Chris Gilbert1

Could anyone tell me when BR started painting their GUVs and Full Brakes in the red parcels/Royal Mail scheme. I’ve got it in my mind it was in the late 80s but I can’t seem to find any photos. TIA

TBH F-Unit, it’s not my cup of tea, I just wanted a paper manufacturer that wasn’t real, so nobody could tell me I’d modelled that wrong, same reason I model the Brownville and Ashland.

Thanks Keith The layout is 8ft 8 inches by 18inches

Last test before it’s ready for Stafford exhibition, F-Unit it’s at Cradley in October.

A few work in progress shots of the layout going to Stafford Railway Circle Annual Model Railway Exhibition The paint still has a few days to dry. The layout was originally built by Richard New for Graham Causer, but after a house move, it became surplus to requirements. I managed to save it and tart it up a little.

Yes there are definitely a few ex Soo Line bargains on this railroad

Thanks, just one of the many quirks of the BRAR fleet

Rusty Monday morning. GP35s 238 & 233 leave Waterloo Road yard and head up the branch to the Dr Pepper bottling plant at Haywood, where they switch out empty syrup tank cars and return south will the empties.

It just needs ballasting, I built a Cornish clay layout after that and now I’m playing around with some British O gauge

I’ve started a new project a couple of weeks ago called Tremoy Junction. Set in the late 80’s to mid 90s on a branch line close to St Blazey.

WTF Wednesday. I was watching a YouTube clip called GWR Volume 3 Saltash to Penzance by GWR Yam Yam last night. There’s some very interesting stuff on there but at 1.40 these made me sit up and go Wait What Anyone shed any light on it.

Morning all Interesting comments, I can already report that I’ve been politely told that Thumpers only ran east of Portsmouth or something like that, by a number of (former ) friends. Your right F-UnitMad rules have to be adhered to. One thing that never fails to amaze me, is the British modeller will complain if things don’t quite look right, from the curve on the nose of a class 37 to the idea of using the wrong class of loco in the wrong area. Yet will put up with poor standards of running, god awful coupling and narrow gauge track. The layout is at the ballasting stage now , but I’ve spent the last few days rearranging the railway room, to find space to store it. It’s now at eye level and I’ve noticed a slight bow in the baseboard Not sure what it do about it now.

Funny you should say that Raymondo

Good evening F-UnitMad how the devil are you? Long time no speak. Yes it’s British and no it’s not finished, this British malarkey takes a lot longer.

Well that idea failed, so what next. I need to crack this BR modelling lark. I wonder if I can get Shortliner’s Box Street to work. Working signals and live frog points, it’s all new to me.

Martin Its 15mm by 36mm soft wood from B&Q which just happens to fit inside the clips on the peco platform edges. More by luck than judgement. I need to add some mounting card to represent the top

Hi Adam, Thanks for the clips, very inspiring. Regarding the home signal, yes it’s probably not required or prototypically correct but I quite like the feel of it plus it will add a little operational interest. It’s very early days at the moment, and once the other details start to be added it might look too crowded there, so it may well be moved.

Here is Haston Green, a small project I started last weekend at the beginning of the lock down. It’s an imaginary branch line somewhere on the south coast of England between Poole and Exeter and set in the early 80s. The scenic part is four and a half feet long while the fiddle yard which is still to be built, will be three and a half feet long. The track plan is the same design as my North Haston layout from a few years ago, but I’ve removed the warehouse track from the rear and replaced it with a platform. The idea is to represent a branch line which is hanging on by the skin of its teeth. It still retains its passenger service, although it has been cut back and now terminates here. The remaining branch line past the level crossing was taken out of service. The passenger traffic is in the hands of a two car Bachmann Class 205 DEMU. The signal box, that controlled the crossing gates, is still open although not for much longer. The Dapol signals will operate once it’s all wired up. I’m still undecided on the freight traffic. The small goods yard was originally going to be a nuclear flask transfer point, but these wagons are quite long, which seem to over power the layout. I’m now looking at either a small heating fuel terminal or domestic coal unloading point or possible both. All the wagons are by Bachmann and have been fitted with Kadee coupling and I’m currently fitting under track magnets to allow for some hands free operation. The main locomotives with be a couple of Heljan Class 33s, although I am on the look out for a blue Dapol class 73 as they are both small enough to fit between the point and the level crossing. Despite building numerous American layouts, I’ve never managed to build a British one. Something usually manages to pee my off before I get very far into the project but I’m going to try and persevere with this one.

