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Always one to keep the punters happy. We see 93xx class 9319 on a short train of cattle vans. Soon to be made redundant with the imminent Dapol release.

I have been working on a few bits and pieces over the winter. These pictures show a few recent developments on the layout but do not show any trains as the layout currently only has the two scenic boards set up while I work on them. They were taken with my phone, which is ok, but no control of depth of field. The first picture shows the newly created coal yard. Previously, this small area was simply a patch of grass. The hut, hopper and staithes were all built from plasticard. The yard lamps are also new. Next picture shows a cruel close-up of the footbridge showing new signal. The inspiration for this was Bodmin Road which had a similar signal just in front of a similar footbridge. The next picture shows the signal box which has had some 'clutter' added in the form of electrial cabinets and small coal bunker, all made from bits of plasticard and micro-strip. The farmyard now has an old caravan dumped. This is again made from plasticard. I have also made some plasticard chickens as well, but they are very small! Many thanks indeed for looking. Andy

We have CF fully erected at Keen House at the moment. To save effort when setting up at a show, the back scenes have been fettled so that they drop into place relatively easily and are held in place by catches and flush mounts. The joints have been sharpened up to be less obvious and a storm has developed over KX Goods Yard. The reason for this is that the lighting proscenium can cast a diagonal shadow on the sky, so it will help to disguise the problem. The other end was a little more tricky to access... The back of York Way has also had some detail added so it will be ready for Five Arch signal box, which is currently being made in Belgium. There is a lot more ‘finishing’ & tidying to do in this area, although it is not readily visible from the front. The most important innovation, that will revolutionise operation, has been to arrange imaging through the back scene of the Goods Yard throat, Mrs W’s ramp and the mainlines behind. All achieved by using an iPad Pro, set up as seen. This fits onto a ledge fixed to the GY board and there is a small hole in the sky through which to capture the image. The screen is easily visible from a wide range of angles. If you look carefully at the picture of the backscene you can just see the hole. Really good to have the layout up in the Club to work on in this way, it is relatively uncommon. Tim

Three more photos at Carlisle to start with today, followed by a couple taken from a train passing Kingmoor shed. Carlisle 86242 Glasgow to Poole 26th Aug 86 C7958.jpg Carlisle 86204 Midland Scot Birmingham to Edinburgh and Glasgow 26th Aug 86 C7959.jpg Carlisle 87022 down Principality Euston to Edinburgh and Glasgow 26th Aug 86 C7969.jpg Kingmoor 25901 and 25213 9th May 87 C8418 Kingmoor 25903 and 47587 9th May 87 C8419 David

Balancing it out with SR N class mogul 1848 on the much requested Hawksworth stock.

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Hare, Another hours sleep was obtained until Ben the Border COLLIE decided is was patrol time. A slight breeze but decidedly cool. I put my woolley hat down a week ago while working on the garage but couldn't find it again till this morning., Hiding behind a pile of bricks. In it was a pile of hail, at about 04:00 this morning we had a hail storm, to survive 3 hours the hail was definitely out in the cold. The hat is now hanging on the fire guard. One of the MRC club members lives alongside where the road work were in Stalham. He was gardening when he heard a commotion as a large 4x4 stopped at the road closed signs, they were loading the road scraper at the time. The 4x4 Driver was wanting though shouting swearing and abusing the workers. What the driver hadn't noticed was a policeman who had just driven up and was standing behind him... On being told to stop by the policeman he started arguing with the copper, at that point he was threatened with arrest or go away.. He went away.. Once out of sight, the copper put his blue lights on on the car..... And drove through the road works....

Good morning all, Sunny spells and scattered showers forecast today. Up early for no particular reason other than I fancied a cup of tea. Rugby watched last night and it was a great game with Leicester just managing to hold off Newcastle in the final minutes. Today's first task is a quick visit to Sainsbury's to get something "we" forgot on Thursday. After that I'll finish clearing the last few bits from the shed. Shed men have confirmed they will be here Monday for demolition of the old one and construction of the new base. Things are starting to move. Tonight I am being let loose in the kitchen. Pan fried sea bass with a creamy leek and bacon sauce is on the menu. Have a good one, Bob.

