Castle Aching

[Compound2632]

With some magenta, yes. The Manchester and Milford Railway had three 2301 class locos on loan from the GWR from 1906 until takeover. There is a degree of precedent there.

 

They are unlikely to be in the condition represented by any version of the Oxford model.

 

Some would say this applies to any class member at any time...

[Annie]

Because it is now the Empire Banqueting & Conference Hall: https://www.the-empire.co.uk/.

 

Available for weddings, perhaps it represents an irony of a secular society; marrying in a redundant church.

 

We have lost so much of our architectural heritage and even though "re-purposing" is a ghastly word invented by 12-year olds, I am just glad that the building is still with us. 

Even though I am a Franciscan I shed a tear for such a fate to befall such a fine church and another tear for the rampant onward march of secularism. 

[Edwardian]

 

But how could you possibly omit:

 

5’2½”       8'0" + 8'6"            MR Kirtley Goods (several classes, principally 480 and 700) - 806 built

4’10½”     8'0" + 8'6"            MR Johnson Mineral (1142 and 1698 Classes) - 180 built

5’2½”       8'0" + 8'6"            MR Johnson Standard Goods (1357, Neilson, J and M Classes) - 711 built, including those for the S&DJR and M&GNJR.

 

 

 

Simply due to the Midland-shaped hole in my library!

 

Not a state of affairs I am happy about.

 

 

There are some rather nice engines in that list, including a number of quite numerous classes - one, of course, the most numerous of all British classes. But how could you possibly omit:

 

5’2½”       8'0" + 8'6"            MR Kirtley Goods (several classes, principally 480 and 700) - 806 built

4’10½”     8'0" + 8'6"            MR Johnson Mineral (1142 and 1698 Classes) - 180 built

5’2½”       8'0" + 8'6"            MR Johnson Standard Goods (1357, Neilson, J and M Classes) - 711 built, including those for the S&DJR and M&GNJR.

 

A SER Class O in original condition would be a rather nice thing too. The SER in the late 1890s would be simplicity to model - over three-quarters of the locomotive stock consisted of just three classes, the Class O 0-6-0 (122 engines), Class F 4-4-0 (88 engines), and Class Q 0-4-4T (118 engines).

Edited January 11, 2019 by Edwardian

[sem34090]

Even though I am a Franciscan I shed a tear for such a fate to befall such a fine church and another tear for the rampant onward march of secularism. 

I may not be a believer myself these days, but I agree with regards the church. Although I don't believe myself, I do believe that churches are special places that should only really be used for their intended purpose and/or as simply a quiet, safe, respectful and respected place for those who need that. I have this (Possibly strange?) idea that even if one doesn't believe in the church and its teachings churches can still provide that safe, quiet, space when it's needed as at the end of the day although one may not believe in the church the church almost certainly believes in you, ostensibly.

 

Unfortunately I fell out of love with the church because certain official views go against that as far as I'm concerned. You can't claim to believe in someone if you won't accept them for who they are. Or rather you can but it doesn't sit right with me. There were other reasons too, but I don't want to turn this into a religious debate. I suppose to sum up I'll say that although I'm currently secular I do believe that the church is to be respected (as are people's beliefs) but that unfortunately at the moment I feel unable to be a part of it.

Edited January 11, 2019 by sem34090

[Compound2632]

I may not be a believer myself these days, but Ii agree with regards the church. Although I don't believe myself, I do believe that churches are special places that should only really be used for their intended purpose and/or as simply a quiet, safe, respectful and respected place for those who need that. I have this (Possibly strange?) idea that even if one doesn't believe in the church and its teachings churches can still provide that safe, quiet, space when it's needed as at the end of the day although one may not believe in the church the church almost certainly believes in you, ostensibly.

 

Unfortunately I fell out of love with the church because certain official views go against that as far as I'm concerned. You can't claim to believe in someone if you won't accept them for who they are. Or rather you can but it doesn't sit right with me. There were other reasons too, but I don't want to turn this into a religious debate. I suppose to some up I'll say that although I'm currently secular I do believe that the church is to be respected (as are people's beliefs) but that unfortunately at the moment I feel unable to be a part of it.

 

Lord Melbourne was once told by a lady that he was a pillar of the church. "Not a pillar, madam, a buttress: I support it from the outside."

