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A somewhat random mix of photos today on the Mildland between Skipton and Carlisle (not just the Settle and Carlisle). We've had the train in the first photo before, coming towards us, now it is seen going away. Bell Busk Britannia 70023 down vans Oct 67 J1168 Selside LMS Class 5 down freight Aug 65 J249 Ribblehead LNER V2 4771 Green Arrow The Norfolkman 25th March 78 J5940.jpg Ribblehead V2 4771 London to Carlisle The Norfolkman Sat 25 March 78 C3738.jpg Garsdale view to Dandry Mire viaduct 24th Aug 98 C24007.jpg Culgaith Class 40 Nottingham to Carlisle Aug 77 J5778.jpg David

Mooring awl inner Temple hare, 4 hours solid sleep, plus 4 hours of wake up every so often and find a new comfortable position. Ben the Border collie wanted out got to the door, and then didn't want out... With persuasion he went and then was happy.. Breakfast has been had, coffee yet to be drunk . I'm another one for leaning onto shopping trollies to ease my back, talking about backs, a packet of pink pills have been added to to food pile, to take to out open day. My awake periods last night were spent considering how to approach the modelling I need to demonstrate today, first I think, is some carpentry before opening time to provide a backscene to build up against. That will provide two sections I can work on at a table while sitting. Once the public start arriving I can alternate between sitting and standing to paint /grass/ sand the beach. The second section I glued together before I left last night. This will be my Bheinn Ghott, a version of the hill behind Scarinish on Tiree, where, in 1953 the RAF built a radar station, sent the personnel, but the radar never arrived as that part of the project was cancelled. I will have a radar, a model of one I've worked on. The first picture , you can see the scale by the man standing on the arm. I have an X T84. A Q SSR 750 on the top, and Q LU, which is the linesman system that connects the radar to the rest of the world.. The second picture shows the abandoned T80 radar buildings on Bheinn Ghott which are all but identical to those under a T84. Time for that coffee..

Up to take my mother back to my sister's in Woss on Rye. The journey there will not be eased by mother's incessant chatter. The return trip will be blissful silence as the Obergrumpenhfuhrer. whom will have moved into the left hand seat, will look out of the window at the unfolding scenery. Occasionally there will be a rustle as she unwraps and then feeds me another butterscotch.

Good morning one and all Up betimes and to Stoke Mandible, where I shall enjoy much good company, conversation and tea amid the models. The journey there and back will be eased by music of the finest kind, not least that of Mistress June Tabor and her sultry voice. Yesterday I had light lunch in the rowing club and spent the afternoon watching “Peterloo” on DVD. It never quite made it to the local multiplex and in that it is not alone. Given prevailing circumstances it is perhaps just as well that there is not much in the diary for the coming week … Best wishes to all Chris

A few photos from the Nene Valley Railway near Peterborough for this morning. Most are from May 1981 with one from 1978. Wansford Swedish 1928 Wansford to Orton Mere 4th June 78 C3907.jpg Wansford DB 80 014 May 81 J7359 Orton Mere 70000 May 81 J7369 Wansford May 81 J7372 Wansford 73050 May 81 J7374 Wansford 55002 Finsbury Park to Wansford via Cambridge Deltic Fenman and 70000 May 81 J7378.jpg David

A couple more views of South Western activity at Bleat Wharf. Norman was very pleased with himself. Rob.

Good morning from a cloudy and drizzly Birmingham. A great day yesterday in Wales and Shropshire finishing off with some really strong dark beers (11% and 12%) in Tilt in Brum. Today is a lay in for my other half whilst I have looked up various broadband / TV packages but for now saved myself 75p a month by doubling our broadband speed allowance for a quid and cancelling the 1.75 paper bill charge that we were only getting once in a while. Wasnt the 40 a month saving that I was after though. Will leave that for another time. Today we meet up with our Cumbrian friends enroute to the Severn Valley Railway then beer and trains.

