clive BRretired
-
(Time waits no steam crew)!
I trawl the Charity shops for a wall clock! This one’s ‘a bit different’ says the helpful bloke! Its huge! With a 12 inch face? Trouble is that each time i look to it, Then i am back on some rail station somewhere? We drift back to our coaches and I throw up the coupling, Steam heating if needed? And release the spring clip from the vacuum …
-
(The Ivatt)
Was ideal for local dock work! My driver would jump off to visit the Railway club! I would be left on my tod with my shunter! coaster Ship’s of only a 1000 ton would come round lands end with coal! Stewed for its gas for street lighting from the towns gas ometers, to leave good coke for the pram! Or acorns for the pigs! My word an…
-
(1963 the end of an era)!
Snowball turns up! The most pleasant passed fireman you could ever meet! Charles Atlas was the fitness king! No computer system back then! Simply magazines? Permanent way track gangs have small bogy wheels on an axle that were used by fireman to jerk n lift above the head! Snowball was king! My own driver, The guy i spent all day with was now in…
-
(Down but not out)!
A young man steps out! Seniority dictates banking duty! Then Branch line work! Come midnight you arrive on pits to clean your fire! There’s all sorts to putting an engine to bed! You have your own shed and 3 or 4 loco’s! The Ivatt 2Mt, The standard 82 3Mt and the Riddles 4Mt need attention? But Bill’s not in the best of health! Can you cover…
-
(Birds of a feather)
Today gardening I am bombarded with my 3rd batch of young sparrows from the same nesting box! I count a dozen? But assume that I count the same fledgling twice? I fully endorse Aldi’s Harper’s Pale Ale @ £1- 15p for a 500ml (pint)! Highly recommended! I come in to see Tangmere is about! A Westcountry lookalike that was never converted, That I…
-
(The Riddles 4Mt tank engine)
Can I mention different sort’s? The above turned up in the very early 1960s! (61 / 62 maybe)? Summer holiday trains were longer, more heavy! The Riddles was heavy, chunky? You can just imagine the difference of this to the M7? No room to swing a cat (or so the saying goes)! To roomy cab, power, But stopping at so many stations to never let it…
-
(Merlin helicopter incident 4th of June)
Strange I should only mention Culdrose Naval air station recently! The lost Merlin aircraft was of 846 group, reformed in very late 1960s as Seahawk down in Cornwall! Early 70s after leaving the railway I put in a large dive tank, for dive rescue in there! When filled it was very murky / couldn’t see a thing underwater? But soon filled…
-
(The Gurning goldfish gets promotion)!
So the humble cleaner wants to fire an engine! I’m 16! The Inspector takes me off to view very distant signals! Then demands an explanation of Rule 55? (The safety of trains on running lines)! I’m pretty sure I can set down and clamp these detonators? (To stop an oncoming train)! He will suddenly appear at some location to ride my footplate!…
-
Looks like we just lost a merlin helicopter crew! I saw it missing 6am smorning
-
(Gold)
I love coin’s! The 2nd of march 2026 is having 1 oz of gold content Krugerrand or Britannia at £4053 quid or $5409 Dollars for a K or Brit’ worth £3891? In 2019 they were only £1000 (quid) A lot of gold went off to America! Settled back to £3200 plus but the money is now Oil? We sit on oil reserves but my phone is now charged by solar! If only i…
- Load More
