A day trip to Swanage

Posted on August 18, 2019 by

Ron’s back on safari….

Left home this morning to travel up to Waterloo from where I took a train to Wareham.  At Wareham I took the train from Waterloo via Salisbury, Yeovil and Weymouth to Corfe Castle. At Corfe I took Swanage Railway to Swanage.  From there I hoped to catch the open top bus over the Sandbanks Ferry to Bournemouth.  Unfortunately it turned out that the ferry was closed for emergency maintenance.  The bus ran non stop to Poole via Corfe and Wareham.  Stayed on the bus to Bournemouth to meet up with family members camping in the New Forest.  Am now on train back to Waterloo.

Waterloo – 08:30am

 

Slightly later – a Waterloo bound train at Wareham

Corfe Castle station

 

Swanage station

 

Open top bus at Swanage

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Off my trolley – an excellent little layout

Posted on August 16, 2019 by

Recently, I came across this rather fine little trolley layout.  Unfortunately, there are no sizes or track plan given.  The plan is pretty obvious, though I’m not sure what happens around the back of the layout.  As for size, it’s probably 4′ long – though one could get a good estimate from those DPM buildings.

It’s a pretty generic trolley layout, but if you wanted to run almost anything, mainly for fun, its an attractive little design.

     

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Strange mojos and smells

Posted on August 14, 2019 by

I’d like to do a ‘What’s on my workbench’ post, but I have to be honest and say that there is very little there, and it’s gathering dust.  I’m suffering from a mojo loss and an acute case of indecisiveness (I used to be uncertain but now I’m not so sure…..)  I need to get down to some modelling again, as I know it’s great fun.  But where do I start?

Thanks, Paul, for this on Facebook.  I feel that my feet can barely touch the pedals.  So please do cut me some of that slack.

Or maybe my modelling is like this locomotive graveyard at Thessaloniki, in Greece (from the Daily Mail, of all places.)  I wonder if it’s still there!

Thessaloniki, Greece — Rusty steam locomotives abandoned at a locomotive graveyard at Thessaloniki, in Greece. The hulks include those of an American S160, Austrian 2-10-0 and 2-8-0, and other 2-8-0 steam locomotives. — Image by © Colin Garratt; Milepost 92 ½/CORBIS

But I did enjoy this link, from my old home of Kennington.

‘Smells of sick’: tube users ponder the Kennington pong

What is causing the vile stink at the south London station, passengers are asking TfL

Could it be an undeclared chemical spill by a secretive branch of the military? Or perhaps even the stench from bodies left over from the Black Death? Or is it just … burgers? Deep below London it is a mystery that been getting up the nostrils of tube users already struggling in recent weeks from rising temperatures……

More likely a kebab than burgers, methinks?

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Kai Tak landings

Posted on August 12, 2019 by

Not railways, I know, but whilst wasting a little time on YouTube, I came across these Hong Kong, Kai Tak airport, landing videos.  They brought back some good memories of visits to Hong Kong, and the spectacular landing as one arrived.

It was claimed to be the 6th most dangerous landing in the world.  Aim at the checkerboard on Checkerboard Hill, turn sharp right over the rooftops and drop onto the runway – but don’t overshoot, as the runway ended sticking out into the harbour.  However, I always thought it was pretty safe, as the pilots were always wide awake, with clenched teeth and buttocks.

There was the case of the Chinese plane that overshot and drowned the crew, but it was thought that there were a couple of extras in the cockpit and they were playing mahjong….

From the cockpit….

And a longer version…

More my usual view (though mostly further back in the plane!)

It could get exciting when a typhoon was in the region….

And the beautiful Concorde makes an appearance.  Bet that was loud for the houses under the flightpath!

Funny how it always seems to be raining!

Posted in Out and about, Weird and wonderful | Tagged | 1 Comment

NGSE – 2020 update

Posted on August 10, 2019 by

All is on track for NGSE 2020.  The flyer is about to go public….

And, hijacked from Facebook, here are a few of the layouts that Sean has booked for the day….

           

And more…. And plenty of traders.  Should be a good day!!!

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Links….

Posted on August 8, 2019 by

Well, I’ve had my blogging holiday, thanks to Allan and Ron, so it’s back to the same old….

A couple or three links to get us going.

Some wonderful 100 year old pre-grouping photographs, found during a house clearance.

Piccadilly tube station has hidden depths (or is it widths?) – London’s old Piccadilly Circus Station was rebuilt in the 1920s in order to deal with an increase in commuters.  However, the abandoned tunnels were later used to shelter Londoners during World War Two.  The history of the station is now being marked with a tour and an exhibition at the London Transport Museum.

Another reason why Brexit is a poor idea? – The UK’s train operators are to pull out of the Interrail scheme, which has allowed unlimited train travel across Europe for a fixed price for almost 50 years.

But one day later, they’ve changed their minds!  Pity the government couldn’t do the same!!!

The Gakunan in 2mm finescale narrow gauge – just lovely modelling, and not a bullet train in sight (sorry Paul!)

(Picture RMWeb)

 

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Swiss transport – 4

Posted on August 6, 2019 by

The last few days…..

                         

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