great central

Well, I dug out the WD, it's just done three circuits of Deepcar. A bit on the noisy side, but freeing up nicely. Not bad considering it's probably not been out of the box since we moved here, getting on 28 years ago . To my eye it looks like an 'ozzie', stood at the side of a Bachmann one, the loco is slightly shorter, but the tender is pretty much the same length. There are no overlays on the wheels, and if anything could do with a little more sideplay, but I'm pleased enough. Now to find the std 5.

I picked up one of the WD kits, by then under the McGowan brand I think, in a half price closing down sale at Quality models in Heanor about 35 years ago. He was selling of a lot of stuff off, but being out of work, with a young son at the time I couldn't afford much. Can't now remember whether I paid £5 or £10 for it, but anyhow it kept me quiet for a while. No idea where I would get a 141R chassis from, so scrathbuilt my own, drilling out the axles holes with an ancient Black and Decker industrail sized drill. The valve gear was mostly Nu-cast B1 bits turned inside out to give a plain section on the outside, with scratch coupling rods also drilled using the same machine, it wasn't particularly steady or true but somehow that chassis worked, even using the discarded wheels from a K's 04, and a borrowed XO4 motor from an old Triang Princess. As we had a black car at the time (Triumph Dolomite 1850, that was quick enough, the sprints must have been something else!), I used the gloss black spray can I had to paint the ozzie, as we knew them around here. It looked dreadful but some heavy weathering made it look much better to my eye. Around the same time I picked up an MTK standard 5 from the York show 'club' sales stand for a tenner.They also had a DJH one but at £30 it was well beyond my then limited means. That also got a scratch chassis and borrowed XO4 and ran. These are nowhere near the standard of todays stuff but kept me occupied, must get them out of the boxes again some day see if they still look OK. Personally I suspect I'll look at them with my rose tints on, others may be horrified but I've only ever sold on one kit that I built and that was something I picked up second hand part built, so it wasn't really mine and as it wasn't really anywhere near my interest at the time, decided that I needed the few pounds it brought in more.

Meant to have a look at something finishing luchtime today, it had stood at £60 for the last couple of days. This morning it was still only just over £100. Forgot about it at the crucial time and on looking 10 minutes after it had finished found it had sold for just over £160. It's not really my scale or period....................but what looked like a nicely built and painted RJH O gauge 37 for that money

Very common In Central Trains days, one of the morning Nottingham-Liverpools was digrammed as such I think, although to be fair 158 and 170 were swapped about freely.

The joint was re-laid, re-signalled and upgraded with all the level crossings made into barrier types (even the infamous Tinsleys!) specifically to take freight off the ECML. There are quite a few during the day and paths for a good few more. When the burrowing junction now proposed for Werrington is completed expect to see even more. The ECML passenger service is going to be increased so there is likely to be little room for freight in a few years time. Edit: As an example, when on my way to Norwich on Thursday we passed an empty steel train (I think from somewhere on the continent) with pair of 66s on between Stoke Tunnel and Grantham. A couple of signals behind it was an EC HST. As I don't sign the ECML north of Grantham I can't be sure but I think the next loop to drop the freight into is north of Newark. The HST will be chasing double yellows all the way, even if it stops at Grantham, it'll be back on the tail of the freight before long.

The joint line avoider is now fully available in both directions 24/7 all being controlled from Lincoln, only the passenger trains come into the station. There is at least one path during the day where a freight is scheduled to overtake a passenger service by using the avoider while the passenger goes into and out of Sleaford. We even had some Nottingham-Norwich Sunday services diverted over the joint a few weeks before Christmas. A few of them were combined with Skeggie trains and split at Sleaford due to work in Gonerby tunnel, Grantham being served by a bus from Bottesford.

Wife found one for sale last night, 1967,42k on the clock, only £2000

62 and clear memories of steam. Used to go regularly to Grantham before 1963, first with my mother then with a group of friends. After steam finished on the ECML, headed off to Crewe clear memory of SNG tearing out of the station on it's first run in preservation, showing the western side how it should be done! Used to come home via Birmingham, went wrong once when I got on a train to Lichfield instead of Leicester. Got home at nearly midnight, parents were a tad concerned.

The branchline wasn't to the LD&ECR, it was, as I understand it, an industrial line which served various premises the first of which was Bryan Donkin engineers (were they the same ones used to make gas meters I believe?). It then continued roughly in the area now occupied by Ravenside retail park alongside the A619, serving several other properties I believe. Doing this from memory having read something about it somewhere, it terminated possibly at a brewery, the gateway to which is, or was still in place fairly recently in the vicinity of WD models. I believe this is the gateway: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir//Baslow+Rd,+Holymoorside,+Chesterfield,+Derbyshire+S42/@53.235656,-1.438098,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1s-rQ7sp32t_po%2FVODCBB2oHkI%2FAAAAAAABhAI%2FQofX4C0wPNI!2e4!3e12!6s%2F%2Flh6.googleusercontent.com%2F-rQ7sp32t_po%2FVODCBB2oHkI%2FAAAAAAABhAI%2FQofX4C0wPNI%2Fs203-k-no%2F!7i4000!8i3000!4m8!4m7!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x487985dc26c69e31:0xd60c3f9f0c5187c9!2m2!1d-1.4909894!2d53.2302791 Edit; looking at the things on the surrounding fancy ironwork, I reckon it's got to have a railway connection!

