The Great Circular European Railway Challenge

[Glenmutchkin]

Not well known but worth listening to is 'The Ballad of John Axon' by Ewan McColl. This was one of his 'radio ballads', an hour long programme made for radio in the late 1950's I think. It mixed documentary, interviews and folk genre songs. It related the story of John Axon, a driver who bravely remained on the footplate of his '8F' 2-8-0 after its brakes failed on the grade down through Chinley in the Peak District. He received the George Cross [posthumously]. There are some good songs on the album.

Mick

That programme was repeated on Radio 4 (or maybe 4extra) a couple of months ago. Fascinating listen. I had never heard about it before.

We have just been able to add a 3 day visit to Matheran onto the end of our forthcoming India trip. Shame about the smelly diesels but at least its running.

That song literally brings a tear to every American train freak's eye... literally.

And I thought that Americans cried so easily because your pints are smaller than ours.

 

[Mark_Lester]

latest version, depends what the train looks like after it's been processed, and before the pair of you start yes I know it's a yankee train, it's also a steam engine and we stopped using them yonks ago.
I'm hoping the art dept can art deco-ise that image to something printable.

I've dropped the motto, but it could make it across the shoulders.that's doble printing so we'd want to stick something else on.

 

[Glenmutchkin]

That looks really good!

I think that we could probably live without the motto. It will be a bit old hat by July 2013.

Are those the definite dates? If so we can start sharpening up the website and things.

 

[Mark_Lester]

That looks really good!

I think that we could probably live without the motto. It will be a bit old hat by July 2013.

Are those the definite dates? If so we can start sharpening up the website and things.

dates are still a bit soggy, but we seem to have nailed a day of the week.
has to be late as possible in term time, but not encroaching to much into summer hols, so one week of either. I'll go check what that looks like. It's Lloyd and me who are fussy about this.

 

[Donbacsi]

Latest version: Now THAT is an "Alien" image bursting from the heart of the T. Belching more smoke than the Simplot Express which showered me with soot on the Zuglo platform last year. Shows excellent dynamic speed and power. Perfect.

 

[Glenmutchkin]

........ to New Orleans. You Brits remember that place?

This is how we get our own back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI4t0NpF3z8&feature=related

and before the Dear Leader throws me off for insubordination here's a proper railway song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Olf7Ibtg1lM

and have this one for free

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3meEmDpaDU

which makes no mention of Hiawatha whatsoever. I shall now go and lie down in a dark place.

 

[Donbacsi]

Who has been designated Minister of Harmonicas for the trip?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVJWKqVqUjA&feature=related

 

[Glenmutchkin]

I'm sure that the Treaty of Rome banned harmonicas in the EU. If not it's about time they did.

Is that what they call Bluegrass? Should be in the long grass if you ask me. However if you promise not to post any more of it I will stop posting Lonnie Donnegan links.

 

[Mark_Lester]

nearly done I think

 

[Glenmutchkin]

That would look very nice indeed on that British Racing Green that was available for the GCIRC T.

 

[Donbacsi]

I agree to no harmonicas if you agree to no bag pipes. I think the only proper send-off and return welcome would be a full British military brass band with Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstances" blaring as the participants step onto the platform.
BRG on an English Tan T. Scooter's valet will carry the Jaguar racing team (sigh) matching luggage behind.

 

[Glenmutchkin]

Our leader has his own pet band who follow him round the world. I expect that they will get the gig. If we're lucky he will post a photo of them in action.

Is "English Tan" a euphemism for pasty white?

 

[Donbacsi]

Englsih Tan is what is described as the colour of the leather seats in my BRG SJX-V12. It won't show Gravlax and mustard stains as easily as a pure white T.

 

[Glenmutchkin]

......the leather seats in my BRG SJX-V12.

So you are a lawyer.

 

[Donbacsi]

I do a little counseling in my spare time.

 

[Mark_Lester]

I agree to no harmonicas if you agree to no bag pipes. I think the only proper send-off and return welcome would be a full British military brass band with Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstances" blaring as the participants step onto the platform.
BRG on an English Tan T. Scooter's valet will carry the Jaguar racing team (sigh) matching luggage behind.

you need a copy of my "By Jingo!" compilation, everything from "aah this is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end.. " etc , to where eagles dare and 633 etc , nimrod and all sorts of elgar, + vow to thee etc, and vindaloo. (but no david filpping badiel).

here's the latest, we're looking at 7th July, so no locomotive birthday I'm afraid.

 

[Donbacsi]

I do have a recording of Elgar's Pomp, etc. by the debut orchestra (with a few member replacements) in the original debut hall. Sounds great, but I bet a brass band in St. Panc's would be super as well!
And the "By Jingo" can be found on YouTube where?
Can you give us a copy of the graphic in BRG with a tan background?

 

[mickpop]

here's the latest, we're looking at 7th July, so no locomotive birthday I'm afraid.

We are going to look like total amateurs to any passing 'eisenbahnfreund' with that loco on the T shirt. This http://www.allposters.co.uk/-sp/Train-by-Rhine-Castle-Germany-Posters_i8420336_.htm is more like it. On the other hand someone is going to be asking where the nurse in charge of us is so maybe they will be more understanding.

This one would get us arrested -http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vintage-German-Railway-Poster-reproduction/dp/B00407KJXW

 

[Donbacsi]

Any chance of lifting an image that doesn't look like it comes from a copyrighted site?

