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A special train of box vans for the peat works arrives at Bleakhouse Road: Photo: Chris Nevard, courtesy Hornby Magazine

Meanwhile, on the east coast of Scotland another Sulzer 6LDA fills the quayside with a distinctive rhythm ..

5514, a rather grubby Small Prairie, crosses the canal at Worseter with a 'local stopper' from Gloucester.

It's June 1972, probably the 10th this morning and we are at Fenny Comptom watching trains while waiting to see Clun Castle on a special working. Fenny Compton Class 33 6513 down oil June 72 J2936 Fenny Compton Class 47 1758 June 72 J2937 Fenny Compton 7029 Clun Castle Birmingham to Didcot Celebration Steam Run June 72 J2938 Fenny Compton 7029 Clun Castle Birmingham to Didcot Celebration Steam Run June 72 J2940 Fenny Compton Class 47 1753 Birmingham to Paddington June 72 J2944 Fenny Compton Class 117 Reading to Birmingham June 72 J2945 dmu class corrected David

Grassington in 1965,1966 and 1967 along with Cracoe in 1973. Cracoe Tilcon Class 31 running round Aug 73 J3360 Grassington BR Class 4MT 75039 Aug 65 J289 Grassington Class 4 75041 Dec 66 J721 Grassington Class 4 75041 Dec 66 J722 Grassington Class 4 75021 July 67 J938 David

Quiet time at Kirkby Malham

Chaloners Whin Junction, south of York in 1966 and 1967 for this tea time. Chaloners Whin Junction Class 25 D7509 up freight Oct 66 J652 Chaloners Whin Junction Class 55 D9007 down Oct 66 J656 12.00 Kings X to Edinburgh Chaloners Whin Junction Class 40 D258 up freight Oct 66 J657 Chaloners Whin Junction Class 47 D1523 down March 67 J797 11.00 Kings X to Newcastle Chaloners Whin Junction Class 101 Leeds to Scarborough March 67 J801

In Scotland for this morning. Some of the photos may of use to those who have model harbours on their layouts. The first of the Stranraer photos was taken while I was a student, we had arrived there in a coach from Manchester on the way to Northern Ireland for a Biology field trip very early in the morning so we all went for a walk, I took a few photos. I remember we were all hungry and it was too early for anywhere to be open, in the end we found a bakery (not a shop) which let us have some very freshly baked rolls. Stannergate Dundee Class 101 Arbroath to Dundee Aug 74 J3934 Stirling Class 27 up Aug 73 J3337 seen from the castle Stonehaven (nea)r Aug 74 J3926 Stranraer harbour Class 27 April 70 C211 Stranraer Harbour July 74 J3833 Stranraer Harbour July 74 J3834 David

Around the Southern for this afternoon together with a ship which provided passengers for boat trains. Graveney Class 411 Ramsgate to Victoria Feb 77 J5630 Hollingbourne Class 414 6077 Lenham to Maidstone30th April 78 C3812 Hollingbourne Class 414 6105 Maidstone to Lenham 30th April 78 C3813 Hollingbourne Class 414s 6077 and 6105 30th April 78 C3814 Swale Class 414 6159 Sheerness to Sittingbourne 25th July 78 C3918 going away Queen Mary approaching Southampton circa 1962 JV558 David

Just across the border in Scotland at Burnmouth on the ECML in the 70s. Burnmouth Class 55 up May 74 J3702 Headcode not recognised 55019 Burnmouth Class 55 55007 down May 74 J3704 10.00 Kings X to Edinburgh "The Flying Scotsman" Burnmouth Class 40 up freightliner Aug 74 J3995 Burnmouth Class 47 up ex passAug 77 C3510 Burnmouth 40085 up freight Aug 77 C3511 David

The layout is looking a bit like a messy building site - well, I guess it is ATM. And I need to go out for some more timber for the lower station track-bed supports. Here's a shot taken through the end window down the length of the entire scenic section of the layout.

