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Now we go back to the East Midlands with photos at Stanton Ironworks, Stanton Gate on the Erewash Valley line and near Sutton Bonnington on the Midland north of Loughborough. Stanton Ironworks Rolls Royce Sentinel 0-6-0 diesel in scrap iron furnace shop April 69 J1626 Stanton Iron Works level crossing Sentinel April 78 J5987 Stanton Gate LMS Ivatt Class 4 2-6-0 down empty coal, in mist April 66 J449 Sutton Bonnington Class 45 up Jan 71 C452 Sutton Bonnington Class Class 45 down empties Jan 71 C453 David

Another look at Grantham this morning. GranthamClass 105 Grantham to Skegness and Class 114 to Nottingham Sept 71 J2776 Grantham Class 55 up Sept 71 J2777 08.10 Newcastle to Kings X Grantham Class 114 Nottingham to Skegness May 72 J2926 Grantham Class 55 down Flying Scotsman Jan 77 J5617 Grantham HST up Oct 83 C6289 David

I've been making a little progress on my layout recently. I had to get some of the previously made buildings and structures in place to check positioning and working out the track bed board sizes that needed to be cut. Before clearing them away to be able to get on with the wood mangling (sawing, gluing and screwing) I took a few snaps. Although I posted them on my layout thread I doubt many visit it (being N/2mm and mainly third rail electrics) so here's a couple of them that might be of interest to Tony's followers:

Peascliffe Tunnel on the ECML north of Grantham, 1970, 1977 and 1983. Peascliffe Tunnel Class 40 up car train Dec 70 C435 Peascliffe Tunnel Class 47 down ex pass April 77 C3278 Peascliffe Tunnel Class 254 43079 Kings X to Leeds, going away July 83 C6114 Peascliffe Tunnel 31209 up bullion July 83 C6115 Peascliffe Tunnel Class 31 up empty cartics July 83 C 6116 David

This afternoon we travel to Bentley, between Manningtree and Ipswich on the Great Eastern Main line to loo at trains in May and June 1975. At the time Dad sometimes had a few days in Ipswich for his work and used to go out in the evening to take photos. Bentley Class 47 Liverpool St to Yarmouth May 75 J4299 Bentley Class 31 Peterborough to Parkeston Quay June 75 J4374 Bentley Class 47 up June 75 J4375 Bentley Class 47 down June 75 J4378 Bentley Class 47 Norwich to Liverpol St June 75 J4491 David

Some photos taken at Southside on the ECML in Northumberland. One shows the Whittle colliery exchange sidings . Southside Whittle colliery exchange sidings Aug 80 C5158 The NCB wagons got about a bit, we are nowhere near Lambton. Southside 254003 up Aug 80 C5159 The line to the colliery diverges to the left. Southside Class 254 up April 81 C5328 Southside Class 37 down oil Nov 82 C5877 Southside Class 47 47401 up ballast 24th June 85 C6964 David

Photos of electric locos this morning along the WCML. Elmhurst 84004 down freight Jan 76 J5036 Elmhurst Class 86 up Jan 76 J5037 Hincaster Junction 87033 up June 76 J5263 Hincaster Junction 86207 down June 76 J5264 Sandon Trent and Mersey canal Class 86 down June 76 J5331 David

Places in Scotland beginning with F and G this morning. Mainly without trains, just bits of railway. Fraserburgh Aug 74 J3922 Fraserburgh Aug 74 J3923 Gareloch bridge over A814 line to submarine base July 74 J3859 Garelochead taken from train hauled by 37259 and 37121 WBHS Fort William to Newcastle 11th May 85 C6902 Garelochead NBR July 74 J3860 David

Near Nottingham now, at Sneinton junction, just east of Nottingham Midland and Radcliffe on Trent on the line to Grantham. Sneinton Junction Class 120 Crewe to Lincoln June 78 C3893 Sneinton Junction 25211 westbound freight June 78 C3894 Sneinton Junction Class 114 Nottingham to Grantham and Class 25 shunting June 78 C3895 Radcliffe on Trent Class 120 Nottingham to Skegness June 75 J4383 Radcliffe on Trent Class 47 Parkeston Quay to Manchester Feb78 J5920 47011 David

Long aerial view of LM yard.

