Pendennis

I would never wish to defend the Telegraph in a million years but the article does mention Brexit. However to me the more salient point was the age of Christine Hatton, now 61. It would have been coming to the time when she and her husband would be looking to pass the business to the next generation; is there one and, if so, are they interested? It happens to a lot of family businesses, after a couple of generations it has either been divided up into small shareholdings and the shareholders disagree on a way forward or the third or fourth generation are just not interested. With retail the way it is, the previous option of selling the business probably doesn't exist anymore.

Have you watched the recent McKinley video where he highlights a major problem they have discovered with Tortoise points motor switching?

What about the ultimate Hall and Modified Hall? Loads of variations, seems right up Accurascale's street. But then there is the Saint and Hawksworth County, must stop dreaming!

The family went on holiday to North Wales in the summer of 1953. We went by train from Paddington to Harlech, surely the Cambrian Coast Express so probably a Manor; came home the same route a fortnight later. Sad to say, at the age of 5, all I remember was that it was a steam train, probably slept a lot of the journey!

Not much from the Far East goes to East Midlands, mostly parcels from Europe plus one or two from the USA.

I had completely forgotten about the regular all cargo flights into Stansted, from Guangzhou and Shanghai with China Southern Cago.

To those you can add:- Qingdao (TAO) Changsha (CSX) Chongqing (CKG) Shenzhen (SZX) and of course Hong Kong. These are just today's flights, tomorrow we have Chengdu (TFU) and I'm pretty sure Tianjin gets direct flights too. If they are in containers, then they may come on the Cathay Pacific cargo flight out of Hong Kong, I think that runs once or twice a week. However an oddball 747 Freighter arrived at Heathrow on Monday from Jinan [via Almaty] and another arrived from Hong Kong [via DWC] today; not speculating, just observing. Do we know where the "Manor Factory" is, I doubt it?

What's the digital sound like on these? Presumably they'll use the same file and configuration as on the earlier batches.

Thinking of using these, I have a Lenz system. Was going to use Digikeijs but with their bankrupcy and reading that Yamorc are more modern, can I use the combination Lenz/YD8116/MP1? Thanks

Or Testors Dullcote. Shake the can very well and spray outside, or at least in a very well ventilated space.

Does anyone know whether KR Models interact with these fora like Accurascale/Rapido or stand aloof?

* well it was designed to fly ultra low over the sea (Royal Navy), when the RAF got them they found that doing low, low-flying over land caused the wings to break off.

It could made available a few days before the weekend, the exhibition guide is almost certainly mastered as a PDF for the printer so could be put online for advance ticket holders; what's to lose, they get a free guide on arrival anyway. Maybe even more incentive to book in advance.

Both GEC and ICI were driven by charismatic leaders, Arnold Weinstock and John Harvey-Jones. They became amongst the largest and prestigious UK companies. When they retired, short-term focused "get rich quick" leaders took over, the rest, sadly, is history. Almost a history of the UK over the last 40-50 years.

What Mike the Stationmaster didn't mention in his post was that, as well as the floor plan of the Exhibition, the Basingstoke A4 sheet also had a QR code. Open the QR code reader on your phone and hey presto you had a full show guide, photos, description etc.; nothing to lose, no extra cost, no waste paper! May not suit all, I'm well past retirement age, but we are in 2023 now.

Their flyer promo leaflet wasn't proof read properly either; Vans 5 and 6 are listed as 105923 but 105966 which makes up Pack B is not listed. Cut 'n Paste not checked. I would like some Micas but I think I'll wait on this one.

My bag was checked, half expected it. Had it open ready, sandwich box in clear view, gent said Thank You and in I went, no hassle at all.

My wife was brought up in France during the occupation, her father was in the Resistance and for a time hid two downed USAAF airmen in their house; they still had chocolate and chewing gum to give to her! Inevitably they disappeared one night so she resorted to asking the German soldiers for chocolate and chewing gum, presumably (and fortunately) they thought they were childish French words.

Will the Show Guide be available as a QR code as before?

Thanks very much to you both. Martin

I do like black Halls, they're just that bit different. I have one ready to paint myself, and a Star, just wondering what colour was used; did toboldlygo paint it for you, I'm sure I saw it on his blog at one stage. Martin

I think you have to spend £15 or more in Waitrose, that gives you 90 minutes free parking. Its a 5 minute walk from Kernow.

Over the weekend I contacted Rapido regarding the liveries proposed for these coaches, I wasn’t sure which model to order for my post-war GWR layout; I received this reply today:- As far as our research has shown the livery timeline for GWR coaches is as follows:- 1. 20's/early 30's - Great (CREST) Western 2. Late 30's/early 40s - Shirtbutton 3. Late 40s Crest with 'G.W.R.' above in small lettering. I’m still not really sure whether they are going to produce the early-1930s livery or the late 1940s livery so my order has gone to Derails for their exclusive edition, I think I’ll be pretty safe with that one. Martin

I'm not sure it would have made much of a surplus, if any. I go each year and was there today, attendance was well down on previous years but the layouts were good and the variety was good. I just think the club member responsible for the promotion of the event needs his a**e kicked, they can't continue with that level of attendance. There was only minimal information on the website until the week just gone and next to no promotion on this forum. I met an old acquaintance who only knew of it because someone else told him on Saturday night! I enjoyed the lack of people because it made viewing so pleasurable but that doesn’t pay the bills.

Hi Drew, could I book two places with a possible third. Looking forward to another look around the dark corners of Didcot Railway Centre. Martin