The ECML around Little Bytham in 1971 and 1973 once again this evening. Little Bytham Class 40 down March 71 J2528 Little Bytham Class 47 poss 1515 down 14.20 Kings X to York May 71 J2652 Little Bytham Class 55 9018 11.30 Kings X to Leeds and Harrogate May 71 J2654 Little Bytham Class 47 1973 12.00 Kings X to Aberdeen May 71 J2657 Little Bytham Class 47 1101 14.10 Newcastle to Kings X May 73 J3193 David

And continuing with the East Anglian theme, we have a view of a J70 at Ewe, a now forgotten extension of the Wisbech and Upwell tramway. Rob

Some WCML photos around Hademore and Harow and Wealdstone. Hademore Class 87 Euston to Carlisle Jan 76 J5028 Hademore Class 310 Nuneaton to Stafford Jan 76 J5029 Harrow and Wealdstone Clas 86 Liverpool to Euston June 76 J5291 Harrow and Wealdstone Class 501 Watford to London June 76 J5292 going away Harrow and Wealdstone Class 501 down June 76 J5293 Harrow and Wealdstone Class 310 down June 76 J5294 David

Black and white late 1940s photos at Cambridge from Dad come next. One is at March Cambridge B1 up Yarmouth to Liverpool St c1948 JVol1202 Cambridge B17 1624 up pass c1948 JVol7270 Cambridge J15 ecs 1947 JVol1438 March J20 1947 JVol1429 Cambridge K3 ord pass 1947 JVol1430 David

Some photos at Butterley , The Midland Railway Trust in 1978 and 1982. Once again a reminder that in those days people were allowed to walk almost anywhere they liked. Butterley 6203 27th May 78 C3845 Butterley 4F 44027 27th May 78 C3848 Butterley 673 27th May 78 C3851 Butterley 27th May 78 C3858 Butterley 16440 Aug 82 C5841 Butterley 16440 Aug 82 C5847 David

The river, alongside Bridport Town Station.

That needs a bit of TLC....

A batch of photos from Swayfield on Stoke Bank this morning. Swayfield Class 55 up 15.25 Leeds to Kings X June 73 J3213 55021 SwayfieldClass 47 47448 08.41 Halifax to Kings X Aug 74 J4000 Swayfield red flags on fast lines for engineering works Sept 74 J4030 Swayfield Class 47 up Dec 74 J4124 probably a special working Swayfield Class 56 up test train Sept 77 J5818 Swayfield Class 55 down Kings X to Edinburgh 30th May 78 C3874 55012 David

Lets hand todays pictures over to the Squadron Leader. He decided to see what all the Panniers where up to as they had been quiet for a couple days and you know what they say when that happens? So flying alongside the main line he caught 2276 waiting to turn onto the branch line and 8787 heading east with the local passenger service Banking and turning he flew to Little Muddle and spied the other four in the station yard just lurking, for what? well he couldn't wait to see what happened..... You know what they say when Panniers start lurking!

In the dying light of the day ..

A trip to the Lake District this morning to look at Lakeside station on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway in August 1975. Lakeside station from Gunners Howe Aug 75 J4603 Lakeside Fairburn 4MTT as CR 2085 Aug 75 J4604 Lakeside Fairburn 4MTT as CR 2085 Aug 75 J4605 Lakeside Fairburn 4MTT as CR 2085 Aug 75 J4606 Lakeside MV Swan Aug 75 J4607 Lakeside MV Swan Aug 75 J4608 David

Just a Dovecote! Brooding too...

More Kirkby Malham in 1908

Hello Steve45, Thanks for your comment and question. The situation around exhibitions is as follows: We have discussed the way forward for the layout and decided reluctantly that we will not be taking it out to any more exhibitions. The reasons behind this decision are 1. The Lime Street Crew, currently some seven strong are beginning to feel the passage of time. Three of our team are already in their eighties, and only one is not a pensioner. 2. Consequently we have decided that it will always be necessary to have extra accommodation both before and after an event. 3. The size and weight of the layout now demands the use of two vans - a Luton box van with tail-lift and a long wheelbase Hi-Top. We also need to take a car. 4. The usual drivers are now past the age at which it is possible to hire the necessary vans. 5. The financial consequences of the above mean that very few if any Exhibition managers can afford to invite us even though we usually take some of the cost ourselves. We now see the future of Lime street involving regular and frequent operating sessions in its home location. In this situation we envisage hosting small groups for one-day visits where they will have the opportunity to "get under the skin" of the railway and have hands on operating experience if they so desire. The maximum size of a visiting group would be six persons. Such visits would be strictly by invitation. There will definitely not be any "Open Days". There are still one or two technical developments to be completed before the whole layout will be fully operational, but we are anticipating have "proper" running sessions by the summer, hopefully 2024! I hope all this is clear and we await reaction with interest. Steve

