Simon Hickman
@simonhickman.bsky.social
Old stuff. Old buildings, old trains, old landscapes, old cars. Based in South Bristol; professional inspector of historic buildings and places.
Excellent morning at the Bristol industrial Archaeology Society’s Xmas social with unusual party game called “guess the objects from Geoff Wallis's garage”.
That’s a line-belt stretcher & a Bulgarian scyther’s corn gathering tool, of course.
Meetings in Keynsham every month!
www.b-i-a-s.org.uk
That’s a line-belt stretcher & a Bulgarian scyther’s corn gathering tool, of course.
Meetings in Keynsham every month!
www.b-i-a-s.org.uk
December 13, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Excellent morning at the Bristol industrial Archaeology Society’s Xmas social with unusual party game called “guess the objects from Geoff Wallis's garage”.
That’s a line-belt stretcher & a Bulgarian scyther’s corn gathering tool, of course.
Meetings in Keynsham every month!
www.b-i-a-s.org.uk
That’s a line-belt stretcher & a Bulgarian scyther’s corn gathering tool, of course.
Meetings in Keynsham every month!
www.b-i-a-s.org.uk
Had an excellent day out in Swanage with volunteer colleagues from the Avon Valley Railway today. Held a meeting on board a steam train with the chair of the Swanage Railway Trust, to learn about their recent restructuring. Top stuff.
November 30, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Had an excellent day out in Swanage with volunteer colleagues from the Avon Valley Railway today. Held a meeting on board a steam train with the chair of the Swanage Railway Trust, to learn about their recent restructuring. Top stuff.
Went for a night walk with my daughter in Ashton Court earlier this week and stumbled into a testing of the lights for the forthcoming illuminate festival. Utterly magical - all the more so ‘cos we were the only ones there.
November 28, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Went for a night walk with my daughter in Ashton Court earlier this week and stumbled into a testing of the lights for the forthcoming illuminate festival. Utterly magical - all the more so ‘cos we were the only ones there.
Had a wander round Cheltenham today and very much enjoyed this bench plaque in Berkeley Place
November 16, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Had a wander round Cheltenham today and very much enjoyed this bench plaque in Berkeley Place
Four Forest engines
November 2, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Four Forest engines
Lovely stuff Phil. Only pic no 1 can still be recreated, but the Barlow screen is part masked by the modern extension.
October 15, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Lovely stuff Phil. Only pic no 1 can still be recreated, but the Barlow screen is part masked by the modern extension.
Waterloo, couldn't escape if I wanted to.
Mainly because I have a station visitor's pass, and Network Rail wouldn't be pleased if I walked off with it.
I had an ace day adjudicating at the National Railway Heritage Awards. Winners to be revealed at the awards ceremony soon!
Mainly because I have a station visitor's pass, and Network Rail wouldn't be pleased if I walked off with it.
I had an ace day adjudicating at the National Railway Heritage Awards. Winners to be revealed at the awards ceremony soon!
September 22, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Waterloo, couldn't escape if I wanted to.
Mainly because I have a station visitor's pass, and Network Rail wouldn't be pleased if I walked off with it.
I had an ace day adjudicating at the National Railway Heritage Awards. Winners to be revealed at the awards ceremony soon!
Mainly because I have a station visitor's pass, and Network Rail wouldn't be pleased if I walked off with it.
I had an ace day adjudicating at the National Railway Heritage Awards. Winners to be revealed at the awards ceremony soon!
My marvellous ex-colleagues at Historic England gave me this lovely linoprint as a leaving gift by the talented victoriawillmott.com showing some the fantastic buildings that I worked on over 20 years, Kings Cross, Wolfeton, the National Theatre….and my folding caravan. Thank you!
September 2, 2025 at 7:35 PM
My marvellous ex-colleagues at Historic England gave me this lovely linoprint as a leaving gift by the talented victoriawillmott.com showing some the fantastic buildings that I worked on over 20 years, Kings Cross, Wolfeton, the National Theatre….and my folding caravan. Thank you!
