StoneRoad2013's photos

The VoR do have great attention to mundane details, like this toilet roll holder in the facilities at Aberystwyth. I suspect that someone had fun making the pattern to produce these !

"Redstone" is a 0-4-0 VBT built in 1903 as a 2ft gauge version of the De Winton locomotives. She was designed by the owner of the granite quarry in Penmaenmawr, for use by his family on their private garden railway. Restored to operational status in 2012, Redstone has moved to Aberystwyth from the Brecon Mountain Railway.

That is a very unusual way to create a barrier to road traffic, it is made up of three stockless anchors and several lengths of anchor chain - the vertical sections have been welded into position. It's on the road by the Harbour Commissioners [?] sheds, just along from the Castle in Caernarfon and opposite the railway station.

Information boards about the RNLI, Aberystwyth lifeboat station history [?] and the two ILB currently on station. i) Atlantic 85 [RIB] B-937 "Florence & Ernest Bowles" allocated from 2023. and for even closer inshore work the second boat ii) Arancia [small inflatable] A-78 "Wren" based here since 2012 - this type are normally allocated to RNLI lifeguards, and a small number have been modified / built for work as a lifeboat. There is another at Criccieth.

The "Millennium" clock in Aberystwyth is in the small square on the corner of Bridge and Great Darkgate Streets, and was erected to celebrate the millennium [2000]. A plaque says that the tower was inaugurated on October 20th 2000 by the mayor of Aberystwyth, and the chairman of Ceredigion County Council. Construction was funded by Ceredigion County Council, Aberystwyth Town Council, and the Wales Tourist Board. It had some tlc in 2023, which I think included repainting the render.

GWR [Great Western Railway] - Cattle Waggon, No. 38089 built in Swindon to Lot No.914. Moved to Welshpool & Llanfair in 1937, to Festiniog in 1960, Returned to the Vale of Rheidol in 2014 and re-entered traffic in 2017. {I suspect that it may have been re-gauged}

60532 stands ready at Kidderminster Town, Severn Valley Railway after a 22-year hiatus, since she last steamed at the North York Moors Railway. Something of a surprise to me as the SVR wasn't operating service trains at the time. . further info ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LNER_Peppercorn_Class_A2_60532_Blue_Peter

Shunting carriages [SVR, Kidderminster] ... the destination board reads Portmadoc, which is the angllcised spelling of Porthmadog. This caught my eye as I know Port rather more than moderately well, having been quite involved with the Festiniog Railway in the past.

Locomotive No.1213 of the Vale of Rheidol Railway, currently [2024] residing in the museum at Aberystwyth, listed as "under overhaul" ... No.9, aka "Prince of Wales" was built in 1924, and has carried various liveries over the years - most recently (since 2016) this has been the number 1213 and Great Western.

The late Adrian Shooter's 2ft gauge rail-mounted 'Model T' Ford, complete with "cowcatcher" ...

This tree is just to one side of the Nine Ladies stone circle, and is decorated with what appear to be various votive offerings. . en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clootie_well ... in this case, neither a spring nor a well but just the "rag tree" with several other votive offerings near the Nine Ladies stone circle

What looks like flooding in the aftermath of Storms Kathleen & Pierrick [4th to 10th April 2024] is actually the filled up flow retention ponds, which slow the discharge of storm water. [Still raining heavily, by the way]

What looks like flooding in the aftermath of Storms Kathleen & Pierrick [4th to 10th April 2024] is actually the filled up flow retention ponds, which slow the discharge of storm water. [Has been raining all day]

Some goat willow catkins at various stages - smooth & fluffy grey to the older yellow shaggy ones shedding pollen.

BBC infographic indicating the expected path of the eclipse over the British Isle & Eire on 8th April 2024. Actual visibility would depend on local landscape and the degree of cloud cover. . My locality should have had a duration of approximately 12 minutes for this solar eclipse. Sadly, we had a full 8 octas cloud cover - a dense layer of low level stratus. So my borrowing a set of welding goggles wasn't too worthwhile ! . not my image : fair use & public information

Attempting to image the interiors of snowdrops flowers.

One group of early flowering roadside daffodils, these are growing only a short distance from us [it's not the place in the background !]

Beauty has come over to Ben de-Dog for a quick smooch - she rubs her face on his, if he stays still long enough.