Union Pacific engine at IRM

Originally uploaded by Steven Vance

Union Pacific is the oldest and largest operating railroad in the United States.

And they have beautiful train livery, like the one in this photo, seen at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois. UP 18 is a gas turbine-electric locomotive the company donated to the museum.

From Wikipedia: “UP’s basic paint scheme for its diesel-electric locomotives is the oldest still in use by a major railroad. The bottom two-thirds of the locomotive body is painted Armour Yellow, so-named because it was the color used by the Armour meat company. A thin band of red divides this from the Harbor Mist Gray (a fairly light gray) used for the body and roof above that point.”

Otford Rail Tunnel – Closed

The Otford Tunnel IS the grand daddy of all the six disused tunnels in the Helensburgh and surrounds area. None of the other five existing tunnels have more written about them than the Otford Tunnel. Technically it is the No.7 tunnel on the Illawarra line, measuring a whooping 1550m in length, more than double the length of any of the other five tunnels. The tunnel is dead straight right up until the Stanwell Park end where there is a short curve.

In the 70’s, my aunty would often look after me when I was quite young. She owned a house in Station Rd, Otford and I remember vividly hearing the trains roar by and tractors moving around in the approach of the northern portal of Otford Tunnel, then a busy mushroom farm. I clearly remember the smell of mushroom compost and used to watch the tractor turn the compost to see masses of steam rising from it. In the late 70’s my aunty met with one of the workers from the mushroom farm and a romance blossomed. He lived in the house which is located on the northern side of the school boundry next to the field, and left of the entrance road to the then mushroom farm.

Some time had passed and I remembered one afternoon going down to the mushroom farm with my cousin who was of similar age to me. We went into the northern portal of Otford Tunnel on the back of a tractor with my uncle, and goofed around in there while my newly related uncle did his job of farming mushrooms. I remember the smell of mushroom compost more than anything as the scent would emanate through the air and bathe the whole of Otford with its stench. I also remember many old wooden box crates piled on top of each other. They looked old, as the wood was that grey, weather beaten colour. The tractor used in the tunnel had really flat tyres and to my amazement and shock, I watched my cousin place his foot under the back tyre of the tractor. The expression on my face must have been of horror as my cousin just laughed at me. He said “try it”…”it doesn’t hurt”. Cautiously I did and I immediately wanted to pull away but kept my foot in the path of the tractor tyre. The tyre is coming closer and closer, I start to get nervous and it goes over my foot. A mass of pressure now starts to weigh on my foot but its soon over. “I did it” I yelled. I think we did it another 5 times after that. I have no idea what my uncle was thinking letting two children place their feet under a tractor tyre, but as I recall he didn’t say anything.
Years later I showed my Father a photo of the strange prawn looking tractor that has been discarded and abandoned in the Otford Tunnel. He told me that he remembers when it was in use, and that my uncle and his work mate used to fool around with that piece of machinery. I can’t remember it however… faint and distant are most of my memories of the Mushroom Farm, except the ones I have shared.

Another time I remember, was being woken very early and it was dark. (when you’re a very small child dark is sleep time). In thinking back, it must have been around 2-3am, and my uncle had a delivery of mushrooms to the Sydney Markets. The trip to the Markets was long and I think I must have slept most of the way as I can’t recall much other than a long drive in the dark. Upon arriving I remember the truck driving into a HUGE warehouse at night where there was loads of space and few people. I don’t remember much after that as I think I must have fallen asleep. A vivid memory it is and one that is etched into my mind. I must have been no more that 5 or 6 years old at the time.

A few years after this my aunty, uncle and two cousins packed up their belongings and moved north. Both houses are still intact and standing in Station Road, Otford today. Their appearance has changed but they are still there. All access to the northern end of Otford Tunnel is completely blocked. A couple of houses have been built near and on the driveway leading down to the northern end of Otford Tunnel, and the area outside of the tunnel where the mushroom production existed is completely overgrown with weeds and lantana.

Otford itself has a rich history and in the early days, grazing and farmlands in the valleys was common right up through to Lilyvale and beyond. The other areas in Otford were to be prized for their inhabitants of some of the best cedars in Australia supporting several mills at the time. A popular well known family in Otford around the 1860’s were the Gardiner’s who’s offspring included six sons and three daughters. Their property consisted of goats for milk, grapes for wine and the training of horses.

