#Auld Reekie

[shutterandsentence]

Happy First Day of Spring!

Photo: Edinburgh, Scotland

[the-busy-ghost]

Sights & Sounds - Edinburgh on a March Morning

[matagonia]

Vintage travel poster of Edinburgh, Scotland for the Travel Association of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Scottish Tourist Board ca. 1947.  Artwork by Kerry Lee (1902-1988).

[vox-anglosphere]

Edinburgh Castle and the Balmoral Hotel loom over the city at sunset

[eternal-jamie]

[raedear]

Edinburgh truly is a city that exists. Two visits in a year is plenty, ta. Don't need much more than that.

[thesudrianchronicles]

People, I'd like you all to meet the most insane locomotive family i've ever come up with.

NBR H CLASS Atlantic's

Adam "Aberdonian", NBR 868, LNER 9868, 1906, 1933, Male, He/Him, Cisgender

The best way to describe Aberdonian himself would be the tired oldest sibling who has to deal with everyone else's crap. Has had bags under his eyes since 1909. As family Matriarch, Adam is basically in charge of his 21 siblings……..well, 21 children ranging from 4-18 would be a more accurate description.

To quote Aberdonian: “If sleeping was an Olympic sport, I wouldn't win it. Because my siblings won’t let me f**king sleep.”

Bonnie "Bonnie Dundee", NBR 869, LNER 9869, 1906, 1935, Male, He/Him, Cisgender

Bonnie, for the lack of a better word. Is Adam’s right hand (Buffer?) man, he isn’t the brightest bulb in the shed. But his heart is in the right place. He's also one of only, like, 3? siblings that Adam finds tolerable.

Accrid "Bon Accord", NBR 870, LNER 9870, 1906, 1937, Agender, Xe/Xem/Xyr

Accrid is the silent type. Xe doesn’t say much. But when Xe does, it’s usually short, sweet (Or blunt) & straight to the point. Xyr favourite thing to do is to watch Xyr siblings argue. Or hanging out with the local yard shunters.

Thane "Thane Of Fife", NBR 871, LNER 9871, 1906, 1935, Male, He/Him, Cisgender

Sometimes called “Thane Of Fire” due to his fiery temper. You really don’t wanna make Thane angry. Stories say that he can shoot fire out of his funnel when really annoyed! However he is a relatively chilled guy deep down.

Raymond "Auld Reekie", NBR 872, LNER 9872, 1906, 1935, Male, He/Him, Cisgender

This man, this man here. Raymond can be best described as an abusive & manipulative bully. He controls most of the engines around him (Including some of his siblings) with fear. He despises any engine from the Caledonian Railway or built by the LNER. He fell quickly from grace following the [REDACTED] incident. Has PTSD from the Burntisland Rail Crash of 1914, which has also led to many panic attacks & flashbacks. But he’s still a rude b**tard.

Mungo "St Mungo", NBR 873, LNER 9873, 1906, 1934, Female, She/Her, Cisgender

If Adam is the older brother of the H class. Mungo would be the kind older sister. She keeps most of them in order, self proclaimed guardian of Denny. And Adam “Rant Wall.”

Denny "Dunedin", NBR 874, LNER 9874, 1906, 1933, Agender, Fae/Faer/Faers

What happens when you give an engine too much sugar? You get Denny! Fae was always chatting & happy about something or another! Fae was also one of her class to represent the former NBR when the LNER was choosing loco liveries in 1923.

Sadly, fae was the first member of the class scrapped, in 1933.

Michael "Midlothian", NBR 875, LNER 9875, 1906, [CURRENT WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN], Male, He/Him, Cisgender

The responsible older sibling, very popular with everyone, but he is very humble. Nicknamed “Pride Of Haymarket”, Michael was a joy to have around. He was scrapped in 1937, then put back together again for preservation in 1938, BUT he was scrapped AGAIN in 1939.

However, he-[THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN REDACTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE NSW & AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS.]

Wendy "Waverley", NBR 876, LNER 9876, 1906, 1937, Female, She/Her, Cisgender

The hippy of the group. Wendy loves peace, calm, and happiness. Some of her siblings think she’s weird, but that doesn’t stop her, for she’s happy the way she is.

Lisa "Liddesdale", NBR 877, LNER 9877, 1906, 1936, Female, She/Her, Cisgender

A storyteller by heart. Lisa will tell anyone who or who doesn’t care to listen stories ranging from legends & ghosts. Original tales, pirates & so much more! Of course, she will embellish them a little bit.

Hazel "Hazeldean", NBR 878, LNER 9878, 1906, 1936, Female, She/Her, Cisgender

One of the “Cool Girls' ' group of Atlantics. Hazel can be described as a “Heather”. She’s unforgiving, demanding & ruthless. But, she does have a heart…….somewhere.

Abbot "Abbotsford", NBR 879, LNER 9879, 1906, 1936, Transmasc, He/Him

Abbotsford is the King of pranks. He’ll prank anyone & everyone no matter how important that person might be!