Having purchased the two 4Fs from the Peter Lawson collection, I mused as to how many 4Fs I have now............ Representing pre-War days, this example was scratch-built by the late Brian Lee some 60+ years ago. As a tangible memory of a friend, I wanted something of Brian's so bought this. It didn't really run, so I rebuilt the frames, made new rods, installed a new drive and new wheels, and now it's a lovely runner. I found myself in a bit of a dilemma; should I change so much? The old Zenith motor (that's showing its age!) was long gone, the bearings were worn and the Romford drivers were only nickel silver tyred on one side. In the end I think (I hope) I've done the right thing, and I'm sure Brian would have approved. This was a 'Leighford locomotive', built/painted by Rob Kinsey using an old Wills kit on a scratch-built chassis and towing a K's Midland tender. I weathered it. I've since re-motored it. It's representative of early-BR days. An unusual working seen here, as 44604 has charge of an engineers' train, while 43909 passes on an East Midlands-Lynn three-set. 44604 has a modified Airfix body on a scratch-built chassis, and tows a Fowler high-sided tender. It's the work of the late John Horton and Rob Kinsey. 43909 is a modified/detailed/renumbered/weathered Bachmann 4F (my work). Another of my 'fiddled with' Bachmann 4Fs has the same three-set as above. Some years ago I wrote an article on building two South Eastern Finecast 4Fs, and here's one of them. The one with RH drive, coal-rail tender and a Stanier chimney. It's seen working a Lynn-Nottingham three-set. Here's the other one - LH drive and a plain tender (and a fat pipe sticking out from the base of the smokebox). It's working a summer Saturday extra from the East Midlands to the Norfolk coast. Here's the pair I bought from the Peter Lawson collection, now at work on Little Bytham. 44063 was the only loco from the collection I've had to do any work on in order to get it to run entirely to my satisfaction (the rest run really well). Just a few adjustments to the drive, and now she's super-sweet. I fiddled with a Hornby 4F, but was never really satisfied with it, though I fitted a Stanier chimney. I eventually gave it away to a friend. Two of Bytham's 4Fs are derived from modified Airfix bodies running on South Eastern Finecast frames, and they're seen here as 44519 (with Stanier chimney) on a westbound goods waits for 44412 to pass on a typical three-set. The line was single from Little Bytham Junction to Saxby Junction. I built this ancient ACRO 4F just prior to Covid, fitting a South Eastern Finecast chassis. Really something of a museum piece, but interesting none-the-less. Do you think Bytham has enough 4Fs now? The class was never totally superseded on the route by the influx of new Ivatt 4MTs......... I'm happy to have plenty of both types..................

Local passenger service approaching station and getting ready to stop.....

Over the last couple of days, I've been messing around with the brake rigging on 2182. In the end, I've gone for an arrangement that is permanently fixed to the chassis, as it's all a bit congested down there and I decided it would be best to have everything fixed in position. First, I removed all the sand pipes and the front guard irons, then soldered a transverse wire to the chassis in front of each axle. The front axle defines the location of the brake hangers, as the wire is hard up against the angle in the frame right next to the front spacer. This determined how near the blocks are to the treads, which is not very. In fact, the blocks are clear of the flanges, which will let me get the wheels on and off easily. The other wires are set to match the wheelbase (7'4" + 7'4"). I also built a wire frame with three more transverse wires and two longitudinal wires to represent the pull rods. As the brake gear is really only representational, I've only used a single thickness of etch, again to minimise the risk of the brakes touching bits they shouldn't. I used the "Victorian" style hangers from row 1 of the MT175 fret but upside down, so that the shorter part of the hanger is at the bottom, not the top. I threaded the hangers on to the chassis-mounted wires and the wire frame and soldered them in position with the hangers roughly in line with the middle of the wheel treads. Once I was happy with this, I trimmed back the ends of all the wires and also the top of the hangers so they will clear the footplate when the body is attached (a useful by-product here is that I now have six tiny 0.7mm inside diameter washers or spacers). Finally, I made new sandpipes and refitted the front guard irons. The photos I have suggest that the front guard irons are actually attached to the brake hangers. I didn't attempt this but butted them up to the hangers instead. The front sandpipes are set outside the brake gear and then curve back to be in line with the wheel treads. Apart from pickups, which I'll fit after painting, I think the chassis is finished now - unless any of you bright sparks come up with more ideas... Here are some photos that, I hope, show what all these words actually mean: Bottom front right. You can see how the cross wire for the front brakes is hard against the spacer and the guard irons are right next to it. The curved sandpipes also show up here. Bottom back left. This shows how the transverse wires and wire frame support the brake hangers. Front top left. The "floating" tops of the hangers will be hidden behind the valances. Top back right. I might have to cut away the transverse wire here to clear the gearbox, which won't be a problem if I do.

