Kent & East Sussex Railway

kent_1
Originally uploaded by fred pipes.

The joy of being semi-retired is that you can take your Bank Holiday any old time! On Monday, I went against the flow cycling out of Brighton to go foraging for blackberries and sloes in Patcham. I'd wanted to visit the Kent and East Sussex Railway Open Day but discovered the country buses didn't run on Sundays and Bank Holidays. So, it was Bank Holiday Tuesday then. Once upon a time you'd make for the busiest interchanges, like Crewe, to spot trains, now you have to get to the deepest countryside. I used to be sniffy about light railways (and still am a bit about narrow gauge railways) but this is a delightful 11-mile track from leafy Tenterden to Bodiam Castle, through the Rother valley. I got the train to Hastings and planned to get the two-hourly 349 to Bodiam (trying to find bus info on the web is a nightmare - sites like Traveline take you all round the houses!). When I arrived at Hastings station, however, I noticed a 340 already in heading for Tenterden, so hopped on and my bus pass took me into Kent! The route took me twice past the railway - at Northiam and Rolvenden - and eventually at tenterden it was a short walk down Station Road to the ticket office. I'd just missed the 13.15 (pulled by a WD 'Bucket' saddle tank) so went for a cup of tea and a toasted teacake and caught the 14.20 pulled by a little Wainwright P class tank no. 753, in the livery of the S E & C R. I had a 3rd class compartment to myself and was able to enjoy the sulphurous fumes and cinders in my face, jumping from side to side of the non-corridor compartment with each bend! Oh what joy! I decided not to get off at the shed at Rolvenden as the logistics of catching my last bus were too tight. Spotted 2 other WD saddle tanks and an ugly USA class loco in grey with WD1960 painted on the tank. [Full list of locos can be found on the Wikipedia page.] The other train passed us (without stopping, as we did on the way back) at Wittersham Road. Then it was on to Bodiam and a fine view of a proper castle, ie one with battlements and a moat! On the way back I was joined by a family of mum, two kids, and 'Steve', who'd been to visit it. Back at Tenterden I had an hour to kill so visited the Colonel Stephens museum (an extra £1.50!). Therein I discovered a fascinating coincidence. Holman Fred Stephens, who built this and other light railways, was the son of Pre-Raphaelite Frederic George Stephens, and godson of William Holman Hunt! Inside the museum was another loco - Gazelle, an 0-4-2 from the Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Railway, described as the smallest preserved [standard gauge] locomotive in the world. Great day out: I'd seen three castles (we passed Pevensey Castle and Hastings Castle on the train), lots of wildlife, including a fox by the tracks just outside Hastings station, and seen a beautiful old loco built in 1909 still in steam. Bliss.

It's Ecofriendly Up North

It's Ecofriendly Up North (from The Argus): my letter to the Argus!

Edinburgh Festival 2007

Edinburgh Festival 2007
Originally uploaded by fred pipes.

Apologies that this is more like a list than a blog! It's my annual pilgrimage to Edinburgh.

Thursday 9 August: travel up to Edinburgh on GNER up the east coast. Spotted 6225 Duchess of Hamilton (or was it 6233 Duchess of Sutherland visiting? a tea trolly got in the way) outside York Railway Museum, possible the most beautiful loco ever built. Child playing with Thomas the Tank Engine toys doesn't even look up. Customary pint of 80/- at the Cally Bar at Haymarket, followed by walk to Sam's, then walk to Pleasance courtyard for a few more pints.

Friday 10 Aug: Hangover, vow to 'never again'. Visit Warhol exhibition at the Mound. Sam is a 'friend' so we get to the front of the queue and free entry. Play with the silver balloons (I take an illegal photo!), liked the children's room with the robot paintings. Walk to Fruitmarket to see the Alex Hartley exhibition (he who climbs buildings) and have a sit down. Up to Halfway House on Fleshmarket Close for a pint. Took in a couple of galleries on Fopp Street, notably John Stezaker's montages at Stills and a comic book thing I couldn't see the point of at Collective. Free comedy at Canon's Gate - inc. the whole of Peter Buckley Hill's one-man show. Sam and his friend Kenny sneaked out. Off to Udderbelly for more pints - spotted Nicholas Parsons in the queue.

