After trying the 60 engine recordings through a bass reflex speaker in a loco I have reluctantly decided that they are not going to be worth running with. Whilst the pounding bass sounds stunning through the hi-fi it simply isn't cutting it in model form. I need to go back and record again from two or three different places and hopefully I'll end up with something more usable. All the other sounds have been edited and sound great from the model so once the engine sounds are captured we're laughing.

So with that hiatus it's time for another English Electric on the workbench; I've made a start editing the 40 recordings made at the ELR back in April. Initial test-runs with the engine sounds have been very promising and I think I've got another good project on my hands. The engine recordings were made on the uphill run from Bury to Heywood with about 6 on. After stopping on the bank we did a run up to notch 1 and back down to a stationary idle. This was repeated for notch 2, 3, 4 and so on. The higher notches from stationary were of course very entertaining. Separate runs were made to capture notch 1-2, 2-3 and so on. Both sets of horns were good. Watch this space.

The picture is 40030 at Nuneaton on a rake of what look like HTV's, circa 1979. The factory unit behind the loco is no more, swept away by the new alignment up to the WCML flyover from platforms 6 & 7. On the subject of the flyover, the new alignment to the north is well advanced. All of the major civils are in place and most of the track appears to be laid, which will allow trains from the Leicester line to access the northbound WCML slow line without crossing all four tracks in the station. As long as they don't plant any trees there could be some very nice shots to be had from the Jodrell Street footbridge.