Rare sighting of a swallow

[JBuchananGB]

Sitting on Lancaster station today, my wife looked across at the Avanti brand station sign and said “Is that a bird?”. Sure enough, there it was, an Intercity Swallow on the supporting bracket. Anyone know where else such a bird may be spotted?

 

[Gloster]

African or European swallow?

 

[pdeaves]

Sitting on Lancaster station today, my wife looked across at the Avanti brand station sign and said “Is that a bird?”. Sure enough, there it was, an Intercity Swallow on the supporting bracket. Anyone know where else such a bird may be spotted?

Chippenham (https://www.flickr.com/photos/pdeaves/26051810288/ my pic)

 

[hexagon789]

Sitting on Lancaster station today, my wife looked across at the Avanti brand station sign and said “Is that a bird?”. Sure enough, there it was, an Intercity Swallow on the supporting bracket. Anyone know where else such a bird may be spotted?

Technically it's a swift , but the design is of course commonly referred to as the InterCity Swallow.

 

[43096]

Technically it's a swift , but the design is of course commonly referred to as the InterCity Swallow.

InterCity said it's a swallow, that's why it's called InterCity Swallow.

http://www.doublearrow.co.uk/sheets/IC_DG_Basic_Elements_Emblem_1.1988-08.jpg

 

[contrex]

Isn't there a bridge painted "Inter City" and a swallow just along from Bristol Temple Meads?

 

[irish_rail]

Several of them at Plymouth.

 

[BrianW]

Sitting on Lancaster station today, my wife looked across at the Avanti brand station sign and said “Is that a bird?”. Sure enough, there it was, an Intercity Swallow on the supporting bracket. Anyone know where else such a bird may be spotted?

A bird ... a plane ...

Google Search

Hard to swallow?
Avanti meaning 'let's go'
Making a swift exit now ...

 

[Jagdpanther]

Technically it's a swift , but the design is of course commonly referred to as the InterCity Swallow.

It's nothing like a Swift? It's a Swallow.

 

[pdeaves]

Isn't there a bridge painted "Inter City" and a swallow just along from Bristol Temple Meads?

As far as I can tell, there is no swallow: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pdeaves/39020087614/ (might be very well obscured, though)

 

[hexagon789]

It's nothing like a Swift? It's a Swallow.

 

[zwk500]

This thread has pictures of Coventry (linked post) and Plymouth (last post on Page 3) with Swallow branding on the Platform Name Boards: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/station-names-on-platform-lights.220093/#post-5229720

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Oct 2021 ==

View attachment 103633

Swallow: Swift:

(Original images at: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swallow/ & https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swift/)

 

[hexagon789]

This thread has pictures of Coventry (linked post) and Plymouth (last post on Page 3) with Swallow branding on the Platform Name Boards: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/station-names-on-platform-lights.220093/#post-5229720

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Oct 2021 ==


Swallow: View attachment 103634Swift: View attachment 103635

(Original images at: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swallow/ & https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swift/)

It wasn't so much I was arguing what was the more accurate but more how it the design basis was a swift, I know it is almost always referred to as InterCity Swallow but the original cast metal emblems fitted to HST power cars etc were based on Swifts (ie Swift in speed).

Actually based on our photos the tail in particular is more a hybrid between the two for a start.

 

[zwk500]

It wasn't so much I was arguing what was the more accurate but more how it the design basis was a swift, I know it is almost always referred to as InterCity Swallow but the original cast metal emblems fitted to HST power cars etc were based on Swifts (ie Swift in speed).

Actually based on our photos the tail in particular is more a hybrid between the two for a start.

Tbh I wasn't saying which it was but giving both for comparison.

 

[randyrippley]

Sitting on Lancaster station today, my wife looked across at the Avanti brand station sign and said “Is that a bird?”. Sure enough, there it was, an Intercity Swallow on the supporting bracket. Anyone know where else such a bird may be spotted?

Wrong forum
Should be posting on https://lancasterbirdwatching.org.uk/sightings/

 

[XAM2175]

Wrong forum
Should be posting on https://lancasterbirdwatching.org.uk/sightings/

They mean they saw a left-over bit of Intercity branding

 

[pdeaves]

They mean they saw a left-over bit of Intercity branding

I suspect randyrippley knows that

 

[randyrippley]

I suspect randyrippley knows that

 

[JBuchananGB]

Great to have stimulated a bit of interest. So far Chippenham, Coventry & Plymouth have been nominated to add to Lancaster. Any more for any more?

 

[D6130]

Until about three years ago, the house next to my local pub in Hebden Bridge had a polished cast metal Intercity swallow/swift emblem attached to the gable end. However, when the house was sold, the former owners took it with them.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

A Stainless steel version of the Inter City "Swallow" emblem, measuring 32 inches x 34 inches, sold for some £2,700 through specialist auctioneers GW Railwayana Auctions in November 2019. See link...

HST Intercity Swallow As Fitted To The British - Loco Items

HST Intercity Swallow as fitted to the British Railways Class 43 HST Power Cars. Stainless steel, measures 32in x 34in. In as removed condition.

www.gwra.co.uk

Other (possibly smaller) examples have also gone for several hundred pounds and sometimes more.

 

[irish_rail]

A Stainless steel version of the Inter City "Swallow" emblem, measuring 32 inches x 34 inches, sold for some £2,700 through specialist auctioneers GW Railwayana Auctions in November 2019. See link...

HST Intercity Swallow As Fitted To The British - Loco Items

HST Intercity Swallow as fitted to the British Railways Class 43 HST Power Cars. Stainless steel, measures 32in x 34in. In as removed condition.

www.gwra.co.uk

Other (possibly smaller) examples have also gone for several hundred pounds and sometimes more.

This is rather odd as I'm not aware of any other swallow going for such crazy money just this one. What was so special about this one? Generally they go for 300 400 quid max now.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What was so special about this one?

Good question! Might the one that went for £2700 be of a larger size than the less expensive equivalents?

 

[HST274]

African or European swallow?

The real question is, can a swallow carry a coconut?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The real question is, can a swallow carry a coconut?

Eh?

 

[Cowley]

The real question is, can a swallow carry a coconut?

Do you mean a European Swallow..?

 

[davetheguard]

The real question is, can a swallow carry a coconut?

I suspect there may be a couple of Monty Python fans on here....

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Ah, but African swallows are non-migratory...

 

[DerekC]

A hybrid! t's obviously a Swiffow. Presumably a bimode.