Leaderboard

A little Pannier action I see on the main line.

Stoke Bank again today at Swayfield a long time ago. Edit - Many thanks to Andrew (brushman 47544) and 35A for working out the loco nmbers for the 47s. Swayfield Class 47 down Kings X to Newcastle Nov 71 J2788.jpg 1107? Swayfield Class 47 down June 77 J5717.jpg 47421 Swayfield Class 47up ex pass Aug 74 C1750.jpg 47448 Swayfield HST down going away 30th May 78 C3879.jpg A test train we have seen before, going in the other direction. Swayfield Class 254 up Aug 81 J7530.jpg David

With recent posts regarding Pullmans, perhaps a look at Bytham's four? Some of these images have been seen before; they've been taken over several years................. The one I've had for the longest time is 'The Queen of Scots'. In the charge of 60119 (DJH/part-built, builder unknown/Wright/Haynes). But more often behind 60130 (DJH/Wright/Rathbone)............... I made the rake from Hornby donors, Comet sides and MJT bits. Ian Rathbone painted the lot. The Yorkshire Pullman............... In these two shots, hauled by 60128 (DJH/Wright/Rathbone). This time behind Tony Geary's DJH A1, 60114 (all his own work). This set is a mixture of 'QoS'-type cars, modified older Hornby cars and modified more-recent Hornby ones. And, the 'Tees-Tyne Pullman'................. In the charge of SILVER FOX (scratch/SE Finecast/Wright/Haynes). This rake is slightly anomalous because the Mk.1 cars didn't appear until 1960/'61, and LB is supposed to represent 1958. Heh-ho, it's my trainset. The rake is a mixture of modified Hornby older cars and modified Bachmann Mk.1s (the latter weathered by Tim Shackleton). Finally, 'The Master Cutler'......... Hauled by Tom Wright's much-modified/re-wheeled Lima EE Type 4. The rake is made-up of modified Hornby cars, again weathered by Tim Shackleton. What all these shots show is how much progress has been made on Little Bytham down the years.

Good moaning from a grey and cool Charente. I got some muddling done last night. The Mojo has been sighted again. Beth had s good day, she's found a dentist who not only speaks passable English but understands her previous, rather complicated, dental work that was done at LeedsDental School. He was even impressed with the tewo refitted teeth that I had put back on her platecusing brass wire and araldite. They've lasted for 2 years so I must have used my muddling skills reasonably well. Anyway first thing yoday, a new neighbour who not only restores MGB's but likes things that run on parallel strips of metal, is coming to help me put a board back in the layout. This afternoon I need to go to the Insurance brokers with the estimate for Beth's dental work, to see how much they will cover. Is this the right time to mention the desired purchase of a new loco kit, probably not. Good wishes to Mr Hunt Snr and Gordon S. Jamie

Back. Visited friend (retired traffic officer), good chin wag, and close obs of his latest project - an Ex-WD (no....) 1940 Matchless G3. I say WD as it was originally RAF, got a bit bombed, and when rebuilt went to the Army. Great to have it's history, but not unfortunately its exact squadron/units for some reason, although he does have its correct WD number. So it is decorated as the machine 'belonging' to his dad, who was a Sergeant in some regiment I don't recall, excellent stuff. Puppers would appreciate it, but it is all a bit old for my tastes. It chuffs along rather, one speed only - slow. Now I have to decide how to waste the rest of my day.

At Platform 3, the Immingham B1 is just starting the journey towards home. The 4MT will shortly be going to Melton Constable. Well, the train will be, the loco may only go as far as South Lynn.

