In which Sid and Doris continue the economic history pilgrimage to Monmouth, with its justly famous medieval fortified bridge, by some truly horrid tracks.
Everything is interesting if you are interested and S and D pause to learn about Brandy Bottom colliery.
Animal power wasn’t enough and the world ran on coal; even the colliery was steam powered and still running in 1936. Our range at Hookwood Manor was coal fired. We got an electric stove in about 1965. Pylons were described as bringing coal by wire. Now they bring sunshine and wind power by wire as in the picture below.
But of course, no turbine on my hill or solar panels in my field or I will use AI to send multiple letters of protest.
Note the unfeasibly small car and side loading ramp. The car coming off is a late ‘50s Vauxhall as you can see from the metal on the rear wings. In 1965 this was the way across the Severn. Going from Aust to Beachley actually you were still in Gloucestershire, but Wales wasn’t far away. And nor was the new bridge that opened in 1966. You can see it behind the Severn Princess.
Here we are on the sixty year old bridge. On the cables you can see weights clamped to the suspension wires. These are called Stockbridge dampers and are to reduce wind driven harmonics.
Chepstow, in Monmouthshire (just), is just five miles away. The -est is the oldest post conquest stone castle in the Britain. Mmm. There it is on the left of the picture. To be fair, the castle is better than the picture.
Chepstow has a cute way of giving the history of each shop in the centre. Using the census and town records they make up these paving stones.
From here S and D follow the Wye Valley Greenway (ex Chepstow to Monmouth Railway).
When we get to Tintern Abbey it is still not finished. Or perhaps in 1536 Henry Vlll had absolute power? No more Kings?
There were copper, iron and stone mines to serve but pretty quickly the most important load was Tintern tourists, though the quarries were served through to 1981. For the 1930s tourists there were diesel railcars rather like the Bugatti railcar seen in the Michelin museum in Clermont Ferrand. Very modern fing.
Then Ride With GPS recommends a hideous rough track as preferable to running along the blameless valley road with its beautiful new Tarmac. Why do we fall for this nonsense?
Into Monmouth the first priority is ice cream. But it is all rubbish from Magnum (ex Unilever) or Froneri’s Lyon’s Maid. For the real thing go to Wye Weight down by the bridge.
On retrieving our bikes Sid finds he has a front puncture. Maybe some purists would have got out the tools and done the job in the street. Impure Sid was straight into Launch Bikes for a new inner tube and very fine Terrano gravel tyre, please. Yes, by card. Thank you very much.
In the square a statue of Charles Rolls, co-founder of Rolls Royce. Here he is celebrated as an aviator. He took a flight with Wilbur Wright near Le Mans. He bought a Wright Flyer and became the first pilot to cross the Channel both ways non-stop. He died in 1910 when the tail fell off his Flyer. Est? The first Briton to die in a powered plane crash.
Finally into the Punch House where the tattooed lady offered to put the cycle kit through her washing machine. Very kind. S and D repaid her kindness by going down to a well run Italian themed restaurant; well run by Turks.
You may have been waiting for The Bridge:
Remember: Vaut le voyage depends on where you started from.