Pix © Skip Cottage
Pix © Skip Cottage
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Morton Castle
Pix © Skip Cottage
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At the re-opening party
"The train now arriving at Platform 1 ..." was a steam hauled special to celebrate the re-opening of the Carlisle-Settle line which had been closed for more than a year following a landslip at Eden Brows, the traction provided by No 60103 Flying Scotsman.
Lots of enthusiasts were out in the countryside to see Flying Scotsman traverse the line. Examples are here and here. See it passing Eden Brows, the site of the landslip, here, and going over the Ribblehead viaduct, here. And here's a taster of what it was all like from the train!
Photos © Skip Cottage
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Glengonnar Camp
The West Coast Main Line passes Glengonnar, and when I first moved down here to Skip I would look out of the train window when travelling from Lockerbie to Glasgow, across the river, and see if I could pick out the wooden huts through the trees. Then one day, I realised they were no longer there, and I learned that the camp had been demolished.
Passing Abington in my car recently I stopped off with my camera.
One of the postcards had been sent to an address in England in 1955. It says, "Dear Aunty Ruth. Having a great time here. Weather is very changeable. The food is not very good."
My own memories are of having lots of fun in a variety of outdoor activites, an abortive attempt to walk to the source of the River Clyde, and taking part in the camp concert in some discomfort, having staved my thumb taking part in a 'wide game'. On arriving home, my parents took one look at my hand, and a short time later I was waiting in Accident and Emergency at the Southern General Hospital. Yes, my thumb turned out to be cracked. My first broken bone!
The whole Glengonnar site is currently for sale, in five lots, see here.
Original photos are © Skip Cottage
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Trains and boats ... and the garden
Last time I saw the SS Sir Walter Scott she had a coal-fired boiler. She has since had a major rebuild but retains her original Matthew Paul and Company triple expansion steam engine, but now has two Cochran Wee Chieftain boilers running on bio-fuel. She looks good for being more than 100 years old! Built by Denny Bros Ltd at Dumbarton, she was dismantled before being transported by barge to Inversnaid on Loch Lomond. From there, she was taken in pieces to Stronachlachar by horse-drawn cart, where she was reassembled and made her maiden voyage on Loch Katrine in 1900.
I look forward to a wee sail on Loch Katrine during the summer.
Pics © Skip Cottage
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Just a trickle
This is the Wamphray Water today, looking somewhat different than it did back in 2014, here.
Now that I've mentioned how dry it has been, I'm sure it will all change soon. But hopefully things will not be as bad as Storm Frank brought in 2015, here.
Pics © Skip Cottage
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The Girl from Milngavie
The women's race had a 5.30 pm start. The sponsors of Team WNT make quality tools for metal cutting, see here. My father, Peter Cowan, was a machine tools representative, so this team had my support on the night. All the teams were presented before the start.
I cannot find words to say how I felt yesterday morning as I learned about the events that had occurred in Manchester the night before. Life has to go on of course, but it was appropriate that there was a minute's silence observed before the race started. Moving.
I walked round the course, and who should I pass but Dame Sarah Storey, observing the progress of Team Storey, but especially cheering on her sprinter EJay Harris.
Did I mention there was a men's race too?
Photos © Skip Cottage
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Making shopping fun
Nostalgia!
Thanks to the helpful staff of the Buchanan Galleries, to the models and their 'wrangler' Mhairi, and to Fiona Best. Pix are © Skip Cottage.
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Ardkinglas
The estate website is here. For a bird's eye view of the house and surroundings, see here.
Photos © Skip Cottage
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Two Lakes
Providing the traction for the day was No 42073 British Railways Fairburn 2-6-4 tank, built in Brighton in 1950. Two of these Brighton-built locomotives survive in preservation on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway although one (No 42085) is currently in the engine shed, minus its boiler.
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MV Teal (see here) was doing duty yesterday.
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MV Teal was built at Barrow in 1936. Sections were transported to Lakeside by rail, and the boat assembled there.
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I travelled back to Haverthwaite to get some more pics of 42073 in action.
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Heading to Lakeside.
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On my previous visits to the shed at Haverthwaite I would probably have paid little attention to No 20214. However, a recently article in the Railway Magazine about these Class 20s has meant I was able to appreciate the locomotive rather more! Details of 20214 are here and here.
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After Haverthwaite, I headed home via the Kirkstone Pass and stopped off at Glenridding on Ullswater. I liked this shot of action on the water, taken from the steamer pier.
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I had hoped to see MY Lady of the Lake, and was not disappointed. Here she is seen departing Glenridding. The vessel was launched on 26th June 1877, and is believed to be the oldest working passenger vessel in the world. Designed by Douglas Henson of Penrith, she was built at Rutherglen, transported in three sections by rail to Penrith. The sections were pulled by horse to Waterside near Pooley Bridge, where she was assembled. Originally steam powered, she was converted to diesel in 1936. More details here.
