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One World Trade Center (formerly "Freedom Tower") construction time-lapse
www.youtube.com/watch?v=la88DW8Rb9A
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9FnJCMtOYsOne World Trade Center: Construction Progress
Uno World Trade Center: progreso de la construcción
Esta foto y este artículo es del 2012, estaba en Panoramio .
Decidi subirla aquí para recordar , los de la construcción hasta el final que es la foto anterior.
One World Trade Center stands tall on the skyline of New York's Lower Manhattan as a man takes a picture from a pier in Hoboken, New Jersey, on September 9, 2012. The price tag for the skyscraper was valued at $3.8 billion earlier this year, making it the world's most expensive new office tower. Most of the cost overruns are due to the security measures being taken in the design of the building which sits on a site that has been bombed twice by terrorists. To offset the costs of One World Trade Center, which is being built by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, higher bridge and tunnel tolls have been instated and there has been a reduction in spending on transportation infrastructure. The 1,776-foot skyscraper is expected to be completed by late 2013 or early 2014.
Soon will mark the 11th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001. After years of effort and numerous setbacks, three of the proposed seven towers to be built at the World Trade Center complex have "topped out," reaching their structural maximum height. Seven WTC was completed in 2006, Four WTC topped out in June of this year, and the tallest, One World Trade Center (formerly known as Freedom Tower), just topped out at 104 floors on August 30. Financial difficulties have left the future of the remaining towers in doubt, and have raised concerns about the still-incomplete National September 11 Memorial and Museum, as the foundation that runs the memorial estimates that it will cost $60 million a year to operate. Gathered below are recent images of the rebuilding at ground zero in New York City.
Pronto se cumplirá el 11º aniversario de los atentados del 11 de septiembre de 2001. Después de años de esfuerzo y numerosos reveses, tres de las siete torres que se construirán en el complejo del World Trade Center han alcanzado su máxima altura estructural. Siete WTC se completó en 2006, Four WTC terminó en junio de este año, y el más alto, One World Trade Center (antes conocido como Freedom Tower), acaba de coronarse en 104 plantas el 30 de agosto. Las dificultades financieras han dejado el futuro de las torres restantes dudan, y han levantado preocupaciones sobre el todavía incompleto National September 11 Memorial and Museum, como la fundación que ejecuta el memorial estima que costará $ 60 millones al año para operar. A continuación se presentan imágenes recientes de la reconstrucción en la zona cero de la ciudad de Nueva York.
Aunque ya se terminó,y ahora se ve todo como en la foto anterior
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.
Birmingham City Daimler COG5 was lucky. Birmingham had a large fleet of these buses bought before World War II, the vehicles were the mainstay of wartime services. They were steadily withdrawn until only the few snowplough fitted buses were left CVP 207 was one of these. When BCT decided to replace them CVP 207 followed many other COG5's to Birds Commercial Vehicles of Stratford-upon-Avon. It did not get into the pit of no return but languished on the muddy track down, it had slight body damage but was considered the best of the bunch and it was rescued and restored.
This picture was taken at the Sandwell Vehicle Rally and shows the bus in newly restored condition in pre-war livery with a cream roof.
I guess I have a soft spot for the COG5/Metro-Cammell buses because during my school days some of them were re-instated from store and worked rush hour services including the 36 route which was part of my two bus school journey.
Copyright Geoff Dowling: All rights reserved
Seen working the 256 at Dudley. This bus was only here for a year until being transferrd to Walsall.
LIFE OF BUS 2951
New to Dudley Garage November 1986
Transferred to Walsall October 1988
Transferred to Hockley May 1994
Transferred to Perry Barr December 1994
Transferred to Walsall October 2000
Withdrawn May 2004
Rebuilt as a training vehicle & Transferred to Travel London training fleet August 2004
Withdrawn August 2007
Re-instated to TWM Traning Fleet
Withdrawn January 2011
Re-instated to TWM Tranning Fleet August 2011
Location: Dudley Bus Station
November 1986
DY
Seafield, Kirkcaldy.
My first visit since April. The Council have re-instated the coastal path south of the Tower during this time making it much better under foot. They now need to encourage dog owners to be a bit more responsible.
The tide was too high and the wind was too strong for any photography....or so I thought. On my way back to the car I diverted to Coire Seafield and set up low on the rim of the cliffs looking down to the lochan below. The wind was really strong. Any false moves and I could have fallen 100's of mm's into the lochan below ;)
Pleased with the way this has turned out given the conditions. The heavens opened a few minutes later..
DMU's at Dovey Jcn. in 1968 with the Aberystwyth bound train on the right. A similar pattern of train movements is now returning to this station now that the loop here has been re-instated, and an hourly service introduced.
A brief walk out of the station and up to the holding sidings for a better side shot of recently re-instated Colas Rail Freight 37521, what a beast!
Comparing this to the shot below, many changes have taken place in the past few years.
-the 'up slow' line has been re-instated.
-the signals have been replaced, although the structure of the nearer of the two gantries remains - its replacement is on the other side of the road bridge.
-KNJ has been moved about a hundred metres closer to allow for the re-siting of the gantry for the down lines.
-on the horizon, the floodlights of the Kettering Town football club have been removed as the ground has been demolished.
-the once grubby BT/Royal Mail building (far right) has been cleaned externally.
-most recently the trees on the right have been felled as part of the electrification work, so in a year or so the 'knitting' will feature on the Corby lines.
The Meridians form the 1F35 13.02 St Pancras International to Sheffield which has just overtaken the 1M36 12.47 St Pancras International to Corby.
Seen in Sutton Coldfield during the time Perry Barr operated this Service. The 68 is operating 1443 out of Sutton Coldfield which only runs to Pypes Hayes and then will do School Servicve 857 KEGS Aston-Castle Vale. At the time 68 ran 20 Min daytime & 30 Mins Peak hour.
LIFE OF BUS 1105
New to West Bromwich Garage August 1989
Transferred to Hockley July 1990
Transferred to Perry Barr March 1998
Transferred to Hockley April 1999
Withdrawn August 1999
To Travel Dundee by September 1999
Returned to TWM by January 2000
Re-instated to Travel Yourbus January 2000
Withdrawn Febuary 2001
Sold to Stanstead Transit September 2001
Withdrawn May 2007
Scraped
Location: Sutton Coldfied, Lower Parade
August 1998
PB
Brand new 1214 works a Sunday Working on Route 22. 1214 was the 1st Refubised Leyland Lynx to be Withdrawn in 2003 being transferred to Travel Dundee as a School bus alongside 1198.
LIFE OF BUS 1214
New to Quinton Garage January 1990
Transferred to West Bromwich 14/06/1997 (Upon Quinton Closure)
Refurbished by November 1998
Transferred to Birmingham Central October 1999
Route Branded 921 Castle Link
Withdrawn 16/01/2000
Repainted into Travel Yourbus Livery and Route Branded 38Y
Re-instated to Travel Yourbus June 2000
Transferred to Acocks Green February 2001
Withdrawn November 2003
To Travel Travel Dundee as School Bus Fleetnumber 7266 August 2004
Painted in Yellow School Bus Livery
Re-registered PSU 339 September 2004
Re-registered G214 EOG by April 2010
Withdrawn July 2010
Sold for Scrap
Location: Birmingham Colmore Row
April 1990
QN
History of Vehicle
New to Coventry Garage in July 1984
Withdrawn from service in July 2007
Re-instated at Perry Barr Garage in September 2007
Transferred to Wolverhampton in December 2007
Sold to Sharpes of Nottingham in August 2008
Re-registered MIB 6571 in January 2009
Sold to Mark McCorquodale for preservation in November 2016
Re-registered A764 WVP in November 2016
In 2007 3 Metrobuses came to Perry Barr ex-Coventry. 2617,2764 & 2840. They remained in service for about a year in full Travel Coventry Livery. Here is 2617 working route 101 in Birmingham. 2617 lives on today with Halmington Coaches, Northamptonshire
www.flickr.com/photos/69947186@N08/6589908227/
LIFE OF BUS 2617
New to Coventry, Sandy Lane Garage February 1983
Transferred to Coventry, Wheatley Street (25/10/1986) Upon Sandy Lane Closure)
Withdrawn July 2007
Re-instated at Perry Barr September 2007
Transferred to Wolverhampton December 2007
Withdrawn January 2008
Sold to Halmington Coaches, Northampton January 2008
Location: Birmingham, NewHall Steet
November 2007
PB
HELP - My “summer holiday” in 1978 was a First Class Eastern Region Railrover and I had stocked up with 35mm transparency film for the week ahead. Or so I thought because when it came to processing the week’s photography I realised that one roll of film was in fact a colour print film!!! An additional problem is I seem to have lost any records that went with this roll of film and therefore here we see an unidentified Stratford allocated class 47 approaching Manningtree with an express for Norwich, 30th May 1978. Any ideas on the identity of this class 47 gratefully received.
My thanks to Nigel Antolic, John Simmonds and Andy Hoare, I have settled on 47004.
Locomotive History
47004 was originally D1524 and 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 (March 2016) to be found at the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Railway.
Praktica LTL
Since Stagecoach recently re-instated the R2, it has been extended from Morrison's, up the Sirhowy Valley as far as Ynysddu.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on authentic facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The English Electric Skyspark was a British fighter aircraft that served as an interceptor during the 1960s, the 1970s and into the late 1980s. It remains the only UK-designed-and-built fighter capable of Mach 2. The Skyspark was designed, developed, and manufactured by English Electric, which was later merged into the newly-formed British Aircraft Corporation. Later the type was marketed as the BAC Skyspark.
The specification for the aircraft followed the cancellation of the Air Ministry's 1942 E.24/43 supersonic research aircraft specification which had resulted in the Miles M.52 program. W.E.W. "Teddy" Petter, formerly chief designer at Westland Aircraft, was a keen early proponent of Britain's need to develop a supersonic fighter aircraft. In 1947, Petter approached the Ministry of Supply (MoS) with his proposal, and in response Specification ER.103 was issued for a single research aircraft, which was to be capable of flight at Mach 1.5 (1,593 km/h) and 50,000 ft (15,000 m).
Petter initiated a design proposal with F W "Freddie" Page leading the design and Ray Creasey responsible for the aerodynamics. As it was designed for Mach 1.5, it had a 40° swept wing to keep the leading edge clear of the Mach cone. To mount enough power into the airframe, two engines were installed, in an unusual, stacked layout and with a high tailplane This proposal was submitted in November 1948, and in January 1949 the project was designated P.1 by English Electric. On 29 March 1949 MoS granted approval to start the detailed design, develop wind tunnel models and build a full-size mock-up.
The design that had developed during 1948 evolved further during 1949 to further improve performance. To achieve Mach 2 the wing sweep was increased to 60° with the ailerons moved to the wingtips. In late 1949, low-speed wind tunnel tests showed that a vortex was generated by the wing which caused a large downwash on the initial high tailplane; this issue was solved by lowering the tail below the wing. Following the resignation of Petter, Page took over as design team leader for the P.1. In 1949, the Ministry of Supply had issued Specification F23/49, which expanded upon the scope of ER103 to include fighter-level manoeuvring. On 1 April 1950, English Electric received a contract for two flying airframes, as well as one static airframe, designated P.1.
The Royal Aircraft Establishment disagreed with Petter's choice of sweep angle (60 degrees) and the stacked engine layout, as well as the low tailplane position, was considered to be dangerous, too. To assess the effects of wing sweep and tailplane position on the stability and control of Petter's design Short Brothers were issued a contract, by the Ministry of Supply, to produce the Short SB.5 in mid-1950. This was a low-speed research aircraft that could test sweep angles from 50 to 69 degrees and tailplane positions high or low. Testing with the wings and tail set to the P.1 configuration started in January 1954 and confirmed this combination as the correct one. The proposed 60-degree wing sweep was retained, but the stacked engines had to give way to a more conventional configuration with two engines placed side-by-side in the tail, but still breathing through a mutual nose air intake.
From 1953 onward, the first three prototype aircraft were hand-built at Samlesbury. These aircraft had been assigned the aircraft serials WG760, WG763, and WG765 (the structural test airframe). The prototypes were powered by un-reheated Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire turbojets, as the selected Rolls-Royce Avon engines had fallen behind schedule due to their own development problems. Since there was not much space in the fuselage for fuel, the thin wings became the primary fuel tanks and since they also provided space for the stowed main undercarriage the fuel capacity was relatively small, giving the prototypes an extremely limited endurance. The narrow tires housed in the thin wings rapidly wore out if there was any crosswind component during take-off or landing. Outwardly, the prototypes looked very much like the production series, but they were distinguished by the rounded-triangular air intake with no center-body at the nose, short fin, and lack of operational equipment.
On 9 June 1952, it was decided that there would be a second phase of prototypes built to develop the aircraft toward achieving Mach 2.0 (2,450 km/h); these were designated P.1B while the initial three prototypes were retroactively reclassified as P.1A. P.1B was a significant improvement on P.1A. While it was similar in aerodynamics, structure and control systems, it incorporated extensive alterations to the forward fuselage, reheated Rolls Royce Avon R24R engines, a conical center body inlet cone, variable nozzle reheat and provision for weapons systems integrated with the ADC and AI.23 radar. Three P.1B prototypes were built, assigned serials XA847, XA853 and XA856.
In May 1954, WG760 and its support equipment were moved to RAF Boscombe Down for pre-flight ground taxi trials; on the morning of 4 August 1954, WG760 flew for the first time from Boscombe Down. One week later, WG760 officially achieved supersonic flight for the first time, having exceeded the speed of sound during its third flight. While WG760 had proven the P.1 design to be viable, it was plagued by directional stability problems and a dismal performance: Transonic drag was much higher than expected, and the aircraft was limited to Mach 0.98 (i.e. subsonic), with a ceiling of just 48,000 ft (14,630 m), far below the requirements.
To solve the problem and save the P.1, Petter embarked on a major redesign, incorporating the recently discovered area rule, while at the same time simplifying production and maintenance. The redesign entailed a new, narrower canopy, a revised air intake, a pair of stabilizing fins under the rear fuselage, and a shallow ventral fairing at the wings’ trailing edge that not only reduced the drag coefficient along the wing/fuselage intersection, it also provided space for additional fuel.
On 4 April 1957 the modified P.1B (XA847) made the first flight, immediately exceeding Mach 1. During the early flight trials of the P.1B, speeds in excess of 1,000 mph were achieved daily.
In late October 1958, the plane was officially presented. The event was celebrated in traditional style in a hangar at Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) Farnborough, with the prototype XA847 having the name ‘Skyspark’ freshly painted on the nose in front of the RAF Roundel, which almost covered it. A bottle of champagne was put beside the nose on a special rig which allowed the bottle to safely be smashed against the side of the aircraft.
On 25 November 1958 the P.1B XA847 reached Mach 2 for the first time. This made it the second Western European aircraft to reach Mach 2, the first one being the French Dassault Mirage III just over a month earlier on 24 October 1958
The first operational Skyspark, designated Skyspark F.1, was designed as a pure interceptor to defend the V Force airfields in conjunction with the "last ditch" Bristol Bloodhound missiles located either at the bomber airfield, e.g. at RAF Marham, or at dedicated missile sites near to the airfield, e.g. at RAF Woodhall Spa near the Vulcan station RAF Coningsby. The bomber airfields, along with the dispersal airfields, would be the highest priority targets in the UK for enemy nuclear weapons. To best perform this intercept mission, emphasis was placed on rate-of-climb, acceleration, and speed, rather than range – originally a radius of operation of only 150 miles (240 km) from the V bomber airfields was specified – and endurance. Armament consisted of a pair of 30 mm ADEN cannon in front of the cockpit, and two pylons for IR-guided de Havilland Firestreak air-to-air missiles were added to the lower fuselage flanks. These hardpoints could, alternatively, carry pods with unguided 55 mm air-to-air rockets. The Ferranti AI.23 onboard radar provided missile guidance and ranging, as well as search and track functions.
The next two Skyspark variants, the Skyspark F.1A and F.2, incorporated relatively minor design changes, but for the next variant, the Skyspark F.3, they were more extensive: The F.3 had higher thrust Rolls-Royce Avon 301R engines, a larger squared-off fin that improved directional stability at high speed further and a strengthened inlet cone allowing a service clearance to Mach 2.0 (2,450 km/h; the F.1, F.1A and F.2 were all limited to Mach 1.7 (2,083 km/h). An upgraded A.I.23B radar and new, radar-guided Red Top missiles offered a forward hemisphere attack capability, even though additional electronics meant that the ADEN guns had to be deleted – but they were not popular in their position in front of the windscreen, because the muzzle flash blinded the pilot upon firing. The new engines and fin made the F.3 the highest performance Skyspark yet, but this came at a steep price: higher fuel consumption, resulting in even shorter range. From this basis, a conversion trainer with a side-by-side cockpit, the T.4, was created.
The next interceptor variant was already in development, but there was a need for an interim solution to partially address the F.3's shortcomings, the F.3A. The F.3A introduced two major improvements: a larger, non-jettisonable, 610-imperial-gallon (2,800 L) ventral fuel tank, resulting in a much deeper and longer belly fairing, and a new, kinked, conically cambered wing leading edge. The conically cambered wing improved manoeuvrability, especially at higher altitudes, and it offered space for a slightly larger leading edge fuel tank, raising the total usable internal fuel by 716 imperial gallons (3,260 L). The enlarged ventral tank not only nearly doubled available fuel, it also provided space at its front end for a re-instated pair of 30 mm ADEN cannon with 120 RPG. Alternatively, a retractable pack with unguided 55 mm air-to-air rockets could be installed, or a set of cameras for reconnaissance missions. The F.3A also introduced an improved A.I.23B radar and the new IR-guided Red Top missile, which was much faster and had greater range and manoeuvrability than the Firestreak. Its improved infrared seeker enabled a wider range of engagement angles and offered a forward hemisphere attack capability that would allow the Skyspark to attack even faster bombers (like the new, supersonic Tupolev T-22 Blinder) through a collision-course approach.
Wings and the new belly tank were also immediately incorporated in a second trainer variant, the T.5.
The ultimate variant, the Skyspark F.6, was nearly identical to the F.3A, with the exception that it could carry two additional 260-imperial-gallon (1,200 L) ferry tanks on pylons over the wings. These tanks were jettisonable in an emergency and gave the F.6 a substantially improved deployment capability, even though their supersonic drag was so high that the extra fuel would only marginally raise the aircraft’s range when flying beyond the sound barrier for extended periods.
Finally, there was the Skyspark F.2A; it was an early production F.2 upgraded with the new cambered wing, the squared fin, and the 610 imperial gallons (2,800 L) ventral tank. However, the F.2A retained the old AI.23 radar, the IR-guided Firestreak missile and the earlier Avon 211R engines. Although the F.2A lacked the thrust of the later Skysparks, it had the longest tactical range of all variants, and was used for low-altitude interception over West Germany.