Thanks Stephen, As Andy (the Green Howards) has posted, the 'Master Cutler' switched to the GN main line in September 1958, becoming a Pullman service in the process. It was the only passenger train which turned left at Retford (going north) from the GN to the GC, and used Platform 2. It was also the only Pullman service to stop at Retford. At first it was made up of the older-style cars (many pre-1928), as depicted on my model. I believe some came from the SR-allocated pool. I've read somewhere that it was the first Pullman on the ECML to be equipped with the Mk.1 cars, but some of them were immediately damaged in a side-swipe on depot. I have to say, I paid it little attention as a trainspotter. Initially, it was hauled by D201/6/7/8/9 (the Hornsey-allocated EE Type 4s), which also appeared on other named trains of the time; but, not for long because they weren't up the job. I suppose a six-car Pullman working was well within their capacity. Later on, though rather after my trainspotting days, it was hauled by the likes of DP2 and Falcon, then EE Type 3s and even Brush Type 2s. Does anyone know when the service ceased? My most-abiding memory of it is not diesel-hauled at all. Standing on the footbridge at Kiveton Park one early evening, the expected 'MC' hadn't appeared. The signalman told my brother and me it was delayed. When it did appear, it was behind the shabbiest New England V2 I'd ever seen (and there were dozens to choose from!), fairly belting through at close-quarters. I looked through the subsequent Trains Illustrated of the day, but I've never found a mention of it. Since the 'MC' was always supposed to be diesel-hauled, was the 'failure' hushed-up? Some more more model images....................... It just makes into LB's model time period (though the B12s had gone from Grantham by then). When visitors come (again, soon!), I'll occasionally run 'funny trains' for their entertainment. As here, with Falcon on the Mk.1 'MC' set (with older-style brakes). The loco is a real hybrid; it's the work of Tom Wright using scratch-building, A1 etched parts and a much-altered Lima Class 31 chassis, the whole thing painted by Ian Rathbone. The 'MC' was also run on Stoke Summit, but using a mixture of cars - modified Hornby, Hornby/Comet/Trice/Rathbone and Southern Pride. This time, the loco is Tony Geary's work (I wonder what happened to it?). Regards, Tony.

Greetings one and all Despite being wary of Amazon for a number of reasons, I ordered a clutch of DVDs from that e-emporium on Monday. The first arrived at 7.45 pm yesterday, which is much earlier than I was led to expect when I placed the order but worryingly late in the working day. It is a 2-disc set of the recent Channel 4 drama “It’s A Sin”. The rest of the order, still in the system somewhere, comprises the two seasons of the UK version of “Queer As Folk”. As I understand it, three vendors are involved. This means that I have made three lots of work for my e-friend Harry, who is employed by Amazon in an executive capacity dealing with third party vendor relations. He has more than enough work already but claims to enjoy it. If sitting at a laptop at home for up to 12 hours a day is enjoyable, we must agree to differ. He is handsomely paid for doing so but has little or no chance to enjoy the fruits of his labours. This worries me and I had him at the back of my mind when I mentioned mental health yesterday. When I heard that Mr Bezos, or however you spell it, is to offer short space flights from Texas I did think of asking Harry if he might get a staff discount but thought better of it since the suggestion might not be received kindly. Too late for yesterday’s despatch was the news that the newly elected Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire cannot take up his post because of a previous conviction for drink-driving. The election is to be re-run. Is no check made on candidates at nomination stage to avoid such embarrassment? Clearly not. The news from Dave about his Dad sounds encouraging. I suspect that now is a better time to enter a nursing home than, say, a year ago, but such places are not oubliettes and there should not be anything like the undue difficulty sometimes alleged for relatives to keep in contact . Continuing warm thoughts to Gordon and family and anyone else who is poorly, and best wishes to all. Chris

What a thunderstorm we have just had brilliant lightening display really loud thunder. Downside is i cant get back in bed due to a very scared no 2 son and an equally upset dachshund. Eldest could sleep through a nuclear war. Looks like the armchair for me tonight.

