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great northern
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Having lived within sight of 17D/17C I just have to vote for the Ambergate - Manchester line. 
 

Regards Malc

oops, I suppose technically it should be Matlock- Chinley

Edited by malc60015
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Just to be different (I agree that the Midland mainline ran through a beautiful area) .... I’m going to vote for the North Staffs Railway “loop line” through the Potteries. It would have made a great urban link for the area.

 

Jon

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Another vote for Ambergate-Chinley from me, we spent a caravan holiday in Chinley when I was a nipper and have happy memories of the area.

 

A side vote for the N5 shot too, please, Gilbert :D  it makes I happy to see the old girl.

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6 minutes ago, great northern said:

Mons Meg now gets the signal to depart, and we watch the stock go by as it leaves. This takes a while.

 

 

1016440282_7rake1.JPG.325823075f5653156badd298da502834.JPG1183811559_8rake2.JPG.ec84a411bff4cc14d8752e94df747e24.JPG2037765346_9rake3.JPG.a9e49eca12ef139682becb4238406e2c.JPG1450864002_10rake4.JPG.2607b58f7f2f640acb0d54a9e7f2c65b.JPG1193025960_11rake5.JPG.98ee1b4800159a146c8992b5567f1fd6.JPG2146760533_12arake6.JPG.4a2c5c6b4a73e369cf5a4b5d092e462b.JPG606796716_14rake7.JPG.74cc99a348187b53b8a9ec78f893ae54.JPG

 

 

 

Great formation Gilbert. I don’t get to run that one as it was FO! Only one Mark 1 and I see you’ve managed to get Hunt couplings on nearly every coach - just one kadee interloper. That must have taken some doing.

 

Andy

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I really appreciate the coach-by-coach analysis. In a loco-centric hobby, these lovely models each deserve equal billing. We can't all afford bespoke models, nor have the skills to build - and above all paint - kits, but reminders of how good 4mm models can be are always welcome here. 

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Being a GN/GC supporter, I rather reluctantly have to agree Ambergate - Chinley.  I travelled this route several times in my teens and made numerous visits to the area by road.

 

Whilst I respect the views of those who have argued the case for HS2 on capacity grounds, I do wonder if it would be necessary had the routes of lines like this been retained, even if traffic at the time did not justify train services.

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41 minutes ago, thegreenhowards said:

Great formation Gilbert. I don’t get to run that one as it was FO! Only one Mark 1 and I see you’ve managed to get Hunt couplings on nearly every coach - just one kadee interloper. That must have taken some doing.

 

Andy

I'm well on with the Hunts now, but I'm waiting for these pivoting types, which I'm hoping may solve one or two niggling problems which still occur. Almost all tension locks have gone, but kadees occasionally cause some head scratching, as they did here. I've just looked through the rake again, and it occurred to me that the RTR stock in there really doesn't stick out as being much inferior to the expensive kit built stuff.

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In idle mode again, so I haven't bothered doing a full count, as Ambergate-Chinley won by a long way. Predictable, I suppose, but it really is a lovely section of railway. For any one who hasn't visited, it is well worth the trip. The ghosts of Miller's Dale are interesting though. I find there is a real atmosphere there, and I'm not usually sensitive to such things.

 

North Wales today please, as I don't feel like scratching my head over counties.

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16 hours ago, mullie said:

not a part of the country I know at all, perhaps I need to change that.

 

 

29 minutes ago, great northern said:

For any one who hasn't visited, it is well worth the trip. The ghosts of Miller's Dale are interesting though. I find there is a real atmosphere there, and I'm not usually sensitive to such things.

 

 

Absolutely. If I may crave your indulgence for one quick postscript, here are some pictures I should really have posted yesterday. From 2009, thus prior to the more recent improvements which have opened up the remaining tunnels for walkers and cyclists. There's a great triangular(-ish!) walk that can be accomplished from the A6 road (there's a pub we started and finished at - can't remember its name), walk down from there to Millers Dale...

 

MYDC1454.JPG.91a7e0a0de1253130342d21514ab5894.JPG

The remaining station building is now a visitor centre - I think you might be able to hire bikes from there these days?

 

MYDC1437.JPG.ea92be234aa46e5d678ebe9efed39e08.JPG

 

As I say, in 2009 the longer of the two Chee Tor tunnels hadn't yet been reopened, so it was the Chee Dale walk for us. Absolutely gorgeous and included this rather exciting trail of stepping stones, showing just how vertiginous the cliffs are around here. The railway is just around the corner ...