The first Skysparks to enter service with the RAF, three pre-production P.1Bs, arrived at RAF Coltishall in Norfolk on 23 December 1959, joining the Air Fighting Development Squadron (AFDS) of the Central Fighter Establishment, where they were used to clear the Skyspark for entry into service. The production Skyspark F.1 entered service with the AFDS in May 1960, allowing the unit to take part in the air defence exercise "Yeoman" later that month. The Skyspark F.1 entered frontline squadron service with 74 Squadron at Coltishall from 11 July 1960. This made the Skyspark the second Western European-built combat aircraft with true supersonic capability to enter service and the second fully supersonic aircraft to be deployed in Western Europe (the first one in both categories being the Swedish Saab 35 Draken on 8 March 1960 four months earlier).
The aircraft's radar and missiles proved to be effective, and pilots reported that the Skyspark was easy to fly. However, in the first few months of operation the aircraft's serviceability was extremely poor. This was due to the complexity of the aircraft systems and shortages of spares and ground support equipment. Even when the Skyspark was not grounded by technical faults, the RAF initially struggled to get more than 20 flying hours per aircraft per month compared with the 40 flying hours that English Electric believed could be achieved with proper support. In spite of these concerns, within six months of the Skyspark entering service, 74 Squadron was able to achieve 100 flying hours per aircraft.
Deliveries of the slightly improved Skyspark F.1A, with revised avionics and provision for an air-to-air refueling probe, allowed two more squadrons, 56 and 111 Squadron, both based at RAF Wattisham, to convert to the Skyspark in 1960–1961. The Skyspark F.1 was only ordered in limited numbers and served only for a short time; nonetheless, it was viewed as a significant step forward in Britain's air defence capabilities. Following their replacement from frontline duties by the introduction of successively improved Skyspark variants, the remaining F.1 aircraft were employed by the Skyspark Conversion Squadron.
The improved F.2 entered service with 19 Squadron at the end of 1962 and 92 Squadron in early 1963. Conversion of these two squadrons was aided by the of the two-seat T.4 and T.5 trainers (based on the F.3 and F.3A/F.6 fighters), which entered service with the Skyspark Conversion Squadron (later renamed 226 Operational Conversion Unit) in June 1962. While the OCU was the major user of the two-seater, small numbers were also allocated to the front-line fighter squadrons. More F.2s were produced than there were available squadron slots, so later production aircraft were stored for years before being used operationally; some of these Skyspark F.2s were converted to F.2As.
The F.3, with more powerful engines and the new Red Top missile was expected to be the definitive Skyspark, and at one time it was planned to equip ten squadrons, with the remaining two squadrons retaining the F.2. However, the F.3 also had only a short operational life and was withdrawn from service early due to defence cutbacks and the introduction of the even more capable and longer-range F.6, some of which were converted F.3s.
The introduction of the F.3 and F.6 allowed the RAF to progressively reequip squadrons operating aircraft such as the subsonic Gloster Javelin and retire these types during the mid-1960s. During the 1960s, as strategic awareness increased and a multitude of alternative fighter designs were developed by Warsaw Pact and NATO members, the Skyspark's range and firepower shortcomings became increasingly apparent. The transfer of McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom IIs from Royal Navy service enabled these much longer-ranged aircraft to be added to the RAF's interceptor force, alongside those withdrawn from Germany as they were replaced by SEPECAT Jaguars in the ground attack role.
The Skyspark's direct replacement was the Tornado F.3, an interceptor variant of the Panavia Tornado. The Tornado featured several advantages over the Skyspark, including far larger weapons load and considerably more advanced avionics. Skysparks were slowly phased out of service between 1974 and 1988, even though they lasted longer than expected because the definitive Tornado F.3 went through serious teething troubles and its service introduction was delayed several times. In their final years, the Skysparks’ airframes required considerable maintenance to keep them airworthy due to the sheer number of accumulated flight hours.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 51 ft 2 in (15,62 m) fuselage only
57 ft 3½ in (17,50 m) including pitot
Wingspan: 34 ft 10 in (10.62 m)
Height: 17 ft 6¾ in (5.36 m)
Wing area: 474.5 sq ft (44.08 m²)
Empty weight: 31,068 lb (14,092 kg) with armament and no fuel
Gross weight: 41,076 lb (18,632 kg) with two Red Tops, ammunition, and internal fuel
Max. takeoff weight: 45,750 lb (20,752 kg)
Powerplant:
2× Rolls-Royce Avon 301R afterburning turbojet engines,
12,690 lbf (56.4 kN) thrust each dry, 16,360 lbf (72.8 kN) with afterburner
Performance:
Maximum speed: Mach 2.27 (1,500 mph+ at 40,000 ft)
Range: 738 nmi (849 mi, 1,367 km)
Combat range: 135 nmi (155 mi, 250 km) supersonic intercept radius
Range: 800 nmi (920 mi, 1,500 km) with internal fuel
1,100 nmi (1,300 mi; 2,000 km) with external overwing tanks
Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,000 m)
Zoom ceiling: 70,000 ft (21,000 m)
Rate of climb: 20,000 ft/min (100 m/s) sustained to 30,000 ft (9,100 m)
Zoom climb: 50,000 ft/min
Time to altitude: 2.8 min to 36,000 ft (11,000 m)
Wing loading: 76 lb/sq ft (370 kg/m²) with two AIM-9 and 1/2 fuel
Thrust/weight: 0.78 (1.03 empty)
Armament:
2× 30 mm (1.181 in) ADEN cannon with 120 RPG in the lower fuselage
2× forward fuselage hardpoints for a single Firestreak or Red Top AAM each
2× overwing pylon stations for 2.000 lb (907 kg each)
for 260 imp gal (310 US gal; 1,200 l) ferry tanks
The kit and its assembly:
This build was a submission to the “Hunter, Lightning, Canberra” group build at whatifmodellers.com, and one of my personal ultimate challenges – a project that you think about very often, but the you put the thought back into its box when you realize that turning this idea into hardware will be a VERY tedious, complex and work-intensive task. But the thematic group build was the perfect occasion to eventually tackle the idea of a model of a “side-by-side engine BAC Lightning”, a.k.a. “Flatning”, as a rather conservative alternative to the real aircraft’s unique and unusual design with stacked engines in the fuselage, which brought a multitude of other design consequences that led to a really unique aircraft.
And it sound so simple: take a Lightning, just change the tail section. But it’s not that simple, because the whole fuselage shape would be different, resulting in less depth, the wings have to be attached somewhere and somehow, the landing gear might have to be adjusted/shortened, and how the fuselage diameter shape changes along the hull, so that you get a more or less smooth shape, was also totally uncertain!
Initially I considered a MiG Ye-152 as a body donor, but that was rejected due to the sheer price of the only available kit (ModelSvit). A Chinese Shenyang J-8I would also have been ideal – but there’s not 1:72 kit of this aircraft around, just of its successor with side intakes, a 1:72 J-8II from trumpeter.
I eventually decided to keep costs low, and I settled for the shaggy PM Model Su-15 (marketed as Su-21) “Flagon” as main body donor: it’s cheap, the engines have a good size for Avons and the pen nib fairing has a certain retro touch that goes well with the Lightning’s Fifties design.
The rest of this "Flatning" came from a Hasegawa 1:72 BAC Lightning F.6 (Revell re-boxing).
Massive modifications were necessary and lots of PSR. In an initial step the Flagon lost its lower wing halves, which are an integral part of the lower fuselage half. The cockpit section was cut away where the intake ducts begin. The Lightning had its belly tank removed (set aside for a potential later re-installation), and dry-fitting and crude measures suggested that only the cockpit section from the Lightning, its spine and the separate fin would make it onto the new fuselage.
Integrating the parts was tough, though! The problem that caused the biggest headaches: how to create a "smooth" fuselage from the Lightning's rounded front end with a single nose intake that originally develops into a narrow, vertical hull, combined with the boxy and rather wide Flagon fuselage with large Phantom-esque intakes? My solution: taking out deep wedges from all (rather massive) hull parts along the intake ducts, bend the leftover side walls inwards and glue them into place, so that the width becomes equal with the Lightning's cockpit section. VERY crude and massive body work!
However, the Lightning's cockpit section for the following hull with stacked engines is much deeper than the Flagon's side-by-side layout. My initial idea was to place the cockpit section higher, but I would have had to transplant a part of the Lightning's upper fuselage (with the spine on top, too!) onto the "flat" Flagon’s back. But this would have looked VERY weird, and I'd have had to bridge the round ventral shape of the Lightning into the boxy Flagon underside, too. This was no viable option, so that the cockpit section had to be further modified; I cut away the whole ventral cockpit section, at the height of the lower intake lip. Similar to my former Austrian Hasegawa Lightning, I also cut away the vertical bulkhead directly behind the intake opening - even though I did not improve the cockpit with a better tub with side consoles. At the back end, the Flagon's jet exhausts were opened and received afterburner dummies inside as a cosmetic upgrade.
Massive PSR work followed all around the hull. The now-open area under the cockpit was filled with lead beads to keep the front wheel down, and I implanted a landing gear well (IIRC, it's from an Xtrakit Swift). With the fuselage literally taking shape, the wings were glued together and the locator holes for the overwing tanks filled, because they would not be mounted.
To mount the wings to the new hull, crude measurements suggested that wedges had to be cut away from the Lightning's wing roots to match the weird fuselage shape. They were then glued to the shoulders, right behind the cockpit due to the reduced fuselage depth. At this stage, the Lightning’s stabilizer attachment points were transplanted, so that they end up in a similar low position on the rounded Su-15 tail. Again, lots of PSR…
At this stage I contemplated the next essential step: belly tank or not? The “Flatning” would have worked without it, but its profile would look rather un-Lightning-ish and rather “flat”. On the other side, a conformal tank would probably look quite strange on the new wide and flat ventral fuselage...? Only experiments could yield an answer, so I glued together the leftover belly bulge parts from the Hasegawa kit and played around with it. I considered a new, wider belly tank, but I guess that this would have looked too ugly. I eventually settled upon the narrow F.6 tank and also used the section behind it with the arrestor hook. I just reduced its depth by ~2 mm, with a slight slope towards the rear because I felt (righteously) that the higher wing position would lower the model’s stance. More massive PSR followed….
Due to the expected poor ground clearance, the Lightning’s stabilizing ventral fins were mounted directly under the fuselage edges rather than on the belly tank. Missile pylons for Red Tops were mounted to the lower front fuselage, similar to the real arrangement, and cable fairings, scratched from styrene profiles, were added to the lower flanks, stretching the hull optically and giving more structure to the hull.
To my surprise, I did not have to shorten the landing gear’s main legs! The wings ended up a little higher on the fuselage than on the original Lightning, and the front wheel sits a bit further back and deeper inside of its donor well, too, so that the fuselage comes probably 2 mm closer to the ground than an OOB Lightning model. Just like on the real aircraft, ground clearance is marginal, but when the main wheels were finally in place, the model turned out to have a low but proper stance, a little F8U-ish.
Painting and markings:
I was uncertain about the livery for a long time – I just had already settled upon an RAF aircraft. But the model would not receive a late low-viz scheme (the Levin, my mono-engine Lightning build already had one), and no NMF, either. I was torn between an RAF Germany all-green over NMF undersides livery, but eventually went for a pretty standard RAF livery in Dark Sea Grey/Dark Green over NMF undersides, with toned-down post-war roundels.
A factor that spoke in favor of this route was a complete set of markings for an RAF 11 Squadron Lightning F.6 in such a guise on an Xtradecal set, which also featured dayglo orange makings on fin, wings and stabilizers – quite unusual, and a nice contrast detail on the otherwise very conservative livery. All stencils were taken from the OOB Revell sheet for the Lightning. Just the tactical code “F” on the tail was procured elsewhere, it comes from a Matchbox BAC Lightning’s sheet.
After basic painting the model received the usual black ink washing, some post-panel-shading and also a light treatment with graphite to create soot strains around the jet exhausts and the gun ports, and to emphasize the raised panel lines on the Hasegawa parts.
Finally, the model was sealed with matt acrylic varnish and final bits and pieces like the landing gear and the Red Tops (taken OOB) were mounted.
A major effort, and I have seriously depleted my putty stocks for this build! However, the result looks less spectacular than it actually is: changing a Lightning from its literally original stacked engine layout into a more conservative side-by-side arrangement turned out to be possible, even though the outcome is not really pretty. But it works and is feasible!
** This is a seven minute video so has to be down-loaded to see the full clip as only 3 minutes are shown on the Flickr front-page.
** I hope you think its worth the effort to view it and read the story..
** It has just come to my notice (10/12/23) that the Download option below and to the right of the media _does not_ allow you to download the full version, only the 3 minutes available here. So, I am going to try and 'fix' this for all videos lasting more than 3 minutes, this is the link to obtain the full version shown here-
www.flickr.tightfitz.com/Video/Landscape_Set_EoY_2015-con...
Another belated end-of-year piece which has been in preparation a number of weeks and would have been ready to go last week were it not for a serious problem which occured with my main work disk. A head crash caused the disk to be rendered useless, and apart from a concerted effort yesterday to move the disk platter from the old drive to an identical new one, this hasn't worked; so far! The loss of the disk has meant re-creating the whole of the text for this video and that to the next single picture from the end of this clip. So... here it is, a sequence of pictures, sort of rail-related, taken from the years crop of visits to various locations and which all have their own significance in the broader scheme of railway photography. The video is in 10 sections portraying some of the places visited to undertake the rail photo-shoots, where possible, and all photographed during 2015. Each section is titled and each of the 80 pictures is shown for 5 seconds, including cross-fade, music, to my taste only maybe, accompanies the video and reflects the peaceful, silvan feel to many of the places, particularly on the Moors. The sections are-
1. The Derwent Valley. The very low levels of water in the Derwent Valley reservoirs, and other around here, see the Stocksbridge section later, has only changed in recent weeks with the advent of some, though not enough, rainfall, to fill up the dams once more. The 1st two pictures show the state of Derwent Water 1st, the low level of water resulting in it then being possible to walk a good way around the sides of the damn on either side. This image across the water is only a short distance from the two towers and wall where the dam-busters did their practice runs during the 2nd world war; the building at either side of the wall holding commemorative exhibits to this event; the 70th anniversary of 'Operation Chastise' when the RAF's 617 Squadron attacked the Möhne, Eder and Sorpe dams in Germany with Barnes Wallis's "bouncing bomb", resulting in flooding of Industrial Valleys below the dams, occured in 2013. The low level of the water can be seen once more in the picture at the head of the reservoir which shows one of the building housing the Dam-Busters material and a line of people sat looking over the scene; the 'staircase' is part of an outfall which brings water collected in the hills above the reservoir.
2. Attercliffe Area. The site of the old Sandersons Steel works features in these shots and now shows that even the outfit which eventually took over the site, a Tyre Recyclers, has now also vacated the space and these pictures show the buildings which were left over from the period when Sandersons were here, are now being demolished, leaving once more a large tract of old Industrial land for which it may well prove hard to find another use. The title picture in the sequence looks west to the bridge which carries the occasional cement and scrap trains out of Cemex and what was Coopers Scrapyard, now EMR, European Metal Recyclers. The cement trains go back to Peak Forest for more grist for the cement process and the scrap as far south and west as Cardiff to convey material onto boats bound for other shores... see-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/17819302492/
for an EWS move, 66124 coming out of Coopers, but conveying wagons bound for the Peak Forest. in the lower half of that picture is a pice from Adrian Wynn's Flickr site showing a diesel shunter in operation in 2009, hauling wagons over to the junction with the main line at Grimesthorpe Junction, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/37093581@N06/11927840045/
There are still remnants, for the time being, of the old internal railway system see-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/17634321318/
which shows the lines outside the building to the left of the contractor who is on his phone, of course, and the building can be seen in a 'better state', in the lower two pictures above. Adrian Wynn has an even earlier picture, taken in the 1950s and with his own comparison shot from last year, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/37093581@N06/18651845289/
Moving further south towards the GC's Lincoln line at Woodburn Junction, more derelict land, now track-side and once used as sidings space for the main lines out of Sheffield to the East. As usual on these sites, the area has been used as a dumping ground for all sorts of materials and the buildings in the background are heavily graffiti'd as is some of the, broken, palisade fencing and a wall along the roadside to the site. A Sheffield Supertram comes over Woodburn road bridge, heading for Meadowhall, its passengers almost certainly oblivious to the scene to to the left as they move down hill over the GC's Lincoln line just beyond the long building; this building was in fact the GC's Woodburn Junction C.E.E. (Central Electrical Engineering?) Workshops with lines running into it off the main lines just beyond. This is now all that remains of the facilities and the tracks which once went along here have either been removed or covered over, as far as I can tell from this view. Moving directly west to the South Yorkshire Navigation, Tinsley Canal, and once again the pleasant silvan atmosphere with canal, gas holder and with the old Sheffield Victoria Station's Victoria Hotel poking out above the Northern Rail service heading into Sheffield across the canal; this being a class 158 unit working the 2B41 Huddersfield to Sheffield service. The Gas Tank domed roof also pokes out above the canal-side building on the right; all the UK's Gas Holders are now in their 'twilight years' as a deconstruction and clearance program is in effect; the land being offered back for other uses... The view towards Park Hill flats at centre, the Veolia Recyclers at left, the Capita Building at the end of the Sheffield Parkway to the right of the flats and dominating the scene beyond that, standing out above the River Don on Sussex St. Gasworks Gas Holder. To the railway once more and the Norfolk Bridge where the quiet stillness of the water, multi-colour traction passing along the road and rail passenger stock flying over-head on the main Midland line out of Sheffield all come together to add dynamism to the scene. In the 1st of the last two pictures in this set, a Cross Country Trains class 222, Voyager rattles over heading north-east on the 1E32 Reading to Newcastle 'fast service'. Veolia Recycling is close by and one of their trucks adorns the road where the gates to the old Attercliffe Station stand, locked now of course, the station having closed, due to lack of patronage, in 1995; the fact it was only around 1km from Midland station, can't have helped either. Shortly after the Voyager cleared away, another service, this time in the form of a local passenger DMU, Northern Rail class 158 heads north-east as well on the 1L84, Sheffield to Leeds service whilst 'down below', a '1 Up Crane Access' truck heads towards north Sheffield with the logo/graffiti, 'Imagine Waking Tomorrow and all Music has Disappeared', writ prominent on the large pipe alongside the road over the river... a poignant reminder of what music certainly means to me...
