Steam-trains, Castles and an old Harley

Interval for more local research.

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The contentious issue is that these guys who display their bikes to the public and who bring a massive number of people to local businesses have to pay to park their bikes!
Only one quid, but why should they pay at all?

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Fabulous.

... and did you chat up the sunbathing beauty?
 
Wow...fantastic collection of bikes....love the BSA.
 
Thanks guys.
That was an excellent show, with friendly riders, great location and good food.

Now up-country for a steam loco ride.
 
Great trip Ron , I was with you all the way which means you did a first class report. Of all the bikes I would choose the Brough .Every SS 100 came with a certificate from GB guaranteeing 100mph. I was lucky enough to bump into George at a rally in 1967 I think it was. He had a couple of his specials with him , his own favourites. I do have a couple of photos and oneday I will know how to post them. I know I will send to you direct Ron.
 
'Feel', just share the pics please!

Steam loco pics coming soon.
Brilliant day on Watercress Line today.
To a couple of very special grave-sites tomorrow (Thursday).
 
Knackered after a day with steam (and more local research!).
Here's a preview; more later.

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Ron, the Bournemouth air show is on this weekend, I believe. The Vulcan coming over on Sunday. Not sure what your plans are.... but that one might be interesting.

Meanwhile, friends of mine from school days, Al and Lorraine Smith, run the Australian Motocycle Museum at Marburg, just west of Brisbane. Sorry for the crappy photo, but this Brough is regarded by Al as one of his most prized exhibits...



They have exquisite taste btw... very few Harleys

 
Looks like the SS80 Brough. A very useful sidecar tug but only for the very keen before WW2. A car could be bought for the same price and there were many big V twins around . the Royal Enfield I had was 976cc and they even made a 1140cc twin which could haul a double adult sidecar and a trailer for the tent !
 
I seem to recall it as an SS80... but wasn't sure enough to post that
 
Oh just remembered now the old Brough brain cells have stirred. T E Lawrence had a specialy fast Brough and I think it was around 1927 and was a Pendine Sports SS100. Well he had a name for it , and what a name from the bible . Mark 3:17 blah blah'............... he also gave these the surname Boanerges which means The Sons of Thunder.' May have to call my PCX 150 Boanerges.
 
28th August

You want steam locos?

We went to Ropley, which is the best base for the Watercress Line rides because there is free parking and picnic spots and shops ...
and you'll have access to the workshops!!

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Ropley is an excellent base for families, having the picnic area, shop and workshops.

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It was a bonus having access to the workshops.
Volunteer labour too.

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The olde Ropley Station Master's office.

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Old steam locos bring out old people and their old cars.

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Note the GPS unit on the seat!

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The 'Winston Churchill' has been acquired and will never run again but it will receive a total cosmetic 'head to tail'.

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We took a ride up to Alton.
In fact, having purchased the tickets (14 quid each) we could have ridden up and down the line all day, stopping where-ever we wanted.

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And back to Ropley.

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Now this blue 'Tornado' loco is special.
It's new!

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We 'hung around' after the others had left and were fortunate enough to see and here it 'shunting'.
So quiet and clean.

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http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/aug/02/railtravel.heritage

"For this 160-tonne, 3,000hp locomotive capable of 100mph is powered not by a fickle supply of electricity but by West Midlands coal, Durham water and sweat from a legion of enthusiastic brows."


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-14999197

"The newest steam locomotive in Britain has completed the longest single day trip by a steam engine in four decades."


A bit late but I have to include this classic footage.

http://www.britishrailways.tv/train-videos/2012/night-mail-1936-w-h-auden/
 
An excellent day.
So, after washing the soot from every orifice and cleaning my camera lens, it was off to celebrate with Tim, Russ McD and Dawn.
And, of course, more research.

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29th August

Today Russ McD and Dawn took me to meet a couple of important people.

In the beautiful grounds of the Parish Church of All Saints, Minstead amongst the oak and yew trees ...

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... with his pipe almost within reach ...

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... lies Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle.


http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Jconan.htm

"His main character, Sherlock Holmes, was based on Dr. Joseph Bell, a surgeon and criminal psychologist, who lectured at Edinburgh Infirmary."
 
Then to nearby St Margaret's Church at Minstead ...

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... where lying at rest after a lifetime dedicated to others ...

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... is ...

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And inside the ancient church.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/nightingale_florence.shtml

"She began to develop an interest in nursing, but her parents considered it to be a profession inappropriate to a woman of her class and background, and would not allow her to train as a nurse. They expected her to make a good marriage and live a conventional upper class woman's life."
 
And that's it!
It's been a wonderful month in the United Kingdom with many unforgettable memories.
Back to Thighland tomorrow.
 
'Steaminjungle' sent me these classic Brough pics.

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"There yer go. Old bloke behind the SS 100. Tribute to the Dragon Rally , Oxford , summer of '65. Oh oh look at the 2 Brooklands cans, it must of sounded awsome. The other is the SS80 , sidecar tug. Not good quality but taken digitaly from 48yo pics."

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Fabulous trip Ron, as always you put the whole thing together very professionaly. See you soon when I get down your way.
You even got to see Tornado, imagine a whole class of locos scrapped in the '60s so they built a new one. Now a similar project is happening to a lost Sothern railway loco.
I remember seeing Winston Churchhill's Funeral on tv and the train was pulled by that very loco ( or one nearly the same as the Battle of Britain loco was in for repairs so they changed the number and plates to another one)
 
Thanks Ally and Feel.

But maybe I'll remain a little longer in sunny England after having seen this .....

"
The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department on Friday issued a severe weather warning for people in 12 provinces in the North from Saturday to Monday, Aug 31 to Sept 2."
;)
 
Beautifully captured Ron, a history lesson for us all, looks like a lot of research went into this trip for sure.
 
Thanks for posting, this has been one of the best reports I have read.

When the Sun is out, I do not think there is anywhere like Great Britain.
 
Thanks Phil; see you soon at Riders for a Dory.

Thanks Gareth; I agree. Wonderful sunny day here today and I'm heading back to storms! :hmm
 
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