Around Nagoya

Nagoya is the fourth largest city in Japan, I think, but for some reason it is to the Japanese like Wolverhampton to the English - a laughing stock. Haven't seen much of the city because I determined to go to Meiji-Mura - a museum of reconstructed buildings from the Meiji period in the late 19th century when Japan encouraged ideas from the West.

After I'd had a buffet breakfast on the Concierge Floor 36, it didn't take long to get to the station, because the hotel is built above the station complex, but the service I wanted is run by a private company, Meitetsu, who operate from a nearby separate, underground station. I had the ticket machine cracked in seconds so, flushed with success, I was soon on board a semi-fast electric train to Inuyama. Once again, I was up the front checking the route and observing the driving practices. One of the interesting techniques is that the drivers are taught to make a big thing out of certain tasks, like observing signals. With their white-gloved hands they point to the signal with a very histrionic gesture and, as far as I know, say something like "The Signal Is Green". This reinforcement technique is intended to prevent driver errors where the driver responds automatically and doesn't consciously register the situation. From my vantage point, I could see that we were doing 100km/hour most of the time. Then I noticed that the destination displays in the coach occasionally displayed the speed next to an animated electric multiple unit!

Nagoya is built on a large plain and the line North to Inuyama goes through busy suburbs so every few hundred yards, we passed another automatic barrier level crossing. The barriers are invariably long poles which can droop alarmingly - there are no skirts as we have on busier barrier crossings in England. But their busier crossings do seem to have a network of sensors to detect obstructions in the crossing area. Within half an hour, we pulled into Inuyama. I found a tourist information office where they speak a little English - not much - and got a town map and directions to the bus.

The bus arrived fairly quickly but, of course, the buses work differently. A young girl prompted me, but I didn't work it all out until my return trip. You get on at the middle door and, as you enter, pick up a ticket from a dispenser with the stage number printed on it. When you get off, the ticket is placed in a machine after scrutiny by the driver and you pay him the correct fare. Theres a 1000 Yen note change machine which dispenses coins so that you can make the right fare. 1000 Yen is about five pounds. On the way back, I spotted a custom flat-screen display facing the driver and passengers. It displays a table of all the possible fare stages and the fare payable from each stage to the current location of the bus. I don't know how it gets updated but its a nifty bit of kit, once you know it's there.

The bus set off through the town, passing a number of rice fields. In the distance, I could see the huge netted pylons of what I presume is a golf driving range. It appears that no self-respecting Japanese town can be without one of these, although I always think they look like some sort of inter-stellar radio transmitter. We then turned up into the hills and made a steep, twisting ascent which was a bit hair-raising. Part of the route was marked with transverse rumble strips which threatened to shake the bus apart. I was beginning to think I was on the wrong bus, when we pulled into a bus lay-by next to a series of gates and low buildings - we were there!

I bought a ticket to the museum and wandered in. A bus - modern, but built to look old - was waiting. Eventually, I risked it. The driver took us slowly along twisting roads between the various buildings, pausing to explain - in Japanese - what they were. After about ten minutes, we disembarked at the Northern-most point on the bus route, next to the original Imperial Hotel Reception from Tokyo - very art deco, as I should have expected. But, somehow, my steps took me to the Northern railway station where I found a Baldwin six-coupled tank engine at the head of three four-wheeled coaches. The guard was a cheerful soul with a little English. The fireman had quite good English, with a good English railway technical vocabulary. Of course, I had a trip with them. The run is only a few hundred yards long but there's a turntable and run round loop each end so the guard and fireman (who do the hooking on and off, engine turning and point operation)are quite fit, particularly since they do everything at the trot. This business of running I noticed was practised in New Zealand, as well, but it's discouraged in England.

Then I had a few hours of tramping through the hot sun to check out the almost 70 reconstructed buildings. The museum in in a delightful, wooded, hilly area next to a lake, so it's rather like a cross between Blists Hill Open Air Museum and Portmerion. A thoroughly charming place.

I tried out the Kyoto tram, had another couple of trips with my new friends on the steam train and then caught the bus back to Inuyama.

I walked to the Castle, a National Treasure and nothing like English castles although serving the same purpose. Very interesting. I then walked to a different railway station and made my way back to Nagoya, thoroughly tired but very pleased. I'm staying in the hotel this evening, but I'll try to do a little more exploration in the morning, before moving on again to Kyoto.

Pictures of Japan's modern railways
Pictures of Nagoya and Inuyama
Pictures of Meiji-Mura Museum
Meiji-Mura Steam Railway

Tokyo - Nagoya

Oigawa Steam Railway

Another busy day, up at 6.00 a.m., early breakfast, check out of the Imperial, with regret - I was very comfortable there. Travelling light, for a change, because I sent my big case ahead yesterday, as recommended by 'Inside Japan', who made all the bookings. Walked to Ginza subway station and travelled one stop to Tokyo Main Station. This time, I found my way to the Shinkansen platforms without much trouble but it was more through instinct than because of the signage. My tickets worked in the gate and I found my reserved seat without difficulty. We left on time. I was on train KODAMA 535. Because I was going to one of the non-major destinations, I was on a stopping bullet train. These stop at more stations and, whilst at the station, are passed by one or more through trains. In between these stops, they go like the clappers. Going South from Tokyo, its all quite built up, although you can often see wooded hills and mountains in the distance. No, we didnt see Mount Fuji. I gather that this is usually the case at this time of year.

At 10.39 am we arrived at Kakegawa, apparently a large, modern town. Now, the directions I'd been given were rather ambiguous but, by assuming that my onward ticket was correct and with a lot of faith, it worked out. The Shinkansen new station is next to the old Japan Railways Tokaido Line station so it was an easy job to transfer. Then I had to work out which direction to go but I chose correctly. A 3-car electric multiple unit came in at 10.59, two stops and I detrained at Kanaya. This is, at best, a small town. Immediately outside the station, I found a number of people entering what looked rather like a run down shop, but I spotted a faded picture of a steam train so, yes, I was at the Oigawa Steam Railroad! My ticket admitted me to a short bay platform now fenced off from the main station and a rather elderly 2-car electric railcar was waiting. A few passengers got on but, as most people were hanging back and there was no sign of a steam locomotive, I remained on the platform as the railcar disappeared, hoping I'd done the right thing. A little later I was sure I heard a steam locomotive and soon a 7-coach train appeared with an old BoBo overhead electric leading. The pall of smoke suggested a steam locomotive at the other end, but four coaches overhung the platform so it was hard to tell. My ticket gave no suggestion of a seat reservation so I found a seat in the fairly-empty train until the guard came with a computer printout and decided I had a seat reserved at the other end of the train. Although the seat coverings were in fair condition, the coaches were in a fairly poor state of preservation and the impression was not improved by the muddy brown paint scheme. But each window can be lifted up - guillotine style - so at least you can see out.

