Model Railway Forum

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-ne ... A4MjY2MgS2

Pandemic shut downs have upended my plans, as those of countless others, but if my health maintains I shall get to where you are, sooner or later. I would joke that in the UK one could merely stick a spade into the ground and unearth some astonishing treasure from history, to prehistory, to deep time. The place positively vibrates with history. Driving down some road and one is probably upon some ancient Roman road. Walk along the coast and be surrounded by phenomenal sea creatures of a forgotten epoch, but try not to trip over the Neanderthal foot prints. In every moment, a Britain is amidst a tapestry of ancient time.

My beloved layout "Henley" is poised for a complete makeover with a new rail system and tripling in size. Just waiting for the right combination of time and opportunity, and a little money.

Things look like they are opening up to make visiting possible so all going well you will get to visit.

Is The Detectorists shown in the US?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detectorists

That's an interesting take on being a 'tourist' in Britain. I tended to undervalue that when I still lived there or rather felt - and still do to an extent - that the Brits live too much in the past whereas in the rst of Europe they get the balance a bit more, well, balanced ...

Having said that I do feel nostalgia for the Sceptered Isle(s) and satiate that by researching railway history, geography, archaeology, etc. as part of the enjoyment of our hobby. Plus there's loads on the telly. Recentky we watched 'The Dig' - Trailer on Youtube - on Netflix - top film!

It's alsro interesting to read - in The Guardian -that the highly controversial HS2 railway project is producing squillions of new archaeological finds and data, hugely benefiting the nation's heritage inventory!

Regs

Simon

If you want to see the most bueatiful places dont miss the Highlands of Scotland. Recommend trip up the West Coast line.
Or travel up to Fort William then towards Loch Ness then North into the Highlands. Mind you the Lowlands north of the Scotish boarder is lovely as well if you don't have time to go northward. Scotland is probably the most bueatful part of Britain.

A "squillion" new discoveries. High upon my list now is to see a squillion, something I have never seen before. Or heard of. Or conceived, but it sounds delightful. Thank you for the tip on the Highlands. Now you got me hooked on that idea. Not exactly every tourist's dream, I rather want to visit the Island of Berra, for no other reason that my forefathers emigrated from there in the early 1840's. They'd be rather pleased if showed a little interest in their travail. So, now I have an excuse to bundle the whole trip. Perhaps I shall organize the bulk of the adventure around that: seeing the Highlands, taking that rail journey you mention, and getting out to Berra, which is going to be quite a job in itself. Then, meander South to other points of interest such as the BTM and York.

I do wish to make a visit to the British Transportation Museum and would very much like to lay eyes upon the original Rocket, which I believe to be in York. This makes for some rather ambitious travel plans, but what the heck, you only go around once.

The biggest hurdle is the uncertainty of the plague, which has so far stalled me out two years running. My concern is to get over there and find myself being required to lock down in a hotel for two weeks, or such nonsense, and that I can do without traveling abroad.

The plague has been most odd: having had my three shots, I was then contracted to work with a child with whom his entire family became sick as dogs, in fact, even their dogs got quite ill, and for my cheek-by-jowl exposure I never got so much as a sniffle. My eldest daughter, a nurse in a truly blasted Covid sink hole of a hospital, had her face in it for a year before the vaccine was developed. When the panic first started, hand sanitizer dispensers were being torn off the walls and all masks were stripped away be frenzied families and staff, alike. She had to use one mask for over a month. Before the plague had a name, she became virulently ill, but not to include the classic symptomology of loss of taste and migraines. She soldiered on the front lines through the worst of it, surrounded by patients, some of whom perished badly, some young parents, and finally was struck down with a horrendous case of something, but for lack of testing supplies, even for front line workers, went undiagnosed, but again, did not experience the usual shortness of breath, etc. Her housemates became quite sickened, but still she was fine, until finally turning up as positive, but otherwise asymptomatic.

As for me, I didn't get sick at all this winter with anything. Now I can envision going to GB and getting trounced by HM Customs and Immigrations.

Think you will have to pickup the ferry from Oban on the west coast. That is a long sea trip to the outer Hebrides. I think the best way to get to Oban is by car. I supose you will hire a car for some of this trip. Don't forget to bring plenty of Midge repellent between late May to October. They love American blood.

sandy wrote: ↑Sun Mar 20, 2022 7:31 pm I think the best way to get to Oban is by car.

Whaaa! How could you possibly say that on this forum?

https://www.obanview.com/travel-guide/v ... ban-train/

Chops wrote: ↑Sun Mar 20, 2022 7:10 pm. High upon my list now is to see a squillion, something I have never seen before. Or heard of. Or conceived, but it sounds delightful.

We eat squillions* when it's closed season for wild haggis - eating farmed haggis without an 'r' in the month is definitely below the salt! Generally they're deep fried in batter but I like them stir friend in olive oil with garlic then tossed into a scrambled egg mix as it's cooking. Some people here would call that blasphermy but each to his own taste is my motto!

* NB, only eat Atlantic squillions, the North Sea variety is too oily and best sold to the Japanese at hugely exagerated prices!

darkscot wrote: ↑Mon Mar 21, 2022 7:27 am

sandy wrote: ↑Sun Mar 20, 2022 7:31 pm I think the best way to get to Oban is by car.

Whaaa! How could you possibly say that on this forum?

https://www.obanview.com/travel-guide/v ... ban-train/

Yes that is if you are comming from Glasow. If it was me and I was traveling around I like the freedom of the car. The railway does go along a bueatiful way but so do the roads. Infact all the journeys up in the Highlands are breatyhtaking. Its personal taste. And in these days of Covid I dont fancy going by Train.