British Steam Power - Now Including Field Trip To York, 22nd April

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Yes, I know that Captain Anderson would disapprove, but I got the AA BIG BOOK OF STREAM TRAINS at Lidl yesterday. It has a whole guide to actual working steam railroads that you can go and visit and ride on - even a section about how to BECOME a train driver!

So let's talk about Steam Engines. And old trains. And the restoration and visiting thereof.

And possibly even plan a Psychogeographical Rambling Association field trip to ride one, perhaps in May when the bluebells are out.

― The Lidl Shop Of Horrors (kate), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 11:34 (nineteen years ago)

For Xmas and birthday I always have to buy my dad steam train DVDs. One he got this year claimed on the back to have "hot footplate action"!

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 11:40 (nineteen years ago)

On a related note, IKB turns 200 on April 9th this year.

― robster (robster), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 11:43 (nineteen years ago)

Hot footplate action, oh yes!

I'm trying to remember the last time I was actually on a steam train. Probably in South Africa, when I was a child. It was an overnight train from the airport to the coast. It wasn't restored, it had just never been exchanged for a diesel. It was marvellous - I wanted to go up front and look at the engine, but my grandparents had got first class tickets so we were far *away* from the engine, and we only got to see it when we went round corners.

x-post, wow! That's the day before my birthday! Which gives me an idea for the theme of my party/walk this year!

― The Lidl Shop Of Horrors (kate), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 11:45 (nineteen years ago)

Funnily enough, I was on a steam train yesterday, in West Yorkshire. We got free mince pies.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 11:47 (nineteen years ago)

pete waterman to thread...

list of excursions for 2006:
http://www.uksteam.info/tours/trs06.htm

there was one that would go past along the track alongside our old office in brentford every couple of months. was either flying scotsman or the orient express. found a website for it but it was hellishly expensive.

― koogs (koogs), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 11:48 (nineteen years ago)

Blimey, those look great! I would love to ride on the Flying Scotsman, but fear it would be v. expensive.

There is a Brunel Special on the 9th April, but it goes from Bristol. Oh my. Might have to do one of the London ones on the 8th instead.

― The Lidl Shop Of Horrors (kate), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 11:51 (nineteen years ago)

Steam trains look fantastic. The ONLY half-decent thing about Didcot is the Railway Centre with loads of old steam trains and depots. WHen I used to live in Didcot and catch the train into Oxford, they'd be an enormous steam train go through the station every other morning. Smelly and slow and noisy, but absolutly beautiful.

I've just had a brainwave. Didcot is rubbish, but the area around it is the most picturesque place evah. We can do a steam train/ Oxfordshire countryside walk! You will not be disappointed! And on your birthday! OMG!

― Johnny B Was Quizzical (Johnney B), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 11:53 (nineteen years ago)

Ed must not be back from Cape Town yet...

― The Lidl Shop Of Horrors (kate), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 11:55 (nineteen years ago)

went past Didcot (home of the Cloud Factories) on the way Home for christmas. and gloucestershire itself seems to be full of similar places - Severn Valley (http://www.svr.co.uk/), Gloucester Warwickshire Railway (http://www.gwsr.com/) etc. got dragged around them all as a kid.

― koogs (koogs), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:10 (nineteen years ago)

This book arranged all of them by region of England, and Wales/Gloucester and the Southwest did seem to have the highest concentration.

― The Lidl Shop Of Horrors (kate), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:12 (nineteen years ago)

The easiest steam-train place to get to from London is probably the Mid-Hants Railway (http://www.watercressline.co.uk/) - it's the nearest to London that has a direct connection to main-line trains. There's also the Bluebell Railway (north of Lewes), the Kent and East Sussex railway (south-west of Ashford) and the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway (minature trains, near Folkestone)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:14 (nineteen years ago)

(that's apart from Didcot, I mean. Didcot has lots of impressive steam engines but you can't travel behind them for more than a couple of minutes. It *is* the best place for IKB-related stuff, though, because it has some Broad Gauge track and a replica engine)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:15 (nineteen years ago)

Now that you have your own house, and this book, a model train layout surely awaits. OO or N gauge?

look!!

(I wish I had the room &/or the time)

My favourite is the LMS Coronation Scot I had to dig deep to remember the name of that one. I '30's streamline style.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:33 (nineteen years ago)

If I had the room for it, building a model layout would definitely be on my list of things to do.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:35 (nineteen years ago)

God, I would love to have a model railroad in my house, but I haven't really got the space. When I was a kid, my brother and I turned the whole attic (well, of one wing at least) into a model railroad world. Though we were in different gagues at first, as I insisted on working in N and he was the next size up... damn, I can't remember...

