MoonMonkey

Thanks for bringing this to my attention... I just had a look at the website and it looks good, quite reasonably priced. I'd been thinking about a 'build a layout in a weekend' kind fo thing, and this would be a great start. Otherwise, it'll take me the full weekend to knock together a badly fitting and slightly warped baseboard and backscene assembly, nevermind getting any track down!!

That's it! She's generated forward thrust through her bum venturi! Having managed the same once before, it's such a sense of achievement (although I didn't actually levitate, it was more of a momentary motion upward and then back to earth (the loo seat) with a thud). I reckon she's probably giggling to herself like child at this amazing feat!.

Oh, general confusion and bemusement about how on earth the old bod in the blue manages to levitate? Hovering over the bench in the most alarming fashion! (Mental note to self... place figures correctly before photographing!!!)

I finally got round to doing a few more Modelu figures. I wonder what they are so talkative about?

And finally, some gargoyles painted by my lad and one done a bit more with weathering powder afterwards by me, plus the Ghostbusters!

And a few more... my lad painted the zombie and the scarecrow thing...

Also, some better photos of the Finescale Figures people, Halloween themed!

I've got a slightly better camera (in other words, a slightly better phone!) . Better ghost train pics attached. If anyone wants to provide some light entertainment for kids (or whoever) next Halloween... these were inherited Hornby Railroad models, dismantled and bodies sprayed with primer and a coat of white spray (Humbrol spray acrylics), and then a liberal thick coat of Revell 'night color' (sic) 39802 was applied (without watering down). I'd masked the insides and interestingly it left a weird 'ectoplasm'-like irregular finish to the window corners once the masking tape was peeled away. I left the black plastic parts as black so it wasn't too over-the-top. It needs charging, I use the torch on my phone, and then it glows a spooky green. The glow does wear off relatively quickly, but it's fun while it lasts. I also had a spare figure I painted with the 'night color' and put against a window in a coach corridor, which looks spooky too... a ghostly figure staring out from the window of the ghost train. I also popped a little of the night color on the loco wheels, very carefully. All good fun! The photos show the effect just after charging with the torch light.

Hi, reading the other responses to this, it looks like the norm is to provide the source for such assertions. I spotted this post while looking for thoughts about the Prairie models. I don't usually scout for info requests about prototypes. However, I have a book that used to be my Dad's on the shelf and it prompted me to take a look, and I actually found relevant info in there! So if it's helpful then lovely, although it's before your time query, but it does lend weight to the Didcot allocation. Source as per images.

1955: Didcot, including Wallingford (sub-shed I think).

Now it's a funny thing, but some years back I found myself in a place which shall remain nameless looking at logistic overpack cases for former-Soviet era air to ground missiles, which were rather large, grey, and bore a remarkable resemblance to the grey long pods/boxes here. Nothing more shall be said about that. However, I find myself wondering, is this a shipment of Eastern European (or thereabouts) armaments being received into Little Muddle by sea? Is this some new front in the willy waving war from the chaps over in Russia? First Crimea, then forget about Ukraine, but take on the hub of all happiness which is Little Muddle (given the apparent lack of HM Customs and otherwise wary eyes)? Maybe that chap reading the paper is actually on post to spy out the British military on the off-chance this vile scheme is rumbled? Maybe the plan to adjust the cattle dock is actually a way to dig in an underground missile silo on our doorstep. What would the Squadron Leader say?

I've got 50 sheds of grey in my back bog! There's a great line in there... something to the effect of: "She bent over my workbench and said "Hurt me". So I told her she had fat ankles and made a rubbish rhubarb crumble.

Hi BlueMonkey, I did some google-based research into that kind of area and found this to be an interesting piccie of Chippenham goods yard, may be useful for you, if only for inspiration: If you hadn't already found it, there is a book called The GWR Swindon to Bath Line by Colin G Maggs, which has at least one one photo of Chippenham, specifically of a line of SR cattle wagons. It has the same photo as the link in this message. I'm sure you've already found the book titled The Calne Branch by Colin G Maggs. Hopefully those pointers are useful.

And for something on a similar track... the ghost train!!! I did do a video but you can't embed clips into posts and it's not that good to bother Youtube! So photos it is. Focussing was tricky as it was quite dark to capture the luminous ghostly glow!