Over the bridge

A train departs Ambergate and heads across this bridge on it's way to Whatstandwell.

Castles (25) : Leicester

Leicester castle was originally built just after the Norman Conquest in about 1070. The castle was a motte and bailey, the motte still survives. The castle was partially demolished in 1173 after a failed rebellion against King Henry II. However, it later became a royal residence for both Edward I and II.

By the 15th century the castle was used as a courthouse, and even hosted sessions of Parliament such as the Parliament of Bats in 1426 which was hosted in the castle's great hall. The castle continued to be used for hearings of the county court until 1981.

The surviving parts of the castle today include the motte, the great hall and the magazine gateway.

Henley-in-Arden

On Saturday i visited Henley-in-Arden, a place i have visited before but not for a few years. Since my last visit the main building at the station has been re-opened for community use (though was closed when i was there!) One of the two churches in the town was open though so i was able to go inside. You can see my photos here.

Tube Ends (5) : District Line (Edgware Road to Wimbledon)

The District Line grew out of the District Railway which was formed to link up the railway termini in London, at first using Metropolitan Railway rolling stock and then later it's own. The District Railway eventually formed a sprawling network spanning London from west to east, becoming the District Line in 1933.

The branch from Edgware Road to Wimbledon (known as the Edgware Road branch of the District Line for obvious reasons) begins on shared tracks with two of the other sub-surface lines. Edgware Road itself was originally part of the Metropolitan Railway and indeed one of the original stations on the first stretch from Paddington to Farringdon.

The branch travels through down through west London including Earl's Court before heading south west via West Brompton and then south of the Thames before terminating at Wimbledon.

Edgware Road

Ladbroke Grove

Fulham Broadway

Wimbledon

Stafford rails

On Friday i went up to Stafford to do some railway photography. My target was the new Evero trains now being introduced by Avanti West Coast, i was able to see one within ten minutes of arrival! I did see the new Everos a few more times that morning including up close and they look pretty decent i must say. You can see my photos here.

706L

I have got quite a few dialphones now, including a couple of 746s and a 722 trimphone, but one type i didn't have was a 706L - well until now anyway! Unfortunately, the dial doesn't really work anymore but other than that the telephone looks superb.

Castles (24) : Inverness

Inverness castle stands on a strategic hill overlooking the river Ness and the town of Inverness. The first castle was built on this site in 1057 by Malcolm III of Scotland. The castle was destroyed in 1307 by Robert the Bruce. A later castle was also the scene of conflict between James I and the Highland clans in 1428.

A new castle was built in 1548 and was involved in a number of sieges in the following centuries. The numerous battles left the castle in a poor state. The current castle dates from a rebuilding in 1836 in the style of earlier castles, it included a prison and later was used for meetings of the county council and sheriff court though these have both now moved out of the castle. The castle is currently undergoing a major renovation.

Shunting at Highley

The sole survivor Class 17 shunting heritage coaches at Highley.

Bermuda Park et cetera

On Saturday i headed off to north Warwickshire to visit a couple of railway stations i have not been to for some time. Unfortunately, the weather and light was not brilliant so the photographs are not as good as i had hoped but they will do i guess. I travelled by train to Bermuda Park then by bus (an electric one at that!) to Bedworth before returning home. You can see my photos here.

Tube Ends (4) : Hammersmith and City Line (Hammersmith to Barking)

Although the Hammersmith & City Line only dates from 1990 when it appeared on the tube map for the first time, some of it's route dates back to the 1860s and the earliest of London's underground railways. A line was built jointly by the Metropolitan and Great Western Railways from Paddington to Hammersmith, then a developing suburb of London. The line, and it's later extensions out east became the Hammersmith & City route of the Metropolitan Railway later Line. Finally, in 1990 it was given an identity on the network of it's own.

The Hammersmith & City Line starts in Hammersmith in west London, heading east along shared tracks with the other sub-surface lines through some of the major rail termini like Paddington. Kings Cross and Liverpool Street. It then heads out into east London through Whitechapel, Plaistow and finally arriving at Barking. For nearly all of it's length, the Hammersmith & City shares tracks and stations with the other three sub-surface lines though on the tube map there is a short stretch between Moorgate and Aldgate East where the pink line of the Hammersmith & City is all on it's own!

