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Good morning from an overcast Glasgow. A really sunny day yesterday. Talking of Scottish ferries we were on one to and from Rothesay but no rough seas at all. Wemyss Bay Station is superb.

ECML again today, this time at Dry Doddington, between Grantham and Newark. The first three photos are, as usual, simply the trains which passed by while Dad was there. I think the last two were taken on a day when he went specifically to see Flying Scotsman. Dry Doddington 474xx down Feb 81 J7324 Dry Doddington Class 55 up April 79 J6417 55013 Dry Doddington Class 31 up ballast June 82 J7654 Dry Doddington A3 4472 Flying Scotsman Peterborough to York SLOA Diamond Jubilee Flying Scotsman March 83 J7825.jpg Dry Doddington 47158 Peterborough to York special March 83 J7832.jpg David

Got this message on my ipad but obviously not banned as I am posting from my phone. Might need to clear the cache etc but that will mess up other content so will not be browsing RMweb on my ipad unless it clears by itself. Been to Galashiels for a pint and now heading back to Waverley for another.

Evening all or whatever it is for you, from a land down under. We eventually got to Sydney after the plane we should have been on ingested a seagull on landing. A plane and gate swap ensued then at Sydney they needed a man with a gizmo to come and reset the airbridge before we could get off. For once Quantas' assistance regime worked a treat. Checking into our hotel they upgraded us and this is the view for the next 3 nights. We went out for a meal on circular quay to ight and a nice Pale Ale was consumed. Beth chose the seat with the night view of the bridge. I had to make do with 3 tall blondes in my sightline. It's a hard life. One from 2 days ago at Roma St station showing the locos of the Spirit of Queensland. Finally for Ozzy ex pat the view you would have had from Goodwill bridge if it had existed.

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2019/04/17/sandys-chemo-day-113-of-147/

Clive's favourite time of day continues, as the 8.20 to Doncaster is due, and we know what the regular power for that is. Seen again roaring away and giving the spotters a headache. A puzzling thing. Why is it that people waiting to come out of a side turning on your left will stare at you for ages while you are still some distance away, and then decide that it is safe to pull out when you are quite close?

Good morning one and all Last night at Kings Place the Jim Moray Trio impressed, as I knew they would. After a set of reworked traditional songs finely executed the choice of "America" from Paul Simon was a fitting end. One of the things I like about Jim is that you never know quite what he will do next. When the new CD comes out it will not spend very long in the hessian bag. Earlier, Area Group enjoyed lunch in Harpenden. The pub is being renovated: I did wonder what had happened to the conservatory. I expected us to spend longer round the table than we did, with the result that I had three hours or so to kill in London. This is too long and can lead to brooding, which is emphatically not good for me. Enter the block of lined A4 known as the thinking pad, which I carry with me to get thoughts out of my head and down on paper for subsequent reflection under controlled conditions. What was bugging me yesterday happened nine years ago if it happened at all. Will it help to know one way or the other? Who knows! This evening I shall attend a screening of "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" in Stevenage. I had never heard of it but for £4 it's worth a punt. The same organisers showed "Love, Simon" a few months ago but I did not know until after the event. Thank goodness I have it on DVD. Tomorrow I expect to make my annual trip to Pendon. The lurgi seems to be retreating at last but it will take a few more days before I can be certain that it has finally gone. I shall now enjoy a long hot wallow before tackling what the rest of the day will chuck at me. Best wishes to all Chris

BIN Morning, realizing it's actually POETF day for many of you. No such luck here, whilst the UK contingent will bask in a 4 day weekend, it's just another "regular" couple of weeks here in the US. No holidays over this weekend for us. I have been informed that since the Mrs decided to spring clean the porch, we'll be BBQing Easter dinner and eating al fresco. Since it's a screened in porch with a decent roof, "weather permitting" isn't required! The only reportable event yesterday was a drive back to the hotel with the "top down". Finally, brings back yoof-ful memories. Unlikely I'll ever actually own another convertible as the Mrs isn't a fan 8 but overcast and some mist/drizzle driving in expecting 15 and rain later. Take care.