Ha ha, New The Coronation Scot: The streamline era on the LMS by Edward Talbot so close and yet so far... It was Edmund, not Edward, but he was a big fan of steam, to Captain Anderson's great bemusement.

― The Lidl Shop Of Horrors (kate), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:38 (nineteen years ago)

I want to go to York now... they've got the Mallard on display, apparently:

http://www.iknow-yorkshire.co.uk/tourist_pictures/york_17.jpg

(And a Shinkansen, though I generally disapprove of that sort of thing.)

― The Lidl Shop Of Horrors (kate), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:40 (nineteen years ago)

Pedantically, the next size up would be TT (or 3mm), but it's fairly rare. The common next size up is OO (4mm, UK only) or HO (3.5mm).

Ooh, we should have a FAP at the York railway museum!

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:41 (nineteen years ago)

That museum in York is awesome. Well worth a trip up. I'd def. be up for a fap @ the York museum! (x-post)

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:42 (nineteen years ago)

HO, that was the one! How could I forget HO RR Monthly? I am getting old...

York FAP and a trip to the Museum? That would be an excellent idea, actually.

― The Lidl Shop Of Horrors (kate), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:43 (nineteen years ago)

Pashmina, have you visited their branch museum in Shildon?

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:44 (nineteen years ago)

This thread needs more photos:

ihttp://www.nrm.org.uk/flyingscotsman/images/large/CD050534.jpg

― The Lidl Shop Of Horrors (kate), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:47 (nineteen years ago)

Damn. Well, it's the Flying Scotsman, anyway.

― The Lidl Shop Of Horrors (kate), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:48 (nineteen years ago)

Well, I took lots of pictures of a steam train yesterday. Unfortunately (as I also said on the WYDLL thread recently) as I still use a 35mm camera, they haven't been developed yet.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:49 (nineteen years ago)

(x-post)No, I haven't. There's actually a little working steam railway even nearer us (near Stanley) that we keep meaning to visit on Sunday, but we never seem to get round to it.

Somewhere at home, I have a bunch of model railway magazines from the early '70s, there's a series called "stronelacher saga", where this guy had invented a highland narrow-gauge railway, and scratch built all these little locos, the scenery, bridges, houses etc. The photos are unbelievably great, I'll have to scan them in. The magazines are from iirc 1972, and I sometimes wonder if "stronelacher" still exists in someonse's attic or not. I guess the likelyhood is that it's creator is no longer with us, and the layout has been trashed. Sad to contemplate!

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:57 (nineteen years ago)

Hah, I have a big pile of copies of Railway Modeller from the 1980s somewhere at the back of my wardrobe.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 12:59 (nineteen years ago)

So, any suggestions as to *when* we should have a York FAP?

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 13:13 (nineteen years ago)

Planning? You expect *planning* from the PRS?

― The Lidl Shop Of Horrors (kate), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 13:15 (nineteen years ago)

(Or was it PRA? I'm so rubbish with acronyms. Where are Ed and Emsk when you need them. Oh, right. Cape Town and Wales.)

― The Lidl Shop Of Horrors (kate), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 13:16 (nineteen years ago)

It was PRA at the start of the thread, but changing it to PRS half-way through seems in the spirit of the organisation somehow.

I'd like to steer clear of February, because I'm planning to go to London in the middle of the month, and Wales at the end (for Steam Power related exploits, indeed), and there are other things to fit in then too.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 13:18 (nineteen years ago)

my dad used to be steam train crazy when he was a kid, i still have all his scrap books of old pictorals of assorted engines and loads of signal translations. I think I will try and post some scans in tonight, he drew some pretty amazing covers.

I guess i should give them back to him, I think he'd be pretty pissed if something ever happened to them. Actually I don't know why I have them in the first place.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 13:26 (nineteen years ago)

Incidentally, I think this thread really should mention some of the wonderfully-named parts which you get on steam engines. To whit:

Drain cocks (snigger)
Clack boxes
Snifting valves
Vacuum ejectors
Horncheeks
Return cranks
Expansion links
Valve eccentrics

I used to be a qualified signalman (or "signaller" rather nowadays) on a steam railway, but my qualification has lapsed for lack of practice.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 13:27 (nineteen years ago)

Horncheeks?