It's time for some more photos taken in Switzerland. So here is another batch at Kleine Scheidegg where trains leave for the Jungfrau. To get to Kleine Scheidegg you travel from Grindlewald or Lauterbrunnen on the train. Kleine Scheidegg Jungfrau Bahn BDeh2/4 12th Aug 91 C16322 Kleine Scheidegg WAB BDeh4/4 12th Aug 91 C16329 Kleine Scheidegg WAB BDeh4/4 Kleine Scheidegg to Grindelwald 12th Aug 91 C16335 Kleine Scheidegg Jungfrau Bahn BDhe2/4 202 12th Aug 91 C16338 Kleine Scheidegg WAB BDhe4/4 118 12th Aug 91 C16344 Kleine Scheidegg WAB BDhe4/4 12th Aug 91 C16345 David

And here is another mode of local transport... Still got my eye out for a few motorbikes when they get produced.

5 photos of Class 20s on trains to Skegness taken at Bottesford on the Nottingham - Grantham - Skegness line. Bottesford 20081 and ano Derby to Skegness July 81 C5467 Bottesford 2 Class 20 to Skegness Aug 82 C5855 Bottesford 20180 and ano to Skegness Aug 82 C5858 Bottesford 20188 and ano Derby to Skegness June 83 C6059 Bottesford 20172 and ano Leicester to Skegness Aug 83 C6155 David

A Pannier across the viaduct.

Some more photos on the London Tilbury and Southend at Laindon in the 1970s. Laindon Class 302 302306 Fenchurch St to Shoeburyness May 76 J5173 Laindon Class 302 down July 77 J5721 Laindon Class 302 302247 Shoeburyness to Fenchurch St Jan 78 C3652 Laindon 12th March 78 C3715 Laindon Class 302 238 down April 78 J5999 David

And we catch a 93xx huffing and puffing its way into town....

Double Fairlie 'Livingston Thompson' is service at Glanfa Fach as Quarry Hunslet 'Elidir' pushes some slate wagons into the exchange shed.

Today's second set were taken around Gonalston crossing which is just east of Lowdham on the Midland Railway line from Nottingham to Newark and Lincoln. Gonalston crossing 25121 up p w Jan 76 J5046 Gonalston crossing Class 47 down oil Jan 76 J5047 Gonalston Crossing Class 120 Lincoln to Crewe Jan 76 C2580 Gonalston Crossing Class 114 Lincoln to Nottingham July 76 C2856 Gonalston Class 120 Crewe to Lincoln Jan 80 C4944 going away David

An extra odd man out now. Somehow yesterday I missed this photo taken at Grantham. It is the same train as one of yesterday's, I wanted to include it as once again it shows the unreliability of colour images in terms of shades of colour as a result of the film ageing and scanning and the software used. Grantham Class 55 08.10 Newcastle to Kings X Sept 71 C726 David

A country scene for you but without the odour!

Last week I showed the early stages of construction of a trio of brass carriage kits, which has moved on a little during the week. One was this Pocket Money Kits S&DJR 6 wheel 4 Compartment Luggage carriage. I soldered up the body and added the sprung buffer housings (MR 13in ones from Wizard Models). I also pressed out the rivet detail on each solebar and folded over the strengthening flange and soldered them to the body along with the stepboard. The kit I bought had no running gear so next task was to assemble the Comet Models etched W irons and add three supporting stretchers across the body to fix them to. But, when I went to test fit the Comet Models W iron assemblies against the body, they wouldn’t fit between the folded-up flanges of each solebar! It was something I hadn’t even considered. So with a file, I carefully began to file a recess in each solebar flange that would allow the W irons and whitemetal axlebox castings to sit. After the first one was about half done, I thought it was going to take a month of Sundays and then some, so I unsoldered the solebars, filed out the necessary material and then soldered them back in; much quicker. There’s now just under 1mm free on each side, I think enough room for them to rock and add the axleboxes. And the right way up, its riding about .5mm too low so I’ll add a bit of packing to the three stretchers I soldered between the sides. The progress on the two LBSC Balloon carriages has also progressed, with the bodies made up and test fitted to their bogies to check clearances. The Driver Third: I think its riding a little too high and I need to think about how I correct that, at this stage I might have to file down the bolster casting. And the Composite: Next will be their underframes and then fitting the roofs. Kind regards, Iain

