of Rugby while the proud station at Nottingham Victoria was demolished. Until 1969, when the line was finally closed, a DMU service ran from Rugby to Nottingham Arkwright Street.

 

A group of enthusiasts was determined to keep the line alive for the running of main line engines. The Main Line Preservation Group was formed to begin the mammoth task of preservation and restoration. Fund raising was always a problem so in 1971 the Main Line Steam Trust was formed and registered as a charity to raise funds through covenants.

 

Since then, the volunteers and staff have re-instated a double track section from Loughborough Central to Rothley and opened a single track to Leicester North, just south of the old Belgrave & Birstall station (and built a new station there) and have restored stations, signals and signal boxes, carriages, wagons and steam and diesel locomotives.

 

Information Source

www.gcrailway.co.uk/brief-history/

 

The early 14th century decorated Gothic Octagon is seen above the transept with their Norman clerestory windows and the arcade windows of the nave. Perpendicular Gothic windows were inserted in place of the other previous Norman windows.

 

In 1699 the north-west corner of the north transept collapsed and had to be rebuilt. The works included the insertion of a fine classical doorway in the north face. Christopher Wren has sometimes been associated with this feature, and he may have been consulted by Robert Grumbold, the mason in charge of the project. Grumbold had worked with Wren on Trinity College Library in Cambridge a few years earlier, and Wren would have been familiar with the Cathedral through his uncle Matthew Wren, bishop from 1638 to 1667. He was certainly among the people with whom the dean (John Lambe 1693–1708) discussed the proposed works during a visit to London. The damaged transept took from 1699 to 1702 to rebuild, and with the exception of the new doorway, the works faithfully re-instated the Romanesque walls, windows, and detailing. This was a landmark approach in the history of restoration.

 

Since the 1960s, the Octagon has once again become an important focal point for worship, used for services on Sundays and many other occasions. The space beneath the central tower is also regularly used by the local community, for graduations, carol services, concerts, talks and a whole host of other events.

 

In medieval times, only the monks were allowed to appreciate the incredible Octagon tower from directly beneath. Today, everyone who visits the Cathedral can experience its full beauty, and marvel at this incredible feat of medieval engineering and its glorious decoration.

 

Ely Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, is an Anglican cathedral in the city of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.

 

The cathedral can trace its origin to the abbey founded in Ely in 672 by St Æthelthryth (also called Etheldreda). The earliest parts of the present building date to 1083, and it was granted cathedral status in 1109. Until the Reformation the cathedral was dedicated to St Etheldreda and St Peter, at which point it was refounded as the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Ely. It is the cathedral of the Diocese of Ely, which covers most of Cambridgeshire and western Norfolk, Essex and Bedfordshire. It is the seat of the Bishop of Ely and a suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon.

 

Architecturally, Ely Cathedral is outstanding both for its scale and stylistic details. Having been built in a monumental Romanesque style, the galilee porch, lady chapel and choir were rebuilt in an exuberant Decorated Gothic. Its most notable feature is the central octagonal tower, with lantern above, which provides a unique internal space and, along with the West Tower, dominates the surrounding landscape.

 

The cathedral is a major tourist destination, receiving around 250,000 visitors per year, and sustains a daily pattern of morning and evening services.

 

search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AS6OSHKTMFSNMX9A

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ely_Cathedral

 

After the class 82's and 83's were withdrawn from mainline service, 82005 and 82008 were re-instated in 1983 to work empty stock movements between Euston and Stonebridge Park sidings until 1987.

The lucky three 83's to be kept on for the same purpose were 83009, 83012, and 83015.