3. Neepsend Area, Gasworks. The area of Neepsend close to the old Power Station, Gasworks and Neepsend Loco Shed. Of the three only the Gasworks remained until very recently and this, like many others, is in the process of demolition. Here the 1st picture looks towards the still extant Farfield Inn and beyond to the Gas Holder which at this date, 19th October, was still in one piece; though in recent weeks, panels have been removed from the roof and it looks to be in the process of demolition. As recently as yesterday, Adrian Wynn has made comment on this and includes a picture, taken in 2007, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/37093581@N06/24043196150/
in addition, Berris Conolly also has an even earlier picture, when two gas holders were present, and both these photographers provide additional information about the local sites, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/bconolly/23683956064/
The Farfield appears to have ridden out the storms and although looking shabby and ripe for demolition, it is still there hiding, in part, the hilly landscape behind where once the 1908s built 'Ski Village' held sway, testament to new things happening in this area, along with others, like the Museum of Pop Music in Sheffield and the 'Earth Centre' at Conisbrough, the y all succumbed in one way or another, the Ski Village suffering fire and then vandal damage which finally say it a complete wreck, the land now deserted. Many other notable buildings abound in the immediate area, the next one has been taken over by 'Wells Richardson, Chartered Accountants and occupies what may be considered a prestigious location, as all the buildings here do in fact, right next to the river and off the main road.The Samuel Osborn building is still in tact and right on the riverside and is part in use as a clothing business; the building itself looking in very fine shape and in a very desirable location; if only!! The tall graffiti'd red brick building, now due for demolition, was the old Cannon Brewery with the hill of the Ski Slope just visible at right of centre above the re/brown graffiti tag. Adrian Wynn also has a piece on this taken just a week before my shot, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/37093581@N06/21261986374/
and, as he mentions, the 'Window Smashers' appear to be out and about again, don't they ever bloody well get fed up of doing this... Nothing like decent advertising to attract the right clientèle and this is a good example of the opposite, 'Northside Cars', 'Man & a Van' and 'Circle of Friends' must have increased their revenue significantly after these well placed ads in one of the old Cannon Brewery boarded up windows. More graffiti on one of the other businesses along the backstreets up to what was Neepsend Shed, 'The House Skatepark' it says above the door... so that's what they do in there presumably, not much parked outside and no sign of any noise or life whilst I was about...
4. Ecklands TPT. Into early November and 'the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness' is well under way it being the 2nd of November and this the Millennium Bridge at Bullhouse Crossing on what was the electrified route to Manchester through the Woodhead Tunnels just 5km behind the camera back along the Transpennine Trail; which is what the trackbed has now become, and surfaced all the way from Penistone to the portals of the 3 tunnels. This 1st view looks towards Penistone over the new bridge and on the right is the Penistone Wire Co with its now disused Century Works, the last time I was along here, a few months ago, it was all a buzz, but they have now quit the site and lent an eerie solitude to the place, wrapped as it was on this day by swirling fog. Looking along the main road in this area otherwise known as Ecklands or Millhouse Green, it appeared to be jinxed with a series of rail accidents, see-
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penistone_rail_accidents
some of which were quite serious but all beyond the days of the electrified railway. Today the scene of serious accidents has now moved to our over-burdened roads and travelling quite fast back up the grade towards the A628 Manchester Road, an A.M. Bracewell transport HGV, possibly on its way back to Accrington in Lancs before the fog really sets in 'over the top'. Back on the TPT and a short distance away from the Century Works, one of the well-built accommodation over-bridges sees two cyclists making the best of the scenery and about to come under the bridge adorned with one of a handful of artworks adorning the bridges and side of the old track-bed; the material for the work looking to have been collected locally.
5. Fox Valley, Stocksbridge. What's to be said about this 42,000,000 pound development of retail shops and housing on land once occupied by Samuel Fox, and others, now the scene of this huge development in the Valley. Nothing much else was happening 'down there', Samuel Fox occupied the area to the west where the main retail building is now going up, but the Fox, now TATA of course, Stockyard has been moved over to other land, west beyond the retail building and the whole space is now given over to the development. The private Stocksbridge Railway and the River Don, both still pass along on their old courses behind all the new build, the space being marked by the line of trees in the B/W image and just to the left of the corner of the building where the yellow/green striped tank is located, again along the treeline. The local works shunter brings billets up here every weekday night, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/11873748563/
for rolling the mill and transport back to the TATA steel works at Aldwarke, for further processing; there being now facilities at Aldwarke for rolling the large billets, at Deepcar, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/8767204891/
and at Oughtibridge, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/17234990259/
Finally another view of a reservoir devoid of much water, this is one of the 3 in a line above Stocksbridge, Underbank and it must be only 10% full. In the far distance are its two feeders, Midhope and Langsett and they looked in much healthier condition but considering the water in the high peak reservoirs feeds into the Trent Water network for the East Midlands, its not hard to see that this lot could be emptied quite easily in a drier winter and cooler summer...
6. Rotherham Masbrough Area. The Masbrough area of Rotherham has seen dramatic changes over the years since trainspotting briefly caught my attention and I used to wonder round these parts before finally leaving the area, and the county, in 1970, never to return, well .. almost never! Centenary Way now bisects the area just behind the camera and the land behind the 'Bohemia', as it was known when this picture was taken, used to be occupied by the sidings of the GCR's main line through Rotherham, their Central station a short distance away along Main St. This is a 'Then & Now' set regarding this building, the old 'Travellers Rest' pub on the one side and the Rotherham Bowling Alley over on the right, this picture taken in August 2011 to compare with the more recent pieces taken a few months ago, at the end of October last year. The 'Bowling Alley' eventually morphed into something else, in similar fashion to the 'Travellers Rest', it becoming 'Club Liquid', though I suspect it should be pronounced 'Liqweed'. Both the 'Gentlemans Club', Bohemia and 'Club Liquid', didn't last very long, unlike their earlier incarnations which lasted many decades in the 1st case and many years in the second and now, as the contemporary pictures show, they have been turned into a car park on the left with 'City Plumbing'# behind and, on the right, with the RUFC's 'New York Stadium' forming a backdrop, demolition was in progress under control of the Ron Hull Group, one of the big Rotherham Recyclers. The 'Club Liquid' pillar still stands amid the ruin in one of the shots which looks north to Masbrough Station, past another relic of past times, the ex-'Moulders Rest' pub, see the earlier picture from June 2011, here-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/5860414041/
stood on the corner of Masbrough St and Lyme St, the latter now taking traffic to the site of Booths Scrapyard off to the right and also now back onto the newly re-designed junction of Centenary Way with Main St; traffic lights once more appearing in preference to the horrendous roundabout which existed here up until last year. The next picture, a two-part panorama shows the site extending from Don Street where the 'New York Stadium' is located west of the town centre and over to the right where the old lighting standards of Millmoor Football ground can be seen, right next to Booths. Looking north in the next shot, Ron Hull have left a small brick building which was just outside 'Liquid' but I suspect now, all this has gone and there is, I recall, another car park here. The new Rotherham Council Offices, built just before construction of the New York Stadium was started a few years ago, stands prominent at the top right, The old council offices on the Park Gate side of town were demolished after the move and those offices, along with the awful Library Complex/Blockhouse and local car parks taken over and redeveloped and is now occupied by the large Tesco Supermarket; itself having moved of its old site on Forge Island, behind the 'Magden' building, seen to the left of this shot. The old Sheffield and Rotherham Railway line from the Wicker, through Holmes Junction and into Rotherham Westgate was just out of shot off to the right; this was removed a long while ago and all that remains now is a short stub od line into the Booths Recycling Scrapyard where old Coal wagons have recently been taken in for scrapping, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/22142289796/
7. Dunford Bridge, The Woodhead Tunnels. Been here before and could say, 'done that', but no as the area has now been cleared of the National Grid paraphernalia and apart from the fact there aren't any lines, stations, signalling or trains, it looks once more as it 'always' has done. The old MSLR tunnel portals have now been bricked up, as the introductory shot shows, the old National Grid buildings still occupying the space where steam trains used to lurch through, belching smoke and steam on the climb up from the South Yorkshire coalfields with 1000 tonne trains, double headed and banked and then, easier for the crews, returning with the empties. In this picture the tunnel which carried the down-line, on the left, was subject to the excessive exhausts of many moves of heavy coal trains which caused severe degradation in the tunnel walls and ceiling as the trains went westwards to the power stations. It was for this reason therefore, that the east-bound, up line, tunnel on the right was ultimately selected by National Grid when it came to installing the 'Supergrid' cables, running at 500kV, to ameliorate the impact on the Peak National Park, the whole process having been subject to objections on the grounds of preserving the pristine scenery over the top of Woodhead. In light of the fight that the Supergrid pylons stride along the valley at both sides of Woodhead, on the east from the area at Neepsend where the emerge above ground and are conveyed through Wharncliffe Woods, to the north of Stocksbridge and then along through the equally pristine scenery to the east portal of the tunnels. On the east side the situation is no different as the cables there run along the Longdendale Valley, supported on the huge Supergrid pylons and on their way west to the Fiddlers Ferry power station, near Liverpool. Refurbishment of the Supergrid system was photographed recently, on the west side, see a short video here-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/21654747635/
and picture here-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/21655333495/
Moving further back, the next shot shows the scene looking along the 'new' access, in 1954, to the new 2.3million pound Woodhead Tunnel now the repository of the Supergrid cables which were moved over from the old tunnel due to its diminishing state of repair; in addition it didn't, and now doesn't, seem likely that trains would/will ever run through here again. A rare HDR shot (for me) over the hills with one of the Supergrid pylons standing above the tunnel portals, the cables being taken down to ground level for conveyance through the new tunnel; never sure why the 'spit' of ground was left in place when the electrified system was being installed as the excavation for the new tunnel could have easily have removed it, one would have thought, leaving a clear view over both sets of tunnels from this angle! Popular in its heyday, the Stanhope Arms now stands deserted but not derelict and its difficult to see what use this could be put to, excepting perhaps as a terminus facility if the line up from Stocksbridge is ever re-instated for leisure activities into the Peaks and for the local transport needs of Stocksbridge, Wortley, Oxspring, Penistone, Oxspring, and Thurlstone en-route to Dunford. A shot along the track-bed of the electrified section looking into the Woodhead new portal with its palisade fence and gate blocking entrance to the tunnel and the road bridge through Dunford oozing rain water down the side of the support wall opposite the National Grid control building. This is followed by a close-up of the tunnel portal with its 1954 keystone showing who built it.. B.R., though I think the L.N.E.R had some input in the years before the war and upto Nationalisation in 1948.. Along the old track-bed to the old tunnels, National Grid laid a set of narrow-gauge tracks to convey their materials using small diesel locos. National Grid have now donated the Woodhead tunnel locomotive and rolling stock to Moseley Railway Trust see-
www.narrow-gauge.co.uk/news/2015/04/12/1076
On the far left in the foreground, some cable wrapped around what looks like the burnt off base of one of the stanchion posts for the electrified cables, though why it would be on the track-bed of the old tunnels is a mystery. The public gate of the tunnels is set back along the track-bed at the Dunford road bridge, where more palisade features threats and warnings, something hardly seen on the electrified system in such a profusion. The last two pictures, one in B/W, say it all, gone are the heady days of the busy electrified railway, the subsequent clearance of ALL the materials from the whole length of the complete system from Manchester in the west to Wath at the 'centre' of the coalfields and to Rotherwood exchange sidings to the east of Sheffield, and then the presence, in the latter days of National Grid, working to install the Supergrid cables and they finally departing... all is now quiet and the rainbows appear once more on a new Transpennine Trail..
8. Thorncliffe & Chapeltown. On the GC once more, this time its local and time to root out some remnants of line along the trackbed near Chapeltown. Although not particularly close to the track-bed, The Thorncliffe Arms has a name synonymous with the local Thorncliffe Iron Works which was served by both the GC and the Midland companies and was located not far off to the north of Chapeltown. This building looked like it could have been built by the GC to serve the liquid requirements of the passengers using its station, though they would have had a fair walk from there as the station was around 1km due south of here, still on a pleasant summer evening it may well have proved worthwhile to get off the train for a walk, amble up tot this place and sit and watch the sun set over Parkin and Thorncliffe Wood, before the thunderous M1 motorway came, just 500m behind the camera, in the early 1960s. The other building of note, mentioned earlier and just a 20 minute walk away, through what looks like the pleasant Parkin woodland, the GC's Chapeltown station, seen here as a private dwelling and in very good order. The railway line from the junction at Wincobank, south along the Blackburn Valley, from Sheffield to Barnsley, passed along at the other side of the building beyond the stand of tall trees on the left, the line heading almost due north here and having just passed ove the Midland's Chapeltown line, in the 1500m long Tankersely tunnel, the line also making for Barnsley. The track-bed south from the station is walkable as far as Wincobank, further south, the line approaching the Midland line to within about 200m, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/12521491454/
showing an RCTS (Railway Correspondence & Travel Society) rail tour being hauled by the 'South Yorkshireman' on the GC's line with class B1, 61165 in charge and just behind, a class D11, 62660, 'Butler Henderson'; running alongside, 2 Northern Rail services one heading south into Sheffield, the other north to Barnsley. Some track-bed remnants remain and the council recently installed a fence along the western side of the footway, allowing the residents on the other side to keep the remaining land on their side of the fence, free-of-charge; nice! At the side of the track-bed, just north of the A629 Chapeltown road bridge and almost buried in the undergrowth, a large block of concrete carrying an old wire pulley system, possibly the baser of a signal post where a change in direction of the wire was required to take it up to its appropriate signal. Finally, looking back north along the trackbed and amusing myself for 15 minutes by taking a series of shots of the other popular sort of traction these days, as a handful of HGV type vehicles rattle along the road, south and north and once again, completely oblivious to the scene below which once carried heavy goods traffic, passenger stock, all drawn along by classic steam locos; behind the camera, the now non-existent Smithy Wood Coking Plant and south of that the Midland line parallels this one to what is now a much simplified junction arrangement at the new Meadowhall Interchange with the line from the Blackburn VAlley and Midland Main Line out of Sheffield.
9. Attercliffe Area, Gas Works. A failed attempt to try and get the leaf fall season RHTT in a shot with the Sussex St. Gasworks gas holder but unfortunately due to the dominating appearance of the gas tank the pictures taken with the RHTT doesn't do justice to the DRS class 20s on their jaunt up to Stocksbridge Works. The Sussex St gas holder is one of the 3 remaining in the are, the other two being at Neepsend, seen earlier in this video and the one at Wincobank, now in an advanced state of deconstruction. Just about visible in the 1st B/W picture, DRS 20302 with 20303 on the back is on the 3S14 working, the afternoon Sheffield back to Wakefield Kirkgate move and is here on its way up and then back along the Stocksbridge Branch. It is just about to pass in front of the Victoria Hotel, near the right-hand edge of the picture with the RHTT set crossing the Wicker Arches and passing through the now denuded site of Sheffield Victoria Station. A better view follows with the camera trying to avoid a plethora of verticals in the form of street lighting posts, the most prominent, unavoidable, but probably 'clone-outable', although 2 of the grey posts pass across the loco and Sandite tanks as well. Businesses have come and gone in the spaces under the rails, 'Underneath the Arches', as it were, the Wicker Bridge having been cleaned nicely some years ago but now once more is showing signs of neglect. Along Effingham St. which runs alongside the River Don, just past the Gas Holder, other more traditional Sheffield businesses still exist in the form of Veolia Recycling at centre background, Browill Rewind Co., electrical engineers and with an old rusty sign along the top of the wall advertising their services from Tel: 0142 760188, with the old STD code for Sheffield; now 0114. And on the left in their nicely kept building, Cromwell Tools just over the road from the Don Riverside; Park Hill Flats pokes into the picture on the far right centre. Swinging round so that the camera faces along Effingham St. with the river on the left and Cromwell Tools at centre, beyond is part of the long run of the Norfolk Bridge and passing along in a north-easterly direction is a DBS/EWS Class 66 on the 6E03, Hope Earles Sidings to Hunslet Yard, working, taking aggregates to Hunslet in what are essentially coal hoppers, with the old EWS rust-red livery on the wagons and loco. A closer shot shows the 66 appearing from behind the back of the Cromwell Tools building, crossing the arches of Norfolk Bridge which will take in on, along the Midland Main line through Meadowhall and Masbrough and so on to the YArds at Hunslet just outside Leeds. Another of the local businesses, and again right next to the Midland line, on the right beyond Browill Rewind, is R.H.S. Paneltech Ltd and possibly these folk who worked at some of these places may well have used the local station; Attercliffe Road station being just around the corner in front of the leading EWS class 66. The final picture shows what is probably one of the more famous names in Sheffield, Thomas W. Ward Ltd., their building sat alongside the River on the other side from Attercliffe Station. Sited in the Albion works, Ward became a legend as the ultimate recycler, his operation responsible for breaking up many navy ships and reusing much of the material recovered, a piece form Wikipedia-
'...At the outbreak of World War I, 1,235 people were on the payroll of Thomas Ward's company and a thousand tons of scrap metal per day was being fed to the country's steel makers. However, with demand so high, and many of the horses Ward had previously used to transport his goods around Sheffield conscripted by the military he had an increasingly difficult time to match supply with demand. Lizzie the Elephant was brought in as a solution to this problem...'.
One of the more famous ship-breaking projects was the recovery of all the materials from the SS Majestic White Star Liner in the early 1900s which was broken up at his yard near Morecambe in 1914, before that she had been commanded for 9 years by Capt. Smith who went down with his new command - the Titanic!
