Grove Park Gallivant (mini-blog 1)

Diagram Versus Map Versus Reality

The diagram is not geographically orientated - it would be better if it were - but we can rotate an aerial view to match the diagram ...

... but the actual run on the main line is north west to south east at this point. Here is Streetmap.

The view from Baring Road is of the station building ...

... which has lost its ornate canopy of old.

... which it still had when traffic needed keep left bollards. 

Back in the day it was all a lot quieter ...

... with just a horse bus filling the road. The old canopy lasted into British Rail corporate times, but its later frontage suffered several altercations with double deck buses!

There is a lot more to Grove Park today as here ...

... with the station building in the distance on the left. There is a bit more traffic as well ...

... with lots of buses and lots of bus stops to confuse us all!

Frustratingly, for an elderly armchair explorer, the two roads parallel to the tracks present a problem. That on the 'up' side is Pullman Mews ...

... a gated community into which the common herd, and certainly Streetview, are decidedly unwelcome. The fact that it is called a "Mews", when it patently isn't, should give us a clue to the style of residence along there.

On the down side we have Amblecote Meadow which, even more ludicrously hasn't been a meadow since soon after the railway arrived.

It is another gated community where you can just see work on the station ahead. 

But here is Grove Park locality from way back. The only properties marked are ...

... Grove Farm, Spicers Cottage and Claypit Farm.

Thus, although there are no meaningful views of the platforms from the side roads, we can resolve the challenge of that extra footbridge, the wiggly one. It can be glimpsed through the trees when the main road makes a junction with Pullman Mews.

The construction can also be glimpsed through the trees from near the Pullman Mews guard post.

But fbb will save that excitement for tomorrow's blog!

Plastic Toy to Failed Model?

Saw off the plastic couplings which meant losing the access steps.

Assemble a collection of arbitrary bits and pieces including a chunk of Ratio"garden" fencing. A quick snip and, tada, we have new steps.

Now we need buffers!

 Next Grove Park min-blog : Tues 28th Oct 

Sunday Variety - mini-blog

 Losing Landline Lunacy!

Apparently, tomorrow, the fbb's land line calls ae being transferred to their mobile devices  as part to he glorious digital nirvana! The old odd couple are not entirely sure whether this is a cunning scheme to dispose of BT Connect totally or merely a temporary move until the shenanigans are silenced. 

Might it be goodbye to good old BT for ever? Will the fbbs have to say goodbye to their "proper" telephone?

Because fbb is decidedly suspicious of technology, and the purveyors therefor to get things right first time, a series of blogs will be preposted for Monday to Friday next week. The blogs will be "mini" but with the opportunity to add extra stuff to them when (or if) the electronics are all working sweetly.

A Seaton chum was digitised last week, and now has to dial any number she may want on the ex-landline TWICE because the first attempt fails to connect. Obviously the digital piskies are not yet quite up to speed with the electrons as they whizz through the ether at the speed of light.

We will begin the series today.

Grandad Gricer's Grove Park Gallivant

Grove Park?

It lies on the South Eastern main line with services from and via London Bridge. Many trains also call at Lewisham where we enjoyed searching for bus stops for the BL1.

There is also a short branch from Grove Park to Bromley North.

Then again, why Grove Park?

fbb has passed through the station, many (many!) years ago when it was British Railways Southern Region with green slam door stock. He was on the way to London Bridge while the newly acquired Mrs fbb (pre family creation!) was enjoying time with an old (very old now) school chum.

The only thing fbb can remember is that the train ...

... was packed so full that he knew at once what sardines must feel like! He alighted at London bridge as did about three million others. It was truly frightening, especially as the experienced commuter had the slam doors open while the trains was still slowing down, admittedly to walking pace.

It was scary.

It was this view of Grove Park:-

For a number of stations on the South Eastern network these have replaced the National Rail standard station plans - diagrams which looked like this current one for Hither Green.

These used to come with links to pictures of station facilities, but this useful feature seems to be disappearing.

So are the new "3D" diagrams any better? The initial problem is that they are to scale, so detail is too small as displayed. You have to enlarge to find anything useful. So here is Grove Park station building ...

... the station footbridge ...

... and a guide to what is available on the platforms.

Which is not much. But what is that wiggly bit of footbridge? And how does the station match up to its diagram - or vice versa.

