Insulators, anyone?

I dipped in to Great Northern Railwayana’s Poynton auction on Saturday. I am always intrigued to see the reception that the batch of artwork gets, both from the chair and from the floor. Lukewarm interest from the punters was the overall result, with 6 remaining unsold, accompanied by an exasperated plea from the front, “Doesn’t anyone want railway paintings anymore?” Perhaps most of them never did.

More puzzling to me were the 11 separate lots of insulators in boxes or on wooden bars. These were the ceramic up-turned flowerpots adorning telegraph poles alongside the track in the pre-digital age. It seemed that each of the boxes was destined for the same group of blokes, who then had a huddle around their winnings on the grass outside. I remained totally mystified. I should have asked, of course, but I’m not always keen to air my ignorance so publicly.

Also new to me was this flier on a side stall advertising West Coast Sightings Sheets - selling completed books and appealing for help with research from former train spotters for future issues. Back home, I said that I thought I might be able to help. Chris muttered something. I think it included the word “obsessive”.