APOLLO
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Posts posted by APOLLO
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The East Coast rail franchise will be terminated three years early, avoiding the embarrassment of another private firm handing back the keys to the government but potentially forfeiting hundreds of millions in premiums due to the Treasury.
Under a rail strategy announced by the transport secretary, Chris Grayling, a new partnership model will replace the franchise contract of Virgin Trains East Coast (Vtec).
Brit15
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When you exhibit Shap next year will it be in the 1967 Blue / Grey introduction era, or backdated to your favourite 50's / 60's ?. As the infrastructure / scenery changed little over these time frames do you envisage changing time frames (stock) occasionally ?.
Whatever, good luck with your new layout. I like your 'signature' track - Peco on painted foam ballast - this works well for me too !!
Brit15
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I have a couple of Lima EE Type 4's and a Jouef one bought new donkeys years ago. Though they all run / pull well they just don't look right parked alongside each other. One is too wide, or one too narrow, or perhaps a bit of both !! How do they compare with a Bachmann one ?
If you model Shap after 1960ish you need plenty EE type 4's (Big D's). Don't bother with the MTK kit though !!!!.
Brit15
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To keep this thread alive - a superb new layout --
Brit15
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Lots of 1967(ish) BR info / photos on this thread
http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/52572-why-is-this-so-rarely-modelled/
It's the era (but not the area) I also model. Steam mixed with Green & Blue diesels, a mix of Maroon Green & Blue/Grey coaches, dirty tatty locomotives working hard - what a superb layout theme. PLEASE bring it to Wigan next year if you can !!.
edited to add - you can even run some Mk 2 Blue/Grey non aircon coaches behind a mucky Brit - see my photos below !!
Looking forward to some more layout photos.
Brit15
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On the way back, has anybody ever noticed that the Highways Authority is in the dark and sinister grip of the Birmingham & West Midlands Chamber of Commerce Mafia, who have compelled them to eschew all mention of the very existence of the rival East Midlands Region, as a whole, from the road signage on the M6 and M42 - let alone such not inconsiderable cities as Derby, Nottingham and Leicester ... to the extent that although they lie geographically roughly eastward of Birmingham and the road goes in that general direction, the M42 signs say "M42 North"; whilst following the signs marked for the M1 (which I need to use for the last dozen miles) would eventually take you south-eastwards down to somewhere getting close to the M25. And the layout and markings of the various junctions never seems to stay the same two years running ... so I get lost one way or the other, sometimes both, practically every year..
Same on the M58 near Manchester Airport. Signs now just indicate motorway number and direction (North, South etc with some NE & SW to really confuse) - add to this at a major junction you keep to the two right hand lanes to go left (on a flyover), also parts of the M62 are now the M60 ring road. - Very confusing !!
Brit15
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The Greek automaton Talos was steam powered - watch him die when his boiler is emptied !!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdgY9vgRcRw
Brit15
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A4's romping over Shap (real ones - 1:1 scale !!!)
Tangmere only just makes it. Staniers products do fine (as they jolly well should !), as do the "standards".
As to OO, P4, EM etc - I don't care, if a layout looks right, has atmosphere and interesting trains running then it's just fine for me. Little Bytham has all three and more.
Atmosphere is the main layout quality, not track gauge.
Brit15
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It's been said before - and I'll state it again.
I am more than a little concerned (for our hobby that is) when you can buy a current magazine that raves about this and that new releases only to instantly find out that the item is "sold out" or even "pre orders sold out " and that particular model probably won't be available (livery wise) ever again. Either then pay inflated ebay prices or do without (I do the latter). Yes Hornby seem to be doing a re-run of Peckets and that's fine (I may even order one) - but many other new models are increasingly "buy it on pre-order or you won't get one". I know the reasons - we don't need to state them again - I suppose that is how the hobby will be from now on for most.
As to crowdfunding - no thanks.
Brit15
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We would have some superbus locomotive designers
Sir Nero Gresley
Octavia Bulleidius
Sir Maxima Stannier
Georgia Julius Churchwardium
Bearing the Roman "Standard" would have been
Romulus Riddlelia !!
Brit 15 "Apollo" - A joint Greek / Roman God
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I seem to recall that, many years ago, probably the early/mid-80s, there was in an early edition of one of the fairly short-lived magazines of those days (possibly 'Your Model Railway') an article suggesting how a model inspired by this section of Kings Cross could be developed. Think it may even have been called "Kings Cross Suburban".
Don't know about the article, but there is a very interesting video called "Kings Cross Suburban". 1970's around the time just before / during electrification. Well worth £15.
http://www.videoscene.co.uk/kings-cross-suburban.html
Brit15
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Set it up around the tree - use it next year also.
Brit15
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Not so many these days. Occasionally "Railway Modeler" (by far the best), but an occasional BRM or Traction mag. I've gone off "Railway Magazine" (probably because I've "gone off" the current rail scene). MRJ is an occasional buy, just to give me some inspiration.
One magazine I always buy is the quarterly (4 a year) "Classic Trains - The Golden Age of Railroading" - an American mag with well illustrated articles on 40's 50's & 60's Yank Railroads - it has many diverse and interesting well written articles.