10. Barnetby, Visit 2. And, finally, in this long narrative piece, destroyed last week when the disk heads crashed on the unit holding all this material, and now re-typed over several hours and to include as the last piece, some images from Barnetby on December 14th, 2 weeks before the grand change-over to Multi-Aspect Signalling. The six shots, taken in the mid-afternoon and in a mixture of bright sun but with mist swirling and finally making for atmospheric shots as the afternoon wore on to our TPE train departure at 15:50, back to Sheffield. First up, taken at 14:20, with soft warm lights glowing from the porch to the cabin, the iconic, listed and, up to this point, holder of second ranking for the largest manually operated lever box in the UK; Wrawby Junction Box. One would have thought the contemporary adornment of a radio aerial would have neb better sited around the back; the new lighting looking unobtrusive. In a location where it is occasionally difficult to determine what is straight and what isn't, at the other end of the station, in this 2nd picture, this is put to a real test and one can only assume the signal posts are vertical, leaving Barnetby East box with a definite pronounced 'lean' as are some of the telegraph posts her, though these are out of shot. DBR class 60, 60001, first of the class, passes on the 3200tonne 6M00, Humber Oil Refinery to Kingsbury Oil Sidings working. On the bracket above the passing tanks, Barnetby East's signal is off, of course, but Wrawby Junction's distant is on, possibly indicating a slow speed turnout at the junction ahead. BE20 in the foreground is off, signalling the approaching East Midlands class 158 train, it has a clear run after its station stop. In the background around the corner, above the roof of the box to the right, 2 Network RAil personell are at work, track-side, preparing, I suppose, for the inevitable. In the 3rd, B/W picture, the oils is passing along west and indeed the gantry at Wrawby Junction has the junction signal off for a left-hand turn out towards Market Rasen and Lincoln. In the yard at left, a Biomass train from earlier has paused on its way over to Drax and at left, parked up all the afternoon, Freightliner class 66, 66524 on an empty coals. Its now 15:05 and the signal lights are starting to be more evident on the triplet of gantries near Wrawby box. The 4th picture, taken at 15:30 with the 'Xmas decorations up', as it were, shows another DBS oils train this time with 60020 in charge, this time coming back with empties, the 1000 tonne 6E54, Kingsbury Oil Sidings to Humber Oil Refinery working and is approaching from the distant 'gloaming', passing as it does, an Iron Ore train, this one also led by a DBS class 60, 60074 on the 6T26, Immingham B.S.C. Ore Terminal to the Santon Foreign Ore Terminal at Scunthorpe; this scene, at this time will now look completely different, the semaphores and their soft lights having been replaced by appropriate single head, multi-aspect colour light LEDs' I just noticed, for a change, the shutter speed at 1/160s must have been sufficiently slow to capture the rear 'STOP' light of the Iron Ore train, in the ON aspect; they typically flash at 1Hz; no fudge here! The empty oils has a clear run though the station but for some unknown reason the driver stopped at the platform end, with the Barnetby East BE20 signal in the OFF position allowing a run along the platform to photograph the loco, halted at a clear signal and with the new MAS signal in front of the semaphore, hinged over in front of the loco at the side of the rails ready to stand erect in front of the semaphore... when the time comes. The 5th shot, taken 5 or 6 minutes before our return TPE service arrives, shows Barnetby East's BE49 signal, with both arms at danger, though the upper one will have to clear for the TPE in a minute or two, and again 'approaching in the gloaming' is a DBS but EWS liveried class 66, 66148, hauling the final Biomass of the day, for us, the 4R53, Milford West Sidings to Immingham Biomass Loading Point working with a clear run through the station eastwards to the Humber post; the pictures are now becoming 'noisy' as the ISO is racked up to 2500 from the previous shot's ISO2000. The 6th and final picture of the video. Spent some time on this 'cloned-out' picture and is the view along the lines looking west to Wrawby Junction and its listed signalbox, which can be seen in the distance under the signal gantry along the line on the right. The cloning operation wasn't too easy as the pole, the un-cloned version can be seen at lower right in the picture here-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/23554709060/
as this almost vertical structure, one of the oddities here as a lot are much worse, went right across three tracks and the the third wagon of the Freightliner, 66524, coal empties. Barnetby East's BE49 signal is now off for the approaching passenger train, our TPE service back in the direction of Scunthorpe, Doncaster and onto Sheffield, so there wasn't much time to hang about. The 3 NR personnel had ambled along round the fence at the end of the platform and appeared to be discussing the fate of the marked, with green crosses, see BE70 at left, BE49 signal post. At this date,m 14 December, it was only 2 weeks away form the Line Possession when all the Victorian Signalling system would be removed over a two week period, commencing, 27th December. Wrawby's distant is 'On', signifying a reduced speed at the junction turn out for the main line through to Scunthorpe; the TPE service won't be held up as it has a 'clear signal' and in not too long a time it will be a case of 'Cleared Signals' as this area becomes the home of the 21st century signalling preference, colour-light LED, multi-aspect/multi-head equivalents to the arrays of semaphores... a significant change to the feel and look of this place in north Lincolnshire...
The loco was withdrawn at the end of 1980, then re-instated before final retirement in December 1981.
not sure, but I believe this photo was probably taken by William Claxton.
John Coltrane: Giant Steps on the Atlantic Label
Released Apr 1, 1959
Review by Lindsay Planer
History will undoubtedly enshrine this disc as a watershed the likes of which may never truly be appreciated. Giant Steps bore the double-edged sword of furthering the cause of the music as well as delivering it to an increasingly mainstream audience. Although this was John Coltrane's debut for Atlantic, he was concurrently performing and recording with Miles Davis. Within the space of less than three weeks, Coltrane would complete his work with Davis and company on another genre-defining disc, Kind of Blue, before commencing his efforts on this one. Coltrane (tenor sax) is flanked by essentially two different trios. Recording commenced in early May of 1959 with a pair of sessions that featured Tommy Flanagan (piano) and Art Taylor (drums), as well as Paul Chambers — who was the only band member other than Coltrane to have performed on every date. When recording resumed in December of that year, Wynton Kelly (piano) and Jimmy Cobb (drums) were instated — replicating the lineup featured on Kind of Blue, sans Miles Davis of course. At the heart of these recordings, however, is the laser-beam focus of Coltrane's tenor solos. All seven pieces issued on the original Giant Steps are likewise Coltrane compositions. He was, in essence, beginning to rewrite the jazz canon with material that would be centered on solos — the 180-degree antithesis of the art form up to that point. These arrangements would create a place for the solo to become infinitely more compelling. This would culminate in a frenetic performance style that noted jazz journalist Ira Gitler accurately dubbed "sheets of sound." Coltrane's polytonal torrents extricate the amicable and otherwise cordial solos that had begun decaying the very exigency of the genre — turning it into the equivalent of easy listening. He wastes no time as the disc's title track immediately indicates a progression from which there would be no looking back. Line upon line of highly cerebral improvisation snake between the melody and solos, practically fusing the two. The resolute intensity of "Countdown" does more to modernize jazz in 141 seconds than many artists do in their entire careers. Tellingly, the contrasting and ultimately pastoral "Naima" was the last tune to be recorded, and is the only track on the original long-player to feature the Kind of Blue quartet. What is lost in tempo is more than recouped in intrinsic melodic beauty. Both Giant Steps [Deluxe Edition] and the seven-disc Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings offer more comprehensive presentations of these sessions.
Written by my sister:
“Say cheese!” A snapshot. A moment captured in time. It was summer 2002 and my sister and I, her nearly 11 and myself 15 and a half, were asked to pose in our aunt and uncle’s hot tub. Bashful of our ill-fitting bathing suits, we crouched so that only our faces were showing over the edge of the tub and held our dolls, also in old swimsuits, so that they too were only showing their faces. My sister held her Sparkling Jasmine while I held my Poodle Katie, made by Kid Kore. I never actually found the photo. Not long before she passed away, our mom finished a computer course, for which she took the picture. I believe the candid was one of many that she took for a powerpoint. I went through all her books and binders from the class several times in the years after her death, and was unable to find the photo itself, nor a disk it may have been saved on. However, I see that picture, and many others, in my mind whenever I look at Poodle Katie.
The journey didn’t start or end with that Poodle Katie. Our interest in Kid Kore blossomed more than a year earlier, shortly before I started 7th grade. Our Kid Kore phase was at its peak during a few years when everything around us was constantly changing and I realized, years later, that part of why I clung desperately to Katie for so long is because she was my constant, bridging the gap between worlds.
When we bought our first My Big Sister set featuring Kelsey and Jodi, in which the dolls wore leopard print fashions, my Memere still lived in her own house, the one in which I stayed many nights with her and Pepere. She took us out shopping and said she couldn’t buy us each a doll and McDonalds, but we told her we were happy sharing the eight dollar set of Kelsey and Jodi. We took them back to her house and admired them. I still remember thinking their packaging smelled like McDonalds--a weird greasy sort of smell--and admiring how the company was thoughtful enough to give each doll a pair of panties under her skirt. I have a vague image in my mind of playing with them in Memere’s living room. We got another My Big Sister set, dressed as cowgirls, shortly thereafter. Here, the snapshot captured in my brain is of us with both sets of dolls, as well as a hand-me-down Jodi which Shelly had had for several years already, in our sandbox. Not long after that, I remember helping our parents set up a yard sale and Memere coming to stay with us.
During the 2000-2001 school year, we instated a Barbie boycott and told Mom we no longer played “Barbie'' but “Kid Kore dolls” and were interested in all things clone or, as we called it, “fakie.” Over the months, we acquired quite a few My Big Sisters sets and, one day, Shelly decided to try Katie. She picked a cute, redheaded Katie in bumblebee overalls. Shelly lost interest in Katie and gave her to me, but, during the beginning of our Kid Kore phase, my world centered around Jodi. I thought she was the cutest thing and I was obsessed with our first store-bought Jodi, the girl in the leopard print dress. Whenever I heard the song “Happy Together,” I thought of my Jodi doll and, I admit, she pops into my mind if I hear that song on the radio today.
That winter, we developed a fascination with a game we called “Boarding House,” in which all our Kid Kore dolls lived in Shelly’s old, wooden dollhouse. At the time, I had two Katies--our first in the bumblebee overalls and the Winter Wonderland Sisters at Home doll. They lived together on the top floor of the house and, I think, this is where my mind shifted from “Jodi” to “Katie.” I remember being so absorbed in the “Boarding House'' game that we barely reacted when Mom told us our guinea pig Tina had died.
Spring brought a new era--Kelsey (one of them anyway) got married to a Fashion Corner Wedding Day doll we named “Jonathan Luck.” We spent ages planning the wedding. I have many snapshots in my mind of us preparing for the event--making paper table settings and food, planning the wedding party and the wardrobe, spending hours making paper decorations on the deck--but no recollection of the actual wedding. A new era began with Jonathan and Kelsey (not sure which, probably varied) being a devoted couple. At some point during this era, they moved into our Real Friends dollhouse, purchased at Toys R Us. I still remember ogling it in the aisles. We had also purchased the Real Friends Deluxe Bath & Spa and Kelsey and Jonathan would help Jodi(s) take a bath and make sure all the kids went to bed before climbing into the hot tub themselves.
One night in spring 2001, Shelly and I were interrupted during a fight over an American Girl catalog to have a family meeting. Mom had been diagnosed with cancer. We both vividly remember taking a couple of our Kid Kore dolls and our Camp-N-Go Tent (which was compact when folded) to one of Mom’s appointments and playing with it in the waiting room. Most of my dolly memories from that spring and summer, however, are of Molly and Bitty Baby, so the mental images of Kid Kore dolls sort of fade in and out when I look back on that time.
Shelly began to drift away from Kid Kore and veer back to Barbie at some point when I was in eighth grade. We both did. However, for some reason, it was Katie, not Jodi, that I held onto, even after the Kid Kore phase ended. I remember this clearly because of Christmas 2001. Shelly and I were bent on using our own money to buy gifts for our family members, including each other, that year. We pooled our money to buy Dad a hammer and Mom a bench to put her ceramic mice on. We bought Memere some angel figurines. I bought Shelly a Kid Kore Kelsey that came with a lot of outfits, as well as a few books on Egyptian mummies. She bought me the Winter Wonderland Riding Fun Katie and Jodi set and a separate Katie, a Katie’s World doll in an orange dress and pink jacket. Another mental image of that holiday is the Katie’s World doll, who has dark skin and, at the time, crimped hair, wearing the other Katie doll’s red winter jacket. Because I associate her with this memory, I named her “Holly” as an adult. In my memory of that time, I was, for some reason, still really enjoying Katie even though I had little that actually fit her (compared to Jodi’s more extensive wardrobe). Katie was my main character in some games in which the other players were Barbies.
That winter, Shelly and I began a game in which Shelly was playing with her Disney Jane doll and I was playing with my Christmas Katie (aka Holly) as her little sister. For some reason, the game went from Jane being a beautician, working out of her home, to--gasp!--they had to flee for their lives in Jane’s friend Ariel’s camper. The infamous “Camping Game” went on for MONTHS, we even played it for a number of days when we were both home sick from school (I was actually sick, but having too much fun playing dolls to really want to go back to school and poor Shelly was mostly staying home because she had a scary teacher). In the end, all the players got switched out. I started playing with Shelly’s School Photographer Becky doll and got bored of Holly (I had her decide to seek refuge in an imaginary country called “Fakia”). However, one night, partway through this never-ending doll game, we went with our parents to Home Depot for bathroom supplies (Dad intended to build a bathroom downstairs) and to Walmart, where I bought my first Poodle Katie and Shelly bought a Pretty Princess Barbie, whom she named Crystal. I vividly remember putting Katie and Crystal in the new, clean, and waterless toilet when we got home. I also remember adding them to the “Camping Game.” When the “Camping Game” finally ended, I kept playing with, not only Becky, but the Poodle Katie as well. I became obsessed with the new Katies, all of which came with dogs and dog supplies. I bought a couple more over the next few months.
The day Mom asked us to pose in our aunt and uncle’s hot tub was probably only a few weeks before Mom passed away. We went with Mom and Auntie Kim to the beach and Dad and Uncle Ray went out on the boat. Shelly and I went into the hot tub and, I imagine, that night went like many others that summer--us having dinner on Auntie Kim and Uncle Ray’s deck before taking the long drive home.
It’s weird the things you remember and the things you don’t. If you asked me to describe summer 2002 and what we did, I remember a lot of random things. We spent a lot of that summer with that aunt and uncle (not related by blood, it was Mom’s best friend and her husband). I remember Shelly carrying around her Sparkling Jasmine doll and her Hello Kitty purse (which we used to bring Katie and Jasmine into the movies). The last few weeks, I remember spending a lot of time at the Wendy's drive thru or in Wendy’s because, after visiting Mom in the hospital, Dad didn’t feel like cooking. And for some reason, I remember him kicking aside our Kelly Playground to get into the laundry room. Honestly, that summer was a blur. It went from Mom being in remission at the beginning of the summer, to her going back to the hospital on July 5th, to her being home again, to her being back in the hospital…then, she was gone. It was over, in the blink of an eye.
Shelly and I dove further into the dolls and became more clingy to one another than ever. We had already gotten to the point where we didn’t like inviting other people over or going to other people’s houses. We already had a secret language--literally--and a thousand inside jokes, made up people and places, and memories that no one else would understand. However, being that only a few kids in our school had lost a parent and middle school kids aren’t really equipped to deal with it, most of our friends didn’t act appropriately and Shelly and I withdrew further into ourselves. Dad’s way of dealing with it was to spend most of our time on the go. He’d come home from work and find some excuse to get out of the house. He was into what he admitted was “monetary compensation” and we spent a lot of time, over the next decade, toy shopping and eating out. Memere had trouble dealing with it too and there were a lot of arguments, which led to her moving into her own apartment.
In those years when Dad took us toy shopping, I became more into Katie. Kid Kore Katie was my “go to” for several years anytime we were at a department store. Dad must have bought me close to fifty! My favorite, Poodle Katie, broke shortly after Mom died and I dragged poor Dad to many stores looking for a replacement. (I didn’t know how easy it was to rebody her back then.) Fittingly, I opened my second Poodle Katie at Auntie Kim and Uncle Ray’s house and still remember that vividly. I also remember putting Katie in Collie Katie’s outfit and taking her to a movie with Dad while Shelly went to a friend’s house. Dad didn’t know much about dolls, but he knew I loved Katie. I remember him telling me “I’m happy for you” when I unearthed a couple Kid Kore Katies in a bin from a yardsale in 2011. We spent a lot of time thrifting with Dad in the last few months of his life. It was like we ended our days of just the three of us the same way we began them, always looking for a reason to venture out and hunting for bargains.
Most of the Kid Kore dolls we had in my teen years are long gone. Their hair was poor quality and Shelly didn’t know nearly as much about hair restoration in 2011 as she does now. However, I could not help but want to rebuild our collection, buying, not just Katie, but Kelsey and Jodi and even characters we didn’t have before as well. Every time I've gotten something new--whether it's as substantial as a real Kid Kore guy doll or as small as an accessory that goes to one of the dolls--I feel like I'm fourteen again, building our Kid Kore world. I’m looking, not only to replace some of our old dolls, but to get some new ones too and have new adventures, new memories. These dolls are too much part of who I am as a collector for me not to actively seek more.
The images flicker past, ever changing--Memere’s old house, us living as a family of four, then a family of five, then a family of four again, to a family of three. Seventh grade, eighth grade, ninth grade, tenth grade, eleventh grade, twelfth grade…Here the dolls stop being part of the show for a while, but they resurface. My earlier images of the Kid Kore dolls are of us with Memere. Then, there are a lot of moments with Mom. Then, it’s just us and Dad…I think Katie originally comforted me because she was that part of my old life that I kept carrying over, but when I come across a Kid Kore Katie in the wild now, my first thought is always of Dad and thinking that, if he were here, he would say, “I’m happy for you” again.
Even though my first thought when I see Katie now is, oddly, of Dad and sort of bittersweet, it never takes long for me to form new memories with the Kid Kore dolls. Filming As Told By Dollies for the first time and realizing that, having gone more than a decade without doing Katie’s voice, I was rusty. Two sisters living very much alone during the pandemic and trying to keep busy. Finding out, days before my 35th birthday, that I was moving schools and coming home to open our new Winter Wonderland Sisters at Home sets cheered me up. Kid Kore dolls have been a part of my journey, not just as a doll collector--and I would not be the same doll collector if we hadn’t picked up that My Big Sister set in 2000--but through my life. Each doll is like a photo in a scrapbook, glance at another and a different moment comes to mind. A snapshot. A memory.
AEC Routemaster Park Royal in Trafalgar Square London April 2014, on the 'hreitage' element of route 15 only between Trafalgar Square and Tower Hill. Regrettably it has been announced having been suspended during Covid-19, this stage service will not be re-instated. Although traditional crew-Routemaster operation ceases, others of the type will continue to operate in London on other commercial enterprises. New in 1960 to London Transport.
2605 sufferred a very serios accident whilst working route 1 in 1996 Birmingham, Stpenson Street. The bus was rebuilt and re-instated to Perry Barr by April 1997. It returned to Acocks Green by November 1997. 3072 Wearing Ikea Was at Acocks Green while 2605 at Perry Barr. 2605 was one of the first Buses to wear the new grey Based Livery came out mid 1997.
LIFE OF BUS 2605
New to Yardley Wood Garage January 1983
Transferred to Acocks Green June 1995
Withdrawn November 1996 (Accident Damage)
Rebuilt and Re-instated at Perry Barr garage June 1997
Transferred to Acocks Green November 1997
Withdrawn February 2004
Re-instated to Lea Hall March 2004
Withdrawn April 2008
Scraped
Location: Sutton Coldfield, Lower Parade
July 1997
PB
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 on first of January, 1847 of the Sheffield, Ashton under Lyme & Manchester, the Sheffield & Lincolnshire Junction, the Great Grimsby & Sheffield Junction Railways and the Grimsby Dock Company. The area of operation of the MSLR is clear in its title and its reason for existence and principle traffic was the movement of coal and other goods across the harsh Pennine moorland and through the Woodhead Tunnel.
