Union of South Africa

Here's what dad and I saw steaming in to Edinburgh this afternoon, steam whistle blowing, smoke and steam billowing, Union of South Africa, an A4 Pacific steam loco (the class which set the world steam engine speed record) with the streamliner casing. I know the streamlining was more about image and marketing and didn't give much of an advantage in reality, but ye gods its lovely. Elegance and power from a different era when travelling the length of our islands drawn by some great steel, fire breathing dragon like this was an adventure and not the boring, over priced chore its become now.




(click the pic for the larger version)

Imagine charging down from Edinburgh along Britain's east coast mainline to London behind one of these magnificent engines, the sea on your left as you roar down towards Berwick upon Tweed, the roar of the engine resounding across the landscape, easily pulling a long line of carriages with its enormous power, crossing the border, cruising into Northern England, passing ancient York, surging south on steel and iron and fire and water at a speed most people of the time would never encounter anywhere else in their life (this series could easily cruise beyond 100mph) until you arrive in King's Cross in the middle of London. Before most people had cars, long before motorways existed it would have been remarkable to travel so swiftly, to go from one great capital city of the United Kingdom to another in just a few hours, and in comfort and style as well. God, that was the era to travel by train in this country...

Steam power

Here's what my dad and I went to see arriving then departing from Edinburgh the last couple of weekends, a brand new steam locomotive (built to the old designs, but new build), the Tornado, created by the A1 Steam Trust. Not a static museum piece but a living, breathing, working locomotive, undergoing her shake down runs, here steaming through Edinburgh hauling a huge line of passenger carriages with utmost ease due to the raw power of such a huge locomotive. She drew a fair crowd and made quite a sight, steam whistle blowing, the roar of the engine and the sheer power and elegant beauty...

Shiny morning

A rarity this summer, a bright, sunlit morning. Crossing North Bridge, clear views right down the valley to the Forth, birds circling, riding the thermals rising from Arthur's Seat. And right below the bridge the zig-zag pattern of glass panels on roof of Waverley Station above the platforms; simple structure, nothing special about it until the breeze fluttered across and I could see there must have been some sort of plastic covering over the glass. As the wind caught them they rippled, catching the morning sunlight and causing glittering, sparkling starbursts, like sunshine catching the waves by the seashore and for a few seconds something ordinary and rather dull was beautiful and magical. I love when the city shows me something like that.