Principat d'Izaro (French/Spanish layout)

[weave]

Evening/Morning all,

Couldn't use the photo phone until Sunday night as it's my wife's work phone and it was full of important work stuff from Friday and Saturday that she had to upload to her computer as if I mucked up while using it before she had done so and she lost the info she'd probably be sacked.

Some people are just sooooo selfish, it's always me, me, me  ..

Anyway, have done two very short videos. I hope this works. The only thing is that I thought the problem would be the uploading, not realising that actually doing the video is difficult. I've only got two hands and neither of them are steady at the best of times 

The German coaches and beer wagons are in the siding for a future little story but both video clips are of the overnight 'Golfe de Lion' (Catalan - Golf de Lleó) train named after the area of sea (in real life) between Catalonia in the West and Toulon, France in the East washing the shores of Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence. Izaro, although fictional, sticks out into the Med so it is now where the Gulf ends.

Although the train goes to Toulon, it is mainly used by businessmen travelling to Marseilles, often with connections beyond.

Here goes, first ever train video. Things can only get better  ....

20190811_224549 by Christopher Weaver, on Flickr


Second one slightly better, I think......

20190811_230242 by Christopher Weaver, on Flickr


Thanks for watching and sorry no station and trees but still plaster bandaging.

Cheers weave 

[cornish yorkie]

    
  Many thanks Chris two excellent videos, scenics are progressing nicely     
       regards Derek.

[weave]

Hi all,

Sant Pau de Mar 1983

It's July 1983 and Luis, the 10 year old train fan and photographer from earlier stories in 1963 has decided that before his 30th birthday in August he wants to do something daring and out of character. He stupidly asks some of the older guys in a local bar for suggestions and Unai, the Basque farmer, cheese maker and cider producer from up in the hills comes up with "why don't you run with the bulls in Pamplona?!".

Everyone agreed it was a great idea and the more drinks Luis had, he became braver and thought it was a fantastic idea. He was up for it and going the next day.

The next day, nursing a hangover, he half regretted what he had said he would do but the other half of him thought "No, do it, why not?, you only live once".

There are various trains between Izaro and the Basque Country in Spain but the only one that goes directly to Pamplona is the San Sebastián Talgo, the others diverting to go further West at Castejón, mainly to Bilbao.

Twenty minutes before the Talgo train arrived, some of the bar regulars turned up at the station and proceeded to gamble in the car park on whether Luis would turn up or not. As the minutes ticked by, odds were changing on a show or no show. It then escalated to he'll go but not do it, if he doesn't show, what excuse will he come up with and many others. Their gambling was interrupted by the sound of a train arriving with no sign of Luis but it turned out to be an SNCF CC72000 pulling empty Tanscéréales wagons from Estepera docks back to France. The Talgo's arrival was imminent though and they all looked about to see if they could see Luis.

One of them even sniffed quite loudly during the trains arrival (sorry about that  ).......


20190814_224049 by Christopher Weaver, on Flickr


To be continued...

Cheers weave 

PS Terrible video but I'm still practising and apologies again for the big sniff. I'm not on a big budget and can't just 'cut' to blow my nose 

[port perran]

Very good Chris.
Will Luis turn up?

My 10.00 is on Yes.

Martin

[chorleysteve]

also going with "yes" but maybe as the Talgo is leaving

great work, and all starting to come together with the feel of the Maresme line

[cornish yorkie]

 
  Many thanks Chris, I think he's bottled out
     regards Derek.

[weave]

Hi all,

You'll have to wait to see if Luis turns up or not but just thinking that the rocks, walls and tunnels look a bit too grey...

20190729_203408 by Christopher Weaver, on Flickr

and that maybe I should beige them all up a bit, before I start painting the bandage and adding rocky soil and shrubs, to look more Spanishy...

https://hiveminer.com/Tags/renfe%2Csitges

What do you think?

Cheers weave 

[port perran]

Hi Chris

That’s always a difficult call.
I know that, in the past, I’ve painted granite buildings much too dark. It’s very easy to do.
I’d suggest that your rocks look fine but if you are worried, have a look at some photos of the area that you model.
Plus, of course, rocks etc look different in differing light.

That’s probably no help at all so I’ll stop rambling now.

Martin.

[weave]

Hi Martin,

Does the link not show pictures of where I model, albeit down the coast?

Cheers weave 

[port perran]

Hi Martin,

Does the link not show pictures of where I model, albeit down the coast?

Cheers weave 

Ha, laziness on my part.
I see what you mean hence, maybe you do need to lighten things a little.
Cheers

[weave]

Hi Martin,

Thanks.

Let's hope the Gashead's defence are just as lazy next April   

That'll confuse the others.

Seriously, bit scared to start beigeing (no China pun intended) up everything in case I Chicken Chow Mein it up. Except for the tunnel portals, none of that is my work. I'll have a practice on a spare bit of the rocks and see what everyone thinks.

Maybe I'll just start with washes to dull the grey a bit. I think this is the furthest I've ever got with scenery so as I've said, bit scarey.

Cheers weave 

[chorleysteve]

hey weave

from the photos I'd say do the tunnels and walls but maybe leave the rocks as they are (I'd also be worried about tackling that) but of course it is your railway and the geology of Izaro may be a bit different to the Garraf.