In the 1880’s the government decided that a rail link from Sydney to the Illawarra was needed as farming and mining warranted it. Gangers moved in the area starting at Westmacot (Waterfall) then Cawley and Camp Creek (Helensburgh) in 1884. By 1889 the 1st Helensburgh Railway Station opened sending its first train off to Sydney the following year. By 1885 the line had reached Otford and the gangers set up their camps to work on an engineering feat, the Otford Tunnel. During this time the township had the nickname of ‘Little Italy’ as most of the gangers on the tunnels construction were Italians. The rock removed to create the tunnel was an astounding 49,000+ cubic meters and the gangers would work in shifts to complete the tunnel. Five million bricks were made and used in the tunnels construction.

Soon after its construction, the Otford Tunnel became problematic with traffic as more and heavier trains started to use the line. Many trains would have to roll back to Stanwell Park station after stalling or having both travelers and engine crew of the trains, choked and asphyxiated in the tunnel. The engine crews only option was to shut off the engine, engage the brakes and roll back to Stanwell Park. Engine crew would split the carriages and make several trips up to Waterfall then reattach the full load and continue on. Many a story has been circulated by passengers and crew recounting stories of their torture through the Otford Tunnel. Although a tablet system* was introduced making the passage between Stanwell Park and Otford safe, the massive 1 in 40 grade made it very steep and difficult for heavy steam trains heading north.
*Only one train was allowed on the section at a time making it safe. The driver would pick up the tablet from Stanwell Park Station and head to Otford Station. Trains behind him could not leave Stanwell Park until the first driver had relinquished the tablet at Otford. This would be relayed to Stanwell Park that the train had successfully passed through the tunnel and the next train could continue.

In 1891 the powers that be decided to cut a ventilation shaft into the roof of the tunnel to aid in clearer and cleaner air. This was done approximately halfway into the tunnel at a depth of approximately 60m deep with the main vent shaft being 2m wide which expanded into the top of the tunnels roof forming a pretty impressive cone. This worked for a certain period of time but the problems of soot and smoke continued as time went by. Larger trains and more of them with greater loads compounded the problem. Other methods were needed to remedy this problem.

As the years went by, suggestions at the time (early 1900’s) consisted of a rope or cable to haul the trains through the tunnel, electrifying the line between Stanwell Park and Waterfall with a third rail being laid in the Otford Tunnel to provide the electrification as the roof had not enough clearance. Ideas that never came to be as plans for the deviation were in discussions and by 1908 the deviation was being re-surveyed to give a 1 in 80 grade. By 1909 the powers that be attempted another way to overcome the severe problems of soot and smoke. The installation of a massive blower system was initiated with a false portal being installed at the front of the original portal at the northern end. An engine room was constructed just outside the northern portal housing a massive gas engine, (later replaced with a steam engine). This would blow air through the tunnel south along the roof and walls clearing the tunnel of fumes and smoke in minutes. This remained in operation until the remaining section of the deviation works were completed in 1920. There was a delay in the completion of the deviation between Otford and Coal Cliff due to the war, and full operations on the new deviation didn’t swing into action til October 1920. The blower fan was later purchased by the Lithgow Mine in 1923 and was overhauled and converted into an exhaust fan at the mine.

After the Otford Tunnel was decommissioned on October the Tenth 1920, it became a nice walk for pedestrians as a shortcut between Stanwell Park and Otford. My favourite story of the Otford Tunnel revolves around the rectangular concrete brace holding up part of the tunnel just inside the southern end. Fears of a Japanese invasion had the government at the time securing all beaches around Sydney. Upon a successful invasion, the government had plans in place to prevent making the spoils of war easy. A plan was devised to blow up all bridges up and down the coast with the Sydney Harbour Bridge being the one exception. A ’scorched earth policy’ was also hatched and the Military ordered a test explosion which involved blowing up the Otford Tunnel to prevent intrusion of an advancing hostile enemy. The army exploded a demolition charge in the roof 30-odd metres in the southern end of the Otford Tunnel completely blocking access in 1942.