::sniggers uncontrollably::

― The Lidl Shop Of Horrors (kate), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 13:28 (nineteen years ago)

I'm not *entirely* sure what a horncheek is, but I think it's the guide bars that an axlebox slides up and down between. These are also just called 'horns' or 'hornguides'.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 13:33 (nineteen years ago)

Yes! We have steam trains today. I went on one recently, the Haworth-Keighley line, I think:

ihttp://www.kwvr.co.uk/guidebook/images/side-haw.jpg

It was aces.

I also have this album:

http://www.neverendingmusic.com/steam.jpg

And this one:

http://www.vinyllives.com/vinyl2004/images/thumbs/3136.jpg

― emil.y (emil.y), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 15:36 (nineteen years ago)

Does that album have actual recordings of huffing stream trains and the like? That sounds like the best thing ever! I would want to listen to that while I go to sleep.

― The Lidl Shop Of Horrors (kate), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 15:37 (nineteen years ago)

Oh yes! It's very good. I really love all kinds of sound effects records, but the steam train ones are certainly the most relaxing. You can sometimes hear sheep in the background and everything.

For some reason the second record didn't work. Let's try again:

ihttp://www.vinyllives.com/vinyl2004/shopexd.asp?id=2216

― emil.y (emil.y), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 15:44 (nineteen years ago)

Bah. Nevermind.

― emil.y (emil.y), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 15:44 (nineteen years ago)

I seem to be able to see the second record. Memories of Steam, yes?

― The Lidl Shop Of Horrors (kate), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 15:47 (nineteen years ago)

My dad has lots of those records.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 15:49 (nineteen years ago)

(and the KWVR was the railway we visited yesterday)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 15:50 (nineteen years ago)

I seem to be able to see the second record. Memories of Steam, yes?

Yes! It is just a blank space on my computer. Can everyone else see it?

― emil.y (emil.y), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 16:55 (nineteen years ago)

We've been to Shildon! (And York, Swindon and umm somewhere else I forget now)

Its amazing when you see how much it was responsible for, factory/manufacturing wise. and how small the village is now.

The usual thing: The recreations of the housing of the fifties reminded me of our house in south shields in the mid sixties.

Now, somewhere up there is a working version of Stephenson's Rocket. I don;t want to guess, I'd only get it wrong.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 17:02 (nineteen years ago)

Heh, the recreation of the housing of the 70s reminded me of our house in the early 80s.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 19:46 (nineteen years ago)

Is the working Stephenson's Rocket at the Beamish museum?

Anyway, here's a photo of a Rocket replica, if not that one. I took it about ten years ago.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a342/forestpines/rocket.jpg

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 21:06 (nineteen years ago)

This thread needs more photos

Minehead, 14 April 2005

http://www.chrisjeffs.co.uk/images/minehead.jpg

http://www.chrisjeffs.co.uk/images/nunneycastle.jpg

the KWVR was the railway we visited yesterday

Way back in 1988, for my g/f's birthday I booked us on a "Murder Mystery Trip" on the KWVR. We spent the evening going back and forth between Keighley and Oxenhope behind an unrebuilt Battle of Britain while eating dinner in the dining car. And then the lights went out and someone met a grisly end. Best birthday treat ever, g/f still says.

― chris j (chris j), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 21:21 (nineteen years ago)

Lovely photos indeed!

Aren't there several Rocket recreations? I think I'm seen one. But it might have been the miniature one at the Science Museum.

― The Lidl Shop Of Horrors (kate), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 10:52 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, there are several.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 12:58 (nineteen years ago)

My late Grandad was an engine driver and actually drove Mallard! He was based at Doncaster and joined the North Eastern Railway (I think it was called that, anyway it was pre-LNER) during the first world war, aged 15, as an engine cleaner and then fireman. He passed as a driver in the mid 1920's and worked on local trains, shunting etc until just before WW2, when he graduated to 'top-link' duties at Grantham, meaning that he was driving expresses to London, Newcastle, Edinburgh etc. Most of the time he was driving A4 and A3 Pacifics. He drove the Flying Scotsman (the loco, not the train) several times. 'His' engine was 4467/600021 'Wild Swan' - he drove that more than any other, including on the day of his retirement from British Railways in 1960. We have some great photos of him on the footplate - the classic engine driver with pipe and flat cap!

― Dr.C (Dr.C), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 13:34 (nineteen years ago)

Oh no, Captain Anderson's nightmare:

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1861/june/rebel-steamboats.jpg

STEAMBOATS VS. SAIL: FITE!!!