Good morning all, A dull start to the day here but it should be dry, bright and warm with some lengthy spells of sunshine. Today I have been asked to assist with various domestic duties. This is because tomorrow we have a house full to celebrate son Steve's birthday (which was actually yesterday). The Boss has been busy all week planning the food because along with the "ordinary" people we're catering for one vegetarian, 1 vegan, 1 person with IBS, one who requires gluten free and one who has a dairy allergy. "Never in the field of human consumption will so many differing meals be catered for by so few The Boss." Luckily nuts are allowed so I'll be there! After that I may venture to the interior exterior and survey the barren desert that is our garden with a view to deciding what to do with it after Shedgate. Have a good one, L. van der Post.

Good morning one and all. I'm glad that the lurgy is finally fading for Chris, NHN and others as it did a while back for me. It looks like the timescale is about the same for everyone (seemingly forever at times) - been a b****r of a bug hasn't it? This morning marks the last chance I'll get to do anything in the workshop for some time as this afternoon the first wave of invaders family arrive and for the next two weeks we'll be infested blessed with the grandkids while the teaching profession takes one of its chances to indulge in some R&R before the long haul towards summer. Have a good day and if you can't, my thoughts and prayers go with you. Dave PS - Jamie, I will be at Doncaster after all so see you there.

I've been a member of Keighley model railway club now for about 5 years & became a member of the EM group. I've dabbled in EM ever since & although i have had a brush with 0 gauge i'm back to smaller scales where i started cheaper & more fun. Anyway we started a group layout recently & opted to get right into the track building side of the layout so i decided to make a few points to brush up on my track building skills. I had tried before & nearly got them right but never put any proper effort into the job & as i was to busy building loco kits. The result was a few points & a 3 way which miraculously worked when tested. The corner of the workshop had a offcut of ply & between that & reading lots of Iain Rice books the rest as they say was history. I decided that the layout was to be based locally & after a bike ride along the tow path i got the idea that my wharf would be part of Sir Titus Salt's Salts Mill in Saltaire. The area along the tow path has plenty of industrial buildings & old wharfs which have all found further use as office space etc & whilst the old midland railway line cuts through Saltaire it never had industrial railways. I've built the layout using SMP track & point kits & i when it came to wiring it had to be simple as this is not really my strong point so choose Blue Point manual point motors which i must say are excellent products & perfect for a numpty like me. The fiddle yard is a 2 road sector plate which can hold a small loco & 3 16 ton minerals or box vans. The rolling stock on the layout at present isn't fully complete. I have a DJH barclay which i was donated part built that i finished & converted into EM that i have finished. I've a couple of bits i did in the build a loco challenge that i use on the layout but are not really fitting in properly either BR or LNER but i do have some projects to finish & build. I currently have on the workbench a Judith edge 14inch Hunslet which i will be finishing as Brooke no1 then i'm building a Isle of Wight Beyer Peacock 2-4-0 which is to become Sir Titus a totally fictional loco i brewed up in my head as the surviving relic from when the wharf was built. I've also a Backwoods crane tank & a Black Hawthorn from High Level awaiting being built. Whilst i use RTR converted wagons i am introducing kit built items & these are the more wacky looking things from the likes of Roxey mouldings & RT Models. I have started the scenery work on the layout & i am hoping to get cracking with a building for it next weekend at the club open day. The hard standing cobbled area is made from Das modelling clay that i have carved once dried. I plan to have it rather built up with lots of buildings inspired by the Salts Mill complex. I have got a load of windows & doors from York Modelmaking to add to the buildings which will be built from embossed plasticard & foam board. The layout is a slow burning project as i flit between other projects & a ever expanding family so don't expect quick progress.

