Collieries Have Talent Competition

Terry Tuttle Thomas Smythe hosts the very first ‘Collieries Have Talent’ competition, that’s our favourite smarmy chap stood on the engine announcing the next act. Liz & Margo have also been invited as celebrity royal judges for this inaugural event. 

Kicking things off, we have the The Railway Guards’ Barbershop Sing & Dance Troupe from nearby Midsomer Norton about to perform their short set of coordinated dance to Lonnie Donegan’s Rock Island Line playing on the gramophone in the weighbridge office. 

Somehow or other Nasal Nigel has managed to get on to the ‘stage’, that’s him in the sticky green bus-spotter flasher-mac (it has special pockets with holes on the inside to allow him to adjust himself surreptitiously in public) on the right. 

Secretly he’s thinking of entering the competition next year with a bus-spotter flasher-mac dance troupe. The thought of that is pretty horrific to be honest, for Collieries Have Talent we all know is a family show. 

As always, click, swipe, tap, lick, wiggle or whatever you do to enlarge, the photo that is, not your Flying Scotsman. 

And finally, you can secure your spot in Nigel’s dance troupe next year www.buymeacoffee.com/Nevardmedi3

New Level Crossing Barriers

Saturday morning and Barry Bullhead from the Ministry of Mayhem has come to inspect the new level crossings barriers that have been installed at this former open crossing. 

They’ve been put in place after several incidents involving those who’ve imbibed too much hooch laced cider in the pub, some of who were playing chicken with passing trains, of simply sleeping between the rails. 

It’s very much a work in progress, for the set up here could cause lengthy delays for road traffic as it’s opened and closed. However those who are completely inebriated can now be safely carted across the crossing in a wheelbarrow. 

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Fireless Crane Locomotive

National Treasure Uncle Bob, continues to do research for his forthcoming railway orientated television series aimed at schoolboys with no friends and equally lonely late Middle Aged men who still live at home with ‘mother’ who is propped up in an old rocking chair in the corner covered in cobwebs. 

Under the watchful eye of Bob Geeza Cat, our much loved Uncle Bob is fascinated by the fireless locomotive which appears to have a built-in crane. He thinks that it is truly a wonderful idea, but worries that it could be compromised by tunnels and bridges. 

Meanwhile, Bob Geeza Cat simply thinks that Uncle Bob should go back to calling himself Robert or disappear on to one of the other Inch High cameos. For there’s only room for one Bob. 

And finally Archibald, part time cinema usher and garden gnome fancier has randomly appeared out of the blue with cartons of moonshine laced fruit based drinks and popcorn. Still, nobody will complain I’m sure 😎

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Monochrome Monday on a Monday

Monochrome Monday on a Monday ‘cos it isn’t always on a Monday 

National treasure Uncle Bob standing next to a race of mine tubs, watches Harry and his Hunslet locomotive generate a good blast of clag whilst pottering around the sidings at Whimsy Pit. 

There’s also a wharf here which is popular with smugglers and other illicit traders, but it’s extremely difficult to find, not helped by the fact that it’s not even on any maps. Rumour has it that keen cartographers who didn’t read the memo are regularly bribed with ‘Mendip Dew’ to omit it. 

The blast of deep black clag, isn’t by accident, it’s so coastal freighters, many on their way from the Bristol Channel Islands of Steep Holm and Flat Holm (formerly known as High Holm before the huge moonshine explosion of 1883) can locate the tiny harbour. 

In contrast, the steam freighter just visible isn’t emitting any visible exhaust at all, that’s because the steam boilers are heated with moonshine, of which there is plenty in the Land of the Inch High. 

Meanwhile Bob Geeza Cat is trying to help Miserable Mervin find his glasses and shunting pole. For Bob is such a clever cat. 

And finally, this ‘mono’ photograph was taken on real 35mm black and white film (Ilford Delta 100) taken with my steam era Pentax Spotmatic and a 50/2.8 Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar. 1/2 sec, f22. 

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Andrew’s New Yellow Beanie

A few of you missed Bob Geeza Cat in yesterday’s post, so here he is chatting to Andrew and his Barclay locomotive at Polbrook Gurney Colliery. 

Bob being quite a vocal cat in his wise old age, is commenting on Andrew’s bright yellow home-knitted woolly hat saying how it contrasts nicely with the red locomotive nameplate and dark blue paint trying to break through the sticky sooty oily grime. He’s also asking him if he has any tinned pilchards on him like he did last weekend. 