Years passed and water had banked up behind the fallen earth creating a dam. Hardly anyone could walk right through after the tunnel was blown in, although there are stories of some people being able to crawl through a small opening in the earthen heap, emerging at the Stanwell Park end during times of drought when not much water was present in the tunnel. During the early 60’s the mushroom farmers leased the tunnel to cultivate mushrooms. Sometime in the 70’s the mushroom farmers cleared the fallen debris from the explosion and erected a rectangular concrete brace to allow passage once again. By the late 80’s the mushroom cultivators had vanished and the land was leased to another company which ended up not allowing anyone to enter the area. During the late 80’s early 90’s several attempts by State Rail to restrict access to the tunnel had been implemented and shortly after vandalised and failed.

In 1999 the State Rail Authority deemed the tunnel unsafe due to erosion and past human actions. In 2000-2001 the Sydney Water Corporation made plans to have a sewerage pipe routed through the tunnel to link Stanwell Park to the sewerage system. Presentations were made to the Heritage Council who were advised of several other proposals but had considerable costs involved. The proposal were:

1. a pipeline laid partly following Lawrence Hargrave Drive with two pumping stations required in restricted areas;

2. a new tunnel to the cost of $8 million;

3. construct a pipeline over Bald Hill with similarities to the 1st proposal with greater environmental impact.

The cost to use the disused Otford Tunnel was quoted in section 60 of their application as being in the range of $500,000.00 to $1,000,000.00. After consideration by the members of the Heritage Council the members agreed that the presentation by Sydney Water to have been poor and lacking in detail. After much debate and working out of finer details, the council approved the application with several conditions.

• the pipe should be fixed to wall with non-ferrous fixings, preferably into the joints, and otherwise conform to Recommendation 1 of the Heritage Impact Statement (HIS);
• further consideration be given to reducing the visual impact of the pipe;
• the pipe should be buried at the south portal to conform to recommendation 4 of the HIS. The pipe is to be buried as far as possible in the tunnel without disturbing significant archaeology. The minimum length for the buried portion of the pipe within the tunnel, from the portal is 20 metres;
• that the location of the SPS4 pumping station conform to recommendation 6 of the HIS, but the precise location, elevations, construction details and details of any associated equipment be subject to approval by the Director of the Heritage Office. The detailed plans are to include the relationship of the pumping stations and associated equipment to the curtilage boundary of the item and to significant archaeology like the track bed;
• the pipe should remain buried from the south portal to SPS 4 pumping station and beyond it as in recommendations 5 and 7of the HIS;
• the nominated excavation director must be present to monitor any excavation works and to record any archaeological features that are located. Significant relics should not be removed and should be retained in situ. The pipeline is to be diverted around relics if found;
• the works will be supervised on site by a consultant/s experienced in the conservation of similar heritage items;
• the repair works required to the tunnel, to enable the installation of the pipe, must be carried out prior to or in parallel with these works. The repair works will require a separate section 60 application where they are in excess of the Standard Exemptions. These repair works must include items 10, 12 & 15 of the Recommendations of the HIS described by Edward Higginbotham & Associates;
• a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) should be prepared and endorsed by the Heritage Council prior to the repair works being carried out to inform the future management and interpretation of the heritage item. The CMP should include consideration for limited public access to the tunnel;
• a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) should be prepared and endorsed by the Heritage Council prior to the repair works being carried out to inform the future management and interpretation of the heritage item. The CMP should include consideration for limited public access to the tunnel;
• a photographic archival record shall be prepared including black and white prints and colour slides prior to the commencement of works. Copies are to be lodged with Wollongong Council and the NSW Heritage Office prior to the commencement of works;
• a photographic archival record as described above shall be prepared of any significant fabric uncovered during the course of the works. Copies are to be lodged as described in i);
• a photographic archival record as described above shall be prepared at the completion of the work. Copies are to be lodged as described above;
• a Heritage Agreement must be signed by Sydney Water (as applicant for the work), the State Rail Authority (as owner of the heritage item) and the Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning to cover the conservation, adaptive re-use and maintenance of the heritage item;
• the Heritage Council notes that as the proposal has the potential to improve visitor access to the tunnel a strategy that will facilitate safe public access and interpretation of the tunnel will be prepared to the satisfaction of the Heritage Council.

