ardbealach

Make sure all wheels are on the track and none are derailed, and all points are correctly set. I am sure that you will find all the things you missed when you look at the images after the photoshoot. [Alisdair]

Or maybe build your own - other colours are available....(Alisdair)

Or back in the day you could have taken it to Stafford Show cowshed. (Alisdair)

Maybe its time to start a Finescale Brio Trains Group? (Alisdair)

For me the Seventies BR Blue period was a depressing period. I am well aware of how popular this period is now for modellers. For me the blue was how I felt after the sudden end of steam in 1968 when this dull corporate double arrow image enveloped everything - even the Vale of Rheidol steam locomotives. (Alisdair)

Don't these brown coats require a couple of biros in their top pocket and a pencil in which the lead must be licked before you begin writing with it? (Alisdair)

Three links eh? Time to go to specsavers - other opticians are available. (Alisdair)

One of the major costs for exhibition managers is the bed and breakfast accommodation for operators. Which is preferred at shows : One big layout with say six operators or three small cameo style layouts with say two operators each? The large one is likely to be beyond the average layout size which could be built at home, while a cameo might enthuse a modeller to make start on their own cameo layout which could be fitted into the average house. Given the limits of budget of the exhibition manager for B n B accommodation when making a choice of layout to be invited which layout type is preferred to pull in the visitors? (Alisdair)

I have a funny handshake - but its a secret! (Alisdair)

Liverpool Landing Stage was rail connected for the dedicated Atlantic liner traffic originating from Euston. The branch ran mostly in a tunnel from Edge Hill. (Alisdair)

Thank you Rivercider for your kind comments. And I didn't know I was chatting to an RMwebber! (Alisdair)

Good to meet 'the nut on the controller' at Taunton this weekend and my first visit to Bleat Wharf. Most enjoyable. (Alisdair)

We are in the fortunate position to be looking forward to a by-election here in Chester after the indiscretions of Matheson our Labour MP. I imagine we will be deluged with vote for me papers and government ministers knocking on doors Interesting times .... (Alisdair)

May I add some comments on Wigan 22 please. There was certainly a good selection of layouts all to a high standard which we have all come to accept from the Wigan team. Feedback from our team of exhibitors at the 22 show was that we were disappointed that the large hall exhibitor tea corner had disappeared as the show progressed. This made it a long long walk for our mugs of tea on the Sunday to the smaller hall and passed all the visitors. And as many exhibitors know we only get through the day with frequent cuppas. Maybe the caterer could be asked to provide sandwiches in sealed triangular packages and crisps and Wigan pies (at a reasonable price) for exhibitors traders and demonstrators with tickets to show who they are? I would happily pay for them. (Alisdair) .

The smooth road and pavement surfaces are also very significant - all before the days that we have now with the many utilities forever digging and backfilling.... [Alisdair]

Whithorn ready for its forthcoming weekend at Rail-Ex Taunton. (Alisdair)

These two volumes by Iain are packed with so much to inspire us. I would not have ventured to progress and complete my exhibition layout 'Whithorn' without his evocative words in the Isle of Whithorn chapter of 'Light Railway Layout Designs'. [Alisdair]

Saddened to read of the passing of Iain Rice. A modeller who inspired so many modellers. At least we can still thumb through all his publications and continue to be inspired. (Alisdair)

Thanks for your note, Eaton. The background is what we had guessed. Who would want to be an exhibition organiser? Here's to Wigan 2023! (Alisdair)

The frozen vegetable section in my supermarket this morning. Never thought it had come to this after all the years of Tory rule. A bit like the images of the old Eastern Europe shopping experience? (Alisdair)

As a regular exhibitor, and one who attended Wigan with one of the layous, can I first thank the Wigan organisers for putting on such a great show of high quality layouts over last weekend. Not that I saw much of them as I was busy operating! May I give some thoughts as an exhibitor on the catering over the Wigan weekend. Having been invited to exhibit a layout I believe my first duty is to entertain the visitors who have paid to come into the hall. It is not to sit in a meal area with an hour's break for lunch. Personally, I am happy to forego the lunch provided at the show if I have had a decent breakfast of cereal / a full English and a decent cup of coffee to start the day. That decent breakfast will last me all day until I have a curry and pint after the show on the Saturday evening. And after the show on the Sunday we know that there will be the usual busy couple of hours after a day's operating breaking down the layout, loading it into the van and getting it back to base to unload, before we finally get home. This can often be well after ten, or later, in the Sunday evening depending on the location of the show from home. The Sunday evening meal is usually a Big Mac enroute. It is appreciated that exhibition managers look to control outgoing costs, but I was less than moved by the breakfast provided at Wigan. So much so that our team booked our hotel for a full breakfast before coming to the show on the Sunday morning. I know that some of my fellow exhibitors enjoy a break at lunchtime and sit awhile with something to eat. As I say I am happy to keep operating as long as I have plenty of mugs of tea throughout the day with an occasional comfort break. I have been to exhibitions where an apple / crisps / and a sandwich have been provided. Often I have seen these picnic packs go uneaten which is clearly a waste of food and expense. I have also been to exhibitions where exhibitors are given a meal ticket for a free, or part subsidised lunch. At these shows those who want to eat can eat, and those who don't, don't. The one exception for me is Taunton Show and the school where, despite having had a breakfast, I will always find time to have their lunch. Those who have been to Taunton Show will know what I am talking about. I suppose the problem at Wigan is that it show is held in a sports centre with a bar. And probably no one responsible at the centre had the authority to make a bit of extra income for the centre to provide suitable meals / snacks etc for visitors and for the exhibitors. And the nearest supermarket to the centre was a bit of a walk away. And yes, you certainly got a great sugar high hit from just the smell of the sweets - even just walking past. (Alisdair)

Have no fears --- the topic will come to life again under a brand new heading. And we will once again repeat the same comments. (Alisdair)

And no headlamp code on locomotive. (Alisdair)

And there would need to be the individual sound to wagons to complete the picture. For example it would require the sound as wagons buffering up / and the coupling being thrown over the hook / the 'dum dum' noise from the rail joints as the wagon is running / and also the bang bang bang of wagons running into each other when the train stops and the clank as coupling tightens when the individual wagons move off in the rake. [Alisdair]

Thank you 'Samedan' and '03060' for your kind words on my efforts on the Bewdley backscenes. Backscene painting is certainly one part of the hobby I enjoy. In my opinion all layouts should have a backscene to help focus the viewer on the layout. They certainly can also help enhance the layout. For me too many layouts have backscenes with the green and blue colours which are just too vivid, and these colours just spoil the hoped for overall desired effect. And for me, the Best in Show at Wigan was the N Gauge Alston. [Alisdair]