Iain Popplewell

Brother and sister go for a long walk in Australia. (Ok I know I never mentioned the swimming in the lake, but it's meant to sound boring.)

Nice work Mike. Like the round bar dodge for aligning the cylinders. When you solder on the body holding brass 10BA nuts am I correct in thinking that you use the steel screw to hold the nut in place whilst soldering and it doesn't gum up solid? I always use a cocktail stick to align the nut but usually need to ream out the nut after soldering. If your dodge works the way I think you do it, it sounds good.

When a world famous rock star and night of the realm mentions he's a railway modeller on the One Show and defends the hobby, "it's not a trainset it's a model railway". Then say's he's going to make a documentary about it, I believe it can only be good for the hobby. To get you're latest album, film or book "plugged" on the one show is something most musicians, film makers and book writers would die for. If Rod's plugging the hobby good on him, it makes the hobby look mainstream and something to be proud of. When he gets his documentary of his layout made and published even the better, he's already got it plugged on the One Show. Who knows maybe he'll be back to plug it again when he's had it made. Well done Rod say I.

Watched the one show last night, I normally hide down in my modelling room when it's on, but Rod Stewart caught my eye. Me to missus: "Hey Rod Stewart's on! he has a model railway you know!" Missus:" Really." (in bored why don't you go down to the cellar and leave me to watch telly tone of voice) I sit down to watch the programme, much to the missus's disgust. Rod mentions he's finished his model railway and intends to make a film about it. Me to missus, "See I told you so!" Missus gives me a "Ye gods" look of bored disinterest and I creep off down to my railway room. I should learn to know my place. Seriously though I'd like to see that film if Rod gets it made. His U-tube building looks seriously impressive.

Several years ago at the Keighley show I was perusing the Treemendous stand, they make and market scenic scatters and the like. In front of me was an elderly gent interrogating the owner of the stand over almost every aspect of scenic modelling imaginable. This went on for ages, but the advice the gent was getting seemed excellent and I gained the impression that this Treemendous guy knew what he was on about, so I patiently earwigged the conversation. Eventually the old guy chose two small bags of scenic scatter and to my amazement after asking how much, (they weren't expensive), he then had the cheek to ask for a discount. The stand owner then gave him a discount. I actually felt sorry for the stall holder, he'd spent ages giving free good advice to the guy who was then too tight to pay the asking price on what was a very small purchase. Having formed a good impression of the expertise of the Treemendous owner I then purchased his own book on scenic modelling, ( it's excellent by the way), at considerably higher cost than what the old tight git payed for his two bags of scatter. Did I ask for a discount? No of course not. Here was a guy selling and manufacturing a niche product for our hobby and probably not making much in return, it's an insult to my mind to ask for a discount. Why should you get one, you're doing no more than purchasing some of what he's selling. To my mind the hobby needs the small sellers of kits, scenic scatters and the like, what they sell will never make them rich. Give the guys a break and don't ask for a discount. They find it hard enough to keep going as it is.

Shows of your trackbed and trackwork to lovely effect, very nice Mike. The A6 is very nice too of course.

