ardbealach

If the steam hauled train stalled at Glenfinnan today and even 'hand sanding' didn't get it moving. Anyone any thoughts on this? As far as I know there has never been problems in the past. Or is the replacement rake heavier than the previous regular set and certainly not added weight from the number of passengers on board - or was there brake drag if vacuum stock was used? (Alisdair)

Thank you 'Team York' for another enjoyable show The Squires emporium was quite an eye opener! (Alisdair)

Maybe they are hoping that the court of public opinion is on their side, and with its backing, they can start running their CDL coaches again. [Alisdair]

WCR could still want out - even if it was profitable. [Alisdair]

Since the start of this debacle over door locks, I cannot help but think that WCR just want to be out of the FW to Mallaig Jacobite operation. They might be making money on the venture - only they have the figures to hand of the profit / loss. But FW is quite a distance from the WCR Carnforth base. If it is a loss making venture, or that they have had enough of running the service, for WCR simply to say publicly that they are giving up the Jacobite operation would bring all manner of opprobrium upon the WCR from the businesses in the Lochaber area who benefit from the service continuing. We all know that the loss of the income from the Jacobite would be quite dramatic for the area if the service ended. If WCR made their own decision to cease running, the local Lochaber contempt for WRC would quite unimaginable, more especially if another operator is unwilling to take on the service. So why should WCR spend money on door locking upgrades if they have no intention in continuing the service? And how much easier is it for them to now formally to withdraw the service and simply blame the ORR for bringing them to the decision of not continuing running the Jacobite. (Alisdair)

I see in the rest if the website for WCR that has been noted by black and decker boy that WCR have a job advert on its 'Careers' page seeking stewards for the Jacobite. (Alisdair)

Another great weekend at the Preston Show with the usual warm welcome by the club members. Bred Albin now back home. Many thanks to Les and his team for another successful show. (Alisdair)

Can you still get postal orders? (Alisdair)

I agree - the two sitting next table back seem to be having just as much fun. (Alisdair)

Given that there are palm trees in the background maybe its somewhere on the Med - or maybe Torquay? (Alisdair)

Delighted to read formally that Warners have picked up the NEC baton. (Alisdair)

That's correct (Alisdair)

Part of the enjoyment after a full day of operating is to find other exhibitors and layout operators in the bar of the hotel. It is a chance to meet up with them as we are too busy operating at the show to hsve a chat. This cannot be done if everyone is staying in their own 'self arranged' accommodation. As an exhibitor in my view there is enough to do in getting the layout and operators ready for a show without the hassle of finding the hotel accommodation as well. As exhibitors we are there to entertain. And in my experience of many years of exhibiting we are always out of pocket after a weekend show, not least the cost of our evening meals. And if the show is a long way from our home base often we are put to the cost of a Sunday night meal as well. Personally I would not consider taking on a show as an exhibitor if our team was given only a minimal allowance and then have to find our own accommodation. (Alisdair)?

Modelu? (Alisdair)

The Glasgow photo I reckon is around Charing Cross. The sign shows M8 for Edinburgh and Carlisle. So its looking north. Its has perhaps been taken from a viewpoint over the road network and I wonder if it was taken from the bridge which I recall wasn't a bridge that was at the end of Sauchiehall Street where it met the Inner Ring Road. I think the bridge now has offices? built on it. Its been a fifty plus years since I worked around that part of the town. (Alisdair)

Don't forget that old saying 'They walk among us' (Alisdair)

Thank you Andy. Indeed I chatted with the gentleman at Stafford last year. (Alisdair)

Thank you Stan for your reply (Alisdair)

I would suggest that inviting layouts that only 'live' close by the locations of exhibitions would limit the variety of layouts being shown. If this was the case exhibitions would soon become very stale events. I am not sure if you, 298, have ever exhibited a layout, or perhaps demonstrated your skills at a show. If you have you will know the amount of effort [and even exhaustion] required of the team. If you haven't exhibited or demonstrated I suggest you give it a go. And from my long experience of exhibiting, the days when even modest profits might bemade by exhibitors have long gone. Exhibition managers are a bit too savvy these days. Visitors come to see layouts, and layouts should be the star of the show. [Alisdair]

There was a entrance charge for the two Waterman shows at Chester. I understand they were set up to bring a new fund raising income stream for the benefit of the cathedral. (Alisdair)

And the hotels at B'ham airport / NEC charge a tenner a day just to park your car there overnight on top. [Alisdair]

When I look at the number of traders attending the show [at the last count 56] and the number of exhibitors at the last count at 17 [which includes 5 non railway exhibitors] there seems to me to be imbalance somewhere in the numbers. There is no money to be made out of layouts. [Alisdair]

A modelling friend has a multi award winning layout. He received a note inviting the layout to the Hornby Magazine exhibition to be held at the NEC in Birmingham at the end of April. His layout had appeared at a previous Key Publishing model railway exhibition, and it has also had a write up in Hornby Magazine. Naturally he was delighted to receive the invitation to this new exhibition - until he read the small print attached to his invitation - which reads ‘As with previous shows we will cover travel expenses for van hire, but in a change to our previous events we are asking for layout owners to arrange their own accommodation which we will then contribute towards. The payment offered is £35 per head - the equivalent of £70 per night based on twin occupancy that we usually provide’. It is normal practice for traders to find, and pay for, their own accommodation when they attend shows, and to pay a ‘rental’ to the show organisers for their stall space. At the end of the weekend the organiser and traders will bank the money they have taken over the weekend. And no doubt their out of pocket expenses and those overnight hotel bills for their trading weekend will be tax deductible. In my opinion, visitors attend shows to see the layouts, not to see an array of traders. It is the layouts which draw the visitors to shows, and with the added bonus that the visitors have their shopping lists to hand to make their purchases from the traders. Layout operators give their time attending shows, with no financial advantage. To now ask layout owners, and their operators, to subsidise the organiser of a show is, in my opinion, setting a worrying precedent. My fear fear is others may follow the Hornby Magazine example. My modelling friend has politely decline the kind invitation to take his layout to the NEC in April. [Alisdair]

Does this explain the 'Wheatley' [Thomas and son William] connection perhaps??? (Alisdair)