Tweedie "Tweeddale", NBR 880, LNER 9880, 1906, 1936, Female, She/Her, Cisgender

Second member of the “Cool Girls”. Tweedie isn't rude or unforgiving like Hazel, but she’s not the most kind engine. Give her a whiskey tanker however and she’ll lighten up in half a heartbeat.

Bobbie "Borderer", NBR 881, LNER 9881, 1906, 1936, Female, She/Her, Cisgender

The third & final member of the “Cool Girls”. Bobbie, like Bonnie, isn’t the best in the brain department. Arguably the nicest of the trio. The reason she’s even a part of the group is because Tweedie was her only friend and made her join it.

Sam "St Johnstoun", NBR 901, LNER 9901, 1911, 1929 (Sold), Male. He/Him, Cisgender

NWC Bio (Yeah, this guy has a lot - The Author)

Amy "Highland Chief", NBR 902, LNER 9902, 1911, 1936 (Sold), Female, She/Her, Cisgender

The only “normal” member of the class. Amy is one of the sweetest engines you can meet. Always having a smile on her face. Her favourite sibling is Sam, who was very protective of her back in NB & early LNER days.

Nock "Cock O' The North", NBR 903, LNER 9903, 1911, 1937, Male, He/Him, Cisgender

The most charismatic & charming of his classmates. If Nock was a human, he’d either be a professional con-man. Or a male model. Can use his charm & “Damn good luck” to get out of any situation.

Winner of “Scottish Railway Magazine” hottest express engine contest. 1922, 1923, 1929, 1932.

Holly "Holyrood", NBR 904, LNER 9904, 1911, 1936, Female, She/Her, Cisgender

Holly is the perfect blend of Amy & Denny. She got Amy sweetness & Denny’s Hyper activity.

Not much to say about her really, but she’s here, and she’s actually a decent engine!

Bucc "Buccleuch", NBR 905, LNER 9905, 1911, 1937, Bigender, He/Him/They/Them

Bucc is bland. Like really bland. In every sense of the word. They never had anything interesting going on.

Or does he?

Terri “Teribus", NBR 906, LNER 9906, 1911, 1937, bigender, She/Her/They/Them

Unlike her twin, Terri isn’t as bland. She’s shy, doesn’t like loud noises or crowded places. Everyone agrees that she’s most likely Autistic.

Duke/Ross "Duke Of Rothesay", NBR 509, LNER 9509, 1921, 1937, Male, He/Him, Cisgender

A gentleman & a madman. Ross likes to jump head first into a dangerous situation. Usually dragging his younger sibling Lordy into it! Seriously, tell him to put a stick of dynamite in his firebox. He’ll probably do it.

Lordy "The Lord Provost", NBR 510, LNER 9510, 1921, 1936, Agender, Them/They/It/It’s

Lordy is a sane engine stuck with an insane brother. As much as he loves his twin. They would sometimes just like to have some peace and quiet. Without something going insanely wrong.

9 times outta 10 it’ll lead to them having to go to Cowlairs for repairs!

More posts on these idiots such as Incorrect Quotes coming soon.

*Keep in mind, this is only a basic run throught of all 22 engines. So, more lore to follow.

Any questions please head to "Ask" or the "Author's Mailbox". - The Author

[neil-gaiman]

If Edinburgh was a person, what sort of person would Auld Reekie be?

Probably a lot like Deacon Brodie. Very polite and respectable in the day time.

[versatilemess]

The only remarkable thing about you, Miss Kingston, is that you can tell the time.

In focus: Aubree Kingston* (She/Her) | True Brujah | (Reluctant) Seneschal of the Court of Auld Reekie

*Character credit: my friend and fellow Auld Reekie Chronicle player, Judith.

[scotianostra]

On September 5th 1750, the poet Robert Fergusson was born in the Canongate in Edinburgh.

He may have only lived for 24 years, the last of which was traumatic, but those short years not only inspired Scotland’s best-known bard Robert Burns and the writer Robert Louis Stevenson, it also paved the way for better treatment of people with mental health conditions thanks to the work of Doctor Andrew Duncan.

Robert Fergusson was born of Aberdeenshire parents in Cap-and-Feather Close, in Edinburgh’s Old Town, on 5 September, 1750. The street has since disappeared, having been demolished during Fergusson’s lifetime to make way for the North Bridge, many of you will have walked over where Cap-and-Feather Close, it is said to have been where the junction at the Tron Church is, the road that now takes you over North Bridge towards Princes Street.

After primary education in Edinburgh, Fergusson entered the city’s High School in 1758, attaining a bursary to attend the Grammar School in Dundee in 1762. Two years later, he enrolled in St. Andrews University. As a student, Fergusson became infamous for his pranks, having once come close to expulsion. Despite this riotous reputation, the poet’s education stayed with him, he moved back to Edinburgh to support his mother, after the death of his father.

He got a job as a copyist for the Commissary Office main concern was, of course, poetry, and on 7 February, 1771 he anonymously published the first of a trio of pastorals in Ruddiman’s Weekly Magazine. Originally he wrote in English but by 1772 he had started to use the Scottish dialect in the standard Habbie verse form - a form which would later be copied and made famous by Robert Burns, indeed this style is now called the Burns stanza, perhaps it should be The Fergusson Stanza?

