Cold War Warrior's photos

As the sun rises over Cwmbran, so it has set on my Ipernity/IMA account which has today been downgraded to a free account. Farewell to all my friends and contacts.

The canal claims another victim as an Asda trolley finds a watery grave.

Showing no tactical sense whatsoever, a cow "skylining" against the ridge of the mountain.

Looking north over Mynydd Maen from above Blaen Bran, clouds building up.

An inquisitive donkey in a field at Garn Wen.

Looking across from Garn Wen to Henllys Mountain on a crisp late August morning.

As well as the train programme, over the Bank Holiday was a display of vintage vehicles. A Ford Consul Capri, a two door coupe version of the Consul Classic. The Capri was manufactured from 1961-1964.

As well as the train programme, over the Bank Holiday was a display of vintage vehicles. A 1972 VW Beetle. This one has, seen on the left side of the boot/bonnet, an air tank which is topped up at a garage using the high pressure airline. This then provides air pressure to power the windscreen washer. Another version, which was fitted to a Self Drive Hire Vehicle Beetle with which I was issued in the Eastern Sovereign Base Area at Dhekelia, Cyprus, in 1975, drew the air pressure from a hose attached to the spare wheel!?

As well as the train programme, over the Bank Holiday was a display of vintage vehicles. A Diamond T 6x6 wrecker truck. The Diamond T Motor Car Company was founded in 1905 in Chicago, initially manufacturing touring cars, but known later for its trucks. By 1967, as a subsidiary of the White Motor Company, it merged with the Reo Motor Company to become Diamond Reo Trucks, Inc. This appears to be one of their wartime models. They produced variants as recovery trucks, cargo vehicles and tank transporters. The truck saw service with the British Army in North Africa campaign, where its power and rugged construction allowed the rescue of damaged tanks in the most demanding of conditions; it is likely that this model was sold as war surplus after the war.

As well as the train programme, over the Bank Holiday was a display of vintage vehicles. This is a Ransome's MG2 (Motor Garden Cultivator), produced from 1936 to 1948 by Ransome's, Sims and Jefferies of Ipswich.

As well as the train programme, over the Bank Holiday was a display of vintage vehicles. A very smart looking 1961 Ford Zephyr 6 Farnham estate conversion. Ford produced the Zephyr from 1950 to 1972. ED Abbot of Farnham converted some Zephyrs to estates for Ford from the late 1950s to the early 1960s; thereafter, this conversion work was done by Ford itself.

As well as the train programme, over the Bank Holiday was a display of vintage vehicles. A 1967 registered Morris Minor with "panda car" livery and equipment. The use of "panda cars" started in 1965 with the aim of extending the range of the "beat bobby" and affording him shelter from the elements. These were distinct from "area cars" which operated in support of constables on the beat. The panda car seems to have heralded the death knell of the beat bobby as in many areas now, only area cars are seen, and few if any, constables on foot. Community Support Officers supplanted beat bobbies, but they are becoming an increasingly rarer sight on the streets.

As well as the train programme, over the Bank Holiday was a display of vintage vehicles. A Ford Consul Capri, a two door coupe version of the Consul Classic. The Capri was manufactured from 1961-1964.

A carrion crow (Corvus corone), identified as a juvenile by his brown "highlights".

31/1 D5627 diesel locomotive Steve Organ GM, owned by the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway, pulling in to Furnace Sidings.

Steve Organ GM and Rosyth No 1 standing at Furnace Sidings. Rosyth No 1, 1385, was built in 1914 in Kilmarnock, by Andrew Barclay & Sons, in their Caledonia works. She is now one of the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway's operational locomotives. 31/1 D5627 diesel locomotive Steve Organ GM is owned by the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway.

Mechanical Navvies taking on much needed water. Mechanical Navvies, 71515, was commissioned by the War Department in 1945 from Robert Stevenson and Hawthorns as WD71515, but, with WW2 all but over, was quickly put to work at the Swalwell Disposal Point in what was then the county of Durham, but is now Tyne & Wear. At the time the opencast disposal point was worked by Mechanical Navvies Limited, and it is in that company’s livery that the loco now appears.

A cast iron public dog bowl advertising Hudson's soap, on the platform at Furnace Sidings.