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One layout I have seen recently which plays interestingly with atmosphere as well as detail is Jim Smith Wright's Brettell Road ... it is modelled on a damp night - though it also looks good in the day.

It's only a few days since we last visited the Blyth and Tyne but I thought a few more photos at Cambois would not come amiss. Cambois 08872 on crane and Class 08 shunting April 85 J8268.jpg Cambois Blyth west staithes 56124 empties Jan 87 J8744.jpg Cambois 56116 at power station June 87 J8986.jpg Cambois 56115 empties June 87 J8987 Cambois 37023 Alcan alumina empties possibly for repair Feb 88 J9433.jpg David

Good morning one and all. At this hour? Yes. I'm off to Uckfield in a couple of hours or less but turning in early last night did not have the desired effect and I slept poorly. There could just be a reason for that. Yesterday, just before noon, the phone rang. It was the surgery. Them: You had an appointment this morning for a Zoladex injection. Me: Oh ****! It's Friday, isn't it? I'm on my way. [Thinks: how the donald duck could I forget that? It is the cornerstone of my cancer treatment!!]. The Look from Checkpoint Charlene, aka Reception, was not quite as icy as I might have expected and Nurse Jane, syringe in hand, was kindness itself. All over the surgery were posters for a scheme that enables you to check out your memory, totally rubbing it in. As my memory slowly becomes a forgettery it might not be such a bad idea. During the small talk with the nurse I could not remember the name of someone who was a dining companion all of three weeks ago. Now I'm panicking, having spent most of the previous day looking for some m*d*ll*ng requisites that might just as well be on the moon if I can't find them. One thing is certain. If I replace the missing items the originals will turn up. That's Sod's Law for you. Meanwhile I am trying to keep the spectre of dementia out of my head and not entirely succeeding. The prospect of that scares the bejasus out of me. On that happy note, best wishes to all Chris

Our shabby Copley Hill A1 has got a little further towards home. It is followed by the Scotch goods, which will have been relegated to the Slow to let the express pass. Wild Swan has the job today, and one of our men decided to try some new angles as it approached. Unfortunately, these two shots show vividly that the backscene does not work from all angles. They also proved impossible to photoshop. I don't like them, but as we know, you sometimes disagree, so here they are. Finishing the job off would help, but my opinion at the moment is that they would work better without the backscene.

I have the opposite situation to GDB: "Hair".......and it blinkin' costs; what with colouring, cutting, putting-up (all rather too regularly).......Pah! you chaps, you don't know you're born! A fresh colour and cut at the salon yesterday: Today's hair-up (a vertical roll)....it will stay tidy for several days, though:

A brilliant strategy!

One of the practice sites for the advanced, ironing course will be our house.

Not seen my bed yet today. End of a (relatively) short run of 3 night shifts playing with the 1:1 train set. A busy night of both commercial and infrastructure traffic, with a big relaying job this weekend it's all kept us honest. Bed's calling so time to hit the road for home I guess! Morning / night/ afternoon all! Jo

Today's Family Circular text started: I'm OK, I slept. Yes, I am eating, so please don't ask. No thanks, I don't want tea or coffee. Yes, I am sure. Tony - yes the one stop shop applies here. New blog title https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2019/10/18/coping-01/

Shouldn't a Polo shirt have holes in it?.......even one in mint condition.

Doctor: I'm sorry to tell you, you have early signs of dementia. Patient: I don't believe you! I want a 2nd opinion. Doctor: This is your 2nd opinion...

Early riser or interrupted sleeper? Which ever it is I declared myself too tired to remain awake by 21.00 and hopped into bed. Well stepped carefully in truth since the bed is up six wooden steps and closer to the ceiling than the floor. I read back through a couple of days-worth of ER and dozed fitfully to the sounds of my “going to sleep” music. And a half-hour ago woke requiring a muggertee and some marmite toast. As it isn’t a school day the interruption to the sleeping pattern should be inconsequential. Fingers crossed. All is quiet Upon the Hill with some of Neighbours (Upstairs) already home and asleep while others are yet to return from their chosen places of entertainment and frobscottling. It is time to attempt sleep. Again. Welcome to Saturday.

Do not pass the test for the washing machine. Once you have a full licence the pressure will be on to do the Advanced Ironing test. The army had a good scheme where if you got a provisional licence for hand washing your smalls, you skipped the rest of the tests and went straight onto the Advanced Ironing course

Just don't forget you still owe me a twenty...... Several years ago I couldn't remember what a kettle was called - I gave up in the end, and simply said "it's next to the thing that makes hot water". Job done. I was in my early 50's....