Hammersmith

Moorgate

West Ham

Barking

Castles (23) : Oxford

Construction of Oxford castle began just a couple of years after the Norman conquest, by the Norman baron Robert D'Oyly. The castle uses a stream of the Thames as part of it's defences. The stream was diverted to provide the castle's moat. The original castle was a motte and bailey type, originally made of wood but with stone replacing the original walls and buildings in the 12th and 13th centuries. The surviving St George's tower may pre-date the rest of the castle and be of Saxon origin.

The castle saw action in the 12 and 13th centuries including during the Baron's War. The castle lost it's military role in the late 14th century and began to decay. However, it was bought back into action during the Civil War. This was the last time the castle was used in war, though it did have a later role as Oxford prison! It continued in this role until 1996 though much of the castle structure was lost over the years including the keep in the 18th century.

Passing through Crowthorne

In Berkshire.

The City of London

On Saturday i headed down to London, but not by train! I had a voucher for a Flix Bus coach so used that instead. It was a fine enough experience though i do prefer rail of course. I wanted to do some proper exploring in the old City of London and visit as many churches as possible. In the end i managed twenty, plus St Pauls cathedral as well! You can see my photos here.

Tube Ends (3) : Metropolitan Line (Chesham to Aldgate)

The Metropolitan Line has it's origin in the Metropolitan Railway which in 1863 became the first underground railway in the world (which is why many later underground railways are called "metros"!) The underground section of the Metropolitan was between Paddington and Farringdon, as with nowadays most of the Metropolitan was above ground. Unlike the later proper "tube" lines which were tunnels dug deeper underground, the Metropolitan was built in a deep trench which was then covered over.

Chesham in Buckinghamshire is the furthest station on the Underground from central London, a little further away than the other north western terminus Amersham (though the Metropolitan used to go to Aylesbury and beyond!) The Metropolitan heads towards London through Buckinghamshire and then Hertfordshire at places such as Rickmansworth. The building of the Metropolitan to the north west of London in the late nineteenth century spurred much house building and expansion of existing towns and villages, creating the commuter demand which the Metropolitan (and later the Underground) grew successful on.

The Metropolitan passes through north west London including Wembley and Camden before arriving at the major interchange of Baker Street. Now the Metropolitan is under the London streets as it continues through Moorgate and terminating at Aldgate in the City of London.

Chesham

Rickmansworth

Finchley Road

Aldgate

Castles (22) : Caergwrle

Caergwrle castle in Flintshire, near the English border was built in the late 13th century by the Prince of Wales Dafydd ap Gruffydd for King Edward I. However, Dafydd rebelled against the king in 1282, the castle was attacked and sabotaged by a retreating Dafydd. Edward gave the castle to his wife Eleanor of Castile. Unfortunately a fire broke out at the castle the following year.

Plans to repair the castle and build a town around it were abandoned and the castle gradually fell into disrepair, the Black Prince noted it was in ruins when he inherited the castle in the late 14th century. A great deal of the castle no longer exists including the west curtain wall and most of the south tower. Much of this stone may have been looted to make millstones.

BR today

Retro British Rail liveried 455 868 at Effingham Junction.

A nice new calculation machine

A new calculator has joined the collection, this rather nice Lloytron Accumatic 320. The calculator is well equipped with a number of extra mathemetical functions including square roots. It also has a rather nice VFD display. The calculator powers up and seems to work pretty well.

Tube Ends (2) : Bakerloo Line (Harrow and Wealdstone to Elephant and Castle)

The Baker Street & Waterloo Railway opened in 1906 though was soon known as the Bakerloo Line. The northern terminus of the line was once Watford Junction but this was reduced back to Stonebridge Park in 1992 before the line was restored back up to Harrow & Wealdstone in north west London two years later. This remains the line's northern terminus, though not all trains travel that far. 

The line heads overground through Wembley, Willesden and then to Queens Park where the Bakerloo Line enters a tunnel and doesn't see light again all the way to the southern terminus of the line. The Bakerloo serves both Paddington and Marylebone mainline termini also connecting to major Underground junctions at Baker Street, Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus.

After Waterloo, another mainline terminus, the Bakerloo passes under the Thames to finally terminate at Elephant & Castle in Southwark. There have been proposals to extend the line further on, one serious proposal is to extend the line to Lewisham and Hayes though as yet it remains firmly in the planning stage.

Harrow & Wealdstone

Edgware Road

Regents Park

Elephant & Castle

Model week : Troubleshooting

All of the layout has been nailed down now, but there needs to be some troubleshooting to get rid of any niggles. It works pretty well but the track is uneven here and there causing decoupling in one part of the loop and the couplers catching in a couple of areas. Hopefully the track can literally be evened out and we can get on with some proper operations and building.