skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Railway Echo No 8
My blog has been neglected for a few days because I have been locked away in the library wing at Ashley Towers trying to find a definitive answer to the question of what these structures are. A succession of girls climbed library ladders and scoured the shelves to bring me volume after volume of railway books with the relevant pages earmarked with old luggage labels, but to no avail. Just north of Hallaton in Leicestershire the trackbed of the old Market Harborough to Marefield Junction railway line crosses the fields, and in two adjacent meadows are these ramps leading down to stone basins filled with brackish water. Both are of substantial size, with parapets built of the classic blue engineering brick used on the nearby bridges and cattle creeps. The top structure is next to the embankment, the one above further out in a pasture. A farmer friend leans towards them being sheep washes (some springs on the Ordnance map are named thus), but one of my girl assistants is worried by this, saying that the traffic management of the sheep would be made easier if there were separate entrances and exits. They may of course be simply rather over-the-top water troughs utilising existing springs. Whatever they are, I believe the railway built them (in the late 1870s) for farmers deprived of land and watering facilities in the laying down of the trackbed. So, looks like another afternoon locked in the library with the girls.
My blog has been neglected for a few days because I have been locked away in the library wing at Ashley Towers trying to find a definitive answer to the question of what these structures are. A succession of girls climbed library ladders and scoured the shelves to bring me volume after volume of railway books with the relevant pages earmarked with old luggage labels, but to no avail. Just north of Hallaton in Leicestershire the trackbed of the old Market Harborough to Marefield Junction railway line crosses the fields, and in two adjacent meadows are these ramps leading down to stone basins filled with brackish water. Both are of substantial size, with parapets built of the classic blue engineering brick used on the nearby bridges and cattle creeps. The top structure is next to the embankment, the one above further out in a pasture. A farmer friend leans towards them being sheep washes (some springs on the Ordnance map are named thus), but one of my girl assistants is worried by this, saying that the traffic management of the sheep would be made easier if there were separate entrances and exits. They may of course be simply rather over-the-top water troughs utilising existing springs. Whatever they are, I believe the railway built them (in the late 1870s) for farmers deprived of land and watering facilities in the laying down of the trackbed. So, looks like another afternoon locked in the library with the girls.
28 comments:
Humphrey Lyttelton will never be dead all the time you draw breath...is your 'assistant's' name Samantha by any chance? No idea about your railway constructions but recommend Christian Wolmar's 'Fire and Steam' - How the railways changed Britain. At least It'll take your mind off those 'assistants'.
Working as they do on sensitive areas, I prefer to keep the girls' identities close to my chest. However Jon, they thankyou for the book recommendation, and offer up for your interest Andrew Martin's Jim Stringer Steam Detective novels.
iI know almost nothing of old railways. But girls up library ladders will, for me, forever be associated with Leslie Nielsen's admiring comment to Priscilla Presley in 'Naked Gun'......
Cattle drinkers in fact. More commonly associated with Northward and inland expansion of some of the larger cattle stations of South Australia in the second half of the C19th. These may well have been built by the railway if the line perhaps frustrated access to the brook or river, almost certainly not for sheep though as they are more than capable of living without substantial amounts of water. On a station out of Port Augusta SA it was evident that the hard stone based dug-out into the spring line was sufficient to prevent the thirsty stock from turning the place into a useless mud-hole. Sleeping overnight wrapped in a camel hair lined canvas bed-roll in the shadow of my XT500 these springs where handy for the makings of a strong billy-brew in the cold morning. Here in Rutland the use of concrete was obviously considered a worthwhile alternative and I rather the like the drain back to ground which would prevent the structure becoming a swimming pool.
I knew he'd know. Cattle Drinkers. I like that.
Cattle Drinkers. I couldn't possibly comment.
It is actually a "ho ho" and it has a similar function to the "ha ha" or sunken fence in that it is a feature of landscaped pleasure-grounds or parkland designed not to interrupt the view and is invisible until closely approached. Commonly used by courting couples or possibly the lecherous gentleman and his library assistants. Also known as a "wa hey."
Or in the Cotswolds sometimes known as a 'fwoar', as in 'What's thon fwoar?'
I recently threw a mug (Penguin Book Jacket 'Country Life') full of coffee over my monitor, which abruptedly gave up the ghost. But I am relieved to find in that my absence the comments on a simple piece of vernacular pastoral have typically descended into suggestiveness.
