Edge

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/39589767 BBC expect Button to be announced shortly as the McLaren replacement. Also heard rumours that he may get a Friday outing at Spanish GP (taking Vandoorne's car) to acclimatise himself to the 2017 car

Alonso to skip Monaco GP and run in a McLaren at the indy 500 instead. Please note that the date is not April 1st.. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/128926/alonso-to-race-in-2017-indy-500 Looks like the car will actually be an Andretti Autosport car but with McLaren colour scheme and branding. JB possibly back in for Monaco seat

This has got to take the biscuit I'm afraid - an engine without round wheels: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onward_(locomotive)

Want...

In an ideal world, that would work, but as F1 stands at the moment that would end up with finishing positions almost exactly the same as the grid order after qualifying

Hopefully I'll have a couple of paychecks between now and the day when I need to pay for it then lessen the wallet impact

I also remember the most serious fuel issue of recent years happened last year at Malaysia where fuel was literally fountaining out of the top of Magnussen's Renault and nobody could put the fire out I liked refuelling - it gave chance for another roll of the dice strategy-wise, which always led to better races, Not necessarily more overtaking, but better races in my view. 2009 was wonderful for me, and its no coincidence that that was the year of rock hard tyres (y comparison anyway) and fuel at pit stops

How about having a large oval for the freight operation to run through the station and have a terminus within the loop? Such an arrangement has the best of both worlds and can be extremely effective when disguised with scenery. Additional benefit of being able to run in new engines on the same layout. Tetley's Mills had a similar arrangement in its Mk2 guise

It could be worse for Wehrlein - he could be in this position after being given the Merc seat instead

If you can wait a little while, Bachman USA have announced a model of 'Rusty' for their Thomas narrow gauge range this year. This will be a reasonably accurate version of 'Midlander' from the TR and if their Skarloey model is anything to go by, will be ripe for detailing and will run superbly. If you want steam at any point, I can't recommend the Skarloey model highly enough as a starting point

From what I remember, It was actually a couple of horses who would haul the wagons up all the way to the slate quarries from Porthmadog and were then returned with the gravity train. Generally each team of horses would only complete a single round trip in a day.

Stupidly cancelled my pre order with hattons at the exact same time that they changed the price (decided I wanted Exe, not Taw). However, Bure Valley models have all three engines available for reservation at £145, and when I called them earlier they told me that the price was guaranteed. Plus you get to support the Bure Valley Railway into the bargain and their P&P is cheaper than what I chose at Hattons (£5). Overall I'm paying the same price, which is brilliant For those interested, the phone number to reserve one is 01263 733 858

He's already the number 3 driver for a certain red team...

Thank god wonderful as the model is, I'd have trouble affording it before my April paycheque lol

Interesting historical footnote, Red Bull have failed to have one of their cars take the start of the Australian GP for each of the past three years. Kvyatt in 2015 & 2016, and Ricciardo in 2017. The cars looked faster and its always nice to see a different team competing for the win on pure pace instead of freak circumstances. Still, it doesn't seem to have improved the racing at all...

Once payday comes around, BR Blue King is mine

After reading the glowing review in RM April, I've bitten the bullet and ordered a MW from Hattons. Got a few bits of 009 hanging around the place, so a realistic L&B train should be possible

Force India announce a new (and pink) colour scheme... http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/128499/force-india-reveals-pink-livery-for-2017 No, it isn't April 1st - I already checked

'Lyd' isn't going anywhere on a permenant basis tbh. She was at least partly paid for by the FR society and is a highly useful engine for the FR. Wasn't the L&B building their own Mw - as I recall it was to be a replica of 'Yeo' EDIT - Hey, my 600th post

If they are considering a 'Lew' style cab on future models, it seems to me that its more than likely the engine will appear in the modern day 'Lyd' guise as well. BR black 30190 as a ltd edition anyone?

I believe that it is a bona fide Awdry story. Can't recall the exact book at the moment, but I have the set at home I'll look it up EDIT: Eight Famous Engines

totally off topic, but the awdry connection is true. A pug appeared in the story where Thoms and his friends travel to the mainland for a big exhibition. Thomas' branch line is left in the hands of two BR tank engines called Pug and Jinty

Indeed, I didn't get a good look, but at least one of the 20s was in GBRF livery and was coupled to an orange/black example

In fairness to Stroll, he has been highlighted as a prodigious talent (F3 European champion) and these cars are the trickiest anyone has dealt with for years. He's gonna have a maximum of four days in the car before the season starts and two of those have already gone. Yes, hes tested in 2016 machinery, but they are fundamentally different cars and (crucially in one of his accidents) different rubber

I do think that it is daft that F1 has focussed on Aerodynamics this year. If you want to increase the show, increase the mechanical grip available to the cars (wider tyres, new suspension geometry, unlimited (but cost capped for customers) engine development, new fuel mixes, active suspension, smart regenerative brakes etc.) These things will not only increase the spectacle and enhance the racing, but have serious relevance to road cars - thus encouraging the manufacturers to return. Formula E is a perfect example. What amounts to no impact from the aero has a profound influence on the racing (there is some), the mechanics of the various engines and suspensions are the only variation between the cars and the racing is wonderful. Whats more, manufacturers have a maximum price that they can put on components. For instance, this year, a 'new' starter Techeetah (silly name, I know) has taken on the power train used by the Renault works team at a cost of about £500,000.00 for the year. A lot, but an order of magnitude better than the cost of a Mercedes Power Unit of about £20,000,000.00 in F1. Now F1 has always been about total car construction, but it would help the Manor's of this world and level the playing field if cost caps could be introduced and an emphasis placed upon mechanical, rather than aerodynamic grip