Bob. 1. I wouldn't do that. 2. I couldn't do that, I'm not as strong as I used to be. 3. It was my stupid idea to go there in the first place to do the main shop as this weekend they're doing a special offer on wine, 25% off for 6 bottles. (I bought 24) Also my idea for a family BBQ tomorrow so we needed supplies for that. 4. I then compounded the error by deciding to refit curtain rails etc that had been removed during window replacement, again my own decision. She actually keeps telling me to sit down and take it easy, there's no rush. However, there is actually because I have a rather large shed that needs a railway putting into it and I'm getting nowhere with that. Problem is of course that that also requires lots of standing and kneeling etc which is somewhat of an issue at the moment. ...and Good morning all. Sun shining but forecast to become cloudy with the chance of some rain later. As KZ said the right teams got through to the Rugby Final which should be a cracking match. I will be taking it easy today but with no rugby to watch will have to settle for FI highlights this evening. Have a good one, Bob. P.S. There is now the lovely aroma of bacon & eggs etc wafting through the house.

Strange thing cricket captains. Game yesterday was OK (but wet)..apparently my report says I gave 4 lbws against the home team (er two)...and I didn't attend the toss...he did use my coin.... He doesn't mention they dropped 5 catches (any of which would have won them the match)... cricket is such a great game..but having said nothing face to face he then gives me a bad report.... another game like that and I am packing it in..I can spend my time in other ways other than being cold , wet and regarded as an idiot.... Baz

Dearie me that was hot work and rather annoyingly nothing pinged off.

I'm pretty sure that Jamie is correct in thinking that his workshop houses a miniature black hole into which pinged items disappear; in fact, I reckon that it is a feature of most, if not all, modellers' habitations - certainly of mine anyway. Somewhere out there is most of a locomotive of mine. You never know, they may all be linked via wormholes in the space/time continuum and if anyone ever comes up with a way of accessing the central chasm they could open a model shop with the contents. A rather dull and damp North Salopland today, which matches my mood as I contemplate venturing into the dark recesses of Dad's garage and trying to make a start on sorting out the mess. Once I finish the mugocoffee SWMBO has provided I'll have run out of excuses. As Captain Oates would have had it, "I may be some time." Dave

Here is our last image, but I do intend to get on with some more today. The V2 is seen just a little further on its way to London.

Good morning all. Cloudy here in the Charente. Various tasks to br done but first of all washing to hang out. Then off to the market to buy purple garlic to take to the kids. Lunch with the neighbours across the road then assorted tasks. Regards to all. Jamie

Ey up! Been raining here overnight. Different forecasters suggest it will either chuckinitdarn all day or just shower every now and then. Similarly it could be fine all day in Harrogate or very damp most of the afternoon. As I am umpiring a county women's game tomorrow I have been rereading the weather rules...hopefully it will be nice! Cough abating to be replaced by Ed Cold. Pah! Mugatea being drunk..perhaps a bit of crust earning can be done today. Have a great day and positive thoughts to all who ail! Baz

Good evening everyone I spent the morning in the garden, plenty of weeds removed, as well as a few unwanted geraniums, which seem to be getting quite thuggish. I filled the wheelbarrow up and then took to the front to empty it into the green bin. I also carried a few tools so I could weed the front whilst I was there. That wasn’t too bad and only took about an hour. Once done I watered everything and then went back to the back garden. There I tidied up around the base of the box hedge which runs along one side of the patio, removing bits of rubble and stones etc. I then moved a couple of barrow loads of earth and filled in the space between the box hedge and the patio. We had a little bit of rain this afternoon, it was very light, so light that you could hardly see or feel it, but enough to make the ground wet after a few minutes. The afternoon was spent reading until Mike and Sarah turned up. It’s Sarah’s birthday next week and we are celebrating early by going for a meal at the same Indian restaurant that we went to on Mike’s birthday. We had a great meal and the place was very busy, but the staff are very pleasant and attentive. We’ve booked again for August, when we will celebrate me being 21 for the 3rd time! We’re hoping that all the family can make it, so we’ve initially booked if for 12 people. Goodnight all

I have just the opposite effect from pushing a supermarket trolley as it actually helps my back. I have a lower spine condition that puts pressure on the nerves and leaning forward slightly whilst supporting part of my weight on the trolley eases the pain somewhat. It actually led in part to the diagnosis of my condition when the consultant had one of those lightbulb moments and asked if what I have just described was the case and when I confirmed that it was he leaned back and said, "Ah, I think I see what is going on...." I'm really looking forward to tomorrow (he lied) as we are going to start sorting out Dad's garage. I can hardly wait. Have a quiet, peaceful night everyone. Dave