The last point has interesting implications from a rail and historic enthusiast point of view. I look forward to seeing what comes of it if anything. I remember reading a comment posted online from a surveyor who had passaged through the tunnel recently to survey it for the Water Board. I don’t think much has become of the proposal because as of October 2009, nothing has disturbed the growth of lantana and other weeds encroaching on the northern portal entrance of the Otford Tunnel, let alone the presence of a sewerage pipe. Nothing is in the tunnel except the remains of the mushroom cultivators machinery at both the entrance at the northern end, and a piece of machinery in the middle near the ventilation shaft.

Accessing the northern end of the Otford Tunnel is almost impossible if you don’t know how to access it. Access through the old driveway is now block as mentioned before, and western access is almost impossible. Cutting through the school is a commonly used access route but is fraught with danger such as lantana thick as aerosol cans and stinging nettle, not to mention the alignment floor is now a nice water reservoir. The false portal is still present although the whole portal can barely be seen because of weed infestation. Upon entry, you are immediately greeted with piles of rubbish abandoned by the mushroom farmer. Once passed, the floor of the tunnel is in very bad shape with areas completely washed away exposing the original 3 brick high water culvert which runs the entire length of the tunnel. Black walls are still present with the occasional chalk graffiti on the walls and some modern rubbish carelessly discarded on the tunnel floor. (nothing compared to the mess left behind by the mushroom cultivators). The tunnels length is astounding and just goes on and on, dead straight till the light at the northern end is a small speck. The tunnel must of been hell to travel on via a steam train. Towards the bend and end of the tunnel, the roof dramatically appears closer to you as the amount of erosion and earth run off has build up the area around the southern end. So much has washed down that the first manhole in from the southern end just pass the concrete brace, is at knee height. Much graffiti and vandalism has occurred at the Stanwell Park end including the damage and removal of four layers of bricks on the left side of the portal which lined the tunnel and entrance.

The Otford Tunnel is truly a magnificent feat of engineering and hard work. The work involved just boggles ones mind when you consider man power made the bore and lined it with an artwork of bricks. Hats off to the gangers. Well done, even though the tunnel had a relatively short life of 32 years.

Otford Tunnel, 121 years old and still there.

Opened: 3 October 1888

Closed: 10 October 1920

The Otford Tunnel is listed on the State Heritage Register as item number 1219.

http://www.nswrail.net/locations/show.php?name=NSW:Otford+Tunnel

Les anciennes locomotives à vapeur fonctionnaient grâce à la chaleur incroyable produite dans la chaudière. Dans celle-ci on y brûlait un combustible afin de transformer en vapeur l’eau contenue dans la bouilloire. Au tout début on utilisa du bois mais son facteur thermique étant pauvre on le remplaça plus tard par du charbon de type anthracite. Ce dernier était tout indiqué pour les maisons pour l’était beaucoup moins pour les locomotives, car l’anthracite était un charbon “dur” qui prenait du temps à brûler. Quand on découvrit le charbon bitumineux on su qu’il serait beaucoup mieux pour les locomotives. Plus tard, on utilisa dans certaines locomotives une huile très épaisse: le bunker. Ayant une consistance pire que la mélasse (à titre d’exemple) on dût utiliser des jets de vapeur pour le liquéfier afin de pouvoir le faire brûler adéquatement dans la chaudière. Ce sont les Russes qui décourirent cette méthode.

Une des choses qu’il fallait surveiller de très près était la pression de la bouilloire. Ainsi, pas assez de pression faisait que la locomotive était poussive et trop de pression risquait de déclencher les soupapes de sûreté et dans le pire des scénarios, une explosion. Sur la photo du haut, on peut voir que le cadran pouvait mesurer jusqu’a 400 livres par pouce cube. Disons qu’il valait mieux éviter de pousser l’aiguille jusque là…