About 11.48 we set of with the steam locomotive leading but it was obvious that the electric at the rear was doing a lot of work. I don't know whether the top-and-tail working was because of the holiday and the 7-coach load but the electric stayed with us. After a few minutes we stopped at a fair-sized station and the train filled up. I presume there's a car park there for people coming by road. We set off again, with the electric still doing more than his fair share, judging by the commutator whine from the traction motors. The line runs up the valley of the Oigawa River, occasionally crossing over and it's certainly pretty. There are colour light signals and the line has overhead d.c. electrification throughout. Most of the masts are wooden. The line is 3 foot 6 inch gauge, like most Japanese lines - although the Shinkansen Lines appear to be Standard Gauge. We stopped at a number of stations with passing loops, frequently crossing an electric railcar coming the other way. The terminus is up in the hills at Senzu and we arrived about right time at 13.12. Everybody wanted their photograph taken on the footplate or standing on the front framing of the steam locomotive, so it was very difficult to get technical shots for about 20 minutes. The train had come right up to the buffer stops so the engine release crossover was blocked. The fireman had put in a water hose to replenish the side tanks. The electric dropped off the back and came and stood next to the steamer. Eventually, a shunter called on the steam locomotive to set back the stock and the driver let the fireman do this. The shunter unhooked the train - a single air brake pipe to detach and the knuckle coupling can be released by operating a handle accessible from either side. The fireman dropped the engine forward and, when the points were reversed, the engine disappeared to the other end of the train. The shunter then brought the electric through the crossover and set him back onto the train so that the electric would be Tail End Charlie again on the way back.

Yesterday, the Imperial had telephoned the railway for me to see if there was a English-speaker I could talk to but the railway said "Sorry, we have no English speakers". That seemed to be the case. Although on Japan Rail staff tend to have at least limited English, the steam railway seemed to speak Japanese only. I didn't spot another foreign traveller on the train, either. I'd sort of expected it might be a mecca for foreign railway enthusiasts. There were certainly plenty of Japanese both on the train and trackside with serious cameras clicking away.

The kindest thing to say about the 2-6-4 tank which had brought us up was that it's a hard working engine - it was a bit beat-up and reminiscent of locos in Ukraine and India. I'm afraid the whole railway wears a rather run-down appearance. There was an interesting railway museum of memorabilia, artefacts and models but this, too, had a rather forgotten appearance. The line continues beyond Senzu into the mountains and it uses an Abt rack on the steeper parts. This section wasn't running but I saw the rather diminuitive red coaches they use. There was no sign of the diesel locomotives which haul these trains. I had a wander round soaking up the laid-back atmosphere of the place and looking at the river then I had an ice cream cornet before joining the train for the return journey.

We had a pleasant and uneventful journey back to Kanaya. Video clip leaving an intermediate station . The rain which had threatened did not materialise and the sun came out. Everybody seemed in good spirits. On arrival, I made my way across to the Japan Rail station to await the 16.56 local which returned me to Kakegawa. I had a little wait for the Shinkansen I was booked on - KODAMA 549. It arrived on time as it was getting dark and after a few stops we arrived at Nagoya. The underground circulating areas at this large station are about as confusing as those at Tokyo but my hotel - the Nagoya Marriott Associa - has an underground entrance directly off the station so I located it without problem. The hotel itself is in a tower block - I'm on the 36th floor. The hotel business centre I'm using to write this closes at 10.00pm so I will stop there.

Incidentally, the computer I'm using has moved all the punctuation keys so this report was initially issued without some punctuation. I'm also trying to upload photographs, but that won't be complete when I get thrown out! Ah well, tomorrow is another day.

Pictures of Japan's modern railways
Pictures of the Oigawa River.
Pictures of the Oigawa Steam Railway

Sunday in Tokyo and Yokahama

Yokohama

Today I was on my own and, I must admit, I still found the prospect of tackling the public transport unaided a litle daunting!

I'd decided to visit the port city of Yokohama. The hotel recommended walking to Shimbashi Japan Railways station and taking the Tokaido Line train. Walking to the station was no problem - that took about ten minutes. Crossing the road when I got there took a while. Most Japanese pedestrians are quite careful about jaywalking and if the sign of the litle man is red, they don't cross. For some reason, there was a policeman on duty this morning, with an illuminated baton and a whistle, although the traffic lights continued to work.

Once inside the station, I had to get to grips with the ticket machine. You're supposed to look up the cost of the ticket on a big route map which is customised for each station to show the fare to all other stations. Then you buy a ticket for that value. Sounds easy, but a lot of the route maps are only in Japanese, although if you wander round enough you may find another bank of machines where the route map does have 'Romanised' names. There are a number of different types of machine. Some have an English language option (with voice prompts), if you can manage to find how to select the option. Well, I got the ticket and made my way through the automatic barrier onto the platform. At least all the station signs are in two languages but there are so many it can be confusing. There seems little standardisation on what an arrow pointing up at 45 degrees means. Depending on the location, it can mean 'go up stairs', 'go ahead for a bit and then turn down a passage you can't see yet' or 'zig-zap round the next bit'. There's always the risk that when you get the right line, you forget the destination and set off in the wrong direction. Flushed with sucess, I took a few photographs whist waiting for the train. It was the right train but, initially, I boarded the wrong section. Some trains have one or two double-deck coaches. These are 'Green Cars' (the equivalent of first class) and are fitted-out to a better standard than the remainder of the train. Having straightened that out, we have a fast and uneventful trip to Yokohama station, calling at Shinagawa and Kawasaki.

