A brand new train service has started from Lancashire to Ribblehead. A named train too - The Yorkshire Dales Explorer. From Rochdale via Manchester Victoria and Bolton and on to the S&C at Hellifield. This is a real break-through for cross border train travel. This is a screen-grab from Real Time Trains and it is on its way, one minute early at Ramsgreave & Wilpshire on its first day:
Found these two splendid pictures on Facebook. They are both of the same steam train at two locations in Dentdale on Saturday 22nd June 2024. The first, by Shep Woolley, shows Arten Gill viaduct. The second, by Matt Kirby, is of Dent Head viaduct. The fireman of the Battle of Britain class locomotive Tangmere is Settle's Martyn Soames. Not long afterwards she roared through Settle station with * 'Her Whistle Wide and Her Throttle Back'*. What a sight and sound.
Have a listen. A song from my childhood. Days of innocence when the word 'hell' was swearing, deserving of omission.
Our lovely 110 years old Ford Model T is in good hands with nephew David Kay:
In brilliant sunshine yesterday, 5th June, the line was host to A4 Pacific Sir Nigel Gresley heading north late morning and back late afternoon. I had the privilege of seeing her from the north viewing area both ways. As has become my habit I gave her a wave on the return leg and was rewarded with a blast from that magnificent wailing hooter. Here she is alongside Ingleborough and passing over Ribblehead Viaduct. Two splendid pictures by Point and Shoot Photos and Diane Muldowney and a third from Shep Woolley.
Nigel Gresley was one that I missed in my train-spotting days. He's made up for it since.
Our much covered (in this Blog at least) common or garden clematis has reached and is overspilling the top of the Midland Railway iron window frame that we removed from the back of the tower to create the doorway to the new bits.
Meanwhile the 'weeds' are in magnificent full bloom:
We have been without our lift for a fortnight of so and to add to our discomfiture our BT telephone line failed for a week - along with internet. This disrupted Ukrainian David's online schooling too. All back working again now. These people, Gartec (below), are actually part of the Swedish firm Aritco who made our lift. It has had a very thorough and expert seeing-to after its 12 years.
Always good to have an independent assessment of anything new. The stairlift was in need of just such. Here is our Ukrainian guest David on his return journey having descended in some trepidation. His one word verdict? Cool.
