Evertonian

Hi John, very pleasing to see some of your teams efforts in your photos, and as a member of the BW operating mob, may I say we are really looking forward to meeting up and seeing your Bmouth Central soon. We exhibited West for the final time last weekend at Wimborne and are now keen to crack on with this new project, with a high standard to emulate looking at your pics. I love that shot of 34044 adjacent to the shed ! All the best. Chris Knight

A last minute reminder that B. West will be making its final appearance under the present group's ownership at the Wimborne Model Railway exhibition this weekend 15/16th April at the new venue for the show, the Allendale Centre conveniently located in the town centre. The new owners will also be present to learn, assist and remove to their clubrooms after the show concludes. We look forward to seeing fans old and new over the weekend, and look forward to showing the early developments on our new layout, whilst of course wishing the new owners well when exhibiting BW in the future. Chris Knight on behalf of SWMDG.

Wishing yourself and Mo the happiest of Christmas's Tony. I well remember seeing Stoke Summit at Wells many years ago and it was truly a revelation. Why hadn't anyone built a layout like this before reflecting my own thoughts on what constituted exciting viewing for the exhibition spectator? Of course as Tony says all these opinions are personal, but to me the procession of long expresses traversing an authentic setting was thrilling and new. I had a brief conversation with Tony at Wells and mentioned that I was building my layout based on Sonning Cutting along the similar 'watching the trains go by' concept. I must admit I was together thrilled and horrified when he suggested he came down to Bournemouth in order to photograph my humble effort with a view to an article appearing in BRM ! Well Tony I must say you were a real gent when you made the long trip down, the most lasting memories being of the advice and recommendations you offered to a modeller lacking your talents in the friendliest and supporting of ways. The improvements and ideas you suggested have, I hope, stayed with me and one day I would be delighted to visit LB with your permission and play with a fantastic railway. Seasons greetings to all WW readers and contributors. Chris Knight

Frank was very well known as a regular visitor to the home base of the B'm'th West layout at the Model Railways Solutions shop, and sadly his worsening health problems were mentioned when the modelling group met last week. Very sad news indeed to hear of Frank's passing and I am sure Roger will be acknowledging the diligent work that 'Ceptic' contributed to the project. Condolences to all family and friends. Chris Knight

Like David (Landscapes) has remarked I never tire of watching Tony's big locos speeding long. expresses tbrough LB, I just wish that Tony in his short trousers days had been attracted to the de!ights of Swindon and copper capped engines however !! Chris Knight

Good afternoon Tony, just to say how much I enjoy catching up with "Wright Writes" every couple of days, there always seems to be something of interest to see or digest - long may it continue ! An added bonus of course helping your recovery, well done Andy Y all those years ago. best wishes to yourself and Mo, Chris K

Pleasing to see a good selection of GWR and WR locos featured recently, we all have our little niggles however - mine is so often seeing the Castles shown with the wrong type of steam pipes - as evidenced on "Banbury Castle", sorry Barry Ten ! Chris Knight

A bit late in the day perhaps but this event next weekend features the massive Heaton Lodge Junction ( the uk's largest layout ?) with good support from the award winning Bournemouth West and Evercreech New amongst others and trade support. Should be well worth a visit to the Bath & West Showground. Chris Knight

Modellers in the locality to the shop may be interested to learn that the proprietors have organised a coach to visit the forthcoming exhibition at the Bath & West Showground on Sunday April 10th when the UK's largest model railway, Heaton Lodge Junction, together with Bournemouth West, Evercreech New,Wimborne and a few other layouts will attend. There will be trade support from Peco,Bachmann Heljan and others including MRS of course. Advance price show and coach tickets are available from the shop, 01202 798068. Please note the show runs from 8th to 10th April, but the bus only runs on the Sunday.

Just to clarify, I would like to point out there is absolutely no connection between the (now closed) shop mentioned in Bournemouth and Model Railway Solutions, currently the only model rail shop in the area, and where pricing is in place throughout on new and the extensive second hand items. Chris Knight

As an oldie of the same 1946 vintage as Tony this disposal of a lifetimes modelling should be a problem,however the issue is solved should No.1 son own a model railway shop, and also share exactly the same modelling preferences and an exhibition layout to boot. Lucky me! I can plead guilty to most of Manxcat's list, except 8 and 12, to my enduring shame have never built a working chassis - don't think I could pass with Kitmaster from my childhood regrettably.

Without wishing to sound too sycophantic Tony it was your photo of an A1 rounding a curve with an assortment of coaching stock and taken at low level which appeared in the 1983 RM which first struck me how realistic a model railway could look. The usual style of magazine photography at this time being the over used helicopter shots. It did help that excepting anything originating from Swindon A1's were my favourite locos. All the best to yourself and Mo. Chris Knight

Such a shame (as others have remarked) if we have seen the last of Leicester South GC on the circuit, surely one of the finest layouts around in the last few years. I and others in our group will be "leaning" on Roger Sunderland and Dave Bayman to think again about retiring B'm'th West from exhibitions, although I fully understand their reasoning behind this decision. Other members,including myself, have decided to take a layout to the Hornby mag. GETS show in Milton Keynes in October, taking the view that we believe the organisation will be top drawer and the enjoyment and social elements involved in exhibiting again worth any risk involved.

