Tanks For The Memories!! Filey Steampunk Festival 2018

Saturday May 19th 2018.
Filey, North Yorkshire.
(...although it could be either 1818 or 2118).

Set in an alternative universe, Steampunk is a sub branch of the Goths. The idea is that the world remains visibly Edwardian but technology has continued to develop, with the source of power and energy being steam, clockwork and valve based electricity.

Basically, it's a good excuse to dress in a manner that would normally get you beaten up in the street with fellow like minded eccentrics.
They like to be photographed, even by themselves.

A rather good Steampunk style concept album (a triple!) is ''The Clockwork Fable'' by Gandalf's Fist.
Well worth a listen and a purchase...



As part of the festival, there were tank driving/riding experiences on the beach. The tanks were actually APC's and were unloaded in the morning whilst the tide was going out.

In the centre of Filey, for no particular reason, was parked a rather sturdy car. Not sure it was particularly Steampunk, although it was of that style. It seemed to be a trans desert rally type vehicle.
Not sure what the connection is with Steampunk or desert rallying.

Filey also has a bit of Rock 'n Roll history buried away. The Hylands Hotel is now a residential nursing home. In the 1960's it was used for a night by The Beatles following their concert in nearby Scarborough.

Dying For a Brew

The Abbey Steps Tearooms at the foot of the 199 steps in Whitby. They might serve good tea and cakes but it seems you might have to wait a while for the waitress service...

Crawling From The Wreckage! MV Creteblock, The Scar, Whitby

Heading south from Whitby Pier, towards the area known as The Scar, you find the wreckage of a ship.

Rather surprisingly it is made out of concrete rather than the more traditional wood or steel.

This is the MV Creteblock, one of a number of experimental sea vessels built towards the end of the Great War. They were constructed from a form of concrete in an attempt to save on metal resources for use in the more important manufacture of larger capital warships.

Creteblock missed any action, being launched in 1920 after Fritz had surrendered.

She was used for a number of years as a tug, but ended her days being used as a store at Whitby, North Yorkshire.

After the Second World War (after Fritz had surrendered for a second time), Creteblock was due to be towed out to the North Sea and sunk.

However, due to some kind of error/equipment failure, she slipped free and grounded on The Scar where she has gradually broken apart over the years.

Ways To Go!

The Cleveland Way runs from Helmsley to Filey down the East Coast. It ends on the cliff top on the landward side of the Brigg.
These photos are taken from The Wolds Way which also ends at the cliff top on to the landward side of the Brigg at Filey and runs south down the coast before crossing the Yorkshire Wolds to its starting point at Hessle by the Humber Estuary.

The second photo is taken from the clifftop above Hunmanby Gap looking south towards Flamborough Head.

The third photo is from the same spot looking north towards Filey Brigg.

The fourth photo is further along the clifftop heading towards Filey.

Photos one, five and six are of the Lifeboat House, Coble Landing and Filey Lifeboat #12-13 ( which is our local boat) respectively.

Photo seven is from the town centre of Filey looking towards the sea down Cargate Hill (or 'Cardiac Hill' given its steep ascent from sea level. Particularly when you're carrying stones that you've knicked from the beach to build a rockery for the garden).

Puffed Out!

Between North Landing and Flamborough Head.
May 15th 2018.

Following on from my recent success yesterday of paying to enter the RSPB reserve at Bempton and then spotting the only Puffin on the whole East Coast, I spotted another one from the cliff path, a little further south today.

For free!!

Actually there were, apparently, a few of them.
So I want my fiver from yesterday back.
They drew a bit of a crowd and much fun was had watching those who had spotted one trying to describe where they were to those who hadn't.

"You see that black and white bird, to the left of that other black and white bird? Well just above that is another black and white bird and the black and white bird to the right of that one is the puffin. But it has its head down so it looks like the rest... "
"..... er, which cliff is it on again?"

Anyways, seeing as how I seem to be a pro puffin spotter, I've highlighted it in a circle on the photo.
The Yorkshire Belle (out of Bridlington) sailed past on a puffin spotting trip, but I don't think that they saw ours.
Unlucky.

Following all the Auk related excitement, we continued our leisurely stroll to see Flamborough Light and the Fog Station on the Headland.

Long Distance Roundabout

This is the turntable which is just outside the throat of Scarborough Railway Station. Once you've cleared the platforms and rounded the left hand curve, heading towards York, the track to the turntable can be seen, veering to the right.
It is this facility which enables Scarborough to be a fairly regular recipient of the summertime steam hauled charter trains and rail tours.
Being a terminus station, a fair amount of jiggery (and quite a bit of pokery) goes into extracting the locomotive from the front of the train, reversing it down the track to this turntable, spinning it around, reversing it back and attaching it to the other end the right way around.
The guys doing it seem to be having fun, though!
A few weeks ago, ex LNER A3 Pacific 4472 (aka 60103) "Flying Scotsman" had a turn on this very table before spending the night at Scarborough Platform 1.

INTERESTING FACT
To the left of the locomotive, running along the retaining wall, you can see the longest railway station bench in the world.

Getting The Bird.

After the visit to Bempton Bird Sanctuary last year, it was good to find a few more of our feathered friends in residence this time.
Hundreds of Gannets, Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes, and Fulmars.
Only one Puffin though.

Pleased to Meet Ewe Two

Dotterel Roundabout, Speeton.
May 14th 2018.
Outside The Dotterel Pub.
Sheep (fibre glass).

Pleased to Meet Ewe

Chatburn, Clitheroe, Lancashire.
May 13th 2018.
On the way down to the River Ribble.
Sheep (real ones).