Bit of a storm developing over Kings Cross... Tim

By way of an update on the modelling front, Norman popped into Bleat Wharf and secured a couple of images. Not a great deal going on but at least Norman found a nice route to get there. Note Norman ' s new motor, Biggles, a Standard Flying 12. Murray has been retired and awaits a fettle and a well earnt rest from chasing steam trains. Rob.

Ey up from sunny Corsham. Nice food and a few glasses of 6X last night meant I slept well. Breakfast then time to go and play trains.. Baz

A most enjoyable day with Geoff, and I even ran some trains, but they didn't get photographed, so you've missed Silver Link and Dominion of Canada. I expect they wouldn't have been cops anyway. I'm left with just one photo to show, which our man took after turning round from his vantage point for the last one. Murky, but not grainy, which it probably should be to get the 1950s look.

Afternoon all, Today I've mostly been paining the garden fence. 9 panels down, another 24 to go. Plus the trellis on top. Deep joy. Garage doors after that and then more internal decorating to follow. <RANT ON> So, driving past the hospital the other day one of the workers there decided that crossing the road without looking was a good idea. Well, she was on the phone, so she'd set her own priorities. It seemed that the sound of me doing an emergency stop and sounding the car horn a few feet away from her did interrupt phone call. That and the fact that she jumped about 3 feet in the air. She actually turned round to start giving me a mouthful but thought better of it. I was rather disappointed as I was going to enquire if she thought they didn't have enough work to do already in A&E without her help. <RANT OFF>

I suspect TigerB will be pleased though. I'm of to see the local team play this afternoon albeit in a much lower league. It is a very pleasant experience, the small clubhouse being friendly and catering for my simple needs. Unless there are the most outrageous and unexpected set of results this afternoon, my favoured team will win the league. This would mean a promotion to the sixth tier of English rugby next season from which lofty heights I am sure they will soon return.

An "interesting" half hour. Having said that last night's picture should have been grainy, I went off this morning to take a few more, and, goodness me, they certainly were. " Goodness me" were not my actual words when I saw them, by the way. A brief Corporal Jones period followed, after which I looked for answers and soon found one. ISO set to 2500 How that happened I do not know. Anyway, I set it back to 80, where I think it was before, and peace and order were restored. I've no time to run trains this morning, but fortunately the 6.40 slow from KX was sitting at Platform 6, and looking very nice, so I got a shot of that, and here it is.

Would I be far wrong if I suggested that the 4x4 driver was significantly younger than the guardian of the law in terms of life experience, you all know the bit about “age and experience defeating youthful exuberance every time”. How many of us have discretely closed up behind a set of blue lights on a shout as a way to sneak through some traffic obstruction? Anyway, good morning. It is cold and the tracked diggers are in full swing on the adjacent building site. I have given up greeting SWMBO each morning with the question “did the Earth move for you dear?”. Onwards and upwards.

Good morning one and all I think a bit more of Chrisf's murky past is appropriate this morning. Many, many years ago there was a pub in Bedford called the Angel, now long demolished, which was the home of Bedford's folk club. In addition to the intimate room with infinitely elastic walls wherein took place the singing, upstairs there was a ballroom which was commandeered from time to time by ceilidhs whose dancers take up much more space. The format is simple: the caller tells the dancers what to do, the music plays and everybody gets it wrong together. I enjoyed ceilidh dancing when I was younger though it will come as no surprise that I was not very good at it. Why don't I do it now? Two reasons - poor stamina and the factor that despite counselling bedevils much of what I do, low self-confidence. Actually, I miss it, despite being exposed to it every year at Sidmouth. There can be few more frightening sights than a Cumberland square eight in full cry, especially when it is heading straight for you! Also in that ballroom, by the way, took place the first appearance in Bedford by Fred Wedlock which it fell to me to MC. There now follow some facts which may or may not be connected. One of the seven objectives that I set myself at the end of last year was to learn/relearn how to dance. One of the finest ceilidh bands in the West Country, the Dartmoor Pixie Band, appears regularly at Exeter Pride. Let's see what happens four weeks hence. Meanwhile, I shall be listening to Radio 3 this afternoon. Thanks again to Coombe Barton for the heads-up. Rather more definite is the concert this evening at The Stables, featuring the Hut People. Sam Pirt is a fine young accordion player. Gary Hammond, remembered by many from the Beautiful South, has a collection of what by now must be a thousand percussion instruments. Together they are wonderful and they are less than half an hour away tonight. Before that I need to buy the makings of Sunday lunch and a few other things. Now this is where I tempt providence. It is just possible that my wretched cough is finally on the way out. Good riddance if it is. Take the rest of the chest infection with you. Chris