Good morning everyone A dull, but dry start to the day, although the ground is wet so we must have had some more rain overnight. Up with the pharting sparrows this morning, I have to be at the GP’s surgery for my 12 weekly injection of Zoladex, it is this injection that is what keeping my cancer in check and so far it seems to be doing the trick. My appointment is at 9:10 and it’s about a 15 minute walk, so I’ll set off about 8:50 to give me a few minutes spare, in case there are any delays due to school traffic etc. I could use the car, but only about a 1mile round trip, so it isn’t really worth it and parking spaces so rare anyway, so I could end up spending more time looking for one than actually walking. So it’s probably just as quick to walk it there anyway and the exercise won’t do me any harm either. Once I get back home, I’ll change into my working cloths and head back to the cellar, but to be honest there isn’t much more I can do until I get some more plasterboard. However, Ian is taking me to the big orange DIY on Thursday in his van so I can stock up again. Stay safe, stay sane, enjoy whatever you have planned for the day, back later. Brian

Morning, from a once again sunny but cool rock, 8c feels like 7, looks like 20. Great to hear some positive news about Dave's dad, and hoping to hear the same about Gordon too. Modelling mojo showing flickers of life here too, after a fallow month. Or two. The day may bring a visit to a new-ish friend, to return some books loaned regarding WW2 installations in this area (radar, airfield etc - this village basically was an RAF base for the duration), I haven't been to his home yet, he invited me last week - he has, er, several bikes to gloat over, about 20 I think! Bacon 'n egg in the pie, yes Baz!

The stuff openly sold in many US Gun Shops (not in all States, apparently - in some it's illegal, with very good reason) that REALLY scares Bear is "Tannerite". Google it - and take a look on the 'tube for plenty of nutcase videos posted by nutcases bvggering about with the stuff, and very nearly getting killed in the process. A Russian guy is particularly nuts........... A full english.... In other news: LDC - or Pink Pills? PINK PILLS Paws achin' like a good 'un, back's complaining..... This kitchen refurb lark is fighting back - I'm glad I banged out from work when I did, and not in five+ year's time. Are Punk Rockers listening at the back?

Herself has been busy and pasties are in the oven for dinner this evening. For those more recent arrivals among our number who might not fully understand what this mean here are some past examples -

Then there are those who ask a question and then argue with the answer supplied by someone who knows! That happened quite frequently in my life when I had to support computer users in educational establishments. I should say some people in some establishments to be fair. Tony

As a relative newcomer to ER, all the contributors seems good here to me, well maybe excluding that Puppers bloke. Can't say I agree with every opinion on every single subject but what a dull place if everyone's views were a perfect match! Hmm that would make it the Stepford Early Risers wouldn't it? I think there's a big difference between the "differing perspectives" of contributors and the typical contributions from Mr B and Mr H whether they be related to fishing, stamp collecting or a current embarrassment with British rolling stock. If we might touch on that last subject but briefly, I seem to recall that there might have been some structural problems with the bogies of my beloved Deltics when they were first introduced and didn't some of Mr Gresley's beautiful locomotives (I might have given away my railway allegiance here ) suffer from cracked frames? Nothing new under the sun ....

Why is it when I get eye drops during a eye test is it always a bright sunny day.... The doctors have lost my prescription , it's on the computer as received, and made up. But it's not been issued and they can't find it..

Many years ago the AA printed a book with phone number for hotels and restaurants. They printed the number for a Restaurant called Swiss Cottage in Wentbridge. Unfortunately someone with fat fingers had got the numbers wrong they just happened to coincide with my Grandparents house in Darrington the next village. (They were lucky it was my dads dad so they didnt get the colourful language of my other grandad) He got that fed up he ended up taking table bookings

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Hare.. 3 hours long awake, 3 hours , some short semi Dozing, which was rudely interrupted, by Ben the Alarm clock Collie, He was right... But I really didn't fancy getting up today.. Forepaws complaining a bit, But Bens patrol Indicated not a cloud in the sky, and a little cooler than yesterday. The grass is growing like mad.. At least it's a short day, As I have the Diabetic Eye test later... Bridies...Hmmm.. Mostly pastry and some sort of minced meat in a very small quantity inside with a little onion.. The James Clavell Asia series is one of the few sets of Novels I've read, they have yet to surface from the boxes of Books, might be worth a re read after all these years.. More spreadsheet work was done on the handicap numbers.. I've decided to see if I can find the details of more non planeing Dinghies / small keelboats. They are the nearest in size or type to what I'm interested in and should give a more realistic grouping of results.. Time to continue measuring this calibrator.. Ohms..