Afternoon all, A good but tiring day at Didcot yesterday followed by another good day at Fawley Hill today - from which the Good Doctor and I have just returned. Strangely yesterday's good RMweb attendance at Didcot doesn't seem to have been matched by today's at Fawley Hill although there might well have been folk who I didn't recognise and we were lost among attendees from various other clubs and societies. For those who couldn't make Fawley was as good as ever and there was even a train which stalled trying to climb the hill to add to the interest. I did wonder if some didn't make it because they couldn't find it or maybe they didn't stop for long? For future note the catering was attractively interesting - tea or coffee at £1.80 a decent size paper cup plus a wide variety of cakes to a standard that almost puts Wycrail to shame; regrettably we had taken sandwiches. Didcot yesterday was enlivened considerably by the hidden away presence of 'Lady of Legend in her almost complete full 1912 livery glory, no photos permitted. Some light rain showers today at Fawley but on arrival home I was told that they had been good for the garden (and had prevented the Head Gardener from doing any work) so they should not be moaned about. Didcot yesterday was (rain) shower free. Emjoy the rest of your day

Afternoon All Busy does not explain my day adequately, but I HAVE now read and rated all posts. As usual generic greetings are sent to those who need them. Started off with a 7.30 rise, though Lily had me up at 6,00 and I made a mugatea, a mugacoffee, and a couple of slices of toast, but I did manage another half hours kip. As it was chucking ot down, we decided not to venture to the A6 car boot at all, as it was probably a wash out. So instead it was the start of day 2 of the bank holiday house refurb, which seems to be happening in a very short period of time. Managed to finish the spare room, and that was no easy task, then various other jobs around the house - seems that I have been wrong in using a steam cleaner on the bathroom floor, and should be using a scrubbing brush, cream cleaner, and a floor cloth - we'll see. However, the work has, as usual, left me cream crackered, and I've just heard the peeper go for dinner. Back tomorrow (?) Regards to All Stewart

Good morning everyone It’s raining, so any thoughts of working in the garden have been scuppered, what a shame! So I’m off to the workshop to find something to do, I’m sure I’ll find there is something in there that I can find to occupy myself. I also suffer from spondylosis of the back, but I’m currently taking no medication for the condition. I’ve found that since I lost weight and got myself fitter, swimming was part of the regime, that my condition has improved, hence not needing medication. Oddly enough, it was whilst I was initially taking meditation for the condition and due to some of the side effects of them, that they my cancer diagnosis came about! Back later

Morning All Method in your madness then Bob Dave & Q just to point out I suffer from Spondylosis probably the worst back condition going I'm cared for by a top pain specialist team ( no not Miss Whiplash I wish) if you can wheel a self steering super market trolley and not suffer any pain good luck as you will cause more damage progressively to yourself than you think if you are having problems with it now. On the bench today are 3 Hornby Kings all waiting for brass nameplates to go on a bit of a task as the new plates are smaller that the one's on the loco's micro- surgery is require to remove the existing plates and reduce them in size. Her has just come into the man cave soaking wet with a towel rapped round her "why didn't you answer the phone" me "co's I can't hear it " her "oh", that's after telling her the condition of what I can and can't hear first thing this morning. enjoy your day I.H.Opeican

I'm afraid that would be NBG here. I'd post a pic of my shed floor but it would probably get me banned.

Long day umpiring as it chucked it darn. Ended in a no result with the 5eam batting second 60 runs short and with the last pair in. Lots of appeals! Day off tomorrow. .hopefully we will catch up with Dr Eldest Herbert whow celebrates his birthday today. Baz

Can't you just use bold, all caps and a really big font instead?

Very nice too and here are a few of my shots taken today at the excellent Railex.