Little change in the system took place until the appointment, in 1854, of Edward Watkin as General Manager.
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. A short spur, going under Lords Cricket ground, was built from Metropolitan tracks at Canfield Place to the new terminus at Marylebone. It has since become known as the London Extension. It is on this line on which the present day Great Central Railway is based.
Construction of the line started in 1894 and was opened to coal traffic on 25th July, 1898 (to bed in the line) and to passenger and goods traffic started on 9th March, 1899.
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 (MLPG) 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 in order to raise funds through covenants. This too proved not to be sufficient to raise funds for the purchase of a short section of the line so the Great Central Railway (1976) Ltd was formed to raise funds through the sale of shares.
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 signalboxes, carriages, wagons and steam and diesel locomotives.
Information Source
Spring 2001
Colleen and I sit outside on the back deck, sprawled out with dolls and an assortment of arts and crafts supplies. We are seated at the outdoor table and chair set Mom and Dad recently purchased since they rebuilt the once rotting deck. It is here that we set up camp to plan for the biggest doll event of the decade...Kelsey and Johnny's wedding. Earlier in the fall of 2000, we first dabbled in the world of Kid Kore. This was a popular clone brand that graced the shelves of stores in the late 80s up until the mid 2000s (then rebranded as Kid Connection and distributed by Walmart). It started as a childish whim. Colleen saw a sign outside the store Spag's, which said something about boycotting. When she inquired what this magical word meant to Mom, she decided we HAD to implement it into our lives. We had no grievances against Mattel. On the contrary, by this point (me being a nine year old and Colleen almost fourteen), we were absorbed more than ever into Barbie. But somehow we came to the conclusion that we would "boycott" Barbies and explore the world of clone dolls. It's not that we didn't previously dabble with "fakie" dolls before. Actually, when we were very young, most of our collection was comprised of Totsy and Lucky brand dolls, fashions, and accessories. Our authentic Barbies were far and few between--greatly out numbered by my Talking Tina hoard. The true Barbies were secondhand rescues with haircuts, defects, and no clothes. Nonetheless, we had noticed some very adorable clones at stores as of late, namely Kid Kore. It began with a Kid Kore My Big Sister Kelsey and Jodi set, clad in leopard print ensembles. Shortly thereafter, I purchased a Katie doll, sporting red hair, purple eyes, and yellow bumblebee overalls. I bought her since her Stacie like size and insect decorated outfit stood out to me.
We didn't have any Kid Kore male dolls by the spring of 2001. We did however, own a beat up Fashion Corner groom. Colleen had the wedding set for as long as I could remember. But up until Kid Kore became our greatest obsession, the bridal duo lay unused for the most part. Being our only "fakie" guy, the Fashion Corner nameless groom was up for the job. His name, Johnny came from the movie "Short Circuit"...another obsession of ours at the time. His last name, Luck, was a reference to the brand Lucky, which produced the pack. We never held a doll wedding ceremony before. Neither Colleen nor I were enchanted by the idea of being brides. Actually, I HATED the idea as long as I could remember. Fancy dress? NO! Lots of people? NO! All the attention on me wearing the ridiculously fancy dress? HECK NO! Colleen on the other hand thought one day she would have a wedding, but thought the idea of the man was repulsive. Somehow, we decided that we would make Kelsey and Johnny marry. It became the main event of the early 2000s.
We spent weeks, perhaps months, planning every detail. We cut out decorations from flyers Mom and Dad got in the mail. I also recall making some of our own from construction paper and other crafty tidbits. Of course there was the guest list and the wedding party to prepare as well. Colleen's Winter Wonderland Sisters at Home Katie was the flower girl. I think her favorite leopard print My Big Sister Jodi was also one. Beyond that, neither of us can remember a solitary thing about the actual wedding day. All that planning WAS the fun...acting out the final event was boring when the day finally came. That spring is burnt into my memory forever---the laughs, the plans, the random heap of dolls and crafting supplies strewn all over the outdoor furniture. Mom and Dad were by then used to our strange antics...our grandmother not as much.
The infamous "wedding" of Kelsey and Johnny will forever be a cherished childhood memory. It's one of the things I always think of when I look back to my younger years, when Mom was still alive, and things were somewhat normal. Despite the fact that Kelsey smelled like plastic french fries and Johnny was taped together at the waist, they always held a special place in my heart. That's why when this real Kid Kore My Wedding Day set popped up on eBay in 2022, I HAD to get. There was no negotiating...we NEEDED Kelsey's real boyfriend, Rick. Plus, the set was $12 all said and done...quite the bargain if you ask me.
I think what I love most when I look back at those spring days from twenty plus years ago, is reflecting how much has NOT changed. Sure, Mom, Dad, and Memere all passed away in that time. Together, Colleen and I inhabit the more run down house alone...the back deck much smaller now than it was in those days (since Dad had an unfinished addition put on in 2006). The table we sat at was borrowed by our neighbors fifteen plus years ago, and now sits in their yard in a rusty, dilapidated state. Colleen and I have grown up and matured as a result of all life threw at us. We don't bicker about who plays with what doll, we don't instate silly rules like "no Barbies." But our thirst for using dolls as a creative outlet is still the same. Our passion for the most random dolly oddities, like this Kid Kore set, is fiercer than ever. These days, you'll find us pouring over the dining room table, where we once had meals with our parents, tampering with a doll set. There will be handmade backdrops, piles of oddly dressed dolls, and props galore spread out all over the kitchen. There will be scripts for silly Christmas videos, or Colleen's plush Count Von Count sitting out for his "review" of a "fakie" candy store. Most similarly will be the fits of giggles and smiles that are so huge they hurt, as Colleen and I plan out our latest devious plot line to film. It's something that makes dolls so special--you can't help but feel the years melt away when you hold them and they cast you under their magical spell.
20067 leading green liveried 20047 emerge from beneath Wilford Road bridge as they head along the Up Main towards Mansfield Junction, Nottingham, 1st March 1976. They appear to be working a train of unfitted coal hoppers and being on the Up Main suggests that they have probably originated from Staythorpe Power Station (Newark) and are heading for Bestwood Park yard on the Lean Valley. At this time Toton TMD had an allocation of over a hundred class 20 locomotives predominantly for these local colliery/power station workings in the Nottingham/Derby/Leicester coalfield and a Sunday would find them stabled at both Toton and the various sub sheds dotted around the coalfields.
Locomotive History
20067 was originally D8067 and was built by English Electric at the Robert Stephensons and Hawthorn works, Darlington, entering traffic in June 1961, allocated to Darnall MPD in Sheffield for South Yorkshire freight duties. On the opening of Tinsley MPD, Darnall’s allocation was transferred to the new depot before D8067 transfered to Barrow Hill in 1966 and in April migrated south to Toton. In 1982 20067 was stored (in the goods shed at Wigston, Leicester) when a large number of Toton’s vacuum braked class 20 fleet were stored due to the reduction in coal traffic from pit closures and the continued introduction of air braked MGR coal wagons. 20067 was re-instated in 1983 following a visit to Crewe works for a General classified repair and fitment of dual brake equipment. On release it was transferred to Eastfield. However this “reprieve” proved to be relatively short lived because despite the investment 20067 was withdrawn less than four years later in January 1987 and was broken up by Vic Berry, Leicester in June 1988. 20047 was originally D8047 and was built by English Electric in 1959 and is still in existance as 20301 owned by DRS and currently (September 2016) stored at Barrow Hill.
Praktica LTL, Orwochrome UT18
Re-edited 17th September 2016
(A helical PDW)
(WARNING: its gonna be a long story post, if you don't want to read it -in which case I hate you- be prepared to scroll down a bit to get to the comments.)
A light cheery synthetic bell chime told Salem that the tram had
reached its next destination. Here though, the tram stopped, while
heavy machinery beneath noisily checked, repaired, and reset the
computer to travel the opposite direction on the track.
End of the line for this car.
Both men stepped briskly out into the terminal, quickly locating the
proper tram to transfer over to for the next leg of the commute to
Salem's place. Anvil would have to crash there until he was set up
enough to get his own place. Mentally, Salem told himself he would
eagerly await that day. Truthfully though, the odd kid was starting to
grow on him, and the prospect of having Anvil as a partner was
increasingly looking to be a good thing. All the cold stiff handshakes,
formal protocols, impersonal meetings... working for corporations was a
bleak mechanical experience that made it hard to remember what it was
like to be a normal human. Smiles, laughter, the lame jokes and the
disgusting farts, all the things that showed up on sitcoms.
They talk about it, in the various locations where bounty hunters,
mercenaries, and acquisition agents pool around discussing their work
over a drink, talk about the "human factor" the need to communicate.
Keeps all the blood, bullets, and money from going to the head and
driving you insane. There are differing opinions as to if this is a bad
thing. The guys up top, the ones that talk to CEOs face to face, get
top of the line tech, get the world on a silver platter. Those mercs
are the crazy ones, the stone cold death-machines.
Salem wasn't too keen on the idea. What was the point of money if he
was a crazed nut who was only satisfied gunning targets down? It seemed
like a foolish end, a no win situation. To chase money just to forget
it once you have it.
No, Salem would take the lower level jobs, ones that paid enough but
let him keep himself. It was this part of his mind that started warming
to the newly instated agent Anvil.
The kid kept things human.
Salem checked his watch: time to kill. Not literally, of course, though
he mentally noted to save that for when a witty pun was needed. Good
way to start a fight.
He glanced around for the vending machine he knew was at this terminal.
Over towards the one door, a massive metal cube that looked more akin
to a vault. An automated gun store.
"Here kid, I hope you don't have any plans for that paycheck already,
because I'm going to show you your first expense."
Anvil looked up, startled from his thoughts.
"Ah, cool. I wasn't really sure what I was going to do with that
anyways."
"The money?"
"Yeah."
"You're crazy. Most people go through life with a list of things they
want to buy as soon as they have the money."
"That seemed like a pretty bleak way to live."
"Heh... Yeah well," he reached the machine, and thumped his hand
against it, "This won't have everything you want, but it is a start.
Here, this first one is on me."
He swiped a card, punched a few buttons, held still for a retinal scan,
and then the machine clunked and spat out a small black case.
"Weymouth Tech C3. Cheap, but reliable. Its the pistol I prefer to use
on the field. Works good, compact, and yet cheap enough you don't have
to feel bad if things get ugly and you lose it."
He handed the case over to Matt Anvil, and gestured to the machine.
"We'll want to figure out what you are good at, and what you prefer.
You'll want to get a little of every flavor. Sure, its a lot of guns,
but you won't regret it. Even if you don't like a type of weapon, never
hurts to practice and get familiar. Sometimes you don't get a choice of
what to defend yourself with. That, and like it or not, some guns have
their place that no amount of preference can replace.
"Like me, I hate shotguns, but I have to admit the things are perfect
for home defense. So I keep a shotty at home, and bring my pistols to
work, see? So we'll get several guns. The ones you don't like you can
keep for practice and for the few occasions they are best for."
Anvil nodded, and stepped up to the vending machine's screen.
"Sounds good, lets take a look here."
They spent the rest of the day hunting around for guns. The vending
machines didn't have a lot of variety, and were low grade in quality.
They hit bigger manned gunships of all sorts. Picked up a nice reliable
shotgun that kept things simple, but allowed for all kinds of
aftermarket modifications for later on down the road. Anvil seemed to
take a particular liking to this, his past experience being hunting
made him familiar with shotguns and simple rifles. They picked up a DMR
from another shop, to ween his hunting rifle skills into something a
little more military grade. Salem picked one that wasn't too expensive,
later on if he took well to automatic fire they may want to replace it
with a more flexible, if shorter ranged, system. They passed up on
getting any sort of machine gun, Salem figured that if they got into a
place where they needed it, they were doing their job wrong. Anvil
agreed, opting instead to purchase a small single shot grenade launcher
that'd do in a pinch if things got messy. Sure, it was pretty low tech,
but it could compact and store discretely, and was pretty light.
They were on their way to a place Salem knew where they could get a
hold of a nice quality sniper rifle, when they came across a little
shop off a side street that caught Anvil's eye. Salem had walked past it
a hundred times and never noticed.
The place was full of military surplus, discarded and battle scarred
gear. Weapons and armor filched from firefights before the respective
corporations involved could get in to clean up the mess.
They browsed through it. A lot of good stuff for a little more than
they wanted to pay. Salem had corporate level connections that he could
access most of the gear through more legal means. A lot of the stuff
was broken, or very questionable. Brands, companies, and corporations
that Salem had never heard of, and screamed of being fake rip-offs.
Anvil was drawn towards a dark green crate towards the back.
A Shield Weapon Crate.
How the vendor got a hold of one of those, Salem couldn't imagine. It
was pretty well useless like this. Shield was a subsidiary of Green
Corp. managing their external security. This meant running the entrance
checkpoints to Greenwall, handling and exterminating and attempts at
smuggling through the wall, and protecting Green Corp execs when they
left their isolated Greenwall Zone to attend a meeting of any sorts.
They had some pretty fancy tech. Most of their weapons were stored and
transported in special crates, like this one here. Basically a complex
puzzle-box. Entirely physical mechanics, no electronics involved besides
a few side elements that had nothing to do with opening the crate. An
encrypted ID tag, a tracking chip that had been crudely dismantled by
the shop owner, and a small glowing holograph of the Shield icon.
That was it. Nothing to hack, and the crates were highly resilient to
most kinetic energy. They were designed to resist up to a point, but
anything over what they could resist would blast through like butter.
This posed an interesting problem to would be looters. To get enough
power to break it, would be more than enough to incinerate whatever was
inside. The charges, or whatever was being used, would just melt
straight through and decimate the contents as soon as it reached past
the resistance point of the crate.
The shopkeeper noticed Anvil studying the crate and yelled out, "That
piece of junk? I thought it'd bring me a fortune, but the damn thing
can't be opened. I wish I never laid eyes on it." Anvil only smiled at
this, and the shopkeeper grew angry. "You think that is funny? Think it
is that simple? The stupid thing is designed to destroy the contents if
you try to blow it open. Tell ya what, if you can open it, you can have
it!"
Anvil grew serious suddenly. "Really?"
"Yeah, really. Its worthless to me, worthless to everyone. You can have
it! Hell, I don't even care if you can open it anymore. Just take it,
let it be your curse. I need the shelf space."
"Thank you sir, but I couldn't take it without paying."
"Its worthless."
"Only because it is shut, the contents could be priceless."
"Yeah, that’s the problem ain't it? I don't care anymore."
"Then at least let me pay you a little."
"Its your money boy, I ain't gonna complain if you throw it away. But
that thing is worthless."
Anvil only smiled and payed the man.
He left with the crate, and carried with him the rest of the way home.
They bought a sniper rifle, and like the other guns they sent it home
on a PackBot Delivery Unit. But the case Anvil kept with him, insisting
on carrying it personally.
It wasn't until they got home to Salem's apartment that, once sure no
one was watching, he set the crate on the table and let his finger rest
on the top, feeling the plates of its surface.
"You can really open that?" Salem's voice communicated skepticism as he
made his way to a small fridge and pulled out a carton of milk.
"Shh." Was the only response he got.
Slowly then, as if following a pattern painstakingly memorized, Anvil's
fingers pushed and rotated the circular tiles, building speed until his
fingers were moving faster and faster in complicated patterns. Salem's
eyes couldn't keep up, and gave up watching to finish pouring a glass
of milk. When he looked back the crate was open. Anvil stood before it,
holding a helical SMG of sorts emblazoned with the Shield trademarks.
Salem barely caught the carton of milk before it hit the floor.
"How... I don't... Never mind, I'm too tired for this."
*NOTICE: The above text is a work in progress trial run for a planned
literary work. Though subject to change and alteration, it represents
the majority of planned content for the final product. As such, the
ideas, characters, setting, and story written above is reserved as
intellectual property of C. J. King.*
Feedback and comments on the story are more than welcome, wanted in
fact.
Credit to Xan for inspiration on the sight.
Bryn Celli Ddu is generally considered to be one of the finest passage tombs in Wales. Unlike many stone chambered tombs, this not only has a complete passage and burial chamber, but is also buried under a mound or cairn, although this was re-instated following its excavation in 1929. As it now stands, the passage is 8.4 m long, the first 3.4 m being unroofed with a pair of portal stones. The main passage runs between vertical slab rocked walls roofed by a series of stone lintels, and is roughly aligned with the Summer Solstice sunrise.
Site activity started 4000BC, with a henge constructed 3000BC but later destroyed with the passage grave built c.2000BC.
In June 1998 the 51 was route branded with this orange band. Many 2500 series was route branded and Metrobus Mk2A`s 2978/3031/3046/3069/3072.
LIFE OF BUS 2503
New to Sutton Coldfield Garage September 1992
Transferred to Miller Street January 1994 (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, Corpation Street
June 1998
PB
50007, carrying a temporary designation of the scrapped Class 50 diesel locomotive 50034 'Furious', heading for Great Yarmouth as part of the 'Merry Wherry' rail tour. The Wherry Lines are traditional branch lines in the east of England, linking Norwich to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.
Fifty English Electric Type 4, later BR Class 50, diesel locomotives were built by English Electric at their Vulcan Foundry Works plant in Newton-le-Willows on Merseyside between 1967 and 1968. These advanced Type 4 locomotives were amongst the first in the UK to include innovative features such as electronic control, dynamic braking and electric train heating incorporated into their design. The fleet was delivered in BR blue to the London Midland Region and utilised on all types of traffic, including prestige trains such as the 'Royal Scot'.
When built they were numbered in the D4xx series. They later became BR's Class 50, being allocated TOPS numbers in the 50xxx series. The class was nicknamed 'Hoovers' because of the distinctive sound of the inertial air filters with which the locomotives were originally fitted.
Initially the locomotives were used to haul express passenger trains on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) between Crewe and Scotland, that section not then being electrified. This often entailed ‘Multiple Working’, with two locomotives under control of a single driver. By 1974 the northern WCML had been electrified, and the Class 50 fleet were transferred to BR's Western Region to work main line passenger services out of London Paddington.
The Class 50’s did not originally carry names, but in the late 1970's BR agreed naming they after Royal Navy vessels with notable records in the First and Second World Wars.
Withdrawal of the class began in the early 1990's.
50007 'Hercules' in service.
D407 entered service in March 1968, initially allocated to the Western Lines before being re-allocated to the Stoke Division in June of that year. It was equipped with dual brakes and electric train heating from new, and was additionally fitted for Multiple Working in February 1970.
In April 1974, D407 was re-numbered as 50007 under TOPS system. The following month it was re-allocated to Plymouth Laira, where it received the name 'Hercules' on 6th. April 1978 after the British First World War battleship of the same name. It carried the name until 5th. February 1984.
