g7uk » railways

Robert Stephenson — buried in a churchyard in Eccles

GS — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 00:30:55 +0000

I was in Eccles today. The trains back to Manchester only run every hour so I had some time on my hands before the return journey. I ended up looking around the churchyard of The Parish Church of St.Mary the Virgin in Eccles town centre.
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Most Haunted: Coronation Street

GS — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 03:59:06 +0000

On YouTube I found an episode of Most Haunted from 2005 in which they visit the studios and outdoor set of Coronation Street.

The studio is built on a former graveyard they claim. This is not the 1960′s Granada block but a studio that was constructed next to Lower Byrom Street in the late 1980′s.

It’s a good story, but a quick look through some photographs on the Manchester City Council local image library suggests it isn’t true.

The site of St. John’s Church now. Photo date: November 2008

British Rail planned nuclear-powered flying saucer

GS — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 06:14:58 +0000

The Guardian reports that British Rail patented plans for a nuclear-powered flying saucer in 1973.

‘Charles Osmond Frederick, patented the design for a craft powered by laser-controlled thermonuclear fusion. Designed to reach high speeds in space, it was meant to move us around the globe and even to other planets.

Its “lifting platform” was designed for the British Railways Board and the patent was filed under the name of Jensen and Son.’

A bizarre and rather funny story. 1970′s British Rail staff being in charge of nuclear-powered vehicles just doesn’t bear thinking about. Although it could have made their limp sandwiches a bit more crispy!