- Description
- History graduate and chartered accountant working in consultancy and voluntary sectors; has owned a succession of SAABs, inevitably
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Curbside Classics Archives
About Author: Big Paws
Posts by Big Paws
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![Britain has a long and proud history of locomotives designed solely to haul passengers at high speed, from Rocket to Flying Scotsman, Coronation and Mallard in the steam days to […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/01.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Trackside Classic: 1989 British Rail / GEC Class 91 – Britain’s Last Express Locomotive Retires")
Trackside Classic: 1989 British Rail / GEC Class 91 – Britain’s Last Express Locomotive Retires
Posted on September 15, 2020 | 14 CommentsBritain has a long and proud history of locomotives designed solely to haul passengers at high speed, from Rocket to Flying Scotsman, Coronation and Mallard in the steam days to […] -
![This poster dates from 1960. It depicts the Peak District of northern England, an area of moors and limestone – a vital lung for Sheffield and Manchester, and from 1951 […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/01-474.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Trackside Classic: 1960 British Railways Metro Cammell ‘Blue Pullman’ – Another Forgotten Pioneer")
Trackside Classic: 1960 British Railways Metro Cammell ‘Blue Pullman’ – Another Forgotten Pioneer
Posted on May 3, 2020 | 17 CommentsThis poster dates from 1960. It depicts the Peak District of northern England, an area of moors and limestone – a vital lung for Sheffield and Manchester, and from 1951 […] -
![British Rail’s InterCity 125, the famous High Speed Train, has finally, after just 41 years, retired from mainline high speed service, with final scheduled journeys on the East Coast Main […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/P1100049.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Trackside Classic News: The InterCity 125 Retires in Style")
Trackside Classic News: The InterCity 125 Retires in Style
Posted on December 22, 2019 | 12 CommentsBritish Rail’s InterCity 125, the famous High Speed Train, has finally, after just 41 years, retired from mainline high speed service, with final scheduled journeys on the East Coast Main […] -
![The history of British diesel locomotives is complex – or messy, if you prefer. We had too many experimental designs that failed; some wonderful albeit flawed exotica but also some […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/06-nhtg03.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Trackside Classic: 1962 British Railways / Brush Class 47 – From InterCity to Merry Go Round to International Rescue")
Trackside Classic: 1962 British Railways / Brush Class 47 – From InterCity to Merry Go Round to International Rescue
Posted on November 28, 2019 | 13 CommentsThe history of British diesel locomotives is complex – or messy, if you prefer. We had too many experimental designs that failed; some wonderful albeit flawed exotica but also some […] -
TQOTD – Which Historic Livery Would You like to See Again?
Posted on October 23, 2019 | 81 CommentsSeeing this beauty sweep past the bottom of the garden the other day made me wonder about what other historic liveries would bring a smile to a Curbivore. -
Curbside Classics: Strange Things in Wyoming
Posted on October 6, 2019 | 22 CommentsA holiday in Wyoming can be relied on to include great things by the roadside. Such as bears, moose, elk and buffalo. But a 1926 Alvis? -
![Cities need lungs. New York and London have their parks. The great cities of Northern England have the moors and dales of Yorkshire and Northumberland. But Glasgow is, as always, […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/01-.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Dockside Classic: 1947 Paddle Steamer Waverley – The Last Seagoing Paddle Steamer In The World")
Dockside Classic: 1947 Paddle Steamer Waverley – The Last Seagoing Paddle Steamer In The World
Posted on September 28, 2019 | 26 CommentsCities need lungs. New York and London have their parks. The great cities of Northern England have the moors and dales of Yorkshire and Northumberland. But Glasgow is, as always, […] -
![In 2014, we reported how Union Pacific had reacquired one of the eight surviving ALCO built ‘Big Boys’ – the world’s largest steam locomotives – from a museum in California, […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/01-IMG_2564.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Trackside Classic: 1941 Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 Big Boy #4014 – Amazing Things Happen in Wyoming")
Trackside Classic: 1941 Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 Big Boy #4014 – Amazing Things Happen in Wyoming