Cloudy but no hurricanes in Hertfordshire so far. Muggertea No1 downed but disturbed by earthshaking equipment working on a Sunday now, and they’ve only sold one of the first phase of houses they released onto the market eight weeks ago. I suppose that isn’t surprising as they are asking near enough half a million for a three-bed detached on a small plot. How can an average earning young family afford to buy? For those on a day trip to Aylesbury, enjoy the show. There is much to admire and of course the fellowship of ERs too. For brethren visiting Fawley Hill, hope all is good and to those instead doing the transport of elderly family members, well done and remember that you never miss something until it’s gone, something I can vouch for as a long-standing orphan whose parents left us when they were 80 or more several years back. Like many others, I am now left with memories and reflections, I try not to dwell on what I could/might/should have done. Happy birthday or celebrations to those partaking of such events and a pain free day to those suffering. Now awaiting starter’s orders and will meanwhile study yesterday’s acquisitions. Watching working semaphore signals inspired me to buy some suitable magickery, do layout exhibitors get a kick-back from traders? I think they should . l’ll be back (I hope) later.

I had one of the post war dia 2123 thirds through the paint shop last year. A simple brass sided RTR conversion, though it required a new set of roof vents.

Evenink one and all, Enjoyed RailEx, some cracking layouts Gravett Gromit! I've posted a short review on the RailEx page for anyone interested and I hope Didcot was as good for those who went there and that Fawley will be tomorrow. Son wants a quiz for his pub as the normal quizmaster has retired and they are getting each regular team to set one. I have sent him three rounds based on Animal, Vegetable and Mineral without them being too impenetrable and I have also avoided any political references, past, present or future and to Railways past and present. As expected, my rugby team isn't playing next week but the final is fittingly between the two teams who have performed better through the season. Congratulations to Somerset, champions of the 50-over game. SWMBO stated her disapproval of having female cricket commentators - reactionary or what? F1 will be watched at some stage although we can probably predict the result. Time for a small libation. Goodnight.

Evening awl, A very long day at Lord's. A bad result for me on the pitch, but a very successful day for the first aid team. Cannot divulge most of it, but I was in charge of one of the teams and we did treat someone in the pavilion and then spent a couple of hours on the hallowed grass. I was thinking: "Fidel Edwards, do not knock his head off, because it would be me sticking it back on." Bath, bed, then Railex tomorrow. Keep well awl, Bill

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2019/05/25/sandys-treatment-day-158/

Many congrats to Wenlock in winning Best Railway, so deserved as all 18 feet of it is exquisite. My little GW 4 plank made its own cameo appearance...!

Here's one of Winslow Hall slowing to its scheduled stop at Stoke Courtenay. Think I might add a couple of greasy blobs to those front buffers. The main reason it took a while to fettle 5975 was that while I had it in bits I thought I'd bite the bullet and weather it a bit, or at least tone it down. The love/hate relationship I have with my airbrush (mainly hate) meant I'd been putting this off too long. Vallejo black wash was my medium of choice, and gives a nice sooty finish. I've also been trying to emulate the methods of 'To Boldly Go' of this parish, using satin varnish to add that oily sheen, but I've not yet nailed it. The trouble I've found is that once you've thinned Vallejo satin (or even gloss) varnish sufficiently for it not to block the airbrush, it dries matt! Anyway, here's the Hall drawing the horse box forward prior to depositing it in the little bay platform. I suppose there actually is a bit of a slight sheen on that boiler. John C.

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Had a pleasant morning at the car rally, it seemed to be the same group that used to hold a rally at Vange near to where I live until a few years ago. I purchased three second hand books at £2 each. Two were about road vehicles one about the RT bus and the other about British Road Services. The third caught my eye as it was the history of W & J Glossop and Co. who were a road laying company. Quite interesting details about road laying in the 20's and 30's with a railway connection as they had their own fleet of PO wagons for carrying road stone. When I dropped my friend of at home his daughters were in a panic because there was no electricity. The supply had tripped so it was a case of switching out each circuit to find which one was tripping out. It turned out to be the one to the pump that pressurises the boiler so they have no hot water. We had popped into Wickes on the way back for the Celotex for the lads layout and while we were there we looked at replacement flooring for the lads bedroom. It had suffered woodworm that now has been gotten rid of but some of the floorboards are now like a Swiss cheese.