Ey up! Journey yesterday went ok. 4 police traffic cars plus an unmarked police car had stopped a car on the A64 causing a bit of delay. Cracking the flaggs in Robin Hoods Bay yesterday..hope it is the same today! Woken early by her indoors who decided she needed a drink. She is now asleep..I am fully awake. Pah! Have as good a day as you can, positive thoughts to all who ail or are "missing" Baz

It's not nearly as complex as the 3D puzzle that is the LT tube, but with river clearances, the Clem Jones highway tunnel and the Boggo Road busway the 3D landscape around the 'Gabba is starting to get complicated. All those locations were well served (in 1940s / 1950s traffic volume) by the trams. It was an easy ride from the Valley to Queen Street to Stanley Street to the 'Gabba. After a disastrous fire at the Paddington depot in 1962 and US highway consultants recommending freeways everywhere (including through the gardens, which fortunately did not get built) the trams were removed in 1969 - the same year that steam ended on the southside. My dad, who grew up in the 'Gabba was a big fan of the trams. Everything old is new again - except for the steam locomotives. My favourite 'Gabba trivia is that the Post Office spelled the district with two "L"s as "Woolloongabba". Queensland Railways used only one "L". The Goodwill Bridge would certainly have shortened my commute to what was then the Queensland Institute of Technology on Gardens Point. Back then, almost 40 years ago, I would walk from South Brisbane station over the Victoria Bridge. Sometimes I would walk through the CBD from Central. At that time South Bank station was still called Vulture Street. Gloucester Street station (between Park Road and Vulture Street) was still in operation. It mostly served high school students from Somerville House and St. Laurence's. Brisbane is in many ways transformed since those days, but the goat track street layout (outside the CBD) remains.

Good evening everyone It’s been a lovely sunny day here in the northwest and it warmed up to over 15C by mid afternoon. Well, one way or another, it’s been quite a productive day here. I made the carrot cake this morning and added the topping and decoration after dinner. I also found the time to do some stewed rhubarb, which we’d been given recently. That is currently in the fridge and will be eaten after tea tomorrow. Earlier this afternoon we had Ava, Evie and Max round for tea, which tonight was pasta and meatballs. This was followed by the carrot cake and as I only made a small cellar cake, enough for 6 decent slices, needless to say it all went, but then, I’d be disappointed if it didn’t. Goodnight all

Following some advice from Paul Cheffus and Chris Higgs about how to fit smaller, non-Farish, N gauge wheels to the Association's conversion axles, I made a start on the LNER/GER Mac K wagon etches yesterday. However, I got a bit carried away and finished it! It now takes its place among my growing collection of wagons awaiting painting.

Cheers, lads‘n‘lasses. One more shift to go, followed by an off-work day tomorrow. Spring has finally taken hold, too, so a barbecue with the family is scheduled. Might check in again later, so, see ya...

Ah Well, there's also: Hertz van Rental & Truck van Hire both of whom are Dutch weight lifters. The Obergrumpenfuhrer is currently in LLandiddlyoh, so I am trying to finish off various domestic constructions tasks prior to her return. A skirting board to be re affixed and a door between the kitchen and the dining room to be rehung. If they are no completed by the time she returns to the Hippodrome, then I may end up being hung as well. I had some stuff delivered from Micromark in the US yesterday. I have no qualms about paying the VAT on such, but I do find it a tad irritating that the Post Office handling charge is more than the tax! I shall leave you with this thought. Yet another political party has arisen: The Sh*t Party. Apparently it's a new political movement.

Good morning from a rather misty Herts where I am two sides down and two to go of the Great British Gate-off. In the light of earlier comments regarding the Allo, Allo masterpiece, I recall that before Salisbury got its unfortunate publicity from the Novichok Incident, an auction house offered for sale one of the Van Klomps. It was sold for the equivalent of €40k to a buyer (and you couldn’t make this up) who claimed to live near Neuvy, in the Marne region of France. May the sun shine on all your endeavours and, as Baz Lurman and Cheryl Crow both exhorted us, don’t forget your sunscreen! At least for those whose houses are to be hotels over the next few days, it’s going to be nice weather for camping.