C15378, Manchester Oxford Road, doubt you'd get that much sunlight in a shot now, It's pretty much hemmed in by tall buildings, shows how things change even recently. Given these new buildings I can't help but wonder where they're going to fit extra tracks in. I believe it's proposed to 4 track the area?

Hmm, I don't think I can be a very good kit builder then judging by some of the comments on this thread. I've managed to make locos which I'm quite happy with, from various kits from several manufacturers who have been slated, without resorting to scratchbuilding. The only one I would agree with is the Magna D11, made it up but it just doesn't look right, the boiler looks too small.

Ahh right, those evil ne'er do wells who are banished to the nearest doorway by the anti smoking zealots, while others are allowed to get totally rat-ar$ed and become a serious danger to others (not to mention themselves which we have to save them from) I'm not suggesting that smoking should come back indoors by the way, but to be banned on even uncovered spaces seems over the top to me. This is something I'm expected to enforce, but as an ex smoker I do feel that it infringes on an individuals liberty. Not going any further into the politics of the thing just trying to point out what I see as totally illogical

The last few posts all seem to be about having to walk a short distance from the train to some other means of conveyance, notably taxi. Is walking really that bad? I suspect that many of those same people will be paying gym fees because they're so unfit from being carried everywhere

I don't have the facility to measure the springs myself but this firm does a pretty comprehensive range. Perhaps one of them will suit? It depends on how strong you want the springs, for use on Deepcar the springs are stretched right out to give just enough tension to hold the pantograph against the wire with minimal uplift. Maybe someone could measure the springs and advise? You could of course try ebay, but anything to do with Triang and overhead electrics seem to attract silly prices:jester: http://www.entexstocksprings.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=36&unit=mm

Another vote here for Brisca F1s, like Mick (Newbryford), I went to many meetings, often two in a weekend. Most mileage was probably Harringay (London) on Saturday night with Aycliffe (Co. Durham) on Sunday afternoon, in a Morris 1100!. Couldn't afford to race but spent quite a lot as a spectator over the years. Marriage, mortgage and such put paid to it, although I still wander into the Spedeworth stadium when I'm in Great Yarmouth over the summer. Really tame by comparison, some meetings have a total of 30 or so cars, rarely more than a dozen cars in each race, which are heavily biased towards the banger end of the spectrum, I've seen Brisca with over 30 in one race! Home' track was Long Eaton where in the early 70s they had their own version of bangers called 'Bomber Cars', any type of car mostly well armoured some lasted several seasons. I stopped watching even the highlights of F1 quite a few years ago, think it was in Schumachers day, found it totally boring. Must try to get to a Brisca meeting this year. Edit: Mick, I seem to remember 238 as Les Mitchell from the London area I think, if I recall correctly he used to run a 500cu. in Cadillac engine? Although I think he may have joined the breakaway SCOTA group? I suppose I should dig one of my old programmes out of the loft and check

You mean along the lines of this; http://fictitiousliveries.co.uk/photo.php?37999_bodykit.jpg http://fictitiousliveries.co.uk/photo.php?37999_night.jpg

There's still quite a bit in the Ashburys and Ardwick area, granted with25kv insulators on. I presume the same stuff is in place right up to Hadfield, can't say for sure as I don't go that way, replacement only being done when needed? I often think some of the (slightly) newer stuff around Liverpool and Manchester looks in worse condition, then again it's much lighter section. One mast near Hunts Cross did move a few weeks back and caused chaos for several hours.

5596, I'm pretty sure is Bottesford, there's a whacking great footbridge there now. Around 2005, I think, 170397 had been a demonstration train for a while but was then absorbed into the Central fleet. The other 170 is an ex MML one which were transferred to Central when the Meridians came into service. I could look it up but as I started with Central in late 2004, the MML 170s were just coming over. Just beaten to it on Bottesford. 5765 is Ancaster, you can see the grain loading equipment hanging over the siding. Further along the siding is the abandoned brake van which is still (now) marooned there to this day, the siding having been disconnected and a signal placed in the four foot. I suspect the date is similar to Bottesford, Central were quite slow at repainting some of their units, from RR livery, the 156s being only just ahead of a few 153s. Edit: magnifying the 156, it appears the guard is wearing a light blue shirt, which were issued in the last couple of years of the CT franchise, previously we had white. EMT took over the eastern part of Central in November 2007, but the unit is still wearing it's branding which started to be removed in mid-late 2007, so date between 2005-mid 2007?

J6948 is Radcliffe on Trent, shortened to this day to Radcliffe. The yard on the right is now given over to housing. Time period? Mid-late 70s?

J5340 Newark between the flat crossing and North Gate station? Around 1980? J5340 Newark between the flat crossing and North Gate station? Around 1980?

But that 'pin' should be inside the surround. The chip is fitted on top of the pins sticking up, no matter now, the wires are going to be cut in the loco.

Hi Dave, sorry to be a bit of a pedant but the first picture of Electra will be a Manchester-Sheffield service, the through trains to Marylebone having been cut back in 1960. New Haven Neil, what's stopping you?

Postscript to my question, I now have a photo of the offending item, courtesy of my son's DSLR, my camera wouldn't focus down small enough, well it is about 10 years old.