dunwurken

Or Kirkcaldy or Brechin or Forfar or, if you wish to start a pronunciation war, East Lothian's version of "Mill guy", Gullane.

Not only has the thread racked up 1,000 pages but there have been in excess of 25,000 posts on the thread. If my calculations are correct the first post on page 1001 was post No. 25000. Malcolm

A GWR enthusiast acquaintance of mine just thinks broad gauge. At seven foot and a quarter inches that gives him two metres and a small extra safety margin between him and the next human though in truth he has difficulty in believing anyone who is not a GWR enthusiast is human. Malcolm

Foreign number plates and bridge height in feet and inches. Do foreign drivers only have the height of their vehicle given in metric only?

It may have been at eye level for you but for a small runt like myself I found it too high but then Richard was over 6 foot. Those of you with long memories will recall that before Castle Rackrent Richard built a model of Kyle of Lochalsh in O gauge and at his eye level. I was on the Glasgow Exhibition team at the time and we fielded a fair number of 'Ah canna see it' complaints. Richard eventually sold the layout and I understand it still exists somewhere. With regard to Castle Rackrent station it was at 'normal' viewing height. Richard could operate the station standing on the floor behind the backscene and reach over the backscene to all corners however smaller folk were provided with a box to stand on so that they reach all parts of the station if required. Anyway back to bells........... It would not surprise me given the time period and Richards employment (PW / Bridge Engineer with BR) that the bell and the key tap (forgotten the correct name) was redundant railway equipment. None of the photographs I have clearly show the bell set up so I cannot confirm. Malcolm

Lord Craig had a problem. Where to keep the coach? The answer came from Angus McPwhat who asked if the locomotive shed staff at Dundreich and the local permanent way gang could have the coach as a messroom. After all it was fitted out as such and conversion back to an operable passenger coach would cost a substantial sum of money. His lordship agreed to their request and it was decided it could be parked in the siding opposite the engine shed where it would not be in the way. No time was lost in refitting a pair of old bogies of the type previously fitted to the coach and Angus found three of the four buffers hiding in a corner of a storeroom and they were re-fitted. As the coach would be static the missing fourth buffer was not a problem No couplings were fitted just in case the p-way gang should get ideas above their station and ask for the coach to be moved around the system as their work required. The first photo shows 'Calum' gingerly moving the coach into position at the end of the long siding at Dundreich whilst the second photo shows the coach in position and 'Calum' back on shed. Angus and the shed staff are enjoying a celebratory cuppa in the coach. Calum manoeuvres the coach into position 1 - Feb 2020 by Malcolm MacLeod, on Flickr The coach positioned at new home 1 - Feb 2020 by Malcolm MacLeod, on Flickr

The late Richard Chown' s Castle Rackrent layout in the basement of his house comprised six interconnected stations on a single track line in Ireland. Whilst the operators had visual contact with the team at the next station on the line train communication was by battery powered bells. Much fun could be had when the next station up the line had got themselves into a bit of a fankle and could not accept the next train when it was belled to them. The reply could in extreme cases result in use of an unofficial we cannot accept hand signal in the form of two fingers . Malcolm

If I could have got it off the wall at Dunvegan I would have! . The photo has been cropped. I am sitting below the nameplate pretending to be the clan chief! I also have a Hornby Clan MacLeod. I only saw 72008 Clan MacLeod once, again at Craigentinny, light engine, heading East possibly from St Margarets to Millerhill to pick up a Waverley route freight for Carlisle. Suppose it might be to much to hope it picked up a freight for Newcastle via Longdrem? Malcolm

Very handy Eric as I have a 61998 awaiting building. I only saw the loco once on a coal train heading west at Craigentinny towards Piershill. However I caught up with one of the nameplates in Dunvegan Castle in 2013. It hides in what would have been a servants service corridor on the lower ground floor but which is now one of the access routes to the gift shop. Only after taking the photograph did I notice the photographs not allowed sign! Malcolm M of M Dunvegan Castle Skye July 2013 by Malcolm MacLeod, on Flickr

Newspaper in Australia must be of a better quality than that in Britain! As far as I can tell, from admittedly limited research, newspaper disintegrates into mush whenever it touches water. Malcolm

Slight problem there. Typing this with my left hand whilst holding back a flow of water with my right thumb. Could you call a plumber for me. Malcolm