Absolutely and the highlight for me was finally seeing Dave's [Wenlock] Sherton Abbas masterpiece. Beautiful modelling and gorgeous stock from the turn of the 20th century. Way before my period but bl**dy nice all the same.

Awl, Afternoon, Knackered I am, Sore feet, have I. Show, well went . Visitors, lots we had, 13:00 , rain, heavy, arrived. Visitors then less we had. Sore throat have I to visitors, many, I talked.. Before, the show much carpentry and Polly's styrene was carved, ( and much sweeping up)..So then just polly's fillas, were plastered around , and painting done during opening time. Seagull rock ( Scarinish) was created. Much interupted by explaining the history and my ambitions for the layout. Also there was much interest in my landscape creation and the methods used. I also had pictures of Tiree, and the abandoned radar station (RAF) on this tablet computer and could show the landscape style I am aiming at... The carriages you have been bored with, worked extremely well. However the folding legs for the lifting doors were a failure. When packing up I cleared my layout on my own and all the muddling materials and was on the road in 45 minutes. There were some teams clearing smaller layouts still packing . I've worked out a way to over come the leg failures, and to store the non carriage mounted boards in the carriages in a better way than previously planned. With this I can, I think, get the layout assembly down by fifteen minutes- half an hour. Major carriage surgery will start on Friday. Two carriages have been placed at the MRC, one left in the trailer, I've to sort the muddling stuff in the landrover and take what's required and a board back to the MRC tomorrow. Dinner and Muggacoffee have been had, eyelid inspection is very over due.. Bye for now...

Never mind the cockwomble you mention, irksome as it was, it's good to see someone else naming the lanes correctly; 1, 2, 3, 4.... As 70mph for a car is legal in all lanes, there is no such thing as a slow or fast lane (unless you're on the M25 carp ark!)

Perhaps inevitably, Bleat Wharf has taken on a distinctly 'Sarf Westun' flavour this afternoon. Fortunately, Norman Lockhart was on hand to record the visitor in the form of 700 class 30693. Norman always had a soft spot for these and '693 was looking the part. Rob.

We arrived in Enfield in time for lunch. There was some awful driving today, both in the Sainsbury car park (We stopped to purchase some greetings cards and discounted petrol ) and on the M25. Best was somebody doing about 50mph in the third lane. I moved to the 4th lane to overtake and they accelerated madly using lanes 1 2 and 3 to get ahead and slowed down again. No idea why. Tony

Morning all from Estuary-Land. A quick hello before going out to Southend. I wish I was going to Aylesbury too but fighting my way around the M25 in bank holiday traffic is not my idea of fun. Thats it for now, be back later.

A couple with no trains at all! Al.

Only the loco and hands were in the bag. Recycled clear plastic bag from somewhere. Doesn’t everyone have a bag full of useful bags? My locos were very small, Ma&Pa Railroad .

Good evening. Much has been achieved. The market was attended and coffee had with two friends. Jill lent me a copy of her 2015 French tax return. I then made a start on filling in mine for 2018. We then went to the Mairie and voted in the Euro elections. Lunch was then had with the friends across the road and since returning I have been working on the tax return. The afternoon and evening seem to have slipped away but I think that I have now sorted out the figures and relevant paperwork. I've even constructed an explanatory spreadsheet. This now needs translating into French. Life is great fun. Jamie

Well, on Saturday I was wafted up to Heaven on a North-Eastern Early Railway shaped balloon. For those, including me until yesterday, unfamiliar with Beamish, one corner of the plot is devoted to an 1820s landscape with the Pockerley Waggonway. It's been a fun exercise this morning trying to match the infrastructure to prototype examples. "The Great Shed", opened in 2001, is a wonderful structure, and is said to be based upon Timothy Hackworth's Shildon erecting shop. I entertain doubts upon the subject - even allowing for modifications over time, it is not easy to see how the Erecting Shop at Soho Works could have resembled the Beamish structure, save in the most gerneral sense. copyright - The Durham Record I suspect that we are in the realms of Magnificent Invention, but magnificent it is, and the structure is crying out to be modelled as part of a freelance 1830s-1840s layout. In fact, I would not be surprised if the two central elliptical arches, and the twin smoke vents, were not inspired by the Stockton & Darlington's engine shed on the bleak moors at Waskerley .... Along the line from Waskerley at Parkhead was a stone water column, which is surely the model for that at Beamish. The Great Shed contains many treasures, including the Forcet Coach (an 1860s Darlington Cttee market day coach, IIRC, latterly used for workmen on the Forcet goods branch, which ran south from the Darlington-Barnard Castle Railway at Gainford; all very familiar territory for Yours Truly) and a fire engine from Streatlam Castle, a lost great house local to me (blown up by the army in 1959). At the passenger platform is a rather steampunky domed iron kiosk. I'd love to know where that came from. Further along the line is a signal cabin that could have come straight out of the Forest of Boland LR.