Ey up! Couldn't get to slep last night due to Thunder, Lightning, rain deluges, strong winds... her indoors slept through it. PAH! @iL Dottore pie filling.. steak and cheese, lamb and mint, bolognaise, seafood, bacon and egg, corned beef and onion..... If the deluge last night didn't flood the square at Weetwood I shall be off umpiring again today. Another Ladies game so it should be ok. Great news @Dave Hunt! Hopefully he will see steady improvement. No news from Gordon. Hopefully he is steadily improving. time to finish my mugatea and wield the Shark for a while. Have a great day! Baz

Had a fairly productive keyboard bashing day today. Got in from my walk this morning just as the heavens were opening up . Sunny this PM but I was too busy to enjoy it. Watched a couple of Poirots after dinner (lamb chops and mash) One of them had scenes at Brooklands but the surviving track they used looked as it does now not as it looked then. It's quite fun seeing all the art deco houses and buildings they've found. G'night all

The storm looks to be over the Leeds direction now. Had a look out of bedroom window the owl(s) seem very vocal tonight and another bird with a screechy type call. Not seen the owl bur hear them

ive heard a lot about keto diets, im quite happy carrying on doing what i am which is just weight watchers. i have cut down on bread, potatoes, cheese, chocolate etc, i used to get through a loaf of warburtons a day after toast for breakfast, cheese sandwiches, bread and butter with dinner etc, ill now have one slice a day if that, ive switched to wraps or thins chocolate wise ive gone from maybe 4 or 5 full size chocolate bars a day to one or two sugar free low calorie bars, crisps have gone replaced by things like lentil or pea crisps, similarly tea and biscuits used to be half a dozen bourbons now its one sugar free cookie to dunk daily mc donalds are a no no, i can still have them but mainly the chicken stuff rather than beef burgers, i still have greggs egg bap breakfasts most days, they fill me up nicely and egg is a ‘free food’ the only points are on the bread roll its been fairly easy so far, i do get cravings now and again for things like chippy chips or chocolate but have managed to resist falling off the wagon too often

Clouding over now in Somerset. Persistent rain not far away. The washing is dry, and I am going to celebrate with a bottle of Henry Westons Vintage Zider I phoned Virmin and a very patronising friendly bullsh1tter call centre operative informed me that Apple had insisted they changed the security settings on their routers, and he could talk me through how to fix it. I began to think that, if customer service is as important as you profess it to be, why have I not received a message to this effect and instructions on how to do this myself? Could it be that Windows customers are still seen as priority, and Apple people as the idiots who buy expensive equipment to look cool? Therefore they are bottom of the pile? Anyway, it all works now - and my problems seem to have been sorted.

Hi Guys, Proud day today, I have now officially released the EM Gauge B7 kit, ready to order on my website: https://www.britishfinescale.com/product-p/finetrax-em-b7.htm Hoping to get the standard 00 Gauge version on the website next week, followed by 00-SF by the end of the month. It's been a lot of work, but I'm finally getting there Thanks to everyones support, especially Patrick Hunt, Martin Wynne, KeithHC and Hayfield (John).

Morning all, Good to hear some better news about Dave's dad and I hope a decent upward curve can be established from now although from experience I know just how difficult that can be - to me the key thing is to try everything possible to get him into a more positive state of mind (far easier said than done and I wish Dave and Jill well with that less than simple task). Hopes too that Gordon is on an upward path. Seeing the name of the NSW premier I do wonder if she is the offspring of a Sydney taxi driver? I only hope she could find her way from the CBD to Central because that was a 'skill' distinctly lacking in the various imported European folk who seemed to somehow end up driving taxis in Sydney. I see too that the Class 800 thread continues to meander its way between facts from those who know and various 'ideas' from those who very clearly don't - reminds me why I no longer spend waste any time visiting sorting the wheat from the chaff in that part of RMweb. Good service yesterday from part of the NHS who have managed to squeeze me in with Mrs Stationmaster's diabetic eyesight review on Thursday. As the reviews have been shifted from local surgeries to a 'community health centre' in a nearby (large) village I couldn't attend because the only way to get there is by car. However another part of the relevant Hospital Trust has given the GD four days off this week (to avoid paying her for extra days worked) and she can take both of us - so excellent service at short notice from the eye screening folk. Have a good day one and all and stay safe. Talking of which the somewhat nutty woman standing here in our ward's county council election on a ticket of' Covid doesn't really exist and we should all be hugging each other in pubs' actually managed to get 110 votes - equatinq to 3% of the votes cast on a 40% turnout. One of the political candidates only managed 328 votes out of 3682 votes cast. The apolitical Residents Group candidate won with 62% of the votes cast while the other political candidate got 26% of the votes.

