Hello
A bit of a special newsletter this week as we were not sure about sending one, assuming you would be busy with other things that reading emails today.
However Jim Smith provided us with the perfect railway song of the week, someone had worked out the twelve days of Christmas as a modeller song and a colleague who shall remain anonymous under the pseudonym of "A." kept going on about the Christmas spirit and how it will be so sad not to have something to read on Christmas Eve while quenching his family. So in the spirit of Christmas, here is this week's newsletter and rest assured this decision has nothing to do with the boxes of chocolate anonymous Alex left on my desk.
Have a fantastic Christmas everyone.
Railway song of the week
Reader Jim Smith sent us the following message: "This is not a song as such but more an American steam train recording. O. Winston Link, the American railway photographer also made sound recordings and released in 1958 " The Fading Giant” . On the reworked CD that I have there is a track with the Bells of the Lutheran Church in Rural Retreat, Virginia and the sound of a Class J Locomotive, No.603 as it arrives at 9.39pm on Christmas Eve 1957. The train stops with a squeal of brakes and almost immediately starts again as it is only a "flag stop”. The train carries away into the night leaving only the bells of the church filling the night air. Seven nights later the service to Rural Retreat stopped.
I did hear that O. Winston link had gone to Mrs J. E. Dodson and had asked her to play the bells. When do I stop? she asked and was told "keep playing” and we will tell you when to stop! Of course only after the train had disappeared into the night.
The music she plays are Christmas Carols and I always play this CD at this time of the year as it reminds me of all those family and friends, some who are no longer with us, who would make the train journey to be "home for Christmas ". I wondered if you would be interested to include it as Railway Song/music of the week for Christmas Eve?"
As this is Christmas, we cannot say no so here it is. Please note the bells start at 41:50.
On Tuesday 24th December, Christmas eve 1968, the spacecraft Apollo 8 orbited the Moon 10 times before returning to Earth and splashing down in the northern Pacific Ocean on 27th December. Launched on 21st December, Apollo 8 was the first spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit and the first to visit the Moon. Although it didn't land on the Moon, it acted as a technical and procedural trial that paved the way for the successful lunar landing by Apollo 11 in July of 1969.
We turned to Langley to kick us off on our seasonal search and found some drummers drumming and pipers piping but had to use a Lord Mayor on the 10th day as no one has figured out how to model a Lord in mid-air yet!
Next, for the 9th day, we took a cheeky peek at Noch's ladies, but we suspect they will want some money to perform any dancing, probably best you only look at this one if you don't blush easily (and are over 18!). Maids are milking for sure on day 8 thanks once again to Langley, and Busch really nailed it on day 7 with not only swans, but a house for them all to live in too!
We continue on the 6th day with some golden geese (well white metal ones anyway) from Springside Models, five of Gaugemaster's best ring terminals (except there are 6 of them, but in our defence, we had enjoyed a few sherries by this point), some calling birds and some hens that live fairly close to France for the 4th and 3rd days.
Day 2 saw some actual turtle doves and for the very first day of Christmas, a beautiful pear tree, perfect in every way (except for the partridge who seems to be missing in action), well we did say it wasn't easy!
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