Great pics Kev. This was in a small box of stuff I was given yesterday. Figured that fits well with Ales and Rails
One of my regrets has not been collecting Railway themed Beer mats. Many beers over here have had rail themed names. Having said that it would be just another load of stuff clogging up the loft. A couple of years ago I took my collection of commerative beer glasses from a load of Real Ale festivals from the 1980s to the local thrift store. Apart from slight sentimental value they were pretty worthless and the boxes were very heavy Kev
Back to the pub. It wasn't that big inside but there were a lot of tables and you usually ended up sitting with strangers but the place was so friendly you ended up talking to them and people on the adjoining tables as well. In the snug there was a piano and a load of very old board games that the kids could play with. Fantastic views over the Duddon Estuary. Because Foxfield is at the head of the estuary it was where the water was narrow enough to build a viaduct. The line comes up all the way from the Walney Channel on the east side, swings 180 degrees and goes all the way back down to Millom on the West side Seen from the platform. DRS 66 421 on the other side of the water with a Drigg Low level waste Nuclear repository to Barrow docks empty stone trains A few minutes later it is now heading back down the valley So.some of this seems to be in the past tense? Stuart and Lindas' plans for retirement rested on selling the business and building as a going concern.A deal was agreed with a local craft brewery and all seemed sorted until a survey revealed that the building had serious structural issues and the deal fell through. And then it shut and lay empty for ages! A new group set too and started to sort the roof and windows in the midst of the pandemic and they ran out of money half way through fears were growing that this iconic venue would be lost forever.In the nearby village of Broughton in Furness the 'High Cross' had been demolished, the 'Black Cock' noted fot its food has succumbed to the catastrophic effects of the Covid lockdown and the 'Kings Head' hung by the thinnest of threads' Only the 'Manor Arms' seemed to be O.K However, Redemption seems to be imminent A local businessman who had made his fortune publishing educational school books has decided he wants his local pubs back. rumour has it the Black Cock will have funds thrown at it to get it open first followed by the Prince I can't wait to get off the train, cross the road for a pint ( or two) and watch for the Semaphore signal to go up to tell us all the last train has just left Millom and we should 'sup up' Fingers crossed I'll finish this bit with my favourite Foxfield photo One of the numerous LMS class 4F 0-6-0s in the classic Foxfield setting with the station and good shed and the Pub in 1951. This was a local pick-up goods train that ran from Carnforth to Workington. Note that even at this late stage of Steam haulage the majority of the wagons are open wagons sheeted over and the only two vans (Boxcars) are ex Southern railway ( Not That one!) which are a long way from home Next. The Great Northern at Carlton in Nottinghamshire besides the East Coast Main line.125 mph trains and Beer more soon Kev I
A bit of a trek from our house was Carlton on Trent on the East Coast Main Line in Nottinghamshire. The ECML around here is flat, fairly straight and FAST! There is a level crossing that used to have a rather utalitarian signalbox Looking at the 1913 map there was a small station, goods yard and a pub The small goods yard building was still there in 1993 The station was long gone but the pub survives to this day. The Great Northern Railway built the line hence the name of the pub. So we used to go over there in convoy on a Friday, summer night Note the cars all facing the tracks as a Kings Cross bound express blasts past at 100 mph+. The lead vehicle is a DVT (Driving van trailer ). there is a Class 91 electric propelling from the rear Decent beers down the years I'll pause there and have a look at what VT I can cobble together .If it works there is some interesting traction on display kev
So this is a real racing stretch of main line and always has been Long before the wires went up Gresley A3 4-6-2 60105 Victor Wild ( Sister engine to 60103 Flying Scotsman) heads to London Kings Cross on an express. Seen at Tuxford 5 miles north of Carlton in May 1959. This is one of my Dad's pictures. Sadly he never took any at Carlton 40 years later one of the classic HSTs in Executive livery Looking a bit workstained A rare catch. 90 029 Frachtverbindungen ( try saying that when you've had a pint!) in DB livery is propelling a Kings Cross bound express A picture that sums up the charm of the Great Northern. Families in the beer garden and high speed action on the main line. Another HST now in GNER Colours passes north at Speed More soon Kev
The video Short clips of trains going very fast but.. Two Deltics, a Great Western King 4-6-0and the ill fated 89 001 Avocet sperated by Class 91s and HSTs Kev
Quite common in the U.K. A lot of Cross country expresses worked under the wires in between non-electrified sections and the HSTs could easily keep the same timings as the 91s. It was the same over on the West Coast main line where the HSTs working to the South of England mixed with the Class 86 and 87 electrics Kev