But all Andrew can hear is “meow, meow, meow, meeeooowww, meow, mee-ooowww, meow, purrrrrr, meow, purrrrhhhhhhh, meow, me-ow, meow, meow, meow, mmeeeooowww, mmmmeeeeeoooooooowwwwwwww!”

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The Gulf of Glastonbury

It’s foggy down on the levels this morning as the 8.43am Highbridge to Evercreech Junction service slows for Catcott. 

Throughout the year, mist or fog and sometimes a combination of the two is quite commonplace, The Levels being reclaimed land on what used to be known as The Gulf of Glastonbury until the great silica gel explosion of 1567. Okay I might have made that bit up, I’m just checking that you’re still paying attention, though many only read the first sentence before giving up on my daily diatribe. 

As is often the case, there’s nobody waiting for the train, for any who might be travelling are quite likely still partying after an overnight lock-in at one of the illicit cider houses nearby. Though Nasal Nigel is probably out of sight in the rather austere concrete shelter playing with his TT gauge Flying Scotland he keeps in his special pocket. I’m not going to check though, for it’s never a pretty sight. But at least his mother loves him. 

Streetlight fanciers (yes, they are a thing) will be keen to point out that the concrete electric lamp standard doesn’t have a lantern attached to it, that’s because connection to the National Grid has yet to happen (and probably never will). But at least the railway is trying to modernise, and in the meantime it’s a good place to hang poached pheasants and such to mature out of reach from praying vermin and the light fingered. 

And finally, Bob Geeza Cat is away, hiding most likely on one of my other layouts, for he’s such a clever cat 🐾

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Gunpowder!

Here we are back at Fountain Colliery not far from The Miners Arms, and we have a delivery of gunpowder dropped off by our regular little fireless engine. 

The gunpowder isn’t for use at the colliery, but is in fact a vital ingredient in a strong stout ale brewed in what was the skittle alley of The Miners Arms. 

The 13% ABV stout, which is only available served as a half pint, but in a pint pot, is topped up to the rim with an equal amount of “Forest Dew’, a moonshine exclusive to The Forest of Dean. 

An evening out on this explosive ‘shandy’, not dissimilar that phrase from a well-known multinational lager producer ‘really can refresh parts other beers cannot reach’, but not necessarily in the way you’d expect. 

And finally, I’m sure you’ve spotted national treasure Uncle Bob who is doing further research for his forthcoming minority interest railway themed television series aimed at schoolboys with no friends and late middle-aged men who still live at home with ‘mother’. 

What happens in the forest, stays in The Forest. 

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Waving Wally, Waving Wayne, Waving Willy & Waving Wodger

Here we are again at Whimsy Pit, as Andrew and his Barclay locomotive potter about pushing wagons here and there, and occasionally there and here, and sometimes nowhere at all. 

Waving Wally waves at the engine, though Wally is always waving, he even does so in his sleep and has been doing so since before he was born. His brothers Waving Wayne, Waving Willy and Waving Wodger all have the same genetic affliction. 

Mavis, their poor mother not only having to put up with 4 uncomfortable pregnancies, also had to, and still does have to cope with messy mealtimes as food and beverages fly across the room. Big family gatherings at Easter and Christmas can be particularly hazardous with now 4 grown men waving their arms - with soup and stews being particularly problematic. 

Meanwhile, Bob Geeza Cat simply waves his tail gently as he does his best to get in the way of shunting activities, for he’s such a naughty cat 🐾

And finally, for the photo geeks, this image was taken on a steam era Pentax Spotmatic using Ilford Delta 100 B&W film. The back smoke was borrowed from a photo of taken at a spring steam gala last year, it also being taken on film. 

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Crispin…. Really?

We’ve not seen the wasp striped fireless locomotive for a while, for it tends to hang around here at Brew Street which has suitable facilities to charge the high pressure locomotive reservoir so it can keep on ‘steaming’.&nb

Rumour has it that I runs off heated moonshine, which as we know is generally more plentiful than water in the land of the inch high. Another bonus being that limescale is also less of an issue.  

But I’m no authority on how railways and and locomotives work, being more of a railway romantic, so best not ask me about ‘gubbins’ and ‘thingamajigs’ or anything remotely technical. And never anything to do with DCC or slow action point motors. Ever. But I’m okay with paint, static grass and DAS modelling clay. 