Isn't that a learner driver of a thing that delivers the mail in Germany?

I had a very interesting journey from Stornaway to Mallaig on the old Loch Seaforth in a force 8,leaving at midnight. I was able to bri ng comfort to a lonely young lady..... Jamie

Uig - Lochmaddy? mind you I have been on a ferry that took 5 hours for that trip due to the storm we were going through.. Lochboisidale>Barra > Oban is a much more interesting ferry trip... only about 9 hours... Last time I did it a Nimrod flew past lower than the height of the deck we were on..

I had to, some of them were wandering down the middle of the single track road... Nothing yet in the local papers about it though.. Mooring Awl Inner Temple Hare, A reasonable nights sleep of about 6.5 hours.. The afore mentioned coppers didn't continue down to our house with their enquires, though our neighbour who came round later, reports they stopped the vicar on the way to the church to ask who he was... Mild this morning and very light by the time I drove out of the gate the great fried egg was glowing orange above the horizon, and was fully bright in my rear view mirrow for most of the way in. The pink flowered trees have joined their white cousins in full showiness making the trip in quite pleasant. When Handling glassfibre insulation I also wear a proper white disposible suit, as the glass "dust" gets everywhere.. I'm unexpectidly working on a major system because someone (not me) didn't do their bit properly last time. I't might be finished today, but unlikely.. Time to go and get started..

Great minds almost think alike. I was thinking of one of these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mens-Ladies-Mr-Blobby-Inflatable-Adult-Fancy-Dress-Costume/401743462914?hash=item5d89c6c202:g:cooAAOSwT4ZbCU77

A genteel stroll up the hill allowed me to pay for a one week car park ticket. This used to be a discount scheme but now you pay more for flexible parking...ie you don't have to pay very day before 9:30 am. Dave, yesterday was flying day for the boys in blue and their NATO mates. Lots of high/medium altitude "Noise".. Sunny with sh1tehawks here. Baz

Good morning everyone Once again the sun is shining but there is quite a heavy mist, it should be a nice day when it finally clears. Today is faux Friday so I’m off to the Trafford Centre today instead of tomorrow, as tomorrow will be a busy day, what with all the festivities etc. Back later

Grandad duties suitably completed and many tales recounted of the daughters family's trip to everything Disney and Universal studioish , kids found a baby Alligator on the lake in their complex, luckily no one found the parents, or more to the point the parents didn't find them. 9 hours in a plane does not appeal to me at all, how folk do the trip down under is beyond me, I'll stick to blighty from now on I think, had enough of foreign parts, 2 hours on a ferry to the Outer Hebrides is enough. G'night all.

Tonight we feature the 9.45 to Norwich, one of the few trains heading for East Anglia that starts from North, rather than East. It will always almost produce a very photogenic engine, and today is no exception. We have a lovely clean B17 to admire. Another angle shows Doncaster Rovers moving away, and that very low set starter in the off position for a change.

With the sun setting the railcar heads over the viaduct to Encombe Town.

Had a walk on the beach, a bit of sun catching in the garden, a pint then some eyelid inspection. After a busy 3 months my body is slowly recharging TTFN Baz

Morning All Up with the lark today my hearing is slowly returning and I feel like it's a day of sorting the layout's dirty track, half of it has had a heavy clean just the other 30 yards to do. Her beat me to the telly controls this morning, having to grin and bear her constant clicking of buttons I retreated to the cave. GDB why don't you pave the garden that way you can use it all year round without walk mud through the house it's Ideal for BBQ's best thing we ever done with the added bonus of no grass to cut Her has even got rid of the big planters I made some years back less is more as they say. enjoy your day must get on Rai L'trac

Morning All, It is quite a mild morning today. However, set to get quite a lot warmer later on. There isn't a lot else to report, so have a good day everyone...

