We went on holiday to Essex near a nuclear power station, but
there were other pretty bits as well.
This is part 1 of the pictures (except the nuclear power station
pics, which were posted separately).
Southminster
The train ends up at Southminster, which is still seven miles or
so from Bradwell. There's a bus, but we had a lift arranged. We
looked around Southminster. Most of it was bombed in the war, and
looks like it could pretty much use another one.
The pretty church! The other side of the church looks more
traditional, but comes complete with 'danger - falling masonry'
signs.
After arriving at the Othona community, we went for a walk by the
sea, which is right there. It's an interesting stretch. I wouldn't
personally want to swim in it, but lots of people did. (Apparently
it's not so warm now the nuclear power station has closed.)
Interesting stakes in the sea, with barges in the background.
A whole sequence of barges had been sunk some way from the shore.
These are coastal defences, reducing the waves to protect from
erosion and such. It's maybe a bit disappointing that the only
use we have for barges is to sink them in mud, but hey.
Omigosh, I took a picture with people in it. (L to R: mum,
Chris, dad; background: barges.)
There's an exciting wind-farm (under construction, I think)
that is just visible in the distance from here. Haze over the sea
means I could never get a sharp picture of it, but it looks cool
anyhow.
Nearby, a field seeded with wildflowers contains a few buildings;
St. Peter's Chapel, the oldest church in England (supposedly),
its vestry-hut, and a lookout tower. I don't know what they expect
to see... probably just birds.
The lookout tower. Some bastard took out most of the steps from the
stairs, and since I didn't have gloves, I didn't bother to climb it.
We went to see a railway museum that somebody had randomly built
in a farm; there was never any railway here, but the farmer liked
trains, so he laid some track. He also has the biggest collection of
signalling equipment in, I dunno, some distance. And a working
diesel locomotive that can pull you really jerkily down their
half-mile of track and back! It was great.
One of the things I really like about old trains (and other
machinery) is that the people who built them were proud of it.
I guess there was still a bit of that even in 1961. And even
in Doncaster.
1/30 at f8, 22mm, ISO200
Definitely the best logo for any rail network anywhere ever.
1/180 at f8, 22mm, ISO200
Yep, the owner also collects railway notices.
1/250 at f8, 22mm, ISO200
View through the diesel shunter.
1/350 at f8, 123mm, ISO400
Side of a wagon.
1/350 at f5.6, 232mm, ISO400
And another one.
1/350 at f4.5, 90mm, ISO200
British Railways (letters on the back side of the doors that join
one carriage into the next one it's connected to).
1/180 at f6.7, 131mm, ISO200
Massive sign inside the large barn that holds an impressive collection
of carriages and displays. Definitely not Kings Cross.
1/30 at f4, 18mm, ISO1600
The place was full of memorabilia, including some of the old posters.
(I don't know if they were originals or reprints; kind of faded,
though.) My favourite is probably 'Express Freight', with text
'Day and night the whole year round 425 express freight trains link
together the principal industrial centres of this country'. Not
something you see ads for now...
Rain
Next day we went for a long circular walk. It rained all morning.
A green thingy dumped in a drainage ditch, in the rain.
In the afternoon it cleared up. We came back by the marina (which
was pretty depressing, but did have a crane whose painted lettering
advised 'EXTREME DANGER' - awesome).
We went to visit Burnham on Crouch, a local tourist town on a
different river (the Crouch, surprisingly) which has about
seventeen sailing dinghies for every person.
A large shed on the riverside. It's probably something to do with
boat-building, or possibly lawnmower repair.
Part of the high street. There's a planned onshore windfarm nearby
(actually not very nearby here, but I guess you'll be able to see
it) and the local nimby contingent had
signs around.
Okay, so, the Essex chapter of the Harley-Davidson Club was out
in force (yes, really). One bike - I'm going to go out on a limb
and suggest that the rider may have been female - had this
awesome Hello Skully paint job.
Oh, hey, here's where we were staying! (Yes, most people do that
picture first, and not in the dark.) Dad said rather unkindly that
it looks best in the dark.
Omigosh a (distant) person #3! Mum notices we're going to spend ages
climbing over the barge taking photos, and heads out to see how
far the mud goes. (Answer: a long way. And yes, she did come back
before the tide did.)
Part 2 to follow! Including a proper shot of St. Peter's Chapel,
two more omigosh people photos (both of my mum), bull's eggs, a
dragon, and an ominous-looking military radio installation.