Fergusson’s own muse was Allan Ramsay and, like the be-turbaned Ramsey, followed a bit of a bohemian lifestyle in Edinburgh, which was then at the height of an intellectual and cultural tumult as the nerve centre of the Scottish Enlightenment. He wrote a total of fifty poems in Scottish English and thirty-three in the Scots language, but it is for his remarkable exploits in the latter genre that he should be acknowledged and acclaimed. His poetic subject matter paints vivid accounts of the life and characters of ‘Auld Reekie’ and drunken encounters with the notorious Edinburgh City Guard of Captain Porteous, the ‘Black Banditti’ of ‘The Daft Days’.

Fergusson began to suffer from depression in 1773, biographers have described his condition as ‘religious melancholia’, but regardless of whether or not that was the case, he gave up his job, stopped writing, withdrew completely from his riotous social life, and spent his time reading the Bible. He had heard about an Irish poet, John Cunningham, who had died in an asylum in Newcastle. That inspired ‘Poem to the Memory of John Cunningham’, and Fergusson became terribly afraid that the same thing was going to happen to him. Tragically, his dark prediction came true. In August, 1774, Fergusson fell down a flight of stairs and received a bad head injury, after which he was deemed ‘insensible’. His friend, the good doctor Andrew Duncan, had no choice but to admit him to Darien House “hospital”, Bedlam.

Doctor Andrew Duncan, the name might be familiar to those from Edinburgh, on finding Fergusson before being admitted to the “hospital” described him as being in a “state of furious insanity” he saw no choice but to have Fergusson taken to the city’s Bedlam madhouse. Conditions at the Bedlam, which was attached to the Edinburgh Charity Workhouse behind modern-day Teviot Place, were notoriously awful. Patients were treated as inmates, locked in cold stone-flagged cells, with only straw for bedding. The young poet was only there for a matter of weeks when he suddenly died. He had only just turned 24.

Fergusson was buried in an unmarked plot in The Canongate Kirkyard. On visiting Edinburgh in 1787, Burns paid for a headstone over his long-neglected grave, commemorating Fergusson as ‘Scotia’s Poet. I have taken many friends to visit Fergusson’s last resting place over the years, mainly down to my late mother’s love of Burns, but also because I love showing people around my hometown.

The first picture shows the statue of Robert Fergusson outside the Canongate Church, with my very own Saltire attached to it, if passing go pay your respects to the man, who inspired Rabbie Burns, who, under different circumstances might have been lauded as our National Bard, if you like a wee whisky perhaps raise a glass tonight on what might have been “Fergusson’s Night”

The pics are my own, I drop into Canongate Kirkyard almost every time I am in the area.

[shutterandsentence]

Photo: Edinburgh, Scotland

[the-busy-ghost]

I have literally no influence on even the smallest section of this website so I don’t know why I’m posting this, except that I really feel that tumblr would love it:

If you’re going to Edinburgh (or already live there), and you like old houses, you might enjoy Gladstone’s Land. It’s one of the oldest houses on the Royal Mile; it’s tall and thin (six storeys above ground) with a forestair, arcaded shopfront and Renaissance painted ceilings; you can visit three floors, or stay for a holiday on one of the others, and there’s an ice cream parlour/coffee shop on the ground floor; and there are also special private tours (for example, a sexual history of Edinburgh) which I really feel would be right up the tumblr history community’s street. 

It doesn’t take very long to go around so it depends how much someone wants to spend like £7 on visiting an elderly Scots tenement but as someone who liked visiting very much, I do feel it gets overlooked and could give people a much better idea of Edinburgh’s history than some of the other stuff on the High Street, a lot of which is aimed at entrapping unfortunate tourists with tartan fiction. 

I mean here’s the wikipedia page so while I’ve not sold it very well, I’d hope to convince at least one person that if you are visiting Edinburgh then you could do worse than add it to your itinerary, maybe as a quick, quiet after-lunch attraction. 

Oh! And they let you touch stuff in there too, even the antiques! I mean, obviously one should be careful handling old items and in most cases I would not even want to touch but in this one they’ve obviously thought about what can withstand it and that definitely made it a bit more relaxed (those with children- a small number on Tumblr I know- take note). 

[radiofreederry]

Euro#cityrumble Round One: Edinburgh v Venice

Euro#cityrumble round one brings us a matchup between Auld Reekie and the City of Water! Edinburgh is a center of art and culture in Scotland, but will it be enough to defeat Venice and her world-famous canals?

[vox-anglosphere]

Moody streets of Auld Reekie leave an eternal imprint on the heart

[belovedrival]

I’m back from Auld Reekie. I just got home today. Bestie and I had an amazing time. But in the words of Dorothy Gale, “There’s no place like home.”

[simple-persica]

Wowa! Here's Edinburgh from the stream! She's large, intelligent, and maybe a low-key mad scientist.

btw that little drawing of her and Reykjavik is based on them both having "smoke" associated names. Reykjavik means "smokey bay" and Edinburgh has the nickname "Auld Reekie" meaning "Old Smokey." I just thought it'd be cute