Good evening Stephen, Will this do? It's certainly big and (very) ugly, in the form of Thompson A2/2 60504 MONS MEG (Crownline/Wright/Rathbone) hauling a train made by Ken Wilson. Ken and his (real railway) driver mate, Andy Swan, popped down from Newcastle today for one of their twice-yearly visits to operate Little Bytham. They always bring things with them they've made; things of great interest, and today was no exception. Interesting things such as......... This Buffet Car built by Andy. And this scratch-built M&GNR wagon; Andy's work, and a gift! Some of the vehicles made by Ken included............ His BR version of the same Buffet Car. This 12-wheeled Kitchen Car. A steel-panelled Gresley BG. And this suburban pair. Thank you gentlemen, for your tolerance of my operating incompetence, your hospitality at lunchtime, the gift and for your donation to CRUK. I'll leave it up to Ken to describe the models above. Regards, Tony.

I'm not having much luck with batteries. The car problem turned out to be a near deceased 12v battery too. There were more twists in the story, but eventually I managed to get a new one fitted. While sorting all that my phone went dead too. It is a special one which plays through my hearing aids, and is a great boon. I had only put new batteries in on Saturday, the first time it failed. Checked again, as it would be just like me to put things in the wrong way round, though I know that should mean it wouldn't work at all. Close examination of new batteries I bought on Saturday showed their use by date to have expired.😦 I will sort that tomorrow, Also managed to communicate with DVLA, a near superhuman feat. Enough of that, for those who like to look at the coaches, here's what is behind the A3. Not particularly exciting, but typical of some of these Saturday formations. The front seven came from Notthingham, and the rear four were attached at Grantham. I've just noticed that one image posted twice, dunno why.

I do have to defend the 60 year old Triang chassis. I am still using them. Coach building is my thing but I do need locomotives to pull them and rtr, as good as they are, struggle with the heavy coaches I make. I still use the indestructible B12 chassis in Wills/SEF Hall, Saint and Star kits- they were designed to take them and with the heavy Wills body, will haul 15 kit builds without slipping. My Gem 56XX is still running on a bushed Triang Jinty chassis 55 years after it was converted by my father. I have also used Comet, Proscale and Perseverance chassis but I can have a Triang chassis running in far less time. of greatest importance - they work, especially if they have new Neodymium magnets and/or received a Scalespeed overhaul. When running I defy anyone to identify which has which chassis (apart from the RG4 whiner). This one has the special Markits axles to fit without using bearings. Mainly trains connecting rods and brake gear. I still have another Wills Saint to build. I was going to use a Comet Hall chassis but recently picked up a Triang B12 with Green wheels with a very clean X04 for £20. I already have the Triang/Romford axles and Neodymium magnet in stock. Mike Wiltshire

Now we have the East shuttle, and a valanced Claud to admire. Unusually this one will start from Platform 6, rather than number one bay. off it goes for its five minute journey.

