APOLLO
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Posts posted by APOLLO
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One of those is a new “70min Flex” that allows customers to travel on other LNER services up to 70 minutes before or after their original booked journey.
Explained here, £25 or so more expensive than cheapest fare.
Do LNER laugh at their customers (and the Government) like Avanti ?
Slides from the Avanti West Coast presentation
Rip off Britain, AKA Treasure Island.
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19 minutes ago, ruggedpeak said:
It shows that, geopolitics aside, a high capacity rail freight route from China to Europe would be the answer to many of these problems.
Some background that might be of interest:
https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-china-silk-road-railway/
Interesting but look at the route, not many if any "politically safe & secure" countries. The local "bad uns" will still hold the west hostage.
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3 hours ago, osbornsmodels said:
11 pages now of non modelling activity!!
The future ? Who knows but well worth a watch. This is real, AI next ? (God help us).
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This would be an interesting time machine day out, only a couple of miles away.
I would need a tin hat, gas mask, clogs, flat cap, knotted scarf and next doors Whippet !!!!!!
I could visit my Grandma for a cup of tea, she lived 3 doors up from Belle Green Lane level crossing. Grandad was over in France back then in the Army. Wonder what she would think of my digital phone / camera !!
Then again, perhaps not as my Mum was not yet born !!!
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“This exciting new pilot is the next step in our plans to overhaul complicated and outdated ticketing options and we look forward to hearing feedback from our customers"
Exciting ?
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24 minutes ago, Gilbert said:
Interestingly, the weather was an exhibition organisers nightmare.....Sunny, calm and dry.....and they still came...
Similar to the Leigh exhibition I mentioned some posts back, a hot sunny sunday when I visited, 10 Sept 23.
But there was worse, far, far worse. The enemy of Wigan Warriors Rugby League club, Leigh Leopards had won the RL Challenge Cup at Wembley (Leigh 17, Hull KR 16). a couple of weeks earlier and were celebrating and parading the cup at their stadium alongside the exhibition venue.
A happy day for the Lobby Gobblers (Leighers) and they were rightly happy & proud.
Grrrrrrrr !!!! (I'm a Wiganer)
Looking forward to this years Leigh exhibition, September 14/15th at Leigh Sports Village.
Come on Wigan, Digitus Extractum !!!!!
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42 minutes ago, AY Mod said:
That would have been the Bachmann 9F, 18 years ago. I assume he's still going so it can't be all bad since then.
Yes that was my first £100+ (just) loco, but worth every penny, still a superb runner. But my later fifty odd pound from dear old Hattons Hornby Railroad 9F's (several) are very good also. Better value ? - Perhaps.
At the age of 71 and a lifelong buyer of models, though new releases may tempt, I have decided recently that I have quite enough stuff. Thats more or less it for me on new release models. How many more "Boomers" (old gits !!) like me are cutting back on purchases as they age ? Hardly mentioned in this interesting thread.
The cost of living crisis does not help, especially for new / young hobbyists.
Model Railways as a hobby will survive and prosper, but perhaps not in ways we might wish or want.
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19 hours ago, Ian J. said:
As for young people, they are in the hobby. I saw that in the attendees for Warley in November 2023 on Sunday when I was there.
But I can't believe they will ever reach the numbers of the boomer block (born 1945-1965) who are the ones now hitting the average age of dying. The younger ones also have less disposable income, and more things to spend it on.
For me, the above post just about sums up in a few words the situation regarding our hobby, exhibitions, manufacturers, retailers etc. We are, and will see, (as always throughout time) change.
We all need to support our hobby, when we can, positively through these changes.
It's not all bad news. I miss my own local exhibition, Wigan, an always excellent one I have attended for many years.
But 8 or so miles from me away is Leigh, and in 2022 (my first visit) and again in 2023 they held a quite excellent exhibition at the Leigh Sports Village, a 2 day event with free parking, around a fiver entry, and a good selection of both interesting layouts and traders, many local(ish). There was a smattering of non railway modelling also, good stuff it was too. The venue seemed just about "the right size". I am looking forward to the next one, around September.
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Interesting Video. Has this chap retired, the one who passed ?
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What a superb model locomotive.
Below is a painting by S.G. Hughes, a locomotive of the 'Novelty' type on the St.Helens and Runcorn Gap railway crosses the Liverpool and Manchester Railway over Sutton's two-span Intersection Bridge. This was the first bridge in the world where one railway crossed another railway. The locomotive is hauling coal wagons to the docks at Widnes and beneath it, heading towards Manchester, is a 'Rocket' type locomotive.
A nice layout or diorama idea. What a wonderful bridge that is. Hmmmm, shall I ?