Good evening everyone Well Ava and Evie have enjoyed spending the day with us and we’ve both enjoyed having them here. The shopping trip to the Trafford Centre, thankfully wasn’t too expensive, but they did both end up with a book each, as the very first shop we went into was Waterstones! Still I suppose it’s better than them wanting video games etc. As usual we called at the butchers for the weekly meat rations, but there was no pastie today! When the girls are here for dinner, it’s usually pancakes and I always join them and today was no exception, there’s even some left for me tomorrow! when James and Amelia came round later, they were both thrilled and surprised so see them both, as they didn’t know they would be here. It was nice to see all three play together, something that’s not happened here for some time now. Once everyone had had gone home, we opened a bottle of red and caught up on some recorded TV. Goodnight all.

Overcast day in sunny Teignmouth today. Hoping for sun later. I did a few jobs yesterday including fixing up a new exterior light with sensor and hacking down next doors ivy & brambles to stop it invading my garden. Just need to tidy up the dining table that currently houses my genealogical research files etc. Teignmouth council brought forward by a month the dog ban on the main town beach. Dogs can only be walked for the summer on the eastern beach ie alongside the seawall. Dog walkers are up in arms as there are nil sun bathing beach users at the moment. However in a cunning twist, the sand has left the main beach and it is just stones and boulders. The council are now debating what to do about these stones and boulders. Meanwhile the eastern beach is full of lovely recently deposited sand. No dog walkers will turn an ankle on it.

Good morning everyone Once again the sun is shining and the sky is blue, after a treat of breakfast in bed, I’m now sat in the kitchen with muggertea No2. Once that’s been finished I’m off to the workshop, I’m sure I’ll find something to do in there! Enjoy whatever you’ve got planned for the day, back later

Good morning ERs from a bright and sunny spring morning in North Hippoland. Setting off for Derby and the Midland Railway Society AGM and dinner soon once communion with Mug O'Coffee is over. Crimson Rambler of RMW has been staying the night with us accompanied by Mrs. Rambler and together with SWMBO we are all going together. The bad news is that whilst the menfolk are at the meeting the females of the species will be loose in Derby without credit card locks so the modelling token stocks may well take a bashing. I've been trying to source some good quality birch ply for b**seboards locally without success so it looks as though I'll have to look further afield and get it delivered. Anyone got any bright ideas about a good source? Dave

Well, a year ago (last Thursday)... I was walking at a shew, And met a man who thought he knew the lot! He was going on about variations of Stroudley tanks... And the number of rivets an Adams Radial's got. So I asked him "What's that loco over there?" He answered "Ohh it's an N" I might have gone on thinking that was true, if the locomotive in question hadn't put that chap to shame and answered... "I hain't an N. I'm a... U. A Maunsell U The gnicest work of Mmaunsell at the shew... I'm a U, how do you do? You really ought to k-know w-who's w-who..."

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2019/04/12/sandys-chemo-day-108-of-147/

Chris......there are many things I can't do, and many things I do......badly. Never stopped me having a go and yes people do occasionally laugh at me, but who cares? Not I. Go for it, your self confidence will soar.....once you realise that no one else's opinion of you .....or what you do .....matter one grillometer. Now..... grab your partner by the nuts, swing them round and slap their guts, move to the left and then to the right, and give em a kiss to start the nite..... Enjoy it mate, you deserve it.