Yokahama is a huge transport hub, interchanging with 'bus and road, plus a ferry. There's a large shopping mall within the station and, a short distance away having crossed about six elevated roadways by bridges and underpasses, there's a massive Sogo department store. I checked all this out hoping to use the ferry but it was only 08:50 and I found the ferry hadn't yet started. So I picked my way back to the station and tried to work out how to use the Yokohama Subway. It took a few minutes to suss it out, but I went East about 4km to Motomachi. Yokohama has a huge Chinatown, so I spent a while wandering around, along with a lot of other visitors. Then I crossed the river to get to the long, narrow street of Motomachi, a 'strip mall' of mainly high-class shops, already well-patronised by visitors. I abandoned the designer boutiques for Yamate, a hilly area and the oldest part of the city originally settled by the foreign traders. There's a "Foreigner's Cemetary" and an English-looking Church (razed to the ground in the Second World War and rebuilt). A few more steps takes you to Harbour View Park (which does what it says on the tin). Having surveyed the Container Terminal, the industry, the power station, the Cruise Ship Berth, the solitary huge wind turbine and the sweep of the bay with the new town of Minato Mirai 21 in the distance, I descended the hill via a steep path, crossed the river and expressways, decided not to visit the Doll Museum and walked through Yamashita Park to the ferry terminal. Now the ferries had started so a bought a ticket and had a splendid trip back to Yokohama main station, making brief landings at Akarenga, where two brick warehouses from the old port appear to have been 'yuppified' and 'MM21' (the suitably-obscure soubriquet for Minato Mirai 21, the collection of modern apartments, museums and exhibition halls no super-annuated port should be without these days). En route back to the station, I looked at Sogo - very large, very upmarket, very like everywhere else you've seen, with the same designers represented. Video clip of entertainment in the Sogo store. I managed to purchase a ticket, find the right train and travel back to Shimbashi without incident, standing behind the driver's compartment. These particular EMU (Electric Multiple Units) have wide expanses of glass so I got an unrestricted view down the line. Video clip. I walked back to the hotel and treated myself to a soup whilst I planned an afternoon visit.

I went on the Subway up to the Park at Ueno which was very busy on this holiday weekend and toured the Tokyo National Museum. Then I got a Japan Railways train back to the main Tokyo station so that I could exchange my travel pass voucher for the actual railway Travel Pass I'll start using on Tuesday. Finding the right place to do this took a little while and then trying to find the subway station for the Marunouchi Line which I'd decided to use back to Ginza took a little while as well. But, eventually, all planned tasks complete, I returned to the hotel. I'd better cut this short as I have a fairly early start tomorrow. Tomorrow evening should find me in Nagoya and I'll give you a report when I can.

Click for pictures of Tokyo and Yokahama
Click for my railway photographs of Japan

Tokyo, second impressions

Ginza - very quiet.

I've arrived on a holiday weekend (Autumn Equinox, I think), evidenced last night by some sort of public gathering in Hibiya Park opposite the hotel. This morning, I discovered that it's a 'Bierfest' and I expect it to be running on Saturday as well, but I probably won't check it out.

Very hot and humid on Saturday - unseasonal, they say, but it suits me. After a very decent American Breakfast in the hotel, I took a short walk East. Main railway lines cut through the city North- South on viaducts and I saw a variety of local trains and Shinkansen as I made my way to Ginza. Being Saturday morning, it was surprisingly quiet. Then back to the hotel to meet my guide for the day, a charming Japenese girl called Maiko. We set off on foot North to look at the entrance to the Imperial Palace, set behind a moat in wooded parkland. For the rest of the day we criss-crossed the city on foot and using local trains and various subway lines. Unusually, we came across a subway test train, equipped with multi-channel recorders attended by their young engineers, who looked surprised to be photographed by a foreigner! The one coach had been loaded with huge plastic tanks filled with water, presumably to simulate "crush loading".

We visited the Senso-ji Bhuddist temple in Asakusa in the North of the city. The approach is via a huge covered market selling trinkets, keepsakes and food. This is a joyous and noisy place. Well over 90% of Japanese claim to be Bhuddist, but well over 90% also claim to follow Shinto - most people follow an informal amalgam of both practices. Only around 1% of the population are Christian.

Next, we went to the Meiji Jingu Shinto shrine. It dates only from 1920 and, following the Animist principles of Shinto, is at the centre of peaceful woodland. Although there were lots of people there, it was considerably quieter than Senso-ji. We were lucky to see two young children, in ceremonial dress, being taken by their parents for one of the Shinto rituals that are more usually carried out in November. Near the main shrine, we found three couples attending marriage ceremonies having their wedding photographs taken by some very professional photographers. Whilst the grooms were fairly simply dressed, each bride displayed a different style of very elaborate (and very expensive) wedding dress.

Outside the shrine, we took a light lunch at a very pleasant Italian restaurant and in the streets we found lots of young people in various modern dress styles starting to enjoy the holiday. By subway again, we went to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building. This is a modern skyscraper with North and South towers, with observatories open to the public (free) on the 45th floors of each tower. Visibility was prety good today.

Finally, we visited the Edo Tokyo Museum, housed in a improbable-looking modern building on stilts next to the Sumo Arena where the championships are just finishing. Inside there's a fascinating collection of artefacts, models and reconstructions detailing the history of Tokyo. This was a fascinating and enlightening tour. By now, it was already dark so Maiko and I returned to my hotel on a series of subway and local trains for a snack before we said goodbye.

Click for pictures of Tokyo

Click for my railway pictures in Japan

Tokyo, first impressions

Arrived on time after a good, short flight by Asiana's 767-300 (ER). Narita Airport is huge and we were taxiing for 15 minutes before we got to the stand. Immigration, luggage reclaim and customs was efficient and friendly. In the arrivals hall, I was met by a very presentable young man from the tour company and soon he was speeding me to Tokyo in a very comfortable limousine. Is it just me, though - I keep thinking I'm talking to a cyborg when people have a Bluetooth headset stuck to the side of their head?

Narita is about one and a half hours out of Tokyo, even with the traffic flowing well. The skyscrapers start early and just continue all the way in. I've seen big cities but Tokyo seems to be something else. The Imperial Hotel is huge and posh. It's actually 'Son of Imperial' because the famous original by Frank Lloyd Wright was rebuilt in the '60s (just like the Waldorf Astoria in New York which is now 'Son of Waldorf).

