The high street, Blists Hill

The high street, Blists Hill
Originally uploaded by geoffspages

Back to Blists Hill - another afternoon with some good light...

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The Vital Spark

The Vital Spark
Originally uploaded by geoffspages

Inveraray - and tied up at the quay (admittedly in the custody of the maritime museum) is none other than the "Vital Spark", Para Handy's famous puffer.

Home the following day - via Dunoon and the Hunter's Quay - McInroy's Point ferry

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The ferry, Armadale

The ferry, Armadale
Originally uploaded by geoffspages

The journey home - via the west coast and a couple of ferry crossings.

Firstly, from Armadale on Skye to Mallaig, then via Fort William and the Appin coast to the Connel bridge, and onwards via Loch Awe to Inveraray.

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Last of the light at Linicro

Last of the light at Linicro
Originally uploaded by geoffspages

Skye - a fine evening in the north of the island - and some beautiful light in the last hour before sunset.

Lots more photos from this and other trips on Flickr

Accidental Steam...

Great Britain II, Gleneagles
Originally uploaded by geoffspages

Should have done some homework before setting off... A trip to Skye, via Edinburgh, arranged at fairly short notice - never thought to see what was happening up there. We met the two locos - 45231 and 45407 - on Beattock bank as we drive northwards the previous day - quite a sight. Then, after an overnight stay in the Scottish capital, we continued northwards, via Falkirk and "the Wheel". As we drove up the A9 towards Perth, we noticed lots of people beside the railway line - we'd better find out what was going on.
It was of course the "Great Britain II" railtour - seven days of steam haulage. Yes, we'd seen the 5s on Beattock - if we'd been organised, we might have seen Scots Guardsman too.

Shades of the past in Canal Street

Shades of the past in Canal Street
Originally uploaded by geoffspages

Blists Hill is expanding - here's a first look at the first part of the development - "Canal Street"...

Photo taken 5 April (and tweaked a little)