― I Can't Be Bothered To Think Of A Clever Screenname (kate), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 14:40 (nineteen years ago)

J M W Turner's The Fighting Temeraire to thread.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 14:57 (nineteen years ago)

God, I hate Turner, but if you insist...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/ce/Turner,_The_fighting_Temeraire.jpg/300px-Turner,_The_fighting_Temeraire.jpg

― I Can't Be Bothered To Think Of A Clever Screenname (kate), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 15:00 (nineteen years ago)

ooh, let's go to york we can get farmer James to come along.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 15:10 (nineteen years ago)

Steam Engines, *and* James?!?!? yes! yes! Let's go!

― I Can't Be Bothered To Think Of A Clever Screenname (kate), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 15:11 (nineteen years ago)

Let me try and work out when I'm going to in the country for two weeks at a time

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 15:13 (nineteen years ago)

See, this is why the PRS is so bad at planning. Sigh.

― I Can't Be Bothered To Think Of A Clever Screenname (kate), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 15:14 (nineteen years ago)

I mean, we can't even decide if we are the PRS or the PRA. Let alone get membership cards printed. :-(

― I Can't Be Bothered To Think Of A Clever Screenname (kate), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 15:16 (nineteen years ago)

I thought we were LPWS

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 15:25 (nineteen years ago)

Oh no! There was a stage when we were the LPRA, but that was discounted as it excluded Johnney B and the other non-Londonders!

― I Can't Be Bothered To Think Of A Clever Screenname (kate), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 15:27 (nineteen years ago)

The Jacobite - this train travels through my most favourite part of Scotland.

One of my best memories of my 04' Camping Adventure is my first glimpse of the Jacobite puffing past the road. We raced on ahead to a little humpty-back bridge over the railway and were immersed in hot steam as it puffed under us.

http://www.road-to-the-isles.org.uk/jacobite-train.jpg

It also travels over the stunning Glenfinnan Viaduct - a red deer herd is resident underneath.

― Rumpie (lil drummer girl parumpumpumpu), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 15:47 (nineteen years ago)

Who is Farmer James?

I'd love a trip to York, but it can't be any time from mid-Feb to mid-March.

Partly because I am planning to go and do train-related stuff in Wales.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 15:52 (nineteen years ago)

Ooh I missed this thread. I want to come to York. I never visited the railway museum during the three years I lived there, and now one of my friends works there cataloguing the library of train stuff, yay.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 15:57 (nineteen years ago)

If your friend works there, can he/she take us around all the special bits that The Public don't generally get to see?

― I Can't Be Bothered To Think Of A Clever Screenname (kate), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 15:58 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe! I'll have to check she's still there, as she was nearly finished cataloguing everything last I heard.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 16:07 (nineteen years ago)

At the top of this thread, I said:

Funnily enough, I was on a steam train yesterday, in West Yorkshire. We got free mince pies.

Now, I've got the photos!

http://www.symbolicforest.com/stuff/kwvr06/kwvr1.jpg

http://www.symbolicforest.com/stuff/kwvr06/kwvr3.jpg

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Sunday, 15 January 2006 20:35 (nineteen years ago)

More here.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Sunday, 15 January 2006 20:54 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

Revive! We are still going to York on the 22nd April?

― I'm Not Afraid Of Singularities (kate), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 14:08 (nineteen years ago)

Are we doing two days or one? We could combine York with a walk or a steam railway if we went for two.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 14:10 (nineteen years ago)

I'd like to stay overnight, if that's possible. I do know a good hostel in York, if I could just remember what it was called... sure its phone number is on a Lollies itinerary somewhere.

― I'm Not Afraid Of Singularities (kate), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 14:13 (nineteen years ago)

Could be up for this.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 14:14 (nineteen years ago)

What steam railway did you have in mind? The KWVR is the only one I can think of in Yorkshire that has good public transport access.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 14:15 (nineteen years ago)

Please come, Pash! It would be awesome to see you again.

― I'm Not Afraid Of Singularities (kate), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 14:16 (nineteen years ago)

Woo York! I think I still want to come too, though it's the weekend before Matt's 30th birthday and I don't know what we're doing for that yet...

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:08 (nineteen years ago)

You could take him away for a surprise weekend somewhere .... the North of England, maybe? ;-)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:09 (nineteen years ago)

I'm not sure his idea of a good birthday surprise is going to look at steam trains with interweb mentalists (and I do include myself in that group...)

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:14 (nineteen years ago)

They have non-steam trains there too, you know

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:16 (nineteen years ago)

Oh yes. Well, still...

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:17 (nineteen years ago)

It's my special birthday treat. Even though it's about two weeks after my real birthday.

