Tuesday 23 May 2017

Station Cats add terrorists to list of people they couldn't give a shit about


Today, the Station Cat at Manchester Victoria joined Larry the Downing Street cat by simply not giving two f*cks to the hatred distributed as Terror by the vile being in Manchester.

Yes, we have no right to comment on the atrocity bestowed on the children and families on the streets of Manchester. This is merely a daft train site. You'd be absolutely right if you thought this, but when real world comes knocking on our thermos flasks - knocking what ever we thought was important in life by taking a swift kick, out of our garden and into next doors garden, it is difficult not to respond.

Why Station Cats?

This morning, as we all woke to the horrific news from Manchester. There stood the Political Correspondent at 7am in the morning on the streets of Downing Street. There he stood telling us that democracy was on pause due to a maniac. A maniac who had robbed the lives of 22 people. The silence from London, in respect and in unity for Manchester was deafening.

But, behind him, there was Larry the Cat. The typical cat who had his tea the night before then pissed off out for the night without a care in the world. He then decides to show up at his minions door for his breakfast. The perils of the changed world throughout the night as he strolled around not even registering as a tinkle on his collar bell. 

This morning, Station cats across the North of England will have gone about their daily lives while we were all glued to the News for the telling horror of rising death tolls and lost children that have been put in contact with a nail bomb. 

The lifelong aim of a cat to ignore anyone that doesn't feed it, ever unchanging despite beliefs or disgraceful aims in life.

The Steam Railway began in Manchester and threaded its double track towards Liverpool in a form of transport that would change the world - forever. 
The 'Rocket' led the way for railways around the world, from Manchester. In 1940 the Manchester Blitz was an attempt on annihilating the North West of England by vicious enemies - it failed.

As terror lands on the top of Railways at Manchester Victoria - it will fail. 

The Pacers will return - we will moan about them,
The drivers will place funny destination names on their blinds - we will groan at them,
A Black 5 will storm away on a railtour with the wrong colour coaches - we will moan about them,
Class 37s will be repainted again - it will be the wrong shade of paint,
You will get sat next to a stag party from Newcastle - they will spill their Lager on your laptop,

The Station Cat will return to Manchester Victoria,
It won't give two shits about anyone trying to change its way of life. It will carry on.

Saturday 20 May 2017

Woman spotted at Diesel Gala - Insists she was lost


After turning in fury when hearing the words 'Look, Clag', the woman managed to retain her dignity by leaving the Diesel Gala immediately.

Now, we are not ones for sexist stereotypes here at the BM but with the influx of political posts being outdone by posts containing lots of blokes enjoying a Swallow (Intercity variant), we have been left wondering:

1) Who are Diesel Galas for?
2) Where's Kevin?
3) Where are all the women at these events?

We have to tip our hats to the SVR, who put on a fine display and showcase of Diesel Heritage that is unparalleled to anything similar, in fact many railways seem to have given up the concept, the red pens and the cancellation of star guests at the last minute.

It was until this weekend that we were left wondering who the Galas are for, to see mainline diesels normally on the other side of Kidderminster thrashing out of the other side of Kidderminster - then immediately slowing to speed limits.

The tide has changed from seeing a 'replacement' diesel on the front of your Heritage train to your train being hauled by a 'Heritage Diesel'. It is a masterstroke of publicity that railways will be most relieved to enjoy as their most beloved of steam engines fails in the small hours.

The Diesel Gala then sits at the top of this publicity quite awkwardly, it could be seen as a collection of AA recovery vans that rescued all of the classic cars through the year. A celebration of your generous car insurance policy. 

But.

Heritage belongs to us all, the days at looking at a Victorian steam engine and remembering when you were running to your Air Raid Shelter while wiping away the coal you ate for breakfast from your petticoats may be coming to an end.

A rake of Intercity Mk3s with an Intercity Class 47 on the front is now heritage - we are all very old. 

Diesel Galas make us feel older than our times.


So why don't we see lots of children at Diesel Galas? Perhaps the lies persuasive arguments for dragging their offspring to look at a Class 88 were ondone, when arriving at said Heritage Railway behind a Class 88. Perhaps it all unraveled quicker than explaining the storks are just very busy and begin their work in back seat of a 1989 Cortina.

So why don't we see lots of women at Diesel Galas? Perhaps the blokes don't want to invite them so they can stick on a gas mask, inhale cheap tinned Lager, flail like a demented toad looking for water and then post the results on The Railway Photography Group?

Case closed.