Monthly Archives: June 2014

Early Steam

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I suppose I became a ‘trainspotter’ at about the age of 12. Certainly my ‘bible’ of the time- Ian Allan Combined Volume which I still possess – is for 1961 when I was 13.

Chesterfield at the time had 2 main lines through the town, the third having closed some time previously. The main line was the London St Pancras to Sheffield Midland – formerly the London Midland and Scottish and this used Chesterfield Midland station. The other minor line was the old Great Central from Nottingham to Sheffield Victoria via Chesterfield Central. This fell victim to the 1960’s line closures in 1963 and the line now lies under Chesterfield’s Inner By-pass.ImageThe picture shows the last passenger train at Central, pulled by the Flying Scotsman. I’d like to say I remember the day – but I don’t!

Our main spotting place was a footbridge over this line which was then level with the main line.Image Towering above us was Horns Bridge which had taken the third line, the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway which eventually terminated at Lincoln. Passenger services stopped in 1951 and freight in 1957. We were always told that the 7 brick arches were the largest brick built structures in Britain, ImageThe image shows just two of those arches.

At this time of course just about all the traffic on British Rail in our area was steam. Passenger and goods – especially coal. The local services on the old Great Central were often hauled by locomotives from a class (B1) some of which were named after antelopes. Our greatest interest was on the ‘main line’. Passenger traffic was often hauled by LMS Jubilee Class locos, built at the time of George V’s Silver Jubilee in 1935, a follow on from the earlier Patriot Class. The Jubs as we called them were named after every member of the then Empire, Generals and Admirals, and after ships of the Royal Navy. A few Jubilees have been preserved,- like ‘Leander’ pictured hereImage but no Patriots. However a ‘new’ one is being built to be called ‘The Unknown Warrior’. 

The rarer visitors on named trains like the ‘Master Cutler’ could be Princess or Coronation class or even rare BR Standard Class Britannia or Clan locomotives.

I will continue with some more early steam accounts in my next post

Early Beer

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It was inevitable that I would be a beer drinker, following in my father’s footsteps. He had a few beers some evenings, mostly at the Chesterfield Miners Welfare which was conveniently at the bottom of our garden.

There were occasional times when the family would walk up the road to the Crispin Inn in Ashgate Road (picture below) and I, and later my brother, would be allowed to sit outside with a lemonade and a packet of crisps (complete with blue salt bag),  We were never allowed  inside of course.Image

As appears inevitable these days, the combination of the freehold pub company and Tesco want to turn this pub into a drive through shop. Good luck to those who are fighting this stupid idea.  I am pleased to say I have been back a few times on my visits to Chesterfield and it is a good local pub. (Since I wrote this the Co=op took it over!)

Like many I started drinking before the age of 18 – probably just over 17 – before that was wasn’t tall enough to ‘get away with it’! The beer came from places like the Barnsley Brewery and the Old Tom Mild was 1s 8d (8p) where as the bitter might be as much as 2 shillings (10p). Some of the pubs I would have been in nearly 50 years ago have long been demolished,like the Shakespeare in Saltergate pictured here. 

One memory is of a school (Chesterfield School as it was then) ecology trip to Robin Hoods Bay on the North Yorkshire coast.  We stayed at Boggle Hole Youth Hostel to the south, and those who had been on previous trips knew the clifftop footpath into the village and that the best pub was the Laurel Inn.ImageAbout a mile along the top in daylight was fine, but a tricky return – with a deadline when the hostel doors were closed. You could use the beach – but had to aware of the tide!

And then it was to London University and nothing changes in that finding the best local pub was important though we had a bar in the basement of our hall selling Whitbread Tankard for 2 shillings. Well we didn’t know any better then – it was long before CAMRA. Two of the pubs we used were the Marlborough Arms near Tottenham Court road and the Friend at Hand near Russel Square. Both good but the ‘Friend’ charged an extortionate 3 shillings!

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Me

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Me

One of many of my ‘Acting’ photos. That’s the other thing I do. mostly amateur but have done film extras work and some short films. You can actually find me on IMDB for Skylarks – a short film written by son James and ‘starring’ the pair of us. nominated for a screen writing award at next months  Portsmouth International Film Festival.

I am currently in Unexpected Guest – an Agatha Christie play at the Palace Theatre Paignton

Beer, Steam & Toasted Teacakes -the beginning

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On my 66th birthday – and with assistance from the boys setting it up – this is my first blog. So why the title? I have a passion for real ale, a love of steam in its many forms and am partial to the occasional toasted teacake.  

BEER I have been a member of CAMRA for many years and have recently become an active member of the South Devon Branch. So my blog will include reviews of beers and breweries and of course pubs.

STEAM My main interest is in steam railways – started when they were the real thing in my teenage years. Now I am an active member of the South Devon Railway which I shall mention from time to time, and also a member of the Welsh Highland Railway Society. But I also like traction engines, stationery steam engines and industrial steam such as mills.

TOASTED TEACAKES What is there not to like about them – plenty of butter which I probably should’t eat and a pot of tea. A test of a good cafe.