Thanks Tony, at least I remembered it was a 'Castle' and the layout Wellington, where I got Stephen Williams from is a mystery! 7 1/4 gauge, that's a lot of cardboard. Any shots of the layout, I saw it once, at one of the Wolverhampton Club's exhibitions ? Probably not judging by my level of recall lately. An excellent piece of modelling is not in doubt though.

The recent talk here of card modelling reminded me of a terrific '0' gauge Castle loco featured many years ago in the Railway Modeller. If memory serves correctly I seem to recall it was built by Stephen Williams (?) Of 'Wellington' fame, a super layout - hoping Tony may have some photos to remind us of its beauty. Chris Knight

Steve and Martin have asked me to mention that their new,improved, all singing and dancing website is now up and running. Please take a few moments to have a look !

Model Railway Solutions at Unit 1, 10-12 Alder Hills,Poole,Dorset BH12 4AL will be re- opening on Monday 12th April. Hours will be 9AM to 5pm Mon to Fri and 10AM to 4pm Sat. Trading at present via website click and collect. Telephone 01202 798068. Workshop also restarting at same time for baseboard products.

Congratulations Andy and co. for entertaining us again with another excellent virtual show. I imagine the amount of work behind the scenes must be enormous to collate and organise such an event . Must also extend congrats to fellow group members Roger and Dave for their work on 'best layout' winners B'm'th West. Must also mention Jason's Bacup - another hidden gem - terrific modelling here

-Around 20 years ago a stretch of some 400 yards of Holdenhurst Road in Bournemouth boasted OPC (books and models),B'm'th Model Railway Centre and Modelbooks (also with an extensive model rail selection) - All now gone with the only good shop for local modeller left to visit being Model Rai!way Solutions on the Poole/Bournemouth border. I must declare an interest - my son and nephew own the business!

I can only echo other comments commending Andy, Phil and co. for their work in providing us with another great weekend of entertainment. Particularly enjoyed seeing the 'at home' layouts Little Bytham and Retford, and Heaton Lodge Junction is just staggering in every way ! My 'handle' seems to have reverted once more to Evertonian again Andy - no idea why ? Chris Knight (still a Toffee though)

Cinder guards ?? Didn't need such appendages when they built proper stuff at Swindon, presumably on the basis they reckoned to burn the coal provided in the firebox- simples eh! Chris Knight

Well done Andy and Co., 7919 eh - another wonderful WR loco honoured ! If I knew how to post a picture of Runter Hall I would, no doubt somebody will...... Regards and good health to all, Chris Knight

Peter (Combe Martin) I believe is correct in saying that the Newcastle/York - B'm'th West service included a Gresley diag. D 268 anthracite/electric restaurant car. When putting the train together for the B.West layout I used Robert Carroll's extensive notes including running numbers and changes to stock over the years, all very detailed. Unfortunately memory fades and the relevant paperwork and indeed the actual model are packed away during the lockdown and inaccessible at present. Robert's coaching group website would undoubtedly be the place to look.

Thought I would mention that as the regular pilot loco operator on the 'B'mth West' exhibition layout the Preci Models DCC auto uncoupler has proved invaluable and very reliable in service - it's usually operator error when there is a cock up - Roger also has some passenger coach rakes fitted with the James Trains straight bars. Would thoroughly recommend both, usual disclaimer applies. Regards,keep safe everybody, Chris Knight

Good afternoon Tony, glad to hear that yourself and Mo are keeping well. Please keep the pictures coming of LB, I suspect that many others look forward to regular doses of these to brighten these worrying times. I was amused to read of your train spotting kit including a gas mask canvas bag for the essentials. I utilised a similar arrangement handed down from my dad - yours no doubt also - and it brought back a long almost forgotten memory. On a train trip from Exeter to Newton Abbot,must have been around 1958/9 I stupidly left the bag on disembarking at NA, must have been the excited anticipation of all those cops awaiting if I managed to bunk 83A. I was distraught at losing my " combined" and wrote to Paddington lost property on my return home to B'mouth ! Amazingly some six weeks later I had a postcard advising that my lost property was awaiting collection at Central Station, the clerk handed it over with a rather odd look on his face - I realised why as the bag almost walked off the counter, cheese and pickle sandwiches do not age too well, however my ABC was there Lord be praised ! What great service by BR Western and Southern regions. I learned a lesson and never took my treasured combined volume on spotting trips again, a notebook sufficed until I got home. All the best, we are hoping to take B. West to Wigan in early October if normality returns, catch up with you there for a pint, Chris Knight