Try and find your nearest branch of Arnold Laver's Dave they are usually excellent. Anyway good evening from here. A good day has been had. Buckets of orawns as reccomended at lunchtime after a walk round and a cool beer or so. Then in the afternoon Beth went to lie by the pool and I went exploring to Mossman and discovered the sugar mill and it's extensive 2' gauge railway system. Here's one of the little lovo shed. The mill is all quiet asts not harvesting season. Here's the diesels from last night. A good meal has been had tonight. Tomorrow is barrier reef day. Jamie

When we flew into Cairns in a King Air from one of the islands one Sunday afternoon back in the '80's we got out of the plane to find the airport was locked. The pilot had to call someone who had the key to the door. Its changed a bit since then..

Don't spare the sunscreen! Melbourne Cup Day 2003 I watched a boatload of Brits get off either the reef or Magnetic Island tour boat at Townsville, - they'd obviously had a day of drinking on the boat and the suns power had gone unnoticed. Jeez they were cooked and would have had a painful couple of weeks ahead.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. A bit grey this morning with the 'possibility' of a shower predicted. Nothing much planned for this weekend other than the swap meet at Rayleigh where I will no doubt dispose of a few more modelling tokens. Thats it for now, back later.

Morning, too early, trying for more sleep..

Car drive completed. Layout put back together. Excellent b & b located. Pub walked to. 6X drunk. Liver and bacon...eaten. Shame you can't make the show. .we had a controller waiting for you. Nice to hear from Trisonic. Hope you are well Pete. Baz

The other end of the subway - awaiting a few details

Hi Everyone!! I have been doing some modelling again!! I have this week been chopping up a Tri-ang 7 plank wagon to make it look a bit more like an LBSC wagon, I will leave this comparison picture here for you to decide how well I did: I have every intention of doing the same to the other wagon at some point in the future...... perhaps on one of my Sunday night Livestreams!! 9pm UK time!!! Don't forget to pop along as this week should see the brake van project finished, and moving onto something new! Thanks for looking, hope you enjoyed, Gary

Evening Awl, Well I enjoyed the Norwich show, wallet only slightly dented. As usual at the moment, I was often studying layouts more for how they were exhibited rather than creativity. I was disappointed not one layout attempted to hide board joins, I was looking for ideas on that.. A good range of large small and medium size layouts. One layout provided steps for children, another was Armored with perspex . A 4mm layout had a TV shop, with scale size, black and white TVs in the windows.... Working.!!!!!!!... recognisable moving pictures..!!!!!!. .. The retailers seem to be doing well, the man running squires stand seemed to be run off his feet.. Several breaks were needed to rest my leg, coffee and pink pills required.. (pills not at every break) What was frightening Was The ever increasing price of both new and second hand rolling stock. I delayed leaving slightly to avoid a downpour, we had several during the day, including heavy hail.. Then onto the museum of the broads. I walked in to find one of my crew for the three rivers guardship, running reception, and the MC for the day was his wife, also she'll be on the guardship. Several other people I knew from muddling, sailing and SWMBOs weaving. This was a very good event and they've got one room set up to remember the Yarmouth and North Norfolk Railway . Several dioramas though nothing moving, various objects, maps and other ephemera. A surprising number of people were both sailors and railway muddlers.. Long chats on a variety of linked subjects. The weather held off for this which was good as the site is a collection of sheds, with boat exhibits out side as well. The only thing was in the 2 hours there the cold crept into my bones, I'm now wrapped up in an all season sleeping bag with a hot water bottle.. Dinner, eyelid inspection has been had, a Highland Park will follow. Have good Evening Awl...

Afternoon All Back after an enforced absence, and sorry to have been missing the fun here (fun???). Hope all is well, can somebody PM me of there, s anyhing significant that I should know about - thanks. Normal service should be resumed in the next day or so. Regards to All Stewart

Thanks, that's the idea. Moving on slowly to the painting stage, I've added the interior partition and a basic seat for any two-legged travellers.