― I'm Not Afraid Of Singularities (kate), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:17 (nineteen years ago)

This does of course mean travelling on the GNER. Cheapest Tickets are £72 return, each. Crazy and annoying as it seems, I would much rather a 2 hour train journey with pic-nic of nibbles and pink wine, it may be cheaper to hire a car.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:34 (nineteen years ago)

£72?!?!? You're kidding me! And we're booking at least a month in advance, surely they should be cheaper? Can we not do a "book four, get half free" thing? At that price, yeah, let's hire a car. Blimey.

― I'm Not Afraid Of Singularities (kate), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:36 (nineteen years ago)

GNER are stingy and have massive, and increasing, franchise permiums to pay. They also started out with higher thaqn average fares due to increases after the ECML upgrade in the BR days.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:38 (nineteen years ago)

I would have thought that there would still be cheaper London-York tickets available given that it's over a month away.

(I'll be getting there by car myself anyway)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:41 (nineteen years ago)

...so that's why we always drove to Hull instead of taking the train. Man! It would suck that trainspotters had to DRIVE to the train museum, though. But £72 is steep. You could probably fly there for less.

― I'm Not Afraid Of Singularities (kate), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:42 (nineteen years ago)

It's only £100 ish to hire a ford focus/renault megane for the weekend. Between 5 that is pretty reasnoble. Say £50 on petrol (high estimate).

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:43 (nineteen years ago)

It's only £100 ish to hire a ford focus/renault megane for the weekend. Between 5 that is pretty reasnoble. Say £50 on petrol (high estimate).

A Zafira, seating 7, is £129.

We should get numbers and I will book.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:45 (nineteen years ago)

That sounds a lot more reasonable, as much as I hate to admit it. Who's coming from London, then? You, me, Emsk... Archel, would you take the train to London and then drive up with us?

And will we have to pick up Farmer James along the way, or will he make his own way there? (He can sit on my lap if space is tight. Ha-hem.)

― I'm Not Afraid Of Singularities (kate), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:47 (nineteen years ago)

£74 for a whole modeo from hertz. I'll do some shopping around and see how cheap I can get it. We can have a mercedes for £114.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:50 (nineteen years ago)

Yes I'd come to London and meet you. I'll check tonight with Matt. How much for a helicopter? ;)

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:50 (nineteen years ago)

Petrol guideline: with my little 998cc car, it costs me £40 to drive to London and back, which is a similar distance as London to York.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

I don't know anything about the names of these cars, but I think we should book the biggest one that is reasonable, and I'm sure we can get people to fill it. (Cat said that Darren might be interested, for a start...)

― I'm Not Afraid Of Singularities (kate), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:53 (nineteen years ago)

Basically our choices are 5 seats or 7 seats. We get one for the number of seats we can fill

Already up to 4, or is that 5 including Cat? Does Emsk make 6?

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

Emsk did say she wanted to come, but is in Germany at the moment so she can't reply. Cat just asked why I was going to York and when I told her, said "ooh, Darren might be interested in that!" She has not committed to anything, in fact I haven't properly asked her.

I don't know how many people you are counting!

― I'm Not Afraid Of Singularities (kate), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:57 (nineteen years ago)

You and I are definate.
Archel, Emsk and Darren are maybes.

Forrest Pines is independant.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 17:01 (nineteen years ago)

Let's try and nail this this week before prices rise. Mind you, booking cars is wierd, as long as you book direct with the hire place you seem to be able to canlce cars even after the booking has commenced and incur no penalty.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 17:04 (nineteen years ago)

Well, I've now asked if they fancy coming, by car.

Are we picking up Ambrose/Farmer James on the way, or will they make their own way across th'mooooors?

― I'm Not Afraid Of Singularities (kate), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 17:04 (nineteen years ago)

Not sure, I haven't even asked them yet. I shall do so directly.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 17:07 (nineteen years ago)

Tell Farmer James he can ride on my lap if there's not space!

No, wait, don't tell him that. Eep.

― I'm Not Afraid Of Singularities (kate), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 17:09 (nineteen years ago)

I'm in if there's room. Farmer James! Ambrose! Yay!

― suzy (suzy), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 18:04 (nineteen years ago)

bump

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 9 March 2006 12:01 (nineteen years ago)

Catty is in Paris this week and not answering email. Sigh. Do we have to make the decision now, or can we put it off until Monday? Have you heard back from the Northerners?

― I'm Not Afraid Of Singularities (kate), Thursday, 9 March 2006 12:03 (nineteen years ago)

Ambrose is a yes, but can make own way with Morris/train. Not heard from james yet, but he does have transport.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 9 March 2006 12:10 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe someone (who isn't me, because I just get shouted at) could go on the Mod Board and ask to have the title changed so people know we're going on a field trip?

