The Ian Moss (AKA - Magpie the Elder) Collection

[1st ade]

14 minutes ago, Ken X said:

Good stuff, better strap in, they do get enthusiastic. 😄

Good! I thought I might get a few comments on the first 1,000 images on this forum - I got nearly 250 (for obvious reasons, mostly waterways related.) If I can get another 250 on Ian's railway images, it'll save me getting bored while @magpie patrick gets the next batch in the post!

[Stroudwater1]

100730 is Dartmoor prison a friend tells me 

[1st ade]

15 hours ago, Stroudwater1 said:

100730 is Dartmoor prison a friend tells me 

Thank you!

[1st ade]

So, I've finally managed to add over 350 comments to the album and move 343 images into a category. There are a few more "awaiting developments" where I've had suggestions and "but so and so might know more...". Particular thanks to @Stroudwater1 for many and detailed comments and to @John Brightley and others who commented on my web site.

 

Which is kind of handy as any day I'm expecting delivery of the next 1,200 or so images on USB stick and @magpie patrick tells me he's got the next 1,400 or so ready for the post. Which will push us towards 2,700 or so or about 5% of the journey....

[John Brightley]

On 01/10/2023 at 08:38, 1st ade said:

So, I've finally managed to add over 350 comments to the album and move 343 images into a category. There are a few more "awaiting developments" where I've had suggestions and "but so and so might know more...". Particular thanks to @Stroudwater1 for many and detailed comments and to @John Brightley and others who commented on my web site.

 

Which is kind of handy as any day I'm expecting delivery of the next 1,200 or so images on USB stick and @magpie patrick tells me he's got the next 1,400 or so ready for the post. Which will push us towards 2,700 or so or about 5% of the journey....

Thanks Adrian (and Patrick). Happy to help. Can I suggest that an appropriate home for the non-canal and railway images would be www.geograph.org.uk - they would be welcomed there. If you need help with uploading them I can advise (many of my photos are archived there).

[1st ade]

53 minutes ago, John Brightley said:

Thanks Adrian (and Patrick). Happy to help. Can I suggest that an appropriate home for the non-canal and railway images would be www.geograph.org.uk - they would be welcomed there. If you need help with uploading them I can advise (many of my photos are archived there).

Thank You

[JungleJames]

On 24/08/2023 at 08:18, Ken X said:

Good stuff, better strap in, they do get enthusiastic. 😄

Railforums possibly not the best to use.

They have their own set beliefs, and God help anyone who disagrees.

They are more your amateur, so to speak. But loud amateur that hates staff.

 

The forum with the most knowledge is WNXXforum.

Enthusiasts who have been everywhere. 

Staff who between them could point out stations on their patch.

 

 

[1st ade]

8 hours ago, JungleJames said:

Railforums possibly not the best to use.

They have their own set beliefs, and God help anyone who disagrees.

They are more your amateur, so to speak. But loud amateur that hates staff.

 

The forum with the most knowledge is WNXXforum.

Enthusiasts who have been everywhere. 

Staff who between them could point out stations on their patch.

I'll have a look - thanks

[1st ade]

On 06/08/2023 at 13:39, 1st ade said:

Can you identify this photo (and over a thousand like it...)?

 

Many of you will have known, or know of, Magpie the Elder, AKA Ian Moss. Father to myself and @magpie patrick

 

Ian passed away in late 2022. He left us around 50,000 slides, most of which were devoted to Waterway and Railway history. They date from the mid 1950's to the late 2010's (he went into a care home January 2020 and was losing mobility before that)

 

Fortunately (for him) and unfortunately (for us) his memory was excellent and detailed; two years after he went into care (and since he last saw his home) he was preparing for a lecture and "get me box 384, brown leatherette, and box 683, green, vinyl, probably in the study. And 772, grey slide carrier". But no written (or computer) notes of what was in what.

 

So, @magpie patrick and I have a mammoth task ahead of identifying places, buildings, boats etc, so we can put Magpie the Elder's Archive where it can do most good. We've scanned the first 1,000 slides and hope to have another 4,000 by Christmas (only 45,000 to go then!) and put them online.

 

Please have a look at Ian Moss Archive; if (as many will be on this forum) you are only interested in Waterways go to Ian Moss Waterways - genuinely, any hints on location, boats, date, history are welcome. Either use the comment facility on the site or reply here but please, if replying here, include the photo ID (six digit number beginning with a "1" and with an "E" on the end)

 

Thanks (in advance) - and if anyone knows a rail version of CWF, please let me know!

