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Hi everyone, Welcome to Tractor Tuesday, where we reveal the first tooling sample of our Class 37! We received a bundle of parts from the factory recently for inspection and cobbled together a first sample to show you here. Of course, there are still plenty of parts missing, and overall fit and finish will be improved on production models, but so far, so tasty! For more pics and more info, check out our latest blog! https://accurascale.co.uk/blogs/news/a-first-look-at-our-class-37 Cheers! Fran

Hope its not too late for the showcase of 2020 projects? I think 2020, apart from the obvious end of the world, has been rather rewarding in regards to my modelling. Although many projects have not been finished yet, here are a small showcase of the ones I am most proud off. I must apologise for the horrible photos. Kicking off with the refurbishment of a DJH J10, I think I paid $60 AUD for this off Ebay as a non runner, quick email to The Man, The Myth, The Legend Tony Wright we deduced a new motor/gearbox, wheels and she should be good as new and so it was. Here she is here in need of some more fine tuning TLC accompanied by two scratchbuilt GNR ballast wagons. The one on the left, of which there are two, is cut down and made from a Hornby wagon and the longer one is a cut and shut job from a NER plate wagon from Wizards. I have also been working on the Dolphin wagons but that's another story very soon. Watch this space. Another project was the Graeme King conversion for a K2, this is more or less finished, the lining annoyed the hell out of me, maybe a good weather to hide it? No no Jesse don't be lazy. Now the wagons from right to left, another Graeme King resin job, an LNER meat container, I have another three to do. Next is a DS GCR pershibles wagon, a real pain in the backside but I got there in the end and lastly a Wizards NER Perishable van. Fom left to right: A wizards CR tube wagon, David Geen LMS Bolster wagons, my first DS horsebox and most definetly not the last, fiddly but rewarding in the end. Lastly a Wizards NER G2 van, might get a few more of them. Now for the finale... One thing I noticed this year was my moving away from the RTR market. With Hornby releasing there W1 next year I was still adamant to make my own using Graeme King's resin parts and here she is, a suitable tender is on its way from SEF. It may not be as good as Hornby's but its mine! Another Milestone reached was to finally finish my first locomotive kit, a Nucast J6. A challenge as the body was still designed to sit on a whitemetal lump but I think she's turned out alright, it even works!!!! All of this could not have been achieved without the help of many people on here, a few stand out, Graeme King, Tony Wright and also Jonathan Wealleans who I bombard with messages at least twice a day. Thanks a bunch.

The latest attempt to circumvent our currently closed borders came to light yesterday, whence a young-ish man travelled to the island from the Isle of Whithorn (which isn't an island....) in Scotland to Ramsey here, on a jet ski!!! All to see his current squeeze. Now, aside from the stupidity of breaking the border control, it is about thirty miles or so across the Irish sea, in winter.......on a bloody jet ski? Madness, the thought of it, at this time of year is beyond belief. I'm surprised they carry enough fuel, TBH. Anyway, his stupidity just cost him 4 weeks in the slammer. Had he been a couple of days later, this was Ramsey prom on Sunday - no jet ski is going to cope with that.

Hi Jesse, I did similar to you to make my own 10000. My only difference was I made the chassis from SEF as well as the tender. I've added an awful lot of lead, as there is plenty of room in the streamlined casing, so it is by far my heaviest loco, but with a great big Mashima round can motor, it goes like the clappers and could easily pull 15 kit-built coaches, probably much more. We'll have to test its haulage capacity when some form of normal life returns. I'm incredibly attached to my W1, and there is absolutely no chance I'll be replacing it with a Hornby one. I'm sure the Hornby model will be fantastic, but mines got character, as will yours, Jesse. Just imagine if all A4's were built like this: a huge brooding hulk of an engine!

Darwin Award candidate!

