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Just to add my thanks for the tour, very informative and useful.

 

Here's a pic of the one loco I particularly wanted to see:

 

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And just like celebrities from TV and film, in real life it looks smaller... :lol:

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Another "me too" post. Big thanks to Drew and all the team at Didcot. Me and my boys really enjoyed seeing behind the scenes. Thanks also to Mike for talking us through his former 'box.

 

Cheers

 

Sam

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Thanks Drew and Ally, Lee and Laura for an excellent and informative day.

 

I certainly learned a lot even if most of it was that I now have even more research to do.

 

When can we book for the next one?

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Another 'me too' thank you to Castle.  I had a great time and photographed loads of details that will, hopefully, help my future models to be slightly closer to reality! 

 

I enjoyed standing on the footplate of Iron Duke and fantasising about the sense of power those early drivers must have got, bracing themselves against the wind at 60 mph. 

 

I have always been puzzled by why these early engines had a lever from the safety valve housing into the cab.  What was it for?  At last, I understood when I realised there was no pressure gauge on the footplate.  The lever was a spring balance, calibrated in psi.  Perhaps every one else understood but, for me, it was a 'light bulb moment'.  That, alone, made the day for me :)

 

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Mike

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Thank you to Drew, Ally, Lee, Mike and Laura for a wonderful day. The visit was everything I could have asked for and much more informative than the visit would have been if it was a normal non rmweb tour day.

 

Also thank you to everyone else for putting up with me taking so many pictures.

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By coincidence I was at DIdcot today with my young son (who is still far too energetic for the tour).  But here is a snap I took during a sunny moment in the engine shed.  5051 to the left, 6697 to the right, 1466 right ahead.

 

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This is what I like about Didcot, ... a Sunday in 2017 looks the same as it would whilst in operation.

 

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Hi All,

 

Thanks again everyone - it's the members of the RMWEB community that make this such a fun thing for us to do. I hope that those that wanted to be there and couldn't make it this time can make it on the next one!

 

Also - big thanks to Mike for his special guest appearance as signaller supreme!

 

Any more good or amusing (!) photos?

 

All the best,

 

Castle

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Hi All,

 

Thanks again everyone - it's the members of the RMWEB community that make this such a fun thing for us to do. I hope that those that wanted to be there and couldn't make it this time can make it on the next one!

 

Also - big thanks to Mike for his special guest appearance as signaller supreme!

 

Any more good or amusing (!) photos?

 

All the best,

 

Castle

It will have to wait until we are back from the UK, but there will be a few to share for sure.

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This is what I like about Didcot, ... a Sunday in 2017 looks the same as it would whilst in operation.

 

To be fair to those who run Didcot, it is all a good bit cleaner than the sheds I remember from my youth (notably Reading and Camden) and that includes the locomotives!  We were there on Saturday and didn't get the benefit of the little rays of sunshine on 1466!  I hadn't been since the brief visit of Flying Scotsman back in 2005.  I hope to go a bit more often than that but I won't be risking the crowds on the upcoming visit of Scotsman:  they were bad enough last time!!!  Although it did sound as though excellent plans were in hand to manage that issue.

Edited by Froxfield2012
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<snip>

 

Any more good or amusing (!) photos?

 

 

Perhaps not overly amusing, but photo's none-the-less:

 

Engaged by Mike in this 'box

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Guard training (yes, daddy did have to buy two Guard badges from the shop on the way out ;-) )

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Amazed at how reflective the gloss brown paint was on a freshly restored carriage

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Finally - the simple pleasure of waving at a steam train passing by

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Thanks again to Castle and crew.

 

[edit for typo]

Edited by sdw7300
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I would like to join in with the thanks you's. It was a fabulous day held by Castle and team. I learnt so much and enjoyed everyone's company a perfect way to spend a Sunday. 

Anyone umming and arring about going, if you can do so. You will not regret spending the day at Didcot and whats more if you are able to join the next RMweb tour you will see and learn a lot more than if just visiting.

 

Thank you again for a great day.

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I would like to add my thanks to Drew, Ally, Lee, Mike and Laura for giving so much of their time yesterday and for making it such an excellent day at Didcot - also thanks to Mike Stationmaster for his excellent contribution. It really was a super day out and it was good to put some faces to familiar names from RMWeb. I was really impressed with the sheer size of the project that is Didcot and the work that is being done there. Despite the weather forecast we avoided any serious rain showers which was an extra bonus!

A few photos which might be of some use to someone.

 

all the very best 

Godfrey

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Edited by Godfrey Glyn
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Marvellous time at Didcot yesterday, very informative and big thanks to Didcot and Castle's excellent tour, his enthusiasm is infectious and really made the day. Anybody who may have lost their mojo should spend a few minutes with Castle!

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I suppose, given my avatar, I should start with a couple of crane piccies, first up is the hand crane

 

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Now the 50t Cowans breakdown crane

 

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The workshop was very dark, so lets try...........

 

The tubeless boiler is a bit blurred due to camera shake, but it is something I've never seen before........

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The fledgling Star under the fixed 50t crane in the original workshop

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Now for some very nice little engines in the shed:

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Bigger engines. First up a WW1 loco 

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Drysllwyn Castle

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Pendennis Castle just to show the difference between the two at the front end.

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I was quite taken by the smoke collectors and vents.

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And finally, friends and family were made very welcome.

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Edited to get the photos the right way round!

Edited by 96701
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Scotsman Scotsman who dares mentions THAT LNER engine thing on a GWR thread.   :punish:  :jester:

Perhaps, those of us who are wondering how much of the physical locomotive that was present in 2005 will still be on the locomotive that visits in 2017?!?!  In any event, I am guessing that Scotsman will bring in a lot of much needed revenue for Didcot and I am happy to see an unfortunate LNER loco supporting such a worthy cause :-) 

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Thank you Castle for organising the tour on Sunday.  I learnt a lot and particularly enjoyed visiting the signal box and the lifting shop.  Every item at Didcot has a story, but they can only be told by an expert guide.

 

Photographs may follow once the film is developed.  Did I see someone else using a film camera?

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