A Glastonbury Experience

[Dustydog]

In our recent travels we spent a few hours in the old town of Glastonbury. Famous for pop concerts and the Abbey. Wow! What an experience. Whilst the festival a few miles away had finished remnants were very obvious in Town. Anyone who has been to Appleby In Westmorland during the Horse Fair will begin to get my drift.
Glastonbury was erie. A definite aromatic flavour to the air, some avant garde dress code and the book shop.
I love old book shops and buy many a book on history and sociological progressions and effects of the British Railways.
No such books but hundreds of

Esoteric and Occult Books.​

Another very interesting side to life but not for this old dog.. Weird

 

[Jcloughie]

A very different and distinctive place. But we have always enjoyed visiting.

John

 

[otherclive]

We like Glastonbury and it’s weird inhabitants. Not many places that you may see someone leading their pet ram along the pavement and into a pub. Certain parts do resemble “ essence d’Amsterdam”

 

[Beachball]

We stop at a caravan site near Glastonbury Tor and very near to visiting the town we had a great stop for a couple of nights .

 

[GaryB]

We went to Glastonbury for the day last year when staying in the Cotswolds as my daughter was interested in its history and witchcraft. It was certainly a laid back place! Personally I found the rather blatant smoking of cannabis etc a bit too “in your face”. It was good to see the place but we won’t bother to go back.

 

[Buckman]

I love old book shops and buy many a book on history and sociological progressions and effects of the British Railways.

What sort of history books interest you as I try to read history books but mainly on southern Africa and some on WW1 and WW2 as grandfather served in WW1 on the Somme and father in WW2 in Egypt, Italy and France.

 

[Dustydog]

What sort of history books interest you as I try to read history books but mainly on southern Africa and some on WW1 and WW2 as grandfather served in WW1 on the Somme and father in WW2 in Egypt, Italy and France.

Mainly the historical sociological development of railway infrastructure, construction,architecture , locomotive design. I have walked many disused railway lines closed by Beeching in the 60s. These traverse some of the most beautiful parts of Britain.

 

[Buckman]

Mainly the historical sociological development of railway infrastructure, construction,architecture , locomotive design. I have walked many disused railway lines closed by Beeching in the 60s. These traverse some of the most beautiful parts of Britain.

We hardly ever use the railways but did the trip from Exeter to Newton Abbot and thought the scenery was fantastic with all the sea views etc. However when the opportunity arises we will take a trip on a steam train as for me it brings back many memories of travelling nearly 2000 miles over mountains etc with the steam train. Always wanted to take a trip on the Blue train and also Rovos rail. The latter has some fantastic over night trips where you use sleeper class. I would not call myself a railway buff, just an interest.

The picture shows the old Cape Town station. If you look under the timetable board there is a model train in a glass box. You inserted a penny and the wheels would turn. Exciting for a 10 year old. If you enlarge the pictrue you can see the various ads and shops.

 

[GaryB]

Mainly the historical sociological development of railway infrastructure, construction,architecture , locomotive design. I have walked many disused railway lines closed by Beeching in the 60s. These traverse some of the most beautiful parts of Britain.

Me too, there’s quite a few YouTube channels on them, it’s amazing how many have seemingly disappeared without trace but the odd piece of evidence remains if you know where to look. Railmaps online is a great tool to find what lines there were.

 

[RogerL]

Me too, there’s quite a few YouTube channels on them, it’s amazing how many have seemingly disappeared without trace but the odd piece of evidence remains if you know where to look. Railmaps online is a great tool to find what lines there were.

I like old railway lines that have been converted to walkways as they're mostly level and I can no longer cope with slopes, let alone hills.

 

[Dustydog]

Sustrans have developed numerous disused railway lines into cycle / walkways.
I suspect everyone is close to an old line which has regressed to Mother Nature and well worth an explore.
Near me we have the Midland and South Western Junction Railway which can be explored from Andover to Cheltenham Spa.
Week before last I spent a few hours exploring the remnant of the old West Bay branch line. Here in Cirencester we are blessed with two totally different lines.
Chaps like Cecil J Allen and OS Nock have written some brilliant books which never cease to amaze me. I was never a trainspotter.
Glasgow Central has retained its array of wooden cladded shops , rounded , like John Menzies ,now WH Smith’s. A bit like Buckman’s great photo above.
Anyone visited the National Railway Museum York? A fantastic place .

 

[RogerL]

Sustrans have developed numerous disused railway lines into cycle / walkways.
I suspect everyone is close to an old line which has regressed to Mother Nature and well worth an explore.
Near me we have the Midland and South Western Junction Railway which can be explored from Andover to Cheltenham Spa.
Week before last I spent a few hours exploring the remnant of the old West Bay branch line. Here in Cirencester we are blessed with two totally different lines.
Chaps like Cecil J Allen and OS Nock have written some brilliant books which never cease to amaze me. I was never a trainspotter.
Glasgow Central has retained its array of wooden cladded shops , rounded , like John Menzies ,now WH Smith’s. A bit like Buckman’s great photo above.
Anyone visited the National Railway Museum York? A fantastic place .

If you can get a booking at the CC Rowntree Park, it's walkable to the National Railway Museum.

The Leek & Manifold Light Railway in the Peak District was abandoned in the '30s and now makes a nice walk - the old Midland Railway mainline from Derby-Manchester is now the Monsal Trail, including several tunnels.

 

[Dustydog]

The cycle / walk along the old track from Barnstaple to Torrington is worth the hike. Puffing Billy PH at the end.

 

[otherclive]

The Granite Way from Lydford to Oakhampton is a nice day out. Buses pass close by either end and there’s a nice pub in Lydford not far from the caravan site which is CMHC affiliated.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Dr. Breaching wasn't responsible for all railway line closures. I live in an area on the outskirts of the Black Country, that was peppered with small shallow pot mines. Eventually they organised a number of railway lines to move the coal. As the pits ceased working the lines were lifted or moved to serve new mines. There was one arterial line installed by the main line train operator who I think was London Midland at the time, which was still laid untill the 1970's. I remember seeing the contractors moving in to lift the rails and gear. A few months after they had finished, a British Rail surveyor visited the area and then he began asking local businesses and residents if any one had seen his railway? It transpired the line had disused and someone had stolen the metal work.

 

[Beachball]

I like old railway lines that have been converted to walkways as they're mostly level and I can no longer cope with slopes, let alone hills.

I think my wife would take our two dogs along those railway lines ideal for walking