Icknieldrobin

Looking slightly further afield I captured this image of the harbour cranes in Salerno in Italy last year. Used for loading and unloading containers, on tracks as above and virtually free to roam wherever needed.

I recall when I was in my teens my father would always buy the Model Railway Constructer sometimes The Railway Modeller and occasionally The Model railway News. The MRC was always first choice and the 'stand out' in my opinion and it was a sad day when publication came to a halt. This may sound spooky but this morning I was looking through all my railway wagon books for drawings and photographs of BR Pallett shock wagons for a possible future project. I found a no of pics and then moved on to a large binder where I've kept articles which 'might be of future use'. Here I came across an article in the the Data file series [August 1983] covering the BR 20 ton Standard Coke Hopper Wagons, which were produced in three different body types. Here were photo's and background notes from David Larkin and excellent drawings by Trevor Mann. Seeing such detail was hugely encouraging to me to lift my game back in my teens, so I thank them for their 'investment' in me!! The series was, I guess , the forerunner, to the standard text 'An Illustrated History of B R Wagons Volume 1' which for me as a wagon nut is a brilliant reference book. I hope no one is upset if I take this opportunity to push my research perhaps a little further and pose two pleas for help as the string does seem appropriate. Does anyone have a list of the MRC Datafile articles or a note of where I might get copies of all find the articles. Does anyone have or can point me in the direction of, 4mm scale drawings for any of the BR 12t Pallet vans excluding Diagram 1/211 [the subject of the Parkside Pallet wagon]. I've got access to the outline drawings on the Barrowmore site. Thanks in advance and well done to allegheny1600 for reminding us of events from 30 years ago!! Doug.

Esmedune Have you tried contacting SP with an email? A couple of years ago I wanted a set of Griddle car sides and was faced with the red X on the web site. So I sent an email to Kidderminster [?] asking if the sides were likely to be available in the future and low and behold a couple of weeks later I was the proud owner of a set of Griddle car sides. Excellent personal service in my book. Doug

Over the past 12 mths or so I've had 'packets' of calls say 2-3 a day from no's within a range of 5 of each other. These have been from Switzerland, Italy, London Sheffield and Cardiff NONE of which were in my not insubstantial contacts list. This teed me off a tad so my process is simple. I don't answer the initial call, wait 5-10 mins for the caller to leave a voice mail [which they never had] and then go back to the no and add to my blocked list. Gradually the no of calls has reduced and this saves me hours of wasted time, I don't get into arguments and I'm far less likely to fall for any sales patter. If as happened last week a friend called and I ignored him, but he left me a voice mail which I listened to in which he told me he had a new mobile no and subsequently called him back and added his new no to my contacts. I have over 60 no's in my blocked list which is where they will stay. Doug

Thanks gwrrob Eileens have stock as they have confirmed my order tonight. Doug

Thanks for the one pager very helpful When the camera's went live I'm certain I was able to scroll back along the red line at the bottom of the screen to see activity say 3 hours ago. I don't seem to be able to do so anymore. I sent a message to the SVR about a week ago and have rec'd no response. I watch a number of live streams on Utube of the activity in Southampton docks and have always been able to 'track back' Does anyone have a solution or is the problem just my settings perhaps? Live Utube can be very therapeutic but watching nothing moving does not do it for me.

Martin I don't post very often but after watching your tutorial using an NLS 50" map this morning I felt I had to write and say thankyou. I had a shot at using Templot about 8 years ago when I was planning my Radstock West [GWR] layout but impatience in learning the software saw me abandon Templot and make it up as I went along using an NLS map overlaid by my baseboards ….. all very unscientific. Building the EM track for Radstock was a joy and was completed a few years ago but the layout itself is nowhere near finished so the likelihood of using Templot in 'anger' is unlikely. However I'd like to applaud your commitment to the cause and say I've spent a couple of hours watching the online footage today and it looks very much more user friendly to me, but I put that down to your guiding vocals. I'd certainly use it if I was starting afresh today. It may be a personal thing but I'd much prefer to hear you explaining what you are doing with some background on the technicals, than watch an arrow moving around the screen. I think you've also referred to errors you've made as you've gone along with the streaming. That becomes apart of the learning for us all so my vote goes for visuals supported by vocals and please don't cut out the 'errors'. I'll be watching out for the next episode of Templot. Many thanks Doug

