Mark Laidlay

Me, a year ago today, it was the highlight of my 6 week UK tour.

Prototype question. What type of timber was used for sleepers from construction during the mid 19th century and retained in use into the 1950s? There seem to be various answers around the interned from Elm and Baltic Pine all the way to Jarrah all the way from Western Australia. I though I might find a better informed answer on this group.

Maybe it's related, I read somewhere recently that "double compound" was a GWR term. I wonder what a GWR Way and Works manual says?

I've been working on a bit of track for a new exhibition layout. I call it a "double compound" which is what my prototype called them. Most seem to call them "double slips" but the Victorian Railways must have got double compound from somewhere, why would they just make it up? So did any early British railways use double compound as the name?

Alan McGillvray was the "sound of summer" in Australia. And wasn't Lillee, caught Willey, bowled Dilley?

I'm interested in anyone modelling broad gauge to higher standards, is there any on-line presence of this railway? Mark in Melbourne

Yes, even the Hornby P2 does a good job drifting to a stop Mark in Melbourne

Should not a short wheel base loco with outside cylinders have a waddle built in, just like the prototype?

Like this? And Lima, I think I have a H0 "scale" 4F somewhere so I have hit two topics with one loco. But maybe I just dumped it being pretty awful.

There's a snake oil salesman in New York getting into big trouble for such activities.

Has anyone been able to remove the coal load in 60103's tender? I don't like the full load look and I have some coal from the real tender that I want to add to the model.

I suspect that means no more batches of kits made for other suppliers such as those by Steam Era Models or Footplate Models in Australia (such as that NSWGR C35).

Further to the topic of GC locos and designs here's a ROD operating at Hexham in 1968, Frank Stamford photo.

I reckon the springs are only there to centre a coupler for the act of coupling so really only applies to some form of auto coupler. I wish I had looked at the Hunt magnetic option while I was in the UK, last year now... Mark in Melbourne.

I have tried exactly that with some frustration but with a few things I have learnt these past few days my enthusiasm is up for another assault which may be successful.