Tomorrow we will mini-blog some more.

Also on next week's agenda is to see what fbb has done with one of his pair of bright yellow plastic tank wagon toys. At the moment it is not a pretty sight.

   Next Grove Park mini-blog : Monday 27 Oct 

Saturday Variety (mini blog)

 The Toy Train

The crude tank wagon was indeed part of the Triang Hornby or Hornby range. It came with two open wagons, a circle of track and an equally crude clockwork loco.

Various versions were sold, including one with a loco called Timmy on the box design ...

... but with the loco IN the box called Ivor. 

Another version with loco 7321 as above ...

... highlighted "OO gauge metal track"  and came with one plastic car.

So fbb's seller was right! His recent purchase was a genuine Hornby product.

The old bloke has had a jackpot idea about what to do with at least one of these toy tanks, and that doesn't include crushing, melting or adding it to the fbb recycling bin. It is, however, a cheap and nasty, part of the history of OO gauge tank wagons.

Bet you can't  wait.

More from Mr Moore

First, a correction. Maurice Patchett who actually drove the bus was a London Transport senior Driving Instructor. The plan was that he would train Roger Moore to do the stunts himself. But 'eyebrows' Moore couldn't do it, so Maurice did the clever stuff.

The BBC, on one of its 'magazine' TV programmes, actually did a piece on Mr P, notably his prowess  on the famous LT skid pan.

fbb also remembers a black and white film showing the broadcaster Richard Dimbleby doing what Roger Moore couldn't;  but also on the skid pan at Chiswick.

There seems no record of this momentous event of national importance anywhere in the interwebnet.

At Last, You May Cheer?

Double deck trains are coming to the UK! The only previous effort was Oliver Bulleid's two 4DD sets, eight carriages in all, for the Southern Railway but delivered to the Southern Region.

Although designed to ease overcrowding on busy commuter routes, the idea failed because getting on and off was so much slower. 

They weren't  double deck at all.

Probably you would describe them as two "low height two thirds deck interlocking compartments". The 'upper deck' passengers' posteriors were positioned just above the heads of those in the lower seats,

You can see how it worked from this external view.

From the doors, the higher echelons of commuter society had to clamber through the legs of the lower orders then climb up narrow steps to gain the upper deck. No upper deck windows could be opened so the area became stuffy and hot. 

Thus it took ages to get in and out.

Eurostar has ordered new double deck trains with on-line pictures offering different designs ...

... traditional above and long nosed below.

These are not commuter trains, so access to a proper top deck will be from stairs adjacent to the entrance doors at the ends of the carriages.

Doubtless the seats will be better than on European commuter trains.

Although operating in the UK, they will only run on the 'High Speed' tracks from St Pancras which have been built with greater clearance than for standard UK stock.. 

Let's  hope the Channel Tunnel is tall enough!

But don't  rush to book your tickets! The new trains are not due for delivery until 2031.

fbb does not think it took six years for Mr Bulleid to design and build his 4DD units. And back then there was a war on!

Red Funnel Is Sold?

Or Is It?

The Isle of Wight ferry company has been teetering on the brink of bankruptcy for a few years.  The sale to an asset management conglomerate comes "just in time' to prevent to company's total collapse, it is rumoured.

But is the sale still "on"?

Yes - and no!

The deal cannot be completed until "the authorities" have approved it. As yet they haven't.

As they say, there is always the possibility of many slip twixt seller's cup and buyer's lip.  Or to use another phrase from the 'Overworked Euphemism' bible, it ain't all over till the fat lady sings.

What have Njord Partners actually bought? It appears the buyers are to pay off Red Funnels massive debt, so if the purchase goes ahead they will need to be taking in some dosh very quickly. And it is the winter season when earnings are light. Njord has bought (or taken over leases on) three tired, old, out-of-date, clapped-out car ferries which keep breaking down.

They also will own two Red Jet fast boats with no spare to cover for breakdowns because Red Funnel sold the spare to Singapore to scrabble in a bit of cash.

The service desperately needs new tonnage!

And what does Njord say about that?

The future fleet development is ongoing?

Or, to out it another way, "We are trying to work out how to pay for it!"

Hmmmm?

Were fbb a regular passenger between Cowes and Southampton, he would not yet have confidence in a secure future.

