It’s amazing what you find on the roads while travelling on the Isle of Wight these days. There we were enjoying the rural farmland when in front of us was -
Thomas being Cab-napped?
Yes, it was Thomas the Tank Engine! – although his face had been covered in black cloths. So he couldnt see where he was being taken. Should I call the police I thought? but no, what can one man do on a bicycle? I took the easy option and escaped to the new Bluebell restaraunt to steady myself with a cream tea.
I have always loved trains and my earliest memories are of Reginald Gardiner on the Radio making noises to sound just like a steam train. Later in life I discoved if you say fish and chips over and over at different speeds it works just as well – but as usual I digress.
Although I didnt like Paul Temple as a child the sound of the theme tune from his series ‘The Coronation Scot’ always invokes memories of Radio valves crackling into live – was the steam train in the radio?
So today I decided to share with you some of my favourite gems before Beeching comes back to haunt us again.
PARSLEY SIDINGS
The first is Parsley Sidings which for many is the British Rail answer to Dad’s Army!
http://www.4shared.com/dir/17980195/3e6e1179/Parsley_Sidings.html
Arthur Lowe can do no wrong for me and lined up with Ian Lavender again. It is a glorious series to enjoy. Still one or two episodes to recover if you can help? Super link for Parsley Sidings appreciation site below.
http://www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/Dads%20Army%20Parsley%20Sidings.htm
CHANGE AT OGLETHORPE
In a quieter vein but equally delightful was ‘Change at Oglethorpe’. Only ran to one series but great fun and well worth putting your feet up to enjoy again. I must admit to being a great fan of Kenneth O’Connor and here hes is simply at his best – enjoy!
http://www.4shared.com/dir/17994992/1c1b6b85/Change_at_Oglethorpe.html
VICTORIA
Victoria Station Nottingham
Every now and then a great series of plays slip past on the BBC and ‘Victoria’ was one of the best. No, not Victoria in London but the great Nottingham Station. The stories were set around the 1890’s and hinge around the daily life of the station and its staff. You can almost smell the soot and steam – do listen!
http://www.4shared.com/dir/17996794/55ef2b31/Victoria_Station.html
TERMINUS
More Grim events on a Railway station take place in Nick Fisher’s plays called ‘Terminus’. Events are investigated by Imelda Staunton as the feisty DSI Julie Enfield. Lots of bodies for murder fans….
http://www.4shared.com/dir/18805842/20cfd9a7/Terminus.html
And theres more….
In a misc folder you’ll find Hancock on a Train Journey, from Dads Army – The Royal Train, by Arnold Ridley
Royal Train
- The Ghost Train and a short trip with Ted Ray. Theres a Slow Train by Flanders and Swan plus the Coronation Scot and Reginald Gardner.
http://www.4shared.com/dir/18001668/9b836a0b/Trains.html
So thats the ‘line up’ for this month which I hope will keep you all ‘on track’. Any ’sleepers’ can listen to the Clitheroe Kid (see earlier thread)
All links are free
PS – Good News 
- I heard that Thomas escaped