I've tried PVA which works OK, tried a carcase of plasticard caused warping but now settled on hot glue and foamboard as my preferred methodology. I've been building a variety of buildings large and small with a carcase made from foam board [4 sheets £10 Hobbycraft ] then glued with a bead of hot glue along one edge to initially hold and then around the remaining edges . This works with Wills and Peco embossed plastic sheet. Benefits quick drying but sufficient time to adjust. With internal bracing very strong but light. Its also cheap!! HTH's Doug

Last Thursday I drove down the slip road at 5 ways onto the Hagley Road going west . I noticed the dual carriageway had been dug up under the tunnel and parked in the debris was an artic lorry with a load of pot sleepers [I was driving so no pics I'm afraid] So real progress from my last visit a couple of years ago. That said I guess its disruptive if you were a regular user of Broad Street down into town as I used to be!! Doug.

Drew Can you put me down for two for Fawley Hill Sunday please. Cheers Doug

A big thankyou DT for flagging this short term price reduction on Affinity Photo. Having just built a PC with a spec far beyond what Affinity called for, it was always my intention of buying Affinity photo. The reduction allowed me to buy the work book which arrived within 48 hours almost within budget. Being an amateur photographer, as soon as Adobe started down the subscription route, I decided that paying monthly when I may not do any photography for a couple of months was not sensible. From many hours research Affinity won hands down. With 480 odd pages to read this is a comprehensive work book; I can see the layout slowing down. Thanks again DT.

DT Take a look at https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/10119-official-affinity-photo-desktop-video-tutorials-200/ There are a load of short [5-10 min] video's demonstrating the many software attributes. I'm intending to buy; at £50 for an amateur, feedback tells me this is great value compared to the 'market leader' and I don't like paying subscriptions when I'm not using the software for more than a few months a year HTH Doug

Jeff Have you seen Karl Crowther's Hebble Vale Goods? I've seen it at exhibitions and his method of joining Wills sheets together produces an end product which is superb. He did an article in MRJ explaining his methods about a year ago [sorry don't have the precise date] but http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/ will give you an idea what he's achieved. Not sure how you will mount the plastic on your ply frame, I've had a lot of success using narrow strips of double sided tape on foam board as well as ply. Just a thought. Doug

re your plans for Radstock. A while ago I shared some pics of Marcrofts with Paul B who now has them on his site http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/?q=radstock I used to live in Radstock and when I retired my long term intention of building Radstock West commenced. I have modelled from Marcrofts to beyond the infamous level crossing about 35' long almost scale length on two sides of my garage. I've set the EM gauge layout in 1959 the last year of through passenger services. If I can be of any further help give me a shout Doug

I've taken a look at Hugh Longworth's 'BR Mark 1 & Mark 2 Coaching stock' which suggests the LMR did receive a no of BSO's in the '60's. All were from the first batch Lot no 30170 built at Doncaster between 1955-1956. The dates below indicate the month of transfer to the LMR and any subsequent regional movements. E9205 .......07/65 E9206........07/65 E9208 .......07/65 E9209....... 01/66........back to ER....07/71 E9210....... 04/68 E9212........01/66 E9220........10/68 E9221........02/67 E9225........01/66 E9226........08/65 E9227........10/68 E9228........07/65 E9229........by '72.....then to Sc 02/81 E9230........04/68 E9236........01/66 E9237........01/66.....then to Sc 02/81 E9241........by '72 E9250........04/68 E9252........by '69....then back to ER 05/70 Hope that helps Doug