Here are the photos for today, a bit earlier than usual. Once again they were taken on the ECML in Northumberland, at Damdykes and Cramlington. Damdykes Class 101 Newcastle to Morpeth Sat 8 Feb 86 C7297.jpg Damdykes 56108 up coal 21st Feb 94 C19289.jpg Cramlington 43195 up 29th Oct 87 C9237.jpg Cramlington 143018 Morpeth to Newcastle 5th Nov 88 C11604.jpg Cramlington Class 142 Morpeth to Newcastle 2nd Aug 95 C20342.jpg David

Morning...... although it is still going to be dark outside for around an hour and a half yet........ok I am bored with winter now! On the up side I am with this beast today. Hopefully tamping S&C at East Grinsted station on BBR.

Evening all, Earlier than usual but may I take the opportunity to wish all who frequent this most eclectic of threads the very best Christmas. Thank you all for your thoughts, contributions, support and insight offered. It perhaps goes without saying that this has been the most difficult of years for many, for some more than others and rest assured my thoughts are with you. I am optimistic that this most dreadful of situations is resolved and those of us who do once more have the opportunity to meet up next year. Myself, Norman and The Works Forecat all pass on our best wishes and here's to a Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years, come what may. Kindest of regards, Rob.

Nearly fell off my perch, the vet rang just after 9! They have a locum in helping out with calls, a pleasant young lady who was interested enough to take a proper history of the bits that have fallen off this last few years. Going with naproxen as Robert suggested, plus something to protect the stomach lining from continued NSAID use. Interestingly their computer software didn't flag up the drug interactions/cautions that the drug instruction sheets do.....hmm. Still, she was well on the ball, went through my history well so ended up having a discussion regarding diabetes, about which she was very interested in my situation, hadn't heard about HBA1c improvement with proper low-carbing, which she was very impressed with. A convert, I think, she was going to do some research.

Morning, showery 7c out, arthritic inside. Not good at all currently, await the vet's call today to see of he has a solution short of euthanasia. Not many hours of sleep last night. I have a vision of Jamie growing an enormous Strawbridge-esque 'tache now! IIRC there have been instances of the poles swapping polarity in the past, must confuse the flat earth lot.

Mooring Awl, inner Temple hare, 5 hours sleep so far. Hope to hit the snooze button shortly. Combe Barton's map is interesting, we're in a no change area of virus , mostly surrounded by an increasing area, plus a small section of reducing levels. Since we're in an area of mostly compliance with the rules and an elderly population, there's not a lot else to be done except closing schools. Another worry is the tier three people in London all coming up to their second homes for Christmas as they normally do.. If that aussie pub were in the southern united states it definitely would be redneck maga territory.. Later today I will be visiting drac's daughters for the first time in a year, it will be interesting breaking. Into fortress transylvania. After news of that manager departing, myself and my boss both had a long discussion on the company situation. Sadly both of our jobs are needed as long as the factory is open, so offers of redundancy are not likely. That has been good over the years, when we needed the jobs, but now both of us are in the don't care position.. He's not confident the company will end their recruitment ban in January, if they don't the there is no chance of the bosses replacement being trained up in time to take over. It won't stop him leaving, which may now be even earlier, to coincide with his wife's retirement. Time I think to hit the button.

I've also decided that this time I'm adding a Hardstanding between the running rails. Its a bit of 2mm Card, and tomorrow will be fitted in place and any Gaps filled. and then it can be weathered a little to represent Dirty Concrete.

Pulling into Encombe Town station... How do I know where, well it says it on the sign! What I hadn't noticed was the first two coaches had a poorly fitting chassis as they hadn't caught the lug fully. I put some more passengers in these ones as they looked so sparsely spaced it felt like I had started social distancing on the layout......

I've just had cake!!! Chocolate.... Cake supplied the company, my bosses 25th anniversary of working here.. He didn't know it was happening and neither did anyone else till we got quietly summoned to the engineering area.. Kept so quiet, no low flying Hippos or Bears arrived.. Meanwhile I've just remembered this afternoon I have a blood test for ..... Diabetes... ooops..