A trip on board now goes on to my 'to do' list! The Ullswater Steamers website is here.
Pics © Skip Cottage
The short ride was popular yesterday, passengers including two tour groups which were heading for a boat trip on Windermere.
A trip on board now goes on to my 'to do' list! The Ullswater Steamers website is here.
Pics © Skip Cottage
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Moffat Classic Cars at 20
The weather was good for both days of the show, and the showground packed with cars on Sunday.
Pics © Skip Cottage
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Through the lens
This roach is a little bigger than I'm used to.
Some days I feel like this this when I look in the mirror!
"I'm not a pheasant plucker
I'm a pheasant plucker's son
And I'm only plucking pheasants
Til the pheasant plucker comes."
"See that old bloke in there? If we stare at him long enough, he'll remember to fill the feeder!"
Photos © Skip Cottage
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Edinburgh Fringe at 70
I had done my homework, so first up was a performance by Helen Wood entitled 'The O.S. Map Fan Club'. For anyone who has ever walked anywhere, and appreciates paper maps, rather than digital maps on a phone or tablet, this is a must see. Great fun! Dressed the part, Helen took us a walk along a route on an Explorer map with illustrations, facts, explanations, reminiscences, poetry, and impressions. Audience interaction too - I got to hold her lunch flask for the duration!
Just a wonderful easy comic performance. And now I've got the Fan Club badge to treasure into the future.
See Helen at theSpace@Surgeons' Hall at 11.55, just until August 12.
Just brilliant - music, comedy, dance ... and lots of drumming. They got a standing ovation, so I doubt I need to say more!
Until August 27, at 15.15. So if you want a mid-afternoon treat, this is for you ... if you can get a ticket!
'Concerto a Tempo d'Umore' slotted in perfectly, and was a brilliant choice. This was performed by the Orquestra de Cambra de l'Emporda from Catalonia. They are a twelve-strong string orchestra, but this is not classical music as you might expect it. The group make music fun, a physical comedy, with audience interaction and involvement! I'll not write a spoiler by describing what happens in more detail. As one reviewer put it, "An original way to enjoy classical music!" Very, very clever. For all ages, not just an old guy like me.
They got a standing ovation! One of the best hours I've ever spent at the Edinburgh Fringe! I loved it.
The orchestra are here within the Aurora Nova group's celebration of international, physical and visual theatre. They perform in the Music Hall at the Assembly Rooms in George Street at 17.00 until August 27. Go see them, and be royally entertained. You may even get to conduct!
Stewart D'Arrietta, vocals and piano, does a good job with his take on many of Cohen's favourites. I liked the band. Philip Alexander on accordion, melodica, and backing vocals; Tom Bancroft on drums; Graeme Steven on guitar; Heather Macleod on vocals. The star was David 'Demus' Donnelly on bass guitar. Don't know what he was on, but I would like some of it! His enthusiasm was wonderful to see. I understand he put the band together.
Welcome to the Church of Leonard! I particularly enjoyed a version of 'First We Take Manhattan', a long time favourite. And of course the performance finished with a rendition of 'Hallelujah'. Cue ear worm for the rest of the night.
Live music in the Ballroom of the Assemby Rooms, George Street, at 19.45 until August 27.
Wow! Not only is Sam a great actor, he is a singer and musician. He shares the stage with Maks Kubis, a talented instrumentalist, who acts as a foil to Sam's performance. But this was a tough watch in places. It is described in the Fringe Programme as a 'hilarious, harrowing journey'. 'Hilarious' (as it was at times) and 'harrowing' (that too) are good adjectives to describe the experience. 'Losing Days' is Sam’s own story, acted out splendidly with incredible honesty. Mental illness is not a comfortable subject for most people, and, by my generation at least, is not talked about much. Huge congratulations to Sam and all involved in putting this performance together!
I drove home with my emotions in tatters. 'Losing Days' was a Fringe experience I will remember for a long time! Not for everyone, I think, but if you are up to be challenged, go see this! Until August 27. There's a good interview here if you want to find out a little more.
"Sam, we definitely need to talk!"
Images from flyers and posters.
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More fishes
Photos © Skip Cottage
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Time to move on
This was the perfect place for me when I became Editor of the Scottish Curler magazine back in 2002, and for seven years this is where the magazine was put together, prior to it being printed up in Dunfermline each month.
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I fell in love with Skip because of its large garden, and I've spent many a happy day pottering therein, and gradually improving it.
Me? A new chapter in my life beckons in North Ayrshire. New places to explore, new friends to make. This blog will have to close down soon - at least I hope Skip will sell soon - and I trust that whoever buys the cottage will enjoy it as much as I have done in the past 15 years.
I suspect that I will still need an outlet for future meanderings with my camera, so look out for a new blog in due course once I get settled in Largs! In the meantime, wish me luck.
Pics © Skip Cottage
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