The Comfort of the Past.

The posting today is a respectful bow to the lives lost this past week, some well known, like Prince Phillip and others who were childhood friends and loved members of their families, Mathieu Raynaud, Evie Lanitis and Georgia Polyviou. Sometimes going back into the past is quite a comforting way to address some of the challenges of the present world. Childhoods which were carefree and happy, with shared paths at the Junior School, solving maths homework, participating in sports days, playing at each other's houses. Lives followed their own individual paths, and sometimes they took us away from one another but those bonds hold firm. 

It is also a tribute to the steadfastness of Grandpa Gilks, a devoted partner to Nancy. Hard to believe it is almost a year since she left us on the 27th of April 2020.Their marriage equally long lasting and loving. They even resembled the royal couple and Nancy was often referred to as Queen Nancy.  He had a fine mind and spent a lifetime in service to British Transport as their doctor. He loved Route Master Buses, Trains and Trams. So we shook off our sadness and headed into the sunshine on a beautiful autumnal afternoon to the Tramway Museum in Brisbane. We took rides on the Red Hill Line which came into operation in 1921 and was withdrawn in 1940. The tramway system in Queensland was started up in 1897. Forward thinking, not much attention to health and safety, but a novel and great way to travel around the city. The trams came into the city and an article in the Courier Mail on the 22nd of June 1897 is quoted as saying : 

"A considerable crowd had assembled and many people seemed to be lost in wonderment as to how the thing was to move... those who travelled on the new car expressed themselves fully convinced of its superiority to the horse cars. "

Our lovely driver and dedicated tram aficionado.

I love the comment about what tickets to marry.

Even then advertisements were key! 

How perceptions have changed - we would be horrified to see this nowadays. 

The truck lovingly restored which was used to repair the lines.  

A representation of the city being swept into the modern world of cars, trams and buses. 

One waiting in line for the dedicated team from the Men's Shed to put it back to its old glory. Sometimes they can be brought back, sometimes it is just not to be and we live with the memories they left us, safe in the knowledge of what they offered the world and our lives.