blonde poker forum

Hi all,

here's a couple of diverse photos.

the first is (I think) a funicular railway, taken about 1890 & probably in the UK, any ideas where this may be?

the second is from a collection of photos from South America, is this an Alligator or a Crocodile? & is it possible to estimate how big it is?

(http://www.nglawrie.co.uk/c1.jpg)

(http://www.nglawrie.co.uk/b3.jpg)

any help or ideas much appreciated. I'll be back online later today, I'm just out to to sign an agreement on a larger warehouse  ;boltpp; ;scarymoment;

It's an alligator, and if those chains are standard 4ft "brothers" I would guess it's about 18ft long.

The first photo could possible be Bridgenorth in Shropshire - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgnorth_Cliff_Railway

That wikipedia link should give you something to go on. Are you 100% sure that it's in the UK and not from America where they also had funicular railways?

thanks Red, I've never known the difference........never really had to. I guess 18ft is your standard Alligator?

thanks dino, I can't be 100% sure its in the UK. Thanks for the link. It seems it'll be difficult to pinpoint the exact location of this railway

ask tikay about the first one he took the pic

Average is 13 feet. Largest ever was 19 feet.

A good rule of thumb is that crocs are 'pointy' and gators ain't

I beleive an area to investigate for the first photo may be Lynton/Lynmouth in North Devon...famously flooded severely in the 50s...a funicular links Lynmouth at the bottom of the hill to Lynton at the top and works to this day

I have a place near there in North Devon and it looks remarkably familiar.

Another one is that when their mouths are closed you can see teeth with a croc, but not on an aligator. Doesn't help on this one though.

Although, if it is South America it'll be a Caiman, they don't have aligators or crocs down there AFAICR

http://www.funimag.com/Funimag-Links-Europe.php

Gives all details of funicular tracks in Europe including the UK at the bottom and tighties find.

It looks like a monorail funicular similar to the one that used to be at mt vesuvius

http://www.kahunna.net/q&a02a.shtml

Brunel built an atmospheric railway in Cornwall, one of his only failures, but not to be confused with a funicular Rilway.

Where did the expression "a set of brothers" (meaning chain slings) emenate from Tom? I well remember using "brothers".

I really don't know, anyone who uses lifting equipment calls them that though.

Perhaps it's something to do with them being connected and working together?

thanks for all the leads guys, i'll follow them up  :)up

did Brunel build a tunnel in such a way so that on his birthday the sun appears to rise at the exit of the tunnel? myth or just a happy coincidence?

I don't recall that, but he worked many an engineering miracle, as did his Father.

Many of Brunel's creations remain in use to this day. Bridges, (Clifton, Menai & Saltash notably) railways (GWR of course), & tunnels (Box & Thames), though his ships have all ceased to trade.

Yes its Box tunnel, on his birthday it, shines into entrance but not through i as its curved.

Its near bath in a Village called box, not far from me.

It also has secret passages put in in WW2 and designed for the government to retreat too, trains used to stop and unload in secret, the hillsides all around are filled full of secrets.

We used to sneak into some off the one near the tunnel, but never went that far in as my friends dad got lost when he was a kid for 2 days down there.

http://www.chocolatechipdesign.co.uk/nettleden/boxtunnel/index.shtml
Brunnels box tunnel,  and ref to underground city, i see they have now sealed the underground city.
The birthday thing here says sun goes right through, but when i ve been in there it was curved?

I found this link through google

http://www.billcasselman.com/wording_room/funis.htm

appears it's "the first funicular railway to ascend the slopes of Mount Vesuvius"

Good spot Mex! In fact, the tunnel is arrow straight, & it used to be said that the sun shone right through it, but that seems unlikely in reality, & it bears no relationship to his birthday so far as I know. Rumours suggest it is so, but I'm not convinced.

It is on a sharp gradient, too, or "bank" as railwayman say.

In the days of steam locomotion, the steepness of the gradient meant that many trains took on a "banker", being an extra loco to help it up the hill. In those days, Steam Locomotive drivers "kept" their own locos, & took pride in not seeking the assistance of a banker engine, it was an ego thing really. Occasionaly, a train would not have enough regulator (steam) pressure to make it & failed mid-tunnel, causing the driver to be ribbed for the rest of his career.

My Dad allowed me on his footplate & we went though Box en route to Bristol once, happy days!

The tunnel itself has a plain portal at one end, but the other end has a magnificent neo-Egyptian facade.

It is still used on the London to West Country Main Line to this very day, it's 170 years old!

BINGO!!!    It's the same bloomin photograph lol

I often wanted to ask if you ever rode on your dad's footplate, but somehow I never managed to. Now we know.

steve'sherlock holmes' Wormster!!

great work sir

aahh, the joys of google whilst working late in the edit suite lol

thats excellent, thank you Wormster  ;hattip;

wow an underground city, fascinating stuff.

Years ago I visited Chislehurst Caves, that became an subterranean city during the war, thousands lived down there, with shops, a church, & hospital. In the sixties Pink Floyd played a gig down their. Its worth a visit, I'm sure it must still be open to the public.

not far from the old airfield now army base at colerne, i regularly passed it while supposedly practising map reading skills