 

MYDC1438.JPG.cb5c27bfc7f07f164313d28a2208f024.JPG

 

Here! This is the bridge which separates the two tunnels at Chee Tor. In the day, you had a split second in which to take in the dramatic view down the dale.

 

 

MYDC1445.JPG.76350580058b72adce37b9de155018d9.JPG

Back on the trackbed, this is a view similar to that from the remarkable 1898 film I posted earlier, approaching Millers Dale junction.

 

MYDC1451.JPG.57529e2c2cfa582e5b797b6613b98603.JPG

After exploring the Midland workers cottages and the site of the country's smallest station (probably?) at Blackwell Mill (also seen in the 1898 film), there's a steep path out of the gorge, taking in this classic viewpoint showing the old line, together with the Buxton branch, nearer the camera.

 

MYDC1450.JPG.761d45a7d20f41b8c6d92bef82f5882e.JPG

 

Looking the other way, centre stage are said cottages and beyond the still extant railway curving in sharply from the left (the surviving link, keeping the A6 company down attractive Ashwood Dale to Buxton), with evidence of the giant Tunstead quarry workings that still keep the railway beyond here busy to this day.

 

Back to the A6 and said pub for a well-earned refreshment.

Edited by LNER4479
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5 minutes ago, LNER4479 said:

 

 

Absolutely. If I may crave your indulgence for one quick postscript, here are some pictures I should really have posted yesterday. From 2009, thus prior to the more recent improvements which have opened up the remaining tunnels for walkers and cyclists. There's a great triangular(-ish!) walk that can be accomplished from the A6 road (there's a pub we started and finished at - can't remember its name), walk down from there to Millers Dale...

 

MYDC1454.JPG.91a7e0a0de1253130342d21514ab5894.JPG

The remaining station building is now a visitor centre - I think you might be able to hire bikes from there these days?

 

MYDC1437.JPG.ea92be234aa46e5d678ebe9efed39e08.JPG

As I say, in 2009 the longer of the two Chee Tor tunnels hadn't yet been reopened, so it was the Chee Dale walk for us. Absolutely gorgeous and included this rather exciting trail of stepping stones, showing just how vertiginous the cliffs are around here.

 

MYDC1445.JPG.76350580058b72adce37b9de155018d9.JPGBack on the trackbed, this is a view similar to that from the remarkable 1898 film I posted earlier, approaching Millers Dale junction.

 

MYDC1451.JPG.57529e2c2cfa582e5b797b6613b98603.JPGAfter exploring the Midland workers cottages and the site of the country's smallest station (probably?) at Blackwell Mill (also seen in the 1898 film), there's a steep path out of the gorge, taking in this classic viewpoint showing the old line, together with the Buxton branch, nearer the camera.

 

MYDC1450.JPG.761d45a7d20f41b8c6d92bef82f5882e.JPG

Looking the other way, centre stage are said cottages and beyond the still extant railway curving in sharply from the left (the surviving link, keeping the A6 company down attractive Ashwood Dale to Buxton), with evidence of the giant Tunstead quarry workings that still keep the railway beyond here busy to this day.

 

Back to the A6 and said pub for a well-earned refreshment.

Lovely images to brighten up a dull day. Many thanks Graham. I haven't been since the reopenings, so I shall make a resolution to go as soon as the restrictions are lifted.

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30 minutes ago, great northern said:

In idle mode again, so I haven't bothered doing a full count, as Ambergate-Chinley won by a long way. Predictable, I suppose, but it really is a lovely section of railway. For any one who hasn't visited, it is well worth the trip. The ghosts of Miller's Dale are interesting though. I find there is a real atmosphere there, and I'm not usually sensitive to such things.

 

North Wales today please, as I don't feel like scratching my head over counties.

I'll kick this one off with Ruabon to Barmouth Junction.

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And so now to North Wales.

 

For me, an obvious one, which is crying out to be re-opened now, is the relatively short stretch from Bangor to Caernarvon.

 

Again, how can a town like Caernarvon NOT have a railway link? More importantly, with the Welsh Highland Railway now re-opened, it would complete a perfect 100% railway circumnavigation of Snowdonia (Llan Junc - Caernarvon - Portmadog - Blaneau Festiniog - Llan Junc)

 

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1 hour ago, great northern said:

I'm well on with the Hunts now, but I'm waiting for these pivoting types, which I'm hoping may solve one or two niggling problems which still occur. Almost all tension locks have gone, but kadees occasionally cause some head scratching, as they did here. I've just looked through the rake again, and it occurred to me that the RTR stock in there really doesn't stick out as being much inferior to the expensive kit built stuff.