The room is very well-appointed but, boy, do the Japanese like gadgets. The W.C. has a heated seat and a control panel on the wall for spray, bidet and flush, with buttons to control the water pressure. The bath has taps, if you prefer, but it also has a control panel to select temperature and a button that says 'Fill' and it fills! There's a stop button, too. When the bath is ready, it plays a few bars from 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring' (I kid you not).

I've enjoyed a good American style breakfast and will shortly actually go outside (that was the idea, Jan) but I thought I'd give you the quick update first. Catch you later!

En Route to Japan

Travelling by Aseana, the Korean airline. Just got off the 777-200 flight from the third-world airport which is Heathrow and now in the very well-appointed Seoul International Airport, airy, clean, huge. Lots of people about but a sense of quiet calm totally lacking normally in UK airports.

It's years since I've been to Korea - just flying in the development of the country is amazing since my last visit. Huge reclamation schemes, new roads, a very big bridge project well advanced.

Ah well, can't stop now - I've to get the OZ106 from Gate 12. Fortunately, this free internet lounge is near to Gate 12.

Catch you later!

The Black Country Museum

On 11th September, Keith and Jan visited the Black Country Museum. This is another open-air museum with a township re-created from relocated buildings. There is a replica of Newcomen's famous 'Dudley Engine', featuring the crude valve gear that was used on these early engines. It was not operating on our visit. Like Blists Hill, there is a recreation of a mine with headgear, sidings with mine tubs, winding house and winding engine. Alas, the engine was not operating. Nearby there's a second, smaller pit. You can go underground into a re-created drift mine, but we didn't have time for this experience. The 3 foot 6 inch gauge ex-Wolverhampton tram was giving rides and the driver was very helpful and informative. The re-created town includes shops, public houses, a chapel and even a cinema. We watched a Charlie Chaplin film at the picture-house and were most impressed by the genuine gas lighting which reminded me of my childhood. The period ambience is faithfully re-created and it was a fascinating experience. Time didn't allow us to take the boat trip into Dudley Canal Tunnel, but this is recommended to any visitor. On our way out, we visited the trolleybus depot which has a marvellous collection of vehicles kept in tip-top condition. I'm not old enough to remember the trams in Wolverhampton, but the green and yellow 'Sunbeam' trolley buses were part of my childhood. A very enjoyable, if necessarily brief, visit. Photographs

Shackerstone Family Festival 2007

On Sunday, 2nd September 2007 Keith Watson, John Archer and Jan visited the Shackerstone Family Festival ('Shackfest'). Shackerstone is a tiny village in Leicestershire but somehow it produces an annual festival with trains (on the Battlefield Line), a canal rally, a huge display field with an amazing assortment of stalls and other activities. Unusually, there was no steam locomotive in action on the Battlefield Line (although Burton Model Engineers were giving live-steam rides on a portable track until a mechanical failure stopped them). Well, we made a round trip to Shenton behind a Class 33 'Crompton', but it's not the same. Next, it was down to the canal rally, where Keith got invited aboard the steam tug 'Adamant'. Then, we took a motor launch along the canal to the entrance to the display field. Too many activities to describe, although the aerobatic display by a single aircraft was impressive. There was 'Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang', a model steam traction engine and a large display of classic cars and motor cycles. We made our way back to the station in time for the display of wing-walking by two bi-planes. This was real heart-in-mouth stuff to end our visit! 'Shackfest' in photos

The Cradle of the Industrial Revolution

Ironbridge Gorge is a World Heritage Site because it is recognised as the 'Cradle of the Industrial Revolution'. The significance of the ironmaking industry which started there cannot be overestimated. Man had been able to make iron for centuries, but never before on such a large scale. On the 1st September 2007, Keith Watson, John Archer and the writer visited the Gorge.

First, we paid homage to the 'Iron Bridge' itself. The bridge over the Severn Gorge is the first iron bridge in the world, built 1779 and still in use as a pedestrian bridge. It is constructed from a large number of interlocking cast parts, in part mimicking wooden construction but the challenge of building in this new material called for great resourcefulness.

There are ten museums in the area but Blists Hill Victorian Town is probably the best known. The site includes early ironworks and tileworks and numerous old buildings have been transported to make a complete township with working factories, populated by people in period dress who explain the way of life.

Keith soon spotted a Wallis & Steevens 3-ton steam roller and a small portable engine in a locked yard. The helpful staff quickly summoned somebody with a key to give us a better view.

Nearby is a foundry where the art of sand moulding cast iron is demonstrated. Small decorative items for sale are produced here.

In 1802 the Coalbrookdale Company built what's claimed to be the world's first steam locomotive to Richard Trevithick's designs. The museum has a working replica on a short demonstration line, although it was not working on our visit. Sadly, the locomotive is left outside. Its appearance is hardly improved by a plastic cover over the top of the chimney, especially since the cover is fixed to a long piece of wood to allow it to be set in place from ground level.

Nearby, there is a colliery winding house with a single-cylinder steam engine to lift a tub up and down a shallow shaft. This was working.

Next, the unmistakeable 'thump - thump' of a steam hammer drew us to the ironworks, where they actually make wrought iron. We spent some time watching the steam hammer re-shaping cut links of massive mooring chains into the short, thick slabs called 'blooms'. These have to be made red hot in an oven and then quickly transported on a two-wheeled truck to the hammer. After re-heating the blooms can be 'worked' by being passed a number of times through a 'cogging mill' - a type of rolling mill - driven by a steam engine. The steam for the hammer and the mill comes from a modern, package boiler, but there is a non-functional re-creation of an original boiler. It was an awesome experience to watch the men working for real in the very hazardous environment - watch the video clip below.

Nearby we found two massive beam blowing engines, David and Sampson, built in Glasgow and erected at Priorslee Ironworks in 1851. They're not working but impressive for their size and decoration, with elaborate fluted supporting columns.

These are just the highlights of our visit - there's so much to see, including the purely domestic (I was able to buy Coltsfoot Rock at the sweet shop).