I've just won on Ebay some bound volumes of Railway Modeler 1960 - 64, and some "Model Railway news" mags, again 1958 - 64. Looking forward to some interesting reads over Christmas !!.
Brit15
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I have concluded that big shows, like Warley, are not for me at this stage. Maybe if I am seeking inspiration or want to see items before purchasing, I might return. However, given the cost of travel, parking and then getting in, I would need some justification. Forking out £100 (or thereabouts) for no real reason definitely can’t be justified!
Barry Denyer
I've never been to Warley so can't really comment, save that lots of people state it is very busy / crowded at times.
Try Wigan next year (around October), a big exhibition in two halls, many layouts and trade stands, and this year even just after opening on Saturday it was very busy but not over crowded as there is lots of room around and between exhibits. the trade stands being placed around the walls and are equally well organised. Parking is free for visitors, entrance a tenner, and the pies are superb !!!!!
Brit15
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Garry, what is the overall length & width of your board shown above ?
Brit15.
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Modern steam but well worth watching - The Bulleid makes it - JUST, Sir Nigels finest romps over !!
The there's this
Brit15
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As promised yesterday here are some photos of late bodied BR Type 2 Bo-Bos, as spotters they were either Type 2s or Bo-Bos.
From left to right, Hornby/Mortimore conversion, Bachmann, and DJH.
The DJH loco has been waiting for a repaint for ages, well since I brought it. The Hornby one still needs its front hand rail and somewhere to hang the lamps which are still in their packet. The Bachmann one looks sort of done, I quickly added the details for one end and side for these photos.
I am going to be a bit boastful, I think I have the roof detail, especially the cant rail grilles better on my conversion than Bachmann. I cannot see the grille etchings on the DJH model. I think before repainting some model strip might not go a miss.
Very nice locos Clive. To us Wiganers they were called simply "Sulzers" when the "rat" infestation (along with lots of EE type 4's) ousted our Black 5's & *8s back in 1967.
I bought a few "MTK" diesel kits back in the mid 70's when I changed scales from TT to OO. A class 25, 40, 45 and Clayton class 17. I built the bodies by gluing them (sacrilege) but never powered them, a bit beyond me back then - then Joeff made a 40, Mainline a 45 and Hornby a 25 so that was that. I did however a few years earlier build a few "BEC" TT steam locos which turned out rather well on the old Tri-ang 0-6-0 Jinty chassis. I've still got those also - but no layout to run them on.
I think Gresley's coaches were very beautiful creations. I can't remember seeing very many, but I do remember a Blue / Grey Gresley Buffet car in the Manchester to Harwich boat train back in the late 60's / early 70's.
We really are spoiled these days for RTR, I've just bought the December Hornby Mag (for the calendar !!), and I just have to shake my head at all the new stuff described in there. As I've probably mentioned before, I am not a perfectionist or a very competent "model creator" - I simply love to build and operate my layouts. I often hark back to the 60's etc and lo and behold I have just bought quite cheaply on Ebay some bound volumes of Model Railway News and Railway Modeler mags 1959 - 65. They are my Christmas present from my Mrs, and I look forward to some very good reads over Christmas !!.
Brit15
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I have a tatty old 1960's Hornby Dublo "City of London". Passed down to me by my brother, and friends of friends etc (many owners). She still runs superb however, and romps round my layout with 12 on no trouble.
I'll keep her as she is. She will probably last for ever.
Brit15
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79 years ago ------
At the top of the climb at 85mph after which ‘I gave Mallard her head and she just jumped to it like a live thing. After three miles the speedometer in my cab showed 107mph then 108, 109, 110 and before I knew it the needle was at 116 and we’d got the record. They told me afterwards that there was a great deal of excitement in the dynamometer car. ‘Go on old girl’ I thought, ‘she can do better than this’, so I nursed her through Little Bytham at 123 and in the next 1¼ miles the needle crept up further, 123½, 124, 125 and then for a quarter of a mile while they told me the folks in the car held their breath – 126mph.’
Nuff said !!!
Brit15
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Have you sen this superb site, lots of Leicester Central photos.
http://www.gcrleicester.info/html/leicester_central1.html
Brit15
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Frightening future (for our young).
Brit15
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i dont know but that lad could be me at 0:41, i remember holding on to the lamp posts at rawtenstall because of the wind, thanks for the video
Too many Black Puddings ?
Brit15
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I often find a trail of unidentifiable plastic gubbins beside the track. I keep these in a small box in the hope that one day I will find out where they came from and reattach them (sigh!)
Similarly I often find "strange" bits'n'bobs, on both my British OO and American O layouts. Most bits I can identify and put back where they belong, some however I just ain't got a clue. A OO 3 plank wagon parked at the end of a rusty siding holds the OO bits, a similar "Gondola" car does the honours on my O layout.
Brit15
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ECML franchise fails .... again....
in UK Prototype Discussions (not questions!)
Posted · Edited by APOLLO
Also this
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling today (29 November 2017) set out a new vision for our railways, including plans to end the operational divide between track and train and an evolution of the franchising system.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/strategic-vision-for-rail
Full report here
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/663124/rail-vision-web.pdf
Brit15