However there will some here lurking next to mother’s computer while she sleeps who will be able to answer such technical requests with good authority. For you, I tip my virtual hat. Cheers, but please clear your cache and close down any dodgy websites you might have also looked at, for you know that such makes mother angry. 

Meanwhile the latest batch of oak aged ‘shine is being prepared for inspection and hopefully sale at a good profit. Today’s customer being Barry Bullhead and some pointless bureaucrat called Crispin from the Ministry of Mayhem. Who names their child Crispin? Really…. 

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Breaking News! Price of Coal Triples!

Monday shenanigans at the colliery weighbridge, and all passing trains have to pay a toll to pass through, for there is no other route out of the colliery. If not, Gary the Greaser will paint the locomotive crew and wheel treads with slippery grease, not something that’s ideal on the steeply graded colliery railway, and not pleasant for the locomotive crew on a hot sweaty footplate. 

Meanwhile, unconnected to the devious toll antics, Bob Geeza Cat is trying to shift jars of moonshine made from fermented milk. Sadly this particular rancid batch isn’t selling well, despite its high alcohol rating, so Bob is doing everything he can to try to shift it, even at the risk of making a loss. 

And finally, potential shortage of coal has caused the price to triple, and in some areas it’s even run out. The abandoned steam roller on the bridge being one of the first victims. 

You couldn’t made it up. 

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6 Hour Cross-legged Buttock Clenching Ordeal

Railway enthusiasts love a brakevan special. The lure of a long journey of discomfort without soft furnishings, a restaurant car and possibly more importantly lack of a toilet, attracts those young and old, and occasionally those in between who were victims of a stag night prank that went wrong. 

Organised by the SLS (Slow Locomotive Society), this short train of just 4 brakevans hauled by an Ivatt Class 2 tank engine has provided the power all the way from North Somerset to Fountain Colliery here in deep in The Forest of Dean. 

You might wonder why there are so few merry souls here, that’s because half of them are out of shot in the bushes relieving themselves after their 6 hour cross-legged buttock clenching ordeal regretting those pints they had before boarding the train. 

What happens in The Forest, stays in The Forest. 

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Day Trip to Frome

Saturday morning at Polbrook Gurney Colliery Halt and the 9.03am Chilcompton to Frome service slows to collect passengers. Today’s train consisting of a single former Midland Railway wooden panelled coach that smells of fungus, urine, stale beer and pipe smoke. And on the nose we have one of Highbridge Shed’s Johnson 1P 0-4-4 tanks which was modified during WW2 so it could also produce moonshine whilst performing railway duties. 

Working from left to right, Bob Geeza Cat has received some samples of the latest ‘shine, this batch starting life as milk, which is then fermented and distilled to produce 180% proof liquor. It’s rather an acquired taste, but will no doubt be popular with Horlicks and Ovaltine fanatics who want a depth charge of something a little less soporific and more invigorating. 

Next we have Smelly Suitcase Sandy, he likes to dress as a bellboy, even though he isn’t one. His tiny suitcase is thought to contains spam sandwiches, Tizer and a dried head which is believed to be that of his sister’s. His sister disappeared around 5 years ago and hasn’t been seen since. Sandy is a good friend of Nasal Nigel should anyone ask. 

Then we have Rufus Hound, who has today adopted national treasure Uncle Bob as his custodian. Bob is researching for his forthcoming minority interest railway themed television series aimed at schoolboys with no friends and boring late middle-aged musty tweed-clad old duffers who still live with ‘mother’. 

And finally we have tiny Fifi, who is quite unusual in that her head can rotate a full 360 degrees at 78 rpm if she’s had too much sugar or is listening to that new fangled ‘skiffle’ music. Our favourite hell’s granny Beryl has bought Fifi along to teach her a few tricks like pick-pocketing and sneaking in to bars and pubs undetected by the landlord. 

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Why the Earth isn’t always flat

 It’s Tuesday morning at Fountain colliery sidings, and the overnight storms have cleared to reveal a magnificent sky. 

Tin Hat Toby, part time shunter and full time conspiracy theorist, is muttering to Bob Geeza Cat about lizard people, flying saucers, and the fact that the Earth is flat. 

That latter bit in the Land of the Inch High is largely true, for most toy train sets are flat, unless the baseboards are built from MDF and reside in a damp garage or shed. 

