Chris116

In 1957 just before my third birthday we moved into the only house my parents ever owned! They both died in old age and I sold it a year after my father's death. At the bottom of the garden was the District line just south of Southfields station. That line had and still has National Rail trains as well as the Underground service. My first night soon after bedtime I was found with my nose against the bedroom window as a steam hauled freight train went past. I was hooked from that moment on trains. My father was a sports fan and we went everywhere by train to watch such sports as football, rugby, speedway, stock cars, cricket and ice hockey. My grand parents lived in Manchester and we visited them at least twice a year for a few days which meant a nice journey outside the day trips we did almost every weekend. In 1971, 72 and 73 I used an All-line Rover and covered most of the railways that were open at that time. Still love trains and regularly spend time on heritage lines as well day trips for fun around the country.

A final view of 78019 as the 2010 departure left Eridge. The weather was never great but the trains ran to within 10 minutes of right time all day and with all the engine changes on each trip up and down the line I had a very enjoyable day out.

I am spending the day on the Spa Valley Railway for the second day of their three day Winter Steam Gala. The weather was cold but dry when I left home but it started to rain soon after I arrived at Eridge. BR Standard Class 2 2-6-0 No. 78019 at Eridge BR Standard Class 4 2-6-4T No. 80078 Caledonian Railway 812 Class 0-6-0 No. 828 Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST No. 2315 SR Battle of Britain Class 4-6-2 No. 34072 running as No. 34066 Spitfire More to follow.

You really must get out more! I suggest visits to at least four or five local model shops to enlarge your collection.

Get two of each is the best idea!

A Pannier tank would be nice.

The mug holds half a pint so two coffees during the morning is the first pint of milk of my day.

Well for the past sixty years I have been enjoying at least two pints of milk a day and since I retired it is normally four or five pints that disappears. About a pint in coffee and the rest enjoyed cold.

It was the only way to stop them wheel spinning when starting!

This was my regular station from June 1980 until April 1992. Used to travel into Fenchurch Street and then walk to the NatWest Tower or Goodman's Field's computer centre. Brings back memories.

I have a Gaugemaster Combi controller and three BR Genesis coaches on pre order. Had an email a couple of days after the closure announcement saying the controller would be removed from the order for obvious reasons but to date it is still showing as a pre order and I don't intend to cancel it until Hattons cancel it themselves. In all this I just feel very sorry for the staff who are being made redundant. I hope they all find good replacement jobs quickly.

I got all my information from Realtime Trains so can't tell you anything else.

Well the train ran but was around an hour late leaving Euston in the morning and 45 minutes late leaving Carlisle. It arrived 29 minutes late at Preston and currently (21:21) is still alongside platform 4 at Preston. Not a happy day for Railway Touring Co or WCRC.

Watching 5Select showing 'Churchill fallen hero' with the 1945 general election featuring. With scenes showing Flying Scotsman, complete with German style smoke deflectors and BR Mark 1 coaches in Blood and Custard! I do wish film makers could at least know that in 1945 British Railways did not exist.

A Great Way to get aRound!

The correct term is God's Wonderful Railway!

Driver would ignore the diamond and visit the signalbox but only to have a chat with tea and biscuits. No need to rush things when a nice cuppa is on offer!

But Hattons don't sell carpets!

Thank you for expanding my US railroad knowledge. My US Railroad shunting layout has one UP loco and I would like to get another with the US flag on each side but not at the prices I have seen so far.

I notice that the lead loco is numbered Y700 and referred to in the description as UPY700. What does the Y signify?

But the Welsh have male voice choirs!

I hope your cat is keeping that mouse under proper control and not just watching the screen on your PC.

Maybe the pigeons could lift the van back onto the track!

Thank you for that information. I saw a very good model railway of a German station in about 1936 at an exhibition around 1990 and the owner told me that he had been approached by the organiser of a German exhibition to see if he would be able to display it in Germany. The organiser had said as a almost throw away comment that he would of course have to remove all the swastikas before it was allowed into Germany which meant it was never taken there.

Very surprised that the loco above has the swastika still showing, not normally allowed in modern Germany.