TUESDAY 22 JANUARY

TRUCKSHUNTER PHOTOGRAPHS
I’m delighted to say that you are responding magnificently to my appeal for photographs to post on the blog. Thankyou very much indeed; I knew I could rely on you. Please keep them coming - but PLEASE keep them as small as you can. That is, as far below 1Mb as possible.

The picture at the top was taken by Truckshunter Maureen to show just how empty Roker Beach can get at this time of year. It’s the way Maureen likes it and, although it must be er.... ‘bracing’, I like it that way too!


ANOTHER SHUNTER OF TRUCKS
It seems I was a bit previous in suggesting that our President, Bob Williams (from Blackhall Colliery) was the only truckshunter who had actually shunted trucks. I might have known that Neville - with his experience in, and love of, railways - would have been involved in the activity at some point in his career. As proof, he has sent me this picture. His caption is...
'....a very young me truck shunting at Pallion Goods Yard (Sunderland), 1970. A large pole with a hook on the end is balanced on the wagon buffer and the hook placed under the coupling adjacent to a large hook attachment on the wagon or loco. The upwards force lifts the coupling chain over the hook and the wagons are then separated. The engine driver is then able to give the wagon a nudge and it can freewheel into a siding, while the rest of the train remains attached to the locomotive. To couple a wagon to another, the engine brings the buffers together then the connecting chain is swung over the wagon hook using the shunting pole. It’s hard work! The late Ernie Douglas of South Dock is the driver about to give the trucks a shove.'
Thanks Neville!

BLACKHALL COLLIERY
Speaking of our President......he has sent me this picture of Blackhall Colliery, the site of his truckshunting activities in years gone by. It’s particularly evocative for me; my granda worked there for 30 years from 1926 until he died of pneumoconiosis.

As I mentioned on the programme the other day, Bob is looking for a recording of The Miner’s Hymn. Can anyone help him out, please?

THE SHUTTLE
Truckshunter Sid sent me this photograph. His own caption says it all....
'Seeing as how we have been talking of the wonders of the internet on the Truckshunters Blog, I thought you might like to see this photo I downloaded from the NASA website in 2005. On completion of this mission the space shuttle Discovery had to land at Edwards Air Force Base in California, due to the bad weather at the Kennedy Space Center. The only way to get Columbia back to her home base was by air. The Americans do it in great style Ian - have a look!'
You’re right, Sid. They DO do these things in grand style. It’s a great picture.

AND FINALLY....
From Roker via Pallion, Blackhall and the USA out to our Solar System. I downloaded this picture of Jupiter and Io a few months ago and have it as an occasional desktop here at home. I think its beauty is positively mesmerising. The awesome silence of majesty.

See what I mean? The internet really IS an amazing facility!

CONTACT ME
Post comments on this blog or contact me in any one (or more) of these ways....
ian.robinson@bbc.co.uk
ianstuartrobinson@googlemail.com
text 07786 200954 (while the programme is on-air)
call (between about 0545 and 0630 Monday to Friday) 0191 232 6565
Ian Robinson, The Nightshift, BBC Radio Newcastle, Spital Tongues, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE99 1RN

NOTE
Please bear in mind that the views expressed in this blog are my own and NOT the views of the BBC.