On 25th. April 1984 the locomotive was outshopped in Brunswick Green and renamed 'Sir Edward Elgar' by Simon, later Sir Simon, Rattle at Paddington Station, to commemorate the 150th. anniversary of the Great Western Railway. On 29th. December 1984 the locomotive visited the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) at the head of 'The Thames Severn Pullman' rail tour as part of those celebrations.
After initially being withdrawn on 16th. July 1991, the locomotive was re-instated for railtour service, and was one of the two Class 50 locomotives to haul the final BR Class 50 rail tour, the '50 Terminator', in March 1994. After 26 years of service, 50007 was the second to last member of the fleet to be retired on 26th. March 1994. Its engine hours stood at 9,624.
50007 'Hercules' in preservation.
50007 'Sir Edward Elgar' was purchased by the Class 40 Appeal and was transferred to the Midland Railway at Butterley in Derbyshire in July 1994. Under this name, 50007 attended SVR diesel galas in 2000 and 2004.
In 2013, the locomotive was sold to Neil Boden and relocated to Washwood Heath, where it was repainted from GWR Green to BR Blue, and restored to its original name of 'Hercules'. The locomotive was also fitted with the relevant equipment for mainline running.
The Class 50 Alliance acquired 50007 from Neil Boden in November 2016. It was moved to the SVR on 16th. January 2017 and spent that most of that year at Kidderminster Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD) while the generators were removed, sent away for overhaul and refitted, before planned haulage of a number of rail tours in 2017 and 2018 to commemorate the 50th. anniversary of the introduction of the class.
On 30th. August 2017, 50007 was one of a convoy of main line diesels to travel from the SVR to London for the Old Oak Common open day.
On 20th. March 2019 freight operator GB Railfreight and The Class 50 Alliance unveiled 50007 and 50049 'Defiance' in GBRf livery, with the locomotives available to operate selected GBRf trains on a ‘spot-hire’ basis. In the same month both locomotives hauled the charter train from Paddington to Penzance and return to mark the 25th. anniversary of the final BR Class 50 hauled train.
In mid-2021 one side of 50007 was temporarily re-designated as 50034 'Furious' as a thank you to GBRf charter manager Paul Taylor for his prostate cancer charity fundraising efforts, Furious was his favourite class 50.
Well that's it from me....for 2 weeks as I am on holiday tomorrow in the South of France.
I may check in from time to time to see more of all everyone's fine pics but no more uploads from me till the end of May.
I thought I would post a real old classic to finish on and one of my personal favourite VRs.
In the end by far the oldest VR at Plymouth it seemed to lead a charmed life being withdrawn then re-instated again and again.
New to Bristol O.C she moved to People's Provincial before heading to First Western National which converted her from dual door to single.
The drivers often commented on not liking the central stair case owing to the fact it was hard to tell if anyone was standing on them.
This was taken down at Mount Batten on what is now the 2 service on a dark stormy day in Plymouth.
60062 at Edge Lane Jn with Pathfinders 'Marsh Magician' railtour from Bristol to Tuebrook Sidings via Knowlsey Freight Terminal and Liverpool Bulk Terminal on March 25 2023.
The tour is traversing the Olive Mount chord which was re-instated in 2008/9 having originally been taken out of use in 1987. The chord allows trains to reach the Bootle Branch without having to reverse at Edge Hill. The pair of tracks in the foreground lead directly to Tuebrook Sidings.
A newcomer to Perry Barr in 2007 is EX-Coventry 2764 still in Travel Coventry Livery. 2617/2840 also came to Perry Barr the same time. Seen in 2007 making an apperance on the 7 ussally in the hands of Volvo Gemini.
LIFE OF BUS 2764
New to Coventry, Harnall Lane East Garage July 1984
Transferred to Coventry, Wheatley Street (25/10/1986) Upon Harnall Lane Closure)
Withdrawn July 2007
Re-instated at Perry Barr September 2007
Transferred to Wolverhampton December 2007
Sold to Sharpes of Nottingham August 2008
Re-resitsered MIB 6571 January 2009
Re-registered A764 WVP November 2016
Sold for Preservation November 2016
Location: Birmingham Priroy Queensway
October 2007
PB
The dappermarket, Amsterdam also has instated 1 way traffic and markings on the floor remind people to distance. In spite of that this lady still opts to wear a mask as a lot of people ignore all these not so subtle requests not to stand so close.
Why is a mystery to me, I can understand people not liking shutdown of many shops, bars musea etc. I get that not being able to hug friends and family is unnatural and weird. All these and some other things bother me to some extent to.
But what great loss could you possibly experience not being able to stand nose to nose with a complete stranger is a mystery to me. Seriously just stay out of peoples way a little!
40118 passes through Dent with the 1040 Carlisle to Leeds on 5th January 1985. The loco was withdrawn just five weeks later at Tyseley after it was found the tyres were too thin to turn.
It was re-instated as 97408 for work in the Crewe remodelling scheme in May 1985 and withdrawn from BR in February 1986.
It is currently preserved and based at the Birmingham Railway Society in Tyseley.
A photograph which shows the limitations of the cheap “point and shoot” Haminex camera I was using at this time with the centre of the photograph being fairly sharp but the edges are anything but. However the subject 20014 is quite interesting as it is one of the original batch of class 20 locomotives from 1957 and was one of the first to be withdrawn a few months after I took this photograph at Toton on the 3rd August 1975.
Locomotive History
20014 was originally D8014 and it entered traffic in December 1957, allocated to Devons Road MPD in Bow, London to work cross-London transfer freights. It remained at Devons Road until transferred to Stratford in April 1964. It moved north to Immingham in October 1965 and across to Tinsley in October 1966 before returning to London (Willesden) in September 1967. In May 1969 it transferred to Toton. and it is seen here in in a very worn green livery. As this is nine years after the introduction of corporate blue I think it is safe to say that it is a long time since 20014 had seen any form of classified repair at a main works. Its condition was such that a few weeks later in October 1975 it was stored along with a number of other class 20’s. Most of these were eventually re-instated however seven months after this photograph in March 1976 20014 was one of three class 20’s surprisingly withdrawn (20012/14/38). It ended its days at Glasgow Works being broken up there in January 1977 and was the only class 20 never to receive corporate blue livery.
Re-scanned and re-edited 9th November 2015.
Hanimex Compact, Orwochrome UT18
RAF Turnhouse
20 Jan 44
20 Jul 45 3 Nov 47
22 Jan 48
49
SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE L.F.XVIE RW393/7293M MUSEUM ACCESSION NUMBER 1995/1012/A
Ordered as one of 700 Spitfire Mk.21 aircraft, cancelled in August 1944 but partially re-instated as 40 Mk XVI aircraft. Built at Castle Bromwich. Serial
block RW373 - 396.
To No.6 Maintenance Unit, RAF Brize Norton, Oxon.
To the Spitfire L.F.XVI equipped No.203 Advanced Flying School at RAF Chivenor, Devon.
To Fighter Command Control and Reporting School, RAF Middle Wallop, Hants. This unit used Spitfire L.F.XVI and Airspeed Oxford aircraft to train fighter controllers.
Flown as the personal aircraft of the AOC Fighter Command - Air Marshal Sir William Elliot (AOC Fighter Command 1947 -49) whilst on charge to No.31 Squadron (Metropolitan Communications Flight) at RAF Hendon. Painted white overall with a red flash on both sides of the fuselage, made up with red crosses and blue serial numbers.
Suffered Cat.3 damage in a landing accident- whilst landing in a crosswind at Hendon in the early afternoon after a local flight. The aircraft ran off the runway into soft ground and tipped onto its nose. The pilot was uninjured.
Under repair by a party from No.58 MU, Skellingthorpe until 16 May 51.
Re-joined No.31 squadron. By early 1953 the aircraft was on Embassy Flight, housed in the Grahame White hangar, and was known as the ‘Clipped Wing Wonder’ .
To No.3 Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit at Exeter Airport, Devon coded ‘B’ in blue below the cockpit and still in overall white. This unit provided calibration and target towing for the Army, Navy, and RAF. The aircraft were Air Ministry owned but civilian crewed. Exeter then held the largest Spitfire unit remaining in the country.
22 Mar 51
2 Apr 51 17 May 51
28 Oct 53
6 Jul 54
13 Dec 54 17 Sep 55 14 Dec 55
27 Mar 56
12 Jan 57 9 Mar 57
75-76
To No.45 Maintenance Unit RAF Kinloss. Ten other Spitfire Mk XVI aircraft were retired by the unit that year. Four other Spitfires remained with the unit until 1956, being progressively replaced by Vampire FB.5 aircraft.
Classified non-effective stock.
Displayed at RAF Kinloss Battle of Britain Day.
Allotted instructional serial 7293M for issue to No.603 Squadron at RAF Turnhouse from No.45 MU for use as a display airframe.
Issued to No.602 Squadron at RAF Abbotsinch with the instructional serial 7293M, with code ‘B’ and RW393 serial crossed out and replaced by roughlThe History (021012) p.436.
No.602 Squadron disbanded at Abbotsinch.
Re - allocated to RAF Turnhouse (Edinburgh) for display duties and placed outside the station H.Q; 603 Squadron disbanded the following day.
As first displayed the aircraft was camouflaged and carrying an approximation of the wartime markings of No.603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force with the fuselage codes XT-A and no serial numbers. Regularly cleaned and inspected by 603 Squadron personnel.
Refurbished by the Engineering Wing at RAF Kinloss. Returned to the gate at Turnhouse by April 76 still camouflaged as XT-A.
AF Cardington.
To Aerospace Museum Cosford, Salop for display, replacing Spitfire XIV MT847 which had moved to Manchester.
Following replacement on display by Spitfire Mk.1 K9942 from Hendon, moved to storage at RAFM facility at RAF Stafford.
By road to RAFM MBCC, RAF Cosford, for cosmetic attention prior to display in the ‘Living Museum’ forming part of the VE/VJ 60th anniversary celebrations in St James’s Park, London. Repainted as a wartime 74 Squadron aircraft, TB675/4D-V.
By road to London for the exhibition, which was open to the public 4-10 July.
By road to RAFM Hendon for temporary storage.
Displayed at RAFM Battle of Britain weekend event. Photo-Flypast December 2005 p.12.
Dismantled, and returned to RAFM Cosford for display the following day (21 September).
Returned to RAFM Hendon by road for further temporary display over the summer, being placed outside by the Milestones building on 24 August 2006, returning to the Bomber Command Hall 12 October 2006.
By road to RAFM Stafford for storage, following display at the RAF Museum Pageant weekend 2-3 June 2007. Delivered 7 June 2007.
By road to RAFM Hendon for display in Historic Hangars July 2015.
45041 was recorded stabled at Buxton depot on 3 April 1988 the former Royal Tank Regiment had just over 3 months left in service being withdrawn on 8 June 1988 and was acquired by Pete Waterman. The locomotive was purchased from Pete Waterman by the Peak Locomotive Company in February, 1996 and had bodywork repairs and a complete repaint so that it could be re-dedicated by the Reverend Bernard Baines, the Royal Tank Regiment Padre at Crewe Works Open Day on 17th August, 1996. Following the Open Day, the locomotive was moved to Crewe Electric Depot where it had its tyres turned before being hauled over the main line to the Midland Railway Centre.
Restoration work began upon its arrival at the Midland Railway Centre alongside the groups other locomotives (at the time); Class 44 D4 “Great Gable” and Class 46 D182. 45041 made its debut in preservation on 28th September, 2002 and subsequently visited diesel events at the East Lancs Railway and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway as well as making a return visit to Crewe Works for an Open Day in September, 2005.
The locomotive was repainted once again into BR Blue livery with Full Yellow ends in September, 2010 and the owning group have plans to re-instate the locomotive’s train heating capability at some point in the future following an overhaul of its train heating boiler.
Lining up his next possible shot is my old friend, rail enthusiast and photographer Mr David Hayes in the days when we both had a lot more hair than we do today, 12th July 1980.
We are located at a foot crossing at Blackwell at the top of the Licky Incline and although it is mid summer Dave is wearing a long sleeved top.
By his feet you can see the top of Dave’s black Hakuba aluminium camera case, I have one as well but in silver. A few years ago I re-instated my Hakuba from store in the loft after a period with more modern camera bags and it is back in use. Some may consider it a bit of a relic and bulky but I find it good and versatile as a camera case but also a good portable step, to get a bit of extra height to see over modern bridge parapets and as a handy seat as I am not getting any younger.
Canon AT1, Ektachrome 200
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
Seen here on Aquithie Road in Kemnay Ex-Dublin Bus AV214 Volvo B7TL ALX400 16975 128ASV (LW51ZGU) passes Volvo B9R Plaxton Panther 53606 both while operating the Service 220, 16975 towards Alford and 53606 towards Aberdeen.
The 220 is one of Bluebirds longest standing routes going back to the Northern Scottish days pre-deregulation. At one point the service operated all the way through to Strathdon however these days the Service 219 covers the two journeys per day between Alford and Strathdon while the 220 and X20 cover the Aberdeen - Kemnay - Alford route. The peak variation X20 is limited stop in Aberdeen and takes a more direct route missing out the north side of Kintore. Rather confusingly for a short period the 220 was renumbered X20 while the more direct peak journeys were the 420. .
Kemnay is also served by Bain's Coaches Of Oldmeldrum with the Service 240 to Inverurie and Oldmeldrum every 40 minutes and the 421 between Oldmeldrum, Daviot, Inverurire and Alford every two hours.
16975 was new to Dublin Bus in 2001 as AV214 01-D-10214, she was imported in to the UK in 2014 and purchased along with 5 other ALX400's by Highland Scotbus to replacing their ageing fleet of Atlanteans. Following the sale of the operator in 2017 she and her sisters were acquired by D&E Coaches and re-registered with 16975 being P9YST. In January 2019 Stagecoach Highlands acquired the majority of D&E Coaches service work in the Inverness area, part of the sale included the transfer of around 30 vehicles including these B7TLs. Due to height restrictions in Inverness all 5 B7TLs were transferred to Bluebird a few months later with a handful of Trident's going north to Inverness. Despite the majority of people thinking these would be some of the first Ex-D&E vehicles to be withdrawn, they have defied the odds with all 5 now in swoops and still in operation with Bluebird nearly two years later. Despite their age they've proven popular reliable workhorses and are frequently on longer rural routes such as the 220.
53606 was new to Bedford for the X5 in 2008 transferring to Bluebird in 2014, it is one of 5 KX58s in the fleet although these have proven quite troublesome over the years and as such 53607/8 were withdrawn in August 2020, 53607 was later instated as a paint float, but has since been displaced by 53634.
Photo date: 01/09/2020
©Jordan Adam.
Totally unaware what was at the head of this working, decent surprise to see re-instated 60065 turn up with a set of troublesome trucks! 6d44 is a daily working and can have a variety of class of loco (s) at the helm. 60065 seen here at Tamworth working Bescot to Toton yard
“Okay but hear me out… danger-sense.”
Chris lets an unimpressed puff of air out past his tongue and continues unpacking his lunch bag.
Roger purses his lips. “Okay, only a little bit hurt…”
Chris finishes with the bag and leans into the table. “You cannot tell me that’s better than having super-speed. The gap between degrees of cool there is astronomical.”
“But if you can always tell when and where bad things will happen,” Roger continues, throwing his hands up, “whether or not you can stop them yourself, you can tell OTHER people, who can!”
“What if they don’t believe you?”
“Okay, the rule is, your power is a known fact to everyone. Everyone would know I’m precognitive.”
“How do you know who CAN stop the danger, if it’s just a general sense? Wouldn’t you want… I don’t know, full-on mind-reading?”
“There’s so much room for abuse there. I mean, you know how many Superman bad guys there are like that? Mind-reading is totally out. Same with time-travel. We are NOT considering time-travel.”
Roger then swings his head to his right. “Glinda, c’mon. Best power. Break the tie.”
Glinda Parks sighs. “Fashion-sense.”
Roger sputters. “Thats-“
“Well I know I have fashion sense,” she explains, “but I mean, knowing the next big craze before everyone else.”
Roger concedes and returns to his food. “I am utterly disgraced.”
Chris keeps his laugh inside himself. Sitting down with his old friend at a recess away from all the noisier kids running around in the sun, and having the most cyclical debates ever, was like rediscovering an article of clothing that fit perfectly. The tree they were under and the table were different. Chris himself felt like less of a natural at keeping up with Roger’s enthusiasm, but… he was glad to be back. He was glad to find Roger had made friends that Chris wasn’t too alienated from. He had worried, driving with his parents back into town, that if Roger remembered him, he still wouldn’t be able to fall in with a new crowd. That, maybe, he would be intimidated, or feel replaced.
Glinda was alright. Hardly a single common interest, and yet, she fit in right along with Roger. Or, maybe it was that her mind was on an entirely different track, and her scatterbrained nature just never lead to major clashes. At any rate, she seemed laid-back. Chris’ mom had said she herself hung out with boys in school because they weren’t so dramatic. Chris thought that must’ve been a joke.
“Roger Dunbar, you can be so persnickety,” Glinda said, shaking her head.
Roger forgets his sandwich once again. “It was a hypothetical about what you’d do with amazing powers, not… not how great it would be to know before anyone else that the latest fad is… Bell-bottoms!”
“Baggies,” Glinda corrected, pointing at her attire.
Chris clears his throat. “Uh… what about you, Vicki?”
She was up in the tree, looking out past the school’s fence.
“Mind-reading wouldn’t be so bad,” she mutters, practically to herself.
“They never listen,” Roger laments. Chris offers a shrug.
Vicki wasn’t very readable herself. Chris didn’t comprehend the distant tendencies when, a minute before, she could be engaged in conversation with Roger or Glinda, completely open. She was unfocused in a whole different way.
“She’s watching him again,” Glinda remarked.
“Who?” Chris answered his own question by following Vicki’s stare. A dark-haired boy, walking in the park across the way, some kind of pad or notebook in hand.
“He looks our age, but he’s always there, at this time,” Vicki ponders. “Never in school.”
“Maybe he’s homeschooled. Or looks young,” Chris says, uninterested.
“You could go ask him to know his age for sure!” Glinda elbows Roger for him to endorse the idea. He takes a bit, then points at his full mouth. Glinda huffs.
Vicki remains still. “He could be homeless. And it just… happens. Right in front of us.”
“Well if he is, he must’ve stolen those boots,” Chris notes. “They’re really clean. High-end…”
Vicki’s concentration finally breaks and she frowns at him. Chris almost chokes.
“Uh… private school is a distinct possibility.”
Vicki hops down and walks along the bench. “Your dad’s a detective, so you’re some kind of junior-sleuth too? For all you know he doesn’t eat every day.”
