Dave Searle

An Orange Tip this morning in Surrey: Cheers, Dave

Hi, I was delighted to receive an outstanding order of transfers in today's post. There was the same note apologizing for the delay (as mentioned above) - they are gradually getting there. Cheers, Dave

We'll be there with Hinksey Yard Cheers, Dave

We're off to the Abingdon & District MRC show this weekend We look forward to seeing you there. Cheers, Dave

An unusual albino squirrel in Dorking earlier this year Cheers, Dave

Hi, We (Epsom & Ewell MRC) are looking at options for future exhibitions and open days, however, nothing is planned at the moment. Cheers, Dave

Fittleworth is interesting as the "main line" is on a falling gradient (1:108 down to the left) and the loading bay is on a rising one (1:200 up to the end dock). They would have to be the same level when the bay entry point diverges from the main-line. You can see here the difference means that the rail level in the dock is almost the same height as the main platform on the left. We are building Fittleworth in 2mmFS and may need working brakes! Best wishes, Dave

A holly blue in the sun in our garden yesterday: Cheers, Dave

Hi Ian, It's an E.J. Bedford photo taken on 24th July 1891, showing elephants from Lord George Ginnett’s circus walking along Friars Walk. Best wishes, Dave

Hi, We're returning with Hinksey Yard Looking forward to another good show at Tolworth, Cheers, Dave

A selection of butterflies (that stayed still long enough to photograph) from a walk round Horton Country Park in Epsom this morning. Speckled Wood Small Copper Small Heath Marbled White A skipper (Small or Essex) Another Skipper (Essex?) Gatekeeper Another Gatekeeper Ringlet Cheers, Dave

A Black White Admiral on Epsom Common on Monday

See summary table at the bottom of : https://sremg.org.uk/steam/a1-a1x.shtml Cheers, Dave

Hi, We'll be there with Hinksey Yard (stand E29): Cheers, Dave

We're back on the road this weekend, making the long trek from Epsom to the Tolworth show. Our first show in nearly two years. Will be good to be back out and about. Do drop by. Cheers, Dave

Hi Gene, It might be worth trying Ian Maccormac Models: Renamed and renumbered 7mm Dapol Terrier Cheers, Dave

The following information is taken from pages 149-150 of Railway Appliances. A description of details of railway construction by J. Wolfe Barry, 1884 (4th edition) [Ottley 2415]. "Some carriages are made without any spring buffers, and are coupled together tightly at the centre of the head-stock without any slack in the draw-bars. This arrangement is common in the United States and in other countries where the long American carriages are adopted. Tight coupling has also been used for some time past in England on the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway for the ordinary description of passenger carriages, and fig. 178 (see next page) shows the arrangement of the tight centre coupling adopted on that railway. A hard wood block (a) surrounded on all sides but on its rear with iron, is placed at the centre of every head-stock; a flat coupling-bar (f) runs through the centre of the block, and is attached at either end by a pin (c) to a short draw-bar (d) which transfers the tractive pull to the frame of the carriage. At the other end of the draw-bar there is a screw (c) with a nut on it, which is turned to tighten up or slacken the coupling by a ratchet spanner (f) hanging vertically below the carriage. This adjusting nut presses by a ball and socket joint against the frame of the carriage, and allows of a small amount of necessary horizontal or vertical play of the coupling. To couple up two of these carriages a man goes beneath the carriage, and puts the pin through the holes in the links of the draw-bar and in the coupling-bar. A few turns of the nut by means of the ratchet spanner then tighten up the coupling, and the carriage is rigidly connected with its neighbour. The arrangement shown is used for short traffic trains which are not uncoupled for months together. If it were necessary to couple and uncouple frequently the pin might be put in from above, through the floor of the carriage." Cheers, Dave

Hi, That might have been me: Cheers, Dave

“Our” goldfinches love sunflower hearts, but can be very fussy/messy (one for me, one for the floor, one for me, another one for the floor...) Cheers, Dave

Hi, The Epsom & Ewell 2021 show at NESCOT (24/25 April 2021) has also been cancelled. Cheers, Dave

I've been using a mini worktop based on a breadboard balanced on top of a box. It has a mini precision vice, a jeweller's bench pin and a tufnol worksurface. I'm now building it into a more complex mini-bench based around an 8" square lab-jack and lighting: Cheers, Dave

Train leaves station. Four minutes later train arrives at station. (possibly a bit too exciting)

Since the quiet of early lock-down it appears we have acquired some new visitors to our garden, who now come back regularly (despite the increase in human activity) to clear up discarded birdseed: And on some occasions, two at once which seemed to lead to a little altercation: Note also the snail on the base of the bird feeder "running" away Cheers, Dave

Don had been a member of the Epsom and Ewell club for many years. For many visitors to our NESCOT exhibition, he and Pauline would be welcoming faces on the entrance desk. He will be greatly missed. Dave