Anyone who likes trains knows that at one point in history, the steam locomotive ruled the country. But in the late 1940s, the diesel locomotive started to dominate the transportation empire, and the steam locomotives were scrapped or left to rust. There were certain types of locomotives like the NYC Hudson that were all torched, not a single NYC Hudson survives today. But anyway, if you look in the February 2009 edition of TRAINS magazine, you will see an artical about a resurrected UK steam locomotive. Its true! A trust foundation in the United Kingdom rebuilt a dead steam locomotive! They started in 1990, and finished in 2008. There is now an A1 4-6-2 steamer running once again. It took 18 years and $6 million dollars, but they rebuilt a lost locomotive! Now on page three of the artical, you will se a bit on if we were to re-build a steam locomotive, which would it be? The Union Pacific ‘Big Boy’ came in first,altough I don’t think that’s quite fair. Don’t get me wrong, it would be amazing to see a locomotive that huge to operate! But the A1 pacific was a dead engine, there were none of them left. They didn’t just put an existing locomotive in operating condition, they started completly from scratch. That’s what I think we should do! I was disappointed to see that the Pennsylvania T1 duplex came in second-to-last (sorry to be grouchy, the T1 is one of my favorites), I would love to be able to see one of the 1930s streamliners in action! So I’m going to start my own polls, send in comments and let me know which locomotive you would like to see re-built. I’ll be back with the results!

TRIANG
R52 BATTLESPACE
LOCOMOTIVE
IN EXCELLENT CONDITION
WITH SMOKE BOX
UNBOXED
A GREAT PIECE OF MODEL RAILWAY HISTORY

This triang R52 Battlespace Locomotive is from our range of collectable Battlespace. The Battle Space series was available during the second half of the 1960’s, it consisted of a range of standard models adapted for military purposes. The Battle Space range was quite large and for the first two years was very popular.

Triang R52 BattleSpace Locomotive, from triang Trains

Image Credit

Internationale parce qu’il s’agissait d’un concert de j-rock (rock japonais). Catastrophe parce que… Misss Paramount l’a raconté mieux que moi, mais elle est bien trop gentille. Sans doute pour ça que je fais encore partie de ses  amies depuis… une dizaine d’années.

Donc elle m’avait convaincue d’aller hier à un concert des Abingdon boys school. -c’est le groupe de Takanori Nishikawa -de TM Revolution. Pourquoi Abingdon Boys school eh bien en référence à l’école britannique où les membres de Radiohead ont étudié. C”était la première fois qu’ils venaient en France.

J’avais pris les billets, il y a quelque temps déjà, et j’étais passée les récupérer samedi dernier. Rien que de très normal. Alors que nous devisions sur msn – je sais il y a des synonymes, taper une causette, chatter… mais j’ai un faible pour deviser, on ne se refait pas, c’est délicieusement suranné, et de toute façon dans 10 ans, chatter sera également suranné. Et puis je déteste ce verbe, ce mot qui m’a donné tant de fil à retordre alors que je travaillais sur les chats, les bêtes à quatre pattes, qui ont des moustaches, font miaou et griffent. de temps en temps. Tapez donc chat sur google, même en 2001, vous auriez vite compris vote malheur. A l’époque, souvenez-vous, quand on voulait deux mots dans la même page, il fallait écrire en toute lettres et en majuscules “AND” ou “ET”, je ne me souviens déjà plus trop, ou “+”suivant les moteurs de recherche. Souvenez-vous, yahoo était un annuaire et non un moteur de recherche. Souvenez-vous, on utilisait les uns après les autres lycos, voila et les deux déjà cités. Donc bref, quand on cherche tout sur le félidé, on trouve tout sur le bavardage. Voyons le bon côté des choses, ça m’a fait travailler mon anglais, -cat- mon allemand -Katze- et même j’avais essayé de comprendre aux gatto italien. Allez, puisque je suis lancée sur les félidés, si vous connaissez le nom chinois des chats, mettez-le en com. Indice : mot chinois connu dans le monde entier.  Mais revenons à nos Abingdon.

Donc, alors que nous devisions sur msn avec misss paramount, je lui demande si elle ne pouvait pas passer à la maison parce que j’avais besoin de son aide cet après-midi. Avant ou après le concert me répond-elle ? Ce serait peut-être mieux après. Pour une question de lumière naturelle, non, lui réponds-je -oui, je sais, ce n’est pas beau lui réponge, alors si vous préférez, lui rétorqué-je -, je préférerais  avant le concert.  Petite inquiétude de sa part puisqu’elle avait l’intention de faire deux trois choses, entre autres déjeuner, et elle me demande l’heure du concert, histoire de savoir à quelle heure nous devions partir.  Comme j’avais sorti les billets de mon sac dimanche soir, histoire de ne pas les perdre-, je les attrape, ouvre la pochette d’un agitateur bien connu, prends mes lunettes, que j’installe sur mon nez et surtout devant mes yeux et… lui annonce 17h00. Pas 5 h00, 17h00, ce que je venais de voir.

