C126

Thanks to the suggestions to be found on RMWeb and a couple of colleagues, I knocked out three Brighton Pavilion-style 'onion domes' in Milliput last week : They need proper masonry bases modelling underneath, but I was pleasantly surprised at the result. Next task is the pitched roof, hidden behind the parapet. Off to B. & Q. next weekend, to use 4mm. sq. wood with 'lead' covering to space out two Wills sheets of slate tiling to match the width. Having discovered the joys of Milliput, I am now churning out sack loads of different sizes for pallets. Such simple pleasures...

Was the gent. in the lower picture present on Saturday in a topper, tail-coat, and strange neck-wear? I missed him later in the day for a discussion on Victorian cravats...

I bought one of these a few months ago : https://shakespeare-fishing.co.uk/products/compact-folding-stool-1368535 and spent ten happy mins resting my lallies with some Zen shunting at Hillport Goods. £27 at Fly Fishing Tackle on the www.

Also have a think about where you will put the camera, and the pictures' composition. Platforms get in the way of showing a loco and stock below the sole-bar.

Yes, I agree. I tried to buy mine fourteen days prior to to-morrow, compared to Gaydon in 2021, I think it was, which was several months in advance (before the strikes began). But compressing many purchases into a fort-night I am sure does not help.

Rail strikes... 😀

Please may I plead for a cassette system or traverser instead, unless you wish to make the Fiddle Yard scenic as well. They appear to work splendidly at exhibitions I have seen, and save much space. If your skills are up to it, I would say go with a traverser (and cheaper than all those turnouts). Just a thought.

Tried again last night, and got the same 'box of doom' thus : Sigh.

Your concern is appreciated. I will try again at home to-night, and take careful note of all error messages. Many thanks.

Yes, I have made three attempts at different hours/days, to be met with a box saying something like, "Ooops! An unexpected error occurred." So that is me in the slow lane on Saturday, then...

Alas, Worth of Paris consigned the crinoline to fashion history in 1863, I think. The best that could be seen aboard would have been the 1930's A-line skirts, and Dior's return in the mid-'50's.. Ladies! Support your local steel works: wear crinolines!!

This is all making me nervous of travelling in the Channel Tunnel, with such motor-cars on the Shuttles...

You might be interested in J. B. Snell's One man's railway, which I am reading at the moment : https://www.abebooks.co.uk/9780946537808/Mans-Railway-Snell-John-0946537801/plp

If I may arrive at the party late, by quoting from 'On-track plant on British railways : (formerly "track Machines")' - Butcher, Roger, 1991. 4th ed. Sheffield : Platform 5. pp.21-22, 28. 73XXX TAMPERS/LINERS. ... Tamping/Lining machines carry out the two main functions of packing the track to its correct longitudinal and transverse level and pulling the track to correct alignment both on the straight and on transition and circular curves. The essential features of the machine are the tamping banks and the combined lifting and lining carriage. ... The next series of machines, the 07 (732XX) were designed around frames of full vehicle length. ... B.R. has had six series of these machines, each incorporating improvements over the previous one. ... Series one machines are DR73200/1/5/6/8/11-13. ... Plasser and Theurer 07-16 Universal Tamper/Liner. Vehicles no longer in stock : ... DR73201, DB965377, 947 (Builder's no.), 1971 (Year built.). Initially allocated to the Glasgow North Division. Transferred to the Eastern Region 1981. Allocated to the Newcastle Division. To Doncaster Division 1985. Scrapped at Doncaster Marshgate by Maize Metals, West Bromwich 7/87. Hope this is still of use.

I have just noticed "catalog" on the page as well! Starts frothing at mouth... Harrumph! 🙂

Looks like this has been deferred till January 2024, which explains why my Waterstones has not taken delivery: https://www.crecy.co.uk/british-railways-freight-terminals?osCsid=ip50hrbd2k5e5r2dhnlb8si2k6

I think, in addition to @The Stationmaster 's argument, one must add the degree of 'group-think' in an organisation, the Treasury and civil servants in that department becoming wholly wedded, over the last forty years, to free-market economic ideas, excluding others. I remain to be convinced as well those with a more right-of-centre attitude to government do not wish the motor-car to dominate transport policy, to the benefit of their election prospects.

A couple more ideas for industries for those sidings should you choose to change from a loco shed: paint factory, gas works, soap/chemicals works.

In view of the size of the yard, and its provision for vans, etc., my first thought was the relevant coal yard would be so large as to be on a different site. Why not change the loco shed area to private sidings, a warehouse, or something else with varied traffic? The number of coal sidings to 'mirror' such a magnificent goods yard would be in double figures, for many different merchants, I would have thought. But it is your layout: if you want a loco shed, for whatever reason, you keep it. 🙂 It all looks d--n fun to operate!

If I may be the first to drag this thread off topic, please: what was Class 250 then? Or was it a vacant number? Thanks.

Has someone mentioned Dyna-Drives yet? Follows with own hat, coat, etc., ...

This is an excellent parallel in my opinion, which I hope you will let me nick in a letter to the local rag when necessary.

Perhaps that gives hope for the popularity of a R.T.R. '74'...

Regret I can contribute nothing to answering your question, but may I take my hat off to you for the layout/photographs. It looks beautiful, and I am envious. Would like to see more pictures when you have time.

This has been touched upon in the debate about the automated ticket machines' ease of use for all (potential) customers, but the level of technological ineptitude of a large proportion of the population (not just the over-30's) and unreliability of the technology ensures there will always need to be a human being to assist purchases, etc., of everything, it appears to me. If I may use my own example from work, a large research library crippled by an inept, unaccountable, I.T. dept. and its installations, I am glad we will never be out of a job. The inability of 'the finest minds' (our readers) to set up ordering accounts, log on to Wi-Fi, use scanner-printers, etc., combined with the afore-mentioned I.T. dept.'s under-staffed help-desk, keeps us all 'on our toes' at work, and inculcates a deep hatred of I.T. in me. However, whether the human being to assist purchases, etc., will be provided by firms generally is another matter.