The St Helens & Runcorn Gap railway, little known as it was mainly a grotty (very) industrial line throughout the years. The Liverpool & Manchester sold some early locomotives to the St Helens & Runcorn Gap railway though Tiger doesn't appear in the list below, "Novelty" does. I wonder what happend to Tiger ?
More info.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Liverpool_and_Manchester_Railway_locomotives
https://www.suttonbeauty.org.uk/suttonhistory/transport/
https://8dassociation.org/the-st-helens-and-runcorn-gap-railway/
A very interesting book, has lists of all locos used, some were ex L&M etc.
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Who would want to be in (or dare enter) UK retail in 2024 ?
Is there a shortage of money ? - Apparently not reading of the current Hattons sale. But most are bargain hunting.
But in general, many people have cut back on non essential shopping, and it's the dead period just after Christmas.
Is there a shortage of stock ? - Well China (who make most things) are going through a difficult time apparently. But shops I saw today seemed well stocked. W H Smith had a good selection of Railway & Modelling Mags, including USA mags.
Is there a shortage of Shoppers ? - My trains and trams today were well patronised with shoppers (travelled off peak both ways).
Bank interest rates, Rent, Business Rates, Wage Bills, Tax, Energy and other overheads ? - All expensive these days and increasing. Not good for any business owner.
But I agree, On line retaiers (Amazon etc) are taking over. I'm getting fed up of saying to the twins when a van pulls up outside and I hear a knock on the door, "Here's Mr Bezos, the world's (second ?) richest man, invite him in for a cup of tea" !!!!!
Yet Hattons are (were) a mainly on line retailer, with a large and seemingly loyal customer base and worldwide customers. Perhaps they saw the writing on the wall (A few years ago, Walton Prison, Liverpool, painted on the wall, Appearing soon, Ken Dodd !!).
They have decided to bail out and close the business in an orderly and honourable way.
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Had a trip to The Trafford Centre at Manchester today, a large modern shopping & leisure centre just out of the City. Footfall seemed pretty decent for a January Tuesday, but what WAS noticeable after my last visit early last year was the increased amount of empty and vinyld over shop units, some quite large ones too. A couple of shops had sales "Everything to go" - very sad.
I bought a couple of Railway mags from WH Smith (we lost ours in Wigan a while ago), a walk round the boring (to me) other shops, a burger and a pint then the tram back to Manchester Vic & train home.
The weather was cold but sunny and bright (hence the day out) - very unusual for Manchester !!
Retail (all descriptions, not just model shops) seems to be dying a slow death everywhere. As to my home town Wigan - err, that's why I went to Manchester.
The Galleries, Wigan. Built 1988, 60 retail units. Demolition currently in progress, to be replaced with housing and a small leisure facility. A shame it could not have been repurposed, but such is life.
Lets all hope for brighter retail news as 2024 progresses.
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Memories.
180 Smithdown Road. Small shop front but seemed to go on forever inside.
Second shop just down the road - much bigger.
Widnes shop / warehouse
This in the Liverpool Echo
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Very sad news and my thoughts are for the staff involved.
I first visited Hattons at Smithdown Road around 1965. A train trip with my elder brother from Wigan to Edge Hill then a fair walk down Smithdown Road.
I had a few bob saved up and asked Mr Hatton (dressed in his light brown dust jacket) if he had any cheap Tri-ang TT items. Indeed he did, a tray of assorted secondhand TT wagons, coaches and track, nothing over two bob (10 new pence) - I was hooked as a customer.
Many visits (and later mail order) followed over the years, always a satisfied customer. My last visit to their second shop (near Smithdown Road) I noted they were doing really well, glass cases full of new & S/H and three ladies taking orders on the phone. I had a small mail order fulfilled only a month or so ago.
The end of an era, and they will be sorely missed.
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I've just come across this very fascinating and superbly modelled layout.
A difficult subject to model I am sure, in more ways than one. I do like that dramatic sky.
My favourite "theme" is industrial tat and decay. This is something completely different, hence very interesting.
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2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:
Good morning God of the Sun,
The lower image shows the stuff I used as part of the basic scenic dressing on Little Bytham.
It was bought from our local garden centre, Waterside, just south of Bourne. With a month's worth of rain falling locally in 24 hours, unfortunately it's no longer beside the water, it's underneath it!
So many local properties have also been swamped...........
Regards,
Tony.
Sorry to hear of the local flooding. We in the NW seem to have been spared the worst of the recent weather.
I found that there are varying types & makes of basket liner, some are more "grass like" than others. Garden centres, even places like B&Q etc. Worth looking around.
I've never used static grass, but have seen quite excellent such scenery on exhibition layouts.
I have used some Woodland Scenics materials, first class products though a tad expensive.