Saturday 11 Aug: Art Bus to the Modern Art Museum to see the Richard Long exhibition - lots of mud, mud, glorious mud! Shame they didn't sell souvenir pots of ... mud! Met Paul at Guildford Arms then bus to pub near Queen's Hall, thence to see the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. They did a great 1.5 hour set, but didn't do 'Smells like Teen Spirit'. I had an early night (watched miserable Mike Leigh film 'All or Nohing' on TV with a wee dram).

Sunday 12 August: Festival Sunday on the Meadows, just behind Sam's flat. Saw (heard) some comedy: Paul Sinha, Josie Long and Al Pitcher, all very funny. I'd just about pushed my way to the front and a view, when an American woman with guitar came on and cleared the tent. Sat outside the Speigeltent in the rain for a bit then went for a meal at Kushies and then to the Bow Bar and met Nick. Up to the Underbelly (I asked Sam what this building was used for when the festival wasn't on - he said nothing, it was too dangerous!). In the Belly Dancer we saw Fisher King Leven, of which Jackie Leven was the star. Didn't really work - they were all good, but each sat and waited for his turn.

Monday 13 Aug: day trip to Newcastle. I've been through Newcastle on the train for the past 11 years and always wondered what it looked like so got up at the crack of dawn for a day oot on the toon. Got metro to Monument and walked to the Laing Gallery. I love Victorian art and this is a gem. It has a lovely room of 1930s paintings too, all beautifully captioned. Star is Holman-Hunt's 'Pot of Basil' but there is a whole wall of John Martins and a Burne-Jones. I was delighted by an exhibition of watercolours by the Richardsons, and the Thomas Bewick collection of wood engravings. Had lunch with old friend Yvette and she told us aboot the electric bus. My tip: forget about the metro, etc - get a £1.50 day saver and use the electric bus (Quaylink) - it goes everywhere you want to go (except Seven Stories and the Biscuit Factory). So I got one across the swing bridge and into Gateshead to the Baltic, went up in the lift and walked down (Beryl Cook show was on, plus Dazed & Confused vs. Warhol, with silver balloons you could photograph, but weren't allowed to touch!), across the Millennium eyelash bridge for a lovely pint of Gladiator at the Crown Posada - no idea where that name comes from! Back on the bus to the Sage for a coffee then back to the station via the Bigg Market (didn't spot the Fat Slags tho). Train was running 40 minutes late so thought I might miss Stewart Lee (the 41st best stand-up ever) at the Udderbelly. Got cab and they kindly let me in! He was great and did a very brave Josie Long silent surreal ending! Spotted him the next day with a bag of chips in his hand but forgot to shout 'Weightwatchers' at him!

Tuesday 14 Aug: bus to Talbot Rice Gallery (outside which I spotted the above Stewart Lee!) to see David Batchelor's show Unplugged, basically totem poles of pound-shop objects ordered by colour. There were some geodesic spheres made from sunglasses that Nick Sayers would have liked, but the drawings were disappointing. Windows have mysteriously been revealed in one wall! Walked down to the City Arts Centre and got a concessionary admission with my bus pass to see the huge 'Hand Heart and Soul' arts and crafts exhibition. Some beautiful objects and paintings, I particularly liked Basil Spence's perspective of a church complete with comical figure mowing the lawn. Met Nick at the Stand for our annual trip to Simon Munnery's AGM, always good value. After a one-hour show we were led down to Arthur Smith's art gallery for another hour and half of chess-pool, motions and various pieces of Sherlock Holmes and Germaine Greer. Lost my brolly while going to loo so got taxi to Pleasance and Andrew Lawrence's show 'Socal leprosy for beginners and improvers'. I'd never seen him before. He was young and edgy, both nervous and offensive in a very funny fast way. Nick and Sam both got picked on (we were on the front row) but he left me alone!