 

[Mark_Lester]

We are going to look like total amateurs to any passing 'eisenbahnfreund' with that loco on the T shirt. This http://www.allposters.co.uk/-sp/Train-by-Rhine-Castle-Germany-Posters_i8420336_.htm is more like it. On the other hand someone is going to be asking where the nurse in charge of us is so maybe they will be more understanding.

This one would get us arrested -http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vintage-German-Railway-Poster-reproduction/dp/B00407KJXW

I cant do any of the art deco stuff on silk screen, it all needs shading. even 2 colour isnt going to work very well.
I know it's the wrong kind of loco from the wrong continent, but the orient express didnt go via st moritz, or narvik and most of the rest of the trip for that matter, either.

 

[Glenmutchkin]

but the orient express didnt go via st moritz, or narvik and most of the rest of the trip

Aah. But dis Orient Express does.

How about an LMS Coronation Streamliner (example below)

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTGGNOjkEjQIuxcXHOdNl3M6ktHimC6GGYvHHV4TW3cTlw9cxD2AQ

Compatible with 30's theme, authentically this side of the pond.

 

[Donbacsi]

That will look like nothing more than a sausage on the shirt. But at least the Germans will be pleased.

 

[Glenmutchkin]

Don - Don't you ever sleep?

I accept that our Streamliners were more streamlined than some of yours but we do have to keep Mick's special circumstances in mind. Wearing a t-shirt with an inappropriate logo could well blow his cover on this mission. This one might be more suitable for the artwork

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=lms+...&w=250&h=188&ei=j1oeT5S7Dsm38gOJ6eySDg&zoom=1

 

[Mark_Lester]

Don - Don't you ever sleep?

I accept that our Streamliners were more streamlined than some of yours but we do have to keep Mick's special circumstances in mind. Wearing a t-shirt with an inappropriate logo could well blow his cover on this mission. This one might be more suitable for the artwork

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=lms+...&w=250&h=188&ei=j1oeT5S7Dsm38gOJ6eySDg&zoom=1

ouch, I can feel a series of idi amin "what are you going to do about defence" jokes coming.

yeah the coronations will look good with the go faster stripes, but we'll have to get clearance from puffing billy. he's not going to be happy unless we've got the very engine that used to do the run. we might as well go for the titfield thunderbolt if we just want native euro.

there's another problem with the image we've got, if you invert it to black on which it looks like there's a blazing inferno coming out of it. M

I'll have a go with the coronation, it might look quite good though I fully expect a veto.
I'll also see if I can get any of these 1930s art (I think it's called constructivism) to work.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
nah, doesn't look any good, it would have to be re-drawn as a tech drawing, and thats going to take ages.
and I know Mick is going to freak out cos they hardly ever used that streamlining, I think it was just a reaction to LNER and it was blinkin useless other than for the purposes of some flashy posters.

can I have the appropriate loco type please, ideally with an example of it from a low perspective (I can pinch the smoke off another one). If we can make it look good, with the smoke deflectors and what have you, then we can vote. (mick has already explained to me that smoke deflectors arent put on so that the engines dont get upset when they are waiting in a station)

 

[Glenmutchkin]

I (also) vote that we form a sub-committee comprising entirely of Special Agent Mick. His mission - to chose an appropriate Steam Loco , Dampflok or Train Vapeur for our centrepiece.

 

[Mark_Lester]

is this technically acceptable ?

 

[Glenmutchkin]

Looks OK to me but .......

It looks like it's hauling a Crocodile or something similar.

Wow. Two posts in a row that have railway content.

 

[Mark_Lester]

Looks OK to me but .......

It looks like it's hauling a Crocodile or something similar.

Wow. Two posts in a row that have railway content.

sure, but I have to turn it into solid black and white anyway.
i'm burnt out on t-shirt designing now for a bit anyway.
if mick is going to refuse to wear one for fear of bumping into some patronizing german smart arse then we'll come up with something else. But these dampgloks are going to need some serious styling, the pipework is going to come out ****e on a tee, all that has to go, so at that stage whats the point.
good job i didnt go for one of these

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
i've got a thread here about lisbon

http://forum.virtualtourist.com/dis...-Lisbon-discussion.html?s=2&p=1&l=0&pl=286122

belem looks great. tram 28 is chocca, surprise surprise, so we should get some of that out of the road first thing.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...em-a-visit-to-lisbons-famous-pastry-shop.html

 

[Glenmutchkin]

i've got a thread here about lisbon

Some people just don't get it do they? Bloody tourists.

I scanned it quickly. Did you mention that we are there on a Sunday. There's lot's of talk of supermarket coffee shops and the like. I wonder if they will be open?

Also - I didn't spot a reference to the size of our party. That will really freak some of the doomsayers.

I have already voted for Pasteis Belem.

btw - Nice Hiawatha.

 

[mickpop]

I (also) vote that we form a sub-committee comprising entirely of Special Agent Mick. His mission - to chose an appropriate Steam Loco , Dampflok or Train Vapeur for our centrepiece.

Sorry I spoke now! I'll wear whatever you choose for offical photos -it won't matter as I will be wearing the false beard, dark glasses and carrying a white stick. However I don't plan to be wearing the GCERC uniform on other occasions unless it is under something else - so I can jump into a phone kiosk, strip off and put my shreddies on over my tights [second thoughts if I'm using disposables that might not be too clever]. I mean how am I going to cop off with some Eastern beauty dressed like someone on a day out with his special school?

Seriously though I will be dressing/packing for comfort, personal hygiene and light weight and thats non-negotiable.