Sorting out stuff to throw away

Came on a couple of Schultz's books. Happiness is and Security is.

I decided I couldn't possibly get rid of them.

Also they were worth sharing on Everything Clevedon in Facebook.

So I charged up the old 4870 and started to scan the pictures in them.

I decided that they were a bit flat so I went into Pint Shop Pro 7 and coloured them accordingly.

Made sure I gave Linus two odd socks as well because one of the Security is shots shows him being Secure with socks that Match.

Started putting them over to Everything Clevedon where they are getting enjoyed I think.

I think they look far better with lighter backgrounds and coloured clothing it also gives me a little liberty to alter the text a bit.

Well it paid to take the chance.

When I found Yarrow plants growing on the lawn verge it was getting close to the time the contractors would be coming around cutting the grass once more.

I took a chance and cut a stem putting preliminary pix over to Flickr etc.

I thought that maybe they would grow again and the blossoms would flower by the time the men came around once more.

Then at the start of the week-end I saw some growing out along the grass along the course of the Middle Yeo.

Knowing that the time was coming when the contractors would be appearing again I pulled up a root and got some photographs.

I then snipped off the top and got some macro shots of the flowers, buds etc.

Sure enough Tuesday the contractors had done a cut early or later on the Monday afternoon.

I was just in time.

For once I had won.

Only an Idiot

would go out in weather like we are getting at the moment, to take pictures of a steam train.

Here is Britannia battling her way down to Kingswear with the Torbay Express. I am standing where I have been waiting for around 20 minutes in the rain. At least I can console myself with the fact that I will be going back to a warm, dry flat. Unlike the happy? passengers who will be able to leave a warm, dry, locomotive to walk around in a cold, wet, Torquay or that area.

She gets a little closer, another burst of shots quickly. The high speed setting on my Sony SLT A77, will take up to 17 pix per second

One last burst and she goes under the bridge at Claverham on her way to pick up more passengers at Weston-super-Mare. I have 19 shots to select from; taken in 3 bursts.

Meanwhile I can take off my waterproof get back in the car and make my way home. In the last 24 hours we have had well over an inch and a half of rain. 

I would probably have done better to have gone to Yatton station, where at least there is a canopy over the platform. I have pix of Brittania at Yatton, don't want any more and the station would have been crowded making it almost impossible to get a good series.

I travel across Kenn Moor thinking to myself that there must be a little insanity creeping into my life. To go out in weather like this - - - - - - - Just a moment look.

There goes a car with a bike rack and bicycles on it. Surely only a complete 100% idiot would go riding a bike in this weather. 

I am not alone; there are other idiots about after all.

Thinking about trains

I turned up another couple of old negatives of my sisters collection of WC&PR locos.

I reckon I must have copied them back in the 70s. 

                                         The Hesperus at Portishead.

Hesperus was the locomotive that won nation wide recognition when it went through the culvert at Wick St. Lawrence. The London papers published shots of it under the title "Wreck of the Hesperus"

                                    Locomotive Clevedon number 3

This picture of Clevedon loco number 3 was taken when she was standing - I think - just outside of Portishead station. I am not too certain of that, it could well be that it was taken at Weston. There may have been markings on the back of the postcard as to where it was taken.  One thing is for certain is that it was not taken in Clevedon.

My sister got herself 'sweet talked' into passing her postcards to a friend of my nephews. Fortunately I had photographed most of her WC & PR stuff. I had not printed them out and forgot about them, until they turned up when scanning my old negatives. Luckily they were not among those that I lost when rain got into the box.

The Par Express.

Working away happily and happened to glance at my watch. Thirteen minutes to 9 and the Par Express would be leaving Bristol at 9 a.m.

Bang went my thoughts of going out to Claverham for pix.

Union of South Africa was running this week that was a must.

I grabbed the camera and off to go.

Got there in time and determined I was not going to be losing my place. I went to the end of the platform and moved to the inside so as not to get in the way of the other photographers.

Only about 5 minutes to wait and in she steamed to pick up passengers.

While she was doing that I moved to the foot-bridge top. A couple of minutes there and she got the green and off to go on the way to Par.

When I got back I took the pix of Joan Panes that I had been working on, over to John.
On the whole a very successful morning. Had a message on Flickr Monday morning to say she failed at Newton Abbot with a hot box. They had waited for 2 hours in Cornwall to see her.  

Stained Glass Windows.

Went down to St Andrews Church this morning, (Thursday). Had a look at the family grave, it was standing OK - many have been taken up if they look as thought they could fall. As the church was open I took the opportunity to go in and get some pix of the stained glass windows not many 

people about so I had a nice browse.

Took shots of most of the windows.

Some rather modern and some older ones too.

The Finzel window showed well because it took the light as it faced more or less due south.

The Early English colours showed well.

The Becket Chapel east window had little in the way of bright colouring but came out fairly well.

The Altar Reredos again little in the way of bright colours but it showed well. Altogether I was very well pleased with the trip.

Where had they been?

I came upon a couple of Crown coins whilst clearing some stuff. They were in the bottom of a tumbler with pens and similar things put on top of them. One was a Victorian one the other was a George V Jubilee year (1935) I can remember that year very well. We were taken down to a marquee tent in Salthouse Field; there we were all given a 'Coronation Mug' 

The Victorian Crown 1889

                                    The King George Jubilee crown.

We also had a tea 'picnic' meal, it was all a bit confusing. As far as I can remember there were some members of the local council there and some clergy. (Complete with a few speeches) 

I don't recall if I was still at the national school then or if I had already gone 'up' to the new school in Highdale Avenue. Probably still at St Andrews School though.

One day maybe I will go into the library and check with the Mercury for '35.

I wonder what the crowns would be worth today? 

Double Steam Sunday 2^nd August.

What a day it was too. 1^st it was Tangmere with the Par Duchy Express outing.

Running from Bristol to Cornwall.

Tangmere running in to Yatton station to pick up passengers.

Not quite so many train spotters here as the last time I came down. Then I had a nice place set and at the last moment a chap taking videos plonked himself right in front of me. As I already had a couple of shots of Britannia I just took over his head. When he started panning he got a few pix of my chest before he stopped. Justice, he spoilt my shots – I spoiled his.

Folk waiting for the Par pick-up.

There were quite a lot of people waiting there. They loaded on pretty fast and then off they went again.

They had the green light and away they go.

Next loco didn’t stop at Yatton it was a straight run down to Weston-super-Mare. Trojan was hauling the Torbay Express on her run down to Dawlish.

                                              Spotters seemed to be a little perplexed

Trojan appeared to be a little late coming through Yatton station. Whether this was so I don’t know. I kept my position high up on the footbridge. Eventually she just shot through without any trouble.

 I managed a few high speed pix but before I had time to change my zoom she was gone.