Wednesday 15 Aug: home. Dumpling business lunch with Sam and Rob at Chop Chop then on the 12.58 from Haymarket to Euston, changing at Crewe! It was a ridiculously cheap ticket and I've always wanted to change at Crewe so went for it. Never again. The journey was along the west coast was pretty at first, through mountains and the lake district, but tedium soon set in and on the penultimate leg on Thameslink I was squashed in by a bloke with laptop! It took 9.25 hours to get home - not recommended! Thanks to Toni my courgette survived my absence and there weren't too many phone messages or emails either. Now I need a rest!

Uke can't be serious

Uke can't be serious: the 'bonsai' guitar is back: yes indeed!

Mia Riddle at the Albert

Mia Riddle at the Albert
Originally uploaded by fred pipes.

Went to see Mia Riddle and her band last night at the Albert, the first time I'd been there since the smoking ban - a great gig marred slightly by a dodgy pint of Harvey's (the first ever)! There was a small barrel on the bar downstairs and the first pint tasted like nectar. The next pint from upstairs, dredged from the bottom of the barrel, was just not up to scratch and I left half of it! First on was a guitar duo called Tandy Hard - great voice, but the miserablist songs made Leonard Cohen sound like George Formby. We needed cheering up and Pog never fail to deliver, tho most of the songs were about nightmare relationships! Kerry was off in Mongolia looking after orphan babies, so bass stand-in was Simon. After a rousing 'In Heaven' we were taken there again by Mia's angelic voice. She was with full band, including a dishy banjo player, Laurel Wells, who must be a bit of a model/fashion designer judging from her MySpace site. Had to rush home for a glass of Soberano to wash away the bad Harvey's taste... Took some truly atrocious photos - just can't get the settings right for low-lighting.

Micro-frog

micro-frog2
Originally uploaded by fred pipes.

My garden is a jungle at the moment, what with all the rain, but I'm reluctant to do anything about it, cos my pond has spawned millions of micro-frogs! I have to be careful stepping out of the back door as they like to congregate there! This one would have fitted on my little finger nail, had I been able to catch it! Boy, can they jump!

Pog at The Sanctuary

Pog at The Sanctuary
Originally uploaded by fred pipes.

I'm sure the 'Cella' at The Sanctuary in Hove has shrunk - or rather the bar has expanded. Only Continental-style lagers I'm afraid, but I'm there for the launch of Pog's 59th album 'Finding hope in unlikely places'. It's their best so far, with great tracks they've been playing live for a while, such as 'Because it's football' (a brave critique on the new-build Seagulls' stadium plannned for a green field on the edge of the South Downs), 'In Heaven' (the la la song), 'London's Grand Parade' and 'Phone in well'. The setlist was the album, straight through, tho Deacon, Wob, Paul and Kerry didn't have time to do the penultimate track. The lighting wasn't conducive to good photos (Kerry was in shadow most of the set) - well, that's my excuse anyway! And the set was punctuated by power cuts activated by the noise limiter! Supports were Spalien Acecraft (who missed a rhyming opportunity with 'cemetery' in their song about the Vogue Gyratory), and the multi-media minidisc-powered Project Adorno doing a psychogeographic essay on London (the Central line used to be longer when it went to Ongar). Top night out, and only a fiver (including a free CD!) Catch Pog at their next gig on Wednesday at the Albert with Mia Riddle.

sfashley: Public Engagement of Science

sfashley: Public Engagement of Science; my radioactive vases blogged by the bloke who tested them!

Courage at St Matthew's

Courage at St Matthew's
Originally uploaded by fred pipes.

Well, the Worthing Festival Open Houses are closed for another year! Well done Dan and the RAG Artists and Makers. Bought a cute glove animal from Erica Smith and a Penguin Pool book from badge queen Anwen Williams at the St Matthew's Courage show then headed to Thompson Towers to invigilate. I sold another Shoreham Airport print! Woo Yay! Then I hot footed it to Lesley Buckingham's in Patcham for her birthday and lots of CAKE! (But I was yearning for savoury and apparently missed a Terre a terre spread!) Still, the cake was gorgeous, especially the Madeira Cake, made by Lesley's mother. Sunday, I did my bit for charity, marshalling on the Capital to Coast bike ride, manning the rest stop at the top of Devils's Dyke. Took my folding Giant Halfway on its maiden voyage downhill all the way home!

