[Recent projects on the summer module]

I used to get taken for a footplate trip on our local branch, when I was at primary school, King Sutton to Kingham usually on a 53, so I got to like them! Never fired one when I worked for BR but watched the last of them leaving Banbury yard with reading or London freights. When they were opened up you could see the loco sway with the piston thrust by the movement of the chimney. Very shouty loco's!

[New 0-6-0 chassis ideas]

How well does it run? I ask because I also bought a brand new J83 fitted with that chassis but DCC fitted because it was a cheap £25. Ran like a dog in reverse but fine forward, new chip fitted and now not so cheap at £41!

     Regards Mick.

p.s.  the intended hack and bash worked fine.

[Early days and influences - the early 1960's]

Small boy on the platform at Banbury watching a Castle dash through on an up train. I remember the loco rather bouncing around as it passed "how does it stay on the rails Grandad?" c'ant remember the answer! Never thought I would work on the locos at 84C and a life long interest in model railways and railways in general that has seen me through some rocky times.

[Nottingham Victoria by Tony Phillips]

Brilliant Tony, very much as I remember it in the late sixties. Went there quite a few times as a young fireman from Banbury usually with Drivers Harold Radford or George Wilson who had been transferred to Banbury after the closure of Woodford.

   Keep up the good work and the GC alive and kicking!

           Mick

[Buckingham West MK2 - The Phoenix rises]

I see you would like to use open top baseboards? I did that found I wasted to much plywood and wished I had used a spline type track bed. Worth a look especially if you want the track to flow.

[Introduction]

Well done for posting your Grandads diaries . I wish I had kept a diary when I was a fireman at Banbury in the sixties. We were on a rest day three weeks out of four and you could bet that the full week was when it was a night shift, played havoc with an sort of social life.  He certainly knew the road to Toton and down The Brent!! Thanks again.

  Mike