Ant Dawson
@railwayhobbit
Historian, Archaeologist, and Museum Professional who is also an Organist, Christian Universalist, Rower, Geek. Into Boardgames, Reenactment, Heavy Metal and with a soupcon of Long-Covid.
Absolute icons of rail travel. Machines which made the modern world - for good or for bad.
Starting to look awfully like a museum exhibition. One final push and then fingers crossed opening in a fortnight. I've lost sleep over this, gone grey and thinner on top. But I'm sure it will be worth it.
We need to challenge every system which leads to 'othering' of an individual. We need to challenge political systems, and religious systems, which demonise and hate other people for who they are or whom they love. We need to challenge, confront, and condemn the sin of homophobia at every turn.
Tomorrow I will be speaking in Leeds at the Middleton Railway about Salamanca and its rivals. Salamanca was the first commercially successful locomotive and I will explore how other engineers grappled with making an effective locomotive which didn't break the track and could move a useful load.
That moment when your copy of the Suite Gothique literally falls to pieces when you are *really* in the middle of the Minuet......raining pages onto the pedals. Argh. Memory carried me through. I think. 🫤
A truly evil piece of legislation which destroyed lives and fucked up one, perhaps two generations of LGBTQ+ kids. And now we see something similar creeping back in...slowly dripping its evil on social media and through political commentators. It must be opposed. Stonewall was a riot, not a party.
Brookfield Church, Gorton, this Sunday. A chance to reflect, relax and unwind with singing, meditation, and fellowship.
Today was brought to you courtesy of the letters I for Improvisation and U for Unexpected. No one told me today was Chapel Anniversary. Or Flower Communion. What I'd prepared was from the lectionary and ordinary communion. So hello improvised sermon and Flower Communion. Unexpected...
Ginger is coming home. He's all okay. Peeing like a cart horse. Wolfing down food. Being a general menace. I am exhausted. physically. emotionally. Thank God for second opinions. I will be making a formal complaint and finding a new vet. Roll on 1pm when I can get him.😍
I haven't prayed so hard in years. I've known Ginger since he was born. I was there when he was born. We bonded at hours old. He's known no one else. He's my little fur baby.
Please put Ginger T Cat in your prayers and thoughts. He's in the emergency vets. He has a blocked urethra and is vomiting and diarrhea. Very unwell little dude.
And relax. Wow. That felt almost unreal. I've spoken at several international conferences on the Crimean War, but never in a country where the country itself had such a vested interest in that conflict from so long ago, and which has an existential fight on its hands. Incredibly poignant & powerful.
Eyes down looking. International conference about Conflict in Ukraine today in Kyiv. I'm speaking about the Crimean War (1853-56) British memory of it and lessons we can learn about it (not cutting military budgets; a proper logistics tail; having a trained staff; not having oaps as generals)
Ministerial and civic duty done. Gee Cross well dressings done for another year. A tad warm. A tad chaotic. But all part of the fun of these things. The local Reform councillors were not happy with my benediction about inclusion and a just and equitable world where all are welcome. 🫤
Last but not least, an exhibition on the Mezzanine level to celebrate 200 years of the Leeds inventor and engineer Matthew Murray and the first ever commercial locomotive - which was built in Leeds in 1812. It includes the oldest piece of rail from a steam railway in the world!
And a new exhibition about coal mining coming together as well! There's been dozens of hours of work in all of his. But slowly slowly falling into place :-)
I love it when a plan starts to come together. New brakevan interpretation at the Middleton Railway. It explains what a brakevan is, how it was used, and what it was like to live in one plus a chance to find everything in the van the Guard needed! Just a few finishing touches to go.
Beyer Peacock & Co. duly celebrated at Brookfield Church yesterday. A service of thanksgiving in the morning; laying of floral tributes at the Peacock Mausoleum; mountains of cake and then three fascinating talks in the afternoon.
Coal Tank Goodness. A complete Victorian Train at the Victorian Oakworth Station. LNWR loco with Lankie (LYR) carriages.
Is me as a Victorian Midland Railway Stationmaster. Thanks to Oakworth station on the Worth Valley for their assistance with this photoshoot ☺️
I did a review of Hornby's latest Planet model on my facebook author page yesterday. It's drawn a lot of ire - apparently I should be grateful for the model existing; that I shouldn't bite the hand which feeds me; and shouldn't post reviews in any way critical because Hornby will stop making them.
This Sunday (14 June) at Brookfield Church, Gorton, there will be a celebration of all things Beyer Peacock to mark the 60th anniversary of the closure of the firm; the 150th anniversary of the death of Charles Beyer and him being one of 5 LGBT innovators and scientists for LGBT history month 2026!
Well this is rather exciting: my nine-ton baby in model form. And it definitely is the replica, not the original 1830 machine. The crew also look suspiciously like two friends - the late Peter Brown and Prof Bev Pardoe. Happy memories.
Happy Birthday to George Stephenson, born this day in 1781. Engineer. Inventor. A father of the locomotive (but not necessarily a good father to his son). And, of course, a Unitarian.