Save The Old Toll Bridge

Yes folks, it's my annual token Charity bike ride on 22 July! It's not in aid of cancer, nor will it save any Third-World children - it's for an old wooden bridge in Shoreham by Sea! See a description here. And I'm only doing a pathetic 10 miles! Please don't offer more than 50p, but if I do get a few sponsors, I won't feel so foolish handing my form in!

Get John Shuttleworth chartbound!

John Shuttleworth is currently number 96 in the Physical Top 100, but no. 29 in the Indie Charts! This blog - Hotmilkydrink: Get my hero chartbound! -says it all!

Tour de France Prologue start times

www.cyclingnews.com presents the 94th Tour de France: the starting order for the Prologue

Worthing Open Houses

worthing07_1
Originally uploaded by fred pipes.

After a blissful night's rest at Hingley Heights (Malcolm from The Office lives downstairs!), and a hearty breakfast of crumpets, Guinness Marmite and Belgian apricot jam, we set off in Amanda's air-conditioned motor car to the coast and Worthing for the Artists and Makers Festival. Failing to grab a copy of the East End Advertiser's advertised Special on Street Sex, we proceeded towards the Blackwall Tunnel and the M25. All was going swimmingly until the Brighton turn-off, where we encountered gridlock! We continued to the next junction at the picturesque village of Reigate, and turned towards Dorking. Everyone was delighted to see the giant cock of Dorking on a roundabout that we passed! The A24 down to Worthing was a breeze and despite never approaching the town from the north, found Thompson Towers quite by accident! Dan was out doing a curated bike tour of the Open Houses, so we had tea and a piece of Sheila Guyatt's fabulous fruit cake in the garden. Rob and Amanda went sightseeing and I stayed invigilating. No sales yet, but Dan is doing quite well. Rob and Amanda kindly gave me and my many carrier bags a lift back to Brighton and home, en route to Hastings. A night in watching the Tour de France on ITV4 followed, and so to bed.

Tour de France prologue

Tour de France prologue
Originally uploaded by fred pipes.

On Saturday, after a great breakfast I had the fabulous treat of a trip by motor car to the Canary Wharf Waitrose, one of the grandest in the world. Out into the agoraphobic open air and with a Boots sandwich in my bag, I entered the cathedral-like space that is Canary Wharf tube station on route to the Tour de France. The tube was jammed with people on their way to Wembley to see Spinal Tap at Live Earth, but eventually I got to St James's Park and found a gap on the route of the Prologue on Victoria Street, a long straight view in both directions. At 3pm the race started, with each rider led by a motorbike (alternating British bobby and French gendarmerie) and followed by about three cars of spare bikes and a tv crew! After a while I decided to walk to the start, past Westminster Abbey and Parliament Square where there was a big screen. I was surprised to get a reasonable view of the start on Whitehall near Downing Street, and all the police motorbikes. I then moved on to the finish, through St James's Park, past all the coaches where cyclists were warming up. No view for me at the crowded finish, so I wandered back to my original position, taking in Bradley Wiggins warming up at the Cofidis coach. Saw the last few riders, then went to a pub by the tube station to have a pint of London Pride and watch the results on the TV. Despite various texts and phone calls, didn't manage to hook up with anyone! Then it was back by District Line to Mile End for a fabulous supper cooked by Amanda of broadbean soup followed by butternut squash risotto and Eton mess, all washed down with kir royale and wine, with live Spinal Tap from Wembley on TV. Bliss.

David Devant at 100 Club

David Devant
Originally uploaded by fred pipes.