Posted on May 10, 2019 | 32 CommentsIn 2014, we reported how Union Pacific had reacquired one of the eight surviving ALCO built ‘Big Boys’ – the world’s largest steam locomotives – from a museum in California, […] -
![Great trains have long lives. The Flying Scotsman is close to 150 years. The Cornish Riviera, over 120. The Broadway lasted over 80. The 20th Century Limited, 65. Canada’s Canadian […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/01-fogg.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Trackside Classic: 1949-70 California Zephyr – A Silver Thread Across America")
Trackside Classic: 1949-70 California Zephyr – A Silver Thread Across America
Posted on April 21, 2019 | 27 CommentsGreat trains have long lives. The Flying Scotsman is close to 150 years. The Cornish Riviera, over 120. The Broadway lasted over 80. The 20th Century Limited, 65. Canada’s Canadian […] -
![Britain has no shortage of wonderful railway stations large and small – London Paddington, York, Newcastle Central, Glasgow Central and Bristol Temple Meads all have their fans among the larger […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/st-pancras-roof.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Trackside Classic: St Pancras Station – Industrial Revolution Meets Gothic Revival")
Trackside Classic: St Pancras Station – Industrial Revolution Meets Gothic Revival
Posted on March 14, 2019 | 30 CommentsBritain has no shortage of wonderful railway stations large and small – London Paddington, York, Newcastle Central, Glasgow Central and Bristol Temple Meads all have their fans among the larger […] -
![Wakefield Kirkgate What happens when you take an underachieving bus and try to turn it into a cheap train for an underfunded rail system? You get the horror that is […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/02-shefield.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Trackside Horror: 1985 British Rail Class 142 – The Truly Awful Pacer")
Trackside Horror: 1985 British Rail Class 142 – The Truly Awful Pacer
Posted on August 27, 2018 | 34 CommentsWakefield Kirkgate What happens when you take an underachieving bus and try to turn it into a cheap train for an underfunded rail system? You get the horror that is […] -
![We all know the Lancaster – the real heavyweight of the RAF’s campaign over Germany and the occupied nations of western Europe. As Britain celebrates the centenary of the world’s […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/01-Color-photo-of-a-RAF-Vickers-Wellington-MkX-RAF-82OTU-Red-17-J-HE575-England-01.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Rampside Classic – 1937 Vickers Wellington – Bomber Command’s Only Ever-Present")
Rampside Classic – 1937 Vickers Wellington – Bomber Command’s Only Ever-Present
Posted on April 29, 2018 | 24 CommentsWe all know the Lancaster – the real heavyweight of the RAF’s campaign over Germany and the occupied nations of western Europe. As Britain celebrates the centenary of the world’s […] -
![Glasgow is a great city, and perhaps one of the most individually distinctive in Britain, with a historic importance that is obvious to any visitor. But you have to look […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/01-no-1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Trackside Classic: 1896 Glasgow Subway Car No. 1 – Simply Different")
Trackside Classic: 1896 Glasgow Subway Car No. 1 – Simply Different
Posted on February 3, 2018 | 37 CommentsGlasgow is a great city, and perhaps one of the most individually distinctive in Britain, with a historic importance that is obvious to any visitor. But you have to look […] -
![The Great Western Railway always knew it was better than other British railway companies, and was tremendously proud of its steam locomotives, so expecting its successor the Western Region of […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/00-10059.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "1963 British Railways Western Class Diesel Hydraulic D1015 ‘Western Champion’ – Determined to be Different")
1963 British Railways Western Class Diesel Hydraulic D1015 ‘Western Champion’ – Determined to be Different
Posted on October 25, 2017 | 24 CommentsThe Great Western Railway always knew it was better than other British railway companies, and was tremendously proud of its steam locomotives, so expecting its successor the Western Region of […] -
![After the disappointment of the pioneering Comet, how was the British aircraft industry to compete with the Boeing 707 and McDonnell Douglas DC-8? The answer was not to try, but […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/00-GARVC_VC10_goldenSB-1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Aviation Classic: 1962 Vickers VC-10 – A Great Step Backwards In Aviation")
Aviation Classic: 1962 Vickers VC-10 – A Great Step Backwards In Aviation
Posted on August 3, 2017 | 66 CommentsAfter the disappointment of the pioneering Comet, how was the British aircraft industry to compete with the Boeing 707 and McDonnell Douglas DC-8? The answer was not to try, but […]