So sad to hear of Allan's passing the modelling world will be the poorer for it. Back in 2013 we exchanged a couple of PM's, it was I who was the mischievous SOAB. who forced Allan to republish his legendry modelling faux pas, "The Windmill". I felt I needed to redress the balance and tell him how I really appreciated his modelling and what he meant to me. I reproduce our exchange below, it says it all about how I view Allan, and the warmth and generosity of his reply, not that I merit it, shows what a smashing guy he was. Allan's own words of his intention when writing for the modelling press, might well stand as his epitaph. Dear Allan. Hi it's Iainp here, I hope you don't mind me intruding but I've got my serious head on for once. I am a returnee to railway modelling only getting back into it five years ago, my last modelling before this was back in 1976 (009 freelance, very). All my memories of Allan Downes therefore dated from the early 1970's, and coming across an article describing Harlem Steel my initial reaction was one of surprise and pleasure that you were still around. I also noted with delight your model pipework used Yorkshire fittings, realising that your modelling style hadn't changed much in the intervening years either! What I wasn't prepared for was the revelations on RMweb about what you'd been upto in the intervening years. I didn't know you'd turned professional and the images on the threads you and the upstart Robinson published simply blew my mind. The quality of your modelling is quite simply superb. The cathedral was impressive, but it's the quality of your townscapes that moved me. The castle and town are just sublime. When you lookback over your "Body of Work" Allan you can be justly proud of what you have achieved so far. You are an artist who has truly mastered his medium. When I was a teenager and avidly read the Railway Modeller it seemed to me that all other modellers inhabited a world of pin chucks, scribers, reamers, engineering blue and lathes. You were not like that. For someone like myself who's total toolkit amounted to little more than a Stanley knife a steel rule, three swiss files, school geometry set, hand drill and a soldering iron large enough to weld together the plates on the Graf Spee, you were manner from heaven. Your articles Allan have proved an inspiration to myself and a generation of modellers. This I think has been your greatest achievement . Thankyou. Iain Popplewell. PS. You owe me a lifetime debt of gratitude for not mentioning " the Windmill" in the I can do better than you thread. You'd have been sunk. PPS. My model gallery has some pictures of my layout, very much a work in progress, and it would give me great pleasure to think that Allan Downes once viewed it. Allan's Reply. Hi Iain. What an absolutely lovely PM, it was an honour to receive it, an honour to read it, and an honour that it should have been written by such a gentleman as yourself- a great honour indeed. When I started to write articles for the model press, I didn't want to come over as some unapproachable know it all, as many were and no doubt still are, but to keep my feet firmly on the ground and my head out of the clouds and relate to the average modeller, not just the "elite" few who used to make it abundantly clear that as much as you might struggle you are never going to match their standard- so don't even try- hence my windmill!! When I built something that I was proud of, I let the whole world know, I also let the whole world know when I built a load of crap as well with just as much enthusiasm- and they loved it ! Over the years Iain, I have been asked many times at exhibitions what do I think of other peoples layouts and I used to say- "If you're happy with it , then that's all that matters" My best regards and once again a pleasure to have known you. Allan.

As a keen cyclist myself I often use the leeds Liverpool canal towpath. I do use a bell and would urge other cyclists to do the same it seems to be the least aggravating way of attracting the attention of other users of the tow path and immediately informs the hearer that it's a bike that's approaching. I find most users other cyclists/runners/dog walkers are courteous and obliging. It would be useful if there was a code of practice as to which side cyclists should pass other cyclists or walkers etc. however it doesn't seem to exist to my knowledge. However this does act as an incentive to keep your speed down as you can never be quite sure whether the other user will decide to swerve onto your chosen side of the path.

Paul. Just been perusing the events section of the Sept. edition of the Railway Modeller and was pleased to see that The Depots is to appear at my local Shipley show. Then my heart skipped a beat and I stared in disbelief. Surely not! can this be? and I quote," The Depots, Rosedale East (00)." Have you finally seen the light and adopted the finer modelling tolerances ie narrower track of the true permanent way. Or are you consulting with your solicitor with a view to sue.

Should have modelled No.955 Paul. Puts me in mind of that old chestnut about the gynaecologist that decorated his front hall through his front door letterbox. Great modelling by the way she's coming on at a great pace. Very impressive.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder Paul. I ordered my BTP from London Road Models and gearbox from Hi-level, as I said I would, and so last night as I was perusing Ken Hooles loco's of the NER. I found myself strangely drawn to No.955. Not so sure about the sand boxes though as they partially hide the rather nice springs and also look like a bxgger to make. So I think when I get round to building the South Farne version of 955 she might have the Worsdell cab but the original square boxes. She'll be a delight if you ask me. When I get round to building her! Chris at Hi-level said he'd just done the post so could I wait a week for my gearbox if it wasn't urgent. I said that was ok, but felt like saying " no problem anytime in the next three to four years will do fine." Edit: To reinstate sweary word after it was censured.

Amazing photo. It looks to me that they intend to pull the loco upright using two engines pulling on the long chain along side the track. The loco being pulled up by the pulley system at right angles to the track. I think the loco to the right is purely ballast to stop the track moving sideways under the pull off the pulleys. I may be wrong of course.