Bizarrement, Misss Paramount, qui avait vu l’annonce du concert, puisque c’est elle qui m’en avait parlé, mais qui c’était plus tôt. Que nenni lui affirmé-je, -plus exactement j’ai du taper “ben non”- c’est bien assez tôt comme ça. Et pour en rajouter une couche, je lui sors que jamais, au grand jamais, je ne mets les pieds au théâtre par exemple à … 15h00. Il y a des baffes qui se perdent. Et des tonnes même.

Donc, elle passe, sniffe mes thés, qui parait-il sont à base de thé vert-, m’aide pour plein de trucs, prend un café, et nous papotons. Il était tôt, il faisait froid. Elle sort d’une bonne crève, pas la peine qu’on soit deux malades demain décrété-je, on ne part pas trop tôt. Et puis, illumination, elle me demande s’il y a une première partie. Euh ben … je sais pas.  donc je sors les billets, que j’avais remis dans mon sac entre temps. Il était 15h30. Elle jette un coup d’oeil, un seul, et pousse un cri. Le concert était à 15h00…

Je peux vous dire que j’ai attrapé le premier gilet que j’ai trouvé, sauté dans mes botte, et que nous sommes parties sans que je vérifie toutes les lumières. On s’est jetées dans le métro. Elle avait beau dire qu’il n’y avait pas mort d’homme, on me ferait ça, moi je crois que j’en voudrais très longtemps à la catastrophe en question. Au moins une semaine. Et ça c’est la dose pour mes meilleurs amis.  Les autres… pas grave, je ne vais pas au concert avec n’importe qui après tout.

Pour la description du concert, je vous renvoie à son blog, ici http://misssparamount.livejournal.com/2581.html pour les autres photos aussi d’ailleurs.

TRIANG

TRIANG 464 TANK LOCOMOTIVE

This is an excellent locomotive which is available to buy from triang trains massive collection of original vintage model railway

TRIANG 464 TC TANK LOCOMOTIVE

HORNBY DUBLO

CITY OF LONDON LOCOMOTIVE

Hornby Dublo City Of London Export

TRIANG 159
TRANSCONTINENTAL LOCOMOTIVE
IN RED AND GREY LIVERY
IN EXCELLENT CONDITION
UNBOXED
FROM THE FIFTIES PERIOD
EXCELLENT RUNNER
MADE IN AUSTRALIA
RARE COLLECTORS PIECE
AS WITH ALL OUR TRAINS
THIS LOCOMOTIVE HAS BEEN
SERVICED AND TESTED

This locomotive was made in australia in the fifties period,at Moldex Ltd. And would make a great addition to any collectors set. This excellent train is available to buy from triang trains who have a wide variety of locomotives to suit everyone.

TRIANG 159 TRANSCONTINENTAL LOCOMOTIVE

The overnight rain passed and left us with a pleasant October day.

We were only to glad to be out to publish the Good News again!

Sir Nigel graced us with his presence, even though he was creating his own black clouds!

Their were a number of people about, enjoying the brief spell of dry weather.

We were set up and ready to speak:

Ready and waiting.

Looking up Market Place

 The first lady to stop said she believed in God and Jesus but was interested in other religions also, especially Buddhism.

While this may seem attractive on the surface, any study of the many, so called gods, quickly reveals their total incompatibility.

In Buddhism there is no actual Supreme Being, no personal God, its actually a very ancient form of Atheism.

Life is about escaping suffering through spiritual disciplines!

The Christian Faith revolves around the existence of a self existing, personal God.

One who is pleased to reveal Himself in time, ultimately assuming real human flesh and suffering on behalf of His people.

Exodus chapter 3 verse 14:  And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

Matthew chapter 1 and verse 23:  “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Mark chapter 10 and verse 45:  “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

 There is no common ground between Christianity and Buddhism. Like all man made religion Buddhism is at best a self improvement programme and ultimately futile! The Good News Christianity brings is that of the Saviour God who does for us what we could never accomplish by our own efforts.

