Merfyn Jones

Tenshodo 31mm wb.

Just had the Class 197 about 3 weeks ago, Body shells , floor / underframe and 4 bogies. Started on it and fitted a motor bogie. Shown here passing Deganwy on test. Very pleased with it so far. Painting has begun, watch this space.

Shows the variation of West Coast red, certainly not B R maroon and that they were not all painted the same day.

I worked for 32 years on the Llandudno branch and walked ever yard of it often. I can certainly say it is not on that line. My money is on the Swansea Black 5 picture as proof.

No. When on it allows movements along the down main line, It has to be off to enter the siding.

Track was laid in 1981 and at the time there was no longer any new bullhead being laid for running lines, however it was used still for check rails. I was on the new station job (ground frames) and I recall being told the chairs were a special job order just for there. Nice shot of driver "Big Raymond" a great character.

Reminds me of a EMU at Leeds showing 'Dovey Jct.'

I know of 2 Rollers used by high ranking officers. EYV220 a Phantom III limo of 1937 used by Lord Rathmore of the LNER from 1941. And PPJ999P a 1975 Silver Shadow for the Chairman, Sir Peter Parker. Nothing like the model you have.

Had a thoroughly good time over the weekend exhibiting the Colwyn Club's Dalton le Dale layout for it's last exhibition (has now been sold) Totally shattered as we are all getting on a bit. Thanks Mat and the team for organising the biggest and best Bala show yet. Great to meet so many old and new friends all enjoying our great hobby. Merf.

Very pleased with my Leyland DAF 400 van from the Hong Kong fire van. Converted to a standard low roof van. Thanks Ragtag for the help and inspiration which I got round to in the end.

When I retired in 2010, we were still replacing wooden stakes only when needed with steel stakes.

After a long wait for somebody to make a model of the Freight Rover Sherpa wide body vans, my wish was granted. Thanks to the internet, I was pointed East to a firm called Hong Kong Models who had produced decorated models in resin. They had a F R Sherpa 400 normal roof van representing a Hong Kong fire appliance. Also was a similar van with a high roof and windows as a Police vehicle. Both in 1/76 scale. After a long delay of back and forth e.mails (language barrier) one of each arrived. A lot of alterations ensued and the result is a van like we had at our depot for the S&T painters. As was common just before privatisation they no longer were branded British Rail and our area had the branding Regional Railways.

The late Ivor Williams was the locking fitter and Arthur Roberts his mate. I recall Wynne Davies (think that was the name) A relief man at Rhyl who went round in an old VW Beetle. Talking of locking fitters, I recall Arthur telling me one day that there were 11 left in the UK. For a while in Jarvis days (pre 2004) they were loaned to CIE for a few weeks on a few occasions, as CIE only had one left !

Thanks Kevin.

And road mounted too. WR had one and ER had a few