Like, "British Steam Power! - Now Including Field Trip To York, 22nd April"

― Fish is Biodegradable! (That Means It Rots) (kate), Thursday, 9 March 2006 12:26 (nineteen years ago)

Wow, thanks, moderation forces that be!

― Fish is Biodegradable! (That Means It Rots) (kate), Thursday, 9 March 2006 12:31 (nineteen years ago)

fast work, eh?

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Thursday, 9 March 2006 12:33 (nineteen years ago)

If we are motorised we can always got to the NYMR, which is my favourite.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 9 March 2006 12:43 (nineteen years ago)

What is the NYMR?

Also, we will have a STEREO if we are motorised, and we can bring CDs and play them!

― Fish is Biodegradable! (That Means It Rots) (kate), Thursday, 9 March 2006 12:44 (nineteen years ago)

North York Moors Railway, it is very very pretty, and you can stop off at the village they film heartbeat in, it used to be a much nicer place before it was heartbeat this and heartbeat that.

The last car I hired (ford mondeo) had a CD playing stereo and a minijack in the glovebox into which you could plug an iPod or similar.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 9 March 2006 12:46 (nineteen years ago)

The NYMR is having a 'Swing and Steam Weekend' that wekend which sounds scary.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 9 March 2006 13:01 (nineteen years ago)

Swing, as in the music? Uhhh... no thanks. Can we ride on the Folk Train, or is that nowhere near?

― Fish is Biodegradable! (That Means It Rots) (kate), Thursday, 9 March 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

They have some really big engines though.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 9 March 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

Then again, maybe it would be OK if it was Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman and the Andrews Sisters music, instead of just silly people in ridiculous rockabilly clothes performing ridiculous dances while dressed like Betty Page.

― Fish is Biodegradable! (That Means It Rots) (kate), Thursday, 9 March 2006 13:05 (nineteen years ago)

I would suspect the former rather than the latter. 40s theme.

There is also, http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/ Which is a way to the south but is, of course towards London.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 9 March 2006 13:09 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, that's fine, then. I just think "swing" has such a negative association in the states.

I'm just worried that we are trying to pack too many things in to one weekend. How long do we plan on spending in the museum, for a start? I took hours, just in the London Transport Museum, which isn't even very large.

― Fish is Biodegradable! (That Means It Rots) (kate), Thursday, 9 March 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

James and I had to be thrown out, OK, well asked to leave when they wanted to close. It's pretty big and the wandering curators arew knowledgable and are happy to answer questions etc. One guy deonstarted the reversing mechanism for us.

Several hours I would guess. I shall check the GBG for suitable nearby pubs so that those less intesnsely interested people could have a retreat and regroup spot.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 9 March 2006 13:15 (nineteen years ago)

I may be up for this, if I'm free that weekend. If you're really keen you could take The Wensleydale Railway up to Leyburn on the 22nd to the Farmers Market.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 9 March 2006 14:18 (nineteen years ago)

Having examined financial situation I don't think I can commit to this :(

But if things improve nearer the time I will make my own way northwards...

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 9 March 2006 14:27 (nineteen years ago)

been there done that
I got hit by a train last weekend

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 9 March 2006 14:37 (nineteen years ago)

The NRM really is somewhere you can spend hours and hours in - it's enormous.

I can give lifts to people in Lincolnshire, East Yorkshire, South Yorkshire (well, not East *and* South Yorkshire at the same time) if they want to come.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 9 March 2006 14:42 (nineteen years ago)

The GBG recommends the Maltings, near the station, and museum. It promises an idiosyncratic interior, black sheep beer and huge portions served from the dragon's pantry.

― Ed (dali), Friday, 10 March 2006 10:02 (nineteen years ago)

Incidentally, I'm very intrigued by the front page of today's Guardian, with the teaser line "Simon Jenkins: Steam trains - the great aphrodisiac". I haven't read the article yet though.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Friday, 10 March 2006 10:03 (nineteen years ago)

(and I tend to disagree completely wiht about 75% of Jenkins' columns anyway)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Friday, 10 March 2006 10:04 (nineteen years ago)

A cursory glance suggests it's about how fanaticism is sexy, and how steam was revolutionary and therefore also sexy.

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 10 March 2006 10:08 (nineteen years ago)

qed, I am sexy?

― Ed (dali), Friday, 10 March 2006 10:15 (nineteen years ago)

We are all made of sex.