Chris, If you think you have problems with memory, then think again. Yesterday I took a 100 mm dia 3 jaw chuck off my lathe to replace it with a 4 jaw auto chuck as I wanted to quickly turn down some square brass bar. (The Obergrumpenfuhrer insists I merely turn useful metal to scrap.) I only put the chuck down on the bench for a few minutes, but could I find it later? No! The bl**dy shed goblins have had it away, and will keep it hidden until they have had enough fun and will surreptitiously return it to within a few inches of where it was last seen. I need an early breakfast as there is lugbee quarter finals to watch on the square box this morning. Watching in the late afternoon/early evening whilst in Japan was far more civilized.

A Scotsman was sitting in a pub when an Irishman walked in...................................

I hope you have more success than I did - I failed the basic course, the smell of singed cotton was rather off-putting.

Morning all. Hope all are well, if not best wishes as appropriate. Off to Newark Showground for the Lincoln and District Post-Modernisation Plan Exhibition to staff the DEMU stand with Natalie. Should be a good day hopefully Phoned my mum last night, dad is doing reasonably well all considered, though has picked up MRSA, so is a bit out of it due to the effects of the antibiotics he's on. He's hoping to be out of ITU and onto the Oncology ward soon though and hopefully will be home sometime next week, this time with a catheter to hopefully prevent another infection occurring.

Is that Ruget or Crickby?

Good moaning from the boring borough. Looking great Debs. When SWMBO gripes about her hair care costs, I simply suggest she borrow my clippers and pop to the nearest wig shop. That usually does the trick. After 16 years I finally had to replace my clipper. Managed to drop the ceramic blade when cleaning it and it broke into several pieces. New one procured from that South American River of products. Basically I’ve spent less in 16 years than she does per month. Was thinking about Uckfield but the knee isn’t up to a day of walking and being bashed about by rucksack wearing tw@waffles. A bit more painting and some Honey Do list paring are the plans for the day. We have 4 sockets in the new bathroom. All Outdoor RCD ones. 2 for the washer & dryer, the others for hair dryers, clippers, etc. There is also a glass block wall between them and the tub. Approved and signed off by both the electrician and building control. Enjoy the day.

' morning all from red dragon land. Showers today but damp out already. Youngest not up yet! Off to watch little iron horses running today up in the North West (Warrington). Hope they don't get any non-starters. Good luck guys! Hope you all have your own little/big bit of luck, today. _________ Best wishes Polly

Off to Bodmin show today (& tomorrow) with Tinner's Forge in green diesel mode. Dry and potential for some sun, though clouds are scudding.

Good morning all. Awake at 5.00am this morning, not because I couldn't sleep but because The Boss couldn't so decided to wake me up with a dig in the ribs. Why? Apparently my snoring had kept her awake all night. Er no it hadn't because when I woke at 3.00am she was fast asleep and driving them home like a good'un! Tea has been deployed and more will be made when I've finished typing this. Like the Good Doctor and HH Richard there will be rugby watched here this morning....and this afternoon ... and tomorrow as apart from the World Cup the Premiership matches have started. I warmed up last night watching Bristol v Bath and an enjoyable game it was too. Bristol made a very good start to their season, unlike Bath. Mind you the latter do have 5 of their first team players in Japan. All this sport watching does mean that The Shed is unlikely to get a visit until Monday. Hopefully by then the burns on my fingers will have healed a bit more. Have a good one one, Bob.

Oh look, another Ivatt. This one arrives with the last of the day to have come all the way from Yarmouth. Then we saw 60117 with the West Riding. The dirty Duke is waiting to take over the soon to arrive 9.30 Up Glasgow.

WHERE IS THAT GROAN BUTTON?

Well, the important news of the day is that England beat Australia................................ Best, Pete.

I have actually passed both tests at basic level many years ago but SWMBO seems to have forgotten that fact. At that time Beth was having a long hospital stay so after the drying/ironing was completed I used to line the 3 teenagers up and hold a form if clothes ID parade. As I held up an object one or other would claim it and add it to their pile. They were then responsible for taking their own bundles upstairs. Whether they put them away I neither knew nor cared. I am working hard at retaini g the recently issued provisional for the washing machine. This morning Beth supervised the sorting of the contents of the washing basket and gave copious instructions as to which button etc to push and what fluids to put where. Several small errors were detected. I could not possibly comment as to whether or not these were deliberate. Jamie

