canals or railways?

[Dyad]

Canals for leisure.

 

Railways for work. But then I am a signalman!!

 

However I do enjoy a nice day trip around some of the preserved lines in and around Wales, and the occasional trip on the real job, especially as that normally intails some beer. (and no I don't get free travel)

 

Same here, I work for the railway so obviously I prefer canals as it means I'm not at work, yippee.

I'd much prefer looking at a 57 ft trad than a Pendalino (a.k.a. bendy dild... ) oh no it's a family forum.

[alan_fincher]

This has prompted a thought, next long trip we might stop at Kidderminster and have a trip on the Severn Valley, although I'll have to forgive them for Mothballing 8F 8633 first

[pedant]

8233, surely!

(or 48773)

[/pedant]

[matty40s]

As a kid i got to ride in the cab of the 4772 flying scotsman at carnforth, bliss, and I love taking my daughter to the Grand Central Railway Bonfire night usually. However, I also have to commute daily on the trains and hate it.Whereas, I never get tired of the boats, taking piccy's and admiring the old working boats, loving the individuality ofalmost every boat and being able to cruise wherever I want almost whenever I want to.

 

Oh, and I love the sea too being born in Blackpool.

[purplehaze]

Me I grew up on railway stations, my dad was firstly a signal man then a station master and ended up being the area supervisor for Cambridge. I love trains!!

 

Whilst I do love steam trains and sometimes we are lucky to have them steaming through on the Cambridge line, which is a lovely sight, I also have a real soft spot for desiels which were the trains I grew up with. But my best memories are being in the signal box and being allowed to help my dad do the signals, magic

 

Having said this the canals and the railways do run in tandem and I love the fact that though the canals were there first the train people agreed that they had already found the quickest route and very often you find both running side by side. Mind you the speed of a modern train whizzing past just highlights how laid back life on the canals is these days and I know where I would rather be, on a boat.

 

Julie

[magpie patrick]

I thought your dad was involved with 48773? Is it one & the same? Perhaps you were just testing us .

Someone once said " Canal enthusiasts are 90% frustrated railway enthusiasts." Most of us get to drive boats, few of us get to drive trains.

Bill

 

8233 (Not 8633, slip of the keyboard) was it's LMS number, I think 48773 was it's BR number, but 8233 is the only number I've seen it with

 

 

[pedant]

8233, surely!

(or 48773)

[/pedant]

 

Yes Alan, I had addled brain, it is 8233

[dove]

Well, I've got a foot on a counter and foot on a Foot plate. I'm half way through re-building the Dove and half way through re-piping 75078. also a fireman on KWVR.

 

I don't think I could choose, they're joined together with beer.

 

Andrew

 

(I find both riveting)

Edited November 6, 2009 by dove

[fender]

What an amazing thread! Real firemen and rail workers on CWF! And connections with Bullied's pacifics, Stanier 8F's and BR Standard 4's! As for diesels The 125's are great trains, but don't forget the Westerns, the Warships and the class 40's.

 

Its a shame as where I grew up the Eastern Region was getting on for 100% diesel operation so never really saw that much steam. As well as the Britannias on the GE main line, I do remember there being a handful of Eastern Region 'last steam specials' in the very early 60's one of which my father took me on. However I have good memories of the Liverpool St/Gidea Park/Shenfield 1500v DC units, some of these occasionally reached Southend.

 

Edited to add: I forgot about LUL steam, we used the sub-surface lines a lot and I remember several occasions of works trains along these, hauled by the 0-6-0T's, I have one particular memory of one coming through Kings Cross circle/met station! (also remember the London trolley buses as they were still working along Grays Inn Road)

 

There are at least maybe seven preserved railways with canal connections. Great opportunity for mixing both rail and boating! Of these I think the Shackerstone must be the only one that combines both a railway and canal rally?? Correct me if I am wrong!

Edited November 6, 2009 by fender

[kbarber]

Enjoy both, the complement each other. Love the atmosphere of a mechanical signalbox (I've got an afternoon at St Albans South on Sunday... reliving my misspent youth). Boating's an entirely different treat.

[furnessvale]

Enjoy both, the complement each other. Love the atmosphere of a mechanical signalbox (I've got an afternoon at St Albans South on Sunday... reliving my misspent youth). Boating's an entirely different treat.

 

Many years ago I was sitting in Preston No 4 (or maybe No 5, time plays tricks with memory) box on a sunday morning waiting for a ballast train towards Lancaster. Three trains passed before mine came. Conflicting routes meant the bobby had to move over 40 levers to move those three trains!

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[kbarber]

Many years ago I was sitting in Preston No 4 (or maybe No 5, time plays tricks with memory) box on a sunday morning waiting for a ballast train towards Lancaster. Three trains passed before mine came. Conflicting routes meant the bobby had to move over 40 levers to move those three trains!

 

George ex nb Alton retired

Well that was the Nor'Western for you... never use 1 lever if 3 could be made to do the job . Seriously, although I always found the Webb frames clumsy, they were built like battleships. I notice they refurbished the tumbler frames in the Stockport boxes, rather than try to make the super new all-singing all-dancing electronic kit work; I reckon they could be on their way to still working trains on their 150th birthday. Anyone want to take a punt on whether they or the computerised box that should've replaced them will be abolished first?

[Graham Davis]

Well I'm still pulling on a GW Frame from the 1930's, though much modified and altered, here near Ludlow.

[Peter R]

I like both, but in different ways. Dad was a bit of a railway enthusiast, although his interest waned with the end of steam, so I kind of grew up with an interest in trains (i got my first train set when I was 3, after my brother banned me from his 'cos I sat on his girder bridge!).

 

A friend then got me interested in train-spotting in the mid eighties, and thereafter I often used to cycle a 20 mile round trip on a saturday to watch the trains at Ipswich. Steam had long gone, but the diesels of the day, whilst probably not as spectacular as steam, still had a character and attraction of their own. I find the present stuff pretty boring though, and my railway interest now is pretty much restricted to building model railways. Best railway memory? probably the cab ride a driver friend gave me from willesden to manningtree on a frieghtliner when they were still using 47's - it was a real eye-opener as to just how hard the locos got worked.

 

I discovered canals about 10 years ago, and now if I had to choose between them, i'd probably go with canals. I love the peace, the escape from the pace of 'real life' and above all the people - I reckon that the canals are one of the few places in the country where there is still a real sense of community. Now i would much rather spend a day on the boat than on a station watching trains.

 

Peter

[kbarber]

Best railway memory? probably the cab ride a driver friend gave me from willesden to manningtree on a frieghtliner when they were still using 47's - it was a real eye-opener as to just how hard the locos got worked.

 

 

 

Peter

If you wanted to see real hard work a pair of 37s on a heavy freightliner climbing to Gospel Oak took some beating... controller wide open, taking the whole distance from Kensal Green Junction to accelerate to about 25mph. Used to be an occasional lift home after nights when I was supervisor in Willesden Brent.

[Peter R]

If you wanted to see real hard work a pair of 37s on a heavy freightliner climbing to Gospel Oak took some beating... controller wide open, taking the whole distance from Kensal Green Junction to accelerate to about 25mph. Used to be an occasional lift home after nights when I was supervisor in Willesden Brent.

On that trip I mentioned we got held by signals coming off the north london line, finally got the 'all clear' at the bottom of brentwood bank at about 15mph - my memory tells me that the controller promtly hit the end stop and stayed there for best part of 30 mins as we climbed the bank and then got up to line speed. I reckon the loco was working flat out for at least half the overall journey. a pair of 37's coming out of felixstowe and charging trimley bank used to be pretty good too - you could hear them for miles!