Second training day completed successfully......................... Another great day with John getting used to the new ways of working. It's quite noticeable how the superb control which DCC affords, together with the synchronised sound effects, encourages much better driving by the operators. There used to be a temptation to drive too quickly and rush through the operating sequence. This seems to be replaced by efforts to simulate prototypical practice, as best we can remember it! By lunch time I felt confident with the Station control panel, so I moved to the Sector Plate controls for the afternoon. With only one operator on the Station panel this gives the Sector Plate operator an opportunity for a stroll around the whole layout. I took advantage of these little breaks in activity to capture a few shots on my phone: John, busy on the Station control panel, with my empty chair beyond! A view over the station roof looking towards the hotel. Lime Street and the Station Hotel. The old carriage drive entrance to the station with the main platforms beyond. Quite busy on Lime Street! Looking across the station throat to a London express waiting the "Right Away". Locos waiting their next turn of duty. 2024-04-22 15.56.16.mp4 A little video clip as the station pilot takes the mail train up the shunting neck. This is the sector plate and fiddle yard, which I am supposed to be operating! More when we can.......... Steve

I do like a J72. I am currently working on my third one. All three represent locos that have been 'sold out of main line service' to either the NCB or an outrageously improbable light railway. The current J72 on the work bench is, I think, the 'guinea pig' that Iain Rice used to test build his chassis for the loco, as designed for Mainly Trains. Lots more work to do yet, including replacement buffers: Here is my first J72, weathered to represent a loco sold to the NCB and working in an unlikely Somerset colliery at the time it was photographed on 'Engine Wood'. The split chassis eventually gave out and a Perseverance chassis was substituted: The second one was originally a second-hand purchase and was repainted into a dark green to represent one sold to the aforementioned light railway. The split chassis also expired after a few years and I built a Perseverance chassis for it. Here is this unlikely loco, resting in between duties for it's improbable light railway in Mid-Wales:

Gresley's grimy goods tank enters Boleyn Road. J50 68791 was a Hornsey loco for most of its BR life so, in my mind, it is visiting Boleyn Road as it’s been drafted in to work in Goodmayes Yard.

Something on the Down, at last. This is the SO Hertford North- Scarborough, portions from Hertford and Hitchin, no doubt joined together at the latter. The 1960 Grantham station survey I consult says this was worked by a KX A4, so Silver Link has the job today. I assume that the Branch portion was brought to Hitchin by a suburban tank, and the A4 worked from there. How it got to Hitchin is a matter for surmise, light engine or on an early morning outer suburban from KX seem to be the possibilities.

Many a time I have been asked for the latest layout plan for Little Muddle and at last I finished my version of it. So now you'll have some idea where everything fits in.. EDIT Point added???

And back to... Just a Pannier Pulling some coaches... Into town.

Mo and I have spent a splendid day at the Colne Valley HQ of the Braintree (I think) MRC, my photographing 'Little Colne'. It's really rather nice................. The group was kind enough................. To let me take a picture of a couple of my (appropriate) locos on it. Thanks chaps, and look out for it in BRM in the future.

During the nineteenth century, the expanding railway network helped create a boom in the fishing industry. With fast, reliable services fresh fish was able to be transported by rail across the length and breadth of the UK. As early as the mid-1840s special fish trains were operated by several railway companies using specially built rolling stock. As technology developed faster services were offered with trains operating on the East Coast mainline all the way from Scotland to London. Fish vans on the LNER originally featured a short wheelbase but later developments settled on a larger 15ft wheelbase on the Diagram 214 12t Insul-Fish vans designed by the LNER but built under BR from 1949. These vehicles were designed to operate in passenger trains and featured LNER 8-shoe brake gear and steam heat pipes. British Railways continued to build a variation of these vans – Diagram 800. These were built with standard oil axleboxes but some were later upgraded to roller bearings in later life. The final diagram of fish van built by British Railways was the 1/801 diagram. Like the 1/800 this featured a 15ft wheelbase and 21’8” body. Roller bearings were used from new and allowed the wagons to travel at speeds of 60mph. As they were roller-bearing fitted, they gained the ‘Blue Spot’ designation on the bodysides. This design however featured several differences on the body, most notably the diagonal end bracing and around the side doors along with the adoption of the BR clasp brake system. Three batches of vans were built between 1960 and 1961 with a total of 558 vans being produced. With the decline in fish traffic services ceased in 1968. Many vans were transferred to Parcels Traffic (coded NRV and later SPV) and sported BR rail blue livery with ‘double arrow’ logo. Other vans found use in Engineers use, barrier vehicle use and even as support vehicles for breakdown cranes carrying a number of different liveries. This resulted in vans being seen all across the network. A small number of Diagram 1/801 vans have survived into preservation at locations such as the Swanage, Great Central and Bluebell railways. This model will be the first Diagram 1/801 van ever produced in OO gauge ready-to-run. The model features the usual wealth of detail alongside many separately fitted parts including steps on the engineers versions, and two different types of buffers as seen on the prototypes. Separate label boards will also be provided for modellers to fit as required. Metal bearings will aid super smooth running enabling prototypically long trains to run with ease. Browse the full range on our website