Looking down from the Mills Lane Bridge this morning and things seem fairly quiet so far. The 37 and 47 are both switched off, with only the 08, No 08173 messing about.

In comes the last local to Leicester today. It will leave at 8.24, so if you want to get to Oakham or Stamford, better get a move on. Someone has messed up, as we have a Cambridge D16 instead of the rostered engine from Spital Bridge.

HUMP morning... Quiet again yesterday, managed a walk with Whitney and that's about it. Seems the a/c in the car is playing up so I'm probably going to have to get it in to be looked at today <sigh> at least it's under warranty 3 first thing, sunny and expected to make 19 for the high. Have a good day, all.

Quite agree however one particular problem on RMweb - and no doubt elsewhere - is that somebody with a little finger nail's worth of knowledge (if that much) posts something giving the effect that it is the real facts duly leading those who have no knowledge up a variety of creeks aided only by very short paddles. And it's sometimes a pain having to waste time correcting it when you do happen to have all the proper relevant information or even to have actually done such jobs yourself

With being back to Panniers.... In your best Three Lions singing voice.... After two..... It's coming home It's coming home It's coming Crane is coming home.....

Isn't that a quiche with a lid? Bear made several attempted calls to a sink manufacturer yesterday, dialling a landline number starting in 01923. On both occasions I was connected to some poor bvgger's mobile number, who was nothing whatsoever to do with the company. It seems he'd had "at least 20" other calls like that - to say he was more than a bit p1ssed off would be an understatement; he certainly taught this Bear some new words.... I'll leave that particular sink enquiry a few days I think. Wot, no Beans?? Only strange full english brekkies served north of the Watford Gap contain Black Pudding. At least when it's outside a pie you can bin it..... Chef has no appreciation of fine cuisine, as well as taking the easy way out of a challenge.... Yeah, you forgot the chips and fried bread.... Pleased to be of service, Sir... As for spraying Tea, buddy "Marsh" caught Bear very unawares one day with a smart comment, resulting in a certain Bear spraying keyboard, monitor, desktop, desk, documents..... Fortunately none of the above was owned by Bear - and Bear was being paid to clean up the mess, which took a while....

Short pastry iD, no other will do for a breakfast pie! Damn the carbs, I want one!

A splendid suggestion indeed! Sorry, puppers but the black pudding stays! It wouldn’t be a Full English breakfast without black pudding. Baked beans are certainly a no-no, not only because I think they are the frogspawn of the devil, but also they’d make the pie too soggy. i’m in two minds about whether or not to use bacon rashers or bacon lardons. Either way the bacon, sausage pieces, chopped mushrooms and cubed black pudding will need to be almost completely cooked and allowed to cool before putting into the pie. The idea would be to almost fill the pie with the chopped ingredients and then make a well in the middle of the pie into which you break a raw egg (hopefully keeping the yolk intact - a bit like brik à l'oeuf); then pack some more ingredients around the egg, put the pastry lid on, chill in the fridge for 30 minutes and then bake at 220°C until golden brown. So when you cut into the Full English Pie you will be rewarded with a lovely runny egg yolk which you can then mop up with the carbohydrate of choice that you serve with the pie. The only thing I’m not quite sure about, is the type of pastry to use: rough puff pastry, shortcrust pastry, puff pastry or suet pastry. Any ideas, guys? Some excellent suggestions, although I don’t think Bolognaise (which is usually a sloppy mess of mincemeat, tinned tomatoes and is a British invention that any Italian would fail to recognise it as any sort of a proper pasta sauce) or even a correctly cooked Ragú alla Bolognese would be suitable as a pie filling as it’d be too wet. The Lurker’s suggestion of steak, chilli and chocolate could work (basically a beef mole in pastry. Note that in this context a mole is a savoury Mexican sauce in which the principal ingredients are chilies and bitter [black] chocolate and NOT a small black-furred burrowing mammal) I’ve just returned from a shopping expedition and I have some stewing beef and a veal kidney as well as some bone marrow. So it looks like the first pie I shall attempt will be a steak and kidney pie enriched with bone marrow. I’ve also bought some floury potatoes so that I can cook some triple cooked chips. As to the “green vegetable” I have absolutely no idea, fennel, broccoli, peas and green beans are all possibilities (thoughts?) Anyway all this talk about food is making me hungry and I realise that I have to have a quick lunch before getting to work. Have a great day. iD