Chris has an urge to sink into the ground. “I’m wrong a lot. Ask Roger.”
Roger looks between the two. “Vicki, he wasn’t trying to-“
“Give the benefit of the doubt,” she finishes.
To Chris’ surprise, she doesn’t storm off. She sits next to Glinda again and peels a tangerine.
“Sorry,” Chris manages, only by not looking directly at her.
“Give me a day, I won’t even remember,” Vicki replies. “I get caught up on things.”
“We could be here for a few hours, pointing out what’s wrong in Fairfax,” Roger adds, further defusing things. “Let’s not go there right now.”
Glinda glances at her lap, then back up at the group. “What are your guys’ plans for Halloween costumes?”
Roger tips his water bottle. “Finally. Common ground.”
***
Bryan Smith was about as interesting as his name.
It must have been a miracle that he had been noticed by the casting director; equally, that the ad agency had accepted. Bryan had next to no qualifications to get the part. It was the kind of fortune that most people would call a fluke, “too good to be true.” Bryan was never a suspicious person however. He had found in his adult life that he couldn’t afford to be.
He wrestled with his worn parking brake as his car rolled to a stop outside Trojan Laboratories. The whole crew was there ahead of him it seemed, cameras in place and all the rest. Halfway through getting the attention of who he assumes is a production assistant, Bryan tries to coolly straighten the loosened drawstring of his pajama pants.
“Mr. Smith!” they say, with strained cordiality. “I recognize you from your résumé; you’re here right on time.”
“I… couldn’t figure out how to attach my headshot actually, but…” Bryan explains.
“We’ll just be getting you in your outfit, and then we roll camera,” the assistant says, skipping over the peculiarity. They then turn back to a few technicians setting up reflection panels.
“Does it need fitting?” Bryan asked, trotting after them. “I may have put on weight since I upda- oh.”
There were already two more of the crew converging on him with a helmet and chest plate.
“Urk! Hey, are there still pins in this?” Bryan exclaimed as he felt pricks on his skin when they were applied. One of the costumers peered at him.
“They aren’t fabric,” they drawled.
Right. Bryan knew that. “Are there… pants?”
“The shot’s waist-up,” the assistant sped-walked up again with paper. “This is your line.”
“‘Line.’” Bryan knew it wasn’t a glamorous part. He had hoped it might be more exciting when he was in the moment, but he almost felt even more of a pit in his stomach now than when he had been going unnoticed all these months. It’s a paycheck, he had to remind himself.
He waved the page at the assistant. They didn’t look up from their notepad. “Hey, should I say it kinda dramatic-like? Or more tongue-in-cheek? ‘Cause I could really give it some bravado, but I wouldn’t want to like, upstage anyone else…”
“I think you should, eh, say the line,” the assistant’s smirk was even less convincing this time.
Bryan stops examining his little slogan, and it suddenly registered with him that the cameras weren’t Trojan Laboratories’. They were from news stations. His face lost its color.
“Hey, th… the thing said this would be recorded, but not… broadcast!”
“Didn’t they tell ya? They had a recent breakthrough here,” a cameraman spoke up. “Gonna turn on their uh… ‘green-energy’ thingamajig. A generator.”
“That… might look good to future employers,” Bryan thought. He could bear with this for a few lousy minutes if it meant he might be a mascot for some big scientific achievement…
Who was he kidding? The helmet was ridiculous. No one was going to remember him just for being in some hokey promo… They got him for cheap for a reason.
“It’s a paycheck,” Bryan squeezed shut his eyes, trying to stop his head from swimming. A reporter was partially through presenting the event, then Bryan would get his prompt.
“Do you have any pride? What a joke.”
“Say the line, then leave. This isn’t going to kill you.”
The reporter had already made their way over to Bryan, amidst his fretting.
“… and here with us for this afternoon’s exciting reveal of Trojan’s vision for the future of energy, THE Trojan himself,” they proclaimed loudly. Bryan worked to reset his expression, as he knew it must have been twisted in disgust. Maybe directed at that corny grin. He’d finally realized how much he hated it when people did that. And how he couldn’t.
“I was told,” the reporter said, filling in Bryan’s silence, “you have a message to all the families at watching, especially those in Fairfax who may be the first to enjoy this new technology!”
Time momentarily, and generously, froze for Bryan. It wasn’t the costume or the line that would hurt. It was the creeping thought that this would be as good as it would ever get for him. And there was nothing to do but rip the bandage off.
Bryan stuck out his chest. “Nonrenewable resources are just another wooden horse! Don’t fall for-“
A deep hum rippled through the lot, cutting off the last bit. Bryan and everyone else assembled gazed up the hillside to see Trojan Laboratories encompassed by a mushroom of shimmering fumes, rapidly folding out from the middle of the structure. The great eruption hung in the air, the colors within swaying back and forth almost like disturbed liquid. The spectacle was mesmerizing enough that it took a camera operator tripping into him, as they fled, for Bryan to acknowledge the threat.
“R-run, everyone!”
They already had; some shut inside the vans, others still scrambling towards the woods down the road. Bryan attempts a sprint of his own, but as the cloud descended on all his escape routes, his cheeks and neck start to itch; his muscles cold and aching, like they’re about to push through his skin. The helmet seems to double in weight over his brow, while maroon shades bleed into Bryan’s vision, and he crashes to the ground, eaten up in the dense vapor.
***
Cableman bumped the basement door open was an ankle, and listened before proceeding down the steps. A tune was drifting up from the room below, sung by low yet experienced voice. He was here, then. As per usual.
“-t’s all for me grog; me jolly, jolly grog…”
Cableman resumed walking, witnessing plays of unnatural light on the walls and his suit as he drew nearer to the bottom. It wasn’t a surprise that she was also there; it being commonplace, though, did not make Cableman any more thrilled at the conversation that was to come.
The last few steps sagged beneath his feet, and he tilted his head up just enough to see Cathan. He had on his red costume, and was leaned back in a seat, seemingly inebriated. His song was still making its way out of his lips, albeit in increasingly-detached increments.
“… For I’ve spent all me tin on the lasses drinkin’ gin
Across the western ocean I must wander…”
“Cathan,” Cableman slurred.
The splashes of color dimmed slightly in his peripheries, and Cathan’s face regained some its shrewd complexion.
“Yes?”
“This is me, reporting,” Cableman said while throwing his arms out from his sides, “the nothing there is to report.”
Cathan just nodded.
“This may come as a surprise to you, but I could be be doing something productive here. More productive than tailing some kid…”
Cathan smiled faintly. “He’s our target, I’m sure of that. He’ll make of a mistake eventually, and when he does… I’ll have my most reliable and devout friend there to retaliate accordingly. Won’t I?”
“He NEVER talks to anyone,” Cableman growls. “He takes a random route away from the city any time I’m within a block of him. It’s absurd.”
“More absurd than making another move while he’s still an obstacle? So that he can take down another of us?”
“Get Murr to play ‘spy’ for us. I’m over this.”
“Everyone pulls their own weight, Todd,” Cathan interjected.
“Oh I can see that,” Cableman responds dully, making no effort to avoid side-eyeing the person he knew was across the room. Cathan’s smile slips; he gives a slow blink and stares down Todd.
“When he slips up… leads you to where he hides, makes contact with someone else… that can be the end for you. I’ll send our newest members…” Cathan gestures where Todd had glanced, “… to finish the job as their initiation, and you can go back to your usual work.”
“That’s all I’m asking,” Cableman shuffles back. “I’ve got new equipment I’ve been meaning to-“
“I know,” Cathan interrupts again, tapping a finger on the corner of his lid while looking up at the ceiling. “I see.”
Cableman follows his line of sight to the obviously-opaque drywall. “Of… course you do.”
Cathan settles back into his chair. “Why don’t you rest for the day? Being out of your element has made you… testy.”
“I like my head, the way it is, just fine,” Cableman snaps. “You have fun in dream-land while I do all the dirty w-“
Cathan laughs now, and shakes his head. “You’re very lucky I like you, Todd.”
There’s no continuation. The two men regard one another with blank faces. Then Cableman departs, Cathan watching him leave, as the display of color fills the room again.
***
Authorities have arrived at Trojan Laboratories by now, with the expected biohazard precautions. Incredibly, as the the heads of the institute insist over and over again, all those within the proximity of the reactor’s discharge are found to be wholly unaffected, once screened thoroughly. All persons are accounted for except the hired mascot, whose departure no one can make certain of, being that they had been hiding and separated by the mysterious shroud of energies.
The cameras on the scene would be reviewed for evidence of Bryan Smith’s escape. The absence of his car, as Detective Gregory King points out, would suggest he had to have made it out. Even though all those present were assured it was perfectly fine to go home and not be sequestered, a search was now instated to locate the last being who was exposed. For his own safety.
Detective King threw off his containment suit as the investigation team was wrapping up. Of all the the things to run into, not a month into moving back to Fairfax… a potentially-radioactive missing person case. He hoped his family would be adjusting in a much more conventional sense than this.
What every soul on the premises would fail to uncover, and could scarcely be blamed for overlooking, was the most minute wisp of the energy plume, before dispersing in the air, being carried by the wind down the hillside. The particle survived longer than anyone at Trojan Labs would have calculated; long enough to infuse an unassuming pea pod on a vine in the crops far below.
A minute or so would pass before a tiny squeal would emit from the skin, and tendrils would begin to protrude.
THE STORY OF D200
After just over a month of trials on test trains, Light engine movements and crew training runs, D200 was tasked with hauling its first revenue earning passenger train on the 18th April 1958 which was the 1027 London Liverpool Street to Norwich. Fitted to the leading cab of the locomotive was a large headboard, painted the same colour as the locomotive pronouncing that this was the ‘FIRST 2000hp Diesel, London – Norwich, Progress by GREAT EASTERN. D200 later returned that same day with the 1455 Norwich – London Liverpool Street service.British Railways initially ordered Ten EE Type 4’s these being delivered over the coming months of 1958 with the last of the original ten locomotives being delivered by September 1958. However by late 1958 a decision was made to accelerate the plan and large orders for locomotives had been placed which basically abandoned the pilot scheme and led to an order of a further 190 EE Type 4’s with the final locomotive D399 being delivered by September 1962.
The first few years of D200 service saw her working services on the Eastern Region out of Liverpool Street and Kings Cross alongside her nine other sisters. Although it was noted that she spent a length of time in Crewe Works and Doncaster Works on repair between October 1962 and December 1962. The Locomotive was noted at Crewe Work in Early February 1969 having had its ‘D’ prefix removed. On 10th May 1970 200 emerged from Crewe Works having been painted in the new British Rail Corporate Rail blue. From late in 1973 British Rail introduced the New TOPS computer system for allocation and recording maintenance of Locomotives. The EE Type 4’s were give the classification of Class 40 and 200 was renumbered as 40122 which filed a gap in the number sequence after D322 was involved in a collision running into a divided freight train between Norton Level Crossing and Acton Grange Junction at 2358 hours on the May 1966 which had run back towards Norton after the handbrake applied by the guard for the freight had failed to halt the momentum on the runaway. 40122 was noted light engine at Preston Station 26th May 1974. She was stored unserviceable at Carlisle Kingmoor Depot 8th August 1981 and withdrawn from BR stock on 25th August 1981 where she stayed to wait her fate.
After a campaign by staff at RAIL Enthusiast magazine began to lobby British Rail to save 40122 and began a fund to save her. On 20th April 1983 40122 was marshalled at the front of a freight service bound for Tyne Yard and was hauled by 37083, seemingly the campaign to restore this historic locomotive had succeeded within British Rail and four days later on 24th April 1983 40122 was reinstated while enroute to Crewe Works, arriving there three days later on the 27th April. 40122 was then moved to Crewe TMD on the 6thMayand on the 11th May she was transferred to Toton TMD along with withdrawn sister locomotive 40076 which had been chosen to donate its power unit to allow 40122 to be returned to service. After almost 2 years after being withdrawn 40122 departed Toton Depot freshly painted Brunswick Green and carrying her original running number of D200 and her TOPS number 40122, as she travelled light engine to Finsbury Park in readiness to work her first railtour which was called the ‘Hadrian Pullman’from London Kings Cross to Carlisle via the Settle and Carlisle line. D200 would now take over as a Railtour favourite as several months earlier on18th April Sister locomotive 40106 which had also been kept painted in green livery had been withdrawn form service.
D200 had been returned to her last allocated depot of Carlisle Kingmoor where she when to not been selected for charter and railtour work, she would earn keep hauling the 1040 Carlisle – Leeds and 1600 Leeds – Carlisle return service. With the exception of D200 the last Class 40 hauled revenue passenger service fell to the honour of 40012 ‘Aureol’ which worked 1E08 1616 Birmingham New Street – York on the 27th January 1985 and all remaining Class 40’s were withdrawn from BR service leaving D200 to soldier on. For the next three years D200 was utilised to operate numerous Railtours around the BR network, being a favourite of ‘Traintours’ which took D200 to places like Penzance, London Paddington, London Waterloo to name just a few destinations. D200 was also a favourite for being displayed at Depot open days.
The final curtain was drawn on the historic Locomotive on 16th April 1988 after 30 years nearly to the day of British Rail service she worked her final rail tour from London Liverpool Street where she had started her revenue earning career D200 was fitted with a replica head board similar to her first working but this time it stated ‘LAST 2000hp Diesel, London – Norwich, Progress by INTERCITY with the tour terminating at York having earlier taken the tour to Norwich. On arrival at York D200 was detached from the train and she ran light engine directly to the National Railway Museum where she would become part of the national collection. She wasn’t official withdrawn until two days later at 1510 hours on the 18th April 1988 completing exactly 30 years in BR service.D200 made a number of visits to preserved lines such as The East Lancashire Railway where class mates 40135 and 40145 were kept and owned by the Class Forty Preservation Society and also a visit to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Sadly D200 suffered an issue with her main generator bearing which side lined her from running under power and she was placed back at the National Railway Museum in York as a static exhibit. Although presently stored under cover and protected from the elements, this pioneering locomotive has an uncertain operational future? Hopefully the formation of ‘The D200 Group’ will change that future for the better.
Origins
OriginsThe origins of the Class 40 fleet lay in the prototype diesel locomotives (Types D16/1 ordered by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and British Railways and D16/2 ordered by British Railways between 1947 and 1954) and most notably with the Southern Region locomotive No. 10203, which was powered by English Electric's 16SVT MkII engine developing 2,000 bhp (1,460 kW).The bogie design and power train of 10203 was used almost unchanged on the first ten production Class 40s.
Prototypes
British Railways originally ordered ten Class 40s, then known as "English Electric Type 4s", as evaluation prototypes They were built at the Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire.The first locomotive, D200, was delivered to Stratford on 14 March 1958. Following fitter and crew training, D200 made its passenger début on an express train from London Liverpool Street to Norwich on 18 April 1958 Five of the prototypes, Nos. D200, D202-D205, were trialled on similar services on the former Great Eastern routes, whilst the remaining five, Nos. D201, D206-D209, worked on Great Northern services on the East Coast Main Line.
Sir Brian Robertson, chairman of the British Transport Commission, was less than impressed, believing that the locomotives lacked the power to maintain heavy trains at high speed and were too expensive to run in multiple – opinions that were later proved to be correct. Airing his views at the regional boards prompted others to break cover and it was agreed that later orders would be uprated to 2500 hp (a change that was never applied). Direct comparisons on the Great Eastern Main Line showed they offered little advantage over the "Britannia" class steam locomotives, when driven well, and the Eastern Region declined to accept further machines as they deemed them unsuitable to replace the Pacific steam locomotives on the East Coast Main Line preferring to hold on until the "Deltic" Class 55 diesels were delivered.
The London Midland Region was only too pleased as the Eastern Region's decision released additional locomotives to replace their ageing steam fleet, Class 40s managing Camden bank, just north of Euston, with apparent ease. The West Coast Main Line had been starved of investment for many years and the poor track and general lower speeds (when compared to the East Coast route) suited Class 40 as the need to hold trains at speed for long periods simply did not exist and it better exploited their fairly rapid acceleration.
Production
Following the mixed success of the prototypes, another 190 locomotives were ordered by British Railways, and were numbered from D210 to D399. All were built at Vulcan Foundry, except a batch of twenty (Nos. D305–D324) which were built at Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns factory in Darlington. All the locomotives were painted in the British Railways diesel green livery, and the final locomotive, D399, was delivered in September 1962.
Batches of the class were built with significant design differences, due to changes in railway working practices. The first 125 locomotives, Nos. D200–D324, were built with steam-age 'disc' headcode markers, which BR used to identify services. Later, it was decided that locomotives should display the four character train reporting number (or headcode) of the service they were hauling, and Nos. D325–D344 were built with 'split' headcode boxes, which displayed two characters either side of the locomotive's central gangway doors. Another policy decision led to the discontinuing of the gangway doors (which enabled train crew to move between two or three locomotives in multiple). The remaining locomotives, Nos. D345–D399, carried a central four-character headcode box. In 1965, seven of the first batch of locomotives, Nos. D260–D266, which were based in Scotland, were converted to the central headcode design.
From 1973, locomotives were renumbered to suit the TOPS computer operating system, and became known as 'Class 40'. Locomotives D201 to D399 were renumbered in sequence into the range 40 001 to 40 199. The first built locomotive, D200, was renumbered 40 122, which was vacant due to the scrapping of D322 as the result of accident damage.
The named 40s
Locomotives in the range D210–D235 were to be named after ships operated by the companies Cunard Line, Elder Dempster Lines, and Canadian Pacific Steamships, as they hauled express trains to Liverpool, the home port of these companies. The only locomotive not to carry a name was D226 which was to carry the name Media but never did so. From approximately 1970, with Class 40s no longer working these trains, the nameplates were gradually removed.
BR Service
The Class 40s operated in all areas of British Railways although sightings in the Western and Southern Regions have always been exceptionally rare and usually the result of special trains and/or unusual operational circumstances. After the early trials, the majority were based at depots in northern England, notably Manchester Longsight, Carlisle Kingmoor, Wigan Springs Branch, Thornaby and Gateshead.
The heyday of the class was in the early 1960s, when they hauled top-link expresses on the West Coast Main Line and in East Anglia. However, the arrival of more powerful diesels such as Class 47 and Class 55, together with the electrification of the West Coast Main Line, meant that the fleet was gradually relegated to more mundane duties.
In later life the locomotives were mainly to be found hauling heavy freight and passenger trains in the north of England and Scotland. As more new rolling stock was introduced, their passenger work decreased, partly due to their lack of electric train heating (D255 was fitted with electric train heating for a trial period in the mid-1960s) for newer passenger coaches. They lost their last front-line passenger duties – in Scotland – in 1980, and the last regular use on passenger trains was on the North Wales Coast Line between Holyhead, Crewe and Manchester, along with regular forays across the Pennines on Liverpool to York and Newcastle services.