' morning all from red dragon land. Sunny-ish start, showers promised thereafter. Last of the family presents accounted for and posted - click n collected from our front door. Now, there's easy... Cards still to finish off, *C* cake to make and *C* tree to put up. Playtime consists of starting on a new 7mm plank for the dining room - the 'exhibition' word dropped from our vocabulary, at least, for the time being. Well, we bought a few items of stock after selling Camel Quay so, we might as well (try to!) use it! Fitt and Elfie getting into the swing of things. Take care and play safe. _________ Best wishes Polly

A lovely morning, and plenty of time for trains and photos. We still have more of Quicksilver though.

Good moaning from the Charente. There has been visible progress in the bathroom and the lower halves of two walls are tiled. More importantly our " Article 50 Titres de Sejour" Have arrived. These are our official residence cards. A major advance and garuntee of various rights. Surprisingly they are valid till the end of November 2025. The builder will be here in just under an hour. Today I will be off shopping. As well as the normal supermarket visit I will be attempting to source some 60mm long M4 bolts. A shaver socket has arrived but needs a UK back box. Various modelling tools have been deployed to convert a French back box to fit. These include a dremel and Araldite. Regards to all. Jamie PS, welcome Grizz, to the weird and wacky world of ER's

My dentist is very reluctant to cause pain. On one occasion he said he thought the injection would probably hurt more than the filling so how did I feel about not having a local anaesthetic. I said I was happy to go with his decision but would he be upset if I bit him if it hurt. He opted for the injection. Tony

Filling.. fixed.. i want some of that uv setting stuff they use.. too expensive to let me borrow some though! Pah! New dentist so it took some time to understand that I am heavily not into pain. She understands that now. @New Haven Neil doctors..read the notes in medicines ??? Far too difficult for them. They refer to the nhs drugs wiki.. which may or may not actually be correct or up to date.. no sign of my prescription.. due to the delays I will run out of two items on saturday.. no worries tgere then.. off to take in the sun (yes ..it is sunny up in the North West Leeds Highlands). baz

Sounds like just the sort of person that needs tying by the ankles to the back of a dustcart and taken for a drag round the streets on the next bin day.

We used to get jobs in from residents on a daily basis when i worked for the council we usually had a couple of days to do them. On our round we used to try to do them the day we got them if possible. A few we couldn't do because it wasnt council land. We prioritized stuff like discarded needles broken glass and dog muck and dead animals first. If we got a job for a dead cat by the time we got there they had already gone. The procedure was to take it back to the yard scan for microchip and tgen place in the freezer for later collection by the owner or disposal if unclaimed. Not so long back a team broughtin a dead moggie duly scanned it was chipped. Somebody in the office paid way beyond their worth to humanity rang the owner and told them their cat had been found. The problem was they hadnt informed them that Puss was dead. They duly turnedup with cat carrier and were rightly heartbroken when they found puss was dead. Legend has it that the person who made the call found it amusing they had turned up expecting puss alive.and was sniggering in the back office You couldnt write what went off there are more tales to tell happen there is a book in it

So does Aditi. However it was probably a good thing that Matthew was a human geography student. In the first year at Leicester there was mapping practical. The maps were on a computer monitor. He said he couldn’t distinguish the colours, everything looked the same. They knew he had colour vision deficiency. They fiddled with the palette and contrast to no avail and told him not to worry, no need to do the test. He was quite annoyed when “don’t worry” turned out to be a fail grade.

Evening all. I love maps and map reading. I think I would prefer a map on my wall rather than a painting or photograph. They can themselves be beautiful works of art as well as many of them containing good (and sometimes not so good) memories. I’m strange like that though. One of the first things we learned to do in the Boy Sprouts and then on the ML course was to set your map. I suspect I would need to check the magnetic deviation data on some of my early maps which are priced in shillings and pence.