Morning all from a slightly damp Charente. A very good Fish and Chip meal last night in good company. The nurse was hear just before 8 and Beth decided to go back to sleep afterwards. I had a quiet and leisurely breakfast then some domestic engineering. I have finally discovered where the floorbrush is kept. I have even got a provisional licence for the washing machine. Beth has now arisen and is having her breakfast whilst we watch the rugby. A good score. Regards to all. Jamie

Interrupted sleeper number 2 here. Early to bed..far to early to rise! Time to get some more sleep in. Goodnight all. Bax

I haven't updated little Caledonian Basin as I've been engaged in making progress with my father's layout 'Braeside'. I'll have to run them side-by-side over the coming months as I've accepted a couple of invitations to model railway exhibitions. I'm thrilled! The plan was always to make this diorama portable and see if there was interest in taking it out-and-about. Turns out there is some interest and will hopefully be making trips to Cardiff and Utrecht in the New Year. I'll keep you posted on progress. There's much to sort. To review where I am with the diorama, here's the current wide view of the layout.

.....if rather lonely.

It’s said that all dogs are therapy dogs, but most of them are working undercover. I think a few of them broke cover for me this morning. https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2019/10/19/coping-02/

Ey up! Drive to Hartlepool accomplished. This really nice bloke.. BoD brought me some sugar free lemon curd..what a hero! Trains played with...no damage caused... Now to get ready and have some scran! I worked out how to iron shirts etc as my mother flatly refused to do ironing. She could singe a shirt from 10 yards!! Caught up a bit on the rugby...could be a different game in the semi fi al! TTFN Baz

Morning all. Sunny here but not as sunny as it was earlier. No plans for the day really. No ironing but I did do some tidy folding of washed items. Tony

Need a Triple Like or more Button for this one Debs.

Every one has a shed gremlin who hides things.. Sometimes assisted by SWMBO. A shaver socket in the UK is also 120v obtained from a built in isolation transformer. which why they are allowed closer to wet areas.. Mooring Awl Inner Temple Hare, A surprisingly good nights sleep, 6 hours solid, as this cold is fading, just had a major lung clearance though, Ben does not approve of the noise when either of us cough... I spent some time looking at glues last night, I've tended to keep plastic and superglue in the muddling toolbox which lives in the landrover . I think the heat changes and vibration does them no good, caps loosening etc. I think this batch will have to live in one of the layout carriages. Plans for today, trim to final size the trailer doors, and paint. Assemble at least part of the marquee , check all the parts are in the boxes. Then move the boat if required to centralise in the marquee. But first... Time to hit the snooze button..

Off to see the monkey hangers shortly but first some coffee and a bacon sarnie. Enjoy your day everyone! Baz

A useful feature of today's visit to Pendon was a reminder from one of the exhibitors (Nick of Much Murkle) that the Didcot show is tomorrow although we won't be there first thing as the Good Doctor apparently first has to watch some sporting event which will be taking place in Japan ( on the television - lest you credit her with hypersonic travel abilities). Usually a good little show so well worth a visit even if a certain Germanic layout from a particular member of this august part of RMweb will not be present. And hopefully the roadworks on the Wallingford bypass will not be contributing to traffic delays .

Good evening everyone This morning’s shopping trip was completed without any hitches. I left home just after 10 o’clock and was back home just after 11 o’clock. After dinner I finished making the fruit tea loaf I’d left soaking overnight and then retired to the living room and completed a couple of sudoku puzzles as well as a couple of enigma puzzles. Charlie arrived a little earlier than he thought he would, but as I’d already started making tea, it wasn’t really a problem. Whilst chatting after tea, he mentioned that he is thinking of going to Tokyo on holiday with a friend next year. They are hoping that a few more will join the group, but as yet nothing is confirmed. Well, after a couple of days thinking about it, I’ve been and gone and done it, this afternoon I paid my deposit and pre-ordered one the Rails Wainwright SECR D class loco’s, in original SECR livery! Goodnight all.

Afternoon, Two doses of rugby watched, enjoyed first more than second but let’s see what tomorrow brings. In response to an HH question a couple of pages back, my pigeon pellet feeder is an SMK19 with a Hawke scope. As I only ever use it for the pot, access to deceased parrots pigeons is necessary and that means bringing them down over the building site isn’t allowable in my book. Weather here ain’t too bad so will be couping de gras (hopefully for the last time this year) once a bacon and egg sandwich has been cooked and devoured. This evening sees a village quiz with fish n chip supper plus a few glasses of amber liquid. Ironing was never my forte, even when at sea. I found the mass of a younger Kingzance spread via a mattress onto cloths that required flattening lodged between brown paper usually served the purpose. later in my briney career, I had “staff who did”. I do hold a provisional for washing machines and hold a full license to repair and reset domestic devices - that is as far as I wish to go! Follically, I am more a GDB than a Debs.