2776 waiting for the off. Same view bur from a different angle Those stepped brake rods look the part and where well worth the effort..

Accurascale launches an industry first initiative to go green and offer FREE carbon-neutral shipping on ALL orders. Hi everyone, In line with Earth Month in April 2024, when environmental issues take centre stage, we looked at how we can further improve ourselves and our processes, to grow as a company, while also thinking about our environment. We already offer 100% recyclable boxes and packaging, but we wanted to do more. Therefore, we’ve joined forces with a global effort of businesses to offset the carbon footprint of commerce. What does that mean? It means that every order placed with Accurascale direct will contribute (at no extra cost to the customer!) to groundbreaking carbon removal projects along with offering carbon-neutral shipping on all orders. How does it work? For every order we receive, a formula is used to calculate the estimated shipping emissions, based on those estimates a portion of our revenue goes to carbon removal companies – at no extra cost to you! We’ve taken the decision to absorb this cost ourselves as we know how important our environment is to us and our customers. That’s not all! Along with our own climate commitment, you, (our customer) can choose to ‘top up’ our support for ground-breaking carbon removal technologies with every order placed. You can do this at the checkout, where you will have the option of adding a further 20p to your order should you wish. This is completely optional. One of the many ways Accurascale are continually pushing the boundaries in the model railway industry. Learn More About How It All Works Here: https://www.accurascale.com/pages/climate-commitment Cheers! Fran

J15 on Upbech Quay, I think the crew have gone to the pub behind.

Ex-LNER G5 67261 is snapped on shed.

Thanks for the information about the J20 photo so I now know it is at March. I've updated the caption. Now for today's photos. These are again from Switzerland at Zweissimmen, an end on Junction between the MOB (Montreux Oberland Bernois) metre gauge line from Montrues and a branch of the BLS, standard gauge, from Spiez. Very recently trains have been developed to allow through running from Montreux to Interlaken with aoutomatic gauge changing at Zweisimmen. The photos are from August 1991. Zweisimmen BLS Re4/4 175 Interlaken Ost to Zweisimmen 16th Aug 91 C16450 The loco is in the middle of the train. Zweisimmen MOB ABDe8/8 4003 Zweisimmen to Montreux 16th Aug 91 C16451 Zweisimmen MOB BDe4/4 5004 Zweisimmen to Lenk 16th Aug 91 C16452 Zweisimmen MOB BDe4/4 37 16th Aug 91 C16454 Zweisimmen MOB BDe4/4 3002 16th Aug 91 C16455 Zweisimmen MOB GDe4/4 6003 16th Aug 91 C16457 Zweisimmen MOB GDe4/4 6002 16th Aug 91 C16458 David

I've managed to get the necessary timber today, ready for some more wood mangling. However, I'm out again tomorrow working on the other layout I'm involved with - undertaking a load of wiring including lots of soldering (odd as I thought that DCC was supposed to simplify and reduce the wiring); not my favourite thing. Consequently this layout will be DC. So here's a pic showing the recently made layout edge buildings in place in front of the viaduct. Note the partial viaduct wall three arched sections just resting in place on the left which are cast resin from a mould I made a while back (see pic of master and mould below). I obviously need to cast more of them and paint them. Also the top part of viaduct (with the parapet wall) needs to be made as a master and a mould made to cast them. I ordered the necessary chemicals to make the mould and castings which has recently been delivered. Plenty to be getting on with.

Little and large

46521 next to a small England

I don't get all this waffling on about Panniers and the like? Why's that Well, we sit here and watch all these trains pass by, most moved by a big hand from the sky, and we never get asked or mentioned what we like or how are we getting on....! Thanks true, all this talk about Jimmy, the crate, farm workers and the engine shed door to name a few but we just sit here, passing the time of day without a mention? We don't even have a name? I think that has to stop and from here on in to get noticed we are going to start throwing coal at any passing train.....!! I don't know about that? it seems a bit to radical for me, why don't we have a chat down at the White Horse over a pint? Yeh, I like that and also if we get mentioned we might also have to actual start doing some work? That's true, mums the word then and lets just keep chatting and smiling.......

