Recent content by Committee man

As LPG is, I think, an 'inflammable liquid' I assume it is indeed banned.

Here is a picture I took from the train this afternoon. It looks like the booking office wall is being insulated, and re faced (in matching bricks), I assume this is now going to be an outside wall with, perhaps, some sort of steel and glass shelter/waiting room/booking hall attached.

I forgot the two on display at the NRM. Obviously from two different era's looking at the type face used.

Chester has, I think 23 in total, all on the disused (to passenger trains) platform 1. They all look well maintained, not seen them after dark so not sure if they all work but presumably they do. There are 3 at Manchester Oxford Road, all attached to the lift shaft towers at the Piccadilly end...

I seem to recall that the locomotives of the Metropolitan and District railways in London both burnt anthracite in the years prior to electrification, c1905. Anthracite was used (previously it was coke) simply because of the underground running on the Circle line, and branches, and a 'clean'...

Thanks for the street view image. Looking closely at it, it appears (to my eye at least) that the gable end nearest the camera is leaning towards the platform/canopy, compared with the the gable end furthest from the camera although I admit it might just be the camera angle. There is also a gap...

The railway author V L Whitchurch (1868-1933) wrote several 'Stories of the railway' for The Strand magazine, involving a Sherlock Holmes type character called Thorp Hazel. Whitchurch, who lived in Bognor Regis had been a Parson but later went on to be Canon of Christ Church College, Oxford.

My everlasting memory of the APT is, I'm afraid, not a good one. Working on the railway and being interested in railway matters not associated with our department (S&T) the opportunity for staff to travel on it prior to it being put into revenue service (I think) was very attractive. The chap I...

Glad to hear it. I've finished now but up to that point pretty much everyone hated WAGO links. Seemed to be change for change sake, like the rest of the railway I suppose. Some trendy (expensive) product sold to some 'manager' who never had to deal with them no doubt.

One of my favourite, perhaps all time favourite, railway books is 'Footplate and signal cabin' by Norman Marlow and published in 1956. Norman was a lecturer at Manchester University. The first half of the book is devoted to his railway memories as a boy growing up near to the Midland main line...

There are some very funny replies on this thread which really gave me a good laugh, and believe me I could do with some at the moment so thanks. On the subject of the mint 'Pacers' weren't they originally marketed as 'Opal mints', or did I imagine it? I'm not a big mint lover but thought they...

Many thanks, will take a look next time I'm there.

Can someone tell me where about on the station it is? I only use Leeds station 2 or 3 times a year so not too familiar with it. Thanks in anticipation.

Yes I to have this problem but only in recent years (Winter time) as I've got older and yes I have found that 'O'Keeffs working hands' is great and use it two or three times a week. By far the best thing I've found and would recommend it.

I recall reading somewhere that the old stagecoach routes that radiated out from London (and I assume other big cities) were divided in to the 'upper','middle' and 'lower' grounds with the upper sections near to or in London hence wherever you were travelling from, if you were heading to London...