The Mooring fees on the visitors pontoon are £2.75 per metre per day on the IOM, so 3m for a jet ski £8.25, 28 days inside that's £231. Kick him out without collecting said jet ski, for another say year till everyone is vaccinated that's £3011...

Apparently it was his first time on a jet ski - he bought it for the trip.

Bear likes to consider himself fairly modern and somewhat forward-thinking, so the opportunity to travel south for the winter seemed too good to pass up. It gets bl00dy cold up there..... The only problem is that as from midnight tonight it seems that I'll be inhabiting a Tier 3 area, though in fairness this won't affect me one bit. Just so long as cake deliveries remain unaffected, that it.... A Winnebago could suit one's personality, preferably one of these: https://www.motor1.com/news/13610/1million-motorhome-with-space-to-store-own-sportscar/ Poor 'ol Skippy doesn't stand a chance against the jobbie on the left...... In other news..... Plasterer due in just over an hour or so, to take a look and give me a price. Then I need to finalise tomorrow's Tesco delivery, sort out some more for the charity warehouse drop, maybe order some Expamet EML (aka metal lath for fixing to the walls before plastering, to help prevent cracking), a bit more easy stuff in the kitchen, deliver cards to the neighbours, make sure the car starts........

Greetings one and all Most years I receive a seasonal greetings card from someone that I have overlooked. This year is a bit different, for I have had a card from one of my favourite singers! In it he has written: “Huge thanks for your continued support of my music!”. How very kind and thoughtful! I have left a message of thanks on his website. Today I shall go to my local Tesco for a bit of prospecting which will help me take some decisions about seasonal fodder. When I return there is ironing. How unremarkable. Best wishes to all Chris

Was it the whack round the bonce with a fire extinguisher that explained it to her? Oh, so wrong.... There were several cakes before the "do" started. Chrimbo spirit suggested it would've been churlish to scoff the lot.... In other news: The plasterer arrived as promised, and on time, and wearing a mask. He made all the right noises, came up with things he'd do before I could suggest them, and when I mentioned I'd be arranging a delivery of EML mesh to secure to the wall (it comes in 8x2 sheets, and is most certainly not the sort of stuff you want to carry in your car if you value the trim in any way) he said not to bother as he'll drop off four sheets to me at the weekend All I hope now is that the quote is ok - I'll find out on thursday. Apart from that it's been general dross jobs, but all achieved something so not a wasted day. Charity drop-off tomorrow, followed by toolstation collection, a visit to Magnet Trade Counter to look at kitchen units - again, haircut and then Tesco delivery.....

Just back from visiting another of Drac's daughters, I spent longer standing outside in the cold than getting punctured. She also did my height and weight. I'm taller than last time?! But lighter..(not by enough) I did observe from a notice board our practice has 8 doctors, two nurse practitioners, 8 nurses, a midwife, a health visitor, 10 dispensers of various grades. 9 check point Charlies, and about another half dozen clerical and managerial types. Blood test results will follow by letter unless the doc wishes to speak to me.

Morning, we have seen some blue in the sky and a large bright thing in the sky, seem to remember seeing many moons ago, off to the Infirmary in Arbroath as SWMBO has an appointment with Rheumatology, wish us luck.

Hence why OS maps have the bearing printed on them related to the date of the map. Geologically time wise the magnetic pole changes 'quite frequently'. This to set your compass and make sure you are actually going in the right direction if you are in the wilds or plotting a route.