The BBC are supporting Mental Health Week including a long and very interesting interview with the only female freight train driver in Scotland - and after suffering after a suicide under her train (whilst as a passenger driver) she now helps those who have had mental health issues after similar incidents. A well written and informative report. Click Here for link to BBC Report .

Morning all from Estuary-Land. I hope Dave's dad and Gordon S continue to improve though its going to take some time. Arthur Itis was making some noise this morning but I dispensed with the pain killers and as I suspected moving about is just as effective at putting him in his place. For those interested in recipes and CAKE here is one for namoura, a middle eastern dessert traditionally served up after Ramadan. https://www.cookinwithmima.com/namoura/ Its made with semolina flour and as semolina was one of my favourites when I was a lad I would like to give it a try. A full English in a pie sounds great, as long as they leave out the baked beans. Some supermarkets do 'Full English' sandwiches. Some are not too bad but some are awful (main ingredient tomato sauce).

Now there is a concept! Full English Pie! (leave the Black Pudding out of mine please) I have to say, I am rather missing my Sunday morning rides on an old motorcycle and stopping off somewhere for a Full English and to put the world to rights with similarly worn out old bikers friends. Still it would appear that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I hate autocorrect on my phone.. it guesses a word from your typing in three letters and is invariably wrong then sends it suggestion anyway. I have tried turning it off to no avail. PAH!! Baz

Not much has been happening modelliing wise (work in garden taken priority) with Dallam over the past few months however did manage a dust down and an operating session over the weekend and bits in the evening this week. Here is a pic from last night. With the daylight slowly fading as night draws near, the driver of 66135 heading an Enterprise service to Bescot via Arpley waits patiently at WN174.

Off out for a walk in a mo after my ablutions and catch the glorious sunshine, because the forecast is for rain later. Nothing serious planned for today, so will probably disappear into the POD and may even do some work on the MR and play some Guitar later. Have a good day one and all, stay safe and well.

It never appears on any "best" lists but the 1965 movie of the book is one of the most thought-provoking war movies I've seen. And Ive seen at least 4.