Another of those trais we see every day of the week now appears, this one being that short parcels train from New England to East, which will spend quite a while in Number 1 bay. Local J6 64177 has the job today, and we have two views of it on the approach to the station. I do like a J6, especially one that has come half way round the world to get here.

And in the distance we spy some Panniers, quick shot from the Squadron Leader as he flew past the other day...

The 9.25 is not ready to go yet, so the WD is allowed through and back to the Up. We have a manon the bridge to record that. and there is another one at ground level near the signal box. I've just checked the WTT to see what the margin was for the 9.25, as even that would surely take precedence over a Class H. Much to my surprise, I found that it stopped at Abbots Ripton, which was being run down for closure, before it got to Huntingdon, so there was time to get the WD into a loop without inconvenience to passengers

Every now and then I try and get organised. It’s not something I’m good at but I try! Monday evenings is club night and we sit at our respective benches whittling away on something and nattering. These sessions are perfect for those dull, repetitive jobs that you can almost do on autopilot which would otherwise be put off in favour of something more interesting - like building wagons. Over the last few Mondays I’ve been doing a marathon build of over a hundred DG couplings in the hope that I could fit couplings to all the stock waiting with a few to spare. This evening I went through the stock boxes in the workshop to see how many vehicles were actually waiting for couplings. Turns out there are 117 wagons and NPCS items in the queue. I’m not sure if I’m depressed at having only about half the couplings I need or impressed at how much I’ve built in the last couple of years!! Going to have a bath and a whisky and think about it! Jerry

My 009 gauge test diorama from last year.

Back to railways now to visit the Stray at Harrogate in 1965 and 1966. The photos were taken with Dad's half frame camera so some are not quite as good as usual in terms of detail. Harrogate Class 104 Bradford to Harogate July 65 J211 Harrogate Class 101 Darlington to Leeds Aug 65 J274 Harrogate B1 61319 Harrogate to Kings X Feb 66 J444 Harrogate Class 46 D171 up White Rose April 66 J472 Harrogate LMS Class 5 45061 Harrogate to Kings X July 66 J569 David

Another batch from Switzerland, this time taken at Rapperswil where the line from Zürich crosses the Südostbahn line from Arth Goldau to the north east of the country. Rapperswil Südostbahn ABe4/4 14 Pfaffikon to Rapperswil 31st July 88 C9812 Rapperswil RABDe12/12 1118 31st July 88 C9816 Rapperswil Südostbahn Re4/4iii 42 Konstanz Rigi Express 31st July 88 C9824 Rapperswil RABDe8/16 Zurich to Rapperswil 31st July 88 C9826 Rapperswil Südostbahn BDe4/4 85 Rapperswil to Einsiedeln 1st Aug 88 C09965 David

