I am Not the Only Barmpot Out There

Among recent visitors to the tower was Steven Scott and his wife.   As is my custom I asked them if they too had a coal truck in their garden.   Nobody as yet has said yes but Steven Scott's reply was astonishing.

"No, but I used to have a cab from Deltic 55021 in my garden".   Furthermore he said that as a 16 year old he had photographed our water tower in 1983.   He said he would try to find the pictures and e-mail them to me.   Good as his word, here they are:

 click to enlarge

Picture quality has come on a bit of course but next time there are grumbles about the coal truck I shall plead relative sanity compared with a locomotive cab.

In passing Steven mentioned a coal truck at the long since (1967) closed Wheathampstead Station in Hertfordshire, on the former line between Hatfield and Dunstable:

OK, this isn't in anybody's garden but the villagers have lovingly preserved what is left of their station and have restored a coal truck, with help from the Heritage Lottery Fund.