Vintage Fjall Raven Thinsulate

Pulled the trigger on this beaut the other day, couldn't help it. I know Fjall gets a slagging from certain sections of those ITK - that wholely unfair 'new Stone Island' thing and being stocked in the likes of Scott's didn't help its cause. However I love a nice bit of the Arctic Fox and always keep tabs for vintage bits popping up on the bay, also checking the smaller sized listings as the really old mediums listed in the Eastern Block come up as extra large sizings. I once had a cracking blue waterproof in a medium that was 26 inches pit to pit.

Anyway back to this one. Nice pearly white which defies its age - with curious amber and purple trim - and plenty of nice detailing on the front including a 'Blackburn Rovers' badge thing going on. Thinsulate material that will keep those North Sea rains and winds off my back at the Vic. Going to be toasty warm in this quality piece of jacketing in vint condition.

Ewen Brown OTS Artwork

If you've been a purchaser of OneTrueSaxon throughout the years you may well have noticed Ewen Brown's bright and beautiful artwork of mundane things. Used in OTS catalogues and on their swing tickets - Dogs to caravans to tower blocks, Brown brings run-of-the-mill inanimate objects to life and makes them look...nice.

See more at www.ewenbrown.co.uk

British Rail Logo - Symbol of Saturday

Welcome to South Bermondsey

 Back in the 60s British Rail wanted to shake off it's steam driven and antiquated image and set out to find a new forward thinking modernist label for itself. In 1965 Gerald Burney came up with this gem that has stood the test of time, outlasting even BR and becoming the overall symbol for today's privatized rail network. Despite lasting nearly 50 years, and counting, in its career the double arrows have often stood for indecision, delays and under investment. But it has also stood for ill intent, excessive drinking, violence and skulduggery, the arrows suddenly taking on a double meaning come Saturday.

 In the 80s most firms used the rail network for travelling en mass first using the Specials and then the 'ordinary'. Several groups even hijacked the BR moniker (much like they did the trains) to provide their own identity. The ICF, the Service Crew et. al used it to good affect and suddenly the arrows took on a more sinister meaning than one for old rolling stock and blocked up bogs.

www.casualco.com

It's the same today though. We all love getting the train. And football is at it's best when you walk under the double arrows in your home town, throw yourself on the vulgarities of the National Rail system, have a few cans and a laugh, and then swagger out into the unknown a few hours later to police escorts, 'away' pubs and a few hundred of your own kind hemmed into the corner of a ground and singing your heart out.

So here's to another 50 years from Burney's symbol and the train chucking us out at the likes of Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester Picc and London Kings Cross en route to fun and games.

Young Wilson at Meadowhall