Acts chapter 4 and verse 12 is very clear:

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Nick was able to explain to this dear lady that sin prevents us enjoying God’s presence here or hereafter. That if we are ever to know God and enjoy any assurance of His favour then one must be found who can remove our sin, cancel the record of our madness. That One Is Jesus Christ, and no one else, certainly not you or I with our imperfect ‘good works’.

Romans Chapter 6 and verse 23:  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

If you have been labouring under the delusion that all religions are equal, perhaps even ‘drawn’ to Buddhism, then you also need to be directed to the Son of God who willingly gave His life for the sins of His people, the one and only way to God.

John chapter 14 and verse 6 is quite clear:   I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Please contact us at:  ryedaleevangelicalchurch@yahoo.co.uk if you need more information or help.

TRIANG C I E

IRISH HYMEK DIESEL LOCOMOTIVE

TRIANG IRISH HYMEK DIESEL LOCO

TRIANG

R653 S
CONTINENTAL PRAIRIE

Triang double dome continental prairie, from triang trains

ROVEX PRINCESS ELIZEBETH PLUNGER AND TWO LMS COACHES
THERE IS WARPING TO THE COACHES WHICH IS COMMON TO THESE EARLY ACETATES
ALL IN ORIGINAL BOXES WHICH ARE IN FAIR CONDITION
RUNS FANTASTIC IN BOTH DIRECTIONS
WOULD MAKE A NICE PIECE FOR A COLLECTOR
OR TO USE ON YOUR OWN LAYOUT
FROM THE EARLY FIFTIES PERIOD
AS WITH ALL OUR TRAINS
THIS LOCOMOTIVE HAS BEEN
SERVICED AND TESTED

This super set is available to buy from triang trains massive collection of vintage model railways.

Rovex plastics Ltd was founded in 1946 by Alexander Venetzian who used to make the toys for marks and spencer. This train set was based on the LMS express locomotive.

Rovex princess Elizebeth plunger

HORNBY DUBLO

1215 CANADIAN PACIFIC LOCOMOTIVE AND TENDER

This is a very rare locomotive which was made in the fifties period, at the binns road factory in liverpool. Meccano Ltd decided to launch their own oo scale system, in 1938 and Hornby Dublo was born.

Hornby Dublo canadian pacific locomotive, from triang trains

Por fin sabemos lo que ha dicho el juez en el caso de Mägo de Oz. El grupo interpuso una demanda a su discográfica, Locomotive Music, “por incumplimiento de los contratos discográficos”.

Efectivamente la sentencia (fechada a 25 de Septiembre) reconoce que Locomotive Music “incumplió su obligación de liquidar” 257.553 copias de discos del grupo que había publicado con esta compañía, es decir, que de todas estas copias el grupo no obtuvo los beneficios que le correspondían.

El esquema por discos quedaría así: 65.886 copias de “Gaia”, 13.195 de “Jesús de Chamberí”, 30.620 de “La leyenda de La Mancha”, 96.885 copias de “Finisterra” (este es el que se lleva la palma), 23.996 copias de “Belfast” y 26.971 de “Folktergeist”.

Como dicta su página web “dicha sentencia estima  la demanda y declara resueltos, por razón del incumplimiento de la demandada, dichos contratos discográficos (de fecha 1 de octubre de 1996 y 1 de julio de 2001)”.

Además, se condena a la discográfica a devolver a los miembros del grupo las grabaciones originales o “masters” realizadas por los artistas mientras cumplían su contrato y se les prohíbe usar los fonogramas que tengan de ellos en sus almacenes (o que lleguen a ellos “como consecuencia de su retirada del mercado”) en un futuro (ni grabación, ni edición, ni reedición, ni comercialización, ni distribución).

Obviamente, el grupo considera que ha perdido mucho dinero en este tiempo, por ello, no es de extrañar que “conforme a dicho pronunciamiento judicial los miembros del grupo Mägo de Oz reclamarán ahora, una vez se evalúe, la correspondiente indemnización  por daños y perjuicios”.

Ahora solo cabe esperar si ha sido un fallo de la compañía con un grupo que mueve tanto capital como este o si es una política habitual dentro de esta. Es difícil de determinar, sobre todo porque han mantenido silencio con este caso, pero debemos tener en cuenta que Locomotive lleva grupos como Sex Museum, Circus o Dikers.