Newton based Grange class 6822 Manton Grange on a down stopping train to Plymouth.

FoR GDB perhaps this would be better.. https://www.amazon.co.uk/LittleTom-interlocking-Playmat-childrens-decoration/dp/B073P9DMWH/ref=sr_1_5?hvadid=80745417225499&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=c&hvqmt=b&keywords=childrens+rubber+flooring&qid=1555583294&s=gateway&sr=8-5

How true - and illustrated by some purchases that I made yesterday afternoon. Going through my loco stock, I came upon what must have been one of the first locos that I ever built from a whitemetal kit. It's a Western Precision Castings 'Cotswold' Jinty, on an ancient Tri-ang chassis, albeit fitted with early Romford wheels; (centre ones flangeless). The loco body isn't half bad, and I feel a certain attachment to this early example of my railway modelling. So - I duly ordered a Comet chassis kit, a set of Markits wheels, and a High Level gearbox for it; (the motor will be one of my Mitsumis). The loco needs renumbering, so a strip / fill / repaint / reletter are also on the programme. It struck me that I could probably have bought a new RTR Jinty for less than the price of the chassis components - but then I'd have to junk the kit-built loco and the RTR replacement would have no personal associations. Logic has little to do with railway modelling; for me, the satisfaction is in what I put into a model, rather than gloating over the detail of what I've bought. Regards, John Isherwood.

What a wonderful picture, Clem, Thanks for posting it. I agree with your comments regarding Andrew's work being far superior to any RTR, but the standards he sets are in a minority. Indeed, in my opinion, it takes a very competent modeller indeed to just match what's now provided straight from a box. The problem arises, of course (and it's been discussed before), as to what those who can't (or worse, won't) make high-quality models for themselves feel about this. It might be all right for the likes of me to extol the virtues of making things for oneself (as you do), but might those who can't, feel slightly 'left out', or even looked down upon? Not by posters on here, but I've encountered it in some groups. Without doubt, the rise in quality and fidelity of the latest RTR models (notwithstanding bits falling off!) has made the hobby so much more egalitarian, and anyone, as long as they can pay for it, will have model as good (if not better) than many built by hand. As I say, it takes a very competent modeller indeed to produce a model to the same standard as, say, this.................? Hornby even went to the trouble of modelling this A3 with an A4 boiler, something I've never done! They've also fitted AWS which, ironically, this example, being shedded at Carlisle Canal, never received. Good though it is, there's something 'flat' about Hornby's rendition of BR green. But, with a little bit of skill..................... This is the same loco. All I've done is to change its identity, change the bogie wheels and hand it over to Tom Foster for weathering. That is exactly the same green, but a touch of Klear brings it to life. I should have carved off the top wiggly pipe on this side of the smokebox. It's the one Hornby A3 I still retain on Little Bytham. Can I 'match' it? That's not for me to say. This is a SE Finecast example I built, painted by Ian Rathbone. It is, of course, much more powerful. What does all this show, if anything? That, previously, one had to be a 'reasonable' builder and a very good painter to produce a model that is to the same standard (or very similar) to what can now be obtained RTR? And, the latter will cost considerably less! From my own point of view, irrespective of if my locos are as 'good' as current RTR equivalents, I consider it irrelevant. I'll continue making my own because 'that's what I do'. What I feel it should show is that what's available right now RTR is a marvellous 'starting point' for those who wish to improve and personalise their models. If they can't make a loco, never mind, just detail/improve/personalise/weather/etc what they've just bought. For those who can't do that, well; others can do it for them (at a price), but they'll still only ever end up as possessions. Nothing beats doing something for oneself, especially if it personalises something which everyone else just buys. Regards, Tony.

