This first half of the month saw a return of an exhibition that has not been seen in the village for twenty eight years, which will be the first side of the title and at the end of the month (in the next blog) will be the end of a an annual event, so I can keep you all in suspense for that one.
3rd August.
In nineteen eighty eight a father and son ( John and Ian McCreadie) built a model railway of the main line going from the edge of the village up to the Drumochter and for the first time in twenty eight years the display returned to the village to raise funds for the Country Life and village hall in the village. I had never seen it before and was totally impressed with the accuracy of the buildings. So below I took some shots of the display (the lighting was hard going so excuse those shots) all be it at a different angle, but then went out a shot the real thing just to show you the comparison. You can also see that not a lot has changed since the thirty six years it was constructed.
The Atholl Arms Hotel.
The village Hall
Bank House, was for the bank, now a holiday let and occupied house.
What was the Highland shop and then the Post Office, now a jewellers.
The village green, the Yew trees have grown a fair bit since the model. Another interesting piece of history, in the models shot behind the green you can see an archway and attached to that (to the right) is another shop. This was built and not real for a television series shot in the village called Strath Blair which a lot of the elderly people remember being shot and indeed appeared as extras.
The railway mainline bridge going over the River Tilt.
West Lodge another entrance to Blair Castle.
Just to give you some idea of the size of the layout a tremendous feat.
I hope this has shown the accuracy of the models buildings and how the village has not really has not changed and just how brilliant it was.
11th.
Definitely not a “first” and I stated last blog “no more Swallows”, couldn’t resist this one.
Might not be that easy to spot but if you zoom in on the power line over sixty Swallows gathering, I do hope this was not them getting ready to migrate as “MY” Swallows have just started brooding another batch of eggs.
12th.
Something different in the plant side of my photos. The wonderful camera club that I am in in New York, has a theme night coming up next week and it is to do with the colour Green. So I went out and about and took as many different green leaves as I could, can you name them?
Plus a seed head to finish.
Been a busy start to the month so not much time for the blog. Note to self, “I must spend more time on my blog”. Sorted for the next one.