As we were leaving, we came upon the preserved section of plateway with its odd-looking points. The horse-drawn wagons on a plateway used ordinary wagon wheels without a flange. Steering was provided by a vertical flange on the rail. Points have a 'crossing' and 'check rails', just like modern points, but in a plateway they are 'inside out' as the photographs show.

My Ironbridge photographs.

Dalek Invasion in Manchester

This year, the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester has been hosting a Doctor Who exhibition which has proved very popular. However, this did not alert me to the risks Keith, John and I ran when we visited the Museum on Sunday, 26th August 2007. For this was no ordinary day - this was the day for the Dalek Invasion in Manchester!

Apparently, there was no Guiness Record for the most Daleks gathered in one location. The Museum of Science and Industry determined that this amazing oversight be corrected by making a record attempt on the very day we'd chosen to visit.

At first, it was like a normal day at the Museum but then a crowd of people started to gather near the 1830 Warehouse. And then the Daleks started to appear, first in ones and twos but then in strength. The crowd didn't appear to realise their danger - in fact, a number of them appeared to be on good terms with the Daleks but I must have been mistaken. Some of the Daleks were exactly as I remember them - 'British Standard Daleks' as it were - but others varied in size, colouration and even design. Was this, I wondered, the result of inter-breeding or merely the effect of off-shoring manufacture to the Far East?

Soon there was a large crowd - I couldn't determine how many were Dalek and how many humanoid. As the electronic ring modulators started up, the raucous voices of some of the Daleks could be heard, whilst others remained silent or conversed in an attractive North Country lilt. Despite the crowding, I saw none of the terrible violence which is traditionally associated with the Dalek race.

One brave policeman supervised the throng - apparently the Chief Constable of Manchester. Presumably, the police have targets for stop and search of Daleks - he was certainly kept busy on this day. And, somehow, a time-travelling Mr. Chadwick from 1830 appeared as a genial Master of Ceremonies. The day was becoming altogether too bizarre. I assumed that some of those present were from Guiness Superlatives and that they would determine whether a record had been created.

To borrow a phrase, we 'made our excuses and left' just in case there was a problem over the record - the vengeance of the Daleks would have been as nothing compared with the vengeance of the various young people dressed in cardboard Dalek suits. More photographs

Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester

Keith Watson visited the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester on Sunday, 26th August 2007, together with John Archer and Jan. The photograph above shows Lawrence and Bev looking on as Keith starts 'Planet'. Many thanks to Lawrence, Bev and Johnathon for making Keith's visit so special - he even got breakfast on the shovel. For more pictures of the visit goto Jan's photographs

Some of the stationary engines on display fascinated Keith. We took a good look at the sectioned locomotive 'Pender'. This was built by Beyer Peacock in Manchester for the Isle of Man Railway. 'Pender' is mounted on a 'rolling road' and the wheels and motion are driven by an electric motor discreetly mounted under the rear end. Cutting a locomotive open is never very nice but, of course, a number of her classmates were preserved and run the tourist service in the Isle of Man. It has to be admitted that a cutaway locomotive is a splendid training tool. I've seen 'Ellerman Lines' sectioned at the National Railway Museum and the sectioned locomotive at Delhi Railway Museum.

We moved on to the Pakistan Railways broad gauge 4-4-0, also a Beyer Peacock locomotive. I took a few shots of the inside link motion and the massive driving axle. The crank webs are 'hooped', presumably for strength. The cab sides carry a splendid brass badge.

'Novelty' next took our attention. Although it is a non-working replica, it incorporates the wheels and one cylinder from the original. There is a working replica of 'Novelty' but it resides in Sweden. The working replica ran at Manchester during the Liverpool and Manchester 175th celebrations. The photos of that event offer more pictures of some of the exhibits described here.

The original 1830 station buildings survive and the First Class booking hall has been restored to show the arrangements for 'checking-in'. We watched a little playlet where a married couple, the Chadwicks, take the train for the first time in 1830. This concludes outside next to the 'Planet' replica. It's both good fun and educational.

At this point, Keith had his driving experience on 'Planet' before we returned to the Power Hall to check out the largest exhibit - the ex-South African Railways Beyer Garratt, also built in Manchester. This 3 foot 6 inch gauge 4-8-2 + 2-8-4 turns the scales at 214 tons!

As if all this were not enough, there was an event taking place at the Museum that day to set a World Record for the number of Daleks in one place! I should perhaps explain that the Museum is currently hosting a very successful Doctor Who Exhibition - prior to the exhibition I had noticed very few Daleks in Manchester (well, none, actually).

All-in-all, a very successful visit to what is now being marketed as the 'Museum Of Science and Industry'. So, if you've not yet made a visit, why not 'Mosey on down to Mosi'? (Ouch!).

Ivor the Engine

Somehow, I never got to see the 'Ivor the Engine' animated films when they were first broadcast. When the Battlefield Line announced that they were running a number of 'Ivor the Engine' days at the end of July and the beginning of August 2007, I thought I'd better do a little research.

Well, 'Wikipedia' told me all I needed to know about history and other sites provided stills and video. Being a cartoon engine, 'Ivor' has, shall we say, rather unusual proportions for a steam locomotive but quite a faithful recreation has resulted from the restoration of a small, 4-coupled, outside cylinder Peckett, works number 1555. I believe this locomotive is one of two which worked in Cawdor Quarry, Matlock (right next to the Peak Rail line, where I regularly drive).

The locomotive owner, Steve, was on hand as Ivor pottered around the station and characters from the story like Dai Station, Mrs. Porty and driver Edwin Jones performed little playlets. From time to time, Ivor would couple up to the two-car DMU for a romp part way up the line. It was all good fun and passenger numbers were healthy enough for Ivor to have a repeat booking in 2008. A 'special' was run at the end of the day on the 4th August and there's a Video Clip of Steve driving his engine.

More photos.

Morris Dancing

Did you know that the Morris Ring was set up in 1934 to encourage the performance of Morris Dancing, maintain its tradition and preserve its history? Neither did I. Nor did I know that the Stafford Morris Men are celebrating 50 years since their founding. As part of this celebration, the Morris Ring of England held their 311th Ring Meeting in Staffordshire, culminating in a display in the Market Square at Brewood.

