Wondering And Wandering At Whitby 3

 Remember This?

Turn it through 90 degrees and finish assembling it and it becomes, miraculously, one of these.

A few years ago there was a cunning plan! The idea was for fbb to take his world famous collection of OO gauge tank wagons round to local Model Railway Exhibitions where managers were always interested in smaller exhibits to fill a corner somewhere.

Then both local opportunities closed down.

As the recent years ticked by, your lovable blogger released that the funtime experience of standing around at a Model Railway Exhibition for many hours was beginning to pall.

So, the baseboard was lost behind the sofa where it remains to this day ...

... and the display cabinet (£34 quid's worth!) remained in its box, unloved and unmade.

Then Mrs fbb, a woman of wisdom, perspicacity and, more likely, desirous of some tidying up action from her hubby, said "Why not put it on top of the bookcase."

Said bookcase is made of that wonder material "wood" rather than the more usual crushed and recycled toilet paper (a k a MDF) and weighs several dozens of metric tonnes. It would not be dislodged by a cabinet full of (mainly) plastic models. A couple of brackets would ensure that the whole display would not be dislodged by fbb's flailing arms as he did stuff to the main model railway layout.

Possibly?

Not only has assembly begun, but extra shelves to give additional tank wagin parking space, have been skilfully cut from a chunk of spare ply ...

... to fit between the four existing shelves. The backboard and underside of the shelves will be painted white to aid visibility when about 60 models are displayed.

More exciting news to follow!

Station Avenue - Really?

We have met Whitby station, a rather grand edifice for five Pacer or class 156 trains a day! But looking to use Streetview for pictures, fbb came across Station Avenue.

But it was up on West Cliff and nowhere near the station. Indeed it was on an estate of rather nice looking properties ...

... probably dating for the 1930s. Near the roundabout there were stops (inventively called "roundabout" - such skill in stop naming!)  for the X4 etc Arriva bus; if which more later.

And at the non roundabout end of Station Avenue was ...

... a collection of much sought after flats and apartments that might once have been ...

... a railway station. Move round the back of the block ...

... and the likeness is enhanced.

Here is Whitby West Cliff station in steam days ...

... in diesel days ...

... and soon after being closed days.

But our astute readers may well wonder how the railway might get from West Cliff station (on the high west cliff - there's a clue in the name) down the steep hill to the main station which is almost at sea level.

The West Cliff station was on the coastal line from Middlesbrough to Whitby via Redcar which closed in 1958; but trains still ran to West Cliff from the south for a few more years..  

In the aerial view below, West Cliff station is the YELLOW blob (centre left) and the main station (once called Whitby Town - lower right) is the BLUE blob.

Not only that, but trains had to climb up the steep hill on the southern side of the ruver to at least the height of Whitby Abbey to continue their run south to Scarborough.

More will be revealed tomorrow.

Is It A Bus : Is It A Tram?

Or Is it Superman?

Confusion Reigns!
This London Bus, built by Irizar, is called an i.e.tram!

Next is a panel about a vehicle to be introduced in Lahore, India. Readers can tackle the translation themselves.

Note that the heading says "electric tram service", but also note the rubber tyres on conventional wheels.

And here is a bit more about it.

Then there's our Steve!

Mr Rotheram, boss of Merseyside buses and trains is looking a bit more grey and toil-worn these days; but he has a lot to think about like new trains that don't work and what a bus might be.

This is his latest sound bite.

Perhaps he is just getting old?

But Steve, it IS a bus with some of its wheels and rubber tyres hidden by bodywork - but it is a bus.

It isn't a glider either ...

... although that's what they call them in Belfast.

The burning question is, "Will more people use the bus if you tell them it's a tram when it isn't?"

Answers, please, on a postcard to the usual address.

More variety tomorrow, plus ...

 Next Whitby blog : Mon 20 July