It was an action-packed weekend up the Big Smoke, so will have to do this in installments! Travelled up on the Thameslink train with Peter and Lisa and first stop was the Cartoon Museum for a W Heath Robinson exhibition entitled 'Helpful Solutions', featuring mostly his big monochrome contraptions, plus two real machines, apparently made for a Jonathon Ross show! The Cartoon Museum is a gem, never been there before, but has some great cartoons on show. Bought a catalogue, had a coffee round the corner (all those streets around the British Museum have been pedestrianised!) then off to Trafalgar Square for the opening ceremony of the Tour de France. Charring Cross Road had been blocked off (literally with concerte blocks) so I walked down, and met up with Nick and Rob by the Fuji stall, amazingly! The Square was rammed and with no chance of a view (even the big screens were obscured by trees!) we decided to head up to The Angel (a Sam Smith's pub) for a couple of pints. Then it was on to the 100 Club, snatching a veggie roll on the way. With our virtual tickets in our hands, first surprise was there was David Devant ephemera for the taking at the ticket booth! A programme complete with setlist, Spirit Specs and Psychic Selector, a Fantasy Fag and a Spirit Eye. Oh what joy! Just like the old days. We grabbed a table by the side of the stage by a poignant George Melly poster and settled down to watch the supports: a sort of school orchestra, Boogaloo Stu ( a sort of camper smarter version of the Vessel) with the gorgeous Sparklemotion Dancers (who once supported Mr Solo), and some chaps (and a chappess) in white boilersuits making a racket. Then it was on with the show. They did the complete 'Work, Lovelife, Miscellaneous' in order, but with 'I'm Not Even Going To Try' at long last renamed 'Auntie Mabel', plus the two tracks from the single given away with the vinyl version of the LP (and if you don't know what they are, you're not much of a fan, eh!). Not much Spectral Roadie action or bagpipes unfortunately but a great singalong set neverthless with audience invasions and interaction a-plenty. Encore was 'Space Daddy', 'Dangerous Dilettante' and finally the magnificent 'Pimlico'. Fantastic! Then it the night bus to Mile End, where Rob and Amanda had kindly agreed to put me up...

Best Scottish beer

Sam's recommendations from The Scotsman. Can't wait to taste them!

100 Club pic

London - Art & Entertainment - Mayfair: My photo of The Rutles on Flickr has been chosen to represent 100 Club onSchmap!!

Coffee at the De La Warr

Coffee at the De La Warr
Originally uploaded by fred pipes.

Did a shift on the 20th Century Society stall at the Midcentury Modern fair at the marvellous De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill on Sea. This is such a wonderful design icon, that even the coffee in the cafe is a work of art! But there is no cycle parking to be found anywhere near! Also took in a fab but smallish exhibition of designers' drawings called Vision Bank, including Erich Mendelsohn's first ideas for the pav, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s design for the K2 phone box (1924), Henry Beck’s preliminary sketch of the London Underground (1931) and Sir Joseph Paxton's blotting paper doodle for the Crystal Palace. As I'm writing this I can hear 76079 steaming out of Brighton back to Bristol. I can't believe I missed it when I got off the diesel from Bexhill at Brighton station!

Drawing for designers

Drawing for designers
Originally uploaded by fred pipes.

The advance copies of my new book have just arrived: one UK, one US. I still find this exciting! The cover illo is by Karim Rashid. ISBN is 978 1 85669 533 6. Publisher is Laurence King.

Lord Nelson

Lord Nelson
Originally uploaded by fred pipes.

It was an unexpected delight to see smoke over Hove station as I exitted Ellen's 50th at Ralli Hall around 11pm. I knew it was Lord Nelson, but it should have been at Hove much earlier (21.20 according to the tour company's website, on its way back from Bristol). I was a little bit drunk so the whole thing was like an amazing dream! I do have the albeit wobbly photos to prove it was real tho. Earlier in the day I'd been in Worthing to lend support to the launch of the Artists and Makers Festival. Dan had been up at 9am with young Edward to spot the Lord from a Worthing footbridge (without smoke deflectors). It was also the occassion of a handing over of a petition to the Mayor to save Elisabeth Frink's 'Desert Quartet' sculptures from being removed by the developer who was supposed to have 'gifted' them to the town. Alison Lapper was to have done it but she was late (but in time for the photos -- see some in Facebook). I had a quick look round Worthing - noting that the 'New Amusements' sign on the pier has been replaced by 'Pier Amusements', bought some chilli beer from Stumpy on the farmers' market, plus some BOGOF brocolli ('picked that morning', that would only go to feed the pigs if I didn't buy it!), and did a turn in the festival shop. Then it was a quick trip to snap the other big heads at Amelia Park, and a dash into Lidl for Norwegian smoked salmon. This morning I felt a bit rough and listening to the rain belting down outside decided not to do my planned Clarion ride around Littlehampton.