FarrMan

For this one, I will settle for Settle Junction station. I went through there once around about 1964/5, and I think it was in the dark. Don't remember anything about it. Lloyd

Gilbert First on my list, and my favorite, was views from Spital Bridge. Re this poll, Clarification required. I assume the Northern limit is the Scottish border. What is the Southern limit, and are East and west limits inclusive or exclusive? Lloyd

Gilbert Nice as a record shot. i always wondered what was the other side of that wall. As I remember, though, at that point the parapet wall was at least 10 to 12 feet high. The road sloped quite steeply down that side of Spittal Bridge, and though the top of the parapet may have been level (I can't remember), the height from path level would increase quite quickly. Of course, the danger is that one's scale varies as you grow taller, and what appeared very tall or large at age 7, appears much smaller as an adult. I do remember that the parapet over the bridge itself was quite high all the way along, and the only spot for watching the trains was at the fence at the back of the footpath just before the parapet started, on the Midland side. Re favorite shots, I agree with all comments that I have read to far. Everything is excellent, though as said before, the unrealistic curves South of Crescent Bridge mean that some shots at that end are only very good. Thanks again for all the pleasure you give us. Lloyd

Gilbert Views from Spittal Bridge - so lifelike. Trains in platform 6 looking towards Crescent Bridge - always delightful. South end of platform 2 with train waiting to leave North end of Platform 3 with train waiting to leave. Train arriving at North end of Platform 2 Station forecourt (all angles) Under the canopy from South end. DE yard. There are so many that are so lifelike. The only ones that I would suggest avoiding are those showing a train south of Crescent Bridge - because of the unrealistic curve. Lloyd

i (thankfully) don't make the rules. Lloyd

Suggestion for next poll - most popular tube stations, whether in radio programs or not? Lloyd

Let's try Henley in Arden for this one. Lloyd

David I will echo that after 49 years very happily married - and all to the same person! Lloyd

Tony Apologies for any upset caused. We used to be possessed by two very rural cats, though I did not particularly take to them, neither did they particularly take to me. When the surviving one died at 23 years old, I had to pretend to be upset. They were very intelligent cats, and quite good hunters, especially for rabbits. They were not much use for keeping the stags out, though - one year the cabbage count was - Stags 52, us 1. Lloyd

For 'East Midlands' I think that I will go for Spalding. Must have been quite an interesting variety in its day, though I have no recollection of it. Lloyd

Burying your cat? Lloyd

A few days ago, there was a discussion on the effect of making part or all of the bogie in effect rigid to reduce the excessive throw on the fronts of loco's on under-scale sharp curves. As I have been down with depression this week, and on Wednesday the internet connection failed for most of the day, I thought I would relax by working out the centre play needed and front and rear throws for some sample locos on given radius curves , comparing the fixed wheelbase using only the drivers and using all wheels. I have entered the appropriate formulae in the attached spreadsheet along with four sample loco's for two curve radii, with some spare lines if anyone wants to enter specific details for themselves. Also on the second sheet are conversion formulae between metric and imperial lengths and for scales. I give no guarantee of the accuracy of the formulae, and therefore of the results, but they look much as I would expect. I have also added a column for the sideplay needed at any point on the fixed chassis. The information to be entered is in the yellow headed columns, and the rest should work through on the formulae. As the results entered show, there is much reduced front and rear throw where there are front and rear carrying wheels, at the expense of much increased sideplay required, which may not be manageable within the limits imposed by the frame. For the Black 5, with no rear carrying wheels, the rear throw is increased, but the front throw much reduced. For particular models, it may be worth putting in different wheelbases and overhangs to represent some carrying wheels being fixed, to reach a suitable compromise. Having worked it out for fun, I hope that it may be of some use to someone. Lloyd Cenre offset, front and rear throws for model railway curves.xlsx

That sounds an excellent suggestion to me. It is not easy for me to attend any exhibitions, and as a novice, it is always of interest to see how different aspects of the model are constructed. That is one reason that I enjoy this thread so much. Lloyd

Melton Mowbray for me. If I missed the 6.20pm from Nottingham Victoria on my way back to Peterborough, I usually had time to walk across to Nottingham Midland to get a train to Melton Mowbray soon after 7.00pm, wait a couple of hours or so there, and then get a Leicester to Peterborough train getting in about midnight. Thankfully, I usually caught the 6.20! Lloyd

I will go for Market Harborough before it became so urban. I remember changing there once going from Peterborough to Wolverhampton. A lot of cant on the curve through the station. It could be quite a climb across the coach to get out! Lloyd

I suppose you could say that it had been still in use as a 'stabling point'. Lloyd

I will go for Treforest Junction. Barry and Taff Vale joining, trains splitting on the running lines, and the Cardiff Railway all but and very briefly actually joining. Think of the variety in pre-grouping days, though admittedly mainly coal downhill and empties uphill. Another possibility would be Cardiff East, where all the valleys railways met the GWR, but that is hardly rural. Lloyd

Before I retired from Inverness College, my line manager was a Mr King. I told him one day that I was having difficulty keeping up with his mother (Ma King). Unlike school teachers though, we had to set the exams as well as mark them. Lloyd

I'm not that familiar with this area, but I'll plump for Pelaw. Lloyd

Ditto Lloyd

As you say, a difficult choice this one. Doncaster and Retford obviously have a lot going for them, and personally Grantham (where I changed for Nottingham Victoria) and Peterborough North (Which I could almost see from my bedroom window in the 1960's, and could certainly hear). But I think on balance it has to be Peterborough North, with its GNR, MR and GER connections, and the start of quite a number of interesting journeys. Lloyd

And a very interesting and useful resource it is as well. Thanks Robert. Lloyd

I'm not so familiar with the GE, but I will go for Colchester for this one. Lloyd

Tony I passed this point quite often in the early 60's and have no memory of this sign being there. Do you have any idea when it was erected? Lloyd

I will go for Northallerton this time. Lloyd