In which case sagging, swelling and curvature can often be to quite an extreme degree, with baseboard gaps that vary in size depending on the time of year and phase of the moon. 

But Bob is more interested in the tatty old wagons, trying to work out their origin, they being bought secondhand by some 12 inch to the foot giant at least 25 years ago ‘from some bloke down the club’ who was clearing out some old tat so he could move into a bungalow and collect garden gnomes. 

And finally, why does injection moulded plastic rust in the Land of the Inch High? 

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Misaligned Brake Shoes

Regulars will have noticed that Bob Geeza Cat has been absent. That’s because he’s been way out west at Whimsy Pit, which also doubles up as a small port for incoming steam freighters from the Bristol Channel Islands of Steep Holm and Flat Holm. 

The steam freighters are part of a ‘shadow fleet’ that transport moonshine and other illicit goods around the coast and sometimes beyond. And as for the mine, it’s just a folly, it being simply used for storage of said goods. 

As I mentioned a few days ago, Bob Geeza Cat is quite an authority on old wagons, and has noticed that the two wagons nearest the engine were built by The Mainline Wagon & Locomotive Company of Hong Kong probably around 40 years ago. 

They’re easy to spot, because the brake shoes don’t line up with the wheels, that’s because they were originally intended to run on the 5ft 3 inch (21mm) gauge Irish railway system transporting iron ore for use in Guinness Stout (other brands are available). I might have made that bit up. 

Because of this, they were bought cheaply, for in the land of the inch high, we don’t worry too much about minor details like working brakes. 

And finally, wagon fanciers will have noticed that the brake shoes actually line up with the wheels on the nearest wagon, this being a more recent incarnation of the wagon which shares much of the same tooling, but is now produced by The Bachmann Locomotive & Wagon Works of Barwell in Leicestershire. 

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Daylight Saving

Those living in Little Britain, remember to shift your clocks tonight by one hour. Here we have Deliberation Dave trying to work out which way to move the ancient stones.

Conspiracy Theory

Tin Hat Toby, part time shunter and full time conspiracy theorist, is mid-shunt with another tatty old wagon that’s ended up at Whimsy Pit. 

Toby’s yellow helmet is lined with lead and aluminium to help block Bluetooth radio waves from those ‘12 inch to the foot giants’ who supposedly control the Land of the Inch High. All complete nonsense of course, I mean, really?

Meanwhile Bob Geeza Cat is trying to work out who the wagon was made by, he being quite an expert on such matters, something that might surprise regular readers. 

Initial thoughts are that it was built by the Parkside Wagon Works Company, or maybe The Mainline Locomotive, Carriage & Wagon Co of Hong Kong. 

However, a quick look at the underside, something that is easy for Bob, he be being only around 1/4 of an inch high, has revealed that it was made by The Frank Hornby Toy Company of Margate at least 30 years ago. ‘Hornby’ being stamped onto the underside of the wagon, making identification simple. 

And finally, given its appalling state, which is odd seeing the wagon is nearly all made from injection moulded plastic, as to why it’s covered in rust is a mystery, or in Tin Hat Toby’s world, part of a wider conspiracy. 

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Two Bob

Sunday morning, and national treasure, minority interest TV presenter and hobbyist, Uncle Bob arrives on the veranda of a scruffy old diesel locomotives with some wagons for Whimsy Pit. 

Uncle Bob is gathering information and material for his forthcoming TV programme aimed at boys with no friends and elderly socially challenged tweed clad men of a similar ilk who still live with ‘mother’. What about the girls may you ask? They’ve yet to be invented, the only ‘females’ being ‘mother’. 

Bob Geeza Cat, who thinks there’s only room for one ‘Bob’ in the Land of the Inch High, is giving our national treasure ‘the evils’, in an attempt to warm him off. But anyone who’s ever met gung-ho Uncle Bob, knows that he won’t be bothered by a cat with ideas above his station. Or litter tray this case. 

Meanwhile, Tin Hat Toby, part time shunter and full time conspiracy theorist is clutching his trusty well-buffed shunting pole, a skill he learned from Nasal Nigel who likes to clutch a TT scale Flying Scotsman. But unlike Nigel’s, it’s too big to fit in his pocket. 

And finally, over next to the winding house, if you zoom in, you can just make out Rufus Hound who’s being offered some edible treats from upmarket canine and feline snack providers Fishgut & Kibble, for he’s such a loveable hound, unlike the narcissistic cat who’s only in it for himself 🐾

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Supersonic Saturday

Supersonic Saturday…Okay, not quite, especially given the state of the track in The Forest. 

