Dava

Thanks for saving me a less than productive trip. Hope to see Hibel Rd at a future show.

Anyone else noticed that these lovely models are being produced to the incorrect ‘mongrel’ gauge of 16.5mm, equating to 2’4”, rather than the correct gauge of 2’, for which 14mm is the scale equivalent? Of coarse I understand why, it’s commercial, but it’s inaccurate. Let’s hope an 014 conversion can be produced, which will probably need new or reprofiled wheels to meet the EM wheel standards for 014. Hopefully EDM Models will offer a solution… Dava

Tickets booked for my birthday on Sunday!

I'd like to see 'Hibel Road'. Used to be a member as a youth up to 1980's-ish when I moved away. I guess most everyone I used to know has moved on... Dava

I should have written that in 1:120 scale most people(including myself) would find them indistinguishable, or maybe not interesting enought to tell them apart. Also I dont think Hornby promised a 57xx in TT120, just a pannier tank. As for eyesight, I've just spent £500 on new varifocals and avoid specsavers ever since they gave me a duff prescription.

The story of Bunny Old Hill, Mine and Mill (all real places in Nottinghamshire) can be found with other 014 musings below. You can be forgiven for missing it, borrowed away in the narrow gauge backwater. The layout has no sheep but a fox, badger and working rabbit.

Even I know the 64xx pannier tanks were auto-fitted and most people would find it very difficult to distinguish between a 64xx and an 8750 [57xx with later cab].

Hi Pete, I havent looked for a few years but I expect if I go looking in the Bunny Old Hill area there will be outcrops where I last saw them. I'll PM you. Dava

I found a broken wire coat hanger in the wardrobe. Small event but I needed one to make the wire operating handle for the traverser on Grand Lake RR. The traverser still needs its locking bolt and guards to prevent mishaps. Its completion opens up the ‘back road’ accessible from it, an obscure legacy track. This will access a warehouse but also be an isolatable track where DC steam locos can be stored when the line is in DCC mode or vice versa, or be a programming track. There will be some scenic breaks in this area, behind the freight house to conceal the traverser pit. I enjoy following Chris Mears Prince St blog/Fbook on his modelling, located mainly on freight lines in Halifax NS, an area I know. Small observations on progressing modelling projects.

Thanks, just too chunky & need a smaller one which used to be available.

This weekend I laid the track on Grand Lake which will serve the warehouse backs of local businesses. Is this the team track? Anyway, it’s laid and runs nicely with 40ft boxcars. There is a Banta kit which will become 2 warehouse backs. I need a small locking bolt to finish the traverser, small barrel bolts seem to have disappeared so I have to make this from an Allen key, brass tube & sheet.

Thanks, so it was the Lough Swilly but I was at the wrong end! I visited Burtonport station about 30 years ago, the station building was derelict and we didn’t visit any others on the BPER. We stayed in a converted barn overlooking Killybegs Bay so explored the County Donegal stations including the museum at Donegal and the railway at Finntown which was running with Belgian tram trailers at the time.

‘The Railway Station Man’ is a minor enigmatic film from 1992 being screened on BBC4 tonight 13.3.24. It brought together Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland long after ‘Don’t Look Now’ in the setting of County Donegal, NW Ireland. It centres on the restoration of an old railway station amid political and personal tensions. The question is, which station? I reckon it is either Buncrana, Fahan or Tooban Junction on the Londonderry & Lough Swilly as the station building resembles the quite ornate structures of that line. There is a single eaved wooden signal box in Swilly style, this may be a recreation. A authentic engraved brass plate on signalling equipment reads Enniskillen. landscape is bleak bogland with spectacular coast and mountains. Wikipedia says it was filmed in Glencolumbkille, it may have been but there was never a station there. Does anyone know?

There are so many homeless cats, the rescue centres can’t cope & have waiting lists. Mrs Dava lost her Fife farm tabby through old age, the last of 3 sisters. So not content with 3 mature cats, we had to visit the Derby cat’s rescue centre. A young cat had a litter of 6 kittens so we adopted a ginger boy & his tuxedo sister for company. They have romped about and disturbed the oldies no end since arriving 3 weeks ago!

The main update from Grand Lake RR in recent weeks has been laying & testing the sidings and associated traverser. this is 1 linear foot or 48 scale ones, providing runround or access to the backroad. Side, end guards & locks yet to be fitted, tested with a range of locos, it’s fine. Yes, the British loco fleet will have occasional running powers on the line!