Trevellan

Here is the image I couldn't embed into that last post:

This thread reminded me that I have one of the affected models (R2413) and dug it out. After chipping it ran a few times, but it hasn't been used for around two years. Sure enough, it has the same problem. This is the worst corner. As with others, when I tried to dismantle the model to recover its decoder one end broke away and it's virtually impossible to get it all back together again. However helpful Hornby are, this one is beyond repair and will need to be written off. One phone call to Kent coming up methinks. By the way, I also have the R2649 variant (31 165) and this is fine.

I think that was Carling Black Label. I was once given a bar towel with Mabel - Black Label on it. There are not many ads now that I feel are genuinely clever, entertaining or amusing. Apart from humour in advertising, music can play a big part. I recall an Ever Ready ad in the late 70s or maybe early 80s (power to the people) that had a very catchy jingle. Hope that reminiscence isn't OT.

You've reminded me of an article I read recently about the roles of primary and secondary suspension on rail vehicles...

Wow. I first encountered Parisian taxi drivers during a visit in 1997 and the two I "travelled" with were only marginally slower than the driver in the film. At least that's what it felt like at the time!

If you scroll through the BBC photos there's one with a caption that says: "The machinery breaking up the road surface, which was built in the 1830s, can remove up to 700 tonnes of tarmac per day." I had no idea the Stephensons had diversified into road planing machinery...

Even British Transport Films were not immune to these sort of problems. One I saw recently was almost wholly shot under 25Kv, yet arrival at the destination was a 47 running into Paddington!

During my time in a highway authority I came across this quite often. Out in my hi-vis coat undertaking surveys people assumed we were there to enforce parking. "I'm only going to be two minutes" was the usual statement. My response was to smile and point out that the next 15 people would say exactly the same...

Reading the review in Hornby mag I was very disappointed to note that the motor bogie is fitted with traction tyres. I thought this was increasingly regarded as an outmoded concept. The Bachmann CEP doesn't need them, so why the VEP? This does seem to reinforce the point above about a Lima design philosophy on this one. Still, I've not heard enough to cancel my advance orders - yet.

Brilliant. I almost choked on my coffee...

Leaving aside the geographical and historical howlers, I was wondering why the loco in the first shot apparently has a loading hopper where the chimney - sorry, funnel - would normally be. As spark arresters go, that one takes some beating.

Groan...

Crikey, Network Rail are taking McNulty seriously in trying to save money. Isn't that the Looe branch?

Heartless swine. You'd do that to a pregnant woman?

Anyone who publicly claims HS2 is a vanity project.

And very nice it looks too...

For some reason I missed this thread when it started and am really pleased that the book is being reissued. I saw an original copy soon after publication and was completely bowled over. Colin Gifford - along with a few other notables - has been one of the strongest influences on my railway photography ever since.

Thanks for revealing the origins of the LT stock. I'm old enough the remember the last Qs in service (on the East London Line), as well as the last few CO/CP stock trains. Photographically, I did better with the 1938 stock on the Bakerloo and the R stock on the District. Model-wise, at present I only have one set of the EFE 1938 stock in IoW condition. I note your comment about bearings for these. Out of the box mine have substantial rolling resistance!

Some lovely images of Torrington there Darren. Personally, I'm looking forward to you getting some shots of a class 22 on the "milk"...

This is coming on nicely. Love the LT stock! The feline interest made me laugh. When I built my nephew's roundy-roundy one of their cats decided to muscle in and was mesmerised by the Bachmann 158 we used to test my wiring. At one point he looked about to pounce on the train, so we gently evicted him soon after!

If it was indeed a smaller version of the W class 2-6-4T it should be straightforward to come up with a suitable drawing.

Ah, but the 22s will look great on Torrington Darren, especially if you apply some of your trademark weathering.

I agree with Ed. The MRJ exhibition was grossly overcrowded but on balance I'm glad I went along because it was definitely a show out of the ordinary. I did queue for Hursley for what seemed like ages before I got five minutes in front of it. A superb model by any standards, so I hope it's still in existence and operational.

The Captain, speechless? Whatever next? But yes, really good stuff.

For most of my major photographic purchases I have used Warehouse Express in Norfolk for several years. Their prices are competitive and the service I've received has always been good. I've no idea whether they'll stock your battery. Have a look at www.warehouseexpress.com