That has been given consideration already Bob along with artificial grass. Jury is still out on that.

Sing me a Hebridean song, Daddy. One about forty verse long, Daddy. I can't remember too many of the lines but the one that always cracks me up is; "Sing of the white things bleaching on the sand there,"

I keep telling Sheila, not worry if I’m just looking in the shop window. But it would be a different story if I was go in and buy something!

I have a bit of a soft spot for the O4/8's. 63853 was an Annesley engine in 1949, it was very much a contemporary of the two A3's seen in the post by Phil. Photo taken before the addition of smoke box number plates, crew, coal and all the rest.

Afternoon all. I didn’t sleep well last night so made up for it this morning. I then finished stuffing the fibreglass into garage roof space. I will box it in on another day. Recently ChrisF mentioned something about liking tunes he mentioned. Paul Simon’s “America” is such a song. I got the iPad to play it while reading RMWeb. Next suggestion from iTunes was Americana by Neil Young and Crazy Horse. Currently track is Tom Dula (aka Tom Dooley). Not sure if ChrisF has an opinion of Grunge Rock versions of classic American Tunes. Nothing too energetic planned for tomorrow. Tony

The mystery of the police activity yesterday has been solved . Yesterday a tourist had a heart attack and crashed his car by the church. The police at the time did not know the cause and were doing house to house to find witnesses. It effin clown time again lots of them everywhere, traffic jams on the way home as they all head to the coast for the forecast good weather..

Thankyou to everyone for the very kind comments. In reality, the chickens are so small that all you can really see is tiny blobs. cheers, Andy.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. While the sun is shining I will continue to clear out the garden shed which itself is only fit for firewood. So much rubbish has accumulated that I am considering hiring a skip but I will try to recover as much as I can. NFN? Don't forget concrete is very hard, with GDB's tendencies it might not be a good idea.

James here you go.. the grass is 12mm noch wildegrass mixed with mini natur 6.5mm late fall.

To try and get some focus into my modeling, I hope to build/bash an example of each loco class allocated to Colwick between 1st Jan 1960 and "the end". The list gives me loads of inside cylinder six-coupled loco kits to help improve my beginner’s loco building skills. I was surprised to see a whole stack of Robinson O4s on the list. As I plan to build three or four 0-6-0s before attempting anything with outside valve gear (i.e three or four years at the current rate!) I thought I'd try the RTR and bash route to tick a couple of those O4 boxes and add a bit of variety on my plank! Armed with the appropriate volume of Yeadon’s Register, I happily ripped the GW gubbins off two Bachman RODs and produced these: The loco crews have gone AWOL in the mail somewhere between the UK and Australia along with a snifter (?) valve! I’ll change the chimneys and domes once I’ve figured out what they should be and where to source them! As I’d managed to transpose the last two numbers of the locos when programming the decoders (I appear to have fallen on the digital side of the Great Divide!), I set about numbering the locos with two cards displaying the target numbers. I then had several attempts at applying the transfers straight, level and properly positioned (still not sure about the spacing). Only when finally leaning back to admire the finished work did I notice that I had, despite the cards, managed to apply a nine instead of a three for the second digit on both sides of each loco. What a plonker! It seems that the ability to laugh at yourself is a prerequisite for longevity in our great hobby! Matthew

I thought I would share the, almost, completed ShocVan. Once again, thank you for the inspiration to 'model' Tony. Your thoughts over the years have made me think that building is better than buying. I've really enjoyed it, so much so that I've started a GWR design (built by BR) of a similar prototype. Best wishes, Nick.

Right, sofa time it is at last. Maybe I should have a pint while I’m at it!

D270 waits to take on fuel

Afternoon from Estuary-Land. Committee meeting tonight (SEERS) hopefully will not be too late. Definitely have to hire a skip, unless someone wants 25 year old paint.

Who needs boobies when your team has just unseated some Manc team. Woohoo!