Morris Dancing is not a usual event in Brewood, so when I found out about the display, I made sure I went to have a look. Although rain threatened, the weather remained quite good as the large number of dancers were put through their paces and I managed to get a number of photographs. There were around 20 different 'sides', from all over the country, each with its distinctive colours. It was a colourful and jolly event, as I hope you can see from my photographs.

Click for my photographs.

Derbyshire Dales Railway

Henry and Mary Frampton-Jones have been involved in railway preservation for a number of years. They have a particular interest in 2-foot passenger carrying lines. Having gathered a collection of 2-foot gauge wagons, coaches and industrial diesel locomotives, they organised the building of a short demonstration line at the Rowsley site of Peak Rail called the Derbyshire Dales Narrow Gauge Railway. At present, the railway comprises extensive sidings (with one container as the locomotive shed and a second as the carriage shed), Parkside Station (complete with refreshment facilities) and a running line around two hundred yards long. Work is currently in hand to extend the running line.

I became involved a few years ago to assist with the paperwork involved in obtaining permission to carry passengers. Although 'miniature' railways operate under a less-onerous regime, a track gauge of two feet requires most of the precautions expected of a standard gauge line. Every aspect of the operation had to be risk assessed and procedures set up for maintenance, certification of the volunteer staff and safe operation of the railway.

We obtained permission to operate in time for the planned public opening, initially using a single air-braked bogie coach top and tailed by a Ruston 'LBT' and a Lister 'Railtruck'. The Lister was loaned at short notice after the intended Ruston '48DL' had to be 'stopped' for attention to the tyres. After 'shopping' the '48DL' took up duties working the service with the 'LBT'. A combination of the demands of work and other projects I'm involved in means that I'm no longer Operations Manager and Health and Safety Advisor on the railway but I'll continue to assist in any way I can.

Click for my photos of the narrow gauge.

The Peak Rail website has a narrow gauge page.

Lionsmeet 2007

Every year, the Old Locomotive Committee ('OLCO', the supporters group for 'Lion' and modellers of 'Lion') hold a good-natured competition to see whose live-steam model can produce the most work done in ten minutes. In 2007, Bristol Society of Model Engineers had agreed to host the competition, known as 'Lionsmeet', which took place on Sunday 29th July at Ashworth Park, Bristol.

England had suffered heavy rain with flooding towards the end of July and, until the last moment, it was feared that the event might have to be postponed. In fact, we could not have had a better day and the event was enjoyed by all.

Ashworth Park is a former 'stately home', now a country park. Bristol M.E.S. have a mature, well-developed site with both an elevated multi-gauge track which the 'Lionsmeet' competitors used and a 7.25 inch gauge ground level track which remained unused (when are we going to have another 7.25 inch competitor, chaps?).

Jan was once again press-ganged into being the observer, riding behind each competitor, recording the performance figures from the dynamometer car and ensuring that the competition rules were observed.

All the competitors put up good performances but, once again, John Swindlehurst carried off the Mike Parrott Cup for another year.

More photographs.

'Gothenburg'

I first came across the locomotive 'Gothenburg' around 20 years ago. She was famous as one of the locomotives which inaugurated the passenger service on the East Lancashire Railway. Later, when I was involved with Padiham Railway Society (that's another story), we'd hoped to get 'Gothenburg' to operate the service, but arrangements fell through. 'Bellerophon' came to the rescue on that occasion. By the time 'Gothenburg' and I met up again, the locomotive was posing as 'Thomas'.

The Battlefield Line ran a number of 'Thomas' days in July 2007 and I drove on the 7th and 15th July.

Photographs

My First Steam Special

I travelled on my first steam special back in 1960 when scheduled steam was still around. In that year, the city of Stoke-on-Trent was celebrating its Jubilee. A railway exhibition was held in the North Western Yard at Stoke from the 11th to 24th May. British Rail organised an excursion from Birmingham New Street to Stoke allowing a visit to the exhibition. The preserved Midland Compound, 1000, was rostered for the trip. I arranged a Brake Van Permit (in those far-off days, such things were possible) because I hoped to make some sound recordings on the trip. Permission to travel in the end of the leading brake-composite would, I thought, position me next to the engine and allow me to make some decent recordings.

When I arrived at Birmingham New Street, the special train was already waiting with 1000 at the head, resplendent in its Midland crimson livery. There were also a large number of rather excited railway enthusiasts milling about the platforms. I don't think the term 'anorak' had been coined then but I remember that I wan't very impressed with their behaviour. We set off Northbound, past the busy No. 5 signal box and into New Street North Tunnel. The tunnel was always smoke-filled with water dripping from the roof and the driver had to proceed cautiously to maintain traction up the bank. He made a fair job of it and picked up speed as we passed the signal boxes at Shepcote Lane, Monument Lane and Harbourne Junction. We must have turned right at Winson Green Junction, to take the Soho Road Line to Perry Barr where we joined the original Grand Junction Line. At Bescot we turned right again, for Pleck Junction and Walsall. Leaving Walsall, there's another climb through Park Street Tunnel up to Ryecroft Junction. Passing Walsall Shed, 1000 gave a whistle in salute to the assorted locomotives. A driver travelling 'on the cushions' joined me in the brake end. He was 1000's regular driver but had handled over the locomotive to local men with the appropriate route knowledge. I thought the train was running quite well, but the driver shook his head. "They don't know how to make her 'compound'". However, by the time the train had reached East Cannock Junction, the regular driver looked a bit happier. "That's better" he said, nodding his head in approval. We flew towards Rugeley, where we joined the Trent Valley Line until Colwich, turning right there onto the line for Stone and then Stoke. All too soon, we were running into the down platform at Stoke-on-Trent.

A short walk took me to the Technical College where a number of railway exhibits had been arranged. I remember being impressed by the preserved 'Knotty' (North Staffordshire Railway) 0-6-2 tank engine but I've forgotten what else was on display. Later on, I returned to the station where our return train was waiting. I presume the 'Compound' had been onto Stoke shed for turning and 'fettling' for the return journey whilst the passengers had been enjoying the exhibition. Once again, I established myself in the leading guard's van, immediately behind the locomotive.