It's taken a while, but the next 1,055 scanned slides are here https://www.bagpuss-and-baxter.org.uk/zenphoto/Imported/Import-No-2-November-2023/ (and there are a few thousand more in the post for scanning)

 

As before, comments more than welcome, whether detailed or not; date, location and other observations will all be gratefully received! Reply here (including the image reference) or on my website.

 

Thanks in advance

[davidg]

Is that you on The Earl in 101544E? And crossing Church Street in Welshpool

101546E is in the yard at Llanfair. If only we had a coaling stage like that now, coaling up ZB2 presents an athletic challenge. And I wonder which wag put the express passenger headlamps on the Beyer.

101551E is crossing Brook Street in Welshpool

101552E is the Banwy Bridge after the Royal Engineers had rebuilt it following the collapse in 1964. I think the third coach is the one that we borrowed from Sittingbourne for the gala this year.

101553E looks like the narrows in Welshpool

Obviously 101554E is Sylfaen. Looks like when there wasn't a run round loop so the Sylfaen shunt had to be performed using what looks like Chattenden to release the train engine. One of our current drivers tells stories of being left to do this as a thirteen year old - different times.

 

And can I share these onto the WLLR members & supporters facebook page please.

Edited November 1, 2023 by davidg

[ditchcrawler]

Several from the river Stour with the paddles mounted on the down side of the gates, also a few scanned back to front.

[Captain Pegg]

I recognise lots of the GU from near London to the Soar in the first ones but they’re probably not hard to identify.

 

I think 101288E and 101289E are Inverness c.1990.

 

And 101417E is at Knaresborough

Edited November 1, 2023 by Captain Pegg

[davidg]

My evening is ruined...

101357E is Diggle station
101362&3 are the Danglebahn in Wuppertal

101416 is Old Trafford in the days when Northern or their predecessors could be bothered to lay on some trains. Used it several times in the 70s.

101504 is Chinley

101507, 8 & 10 are Tunnel End, Marsden with 101509 being the Diggle end of the tunnel.

Obviously 101548, 9  & 50 are on the FR, the first two at Porthmadog and the last at Dduallt with 101556 at Tan y Bwlch

Given that the ORR are getting very twitchy about working at height at the moment I wonder what they would make of the ladder in 101560.

101566 is one of the inclines on the Bowes Railway. Springwell? As is 101569.

101598 is a VOR train leaving Aberystwyth

102006 is Whitehaven Bransty. The others round there are up the Cumbrian coast

102067 onwards are the Oxford canal. Around Hillmorton, leaving Marston Doles, Little Bourton, Banbury, Claydon Middle. Is 102076 reversed?  Napton? Suttons and Shipton Weir

Edited November 2, 2023 by davidg

[Captain Pegg]

102006E is Whitehaven station looking south and 102007E is Sellafield station looking south.

 

102010E is Flimby looking north. 
 

102013E is Harrington looking south.

 

102014E is Bransty (between Whitehaven and Parton) and I think 102015E is Moss Bay steelworks.

 

102030E is Foxfield.

 

The signal cabin in 102010E is eluding me because I thought it looked like Askam but it appears not from other images I can find.

 

 

Edited November 1, 2023 by Captain Pegg

[Morris]

101353E bus on left showing 'Driffield via Staxton' is a Beverley Bar bus, with curved roof to allow it to fit through Beverley North Bar.

100937E from Import 1 is Beverley North bar  (Dont know if you've got these already but 100936,937 and 942 are taken in Beverley too. 941 is Withernsea)

[Morris]

101362E & 101363E I think are the Wuppertal Schwebebahn

101596E - NRM York

[1st ade]

On 01/11/2023 at 19:45, davidg said:

Is that you on The Earl in 101544E? And crossing Church Street in Welshpool

101546E is in the yard at Llanfair. If only we had a coaling stage like that now, coaling up ZB2 presents an athletic challenge. And I wonder which wag put the express passenger headlamps on the Beyer.

101551E is crossing Brook Street in Welshpool

101552E is the Banwy Bridge after the Royal Engineers had rebuilt it following the collapse in 1964. I think the third coach is the one that we borrowed from Sittingbourne for the gala this year.

101553E looks like the narrows in Welshpool

Obviously 101554E is Sylfaen. Looks like when there wasn't a run round loop so the Sylfaen shunt had to be performed using what looks like Chattenden to release the train engine. One of our current drivers tells stories of being left to do this as a thirteen year old - different times.

 

And can I share these onto the WLLR members & supporters facebook page please.

Share where you wish - we have around 47,000 more to go! Although if any responses include the six digit reference it will help, that's unique across all sites posted to.

