Friday 4 May 2012

Friday My Town; Public Transportation

Public Transport

As time is short this week, (still de-junking my Dads loft), I 've used some of my library photos and seeing as I am being reminded constantly of things past at the moment, I have gone back to my childhood and it's public transportation.

For a few years of my childhood I lived in Isfield a very small village not far from where I live today.
This village consisted of a pub, a grain mill, a church, some farms, Post Office cum shop a variety of dwellings and a school. The school had between 20 and 24 pupils with the age range of attendees being 4 - 11 years , so we are talking small!

However there was a railway line running through the edge of the village and there was a railway station.





The railway closed during a major shake up of the national railways, leaving this village even more isolated. But an enthusiast bought the deserted railway buildings and the one and a half miles of track that hadn't been sold to others already. This gent along with his son-in-law, a boy from the village, started to restore it all back to how it was during it's heyday.





The original signal box had been sold to another Heritage Railway further along the line, The Bluebell Railway, many years before the restoration. Ironically they had to buy a replica of their own signal box which is here.

The furthest side of the box was where the railway line crossed the road and it gave us unending pleasure when we had to wait for the train to go over the road. Delaying our journey as we walked to school.









This is one of the trains that runs on the Heritage Railway, The Bluebell Railway, a bit further up the line. It is similar to ones that ran through Isfield.










This final shot is added because I just love the majestic beasts. The trains at Isfield started my love of steam trains which still give me enormous pleasure and the fun of still traveling on them as often as time allow.



This is a Friday My Town Shoot Out

8 comments:

  1. These really are beautiful! I am glad that at least parts are being preserved! Nice photos :)

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  2. I love it, I love it - the first shot's colors are really great. Here in Brasil there are several (three that I know of) old steam engine trains that run carrying tourist to great places. they call them Maria Fumaca - smoking Maria....
    if you've a minute look at http://gingersflowers.blogspot.com.br/2007/12/day-two-ride-on-maria-fumaa.html
    have a great week.

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  3. We had a railway line behind our school - and on an embankment - when I was tiny. Despite the teachers' attempts to have it otherwise, everybody used to steal a sideways glance as the steam trains went by. And in those days most schoiolboys had the ambition to be a train driver. I wonder why we all thought it such a romantic job?

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  4. I wish we had trains now. I love them. Almost all of the track in our town are gone and doesn't look like they will be coming back. I love the first colorful photo.
    QMM

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  5. great to have fond memories. The train is really like a real train.

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  6. I love this post. I grew up travelling to and from school on those old steam trains, still love them. It's wonderful that some of that time has been preserved. The third shot really takes me back.

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  7. I never like taking the train except the modern and fast electric train!

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  8. I am a trainlover too. I'm torn between the locamotive and the colors in the first photo -- it is great that someone can do this in a small town. I appreciate the way you show off your town and personalize it, connecting it with cleaning out your Dad's loft.

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