It's pouring with rain again, and the south Midlands are suffering from severe flooding - but a couple of days ago, we carped the diem, so to speak, and took to the hills, this time to follow the route of the famous mass trespass of 1932 up to the Kinder Scout plateau. We would then follow the edge, with its wonderful gritstone formations. past Kinder Downfall, before (almost literally) squaring the circle via Kinderlow End.
We're on a roll here! Another page of Robin's b&w photos published to the "monorail" pages - trains on the move in Scotland and northern England, hauling passenger and freight. Visit "Steam in Action" - and please, if anyone can help with the locations...
Just published - more of Robin Barbour's wonderful black and white photos of northern steam. This time - an assortment of locomotive portraits, from humble 0-6-0 and 0-4-4 to main line pacifics. Visit "Assorted Locomotives" on the "monorail" pages
As I write, the rain is teeming down - another wet day in this soggy summer. But a couple of days ago, we had an excellent 10-mile stroll on little-known hills in mid-Wales. Perfect walking conditions - pleasantly warm, a light breeze, red kites, mud...
No, we've not gone sporty all of a sudden. This was the Golden Valley Light Railway's great event - its 21st anniversary celebration, annual steam gala (no less than 5 working steam locomotives*) and the official opening of its magnificent new running shed. And we'd had a formal invite!
Visit "Golden Valley - the Triple Event" on "Geoff's Rail Diaries" for the full story; in the meantime suffice it to see we had a great time - bright sunny weather (the first for weeks), a superb buffet lunch, and wonderful steam action. The return trip from the Newlands Inn, with Graham Lee at the regulator of his new "Jack Lane", was amazing (literally, the sparks were flying...) - see below for the action. Many thanks once again to Pat Draper and Paul Sharpe at the GVLR for their kind invitation and a super day out.
*resident "Pearl 2", new Hunslet "Jack Lane", vertical boilered "Taffy", Kerr Stuart "Peter Pan" and "Irish Mail" from the West Lancs
Welcome to the geoffspages blog: - a "what's new" guide to the whole of Geoff's Pages, and a selection of bits and pieces that never made it to the site
It's pouring with rain again, and the south Midlands are suffering from severe flooding - but a couple of days ago, we carped the diem, so to speak, and took to the hills, this time to follow the route of the famous mass trespass of 1932 up to the Kinder Scout plateau. We would then follow the edge, with its wonderful gritstone formations. past Kinder Downfall, before (almost literally) squaring the circle via Kinderlow End. 
We're on a roll here! Another page of Robin's b&w photos published to the "monorail" pages - trains on the move in Scotland and northern England, hauling passenger and freight. Visit "Steam in Action" - and please, if anyone can help with the locations...
Just published - more of Robin Barbour's wonderful black and white photos of northern steam. This time - an assortment of locomotive portraits, from humble 0-6-0 and 0-4-4 to main line pacifics. Visit "Assorted Locomotives" on the "monorail" pages
As I write, the rain is teeming down - another wet day in this soggy summer. But a couple of days ago, we had an excellent 10-mile stroll on little-known hills in mid-Wales. Perfect walking conditions - pleasantly warm, a light breeze, red kites, mud...
No, we've not gone sporty all of a sudden. This was the Golden Valley Light Railway's great event - its 21st anniversary celebration, annual steam gala (no less than 5 working steam locomotives*) and the official opening of its magnificent new running shed. And we'd had a formal invite!