Lowestoft or bussed – 2

And so on to the trams…..

Mostly London cars

But also one from Blackpool…..

A number of other buses and trolleybuses from elsewhere in the UK were lurking in the garage.  Plus some still undergoing restoration.

Out and about….

Lurking in the garage….

European visitors….

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Work in progress…..

Next time, we’ll look at the real reason for Allan’s visit – the trolleybuses.

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Lowestoft or bussed – 1

Allan continues to enjoy retirement with a weekend based in Lowestoft.  We start with a few views of the station.  The station walls still have a Great Eastern character about them (as does the station building), but the fine overall roof is long gone.  As for the trains – you could be almost anywhere in Europe….

The main reason for the trip (apart from spending money in Scograil on the way home) was to visit the Lowestoft Transport Museum tram and trolleybus weekend.  But there were plenty of buses to see as well, and todays post shows some London Transport vehicles.

An early RT.  I’ve always like the LT livery with the white portions….

An RTL….

And a later Green RT.  Green LT buses are special, perhaps because they were more difficult to see when I was a kid growing up in Orpington…..

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A green RF…..

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All the above parked together…..

And some more modern vehicles.  That Leyland has a nasty lean to it!

Next time we’ll move to the overhead powered vehicles….

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More retail therapy (and some trains)

Oh dear – another impulse buy of three rather expensive books.  But they’re a brilliant read….

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Three volumes of Peter Tatlow’s magnum opus on railway cranes, new and old, little and large.  I’m never going to use this for modelling purposes, but am thoroughly enjoying a good read.

Meanwhile, Chris sent me some pictures of goings on on the Watercress Line.  EPB’s, MLV’s and Southern locos, steam and diesel…

And to close, three pictures of Guildford and its roundhouse shed.

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Allan on the ACE

We return today with more pictures of Allan’s retirement trip to Exeter and back on the Atlantic Coast Express, behind Clan Line.

At the head of the train….

They do let some dodgy people onto trains these days!

Moral support, taking on water, and the excellent coach logo….

Yeovil yard….

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A modern interlude….

And keeping a beady eye on proceedings (gimme a chip)?

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ESNG meeting – 20 July 2022

Fortunately the record temperatures were the day before this meeting, and even more fortunately no track had buckled on the layout, so normal running was possible!  However, the eight members present seemed more interested in talking than in running trains.  (Though it must be recorded that Graham ran a train before 9:30!)  But so what – nothing wrong with a social evening with good friends.

I did test a rather nice, lightly weathered, 4CEP that I’d picked up second hand.

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And Simon was running a very long American train, with varying degrees of success…..

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Trains were also contributed by Derek, Graham and Phil.

Elsewhere, Dave has been on holiday in Welsh Wales…..

Hi Jon, here’s some views of the Welshpool Railway. It’s 8miles long and 2’6″ gauge. They do a 2hour round trip to the end or 1hour round trip half way. The old impressive mainline station is now a clothing shop with the new station (just a platform) now on the other side of the bypass. The cattle dock which still has dual gauge track laid, was in use by the main railway. Welshpool Railway used it to unload wood for the woodyard which is still there.  The railway bridge over the canal is now a footpath. It has an aqueduct close to it. Also a wharf and museum.
Hope this is of use to you, Dave

And here’s a picture I took of it in 1971 – very early days.

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Strange white stuff

As we beat temperature records here in the UK, Allan dropped by with pictures of his recent explorations.  And a few extra ones from his holiday in Switzerland in March.  I thought a glimpse of snow would be appreciated…..

The rest of the pictures are a bit of a random selection in random order – enjoy!

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Crash!

Too hot to blog today!  To hot for almost anything requiring mental effort.  So just the crash of the day.  A very early Lehigh Valley switcher (from the livery) misses the turntable.  Please don’t try this at home, gentle readers.  Oh, you’ve done it already…..

And I’ll add this very summery picture.  Oh to be able to see this sight today!

And this will keep you cool….

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Potpourri #1053

Still hoping to get some more of Allan’s pictures of the Lowestoft Transport Museum and the North Norfolk Railway.  And it’s been too hot for much modelling in the loft roof room.  

But for today, some old Southern station and shed photos.

Blackfriars in 1939.

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A G16 shunting Feltham.  Amazing locos…

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An accident at Nine Elms….

Norwood Junction in 1959.  One of the most modellable Southern sheds, perhaps with a little compression in the length and number of shed roads…

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Nearby at West Norwood in pre-grouping days…

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A W Class 2-6-4T on a banana train near Oxted.  There was a distribution depot nearby, that lasted well into British Railway days.

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And Oxted looking north….

Three Bridges a very long time ago….

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And an interesting group of wagons in Southern Railway days.

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A change of scene, with the delightful shed on the Snailbeach Light Railway.

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This last one is from the Great Western – some dodgy Edwardian characters on the platform! 

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Back to modelling.  I did invest in a box of boxes – seconds (flaws in the colour, not damage) at a very cheap price.  I can buy some foam fillers, or use them for storing other things!

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Potpourri #1052

A few more oddities and inspirations….

Jago Hazzard on the end of the London trams…

And on somewhere I know well – Camberwell Station.  We live just up the road from this site…

And on the Tower of London.  I enjoy these videos – both gently amusing and informative!

Two videos of the wonderful Darjeeling railway.  Even the diesel is rather good….

All I can say is that his wife is rather long suffering!

Enjoy!

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ESNG meeting – 10 July 2022

It seems a long time since the last ESNG meeting report, due to a five week month, the Bartlett holidays, and the ESNG AGM.  Still, it was good to meet up again and seven members came along on the hottest day of the year (till tomorrow, that is) to play trains.  A good turnout, as the Chairman was somewhere in East Anglia ogling trolleybuses, and the Treasurer was on hospital duty.

Some of the usual suspects!

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Brian ran a modern railtour….

Neil had the new Farish EMUs on show.  A few minor criticisms, but it is a very nice model. 

Cement, by Mr Atfield….

European trains from Sean…..

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Phil’s Merchant Navy ran very well….

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I fished my Delaware & Hudson passenger rake off the shelf.  It hasn’t run for ages, but ran perfectly.

Simon was running a quadruple-headed tanker train, with some interesting tank car liveries – not black!

And Brian filmed all the bits that I had missed (and in better focus)….

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