We retraced our route as far as Stone, where we turned right onto the Stafford line, running at reduced speed through the sharply-curved platforms past the attractive and distinctive station buildings. We made good speed until Norton Bridge's distant signal, which remained obstinately 'on', despite impatient whistling from the driver. It was just becoming dark as we crawled to a standstill at the home signal protecting the junction with the four-track main line between Stafford and Crewe. The red glow from the firebox lit up the surrounding area. For a while, all was quiet - the usual hisses and 'clinks' from the locomotive and the sound of conversation on the footplate, then the sound of an approaching train and a 'Rebuilt Scot' passed on the Up Fast, working hard, with the following coaches spilling yellow light onto the ballast. Soon, there was a 'clank' from our signal as we 'got the road' and our driver made a cautious start, drawing his train around the curve and onto the Up Fast. Local whistle codes were authorised at Norton Bridge so that drivers of up train could signal their requirements at Stafford - the signalman at Norton Bridge could telephone ahead to Stafford so that the correct arrangements could be made. As we moved towards the signal box, our driver gave the whistle for 'Train not stopping at Stafford requiring the Stour Valley Line' - two long and a 'crow' (I think). What an evocative sound!

We had an uneventful trip to Stafford, where we slowed first to get onto the Slow lines then to get onto the Goods Lines. We clanked past Stafford No. 5 Box, the adjacent Motive Power Depot, the signal box on the Goods lines and made our way to Stafford No.1 where the Stour Valley line to Wolverhampton diverges to the right. Once clear of Stafford, speed picked up again and it was not long before we were passing Bushbury Shed and Bushbury No. 1 signal box. Once over the viaduct, we were soon making our station stop at Wolverhampton, where I left the train. The special then continued back to Birmingham New Street.

It was years before I saw '1000' again, sadly, 'stuffed and mounted' in the National Railway Museum at York. And the sound recordings? I'm sorry to say that, at present, they're missing. If I can find them, and if they're still playable, I'll do what I can to preserve them.

Locomotive Regulators (part 1)

The other week, I was asked by one of my young friends to explain what I meant in saying "The regulator's 'gagged' in Second Valve". I'm afraid a little lecture is required.

In this country, it's usually called the 'regulator', in America it's invariably the 'throttle' but all steam locomotives have a valve, controlled by the driver (alright, 'engineer' in America) which controls the flow of steam from the boiler to the cylinders. This isn't an on-off valve but is adjustable by the driver to provide the appropriate effort.

In early locomotives, the valve gear could be set only to 'forwards' or 'backwards', so the regulator was the only means of adjusting the power output of the locomotive. There were two common types of regulator - plug and butterfly. Both types were operating by rotating a shaft connected between the regulator valve inside the boiler and a lever attached to the shaft outside the boiler, positioned on the boiler backhead and accessible to the driver. The shaft was provided with a gland where it passed through the outer firebox. Keeping this gland steamtight with the available materials was always a problem.

In the plug-type regulator, the end of the shaft inside the boiler would be provided with a coned plug arranged to be a good fit in the open end of the main steam pipe when the regulator was closed, preventing steam entering the main steam pipe. The regulator handle was then constrained by the quadrant, shaped as a section of a helix. When the handle was moved, the regulator rod turned and was also drawn back by the shape of the quadrant, with the result that the coned plug was withdrawn from the orifice of the main steam pipe, allowing steam to enter the pipe. This design was widely used by the Grand Junction Railway and a picture of the regulator quadrant of 'Lion' should help to clarify matters.

View of Lion's regulator from above. The regulator handle is in the closed position, extending to the right. As the lever is pushed to the left, the quadrant causes the regulator rod to be drawn back, opening the plug valve.

In the butterfly regulator, the regulator rod merely turned a two-lobed valve across the port face of the main steam pipe which was provided with two wedge-shaped steam ports. With the regulator closed, the valve lobes covered the steam ports, preventing steam from entering the main steam pipe. As the regulator was turned, the steam ports would be progressively uncovered, allowing steam to flow.

Illustration of a typical dome-mounted vertical slide-valve regulator

As boiler pressures and output power increased, the widely-used slide valve regulator was developed, often mounted vertically in the steam dome, as shown above. The main steam pipe terminates in a casting provided with a vertical, machined port-face provided with two more-or-less rectangular steam ports. Two flat valves lie over the port face, one on top of the other. Guides are provided which allow the two valves to move up and down independently. The outer valve (the 'pilot' or 'first' valve) connects via a link to a crank at the end of the regulator rod, so that moving the regulator handle pushes the valve up and down. The inner valve (the 'main' or 'second' valve) is also connected to the link but via a slot, such that, on progressively opening the regulator, the first valve is the first to move and the second valve only moves once the first valve is open. A series of ports in the two valves are arranged so that a moderate amount of steam is allowed to flow as the first valve is opened: once the main valve starts to open, a much larger port opening is achieved. This two-stage arrangement is intended to give the driver more accurate control over the flow of steam.

In this type of slide-valve regulator, the pressure of steam in the boiler is pressing the both main and pilot valves against the port face, preventing steam from leaking into the main steam pipe when the regulator is closed. But this pressure also makes it hard for the driver to move the regulator, as the pressure prevents either valve from sliding. Novices are frequently surprised at the effort required to initially open the first port. Once steam is flowing, the resistance will be somewhat reduced, but the required effort is still significant. After the pilot valve is fully open, further movement of the regulator handle will start to open the larger, main valve and considerable force may be required. Some locomotives are provided with two regulator handles to operate the regulator rod. This is partly for the convenience of the driver, for instance when shunting, partly so that the driver and fireman can co-operate in opening the main valve.

As boiler pressures continued to increase and larger locomotives appeared, the problem of adjusting the regulator became greater. In his larger locomotives, Churchward produced an excellent design of slide valve regulator, using horizontal valves fitted in the smokebox. Perhaps most importantly, he also provided an oil line from the sight feed lubricator directly to the regulator valve. Despite claims made by other designers, the only engines I've worked on which could be said to have "fingertip control" of the regulator were Great Western designs.