12 hours ago, Morris said:

101362E & 101363E I think are the Wuppertal Schwebebahn

101596E - NRM York

Thanks for both posts - all welcome

On 01/11/2023 at 21:31, davidg said:

101362&3 are the Danglebahn in Wuppertal

First time I've heard it called the "Danglebahn" but thank you!

[Tim Lewis]

On 01/11/2023 at 13:25, 1st ade said:

It's taken a while, but the next 1,055 scanned slides are here https://www.bagpuss-and-baxter.org.uk/zenphoto/Imported/Import-No-2-November-2023/ (and there are a few thousand more in the post for scanning)

 

As before, comments more than welcome, whether detailed or not; date, location and other observations will all be gratefully received! Reply here (including the image reference) or on my website.

 

Thanks in advance

 

101216E and 101217E  are from the 1983 reconstruction of the central 3rd of Blisworth Tunnel the closure of which formed part of the 1980's tunnels crisis which almost cut the system into two!

 

I was working for the main contractor, Mowlem, at the time, Welham Plant was their plant hire subsidiary, spent many hours there getting my compant cars fixed!

 

Tim 

 

[Tacet]

1 hour ago, Tim Lewis said:

 

101216E and 101217E  are from the 1983 reconstruction of the central 3rd of Blisworth Tunnel the closure of which formed part of the 1980's tunnels crisis which almost cut the system into two!

 

 

Likewise 101213E & 101224E and probably 101220E.

[1st ade]

Thanks @Tacet and @Tim Lewis - I'm guessing it was just after I moved to Milton Keynes in 1984 when the tunnel re-opened? I've a vague memory of the Galleon in Wolverton serving a barrel of ale which had been "legged" through the tunnel.

[Richard T]

101226E The straight mile in Leicester

101227E Abbey aka Swans Nest weir Leicester

101228E Sileby lock on the Soar

101230E Junction lock on the Soar

101236E Below Cossington lock on the Soar

101238E Cossington lock

101238E Below Cossington lock

101241E Mountsorrel

101242E Sileby Mill pool - its where we moor

101243E Mountsorrel weirs

101244E  101245E Mountsorrel The 1860 bridge which now carries the conveyor from the quarry to the railhead at Barrow.

101246E 101247E The reach below Barrow on Soar

101248E Pillings Flood lock river Soar

101249E Barrow Deep Lock

101250E Junction of cut and river Barrow on Soar

101264E Bridge over the staright mile Leicester

101265E River above Freemans lock Leicester

101242E Sileby lock

101266E Normanton on Soar?

101268E Limekiln lock Leicester

101280E Junction or Zouch lock I can't make my mind up on this one

101282E Aylestone Mill lock Leicester

101283E Meadow Lane bridge Loughborough

 

 

 

Edited November 3, 2023 by Richard T

[Victor Vectis]

On 01/11/2023 at 21:31, davidg said:

< snip >

101566 is one of the inclines on the Bowes Railway. Springwell? As is 101569.

< snippity snip >

I don't think so.

I reckon they are of the Corkickle Brake at Whitehaven.

http://www.cumbria-railways.co.uk/corkickle_brake_whitehaven.html

 

It was used by Marchon to connect their chemical works with the main line.

I visited Haig Pit, next door (sort of), to Marchon on the cliff above Whitehaven back in the 1970s. The incline on the NCB railway had been put out of use by a landslip. I don't know if Marchon used coal but it could be that the pics show 21T hoppers on the brake being used to get Haig coal onto BR.

 

ETA Or down to the harbour in a roundabout way as the NCB incline was OOU.

 

Edited November 3, 2023 by Victor Vectis

[Tacet]

2 hours ago, 1st ade said:

Thanks @Tacet and @Tim Lewis - I'm guessing it was just after I moved to Milton Keynes in 1984 when the tunnel re-opened? I've a vague memory of the Galleon in Wolverton serving a barrel of ale which had been "legged" through the tunnel.

1984 sounds right.   I had a chance to look at the work in progress which was most interesting.  A site tipper lorry took us to the mid section of the tunnel in its dump box, which was aptly named as it reversed into the tunnel at a terrifying speed.

[Victor Vectis]

558

Dinorwic of Penrhyn? Certainly not the Ffestiniog.

The design of the slate wagons should clinch it.

 

And thats a lovely looking Ruston at the head of the train.

Did Penrhyn ever use Rustons on their line down to the quay?

[Captain Pegg]

On 01/11/2023 at 22:12, Captain Pegg said:

The signal cabin in 102010E is eluding me because I thought it looked like Askam but it appears not from other images I can find.

 
It is Askam signal box. Since extended to incorporate a toilet.