If anyone is interested in we are holding a freemo meeting at Armitage village hall on the 4th and 5th of April. Opening times are 11.00 - 6.00 on the Saturday and 10.00 - 4.00 on the Sunday and the costs are £10 each day and that includes a light lunch. There is no need to bring anything as all rolling stock or locomotives as these are provided. If you wish to get on the call sheet and operate a train or two, you will be required to bring a smart phone. If you’re interested please email me at chrisgilbo@me.com. Unfortunately because of insurance requirements we can not accept anyone who has not pre-booked. Any profits made from the weekend will go toward our new yard.

Skipepsi, Facebook is where most of my posts go now. There are plenty of useful Railroad groups on there and some interesting layouts on the Micro/Small Model RR group I know Facebook is not for everyone, and some of the stuff on there, is questionable to say the least, but it works for me.

Wayne I’ve send you a PM. I don’t really do RMweb anymore, too many nah sayers for my liking. Chris

Dear all I’m afraid I have some very sad news. I’ve just received a phone call from Lou Trollope the better half of Jack or Shortliner to most of us. Jack passed away in his bed on Wednesday morning. According to Lou, he had a massive heart attack and it was all over within a couple minutes. She said he went the way he wanted to go. In his bed and quickly. There will be no funeral, he will be cremated and his ashes returned to Lou. He will leave a massive hole in my life, and will be sorely missed. I’m not sure what else to say Mods If this is in the wrong place, please feel free to move it

Here’s the current proposed plan for the Midland Belt meeting in October being held at Armitage Village Hall Operationally, it won’t be much different to what we currently do, with trains starting away from the main yards and working their way back in, before returning with the outbound cars. Doing it this way allows seven trains to start working right from the start. If you are, interested heres the operating plan. Planned trains starting away from Trent L1-Blind River Job. - has couple extra industry of extra industries at Kipling. L2-Fairhope Job. - this module has been moved and now hangs off the main line (bottom right) a shoving caboose might be needed for the return train. L3-Cardwell Job. - this job will now probably have to be slit into two trains. One servicing the industries at Cardwell Junction, Hammerford interchange, and the new industrial park module. NEW L3A-North Brook Job - this will switch the industries at Sullivan Scrap, North Brook and Alpha before joining up with train L3 and heading together as one super train to Trent. L4-Dunn Papers. - no change Trains starting from Trent L5-Main line - extra work, calling at Badger Cement. L6-Cement train - this may now run to Portland via Trent, as a bulk through train. New L7 Trent-Portland. I’ve still got to work out how trains for Nucor are worked. NEW L8- Nucor turn. This may well run to Portland instead of Trent to reduce the pressure on Trent. It also serves Jonesville. NEW Z1-Nucor internal switch job. Trent Yard switcher - no change But have to make up the following trains. T1 - Main Line to Armstrong and back. T2- Cars for Blind River T3- Cars for Fairhope T4- Cars for Cardwell & North Brook T5- Cars for Dunn Papers T6- Cars for Portland New Portland Yard switcher - Has to make up the following trains. P1- Cars for Trent P2- Cars for Nucor P3- Cars for Cement Train Passenger trains - There are passengers depots at River Falls, Armstrong, North Brook and Portland. I suggest we run a push-up service from River Falls to Armstrong where the train spits, with one train going to Portland and the other to North Brook. A tourist train comprising of a couple of preserved RDC’s could run from Ashland to Wallingford via Armstrong. Dispatcher will definitely need to be a two man job and the Traffic manager will have to be full time as well. That should keep us busy. This is all subject to change.