So, how about closing a regulator? Even in first valve, the flowing steam tends to interfere with getting the valve to slide closed. The regulator usually needs to be smartly brought against the stop to ensure complete closure. If second valve was open, the problem is increased. It's particularly difficult if second valve was only partly open as it then very hard to get both valves back to their proper, closed position. What usually happens is that the steam is cut off, but with the pilot valve slightly displaced from its normal, closed position. This is detectable from the cab, as the regulator handle may be reluctant to sit hard against the 'Shut' stop on the quadrant, because the misplaced second valve pushes against the regulator linkage and prevents the regulator rod from being moved to the correct, closed position. When the regulator is next re-opened, second valve is immediately partly open and an unexpectedly large steam flow may be obtained. This can be dangerous, for instance, whilst shunting, which is why it is so important for all drivers to have a thorough understanding of their machines. Once a regulator is partly open on second valve, the only reliable technique for full closure is to briefly open the regulator to the fully open position ('putting the handle in the roof') and then very smartly bring it to the fully closed position. After this treatment, when the regulator is re-opened it will open on the pilot valve.

There's more about Regulators in part 2.
(Only took me 9 years to complete part 2 which is why the blog is called 'occasional').

[Link to part 2 added: 11-Sep-2016]

History of Steam Locomotives in Western Australia

In February 2007 I visited the Rail Transport Museum in Bassendean, Perth, Western Australia. It's run by the Australian Railway Historical Society, Western Australian Division. See their website. This brief 'A to Z' of preserved locomotives is derived from the the Museum Guide. For my photographs of these exhibits, click here.

A: In 1880 John Robb imported a 2-6-0 from Beyer Peacock in England to build the Eastern Railway from Fremantle through Perth to Guildford. The locomotive was acquired by West Australia Government Railways, classified as 'A' class and ultimately there were 12 locomotives in the class. 'A.11' is preserved at Bassendean.

B: The Midland Railway imported nine Hawthorn Leslie 4-4-0 around 1891. Initially unclassed, they became the 'T' class in 1912 and 'B' class in 1921.

C: The Eastern Railway was opened in 1881 and two 0-6-0 tender locomotives built by Robert Stephenson and Company in England were used on the line. Later classified as 'C' class, 'C.1', 'Katie', survives at Bassendean, cosmetically restored.

Dd: The 'D' class 'Baltic' tanks were first introduced in 1912, becoming 'Ds' when superheated. In 1945, the 'Dm' class appeared, using parts from withdrawn 'E' class locomotives. In 1946 ten improved 'Dd' class were built. They were used on suburban passenger, freight and banking. Dd.592 and Dd.596 survive.

Es: The 'E' class 4-6-2 was introduced in 1902. In 1924, superheating was introduced and the rebuilt locomotives were designated 'Es'. The preserved locomotive Es.308 ran 1.25 million miles, having received new frames in 1935.

Fs: The 'F' class 4-8-0 was introduced in 1902 as a heavy freight locomotive, displacing 'K' class locomotives. The first 'F' class was superheated (to become 'Fs' class) in 1912, but the preserved locomotive Fs.460 (originally F.407) was not superheated until 1937.

G: The 'G' class 2-6-0 was a standard Beyer Peacock design and an enlarged version of the 'A' class. Preserved locomotive 'G.233' was built in Australia by James Martin and Company in 1898.

H: In 1889 two small 0-6-0T arrived from Nielson & Company for the Bunbury - Boyanup line. After a long and varied service, H.18 was presented to the Australian Historical Railway Society and is now on display at Bassendean.

N: Introduced in 1896, there were over 70 of these popular 4-4-4 passenger tanks. In addition, around 1907, Midland Workshops produced another 10, using parts from withdrawn 'O' class locomotives. N.201 is preserved.

O: Forty-six 'O' class were introduced between 1896 and 1898, being a lightweight version of the 'K' class with better route availability. O.218 was preserved after running 750,000 miles.

P: This express passenger 4-6-2 was introduced in 1924 and by 1929 the class numbered 25. During WWII, eight were rebuilt with higher pressure boilers and re-classified 'Pr'. P.448 entered service in 1925, was renumbered as P.508 in 1947, was condemned in 1969 and subsequently entered the museum.

Pr: Ten improved 'P' class 4-6-2 were built at Midland Workshops between 1937 and 1939. They were known as the 'River' class, beause of the naming and re-classified as 'Pr' in 1940. Pr.138 was the first of the class, renumbered as Pr.521 in 1946, withdrawn in 1967, subsequently moving to the museum.

Pm: This modified 'Pr' class was introduced in 1950 with a number of improvements but, being rough riders, were confined to freight working. Pm.701 survives.

S: The first class wholly designed and built in Australia, three of these 4-8-2 were built at Midland in 1943 and a further seven after the war. S.542 (originally S.477) from the first batch and S.549 are now preserved.

U: Fourteen of these oil-burning 4-6-2, originally intended for the Sudan, were supplied by Britain in 1946, working fast passenger and goods. U.655 is preserved.

Ut: This was supplied by North British in 1942 as U.644 and converted in 1957 into a 4-6-4T for working suburban passenger trains, re-numbered Ut.644 and entering preservation in 1972.

V: These powerful 2-8-2 from Robert Stephenson and Hawthorn (as sub-contractors to Beyer Peacock) were introduced in 1956. The tractive effort of 33,630 lbs. made them suitable for working heavy coal trains. The class numbered 24. V.1220 entered the museum in 1972.

W: Sixty of this successful class were supplied by Beyer Peacock from 1951. The 4-8-2 design was suitable for both fast passenger and goods. W.953 entered the museum in 1972. W.947 was sold in 1973 for working tourist trains from Albany and joined W.953 in the museum in 1985.

[Bassendean website updated 10-Jan-2024]

Pipe Freezing

When the plumber came to alter some pipework in the central heating, I had anticipated that the whole system would need to be drained, which would have been quite a performance. But, in fact, he used a 'Freeze Master' to freeze the water in the pipes he wanted to work on. The 'Freeze Master' is a portable refrigerator which plugs into the mains and passes a chilled refrigerant through flexible hoses to a Freezing Block attached to the pipe. The machine used had two hoses and two Freezing Blocks. Each hose is, presumably, provided with two bores to accommodate flow and return of the refrigerant.

The photograph below shows two Freezing Blocks secured to the pipe by a G-clamp. The machine comes with a series of reducers to allow smaller diameter pipes to be dealt with.

I'd not seen this technique used before and I thought it was an ingenious application of the properties of water.