― Fish is Biodegradable! (That Means It Rots) (kate), Friday, 10 March 2006 10:35 (nineteen years ago)

Alternately, we are all made of steam. Which means we're full of hot air.

― Fish is Biodegradable! (That Means It Rots) (kate), Friday, 10 March 2006 10:35 (nineteen years ago)

hot, wet air

― Ed (dali), Friday, 10 March 2006 10:42 (nineteen years ago)

...that smells like yesterday's cabbage!

*ducks*

― suzy (suzy), Friday, 10 March 2006 10:55 (nineteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

Can we plan now, it's only three weeks away and I don't want thngs to get too spendy.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 30 March 2006 09:04 (nineteen years ago)

Oh god, yes. Sorry, I've had so much to plan with birthdays and gigs and whathaveyou.

Did those 19.99 tickets to York prove to be a tube myth?

I know I'm in, but I've no idea who else from London is coming. Cat and Darren are not coming, because they've got a houseguest.

― Wild Woman With Steak Knives (kate), Thursday, 30 March 2006 10:00 (nineteen years ago)

I'm still in! It's on my calendar and everything.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 30 March 2006 10:01 (nineteen years ago)

It says £19 to Leeds on their website. But the bastards want me to register to just quote me a price. Grrrrrr.

― Wild Woman With Steak Knives (kate), Thursday, 30 March 2006 10:04 (nineteen years ago)

Hang on, I must be registered with them - I've bought tickets through the site in the past.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 30 March 2006 11:13 (nineteen years ago)

The cheapest option still available as far as I can see comes to £41 for the return trip - you have to buy a pair of advance-purchase singles at £20.50 each.

They're still available on most trains that weekend, but not all.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 30 March 2006 11:17 (nineteen years ago)

God, they are liars, bah.

I guess the question is - is anyone else coming up from London?

Because if it costs more than £80 to hire a car then it's cheaper to take the train, even at those prices.

― Wild Woman With Steak Knives (kate), Thursday, 30 March 2006 11:18 (nineteen years ago)

If they run out by the time you book, the next tickets up are £55 for a pair of singles, then £72 for a Saver Return, then £82 for a pair of First Advance singles.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 30 March 2006 11:19 (nineteen years ago)

...which is what Ed quoted before, which is why we decided it was cheaper to hire a car.

I'm really starting to get organisation fatigue, so I really don't want to have to round people up. :-(

― Wild Woman With Steak Knives (kate), Thursday, 30 March 2006 11:20 (nineteen years ago)

I wouldn't have thought it *would* cost £80 to hire a car. Are you staying overnight in York?

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 30 March 2006 11:22 (nineteen years ago)

(incidentally, for me to drive to London and back costs about £35 in fuel - I'd expect a trip to York to use slightly more, and I have a small car, so allow £40 for that on top of your hire costs)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 30 March 2006 11:24 (nineteen years ago)

those advance purchase fares are new, I'd rather go by train in any case

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 30 March 2006 11:54 (nineteen years ago)

The advance purchase fares are quite awkward to find - there's a link on the trains/prices quote page that says "two single tickets might be better value", or something like that.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 30 March 2006 11:56 (nineteen years ago)

Excuse me being nosy, but youse might want to check prices on Hull Trains from London to Hull and then get a train or bus from Hull to York? Cos Hull Trains do v cheap deals if booked in advance I think.

http://www.hulltrains.co.uk/

― Robocock (noodle vague), Thursday, 30 March 2006 11:59 (nineteen years ago)

Aslo, if drinking in York is on the cards I might be up for this, maybe, hectic social whirl permitting, if that's okay?

― Robocock (noodle vague), Thursday, 30 March 2006 12:00 (nineteen years ago)

then get a train or bus from Hull to York?

Or a lift from me, obv.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 30 March 2006 12:02 (nineteen years ago)

(thinking about it, if you wanted to go via Hull Trains, getting off at Selby would make more sense than Hull)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 30 March 2006 12:04 (nineteen years ago)

OOh, only £30 to Hull, return! Ed, what do you think?

How big is your car, FP? Will it fit 3 or 4 of us?

― Wild Woman With Steak Knives (kate), Thursday, 30 March 2006 12:05 (nineteen years ago)

It would fit 4 of you if you didn't mind being a bit squeezed on the back seat.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 30 March 2006 12:06 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, I forgot it stopped at Selby.

― Robocock (noodle vague), Thursday, 30 March 2006 12:06 (nineteen years ago)

But... but... the Hottest Boy In The World and the Bass-Playing Historian (who works on the CD-ROM Domesday Book) live in Hull!

