Mike Harding on Trains

You really must have a listen to this week's episode of the Mike Harding Folk Show, only a click away:

An Hour of Mike Harding on Trains

Solid nostalgia on the trains theme.

Mike (the Rochdale Cowboy) Harding had a weekly show on Radio 2 until recently.   Now, he has a huge audience on the web.   He is a great supporter of the S&C and lives in Langcliffe, just up the valley from Settle.   At the time the line was under threat he was at the peak of his fame and did a super TV programme about the line and its seemingly inevitable closure.   He popped round to the water tower recently and gave me his own VHS copy - now safely housed in the S&C archive.   We now know that the public outcry and the publicity was a big factor in the decision to reprieve the line.

Tunstill's Men

There was a very moving ceremony at Settle Station today, recreating the scenes of 100 years ago when the young men of the district left by train to join up for the Great War.   Tunstill was the recruiting officer.

 Have Settle's platforms ever been busier?

 Here are Tunstill's men receiving their gift for signing up.

 Wish me luck.

They'll be back by Christmas.

Pannal Tower Visit

This afternoon we visited Maj and Carol Nadry at their stunning Pannal water tower restoration, near Harrogate:

click to enlarge

We were again able to listen, learn and share experiences.   Their project is very well advanced but is on hold right now bcause of planning problems - hopefully soon to be resolved.

Their tower is weather proof with stunning new windows and a room in the tank:

The insides of the cast iron tank plates were foam sprayed by the same foam spray wizard who did ours.   The entire tank is roofed and cosy.   The view from their hilltop location is incredible.   On the floor below the tank there was an unwelcome surprise - the steel girders supporting the tank had corroded badly  at the ends and the costly solution was masses of new steel supports below the original girders:

On the ground floor there are three deep wells which supplied the water.   Well, well, well.

Two have been capped but the third will become a novel feature, 130 feet deep, lit and topped with walk-on glass:

The intrepid George Clarke has been down there and brought up a sample of the water from the very bottom.   If it is OK on analysis the Nadrys may well (sorry) have the best water supply in Harrogate.   At the least it could become a secondary water suppy - much as our harvested rainwater.

Although on a hilltop location the Pannal tower is surrounded by tall trees and is exceptionally well (sorry again) camouflaged.  

Meet the Gibbonses and High Legh Water Tower

  This amazing structure is #HighLeghWaterTower in Cheshire whose proud owners Michele and Andrew Gibbons visited us today to pick our brains and to share problems - and solutions.

 click to enlarge

This is their tower as-is and below is how it will be:

Another wow of a building eh?   It too will feature on Restoration Man eventually.

Here is Pat and the Gibbonses who are facing a huge challenge.   But WHAT a magnificent one.

Pannal Water Tower

Many moons ago we had a visit from Maj and Carol Nadry.   They had just bought a water tower near Harrogate at auction soon after our tower first appeared on TV.   We have been sharing problems and solutions ever since.   Restoration Man have been covering their project too.  See
http://settlestationwatertower.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/another-magnificent-tower.html
for a Blog entry in October 2013.

They are just about there!   This is how it looked before:

And after:

WOW!!!

Stones in the Works

   Had the gas central heating serviced and a water leak was discovered which necessitated a new boiler pump.  Just LOOK what we found inside it:

click to enlarge

This was the debris in the pump itself.   Heaven knows what is elsewhere in the lengthy and complicated system of valves, taps, pipes and two other pumps.

Really Naff

Had a visit today from a Cor Blimey Cockney sounding chap.   He had come a bit early to see today's steam train and had time on his hands.   He was showing obvious interest in the water tower so I invited him to have a wander round and take what pictures he liked.

After he had done his circuit and signed the visitors book he delivered his verdict:

"When I saw this on the telly I thought it was REALLY naff * "

I hung my head in shame and awaited amplification.   It came:

"Now that I've seen it in real life I must say it's not THAT naff"


That's OK then eh?

Naff

adjective

unstylish; lacking taste; inferior.