Blog 826.  Memories of the Summer of 1976.

I remember well the legendry summer of 1976, all of 46 years ago.  The move to what is still my home was just a year previously and even the summer of 75, after a devastating fall of snow on June 2nd, was quite presentable, unlike the miserable summers that would follow, year in year out, possibly owing to the eruption of Mt. St. Helens’ I think, in 1981.  In 1976, I’m not sure when the countryside started to turn a shade of brown, the sort of thing one sees on the Continent or further afield.  There was the hosepipe ban…I never used a hosepipe in my life!  The heatwave persisted into mid September, and broke the very day I went with Mum and Dad on holiday to South Wales.  The day before was up there in the 30s but my prayer for just a few more days was not granted.  In Breconshire, where we “returned” for the first time since 1959, the temperature felt as if in the low teens Celsius and the Almighty was most generous with the lashings of ice-cold horizontal rain, delivered from clouds as black as charcoal.  I don’t recall blistering hot summers prior to 1976; my childhood memories are of much more varied weather, but usually pleasant enough during the summer holidays.  Father always knew how to make enjoyable summer holidays for all the family. We would choose quite often to do our own thing on some days, and explore as family at other times.  We would always travel by train…never in First Class!  But the journeys would be an adventure in themselves.  My brother was the railway enthusiast, I (for some unknown reason) got excited about buses! 

A big chunk of my life has now passed, I stretched my railway career as long as I was able to, retiring at 68.  it was my brother who had initiated what would become a life-long interest in railways after taking me to Crewe when I was 11 years of age.  The Anglo Scottish and other trains passing through were like some kind of spectacular historic cavalcade, and my appetite for “all things trains” established forever. 

Tuesday 16th August.

It’s probably a good thing that this isn’t the “summer of 76” and that this week, it has cooled down to something more pleasant and manageable, rather than 46 years ago when one wondered if a second ice-age had arrived! 

Already, I feel that my efforts to garner financial support for Christian Aid Week 2022 has been worthwhile. Scroll back a few blogs and you will find accounts of my travels this year which played a major part in making my fundraising efforts a unique event. And, if you don’t live too far from Buxton, do come along on November 8th to the Church Centre on Bath Road when I shall share my travels with hopefully, a capacity audience. Apart from an autumnal “QM2 fix” to Norway, I shall be at home much of the time reacquainting myself with the vagaries of PowerPoint and other less familiar hi-tech stuff. November 8th is when I finish the fund raising, and “gammy knee” permitting, I shall seek to plan what I may do in 2023. Unbelievably, it is less than five months before I forsake the winter climes of North Derbyshire for something a bit more palatable as I revisit among other places, Kangaroo Island, yep, the one on the other side of the world. In the meantime, if inspired to add to donate or sponsor me for my completed Challenge, the JustGiving link can be accessed via Google. Type in David Nevell, Buxton, and the details should be the second item. Contact me first if you would like further details. My e-mail address is QM2@sky.com

Thursday 18th June

Maybe I spoke too soon! It’s becoming decidedly cooler outside. However, I have bitten the bullet and upgraded my phone to one which will take even better photographs. No, that doesn’t mean I will be a better photographer; what it does mean is that I can “zoom in” with much less deterioration in picture quality. My lovely little Lumix camera doesn’t become redundant, however. In three weeks, I have a quick trip to the Norwegian fjords which I last saw as a thirteen year-old with Mum and Dad, in 1962. I would like to think that I may come back with some masterpieces! In January, two Cunard ships set sail on their World Voyages. I would have indulged, but 2022/23 marks the Centenary of the very first Round the World cruise of just one ship. American Express chartered Cunard’s brand new Laconia for this (I think) 138 night voyage from New York. I haven’t a clue how much survives from that voyage of almost a hundred years ago. However, two bundles from two passengers on that original voyage have found their way to Buxton! These documents represent a fascinating “window” of social history from which I continue to derive much interest.

I was rather pleased to drop down to St. John’s Church this morning and assist the Churchwarden with some routine tasks. On Sunday, the morning service is a rare Choral Mattins, almost like the morning services I remember as a teenager. I would like to think this may become a regular event, and welcomed by the congregation, whether regular or casual/visiting.

I see that, although I have not written recently, my blog page receives a small number of visitors. I hope therefore that this blog doesn’t disappoint.

Many thanks for reading, David, at home, 15.34hrs 18/8/22.