==============================

Tomorrow we go to Grove Park.

 

 Next Variety blog : Sunday 28 Oct 

Ferroequinological Foray to Filey

Telephone Technology Traumas

No 3 son, who has worked for the fbbs' telephone and internet supplier in the past and helps out occasionally nowadays, summarises the current situation with the BT Openreach (very sly name) conversion of fbb to digital. It shouldn't be painful BUT ...

... the lad explains things thus!

Phone will be redirected to your mobiles eventually - something in the bureaucrazy short circuited so I'm afraid the landline is in limbo until it isn't! Sorry!

As for the Internet, it will eventually go kaput, I could login today and change something, but that might mean it's super kaput until it isn't. 

Great system!

Butlins Filey, What IS...

The railway lines to Scarborough run from Yotk and from Hull via Bridlington, Hunmanby and Filey. Neither route is of outstanding interest, just a couple of pleasant rail routes used by holiday makers and locals. But a look at a map shows something of a surprise ...

Butlins Filey, What Isn't!

... a "dismntd rly" is marked.

There was once a short branch to Filey Holiday Camp. It left the Hull to Scarborough line by way of a triangular junction ...

... leading to a four platform terminus. Local trains called ...

... plus loco hauled excursions.

Most on-line pictures were of diesels but occasionally a steam hauled trip was photographed. This (below) was probably a later shot of a heritage steam hauled special by the look of the enthusiasts clambering over the embankment!

Note that the triangle was double track, all controlled by a signal box near the platforms.

There was no shelter on the platforms, surely a challenge, from time to time, as the icy winds and very wet rain drove in from the North Sea.  

Don't be silly, fbb, the sun always shone on a Butlins holiday! (?).

O.K. It might have been damp, but there was always indoor fun to be had.

From the station, road trains would convey the customers to reception, then be available for the sometimes lengthy jaunts around the site.

There was a tunnel under the A165, a three lane tunnel no less. Two lanes were for the road train traffic ...

... and one was for pedestrians.

Butlins Filey, What's There Today

Alas, fbb can find no pictures of the tunnel in use, just its sad fate after the site had closed ...

... and the remnants of the entrance on the station side of the road.

The branch opened in 1947 but the increasing use of the private car meant that such lavishness was no longer the way people did holidays, so the line closed in 1977.

What's There Now?

On the back road from the A165 to Hunmanby, you can easily spot the bridge parapet where the line crossed over ...

... and turning through 180 degrees a farm track runs alongside the embankment leading to the terminus, the same embankment on which the steam train above was pictured, and the same bridge where the gricers ascended for their photographs. A drone view captures most of the triangle ...

... looking from the abutment back towards the "main" line. And here is a view from above the abutment looking towards the station site.

When last visited by photographers and bloggers, there were overgrown platforms to be experienced ...

... and the occasional buffer stop.

If there is any evidence of the demolished station buildings ...

... it is long lost in undergrowth. One little bit of history which still exists, however ...

... is the stairway down from the A165 that led to the station.

Butlins Filey closed completely a decade after the railway, so fbb wonders how many travellers on the "main" line today would know of, or even spot, the remains of the holiday camp branch.

In his recent video about the Hull to Scarborough line, Hunmanby station is just a blur ... 

... as the train passed through; and there is no mention of the joyous time when holiday expresses and locals diverted in and out of Filey Holiday Camp Station.

And A Problem

As yet, NOT the internet, but who knows when?

fbb's latest tank wagon arrived on Wednesday; actually two tank wagons and an open truck.

They would appear to be "push along" toys but the do have flanged wheels for OO track. The seller says they were "Hornby", but that name does not appear anywhere on the wagons. All that can be seen is a "Made in England" stamp. 

The only tenuous Hornby (or Triang Hornby) connections are the "Shell" transfers on the tank sides.These are identical with those applied to an early version of the TTA tank wagon (seen above). A further clue is that the Shell logo does not fit on the mystery tank's side and folds over the the saddle, suggesting that existing stocks of transfers were used for the "toy" model.

The wagons cost less that £3 each, so a reasonable pocket money buy for fbb.

Does anybody out there know anything?

=====================

In tomorrow's blog, we hear more about Moore and the bus he didn't drive.

 Next Variety blog : Sat 25th Oct