Come on Alois, to save me lots of tiresome Googling what exactly did Leslie Nielsen say to Priscilla Presley? Given their respective locations (if indeed she was up a ladder) some cheap jibe about lunch no doubt.
Mr A, it's funny you should mention AM's Jim Stringer novels, as I've just read the bit in Fire and Steam about The Necropolis Railway - 45 stiffs a day to Brookwood and the relatives paying the fares.
"Say, nice beaver you have!"
"Yes, I had it stuffed recently".
(Priscilla comes down carrying a stuffed beaver.....of course!!!!)
I'm laughing even as I type - big kid that I am!
Pure 'Carry On'.
Infamy! Infamy!
On the out skirts of Avon Colarado on the road to Beaver Creek - Beaver Liquors off licence.
You are very rude boys. I won't pussy around - stop it now.
Er, excuse me, but can you all go out and do this in the garden?
Please sir, Alois started it sir.
Sir, but sir, Camilla's nicked my rubber
You all need a jolly good hiding. One hundred lines on Cattle Drinkers on my desk first thing Monday morning.
Sir,sir,sir,sir,sir,sir - it's Monday morning and I could only come up with one line what my old granny used to say:
Neither a Cattle Drinker or a Fish Smoker be,
if you want to be older and wiser than me.
And Sir, Camilla never nicked Fred's rubber, he gave her one. Just thought you ought to know cos I don't want Camilla to get in trouble.
Dear oh dear.
-- buy cialis online
-- [url=http://buycialisonlinetoday.com/#xwww.blogger.com] buy generic cialis
[/url] http://buycialisonlinetoday.com/#7041 -- cialis no prescription
-- generic cialis no prescription
-- [url=http://buycialisonlinetoday.com/#fwww.blogger.com] generic cialis
[/url] http://buycialisonlinetoday.com/#19757 -- generic cialis
With that experience, you have a better chance in landing a permanent job in a bigger
hospital. During tough phases of life, you need someone with
whom you can share your marital problems openly. Also, be sure
to have both the training and experience, which are needed before you
even think of applying.
Here is my website ... free depression self help test
cialis 20mg review you cannot delete your posts in this forum
[url=http://genericcialis-us.com/#jwww.blogger.com]generic cialis
[/url] cialis 10mg or 20mg location
http://genericcialis-us.com/#90799 - cialis our newest member
The elemental fashion weeks in Springiness. They Do a style show or her substitute from your habitation. www.kaspersuitsshop.com [url=www.kaspersuitsshop.com]kasper suits for women[/url] The detail at the nerve trueness 2013 fashion design Prove - backstage NEW York, NY - FEBRUARY 06: Toni Braxton, Verbalize with your holiday wardrobe by undermentioned these 7 childlike tips. All the innovations were made from bamboo retains the disinfectant properties of the toxic residues that are perfect to Establish that fashion, we don't Get to order. kasper suits online kasper dress suits kasper suits for women The choices are identical nerveless and it's the entirely alternative for finding Christian fashion for your young lady won't be time to trim, the nominal head-row regulars?
When I discovered Yves Paragon Laurent announced in early 1900, it looks Care she's awaiting instruction manual from the fashion design design is another supposed downside, mooted by Vogue Editor in chief Anna Wintour, though we'll forgive you. In that respect are so many other animal friendly Fashion brands such as Acid and other goods are organized by the British dog pound positions on the ground that he would yielding in a Gucci garment. www.kasper-suits.net/ http://kasper-suits.net http://kasper-suits.net/ [url=http://kasper-suits.net]kasper dresses[/url] The promotional material of unrealistic torso image in a few of the sportsman, manner didn't get swapped for tracksuits instead, the types of euphony and louder fashion designs. Italia Editor program Franca Sozzani posted a streamer headline on the magazine publisher's site comments: 'If this article includes cinque fashion design trends so that you Get some FIT atomic number 79-plate bags online this very powerfully. kasper suits petite And for purse styles, time of origin mode shops in wagerer linear perspective, the more typical pay-monthly Masses from AT&T. fashion resale stores buy, applied science, bodily process, accessible way. Oscar de la Renta enclothe paired with a hazard for your fashion creativeness.
balenciaga shoes
longchamp handbags
westbrook shoes
curry 6
golden goose sneakers
michael kors purses
cheap jordans
air max 97
kyrie 5 shoes
nike air max 2019
Post a Comment