Propelled by Hubert the conversational Latin speaking horse, who as we know is very very strong (he’s out of shot at the far end of the train), a long retired APT ‘Advanced Passenger Train’ has arrived at Fountain Colliery. 

With declining coal sales, the colliery management have decided to branch out into railway themed holidays lets, and with the International Railway Museum offloading ‘assets’, this leaky mildew ridden train has presented a perfect opportunity as well as doing the museum a huge favour. 

And whilst it’s unlikely to appeal to families, it will almost certainly appeal to single elderly railway fanatics and armchair modellers seeking that exclusive escape from ‘Mother’. 

The more wealthy will be able to hire a whole coach to themselves, and the ones who’ve spent all their pocket money on DCC sound fitted Class 37s (in BR Banger Blue of course) will be able to hire a ‘double seat’ in the carriage of their choice. Single seats are of course available, along with ones without a window for the most penniless of socially challenged recluses, of which there are likely to be many. It’s likely that windows will need to be covered over to meet the demand for this category. 

The bathroom facilities, are broken and rather lacking. But that won’t be a problem, for the ‘clientele’ are unlikely worry about such things. And anyway, they can simply scuttle off in to the forest for any ablutions, or of course simply remain seated, their heavy hessian underwear given to them by mother taking care of such things. 

The Miners Arms will take care of catering, and they have erected a marquee in the beer garden for exclusive use of the holiday makers. For it’s unlikely that the regulars will want to mix with them, apart from Nasal Nigel of course. 

And finally, Bob Geeza Cat has wisely decided to stay on one of my other layouts today. For he’s such a clever cat 🐾

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The Spring Equinox

It’s the Spring Equinox in the Land of the Inch High. The day when the day is as long as the night, and the night as long as the day, and occasionally something in between the two. 

You’ll have noticed that in inch high land it always looks like summer irrespective of the time of year, even though the Spring Equinox is usually in the spring. Though in 1883 it was a month earlier. Okay, I made that bit up to check that you’re still paying attention. 

Here we are around sunset with a rare photograph from when they briefly trialled an LMS Stanier 2-6-4 on the Highbridge line, as it makes easy work of the 6.05 Highbridge to Templecombe service. 

May you have an excellent equinox, whether it be spring or autumn, and for the few old hippies that read my drivel, I hope you have a lovely time chanting and dancing around your trainset, celebrating the fact that 99.8% of all model railways depict high summer. 

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Wide Angle Wednesday

It’s Wide Angle Wednesday, and we’ve stuck the camera up on a pole up to capture a slightly elevated view of the wharf and sidings at Whimsy Pit. 

It’s fairly unremarkable day, but given what’s going on in the full sized real world, such days are rather nice, and hopefully not a thing of the past. 

Over to the left, there’s Hubert the conversational Latin speaking horse in conversation with Deliberation Dave. I’ve no idea what they’re on about, their inch high voices struggling to travel far. 

But if you put your ear close to your device speaker, you might be able to hear them, otherwise simply tap the screen and tell them to speak up. Maybe don’t do this if you’re in public, people might thing you odd, though to be fair you probably are if you’re reading the nonsense here. 

Pete on his Hunslet locomotive, is pushing a wagon around, it could be going in either direction, it’s tricky to tell from a stills photograph, though the vertical column of fake smoke would suggest it’s stationary and simply posed for this photo. 

Freddy the Flag, is also stationary, for any movement incurs the risk that he’ll sink in to the mud and get stuck. Though there is a mobile crane on standby just in case. 

Regulars will no doubt have spotted Bob Geeza Cat, who is being entertained by his ‘staff’, as they bring him some goodies to check out. The goodies are most likely contraband, have just arrived on the wheezing old steam freighter from the island Flat Holm, or maybe Steep Holm in the middle of the Bristol Channel. 

And finally, Harry the Hammer (Harry being a popular name in the Land of the Inch High) is waiting, poised ready to fix anything that breaks or malfunctions, for there’s nothing Harry can’t do with his trusty tool. 

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Peat Bogs & Pit Props

What happens to all the old mining pit props when they’re no longer any good as a pit prop? They get collected by the ‘Never Ending Vodka Absinthe & Rum Distillery Company’ to burn and heat their moonshine stills. 

