The Pride Of Africa

The Pride of Africa

South African Railways 25NC

This is a peak into my imagination. In my mind’s eye, I often picture wheels screaming round and round, crossheads pounding back and forth, and cab rides at high speed. Thoughts of steam fill my mind at all hours of the day, and my dreams at night. These things aren't just machines. They are so much more.

Steam inspires me, but the people who worked it inspire me even more. That's why I've chosen the 25NC. I've read a bunch of stories and watched videos put out by this old South African railway man. He was there until the end of steam in the 1990s. The stories he tells provide a wonderful insight into railway life, and the strong friendships the railway men formed with one another.

Now, about the picture. This was very fun and experimental. I'm not good and conveying motion, so I want to get better at it. I think I did alright with the wheels and rods. At first, I wanted to do the front end (the "business end," some might say), but I decided to take it easy on myself and do the back end. If I had colors at my disposal, I would set the picture during the night, and have the rods barely lit by the orange glow from the firebox. Maybe another time.

Beachy Head

Last month, the Bluebell Railway finished constructing their new Atlantic and were able to release it into traffic. It is a complete new build, yes, but unlike Tornado, it’s more of a replica, rather than a continuation, because this engine shares its name and number with one of the original H2 Atlantics from the LBSCR. The only part of the engine that wasn’t made from scratch is the boiler.

D.E. Marsh, the man who first designed these engines way back when, was educated on the GNR under Mr. Ivatt. Because of this, when Marsh went to become the LBSC’s chief mechanical engineer, he closely followed GNR practice. So, if you think the H2 resembles the famous C1 Atlantics on the GNR, you’d be right! They are extremely similar, and their boilers are nearly identical. Years ago, a spare GNR C1 boiler was discovered somewhere up north, and the Bluebell Railway, knowing everything I just described, jumped at the chance to get a hold of it and fill a gap in Southern Railway preservation.

Last week, I got the chance to visit the railway and ride behind the engine during the Bluebell Railway’s beer festival. I drank quite a few high quality brews, but the highlight was, of course, riding behind Beachy Head. The best part of it all? The Bluebell Railway operates a section of former LBSCR track, so Beachy Head, being an LBSCR engine, is on home turf. These engines would have traveled down this way in the old days, so I’ve been told.

Anyway, the Bluebell Line is an exceptionally friendly railway, and I recommend it to anyone who makes a trip to the south of England. It’s an easy day trip to make from London, with mainline trains running straight to the Bluebell Railway’s northern terminus at East Grinstead.

Fort Taylor, Key West

This was another place I visited while in Key West with my family. It was a magnificent old fort. Much of it was buried over the years thanks to various expansion projects, and several old cannons were used as rebar!

But, much of it has been dug out and sympathetically restored, revealing the beautiful brickwork and former gun ports. As you can see, they've got several of the old cannons and guns on display!

The fort was in use from the mid-19th century, right up until after WWII. Now that's some history for you!

I always appreciate seeing a bit of steam pop up on the ol' feed.

A drawing of a steam powered machine at a fair. This was done in generally miserable weather, so I didn’t spend a while doing it. I stopped as fat, globulous drops of water began falling from the sky.

Inktober day twelve. I admit I’m late with posting my art: I apologise.

@be-gentle-with-littluns-2

@wispo-sky

Talyllyn Railway No. 1 "Talyllyn"

Fletcher Jennings, 1864

I didn't expect to see Talyllyn that day, so it was a very pleasant surprise that, as my family and I relaxed at Abergynolwyn, she suddenly arrived with a few of the bogie coaches in tow. And, as you can see, she is absolutely resplendent in a livery inspired by the old GER.

The Railway with a Heart of Gold