Transport

Another scene from the NYMR at Grosmont station. See PiP SR V, 4-4-0 Schools Class, 926 Repton, with its 'Optimist' badge. Built in 1934. Overhaul began in August 2014. Returned to steam in July 2017 in SR Olive Green livery. ~ The SR V class, more commonly known as the Schools class, is a class of steam locomotive designed by Richard Maunsell for the Southern Railway. The class was a cut down version of his Lord Nelson class Enjoy full screen

Dublin, Ireland, the gateway into the Emerald Isle as seen from a Britain-Dublin ferry crossing. The ferry is moving slowly into its berth and it will be soon time for me to take the car onto the solid earth again. We have spent some time in Dublin once before but today, we will take the fast motorway tunnel beneath the city travelling west across this land. Enjoy full screen.

Back in Digley Reservoir country and as we see another rainbow we also come across this horse and trap. Two, local farmers it seems giving the horse some exercise and grandfather an outing. They seemed to have come across something interesting here? ps, I am reminded that this is a mule, not a horse! Enjoy the day

My 2010 ‘Yanks’ photo posted a couple of days ago, reminded me that I had not posted any of the locomotives on here. I shall try to make up for that now. We are just outside the village of Oxenhope and stood on the grass banks waiting for this train to pass us. It is the Class 4, 2-6-4T, 80002 with its special name for this occasion of ‘The Winton Train Prague-Harworth’. It has been living at the KWVR since 1969 but in 2013, it was withdrawn from service now being on show at Oxenhope for static viewing. See PiPs for more views. The station view is Oxenhope. Enjoy full screen, enjoy the weekend. More info: kwvr.co.uk/80002-br-standard-class-4mt-2-6-4t

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The name of this railway on the wall says its all. The Pontypool and Blaenvon Railway. Now a heritage railway was principally used to carry coal from numerous nearby pits via the ‘Heads of the valley line’ to the Midlands. It was also extended to carry passengers when the LNWR took over. As can be seen there are still signs of the old coal slag heaps on the hills with the white cottages being home to the coal workers. To the left is the old station and the whole area has now been landscaped into a country wildlife retreat with several small lakes. To the right, just out of picture are the old sidings and railway sheds. See followable PiPs More info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontypool_and_Blaenavon_Railway ps -it was all closed on our visit here but due to open a week or so later. Enjoy the weekend

The Pontypool and Blaenvon Railway. Now a heritage railway was principally used to carry coal from numerous nearby pits via the ‘Heads of the valley line’ to the Midlands. It was also extended to carry passengers when the LNWR took over.

January 2017 brought us to Colón in Panama, South America to see the famous Gatum Atlantic locks. This is the gateway into the 82km waterway that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. In this photo we see a ship being guided by the accompanying six locomotives, three on each side here. Each loco is exactly parallel to its twin on the other side of the ship with their lines to the ship being electronically monitored in order to retain an exact tension to keep the vessel in the middle of the canal. In some cases only centimetres remained on each side, stopping the ship from hitting the sides. The ships forward motion is brought about by the ship engines themselves. A continues shuttle of trains ran from the start to the end of these locks. The two pips: One shows the very first (or last) lock entrance to the canal & Atlantic. We can see the giant queue of ships waiting to enter from the Bay. Ships are entering from the Ocean on the left and exiting on the right. The other PiP shows a close-up of these very unique engines and its computerised pulley system to the ship. It runs along a cogged track in order to transit the steep slopes at the side of each new lock gate (see inset). These trains are known as Mules More info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Canal_locks From here, we were to travel to the Pacific side by way of the Panama Scenic railway that runs alongside the canal to Panama City. Enjoy full screen.

At Colón in Panama, South America. 2017 The left side is the entrance to the canal's first lock and the right side is the exit into The Atlantic (Caribbean Sea). Notice the queue of ships in the distance and follow the train tracks here, down the slope of the lock where other locomotives (Mules) await the next ship. When they have finished their tow at the end of these locks they return speedily along another parallel track to the beginning.