Wow This was one of the best shows I have been to for a while. Stunning selection of layouts and Cameo corner was a nice touch too Good representation of 2mmFS and excellent trade. I was helping out Nigel A on Llangerisech for most of the day (leaving early to rush back to see Howard Jones gig in London ) so managed to nip around between rosters to have a look, spend some cash and catch up with friends. Can’t really single out any layouts as I thought they all offered something - Great to meet Dave (Wenlock) and see Sherton Abbas which looks fab without even any stock on it! Here’s a selection of my iPhone pics...mostly BR Blue as that is my main interest but do go along today as it’s a great show...very happy to be exhibiting my layout there next year. Thanks to Dave and all the organisers for looking after the exhibitors too Pete

Enjoy your Open Day Q. Hope the drive goes well Chris. Baz

Euston back on March 17th 1987, 85005 leaving with ECS plus an another 85 and 2 86's there too. NR

The problem is that you have a Saturday driver out on a Sunday: They get very confused when they are driving on the wrong day! The problem is a national one as today's trip to Woss on Rye and back was marred by those who were driving at 40-45mph on a road which was wide with good visibility, There were excellent weather conditions and no limits except the nsl. The only thing spoiling their day was the queue of traffic in their rear view mirror. To exacerbate their problems were villages with speed restrictions of between 30 and 40 mph. Naturally these restricitions did not apply to them.. No wonder the 'safety' camera crews were out in force: They must have got rich pickings as I watched two who were in front of me, pulling away into the distance and go barrelling through a speed trap at well over the proscribed speed restriction. There must have been plenty more out there. Fortunately there were a number of places to overtake, so when the (safe) opportunity arose, I used a heavier than normal right boot: No doubt leaving Bertie to half swallow his pipe, turn to Mavis and complain about young tearaways in BMWs.

Renewing the Hall, using a nice 'Kinlet Hall' obtained on eBay at a decent price, took a bit longer than I expected, but I saved a bit of time and effort by unscrewing the smokebox/boiler/firebox/cab and attaching them to the footplate of my original model. This meant that I didn't have to change the buffer beam number, screw coupling or nameplate, nor did I have to file down the over-chunky Bachmann lamp irons (except for the one on the smoke box door). And the new 5975 has, correctly, a fire iron tunnel, made from Plastikard using the white metal one that Mike 'Coach Bogie' kindly sent me as a template. John C.

Looks like the Dean is playing hide and seek behind the telegraph pole.....!

To finish off that back corner, I thought I'd make some random farm stuff, such as you normally see decorating odd fields. So I started with some 20thou styrene, and hacked it about a bit: and eventually produced this, which was going to be a Land Rover bulkhead. However it turned out a bit big, so maybe it's a lorry bulkhead instead. Then I built a plough out of styrene strip: Here they are together: Then I added a sheet of corrugated iron, well it's as much a cliché as the bus-on-the-bridge, isn't it? As usual, the lights here don't show the true colours, so here they are on the layout: We will see what it all looks like in daylight in the morning. Thanks for looking, Al.

My mind did not concentrate very well, and I walked off the first green writing eleven on the card. There is no way back from there, so it became a very frustrating experience, during which I said "oh bother" quite a lot. I shall not do this again for some time. Well, not till Tuesday anyway. The last but one image follows, but unless the world gets turned upside down again tomorrow, I shall take some more. I think we agreed that if there was such a thing as an Up Scotch Goods, it would be the Inverkeithing- KX Goods. Here it is. No A4 though.