AJC
Western Thunderer
Southampton, like many other places in the country, participates in Heritage Open Days, albeit, in typical Southampton fashion, without really telling anyone about it. A pity because one of the attractions was getting into the Eastern Docks to visit some of the heritage projects based there. The biggest and probably best-known is SS Shieldhall, built - and there's no getting away from this - to shift Glasgow's, um, intestinal byproducts. Southern Water subsequently bought it to do the same job on the south coast and it now enjoys a retirement as a historic vessel. Had I realised earlier that they were sailing this afternoon, I'd have realigned my plans. Never mind, next year. I can recommend a trip round the engine room.
The other things I particularly wanted to see were two of Southampton's surviving trams. The Southampton Tram Group have a pair under restoration and both are particular to the city being designed in such a way to traverse the Bargate (12th to 15th centuries in date). Number 38 shows the mark 1 attempt at combating this (and this can be seen at Crich in the form of number 45) in which an open top double decker came with back to back seats along the centre line and dropped footways along the sides. Oh, and a couple of boards advising against standing up while traversing the Bargate arch (cos' if the arch doesn't get you, the trolley wire might). Since number 38 currently looks a bit like this, it isn't altogether obvious:
From the inside of the lower saloon, however, the reason for the small windows at the ends becomes clear.
The mark 2 attempt looks like this. Love the bulbous roof, which - allied to smaller wheels - enabled the shorter denizens of the then town of Southampton to travel on the top deck in the dry.
The maximum height must be about 5' 10" - I'm an inch taller than that - and probably a couple less under the hoops. The scumbled paint finish inside is really very, very nice.
They've got all the bits, including a refurbished truck and having a runnable vehicle is probably a when rather than if. The prospect of actually running is in Southampton, however, is probably remote.
Adam
The other things I particularly wanted to see were two of Southampton's surviving trams. The Southampton Tram Group have a pair under restoration and both are particular to the city being designed in such a way to traverse the Bargate (12th to 15th centuries in date). Number 38 shows the mark 1 attempt at combating this (and this can be seen at Crich in the form of number 45) in which an open top double decker came with back to back seats along the centre line and dropped footways along the sides. Oh, and a couple of boards advising against standing up while traversing the Bargate arch (cos' if the arch doesn't get you, the trolley wire might). Since number 38 currently looks a bit like this, it isn't altogether obvious:
From the inside of the lower saloon, however, the reason for the small windows at the ends becomes clear.
The mark 2 attempt looks like this. Love the bulbous roof, which - allied to smaller wheels - enabled the shorter denizens of the then town of Southampton to travel on the top deck in the dry.
The maximum height must be about 5' 10" - I'm an inch taller than that - and probably a couple less under the hoops. The scumbled paint finish inside is really very, very nice.
They've got all the bits, including a refurbished truck and having a runnable vehicle is probably a when rather than if. The prospect of actually running is in Southampton, however, is probably remote.
Adam
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