Good morning everyone A dull but dry start to the day, one which again will find me continuing to scrap paint from the cellar walls. However, Sheila has a 10 o’clock appointment at the hairdressers, so I’ll wont start until she’s gone, as before I begin work downstairs, the bathroom sink needs unblocking, a quick job when you pour down one of those bottles that does the job for you, but I’ll do that once she’s left. In the meantime, I’ve got 30 minutes to kill, so I might as well surf the interwebby thing. Stay safe, stay sane, enjoy whatever you have planned for the day, back later. Brian

A busy day at the Mill

Having spent a bit of time bobbing up & down on that piece of sea, albeit on a rather 'heavy sea' day, I'm surprised that he didn't actually get the Award. And I think that bit can get quite choppy even on a good day. Maybe a solution would be for the Manx Govt to pay for his fuel for his trip home on his jetski on the basis that there'd be a good chance he wouldn't be bothering anybody again after a second, probably successful, try for the Award? And it works. On CCF Arduous Training one year we were up above Blaenau Ffestiniog when a very thick fog descended and if we'd gone the wrong way we would have been trying to emulate the Wright Brothers without the aid of wings and an engine. We marched out of the fog literally by using compass bearings on the nearest feature we could see and fortunately a couple of us understood how to adjust for magnetic variation - if we hadn't done that it would have been a different story as m non-geographers in our party didn't know about it. Also we were using newish maps with an MoD over print so calculating differences was quick because we nly had to account fior a couple of years.

I almost had a Baz moment, as my 'collect' prescription had been sent to the pharmacy by the new doctor, she didn't know they would be sent automatically unless marked specifically for collection. As she sounded most pleasant on the phone I shall forgive her, but it meant a traipse over to Kirk Michael which wasn't the plan today. I have given up with both the closer pharmacies as they are incapable of dispensing a script without making errors. Adblock must be working as I only get white boxes to the right hand side now. However - just what is the film show at the top actually about? It annoys me constantly as it takes a couple of seconds to load (none of your fibre-fastness here in the sticks) and jigs the screen down just as I am about to click on something. But tit doesn't advertise anything, bar some creatures and a Belgian barge.... It pi$$es me off mightily, I know that!

Amother case for forcible sterilization im afraid. I have to admit i have just shocked myself with content on the internet that i wasnt expecting. I was looking for self cast moulds it came up with self castration???

The idiot on the water ski, what was he wearing? T-shirt, jeans and trainers and not much more is my guess. And as for a life jacket? The icing on the cake would be if the young lady he was intending to visit ditched him for being such an idiot.

I hope the jet ski has been confiscated and sold to help pay for the cost of keeping the idiot on a bread and water diet before being sent packing.

25054 sits in the Yard at Seven Mills Sidings waiting for todays work.

Good morning all, Raining here which is a bit of a pain as I'm going to Nicki's at 10.00am to supervise some roofing repairs. Hopefully the forecast is right and there will be plenty of sunshine today. Not much else to report although I do have some Christmas presents to wrap so may possibly do that. Have a good one, Bob.

Ey up! Need some more sleep! Dentist appointment at 8:30 so need to get going though. Mugatea to be drunk..have as good a day as you can. From Coombe Bartons maps we are in a declining levels location. Wonders never cease!! Positive thoughts to all ERs. Hoping our "missing" ones are ok. Baz

I received my December RM today. The "compostable" wrapper had a customs label stuck to it (not compostable here) declaring it a "gift" with a value of 1 Euro. Posted from Hamburg; the label was over the usual Sweden postage. I liked Coombe Barton's videos. I used to be able to do some of those dances.

A coat of Acrylic paint on the Rails and Sleepers this morning, using Grey Brown and Black in a mix. another light dusting of Grey will go on the sleepers later for bleached wood effect. The Rails were then cleaned off and some pics taken.

That's what he said in Court, but it is a bit sus if you ask me. Trying not to drop someone in it I'd say. He could have got the bus....maybe the driver wouldn't let him on with his wet t shirt and jeans...

The girlfriend must be something special to make him do things as daft as that. Thus you have to remember "Map to compass add, compass to map subtract" or have I got that the wrong way round. Perhaps I should become a navigator. Jamie

Good morning all Positive thoughts to all especially to the missing of our correspondents. Its a beautiful sunny day here bit of cloud cover.

One reason why people who like to go mountaineering need to be good at the M word to do the calculations to know where they are on the map.