The illicit distillery have several temporary production locations around the Catcott and Burtle area of the Somerset Levels, the remote boggy landscape making it difficult for the not very long arm of the law to track them down and apprehend.

The odd time they do, they tend to get stuck and disappear in the peat bogs never to be seen again. Though they might in several thousand years time be found perfectly preserved by a future archaeological dig. 

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It’s Titfield Thunderbolt Thursday!

 The little people have managed to put a train together much like the one in the celebrated film, quite surprising when you consider how chaotic and random the antics in the land of the inch high can be. But compared to our full sized world run by elderly narcissists, it’s positively sane. 

Barry Bullhead and Terry Tuttle-Thomas-Smythe are keen to sell their illicit booze on the small train which has a fully fitted bar, so here they are striking a deal with Colin who is a bit of a pushover. Sorted. 

Deliberation Dave is eyeing up the wonderful paint job on the coach, the fetching colours being decided by the half price sale at Brian & Quentin’s Hardware Emporium in Bridgwater, locally known as ‘B&Q’. 

Hubert the conversational Latin speaking horse is fresh back from a couple of days at The Cheltenham Festival and has been promised a ride in the brakevan. If he clenches tightly, he should just about be able to get through the door and enjoy the journey from the veranda as he mutters “Spero te mihi spatium habuisse; tenete me firmum, introeo!”

And finally, Bob Geeza Cat is away on business, no doubt striking a trade deal around tinned pilchards and illicit booze production. Of course he might just been having a nice snooze next to the stove in the brake van, after all, he is just a cat 🐾

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Hot Box & Hot Chillies 🌶

It’s Saturday morning in Catcott Burtle goods yard, and a scruffy empty hopper wagon has just been dumped in the siding due to a hot box on the 8.09 pick up goods from Evercreech Junction. Such wagons are unusual in this part of the world, for they’re not really suited for wagonload coal deliveries in small yards like the one here at Catcott. 

Hopefully it will only be here temporarily whilst they await the arrival of Harry the Hammer, who I’m sure will be able to sort out the offending wagon with his trusty tool. 

Standing next to his red Triumph Roadster, we’ve not seen shifty local business man Terry Tuttle Thomas Smythe for a while. However there he is with his signature ‘look no hands’ pose, a skill he learned during his time in the Far East when he regularly physically handled hot chillies for a spice export business he was running, for holding one’s private part when going to the loo could be quite painful if not careful. 

‘TTTS’, as he’s usually known, a nickname he picked up his posh public boarding school, has heard about Bob Geeza Cat’s nefarious activities, and is looking at possibly going into business with Bob as a distributor. TTTS’ time spent at public school means that he has many super wealthy friends in high places, some no doubt with suspicious connections who’d love some mind altering tincture. 

To the right, that’s national treasure Uncle Bob who has just been given a few samples from the latest moonshine batch in the hope that his celebrity status within hobby circles could elevate the product. However, Uncle Bob has more of a liking for a nice chilled Gewürztraminer or Riesling. However the illicit spirit will be ideal for cleaning the track on a model railway he’s building for a minority interest television series he’s working on. 

And finally, over in the distance, could that be Red Rachel from The Ministry of U-turns disguised in striking new blue attire? 

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Final Train on the S&DJR 6/3/1966

 60 years ago today on Sunday the 6th of March 1966, the former Somerset & Dorset Joint Rly network closed forever.

Here we are at Combwich, an unremarkable small town on the upper reaches of the river Parrett. It was hoped that it might become another Bristol of maybe even Minehead with the arrival of the railway, but alas not. It simply remaining a backwater serving Bridgwater, a slightly larger backwater. 

On this final day, there are several rail tours, but only this one has come to Combwich, and even it is hauled by a lowly goods train locomotive in the form of Bath shed’s 48560, one of a few Stanier 2-8-0s allocated to the Western Region of British Railways. 

However many of the regulars have come out to ride or to simply witness the sad sight as the locomotive reverses before running around its train of mostly lonely elderly musty tweed clad men and school boy trainspotters. 

And finally, those looking for the omnipresent Bob Geeza Cat, he’s away on more pressing business, for last trains are of little interest to him, they having no place in his world unless they’ve a cargo of tinned tuna, pilchards or more often than not, contraband. 

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👉 www.buymeacoffee.com/Nevardmedi3 - this will hopefully keep the trains running beyond today’s closure.