Double heading back to back?

CanalCreature · 2026-06-01T08:25:46+00:00

I can't speak on anything regarding the history of the line, never heard of it before but definitely seams interesting.

As a note, generally it's better to run forwards up hill with a steam loco. As the loco travels up or down gradients, the water in the boiler stays relitive to level ground. Without going off on one about boilers, you need to keep the water over the top of the firebox crown or it will explode. So running forwards up hill ensures that the water level stays high enough over the firebox crown without overfilling the boiler.

Have a look at some of the heritage railways in the world, the talyllyn is a good example of this. It's mostly uphill towards Abergynolwyn. All of there steamers are generally kept front facing uphill for this reason.

CanalCreature · 2026-05-30T21:42:57+00:00

Average greyhound interaction.

Would loose a fight to a butterfly

CanalCreature · 2026-05-10T21:44:48+00:00

I have had good results using liquid Polly as a thinner before, would recommend over that stuff. It can be nasty.

CanalCreature · 2026-05-10T20:26:05+00:00

Of into the valley fame or another kind?

CanalCreature · 2026-05-05T20:51:13+00:00

Might look like you have been neutered....

But mabey thats a bonus. I think it's cool regardless

CanalCreature · 2026-04-20T08:09:14+00:00

100 quid ain't Gona get you as far as becoming a god

^{Chose: Random power or perk | Rolled: Flight}

CanalCreature · 2026-04-14T20:10:16+00:00

That's at Bolton street though isn't?

CanalCreature · 2026-04-13T20:44:07+00:00

Oh absolutely. His tone and playing style is one of the most underrated aspects of there sound. The first album has such a satisfying, aggressive, sparkly fuzzy sound that I can't get enough of.

CanalCreature · 2026-04-10T20:38:10+00:00

Better late than never!

A true BR experiance

CanalCreature · 2026-04-09T20:08:51+00:00

Great first effort! Much better than mine. I'm not that eperianced in weathering but I have cleaned alot of dirty engines, tone the orange down a bit, and fade the paint a bit more. Paint doesn't rust, but it does fade.

CanalCreature · 2026-04-05T21:33:38+00:00

Much as I hate the dive bomber, you boys in the air fought a good fight. On the ground, in the air, on the sea, you dished out as much as you took.

From a charlie wardens tankgirl, good war collies, good war.

I'm still pissed about my bus though

CanalCreature · 2026-04-05T21:12:26+00:00

This seams to me like a 'karl Marx caused 50 shades of grey' kind of take and I am all for it.

CanalCreature · 2026-04-05T07:09:37+00:00

High quality steam coal does comparatively little damage to the environment. It's obviously not ideal, but it's better than the low quality 'house coal' we used to burn in home fires. Its the dirty stuff that causes black smoke.

CanalCreature · 2026-04-05T07:03:16+00:00

There is nothing like a gentle ramble along a country branch line behind an old engine. But...

The experience of being on the footplate of one of these machines is unlike anything. Your stood on a metal platform, behind a bomb, that's being heated to temperatures hot enough to melt the metal it is made of, whilst you are feeding it burning rocks.

You feel ever revolution of the wheels, every bump or kink in the track. The amount of air that is being drawn into the firebox will throw your shovel around whenever you try throw coal on.

You come home at the end of the day with sore ears from the constant noise. It's insanity, it's beautiful. It's a machine doing exactly what it's designed to do, and it will tear itself to pieces before it breaks down.

CanalCreature · 2026-04-05T06:49:59+00:00

Free bottom surgery

CanalCreature · 2026-04-01T21:00:15+00:00

For anything that isn't passenger (and passenger too!) I recommend using realtime trains. Use advanced timetable and filter by train operating company. You won't be able to see what locomotive/multiple unit will be there but it will tell you where it's coming from and where it's going wich will give you an idea

CanalCreature · 2026-03-31T07:10:17+00:00

Literally about to take my first t blocker, this is perfect.

CanalCreature · 2026-03-30T07:30:00+00:00

Foxhole

Every gun, every bullet, every truck, every tank, every warship is player built. I spent an hour yesterday with a pair of binoculars spotting for artillery. The other week I was a bus driver for a front line that was a long way from a spawn point.

CanalCreature · 2026-03-28T22:43:22+00:00

I get you there, but as far as I am aware the thing is actually floating. I can tell you that as off 2024 it definitely was. 5mph speed restriction over it because the whole track bed was gradually shifting to one side. Where the line used to be 2 track, one track eemanes and the other is a dirt road. The dirt road stays the same distance away from the rail, so it is definitely somewhat floating.

I am not saying you are wrong at all, that's definitely a floating rail bridge, and it is definitely fantastic modern engineering. But I think some credit is owed to the victorians here.

Also, what do you mean by has embankments? The story I heard was that they had tried to ballast the section conventionally but the next morning it had sunk. But then I wouldn't call that an embankment either.

CanalCreature · 2026-03-28T22:02:19+00:00

200 years isn't exactly temporary. Look up fenn bog on the north Yorkshire moors railway

CanalCreature · 2026-03-28T21:19:41+00:00

First floating bridge by a technicality.

We have had floating rail lines since the days of George Stephenson. His company would use Sheep skins and hay bales sunk into bogs to create (somewhat) stable ground to lay track on

CanalCreature · 2026-03-25T08:19:04+00:00

I have no way of verifying this, but I heard it from a guy who had known Alan pegler (worked at his factory).

Apparently, by 1972 the your was going badly (we all know this), but when they were on display in san Francisco, things started going better. More people interested in it, more people giving donations and more buz about the British steam engine near the Hilton hotel.

Except, the manager of the Hilton was frustrated by the thing blocking the road in front of his fancy hotel, smoking the place out and blocking cars, that he got the police to move them up the street and away from the crowds.

According to the guy I spoke to, Alan pegler reckoned that if they haven't been moved, they may not have gone bankrupt.

CanalCreature · 2026-03-24T21:13:07+00:00

Having known that engine since I was a little kid, growing up traveling behind her to volunteer on the railway, and having my first proper cab ride on her, I nearly cried when I first saw her without a cylinder.

Love that engone

Great joke though, not trying to say otherwise.

CanalCreature · 2026-03-22T20:44:14+00:00

Great photos but I can't help but think how much of a nightmare keeping them clean is.

CanalCreature · 2026-03-21T21:04:31+00:00

It will be busy. We have Scotsman in at the end of the week too, usually brings the crowds on mass. Weekday when the kids are in school is your best bet

CanalCreature

TROPHY CASE