Another Bubble Car

I took a trip to Carnforth last week, for a number of reasons. Firstly, I got a Day Rover ticket through my weekly newspaper and it cost me £12.50 rather than the usual £21.10. Secondly I wanted to revisit The Snug micro pub, which I enjoyed on my trip a few months ago (note the sliding hoist running just below ceiling level which is used to load full barrels into the chiller cabinet).

Other reasons include dining in the Refreshment Room as featured in the film "Brief Encounter" (based on the play "Still Life" by Noel Coward) and having another look at the visitor's centre. All in all, a grand day out, as a certain Wensleydale cheese munching aficionado often says.
The picture at the top shows a Class 153 Bubble Car in Leeds station, which was coupled to a two car Class 158 train set to make a three carriage consist. There are 70 Class 153's which started out life as 35 two car sets. A firm in Scotland split them up and added cabs to the inner ends. They are much smaller than the original cabs and the exterior lights are mounted half way between the bottom of the window and the buffer beam, unlike the other end where they are just above the buffers. Northern Rail own 18 of them ( the largest single holding) but they are still rare to see around here.
And finally a picture of the famous station clock which you will be familiar with if you have seen the afore mentioned film.

I own a train!

I haven't done a post for a long time but I want to share this exciting news with you. I now own a train! Well, part of one anyway. I have a share in a BR Class 121 "bubble car".
Wensleydale railway wanted to purchase this from Chiltern Railways but needed the help of supporters like me to raise the cash. I probably own one buffer, or a driver's seat, but it's really exciting to be involved in this project.
It has a number of modern conversions, such as central locking and CCTV, and will be a great asset to the Railway.