Fife. The cancellation of the Scottish national teams football, rugby etc. matches has meant that up here in North Britain the usual dark clouds of gloom and doom have given way to bright sunshine and a general lifting of the nation's mood, lowering of the suicide rate etc. etc. And secondly I am finding time to keep up with this thread. Re all this panic about no loo rolls. This must be a modern, I.e. post internet phenomenon, as I seem to recall in the old days there was an ample supply of old newspapers which could be recycled as loo paper. For my part I still have a newspaper delivered every day (due to current crises 6 weeks free delivery now being offered) and instead of re cycling via the Council I am building up my stock of yesterday's papers just in case I get caught short. Malcolm

Very nicely weathered stock. Malcolm

Eric I spent my youth (late 50's to end of steam) trainspotting mostly at Craigentinny but never saw any of the B16s. Having arrived at, presumably Niddrie, did they then go round the Sub to service at Haymarket? Why not go to St Margarets? Malcolm PS. Not seen you in years!

I have a friend at the other end of the age spectrum, 88. He has decreed that at his funeral a recording of a Stainier pacific will be played. The recording apparently starts with just the sound of birds before the train can be heard in the distance, then battling up Shap before fading away into the distance leaving just the sound of the birds again. A very apt reflection on life. I am looking forward to his funeral but the old devil shows every sign of living long enough to get a telegram (is it an email these days?) from HMQ (or her son or possibly grandson.) Malcolm

Neither was Lord Craig! Malcolm PS. Sorry for being a couple of days late with this post but could you all slow down a bit as my old arthritic body and dementia friendly brain are finding it difficult coping with the numerous changes of thread direction and the speed of posting!

MacDuff 999 See 2nd post in this topic re engine at Aberfeldy. A member on here called Marly51 was researching the E&D dairy recently. He may be able to assist. Malcolm

Have managed to solve technical problems at my end. Herewith Charman / Charford article index in pdf downloadable format. Malcolm Charford Articles Index - revised Nov 2019.pdf

Good grief - and I thought Dundreich was a mess underneath!!! Malcolm The underside 19-11-2012comp by Malcolm MacLeod, on Flickr

OK this is my Index to the Published Works of PDH. If anyone knows of anything that is not on the list please let me know. The list only covers articles and letters etc. written by PDH. Not included are the two appendices : - [1] Articles or other items related to Craigshire / CMR / PD Hancock written and published by others, mostly from 2000 onwards and [2] Known instances where photographs by PDH [not necessarily of the CMR] have been used to illustrate another author’s work. These are currently being updated. Malcolm An Index To The Published Works of P D H Nov 2019 RMWeb.pdf

You are correct Richard, I am limiting myself to Hancock, Charman, Northwood and Hutchison. Life is too short to cast the net wider though Don Rowland and W Loch Kidston would be obvious candidates if I did expand it further. Malcolm

It would appear we both used the same Charford / Charman index placed online back in 2009 by I think 'Caddy'. My Charman index has an article on Railbuilt Signals dating from 1966 and I have an expanded 'Related Letters & Articles' section three items of which date from the original publication of 'Cuddys' index. All additions highlighted in red on the attached. PD's list index of articles will take longer to check but there will be additions, eg his USA articles. Malcolm Charford Articles Index - revised Nov 2019 by Malcolm MacLeod, on Flickr

David Am I correct in saying that Borchester was sold about two years ago to someone in Lancashire? Malcolm

John As the E&LMRC historian I would very much appreciate learning the whereabouts of Charford (on an 'in confidence' basis if necessary). I would also appreciate scans of both articles by Phil Knife if that is possible. I have scans of many of the articles on Charford. When I started trawling the model railway magazine's compiling a list of all P D Hancock's articles and letters I took the opportunity to scan, for the club archives, any articles by the other ELMRC worthies John Charman, Ken Northwood and Sir Eric Hutchison so I have a fairly comprehensive but I suspect incomplete collection of their articles from MRN, RM & MRC and in Hancock's case some of the American mags. Eventually once I have completed my work on PDH I will go back and complete the research on the others whose written exploits are, thankfully, somewhat less prolific. Malcolm

Don't I know it. Whilst we know where some items are there is a lengthy list of items we have no idea whether they still exist or, if they do exist where they currently reside. Welcome to the frustrating world of the model railway historian! Not only did he give things away he bought and sold through the small ads in the mags. etc. etc. PDH dabbled in many branches of our hobby and many an unsuspecting modeller will have in his collection a model that was at one time owned by him. Malcolm