There is a photograph in Jim Russell's book 'GWR Wagons Appendix' that shows a wagon loaded with long, thin conifer tree-trunks, of the kind referred to as 'Norway poles'. For some time I have wanted to model a similar load. The wagon itself has been described in this blog before, and has a rather chequered history. Amongst other issues, I put washer plates on the inside, corresponding to the attachment points for the sheet supporter mechanism at each end. I was following the RCH drawing for the sheet supporter parts, which was the only information I had at the time; since then, I have seen photos that show the GWR didn't put washer plates on the inside. I therefore wanted to add a load to hide the washer plates I had put in, so this was my opportunity to model the Norway poles. Making the poles has been a slow process - 15 months in fact. They are made from the twigs of a Christmas tree, with the needles stripped off and most of the bark sanded off. I collected all the suitable twigs from our 2022 tree, but there weren't quite enough, so I had to wait until the 2023 tree became available. Each time, I left the twigs for a couple of months to dry out, then stripped the needles and sanded then with coarse sandpaper. The remaining texture gives a reasonable impression of the partly-stripped bark seen in the prototype photo: The bottom layer of poles was glued to a piece of stiff card about two-thirds the length of the wagon. More poles were glued on top, and the final layer left loose, as I wanted to ensure there was no glue visible. The roping follows that shown in the photo, and is made with 0.75mm rigging thread, as used by ship modellers - the same technique I have described in previous blog entries. A small amount of thin cyanoacrylate glue holds the knots in place. And here with a 2-plank wagon as a runner: Nick.

On we go towards Skegness. Weather forecast is 57f, wind NE 20mph, light drizzle, and don't even think about the sea temperature. and hope Mrs McStingy, the landlady, doesn't live up to her name. Are we nearly there yet?

Possession train from valley to crewe started by cascading the rear loco from my train to the one behind Back to the pointy end of my train, brake tested and ready to roll and head toward the worksite marker boards The boards were at Ty-Croes where we had to wait for a while before being able to leave The signal box is only a crossing box now, not a block box so the section across Anglesey is from gaerwen to valley We then set off for the possession boards at Bangor and as we were a bit early we had the chance of a quick stop on the Britannia bridge for a pic! Don’t get a chance to get a pic like this every day! Next quick stop was Chester and into basford hall where someone took the train from us and we got away a week of 805 testing to Carlisle then another valley job on Saturday

After 3 weeks away over Easter, I'm back on tracklaying at the southern end. Lines left to right: Normanton Up & Down Doncaster Up and Down Leeds up and Down, which almost immediately join the Doncaster lines - not enough room to carry both through Line into the south shed, which will be a 2 road representation Leeds goods up and down. These join the southbound main lines just round the corner. Looking norh. The left hand pair, Leeds down and up goods will branch off into a much, much diminished representation of Branches yard. progressing .... Giles

62613 is now approaching CVrescent Junction, and will take the chord down to East. and we have a WD creeping along the Up slow with a Class H mixed goods bound for Hatfield.

Horse and cart and a load of sh... Emulating Ian's @thetalkinlens Wilton Carr crossing here, also a class B with a Middlesbrough to Helmsley goods. Perhaps they'll meet in the middle?

What you do get in ballasting is a slight variation in the colour of the stones. There may be exceptions but even a load of stone from the same quarry won't necessarily be exactly the same colour. When I do ballasting nowadays, I either use a ballast that has that variation or make my own by mixing one or more different ballast colours. You also get dark and light areas, which you can see in your photo. The area in the 4ft and between the tracks ahead of the loco is a bit darker than around the slow lines. Commercial ballasts often have too even a colour and too even a shape and size and it can take a bit of work to make them more natural looking with a bit of mixing. So having a degree of variation in the colours of the stones and in the overall shade of the ballast in different areas can add a good degree of realism. Edit to add a snap to illustrate my latest efforts. This is supposed to be grotty ash ballast in a terminus rather than a high speed main line.

never went in the loop, nor rowley Regis so got back to bescot 3 hours early! Worcester tunnel jn bescot loop changing ends to head back into the yard into the yard, Shunters taking it away for me Back home and in bed at the time I should have been sat in rowley Regis loop!

More trains run, more images obtained, but not yet photoshopped. We do still have more of Silver Link though.