Edited to add - I remember seeing The Gresley Beat layout at the Wigan show some years ago. They used dyed Teddy Bear fur for their embankments. In fact searching the web brought up this interesting thread
https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/178772-teddy-bear-fur/
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22 minutes ago, billbedford said:
Do you use bonsai grass seeds with that?
Hai !!
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It's interesting to see varying methods of scenery (etc) construction. Lots of usefull ideas.
I remember my first attempt with my old TT layout back in the late 60's, Mod Roc (plaster impregnated bandage cloth) was the new wonder material back then. Just crumple up and dampen newspapers, wet the Mod Rock strip and make an absolute mess - loads of fun, happy days !!!!
On my loft layout (and a bit in my garage) I use green hanging basket liner strip from Garden Centers, a usefull scenic base material.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Garden-Pride-Hanging-Basket-Liner/dp/B087PKMFC2
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Be careful what you wish for with Chinese construction.
https://eng.yidaiyilu.gov.cn/p/05KKOLA6.html
https://eng.yidaiyilu.gov.cn/p/073RC6NF.html
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2712219/monorail-mishap-spurs-govt-warning
Google Tofu Dreg Railways China for some eye openers. All show over there.
HS2 may well be very expensive, but as far as I can tell the engineering is cutting edge and top quality.
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To be honest making scenery, retaining walls, bridges, trackwork etc is the part of our hobby I enjoy most. Now I'm up to the roof trusses in the garage with my American O scale. I think thats as far as I can go !! Still plenty to do, freight and pasenger car kits to make, a 1950's half built (by someone else) brass pacific loco to attempt to finish (an ebay bargain), some track to tweak (in awkward places), redo my 5 amp track power properly to eliminate flashes and bangs (I'm a gas engineer, electricity is a little known art). But I'm getting there bit by bit.
My OO loft layouts have no proper scenery other than bits of green scenic roll / scatter. But they're industrial grot so not really needed. I just like to run trains, it's a big trainset really. Mostly complete, just ongoing maintainence etc.
Main layout above, (North Notts area), Wigan & Ince GC below, the missing bits connect with clip on boards. It all works quite well. The loft is insulated, boarded & carpeted, and a velux window gives some light and ventilation. This layout started in 2000 just before the twins were born and I was evicted from a spare bedroom.
The gas works - not nearly as good as Mr Denny's Buckingham layout ones which were always an inspiration to me (I have a dog eared copy of the 1960 something Railway Modeller "Denny Special".
Most bits I used are common models / kits etc, easilly identified !!
High to low level junction. Trix illuminated signals.
Borchester Town (Name pinched from Mr Dyers layouts, another inspirational modeller. Perhaps (to me) the best of all time. The Railway Modeller mag many years ago had articles for layouts like this - "Propiretary Modeller" !!!!!
Low level Wigan GC layout - Darlington Street Goods.
I hate winter these days, cold in the garage, not a lot better in the loft, heating expensive, roll on spring !!
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Evolution of my O layout.
1995 on, Make the baseboard strong and stout, add your backscene & paint. Lay track. (Peco O & O narow gauge)
Add outline scenery, build trestle bridges etc, Place scenery base sandstone boulders. Don't drop them (Don't ask) !!
Add chicken wire stapled onto on formers, cover with sackcloth and add red house finishing plaster. While wet sprinkle with sand, dirt, light vegetation, twigs, lichen, actual pine tree branches etc. etc. Ballast track (loose)
Twenty odd years later blast through the scenery with
dynamite5lb hammer & chisel and add a mine branch line.
Trestle over trestle required.
Last year, I decided to continue on and up - There's Gold in them there hills !!
This bit is work in progress, well, awaiting warmer weather in spring.
The curved trestle bridge has now been made and fitted. The transition to the high level "shelf" is to be hidden by scenery. Not everybodys cup of tea but this arrangement seems to be quite popular in the USA. The yellow tape are the trestle locations. You can see the plaster / sack cloth / chicken wire construction in this view.
These two boards were made as a portable O gauge shunting plank, but far better used now as high level mine & car storage. It took a bit of both fitting and getting used to visually but I'm quite happy with it now.
We never finish do we !!!!!!!!!
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If you or your descendants etc are selling your model railway (etc) collection etc that has been built up over the years may I suggest you take time dated photos of your layout / collection etc (perhaps overall photos and not loads of individual ones) to "prove" (or at least try to) that the said collection / layout or even books in a book case are bought not for resale but as a hobby.
Not sure if this is a worthwhile action to take. But I have, for insurance purposes.
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Hornby Trading update - positive
in Hornby
Posted
You got to ac-cent-tchu-ate the positive
E-lim-i-nate the negative
And latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mr. In-between
You got to spread joy up to the maximum
Bring gloom down to the minimum
And have faith, or pandemonium
Liable to walk upon the scene
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