To Imberbus 2025, for the finals of the British polite queuing championships
August 16, 2025 at 7:01 PM
To Imberbus 2025, for the finals of the British polite queuing championships
Back in Bristol after a trip to the Outer Hebrides. 2000 miles driven, absolutely worth it. Bloody windy though.
August 11, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Back in Bristol after a trip to the Outer Hebrides. 2000 miles driven, absolutely worth it. Bloody windy though.
I chose more conventional transport
August 5, 2025 at 5:21 PM
I chose more conventional transport
Here is a flight for Glasgow taking off from Barra airport’s runway, which is also a beach
August 5, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Here is a flight for Glasgow taking off from Barra airport’s runway, which is also a beach
South Uist. Still windy but the ability to open the car door has been regained.
August 4, 2025 at 5:40 PM
South Uist. Still windy but the ability to open the car door has been regained.
Jesus it’s windy here on South Uist. Difficult to open the front door just now
August 4, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Jesus it’s windy here on South Uist. Difficult to open the front door just now
Today is a good day to be heading for the Western Isles
August 3, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Today is a good day to be heading for the Western Isles
Paid a visit to Rannoch, one of the UK’s most remote railway stations, and bumped into @timhedleyj.bsky.social! Went for a swim on Rannoch Moor afterwards.
July 31, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Paid a visit to Rannoch, one of the UK’s most remote railway stations, and bumped into @timhedleyj.bsky.social! Went for a swim on Rannoch Moor afterwards.
Last day with Historic England after 18 years! Few pints at the @kingsheadbs1.bsky.social
July 23, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Last day with Historic England after 18 years! Few pints at the @kingsheadbs1.bsky.social
The clientele are much less elegant these days
July 21, 2025 at 1:46 PM
The clientele are much less elegant these days
On my way to work, and what do you know, the Spanish buccaneers have blockaded Wetherspoons.
July 21, 2025 at 7:46 AM
On my way to work, and what do you know, the Spanish buccaneers have blockaded Wetherspoons.
You can borrow a sailing boat at the Bristol harbour festival and drift round for an hour for just a fiver, it’s class.
July 19, 2025 at 7:35 PM
You can borrow a sailing boat at the Bristol harbour festival and drift round for an hour for just a fiver, it’s class.
Took my folding caravan out for a weekend in the arid Somerset plains. I hadn’t raised the side panel before but it made an excellent temporary grandstand for watching the rounders
July 13, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Took my folding caravan out for a weekend in the arid Somerset plains. I hadn’t raised the side panel before but it made an excellent temporary grandstand for watching the rounders
After 18 years with Historic England and its predecessor, I’ve made the very difficult decision to move on. More on that story later.
These photos show before and after 18 years of service - I bear the scars, but it’s been a hugely enjoyable privilege and an honour to work for HE.
These photos show before and after 18 years of service - I bear the scars, but it’s been a hugely enjoyable privilege and an honour to work for HE.
July 1, 2025 at 7:00 PM
After 18 years with Historic England and its predecessor, I’ve made the very difficult decision to move on. More on that story later.
These photos show before and after 18 years of service - I bear the scars, but it’s been a hugely enjoyable privilege and an honour to work for HE.
These photos show before and after 18 years of service - I bear the scars, but it’s been a hugely enjoyable privilege and an honour to work for HE.
On August 10th 1991, 12 year old me went by train from Southampton to Edinburgh and had a terrific day spotting trains
June 24, 2025 at 11:02 AM
On August 10th 1991, 12 year old me went by train from Southampton to Edinburgh and had a terrific day spotting trains
Banana Bridge back open, lovely stuff. Slight disappointment at no ramped access though.
June 20, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Banana Bridge back open, lovely stuff. Slight disappointment at no ramped access though.