Throughout the early 1980s Class 40s were common performers on relief, day excursion (adex) and holidaymaker services along with deputisation duties for electric traction, especially on Sundays between Manchester and Birmingham. This resulted in visits to many distant parts of the network. It would be fair to say that few routes in the London Midland and Eastern regions did not see a Class 40 worked passenger service from time to time. Regular destinations included the seaside resorts of Scarborough, Skegness and Cleethorpes on the Eastern region, with Blackpool and Stranraer being regularly visited on the West Coast.
Much rarer workings include visits to London's Paddington and Euston stations, Norwich, Cardiff and even Kyle of Lochalsh. The fact that 40s could turn up almost anywhere resulted in them being followed by a hard core of bashers, enthusiasts dedicated to journeying over lines with rare traction for the route.
Also, many Class 40s were not fitted with air braking, leaving them unable to haul more modern freight and passenger vehicles. Despite this, only seventeen had been withdrawn by the start of the 1980s.The locomotives became more popular with railway enthusiasts as their numbers started to dwindle.
Decline
Withdrawals then picked up apace, with the locomotives which lacked air brakes taking the brunt of the decline. In 1981, all 130 remaining locomotives were concentrated in the London Midland region of BR. Classified works overhauls on the Class 40s were also gradually phased out, only 29 members of the class had a full classified in 1980, and the final two emerged resplendent from Crewe Works in 1981. The honour of the very last classified overhaul falls to 40 167 being complete in February 1981.
After that, numbers dwindled slowly until, by the end of 1984, there were only sixteen still running. These included the pioneer locomotive, 40 122, which, having been withdrawn in 1981, was re-instated in July 1983 and painted in the original green livery to haul rail enthusiasts' specials. The last passenger run by a Class 40, apart from 40 122, occurred on 27 January 1985, when 40 012 hauled a train from Birmingham New Street to York. All the remaining locomotives except 40 122 were withdrawn the next day.
The majority of Class 40s were cut up at Crewe, Doncaster, and Swindon works. Crewe works dismantled the most 40s, the totals are listed below.
Crewe Works scrapped 65 locos
Doncaster Works scrapped 64 locos
Swindon Works scrapped 54 locos.
The other eleven machines were cut at Derby, Glasgow, Inverkeithing, and Vic Berry at Leicester.
1981 and 1983 were the worst years for Class 40 withdrawals, a total of 41 being withdrawn both years.
The very last Class 40s to be cut up were 40 091 and 40 195 by A. Hampton contractors at Crewe works in December 1988.
Accidents and incidents
On Boxing Day 1962, D215 Aquitania was hauling the Up Mid-Day Scot when it collided with the rear of a Liverpool-Birmingham train. 18 were killed and 34 injured, including the guard. Contrary to popular belief, the infamous D326 was not hauling the train.
On 13 May 1966, a freight train became divided between Norton Junction and Weaver Junction, Cheshire. Locomotive D322, hauling an express passenger train, was in collision with the rear part of the freight train, which had run away. Both driver and secondman were killed.The locomotive was withdrawn September 1967.
On 7 May 1965, a freight train was derailed at Preston-le-Skerne, County Durham. Locomotive No. D350 was hauling a newspaper train that ran into the derailed wagons and was itself derailed. Recovery of the locomotive was not until 16 May.
On 14 August 1966, locomotive No. D311 was hauling a passenger train which was derailed when it ran into a landslip at Sanquhar, Dumfriesshire.
On 6 August 1975, locomotive No. 40 189 was hauling a freight train which was unable to stop due to a lack of brake power. It was in collision with another freight train at Weaver Junction, Cheshire.
On 26 October 1975, an express passenger train failed at Lunan, Angus. Locomotive No. 40 111 was sent to its assistance but ran into the rear of the failed train at 25 miles per hour (40 km/h). One person was killed and eleven were injured.
In September 1978, locomotive No. 40 044 was hauling a freight train that ran away and was derailed by trap points at Chinley, Derbyshire.
D326 The Great Train Robbery 1963D326 (later 40 126) was the most famous Class 40, but for unfortunate reasons. The engine had an early chequered history, she was classed as a jinxed loco by some railwaymen, with some drivers being reluctant to drive it. In 1963 it was involved in the infamous "Great Train Robbery", a year later in August 1964 a secondman was electrocuted when washing the windows. Finally, in August 1965, it suffered total brake failure with a maintenance train at Birmingham New Street and hit the rear of a freight train, injuring the guard. It then settled down and had a normal life until it was scrapped in 1984.
40126 was withdrawn from service on the 15th February 1984. Upon withdrawal the locomotive was offered to the National Railway museum at York as an exhibit loco regarding it's past history, however the NRM declined and she was reduced to a pile of scrap metal at Doncaster Works with indecent haste, no doubt to stop any pillaging souvenir hunters. Other famous "40s" include 40 106, which was the last one to remain in BR green livery, and 40 009, the last 40 to still have vacuum brakes only.
Preservation
Seven locomotives and one cab end (40 088) have been preserved on heritage railways, including the first built, number D200, and the Departmental Locomotives, 97 406, 97 407, 97 408.
Information is Courtesy of the D200 Group
2939 works new Limiited stop service 105A via Aston Expressway and limites stop to Sutton Coldfield. The route started 15 November 1992 replacing Timesaver route 901A. In April 1994 it would be withdrawn and replaced by all stop service 105. In September 1995 the 105A would be re-instated via Aston Expressway but calling at all stops.
Location: BIrmingham Bull Street
March 1993
PB
A class 40 hauled, steam heated Liverpool-Newcastle express passes Dewsbury, before the centre through line was re-instated. 1976 at a guess.
800010 220723 Worcester F St GMalv-LP
About 15 years and a bit of railway history separates these two shots.
Somethings have changed, others have not. Even the weather appears the same.
Paddington-Worcester-Hereford services have always been a problem as they were never popular enough to attract full trains i.e. Loco and stock / HST and when class 165/166's were used these not big enough or luxourious enough for the Intercity experience such a service should be.
After the 180's were banished the HST's returned using the higher density sets.
With the replacement of the HST's in the late 2010's there are a number of 5 car IET's (800/802's) which now handle these services (in the main). Some 9 cars do appear as do a few 165's - still.
800010 heads up towards Foregate Street on 23rd July 2022 on a service from Great Malvern to Paddington
Not much else has changed except the two signals have gained theatre boxes for the Henwick headshunt which has been recently re-instated.
In Spring 2013, Stagecoach's South Wales fleet repainted Volvo B10M 20392 (R792 DHB) into 'white and stripes' heritage livery In recognition of her carrying the last Alexander PS body built and her being the last 'step entrance' bus delivered to the Stagecoach Group. This is the livery that she carried when new in 1998 to Cwmbran depot (as one of a batch of seven) with fleet number '792'. This was re-instated upon repaint but she reverted to '20392' later in the year. She also received a set of original dual purpose seats, in grey, red and orange moquette, and the engine from sister 20390 (R790 DHB), which is now withdrawn from service.
She had a busy year attending a number of events, and whilst she has semi heritage status, she still puts in regular appearances on Cwmbran depot's local bus operations.
It's always a pleasure to encounter her on local bus operations, which usually divide between Severnside Services 64, 74 & X74 (Newport-Underwood-Caldicot-Chepstow) or Services X3/33 (Abergavenny-Pontypool-Cwmbran-Cardiff), alongside MANs, Darts and Volvo coaches.
This January 2014 shot of her leaving Cwmbran for Cardiff demonstrates the latter.
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.
North Pier is the most northerly of the three coastal piers in Blackpool, England. Built in the 1860s, it is also the oldest and longest of the three. Although originally intended only
as a promenade, competition forced the pier to widen its attractions to include theatres and bars. Unlike Blackpool's other piers, which attracted the working classes with open air
dancing and amusements, North Pier catered for the "better-class" market, with orchestra concerts and respectable comedians. Until 2011, it was the only Blackpool pier that
consistently charged admission.
The pier is designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building, due to its status as the oldest surviving pier created by Eugenius Birch. As of 2012 it is still in regular use,
despite having suffered damage from fires, storms and collisions with boats. Its attractions include bars, a theatre, a carousel and an arcade. One of the oldest remaining Sooty
glove puppets is on display commemorating Harry Corbett buying the original puppet there.
North Pier was built at the seaward end of Talbot Road, where the town's first railway station, Blackpool North, was built. Its name reflects its location as the most northerly of
Blackpool's three piers. It is about 450 yards (410 m) north of Blackpool Tower, which is roughly the midpoint of Blackpool's promenade. The sea front is particularly straight and
flat on this stretch of coastline, and the 1,650 feet (500 m) pier extends at right angles into the Irish Sea, more or less level with the promenade.
History: The construction of Blackpool Pier (eventually North Pier) started in May 1862, in Layton-cum-Warbreck, part of the parish of Bispham. In October 1862 severe storms
suggested that the planned height of the pier was insufficient, and it was increased by 3 feet (0.91 m) North Pier was the second of fourteen piers designed by Eugenius Birch,
and since Margate Pier was destroyed by a storm in 1978, it is the oldest of the remaining examples of his work still in use. It was the first of Birch's piers to be built by Glasgow
engineering firm Richard Laidlaw and Son.
The pier, which cost £11,740 to build, originally consisted of a promenade 1,405 feet (428 m) long and 28 feet (8.5 m) wide, extending to 55 feet (17 m) wide at the pier-head. The
bulk of the pier was constructed from cast iron, with a wooden deck laid on top. The cast iron piles on which the structure rests were inserted using Birch's screw pile process; the
screw-tipped piles were twisted into the sand until they hit bedrock. This made construction much quicker and easier, and guaranteed that the pier had a solid foundation. The
cast iron columns, 12 inches (300 mm) in diameter, were filled with concrete for stability at intervals of 60 feet (18 m), and supported by struts that were on average were slightly
more than 1 inch (25 mm) thick.The pier's promenade deck is lined with wooden benches with ornamental cast iron backs. At intervals along the pier are hexagonal kiosks built
around 1900 in wood and glass with minaret roofs topped with decorative finials. On opening two of the kiosks were occupied by a bookstall and confectionery stall and the
kiosks near the ends of the pier were seated shelters. The pier-head is a combination of 420 tons of cast iron and 340 tons of wrought iron columns; standing 50 feet (15 m)
above the low water line, it sees a regular 35 feet (11 m) change in sea level due to the tide.
The pier was officially opened in a grand ceremony on 21 May 1863, even though the final 50 yards (46 m) had not yet been completed. All the shops in the area were closed
and decorated with flags and streamers for the ceremony, which included a procession and a cannon salute, and was attended by more than 20,000 visitors. Although the town
only had a population of approximately 4,000, more than 200,000 holiday makers regularly stayed there during the summer months; this included 275,000 admissions in 1863,
400,000 in 1864 and 465,000 the following year. The pier was officially opened by Major Preston, and he and 150 officials then travelled to the Clifton Hotel for a celebratory
meal.
The pier was intended primarily for leisure rather than seafaring; for the price of 2d (worth approximately £4.90 in 2012) the pier provided the opportunity for visitors to walk close
to the sea without distractions.This fee was insufficient to deter "trippers'", which led to Major Preston campaigning for a new pier to cater for the 'trippers'. In 1866, the
government agreed that a second pier could be built, despite objections from the Blackpool Pier Company that it was close to their pier and therefore unnecessary
As permitted by the original parliamentary order, a landing jetty was built at the end of North Pier in incremental stages between 1864 and 1867. The full length of the jetty was
474 feet (144 m), and the extensions increased the pier's total length to its current 1,650 feet (500 m). The Blackpool Pier Company used the jetty to operate pleasure steamers
that made trips to the surrounding areas. In 1871 swimming and diving lessons were added to the pier.
In 1874, the pier-head was extended to allow Richard Knill Freeman to incorporate a pavilion, which opened in 1877. The interior decoration led it to be known as the "Indian
Pavilion", and it was Blackpool's primary venue for indoor entertainment until the Winter Gardens opened in 1879.
To differentiate itself from the new pier, North Pier focused on catering for the "better classes", charging for entry and including attractions such as an orchestra and band
concerts, in contrast to the Central Pier (or the "People's pier"), which regularly had music playing and open-air dancing. The pier owners highlighted the difference, charging at
least a shilling (worth approximately £19.90 in 2012) for concerts and ensuring that advertisements for comedians focused on their lack of vulgarity. Sundays were given over to a
church parade.
On 8 October 1892, a storm-damaged vessel, Sirene, hit the southern side of the pier, causing four shops and part of the deck to collapse onto the beach below. Several columns
were also dislodged, and the ship's bowsprit hit the pier entrance. All eleven crew members were rescued when they were hauled onto the pier. Damage to the pier was
estimated to be £5,000 and was promptly repaired.
Nelson's former flagship, HMS Foudroyant, was moored alongside North Pier for an exhibition, but slipped anchor and was wrecked on the shore in a violent storm on 16 June
1897, damaging part of the jetty. The wreck of the ship broke up during December storms.
The pier was closed for the winter during 1895–6 as it unsafe; as a result, the pier was widened as electric lighting was added.
An Arcade Pavilion was added in 1903 at the entrance to the pier and contained a wide range of amusements to suit all tastes. Further alterations were made to the pier in 1932-
3 when the open air stand was replaced with a stage and sun lounge.
In 1936, a pleasure steamer returning from Llandudno crashed into the pier. The collision left a 10 feet (3.0 m) gap, and stranded a number of people at the far end.
The 1874 Indian Pavilion was severely damaged by fire in 1921. It was refurbished, but was then destroyed by a second fire in 1938. In 1939 it was replaced by a theatre, built in
an Art Deco style. At around the same time, the bandstand was removed and replaced with a sun lounge.
In the 1960s, the Merrie England bar and an amusement arcade were constructed at the end of the pier nearest to the shore. The 1939 theatre, which is still in use, narrowly
escaped damage in 1985 when the early stages of a fire were noticed by performer Vince Hill. In the 1980s, a Victorian-styled entrance was built. In 1991 the pier gained the
Carousel bar as an additional attraction, and a small tramway to ease access to the pier-head. By this point, the pier had ceased to have any nautical use, but the jetty section
was adapted for use as a helicopter pad in the late 1980s. Storms on 24 December 1997 destroyed the landing jetty, including the helipad.
The North Pier is one of the few remaining examples of Birch's classic pier architecture and is a Grade II Listed building, the only Blackpool pier to hold that status. It was
recognised as "Pier of the Year" in 2004 by the National Piers Society.
North Pier's attractions include a Gypsy palm reader and an ice cream parlour, the North Pier Theatre, a Victorian tea room, and the Carousel and Merrie England bars. The
arcade, built in the 1960s, has approximately eleven million coins pass through its machines each year.
One of the earliest Sooty bear puppets used by Harry Corbett is on display on the pier. Corbett bought the original Sooty puppet on North Pier for his son, Matthew. When Corbett
took the puppet on BBC's Talent Night programme, he marked the nose and ears with soot so that they would show up on the black and white television, giving the puppet its
name.
The Carousel bar on the pier-head has a Victorian wrought iron canopy, and its outdoor sun-lounge is classified as the largest beer garden in Blackpool. Next to the bar is a two
tier carousel, the "Venetian Carousel", which is protected from sand and spray by a glass wall.
After the fire in 1938, the pavilion was replaced with a 1,564 seat theatre which has since hosted a number of acts including; Frankie Vaughan, Frank Randle, Tessie O'Shea,
Dave Morris, Bernard Delfont, Morecambe and Wise, Paul Daniels, Freddie Starr, Russ Abbott, Bruce Forsyth, Des O'Connor, Joe Longthorne, Lily Savage, Brian Conley and
Hale and Pace.
In 2002 a heritage room with photographs was opened up, the foyer entrance was refurbished and a disabled lift added. By 2005, there was no longer a live organist playing in
the sun lounge although other live entertainment continues. In 2013, the live organist was brought back into the sun lounge.
The pier was built and owned by the Blackpool Pier Company, created with three thousand £5-shares in 1861 (worth approximately £2,990 in 2012). The same firm operated the
pier in 1953, and the company was incorporated in 1965. The Resorts Division of First Leisure, including the pier, was sold to Leisure Parks for £74 million in 1998. In 2009, the
pier was sold to the Six Piers group, which owns Blackpool's other two piers, and hoped to use it as a more tranquil alternative to them. The new owners opened the Victorianthemed
tea room, and built an eight-seat shuttle running the length of the pier.
In April 2011, the pier was sold to a Blackpool family firm, Sedgwick's, the owners of amusement arcades and the big wheel on Blackpool's Central Pier. Peter Sedgwick
explained that he proposed to his wife on North Pier forty years ago, and promised to buy it for her one day. He said that he wants to restore the Victorian heritage of the pier and
re-instate the pier's tram. An admission charge of fifty pence to access the board-walk section of the pier was abolished by the Sedgewicks.
A petition to wind up the Northern Victorian Pier Limited (the company used by the Sedgwick family to manage Blackpool North Pier) was presented on 17 September 2012 by
Carlsberg UK Limited, a creditor of the Company, and this was to be heard at Blackpool County Court on 15 November 2012.
At the 11th hour, an agreement to pay the outstanding balance owed to Carlsberg was made and Peter Sedgwick's company escaped liquidation.
[Wikipedia]
Standing in the yard at Buckfastleigh, South Devon Railway on the 23rd July 2003 is Class 20, D8110.
Locomotive History
D8110 was built by English Electric at the Robert Stephenson and Hawthorn Works, Darlington and entered traffic in January 1962, allocated to Eastfield MPD for Forth-Clyde area and Fife coalfield duties. Re-numbered 20110 under the 1973 TOPS renumbering scheme it spent most of 1981 and 1982 in store when a large number of the vacuum braked class 20 fleet were stored due to the reduction in coal traffic from pit closures and the continued introduction of air braked MGR coal wagons. 20110 was re-instated in December 1982 following air brake fitment to enable it to operate MGR coal duties. It migrated south to England in September 1986 when transferred to Tinsley and would have spells at Immingham and finally Toton from where it was withdrawn in September 1990.
Houghton Mill, near St Ives in Cambridgeshire, is the only working watermill left on the Great Ouse. The present building probably dates from the 18th century and was substantially altered and extended in the 19th century.
In its mid-19th century heyday, the mill ran 10 pairs of stones, powered by three separate waterwheels. Much of the internal machinery remains intact although the wheels were removed in the 1930s when the mill stopped production. Today, corn is ground by a pair of millstones powered by the north waterwheel which was re-instated in 1999.
Houghton Mill is owned by the National Trust.