Recent content by Steptoe

Relating to loos, when entering a (Gents) public WC with the intention of using a cubicle, I would always pick one as far away from any other occupants as is possible. Occasionally someone will then enter the next cubicle to mine even when there's lots of others available, the most memorable...

Thanks to everyone for the interesting replies and confirmation that the 'stop-block' was never used for a standard gauge siding; in fact there was no evidence that the usual timber baulk was ever attached. (the blue fittings are lengths of hollow piping presumably inserted during casting to...

On a recent visit to Lerwick harbour I noticed what appeared to an old concrete stop block and reference to a station on the building across the road from this block; however I could find no references on the web to any form of railway infrastructure on the Shetlands. I can therefore only...

When the Aylsham (Norfolk) bypass was built an AOCL was installed where this crossed the freight branch from Lenwade concrete works to Wroxham (this branch utilised the Themelthorpe curve which is probably the last new track laid in East Anglia) Presumably the costs of doing anything else and...

The Mid-Norfolk Railway have two units, however regular timetabled eservices have now finished for the season. The pacers are often used for coach charters so may still yet get a run out!

There are some interesting replies on this thread but I don't believe anyone has mentioned that a common requirement for fixed distants is on the approach to train crew operated level crossings where the stop board is obviously always at red. There are several still in in existence on the...

It is good to report that after a gap of some years the MOD have again made use of the Mid-Norfolk Railway to transport some vehicles to Dereham (photo from Friends of the MNR facebook page)

Undoubtedly this is a view held by a small percentage of users (and the 'body language' from their vehicles can be sensed!) but of course all heritage line level crossings were previously at some point 'main line' crossings with usage backed up by law. There was usually a period where the...

As the headline says, but a surprising reason for cancellation; unless of course no-one volunteered to get off to reduce the numbers to an acceptable level. I'm guessing the train formation wasn't the one in the EDP photograph...

Some astute prophecy on your part as the story has indeed featured in the online version of the Mail; however the couple's faces are pixelated out but oddly enough the childrens sad faces are in full view (pictures lifted from the Twitter feed). Shame really as the fear of being featured in the...

East Dereham station stayed 'open' for freight from 1969, when the last passenger train ran, until 1989 when the last freight train ran (my recollection is that this was a van to the UKF fertiliser depot in the yard) 'Open' only in the sense that the ownership remained with BR, rather than used...

The visit to Dereham is to the pit so it may be for maintenance work that can't be carried out from ground level at Stowmarket.

The RHTT is serviced at Dereham; this is quite a regular run in the leaf fall 'season', in my recollection it was a weekly visit last year. I'm not sure who provides the actual train but the traction is DRS.

If you have an interest in this concept the Norfolk Orbital Railway are a group promoting this; in fact they had a meeting at County School on the 21st. http://norfolk-orbital-railway.co.uk/

The verbiage in the article suggests it was instigated by GA rather than speculatively by the EDP, certainly the photographer was onsite with express permission from GA security. Similarly Mike Page is a respected aviation photographer so again I guess the aerial photographs were also taken by...