Monthly Archives: March 2020

Donating half my YouTube ad revenue to SVR urgent appeal, you can help!!

Due to the Coronavirus epidemic, the Severn Valley Railway, along with all other preserved railways, have had to suspend all services for the coming months. To help, admittedly in a small way, I will donate half my ad revenue. The last 3 weeks generated about £10 but with no filming possible in the coming months there will be no new videos. I have uploaded about 4,000 videos in the last 6 years and it is always interesting to see which videos people are viewing, so I will show the most popular videos over the last 48 hours. To be honest, I have forgotten the content of most of them, but it does bring back memories for me.

If you spend some time watching the events I filmed – some of which you may have attended, you will be helping generate some revenue. Hopefully the ads aren’t too annoying, there shouldn’t be any that you can’t remove within a few seconds. Anyway, hope you find something interesting to watch. Will list the “most viewed” videos on a regular basis, if you can’t locate them, or want to know links to events I might’ve filmed – then just ask.

So much to do, and so much spare time to do it……

…. which means nothing gets done!!

A week has gone by, have walked the dog 7 times and done the weekly shop, er, once!!

I was doing so well, managing a post just about every day – but it is a bit frustrating with nothing “new” to play around with. Still got the final video of units at Stafford to sort through – well that’s not very exciting, is it!!

Hey ho, tomorrow’s another day!!

Photos and Video, 50007 and 50049, Stourbridge 22/03/20

I didn’t know they were running to Reading in the morning, was actually out walking the dog as they passed by not very far away – didn’t hear them though. Fortunately they returned at a convenient time for me to see them. Running as 5Z50 Reading to Kidderminster Severn Valley Railway.

Link to YouTube video or link to photos in gallery.

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Doubt if there will be any interesting trains to see in coming weeks.

The local train service from Monday has been cut from 6 trains an hour in each direction to just 2. All railtours are cancelled or postponed and preserved railways have also suspended services for the next month or so. I’m avoiding all public transport and last journey was just over a week ago – doing a lot more walking!!

I’m trying to catch up on a few things, adding past events to the calendar etc. I’ve always something to do, so won’t get bored – but hope things improve before too long.

Old photos, 34053, 5164 and 50135, Arley 27/05/13

Thinking it would be easy working through old videos to add to the index, I have just come across a day when none of the photos were added to my gallery. They have now been added and can be seen below

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Photos and Video, 47805 and 47810, Cradley Heath 18/03/20

I was expecting it to be the 37 which ran the previous day but was pleased it was the 47s instead. I wasn’t sure which platform to film from, as had been bowled many times before. The downhill train was due to depart 3 minutes after the uphill train and if the 47s were close behind that train my view might’ve been blocked. I did cross over the bridge then the doors were closing on the downhill train and I went back over the bridge and was just starting to film as the 47s appeared, obviously checked by signals, then – just watch the video!!!

Link to YouTube video or link to photos in gallery.

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Photo and Video, 37521, Cradley Heath 17/03/20

A nice little bonus down the Dark Side running as 0Z73 from Crewe to Worcester. It actually terminated at Droitwich and ran back via the Lickey an hour earlier than planned. My original plan would’ve been to see it again at Smethwick – but I’m avoiding public transport at the moment.

Link to YouTube video or link to photo in gallery.

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Old Video Index, D8059, 2857 and 34053 Arley, 19/05/13 (also 5164 and 7812)

I’m trying to set up a basic format for posts when adding to the Old Video Index. I reckon the heading above should work, as it shows locos in the videos, the place, date and also other locos seen in photos. It should be more useful than the original blog post in 2013.

The post in this blog will just give the essentials, then if a reader isn’t interested they don’t waste time downloading images. The link will take you to the full details, or at least what I can remember. Time will tell how successful it is.

Link to page in Video Index

Sorry about all the messing about earlier with a link that didn’t show properly, I understand why now!

Trying to index my first videos from 2013, should be amusing!!

My first videos weren’t brilliant, but as us oldies aren’t supposed to go out and about at the moment I’ve decided to try to make some sort of list of the older videos and to link to any photos from that day. YouTube used to “search” much better than it does now and I can’t always find what I’m looking for – and with over 4,000 videos it’s a big task!!!

The videos from 2013 were filmed with an SLR camera, which wasn’t very easy. Don’t expect them to be “fantastic”, were your first videos good? Obviously lots of shots of locos now moved away, out of service etc. as in these photos at Arley. I’m looking forward to working my way through them – some good memories I’m sure. Anyway, the first is at Arley on 19/05/13, give it a try, you can play the videos and view the photos:-

Link to videos of D8059, 2857 and 34053.

Photos and Video, 1450, 7714 and 75069, Bridgnorth 14/03/20 part 1

At last, the chance to see some steam trains. As the Kidderminster end of the line has had no trains since December it has not been so easy to see any. Anyway, I had a drive to Bridgnorth to see the 3 locos in action and this is the first of the two videos.

Link to YouTube video or link to photos in gallery.

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