In our back garden when I was a boy, we had an old signal box. I don't know where it came from - we certainly didn't have a (full size) railway to go with it. My grandfather (always known as GP) lived in the cottage next door and used the signal box as a workshop; I spent a good deal of time there, avoiding homework and learning how to make stuff. On my workbench is a steel try square which is in daily use just as it has been for some four generations: it was in the signal box when I was a boy and it's stamped with GP's father's initials - my great grandfather. He was a railway carriage joiner in a south London workshop - his brother was a railway signalman, somewhere adjacent to New Cross. So with such appropriate credentials, I set out to make some signals for Swan Hill. This picture shows the first signals made for Swan Hill: it's pretty much the same picture that I posted at Christmas 2020 but then, they didn't actually work. Now they do. Great excitement and if I could master how to do it, I'd post a video. Not content with having them just go 'On' and 'Off', they needed to be doing a bit more than that and so work began on "the brain". All the wiring on the layout is led back to a junction box which, in its primitive state, allowed the track and point servos to be tested and checked. Now there are also a bunch of relays which interlock the signals with the points so that, for instance, when the points are correctly set for the route, the 'Up' starter is enabled and when the Up starter is set 'Off' the train can be sent up the line but only in the 'Up' direction as there are diodes preventing reversal - which foxes my grandsons. As and when signals are installed, the primitive circuits can be adapted and further relay logic interposed from the comfort of a deck chair in front of the layout. I started with a signal ladder... The stiles are drilled 0.5mm using a jig-with-bent-pin to determine the hole locations. Assembly on a (scalded) jig made up from nails and a straight edge. One side is soldered up first and then the ladder turned round in the jig, the stile pulled straight and the other side soldered. The completed ladder (lousy photo). The next pictures are actually another bracket signal which is not yet installed but show the same methods as the bracket signal above. All the n/s strip is cut on a small table saw (Proxxon) having been cyano'd to 4mm mdf. Making the bracket - flat n/s strip curved in a jig (shown in an earlier post) and set against some nails on a knocking up board - jig too posh a name for that. The other part of the angle is set on and soldered in. The rest of the bracket is made up from strip, set out on the drawing using s/s pins to hold things in place. Next, landing planking - the GWR insisted they run fore and aft rather than side to side. Then guardrailing. The stanchions are 1mm diam n/s turned down each end to 0.7mm and set in drilled holes in the planking at the base and soldered into notches filed into the lightly flattened gaurdrail at the top; The shoulder produced by turning at top and base controls the height which otherwise, in my hands, would be a wobbly muddle - or more of a muddle anyway. The completed home signals which are yet to be installed on the layout... The finials are ModelU - very nice they are too. I've made up fork end connectors for the rodding and the cranks are all hand cut and filed to shape. The posts and dolls are hardwood - American walnut (see living room coffee table) and the signals arms and spectacles are from Scale Signal Supply. The spectacle glazing is bubble type packaging cut to shape and painted with glass paint. The two 'Up' starters and backing 'Up' 'Down' line signal and the Siding to Up line starter. I'll post something about the lamps and lighting in a day or so: lamps are all working and show up as pin point back lights in the picture above. I've also fitted working lighting to the buffer stops - red, but fairly impossible to see here.

9453 Lickey banker at Bromsgrove May 1964

A Ruston 48DS awaits the torch, at Charlie Strong's scrapyard.

And a RAINY good morning to all. About four weeks ago I bought a wireless remote-reading rain gauge second hand at the Christ Central Thrift. The display was lit in the store (no off switch) so I put the rain receiver in the sink and created some "artificial rain" with the sprayer; everything worked. Then I put it outside. No rain for a week and a half! When it finally rained, the gauge worked quite well. I just need to re-locate the rain bucket to a more open location further out in the yard.

Al this talk of pastry encased objects has reminded me that I haven't had a home made steak and kidney pud for over fifty years since my mum cooked it.. Must look out a recipe. And find a source of kidneys. I could get them in Sainsbury's until lockdown closed the butchery counter.

Morning, late on parade due to storm interrupted sleep, seems we are an island again and all but one road out of the village are under water, including the one the council are currently adding storm drains to, I knew that wouldn't work. River comes up, water table rises and storm drain has nowhere to send the excess water.

Dry and sunny here in North Somerset, but showers are promised later. However, I have put some washing on in the hope the showers will be slow to arrive. I watch them on the rainfall radar in these situations, so can rush outside if necessary and bring everything in. I will have to contact Virmin Media about their router, which my iPhone now decrees is too insecure for the phone to even bother connecting to the internet. Phones with built-in arrogance. That is something I never thought I would see, but I suppose computers are destined to take over, and mere human laissez-faire attitudes are unthinkable to a machine other than Marvin The Paranoid Android.

This is a photo of the first passenger-carrying APT at Atherstone on 7 Dec 1981 and 89001 on some pantograph aerodynamics tests at Old Dalby some time in the mid 1980s I think.

You cannot send pacers down as replacements for the 800s, someone at the DaFT will complain about the better seats (well, the original bus seats anyway) and the fact you have a view out of the windows and a nice airy feeling interior.