Heat, but little work in Bethesda Yard:

New arrivals at Capel Bethesda... Yesterday, postie brought me this lovely item (one of the recent Hornby releases), which I had bought from Larry Goddard, who has also weathered it: 78002 was based at Machynlleth for part of the time frame covered by Bethesda Sidings, so the back story is that she ended up at Shrewsbury off a booked working, and was then borrowed for a local goods down the North & West route to Leominster. Once there, she was hurriedly detached and used to work the Kington lines goods service, due to the booked engine (1420) having to return to Hereford for fitters attention. Today, postie brought me this, which I bought from Tony Wright. This was also part of the Peter Lawson collection, like the two panniers featured previously. 84003 was based at Croes Newydd at the time, so also found it's way to Leominster and thence to working the Kington lines goods, via a similar caper as 78002. 84003 was built by Peter Lawson from the DJH kit and runs absolutely superbly.

Switzerland again, this time at Rheineck, between Rohrschach and St. Margrethen just south of the Bodensee (Lake Constance). As well as the SBB trains it is the terminus of the line to Walzenhausen which is 1200 mm gauge, has one point and one railcar. Photos of the railcar will appear later, all you get today is one photo of the track in the 5th photo! Rheineck SBB Ae4/7 10903 northbound l e 7th Aug 91 C16195 Rheineck SBB Tmi 424 7th Aug 91 C16197 Rheineck Mercedes rail road vehicle 7th Aug 91 C16198 Rheineck SBB Ae4/7 11022 southbound parcels 7th Aug 91 C16199 Rheineck Rheineck to Walzenhausen platform on right 7th Aug 91 C16196 David

For a while this morning I was very worried. As Steve and I were on our way back from Newark, he found that he had had a call from Clive. It turned out that he had arrived rather early, and my cleaning lady had let him in. Well, I had visions of buses everywhere, as he had enough time to run riot. When we arrived, there he sat with his butter wouldn't melt expression, but denied any wrongdoing. He only had one bus, he said, which was in his pocket. Later he produced that, one which he intends to turn into a Lincoln Corporation Leyland for me, as I remember it from my pre teen days. So, far, I have not discovered any more, and we had a very nice day. Phil is off to Kent, and so couldn't join us. Oh yes, your evening image, which is Tagalie from under the bridge.

Once again couldn't make my mind up which version to post so here are both....

Here's the chassis, after spraying with rattle-can etch primer and matt black: The bare bits left of centre are where the motor scraped off some paint when I checked the fit - which, as you can see, is nice and tight. The various little highlights are from the natural light, not bare brass or solder. Some paint has flaked off the middle spacer, probably because I was a bit lazy when cleaning up before painting. It won't show, so I'll leave it. The middle PCB pad is uninsulated and the black wire will be soldered to it, while the two outer pads are insulated and will carry the red wire and the phosphor-bronze pickups. Next, I'll paint the wheels then I can reassemble everything as a functional chassis before starting the body.

Model railway photography can be a hobby within a hobby (though I made it part of my later career). Though I no longer earn a great deal from taking model railway pictures, I still try to 'push the boundaries' with regard to the images I take. Such an opportunity occurred a few days ago........ Our younger son is moving house, and to make the whole process easier, he's been dropping items off with us in the interim. One of those items was a large metal camera case full of cameras and lenses. I'd given these to him some years ago, their being surplus/superseded, but he no longer has use for them (any pictures he needs for his work he now takes on a phone!). Rummaging through the box, I found two lenses of possible use to me; a Nikon prime 24mm lens and a Sigma 18-50 zoom (normally, I'd only use Nikon's own lenses - those made in Japan - but I think the latter was a 'cheap' purchase which he made). So, I've tried a few 'experiments'................... This is the Nikon 24mm on the front of my Nikon Df. With a minimum aperture of only F22, I thought depth of field might be an issue. However............. The depth of field is incredible. Granted, it's more suited to an 'overall' view, but the resolution is tremendous. I can't explain how the ex-NER Dynamometer has ended up in Bytham's loading dock. Now............ With the Sigma on the front (set at 50mm), the principal subject matter is further away, and, with an aperture of F36, depth of field should be more than adequate. Which it definitely is; definite enough to reveal how 'bendy' Bachmann's Mk.1s have become (this has nothing to do with lens aberrations). This is a tighter crop, but I think it 'works'. With the Nikon 24mm lens on the front, I took some more Down fast shots, in some cases quite tightly cropped.......... 60111 (SE Finecast/Wright/Haynes) on a Down express (a tight crop). 60156 (DJH/Wright/Rathbone) on the Down Flying Scotsman (not as tight a crop). 60516 (DJH/Wright/Rathbone) on a Down express (almost full-frame). Apart from some horizontal cropping, this is a full-frame image. Seen from the other side, 92042 (Model Loco/Wright/Haynes) heads a Down fast goods (another tight crop). It's a lens I'll certainly use a lot of in future. As I will the Sigma.............. 60014 (Wills/scratch/Wright/Rathbone) dashes through Bytham on the Down Tees-Tyne Pullman (a slight crop). And, 60114 (DJH/Geary) on the Down Queen of Scots (a tight crop). Who needs stacking? In all the images, I set the parameters, nothing on the camera being used in Auto-mode. Anyone else tried any photo-experiments on the model railways?