[weave]

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll leave as is as I know I'll muck it up. There is some greyish sand with small gravely bits in on the Common so I might acquire some on Sunday's dog walk and see how that looks.

By the way, I'll sieve it first to get rid of needles, organic stuff etc. and then mix the sand and little 'rocks' back together again but do I need to bake that as well to get rid of microscopic 'things'?

Cheers weave 

[weave]

Hi all,

Unfortunately my filming has surpassed itself at being absolute rubbish but thought I'd show them anyway. There's a few stills to keep the peace although they're not much better.

Sant Pau de Mar 1983 Story continued....

Most of the lads from the bar were inside the station building by now where Agustí, a compulsive gambler, had started a book 15 minutes previously convinced that Luis was a man of his word and would turn up. As the minutes ticked by and he kept reducing the odds on a 'no show' he started to get rather worried as his bar colleagues started to 'lump on' the said 'no show'.

He had thought he could be quids (pesetas) in here but it wasn't looking good. With two minutes to go before the Talgo trains departure he decided to close the book resigned to the fact that not being at all well off he owed a lot of money.

In the meantime, Jaume had noticed a grey taxi up the hill speeding past the 'El Gaitero' restaurant tooting it's horn. No one else had noticed and he quickly asked some of the lads where Luis lived in case someone could get hold of him. "Vilartolí, but he doesn't have a phone" was the reply. Vilartolí was about 4 miles away and had a small taxi firm of grey cars. Sant Pau de Mar taxis were either black or white.

Jaume then saw Pascual, the Station Master, leave the station building blowing his whistle and waving his flag quite erractically. "Is the train going" he asked. "No, well yes, backwards" said Pascual. He followed Pascual who informed the driver that there was a 10 to 15 minute delay up the line and that he would have to reverse as the Paris sleeper was due to arrive on the other platform. The 8 coach Talgo fitted perfectly at Sant Pau de Mar but the locomotive blocked the walkway.

The new RENFE 354, one of eight all named after holy shrines to 'Our Lady', this one called Virgen de Aránzazu, and introduced in 1983, reversed back....

20190817_211826 by Christopher Weaver, on Flickr

and then the Overnight Sleeper from Paris arrived with a very noisy SNCF BB 25200 at the helm...

20190817_211928 by Christopher Weaver, on Flickr

A couple of the lads were still outside on the lookout for Luis but knowing it takes a good five/ten minutes to get from the restaurant up the hill down through the town to the station Jaume went back towards the station building.......

20190817_212218 by Christopher Weaver, on Flickr

He then asked Agustí, as the train was delayed, if he would be interested in taking a big bet on Luis turning up. "Do you know something we don't?" a few people uttered. "What do you mean" he replied, "Yeah, OK I rang Luis, who I don't really know, to make sure he's on his way and then arranged for some sort of minor points failure just outside of San Cristofol so he'd make it on time."

"Luis doesn't have a phone" came a reply. "Well there you go" replied Jaume, "I just have a hunch alright".

"How much?" said Agustí. "30,000 pesetas (about £150), what odds?". "I can only give you 6-4". "Come on Agustí, make it 2-1, he probably won't show and you need the money to pay out". "OK done" said Agustí.

Two minutes later everyone looked out of the window as a grey taxi screeched to a halt outside honking it's horn. "He's here" shouted one of the guys outside.....

20190817_212328 by Christopher Weaver, on Flickr

There was much murmuring and cursing inside the station building as although most had earlier put small bets on him turning up, as the time ticked by most had upped their bets big time on the 'no show'.

Luis, oblivious to all of this, entered the station building.......


20190817_212520 by Christopher Weaver, on Flickr


.... a bit taken aback by all the guys from the bar being there. "We've come to see you off" said Jaume, "Better late than never". "Come on Luis" said Pascual, "the train's about to go". "But I haven't got a ticket yet" he replied. "Don't worry, Jaume has sorted that, there you go" giving him a ticket, "and you're going First Class, he said he'll explain all when you get back, safely".

Luis turned to thank Jaume but he had gone. "Get on the train now" shouted Pascual.

The train finally left for San Sebastián with Luis on his way to Pamplona....

20190817_212543 by Christopher Weaver, on Flickr


Still bemused why Jaume had bought him a ticket, let alone a First Class one, Luis decided to take advantage of some complimentary small bottles of Cava which he thought would help with his hangover.

It had been a tiring morning and as the train passed Girona, Luis felt very relaxed and nodded off. He dreamt that he was a trumpet player at the bull running festival although he was standing on top of the tunnel portal in Sant Pau de Mar and it had been snowing....

20190814_224851 by Christopher Weaver, on Flickr


The dream then turned into a nightmare as he was aware of something large making snorting noises behind him....


20190814_225020 by Christopher Weaver, on Flickr

He woke up with a start as the train entered Zaragoza station and once again inwardly debated with himself whether he had done the right thing. More alcohol to fuel the bravery, he thought,

Back in Sant Pau de Mar, Agustí was a relieved man as although he had had to pay out big to Jaume, with the big 'no show' bets and the excuse side bets he had actually broken even and if Luis still didn't run he might even make a profit.

Sorry so long winded, sorry for the rubbish videos, especially the Paris train arrival and sorry for a rather lame story.

Will do better next time.

Thanks for watching and reading.

Cheers weave 

[chorleysteve]

great storytelling weave; keep it coming