RMweb Premium ianathompson Posted September 2, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 2, 2018 Not having made notes, but having used the service from Ely to Birmingham in the eighties, I remember them as Mk Is. There were usually five or six of them hauled by a class 31 or a class 25 as I remember. Ian T Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott B Posted September 3, 2018 Share Posted September 3, 2018 Will keep this brief as I could go on for ages. Early 80s up to the 31/4's commencing Mk1s prevailed. Once the 31/4s began to work in around 1983 Mk2Zs were the norm although the was usually a Mk1 in the rake. Most types of Mk2 have seen use but you are safe with the current Mk2s produces by Farish although there is no BFK available, most rakes ran with a BSO & a declassified BFK. The BFK conversion is not difficult. The Cambridge-Bham rake and the Peterborough-Harwichs were generally load 4. There are plenty of pics out there if you search Flickr or the like. As mentioned 25s were occasional performers if short or following failures, although March tended to rip them off and replace with a 31. 45s and 47s were not uncommon replacements either. HTH Scott 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sf315 Posted September 4, 2018 Author Share Posted September 4, 2018 Scott Thanks for the information in the post above greatly received. It certainly gives some food for thought. At the moment I run a 37 or 31 on 4 mark 1 coach’s. But will look out for some Farish mk 2s Thanks Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sf315 Posted September 12, 2018 Author Share Posted September 12, 2018 Just a reminder that Farmers Drove will be appearing at the Redditch show this coming weekend for its last outing this year. thanks Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sf315 Posted September 16, 2018 Author Share Posted September 16, 2018 All went well yesterday with no major hiccups. Hopefully the same today. A pic taken yesterday afternoon with a 25 shunts vans while a 20 waits for the road to clear so it can continue on to Whitemoor. Thanks Steve 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Robert Shrives Posted September 16, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 16, 2018 Steve, Fine layout and inspired my friends yesterday and as ever everything ran well. Evocative of the area and my formative years ! I look forward to more shows with your layouts. Robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Storey Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 You have really captured the look and feel of a typical part of that area. I particularly like the ballasting, which shows how you have thought this through. Most excellent! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sf315 Posted May 11, 2019 Author Share Posted May 11, 2019 Hello all After a long time boxed up it’s time to get the layout ready for its first outing of the year at the East Anglian Model Railway Exhibition at the Arena in Kettering we’ll be running in the late 70s mode as not got all the stock sorted yet for moving the timeframe forward to the early to mid 80s. Other shows for the layout this year are Hazel Grove in October and in November at Spalding one I am really looking forward to as it’s right in the area the layout is set so should be interesting to see what the folks from the area reckon to it. Hopefully we’ll see some of you at the shows thanks Steve. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sf315 Posted May 25, 2019 Author Share Posted May 25, 2019 Hello all I have been giving the layout a test run and running the stock I intend to use at the St Neots MRC show at Kettering in a fortnights time. All seems to be running ok and I’ll have the plastic brummy helping me at Kettering. Looking forward to this show and I think it’ll be a great success. See you there Steve. 15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sf315 Posted June 7, 2019 Author Share Posted June 7, 2019 All set up in Kettering for the East Anglian Model Railway Exhibition Me and the plastic brummy hope to see some of you this weekend. thanks Steve. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windjabbers Posted June 23, 2019 Share Posted June 23, 2019 Good to see this layout at the show, thought you had caputured the 'fen' feel. Really enjoyed seeing lots of trains I recall seeing an travelling on! Best Wishes David 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sf315 Posted October 9, 2019 Author Share Posted October 9, 2019 Hello all Not much has been happening with the layout since June but it’s being readied for its last two outings for the year at Hazel Grove on the 26/27 October and then the following weekend at a show I was keen to exhibit the layout at Spalding as it’s where the layout is based to the south of Spalding out on the fens. To coincide with its appearance at Spalding the layout should be featured in Railway Modeler which comes out tomorrow. Thanks and hopefully see some of you at the shows. Steve. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sf315 Posted October 29, 2019 Author Share Posted October 29, 2019 After a good show last weekend at Hazel Grove the layout and has been titivated and the stock checked ready for its last outing of the year at Spalding. This will be a real tester for the layout as it’s on it’s home soil it’ll be interesting to see how it’s received. looking forward to the weekend hopefully see some of you there. Thanks Steve. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sf315 Posted January 27, 2020 Author Share Posted January 27, 2020 Readying the layout for its first show of the year at Stafford this weekend. Always a good show and half an hour down the road for me so local too. Other shows for Farmers Drove this year are Shenfield in September and Warley show at the NEC in November. Thanks Steve. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sf315 Posted February 2, 2020 Author Share Posted February 2, 2020 A shot across the yard from yesterday at Stafford. Really good day was had by us. Thanks to those who showed interest. Back again today 16 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartynA Posted December 12, 2021 Share Posted December 12, 2021 I saw this incredible railway at Stafford in 2020. I just keep getting drawn back to the pictures of it, even after a couple of years. For many reasons I personally I think this is the best ever layout. Thank you, Steve for the entertainment and inspiration. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sf315 Posted December 12, 2021 Author Share Posted December 12, 2021 5 hours ago, MartynA said: I saw this incredible railway at Stafford in 2020. I just keep getting drawn back to the pictures of it, even after a couple of years. For many reasons I personally I think this is the best ever layout. Thank you, Steve for the entertainment and inspiration. Thank you for the above comments Martyn most appreciated. The layout is stored and it’s next show should be Warley in 2022 if it goes ahead. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sf315 Posted May 4, 2022 Author Share Posted May 4, 2022 Well 2 years since the layout has seen the light of day but I’ve got it set up and running a few locomotives around. I’ve got two invites for the layout Warley in November and Glasgow next February. When I set it up on Monday I was surprised it all worked ok even the signals moved when the switch was flicked. I gave it a good clean and like I said running stuff around. 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Ben Posted May 4, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 4, 2022 Hi Steve Looking forward to seeing this at Warley! cheers Ben A. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sf315 Posted October 21, 2022 Author Share Posted October 21, 2022 Readying the layout for Warley show at the NEC. I gave my regional 142 a run around the layout and I don’t think it looks out of place. Not sure they ever run March Spalding sort of area when they were introduced. Plus running late 70s and they weren’t around then. I’ll just stick to my Cravens 105. Other odd items of stock should be finished for Warley. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive martin Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 Fantastic layout it really captures the character of the railways of the fens ,your locos and stock are spot on,i look forward to some updates when you use your mid 80s stock railfreight grey 31s blue cravens blue and grey 101s and the then 150 sprinter units will look well at home on your splendid layout,brings back some great memorys of the times i spent as a young man from 1984 to 1986 rideing behind class 31s on the Norwich Birminghams, i love the railways of the fens even today despite the fact that the loco hauled passenger trains have gone i still describe the trains and railways of this region as fenland magic! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sf315 Posted November 1, 2022 Author Share Posted November 1, 2022 Readying the layout for Warley show the trains I’ve decided to run are on the layout. The new items of stock are completed and on the layout. We’ll be running in it’s late 1970s guise as I’ve not quite got all the stock for a early to mid 80s era as yet. Looking forward to the show as I’ve always enjoyed Warley show either as an exhibitor or visitor. The next outing for the layout is next February when it’s north of the boarder for Modelrail Scotland in Glasgow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Woodcock Posted November 1, 2022 Share Posted November 1, 2022 Hello Sadly the layouts big brother Fenchurch St Peter has now been sold. Gone to a good home though. See you at Glasgow I hope Steve. Cheers George 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stivesnick Posted November 1, 2022 Share Posted November 1, 2022 On 21/10/2022 at 08:02, sf315 said: I gave my regional 142 a run around the layout and I don’t think it looks out of place. Not sure they ever run March Spalding sort of area when they were introduced. Hi Steve The pacers never ran in East Anglia, but the original prototype unit - LEV1 did run in the area especially on the East Suffolk Line. Regards Nick 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted November 2, 2022 Share Posted November 2, 2022 LEV1 at Ipswich 140 at Cambridge 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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