HORNBY DUBLO

DUCHESS OF MONTROSE TRAINSET

This is an excellent original boxed train set as one would expect these would bring the highest prices
by the serious collectors of  vintage model railway.

This train set is available to buy at a great bargain price of £250.00 from triang trains superstore of vintage model railways

Hornby Dublo duchess of montrose trainset

HORNBY DUBLO DUCHESS OF MONTROSE LOCOMOTIVE

A rare opportunity to purchase this stunning example of an orgiginal hornby train from the Uks Premier site for Triang. Commonly regarded as one of the premier Hornby Locomotives this original Duchess of Montrose loco is a bargain at only £85.00

AS WITH ALL OUR TRAINS
THIS LOCOMOTIVE HAS BEEN
SERVICED AND TESTED

Hornby Dublo Duchess of Montrose from Triang Trains

One of the best main riffs ever:

Un buen (grande) playlist de los Guns ‘n fucking Roses con subtitulos en Castellano:

I should be making KÖB Railcar 2.0 at the moment, but unfortunately the loft ladder is stopping me. You may recall that the loft in our new apartment now houses the model making desk, which is wonderful and I’m happily messing it up, but unfortunately the ladder to the loft (installed -at a guess- in the late 1970’s) squeaks and creaks like mad when opened so I’ll have to wait a bit until the boys are really sound asleep before attempting to open the thing. It’s a tough life.

So in the meantime I’ll blather on here. Assuming that I’m going to make ‘Spitzenwald’ like my mid 1990’s model of Aysgarth, I’ve a pretty clear idea what I need to run the it. I know British and European methods are different, but Aysgarth wasn’t remotely realistic anyway, and the KÖB will run how I think a railway ought to, which isn’t necessarily how German railways work either. I’m assuming that Spitzenwald will have a regular passenger service for schools and commuters, which will be early because schools start at 0745 in Germany. I reckon a railcar will be the minimum for this. Later, I’d expect a half-hourly passenger service, which I expect to use Railcar 2.0 for, probably attached to a coach, so I’ll need to use a shunter to release it so looks like I’ll be making Westerooge diesel 2.0 as well, unless I make a driving trailer. Whatever passengers travel in, it’ll probably also have the odd wagon on the back so the shunter will be kept busy.

Unless I assume a larger sawmill or similar nearby, that could be it, with a few wagons alongside. Of course I am assuming a larger sawmill, and probably a container unloading terminal -neither of which are far fetched in Germany- so eventually there will have to be a few more wood and container wagons, and a couple of bigger diesels to get them up the horrendous gradients. The diesels will naturally lay over in the siding at the back, although they will have to move off by evening because I expect the railcar will be stabled there overnight.

TIme to get looking at suitable prototypes- except that I’ve not heard anything from the boys room in ages, sl I think I’ll risk opening the loft.

The weather is good today, visitors are fewer, but there’s plenty of opportunity to talk about knowing God through Jesus Christ.

Park Street and Station

The Ropery

Market Place, and yes, that's me.

Fire Brigade are out.

The Train is on time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But Much More Important, so are we!

Bringing words of light and truth to the dark world of Pickering.

Speaking

Waiting

 

My main conversations today were with two separate young women , both called Sarah.

The first one had no understanding of the Gospel, yet believed she ‘might’ meet God one day. Was she perfect? By her own admission she tried to be, but she knew she wasn’t.

Trouble is, God is perfect and His heaven is place for ‘perfect’ people.

Matthew 5:48  “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

I had the privilege of explaining that ‘perfection’ is God’s gift to those who hear and obey His Son:

Matthew 19:21  Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

 You must choose between your possessions and Jesus Christ, otherwise you become just like the the young man referred to above.

Matthew 19:22  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

The other Sarah, a young mother, knew that the Gospel were in the New Testament, but knew nothing of its message.

She stood and talked, grappling with what she was hearing about her personal sin and her need of a personal Saviour, she eventually gave way to her young man who insisted on leaving.

Reminds me of Felix when Paul sought to teach him the Truth.

Ac 24:25  Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.”

 DON’T PUT OFF TILL TOMORROW

WHAT GOD REQUIRES TODAY.

FOR MAN’S TOMMORROW

AND GOD’S TODAY NEVER MEET.

Duncan Matheson

Light and Life.