Evening awl, Just back from the MRC, plenty of snow there as I was making like slartybartfast with the polystyrene. Much discussion on tomorrows Norwich show, and the broads museum event and our club open day, At Hoveton Village Hall 30 Stalham Rd, Hoveton, Norwich NR12 8DU Sunday 26th May 2019 10.30 –15.30 Where we have discovered there is a car boot in the field behind at the same time and they drive through the hall car park to get to the field. This could cause a few problems, but may well get us more punters as well.. While our aim is to get more recruits any extra profits we make from the small entrance fee is very welcome. I manage to pull that muscle in my leg again to day, so currently I'm anaestising with some Amber liquid. I need to save the maximum pink pill dose for tomorrow being on my feet at the show. So for now a good night to you Awl..

Gr emlins attacked the layout today. Mysterious tracks movement, track expansionary odd bits of wire not working...yes really! But we got to the end of the day intact. Baz

Thanks for the tips chaps, I should be able to get something organised from them. Currently in a rather nice room in the Midland Hotel in Derby having finished the Midland Railway Society AGM and lunch and am enjoying some down time before Master of Ceremonies duties at the dinner this evening. Met John DMJ briefly this afternoon as he was at the Swiss Railway meeting and AGM in another part of the hotel and during breaks also got to see the Austrian Railways do across the road. Quite a railway fest. Tomorrow we'll be going up to Chesterfield after breakfast to visit No. 1 son before wending our way back to North Hippoland. Ta-ta for now. Have a good evening/morning/whatever it is wherever you are everyone. Dave

I have a mix of Lilliput/Bachmann and Lima 46t GLW "Whiskey" Grain Hopper wagons for use on Crinan and, shortly, Dunnington. The Lilliput model dates from the 1970s (revamped by Bachmann in the 1990s with better wheels and tension lock couplings) and the Lima version appeared in the 1990s (one of their better models with some nice underframe detail for the time). They represent different batches with different suspension and body rib layouts. As always Paul Bartlett's site is full of Prototype info: https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brtgraincovhop My biggest issue with using both in a rake is the ride height of the Lima version, which is about 1.5 - 2mm taller than the Lilliput/Bachmann when fitted with scale wheels, as seen here: The problem being the depth of the Lima suspension, as with their CCT. I purchased a Cambrian kit (kit C40 - 1 pair of Compensation Units with choice of spring types including the Pedestal version) to see if this could be used. Having assembled the kit parts it became clear a fair amount of chopping Lima plastic would be required but nothing ventured, nothing gained..... The units consist of a fold up set of "W" irons to which your choice of included suspension is added; standard brass bearings and Hornby wheels were fitted.... The Lima underframe being perused....... and drastic surgery underway; the new units are designed to sit inside the chassis channel which is impossible on this chassis, as the width precludes it, so I removed plastic slowly until the new units dropped into the correct position ....... and success! I did not bother making the units compensated and after checking everything sat squarely, simply glued the new units in place with Plastic Weld which seems to take well to the Lima chassis. A little Green Stuff filler has been used to blend the new parts in, and some small chassis fillets require adding above the suspension to replace those lost during cutting and filing. New brake levers also need adding along with brake shoes next.

And here's a peek into ERNEST's office.

I have just finished a customer’s weathering commission for a blue Minerva 0 Gauge Manning Wardle K. The loco crew are ModelU figures painted by Claudia Everett. The works and name plates are Narrow Planet. The tools on the bunker are from the accessory pack included with the loco. This loco is fitted with ZIMO DCC sound using Minerva’s exclusive Paul Chetter sound project; my favourite sound is F15 Cylinder Drain Cocks. Regards, Chris K

All Along The Watch Tower - Jimi Hendrix

I am not, and never have been, one who could be considered a dancer. Ms Dereham on the other hand I’m sure is a capable dancer (didn’t she do Strictly a while back?) and certainly could get me to shuffle bits (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean?). Time for bed Florence.

Not done much to the Hunslet(s) recently, but here's some photos taken on my phone, at the Exeter Gauge 0 Group last week. Cheers, Dave.