pondy

I recived my copy for Christmas. Most of the pictures were taken in the sort of light that most photographers would go straight down the pub to avoid. However colin has managed to capture the atmosphere perfectly. In some of the pictures it is only the smoke in the distance that gives any clue that there is a train somewhere in the distance. One picture that stands out for me is of a train leaving a station going off in to the distance. Somehow I have never been able to take a decent picture like this but from now on I shall keep trying. There are alot off different techniques that I am going to persue rather than the same old 3/4 front shot. Black & white pictures taken on dull days are a recipie for disaster so I thought but this book compleatly rewrites the rule book. I'm glad digital photography has come along else this could prove to be very expensive as I'm sure I shall be deleting alot of rubbish in the future as I try to emulate Colins photography. David

Another livery choice for the cct could be Octopussys circus as used in the James Bond Film as seen here .

Ac few years ago I spent a week in the camping coach at Goathland. That has to be the ultimate coach in which to do a rail tour, preferably an 8 to 10 day tour around Britain, accompanied by good friends with food and drink brought to the sofa. Failing that, a 1st generation DMU in which you could see through the drivers cab.

I used to wonder how they worked but did not bother to find out about it untill I saw this post. Here is a link to a retailer selling clocks using the same principle ans showing the mechanism in a far better way than words can describe. http://www.ankaka.com/mini-sized-retro-flip-clock-flip-every-60-seconds_p47962.html I may even buy one myself.

I was only 18 months old when steam disappeared from the Southern region so I don't remember any steam on the main line at all untill it was preserved. Whilst I can see that the railway scene was not good in the late 60s I don't see that as a reason not to model it. There seems to be a fashion to weather locos at the moment and they make fantastic models when done well, but they are hardly portraying the best times of the railway. One of the best ever layouts I have ever seen was Dresden just after we British had done our best to destroy it in WW2. There were bomb craters everywhere, even in the track, with houses and other buildings half demolished. The layout depicted a scene of real carnage in a very depressing time for anyone living through the time. Having never been to Germany, I can't say weather it was an accurate model or not (although I'm sure it was) but overall it looked right in my eyes. When I first saw this topic I tried mixing a bit of Blue/Grey with Maroon stock with a variety of both Steam and Diesel locos as seen in the late 60s. My very first impression was that it just didn't look right. I think that's why mixed rakes aren't seen very much in just the same way that, for instance, model GNER HSTs are not seen with the odd Inter-city coach mixed in to the rake. It just doesn't look right not even in real life.