Trolley, Golf, Threat, Nose, Spliff (Mini)

We Start With A March

The tune "Colonel Bogey" had acquired some less than endearing lyrics concerning the reproductive ability of certain leaders of the Third Reich. But the word bogey or bogie has a multiplicity of meanings.

At its simplest, from northern dialects, it meant a four wheel trolley played with or ridden on by a child.

In golf it is a score of one over par for a particular hole.

The much feared bogey man was a threat; leading to RAF-speak bogey for an enemy aircraft.

Then part dried mucus from the nose was a source of ribaldry in the classroom.

As an alternative name for a cannabis cigarette it may be derived from Bogey himself. Humphrey Bogatt was often pictured with a cigarette dangling from his lips!

But for railway men and women it was the means of carrying more passengers at less cost.

Early railway passenger vehicles were horse-drawn carriages on rails.

They became more railway-like but retained some of their historic features.

Note the seats "up top" where your postilion could, indeed, be struck by lightning!

Some four wheel coaches were very well appointed as this from the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.

The central compartment was for the toffs, the end two for the snivelling minions thereof.

As demand increased, so did the length of coaches. There was a move to six wheel coaches.

But any longer and they wouldn't go round the corners!

Then around the year 1900 someone had the bright idea of making the vehicle much longer and mounting it on two little trolleys just like the bairns played with - but a bit bigger.

Railway carriages could then become more comfortable and more luxurious as with this directors' saloon.

All because of the kiddies "bogie" trolley.

But there is  problem with OO gauge six wheelers. How do they get round the much sharper corners of an OO layout?

 Next California maxi blog : Monday 7th Oct