Last night was a stone train to hams hall via a run round at bescot and another one straight back, there should have been another landor st to crewe at the start but someone else kindly did that for me basford hall my train, an hour or so late into hams hall and being unloaded straight away a rather sad looking 08899 in a very faded midland railway maroon, I drove this on etches park when I was with colas as we weren’t allowed to start locos in the wheel lathe due to smoke and this happened to be nearby and they let me use it! sad to see it like that but at least it’s still in service my 2nd train back to crewe and into crewe basford hall again handy for my car. 225bhp compared to 3000hp, not much difference in fuel consumption though! rail drop in kidsgrove tonight

I've had a couple of days absence due to a medical hiccup. All was well following my operation then on Saturday I felt a pain on the inside of my right thigh, which got worse over the weekend and felt as thought there was a very nobbly varicose vein underneath that was hard to the touch and the area was somewhat inflamed. On Monday morning I therefore called the hospital and one of the registrars told me to see my GP immediately. I did so and got an appointment within the hour at which blood tests were taken and the leg examined. The blood test results were in by 1800 and indicated that I could have a DVT so I was told to report to the duty GP doctors at Telford hospital to have an ultrasound scan as a matter of some urgency. After being examined yet again, though, I was told that there was no-one on duty at night who could do it so I was given an anti-coagulant injection and told to go this morning to another hospital unit for a scan. When I got to the hospital I was told to expect to be there for several hours and for starters went through the sort of rigmarole with blood pressure, etc. that is usually the precursor to an admission. After a lengthy wait I was a bit surprised when they then went through exactly the same examination and blood tests as had been done yesterday so I queried what was going on and when could I expect the ultrasound scan? The reply was that I was being assessed for eligibility to have one so I pointed out that yesterday no fewer than three doctors had decided following examinations and blood tests that I definitely did need one so I was examined by yet another doctor and it was finally decided that yes, I did need an ultrasound scan but they were booked up until Thursday so I was given a prescription for some anticoagulants, sent home and told to report back on Thursday at 1145. You couldn't make it up. Dave

I've always liked the BR standards and especially the Standard 3 2-6-2 tanks. I've built both the Kemilway and DJH ones in my time. I probably prefer the Kemilway chassis (for the lovely valve gear) and the DJH body (for the sensible way that they combine both etched brass and whitemetal, depending on the part being replicated). I did acquire a couple of Bachmann ones, when they came out, but one got sold on. The other one refused to run smoothly, so eventually I replaced the RTR chassis with a modified Comet 76XXX chassis. 82044 is the last of the class (further batches were planned but never got built) and was also unique, livery-wise, in that it was the only black one to have no lining on the bunker and the number on the cab side. It was based at Barrow Road at the very end of Western Region steam in 1965. I built it to run on my S&D layouts, so in this photo, it's in Mid-Wales, a rather long way from home!

In all the disruption caused by the faulty new equipment, I forgot that I had intended to photograph my latest goodie, which Steve@31A delivered on Thursday. Here, belatedly, it is. Gresley CK to Dia 8, an early LNER diagram, with turnbuckle underframe. This is the coach I wrote about a while back, which seems to have had its first and second class accomodation altered at some time in its life, though none of the reference books say anything about it. This one is as built, two first plus coupe first, and four second. I have them recorded on locals and through trains in my period on the main line, and they may have also worked on the M&GN. I say "may", as in the Express Publications book on train formations there is constant reference to CK 2-4. The LNER had no such thing, so it seems likely that It refers to Dia 8/116. If so, there would be one, in theory at least, in all my M&GN trains bar one. I really love this coach, so it will be seen a lot from now on. Many thanks to Steve for a great addition to PN.

Another plonk. I quite like ths one.

Found some plonks I don't seem to have published, so here are a couple.