Looking at the photo above of the prototype wagon and looking at my own model, I can see I didn't get the holes in the right place. I may go back and do them again sometime. This time I have marked a circle with a pencil in the lathe on the face of the buffer heads. I then drew a cross over this circle and drilled the 4 holes necessary.

Morning All bright and sunny I slept well last night having been up early for the Pendon visit yesterday the drive home was tiresome so many idiots rushing around at that time of day. The rugby has been watched laundry started 3 loads and no where to hang it 2 today and 1 tomorrow to make it easier. Out with a lady tonight for dinner and again tomorrow for a drink or two. have a good weekend Juan Sheet.

Morning all, Looks like Chrisf might be receiving the 'standard test' for memory the next time he visits the surgery. The last time I was given it, a good while back now, I just said to the doctor 'oh, he hasn't moved then' and that was the end of that test. Tests for 'the big P' are a bit more interesting as you get to draw pictures ( a spiral - in both directions) although the counting down in sevens is a bit more of a drudge - passed that one ok twice but was awarded the runners-up prize instead. Reading Jo's post is a nice reminder of the luxuries of coming home after a busy night's work heading for, hopefully a decent breakfast before going to bed (if you didn't have time for breakfast during the night). I found this time of day for going to bed much improved after I'd married because that meant getting into a nice warm bed. Have a good day one and all

Hatton's (and most of us) are evidently hoping that this feedback process end in a score draw for everybody. That seems reasonable to me when (IMHO) the real alternative is nobody getting anything (i.e. the status quo). They would surely not have gone down this route had they thought that coaches from any one company would sell in sufficient quantities to justify making them. If we consider the locos already available and announced in RTR that could plausibly haul such stock, I'd think anyone other than SECR modellers would be disappointed anyway. C, H, P and D against no more than two from any other company. Given that, barring Bachmann's relatively modern (prototypically) Birdcages and the hackers' favourites from Tri-ang days, no other OO manufacturer has yet ventured to produce pre-grouping coaches.. With most of them seemingly locked in an authenticity arms race, could any of them dared to go "generic"? Probably not, so we're back to the status quo again. For pre-group provision in the RTR mainstream to increase in the future, it needs some commercial stimulus to convince the established producers of its viability. Ironically for the critics, this range succeeding could provide just that. It may not be wholly logical but, for many, a model that omits any strongly individual design characteristics, finished in your preferred team colours, will beat one that's obviously from somewhere else, in disguise. It's not the perfect solution, but that's not on offer and probably never will be. Many will be content with these as they come, and many others, me included, will (based on what we know so far) consider them to be "good enough until the real thing comes along", whilst accepting that it might not. Hatton's have clearly decided that those groups will provide a level of demand that will enable this venture to succeed, and those who feel otherwise are under no compulsion to buy them, after all. John

Its all been rehearsed in the last 40 pages. The folk who don't have a place for the particular "couple of winners" won't be keen to buy. Any livery other than that appropriate for the "couple of winners" will produce howls of protest. Prices will creep upwards and we'll lose decent alternatives for the Hornby 4-wheeler or the Ratio GWR 4-wheeler kits. Fewer people will dabble their toes in pre-grouping, other than those who are prepared to spend an arm and a leg on very precise replicas of what they want OR have the skills to scratch-build appropriate carriages, assemble advanced kits and then paint them to a high standard. Etc, It's been said that the RTR market for anything Grouping and onwards has been more or less saturated so pre-grouping is perhaps the way forward. I'd rather see Hattons make a go of successfully producing and selling generic pre-grouping coaches that may well build a market for other manufacturers to join in and, say produce a representative rake for another company or produce more affordable pre-grouping locomotives. Lots of winners there, and you might get the winners YOU want too! How terrible would that be?

Off to a South Western Circle meeting in West Byfleet, then a concert in church, with an amateur orchestra playing Mahler 4, albeit with professional co-leader playing the "wrong key" part. Bill

We have them in both bathrooms. They have Ground Fault Circuit Interrupterrs in them. But they're 120V.

Ground frame loosely in place, 1/3 of marquee framework assembled, all Parts counted and laid out near their place. Trailer doors installed, forgot to get enough bolts, now ordered. First coat of paint done. Sarney eaten, eyelid inspection beckons.

In the future, Philip Mould and Fiona Bruce will be examining possible fake look-alike layouts, built to look like Sheepman's stuff and investigating on behalf of the owners, who bought it at auction, whether it's a genuine Gunstone or not.

Glass raised John. Hope the paperwork appears easily