February 7th – A better day, but still grey and showery, with a building wind. I nipped out for a short run to Chasewater, where I noted the water level still rising and the valves still closed. It’ll be interesting to see if the powers that be let the water overflow again this year.

Over at the Chasewater Railway, I noted a new arrival – a rather unusual looking shunting engine with a very continental appearance. It’s carrying the Corus logo – once of course British Steel and now Tata – and from a little Googling I can see it’s come from the former Lackenby Steelworks, which closed a while back.

It’s an interesting thing and I’d love to know more about it. It certainly looks very powerful.

March 23rd – whilst pottering through Wednesfield on my way back from Telford, I noticed this pedestrian bridge near the centre of town. I think it’s a close relation to the one in Brownhills, erected a couple of years ago at the bottom of Pier Street. Although a different shape, and clearly adapted for specific circumstances, it’s clearly by the same designer with similar stylistic quirks. Wonder if there are any more of them? I like these bridges, although the inward-leaning rail is disconcerting, they have beautifully soft ramps for wheeled access, and look rather elegant.