― Wild Woman With Steak Knives (kate), Thursday, 30 March 2006 12:17 (nineteen years ago)

It *is* a bit of a long way round, though.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 30 March 2006 12:18 (nineteen years ago)

Looking at the HT timetable, if you got the 9am from London you could be in York for about 12ish, via Selby. Their last Up train leaves Selby at 18.47

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 30 March 2006 12:21 (nineteen years ago)

I'm still up for this, & should be able to give a couple of ppl lifts by then if neccesary, as long as you don't mind a/Adam babbling on about Wallace & Gromit &/or b/the filthy prog rock music I listen to.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Thursday, 30 March 2006 12:25 (nineteen years ago)

Mr Norman, I am interested in this filthy prog rock music of which you speak. Do you got the legendary Nektar porn soundtracks?

― Robocock (noodle vague), Thursday, 30 March 2006 21:26 (nineteen years ago)

£41 return, specific trains, and returns appear to be running out fast, we are staying the night yes/no?

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 17:56 (nineteen years ago)

I don't mind. I have to be back for a gig on the Monday, but other than that, I am flexible.

£41 is fine, though.

― Tweed on Tweed (kate), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 17:59 (nineteen years ago)

I would invite you all to stay at mine, but I don't think The Parents would approve somehow.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 17:59 (nineteen years ago)

If the last train back is at a reasonable enough time to get after pubbing sort of time, then we should probably come back the same day? I was worried about people driving after spending the evening FAPping, but if we're going on the train, us drunkards can sleep it off.

― Tweed on Tweed (kate), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 18:03 (nineteen years ago)

Last Train on Saturday is only 20:04.

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 18:06 (nineteen years ago)

The GNER website timetable isn't entirely clear which train is the last. The last up train from York that definitely arrives in London is 1E24, which leaves at about 8pm. However, there's also 1E27, which leaves York at 21:51, but disappears from the timetable south of Doncaster (and doesn't appear on the Sunday timetable either). Presumably this is a mistake - there's no reason why it wouldn't leave Doncaster and *not* run to London, but you should probably check elsewhere.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 18:08 (nineteen years ago)

That's a bit early. Staying over would be good - maybe see some walls/castleage on Sunday morning/lunchtime? I need to look up the hostel, and will do so tonight, if I can find an old Lollies tour itenerary.

― Tweed on Tweed (kate), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 18:09 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, that was easy - it's online.

York Backpackers

£15 per person for dormitory accomidation, £19 per person if we want a private room. I've only ever stayed in the dorms, and it's perfectly civilised.

― Tweed on Tweed (kate), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 18:11 (nineteen years ago)

(one of the things I like about GNER - a very sad, geeky thing, I have to admit - is that they publish their trains' WTT IDs)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 18:12 (nineteen years ago)

I'm not going to be on the internet much over the next couple of days, make decisiions, plan, etc.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 5 April 2006 05:30 (nineteen years ago)

Well, I'm flexible. We need to poke other people, though.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 5 April 2006 05:31 (nineteen years ago)

I have too many things to poke people about already. Sigh. Can I get through my birthday first?

― Tweed on Tweed (kate), Wednesday, 5 April 2006 08:56 (nineteen years ago)

Not if you want to make sure you get cheap train tickets, I'd imagine.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 5 April 2006 09:07 (nineteen years ago)

Well, who is coming up from London? Me and Ed, as far as I can count from the recent interest. I only have so much YAY YAY LET'S ORGANISE!!! PEOPLE DO THINGS!!! in me.

― Tweed on Tweed (kate), Wednesday, 5 April 2006 09:10 (nineteen years ago)

If you're sure it *is* just you and Ed, get together and buy tickets! Book a hostel!

My co-worker Big Dave said we should go to the York Dungeon (special offer in today's Guardian) as he thought it was dead good.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 5 April 2006 09:14 (nineteen years ago)

Another thought: If a) there's only a few people coming up b) you're staying overnight in York c) you're getting a fairly late train back...

then on the Sunday we could drive off to either The Moors or Keighley and go for a *ride* on a steam train!

I know this was suggested upthread, but I thought I'd bring it up again.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 5 April 2006 09:40 (nineteen years ago)

ooh guys, go to keighley, it are gorgeous.

― emsk ( emsk), Wednesday, 5 April 2006 12:11 (nineteen years ago)

You get a rather shorter train ride at Keighley, though.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 5 April 2006 12:17 (nineteen years ago)

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