I’ll probably ruffle a few feathers here, but I’d say the RTR stuff is generally better than expensive kit built items, particularly the recent Bachmann Thompsons. As far as I can see kit building is now to fill the holes not covered by RTR, not to improve on it.

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The original closure plan involving Caernarfon was for the whole stretch from Bangor to Afon Wen.  I found an interesting Parliamentary Q & A on the closure:

 

https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1964/jun/02/railways-bangor-afon-wen-line

 

The Minister's decision on this occasion was the compromise closure of Caernarfon - Afon Wen but the section to Bangor did not last much longer.  

 

My scout group travelled from Euston to Pen-y-Groes on The Welshman in 1963 and 1964 for summer camps and it was a very useful service.  Maybe the passenger numbers could have supported a railcar/basic railway approach, but it was then a different age and political climate and the outcome for both sections was inevitable.  Times change, however, and I think the argument for re-opening of the line from Bangor to Caernarfon is a strong one and is boosted by the re-opening of the Welsh Highland, a pipe dream in the 1960's.

 

I'm not totally convinced that the original closure decisions were wrong, but for the puposes of the poll, my vote goes to Bangor - Afon Wen. 

 

 

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1 hour ago, thegreenhowards said:

I’ll probably ruffle a few feathers here, but I’d say the RTR stuff is generally better than expensive kit built items, particularly the recent Bachmann Thompsons. As far as I can see kit building is now to fill the holes not covered by RTR, not to improve on it.

I agree.
The LMS coaches of Hornby and Bachmann being a case in point.
The 'new' Bullieds from both of these manufacturers as well.
Antbody want two Tony Hammond Bullied 59ft coach sides. Compo and Brake?

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A difficult choice, between Bangor - Afon Wen and Rhuabon - Barmouth, which are both gapping holes in the Welsh Railway system.

 

On reflection my vote goes to Rhuabon - Barmouth. I'm now hoping that the Llangollen Line can get their funding problems sorted out so they can carry on running trains over the remaining standard gauge part of the route.

 

Regards

Chris H

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6 hours ago, thegreenhowards said:

I’ll probably ruffle a few feathers here, but I’d say the RTR stuff is generally better than expensive kit built items, particularly the recent Bachmann Thompsons. As far as I can see kit building is now to fill the holes not covered by RTR, not to improve on it.

I tend to agree now my friend. Shows the progress that has been made with stock. However, with the amount of expertise there is around the MR society I so wish that things like the Gresleys would be actually introduced up to standard. How they can get such superb NG stock and yet the mainline stock is so out of shape is a mystery. Having said that, Hornby Coaches have been fantastic since the intro if the Maunsells and still at a reasonable price really.  Considering a 'layout coach' costs around £50 for the kit then you need the Paint and decals + bits and then the time to build it (if you can). With a decent kit build fully finished costing a good £400 then the RTR jibs are great vale these days. As for loco's....don't get me started even though the self builds are quite satisfying to see working if you have the skills to actually complete one to a high standard.

Philth

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7 minutes ago, Mallard60022 said:

I tend to agree now my friend. Shows the progress that has been made with stock. However, with the amount of expertise there is around the MR society I so wish that things like the Gresleys would be actually introduced up to standard. How they can get such superb NG stock and yet the mainline stock is so out of shape is a mystery. Having said that, Hornby Coaches have been fantastic since the intro if the Maunsells and still at a reasonable price really.  Considering a 'layout coach' costs around £50 for the kit then you need the Paint and decals + bits and then the time to build it (if you can). With a decent kit build fully finished costing a good £400 then the RTR jibs are great vale these days. As for loco's....don't get me started even though the self builds are quite satisfying to see working if you have the skills to actually complete one to a high standard.

Philth

Phil,

 

Hornby have introduced a decent gangwayed Gresley. The BG is, as far as I’m concerned, very good - certainly better than any kit built Gresley that I could produce. They have corrected the tumblehome and beading issues which are the main complaints.
 

As I’ve said many times (and been shot down for it), I don’t expect them to revisit the diagrams they’ve already produced - the market would be pretty small as most punters probably don’t care too much about the issues with the current coaches. I do wish they’d introduce a greater range of diagrams. An RF/ SO pair, a BSK, a D.186 TSO and some EV diagrams would be fantastic!

 

Perhaps if Hattons were to announce it that would spur Hornby into action?!
 

Andy

 

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