Weekend Mélange (1)

Another Christmas Gift Idea?

A few weeks back, fbb reported on the restoration of the L N E R petrol electric railcar (read again).

There is an article in the December issue of Modern Railways which also reveals the gorgeously restored interior.

Like many UK trams, the seats are reversible to allow ALL passengers to have a forward view. The backs just pivot across to the other side of the seat. Could we have something similar in our modern trains, please?

However, fbb can now own one of these beauties - albeit in OO gauge model form.

Produced by Danish model firm Heljan for Rails of Sheffield you can pre-order with a deposit of£ 30. It is powered, so could trundle happily on fbb's tiny little outdoor layout. You may have a year to wait with expected delivery due in 2020 but this historic model is a real beaut.

As is the price!

The Joys Of  Being Ancient (?)

There are on-line providers that specialise in sending you pictures of things that drag memories out of the cranial coal measures. Sometimes these come under the heading of "social comment". Remember Mivvi?

It all started with a non-cornish strawberry version - varieties came later. fbb preserved some of his precious pocket money and intended to lash out one shilling(?) for the very early product. He had been trainspotting at the north end of Roade Cutting ...

... trespassing on railway property,of course! Somewhere near here (Northampton's Hilton) ...

... was a roadside caff. Imagine the boy's disappointment when the maitre d' told him, "we ain't got none, son. Lyon's Mivvi Making Machine has broken down.

Then there were milk dispensers ...

...one of which served fbb much needed refreshment on Caledonian Road and Barnsbury station en route from a visit to Kings Cross engine shed. The strangely-shaped cardboard carton cost 6d (a tanner) there (rip off) but was 4d elsewhere. The machine was under the platform canopy (far left).

No such delights today.

Essential Reading!

A fond fbb memory is of Meccano Magazine which was delivered monthly to the fbb residence. There was no shop in Little Billing, but Mrs Pulley delivered "the papers" from her house in Valley Road.

Wow! A  Routemaster in 1956! What magic powered this wonder of the modern age as it had no radiator?

Bus Timetable Books : Remember Them?

Municipal booklets were usually small, but in the 1950s, Manchester Corporation's had a cover printed with THREE colours; luxury indeed ...

... but typical of the civic pride that promoted the rate-payers "own" bus service. (See today's Lothian Transport - a k a Edinburgh City Transport for a similar civic pride.)

1956 New-Build

But where?

Answer tomorrow!

Party Time; Remember?

fbb didn't do "parties"; he was just plain boring. But he was guilty of an occasional under-age half with dad at the Trumpet, Weston Favell.

Where the car is parked was the terminus of Northampton Corporation's route 1.

Route 1 (now Stagecoach; GREEN on the map below) still passes The Trumpet (top of Church Way) on its way to/from the Eastern District ...

... but now with a stop on the Wellingborough Road.

But, Party Seven? Back then your youthful pre-blogger could only manage a Party Half before the desire for a snooze made the party boy even more boring. Ditto today at 73!

More ramblings tomorrow.

 Next Weekend Mélange blog : Sunday 25th November