 

Apologies if I've quoted that before on this thread - I've a strong suspicion I have.

[Annie]

Not wishing to open a religious debate, but I do agree about the provision of 'a safe quiet place' set apart.  I'm no longer active in anything to do with the church due to illness, but our local parish church has alway been open to anyone of any faith who needs a quiet safe place set aside from the world.  Being a small country town that's home to folk from many faiths we often would have visitors who finding themselves temporarily remote from mosque or temple & etc would come to mass simply because it was a holy space where they could pray and be still with their thoughts.

 

And I've said enough.  I much prefer to follow St. Francis's teaching to, - 'Always preach the Gospel and if only necessary use your voice'.

[Regularity]

Lord Melbourne was once told by a lady that he was a pillar of the church. "Not a pillar, madam, a buttress: I support it from the outside."

 

Apologies if I've quoted that before on this thread - I've a strong suspicion I have.

Doesn’t matter. If you have said it before, it is worth repeating.

If you haven’t said it before, it will be worth repeating.

[Northroader]

Doesn’t matter. If you have said it before, it is worth repeating.

If you haven’t said it before, it will be worth repeating.

 

You have to show him something painted red before he shuts up.

 

[runs as required]

The plastic in which these are molded is much pleasanter to work than the rather brittle material used in the original Triang carriages.

 

Is the brittleness due to using more plaster/filler in the plastic mix to make it go further in Triang days?

Anyone remember that in wartime we found painted cast plaster-of-Paris models (with crude metal wheels) in our Christmas stockings.

My A4, (approx N gauge, no tender) edges well chipped away, stayed around in my bedroom drawers at home for a good many years. 

dh

[Annie]

And to bring things down to earth again............

 

[Martin S-C]

Or to take them up to Mars maybe?

[Nearholmer]

Hopping back a posting or three, and speaking as someone who has never had the slightest amount of faith, and doesn't expect to ever have any, I too think that there is something very special about churches, and other places of worship come to that, which ought to be conserved. Still, indoor spaces, where one is not required to be "doing something particular", but can simply be with ones thoughts/god, are incredibly rare, and incredibly valuable. 

 

My three pen'orth on why human beings respond so well to churches is that they are so similar to, modelled on in many cases, natural open spaces between tall trees, and us hairless monkeys are at mental ease among trees. Its almost that in decent weather and out in the country one doesn't need a church, natural churches abound, but that in foul weather, and in all weathers in cities, one needs 'built groves' for the good of the psyche/soul.

 

There's something powerful about walking barefoot too, which I think is maybe why some faiths remove shoes on entry to the worship-space.

[Martin S-C]

 

Rather grander than the Great Western version, which I don't think included a dining carriage!

I wonder what was on the menu.

[runs as required]

And to bring things down to earth again............

 

 

Looks like twenty minutes out of Harwich (Parkeston Quay) she is just experiencing the beginnings of a rough crossing to....?

('We didn't mean to go to sea')

[drmditch]

With some magenta, yes.

 

 

Hopping back a posting or three, and speaking as someone who has never had the slightest amount of faith, and doesn't expect to ever have any, I too think that there is something very special about churches, and other places of worship come to that, which ought to be conserved. Still, indoor spaces, where one is not required to be "doing something particular", but can simply be with ones thoughts/god, are incredibly rare, and incredibly valuable. 

 

My three pen'orth on why human beings respond so well to churches is that they are so similar to, modelled on in many cases, natural open spaces between tall trees, and us hairless monkeys are at mental ease among trees. Its almost that in decent weather and out in the country one doesn't need a church, natural churches abound, but that in foul weather, and in all weathers in cities, one needs 'built groves' for the good of the psyche/soul.

 

There's something powerful about walking barefoot too, which I think is maybe why some faiths remove shoes on entry to the worship-space.

 

Hairless Monkeys ? I would have you know that we an Ape. The eighth Great Ape in fact, and, in terms of population numbers, by far the most successful. This has been and is being extremely bad news for the other Great Apes.

 

As for being hairless - we all have the five million or so hair follicles that we were born with. It's just that most of them only grow fine vellus hairs. As part of that development we also have sweat glands over most of our skin.

 

So there we are. A large animal defined by a big head (for the 'big' ideas), a big bottom (for standing upright), and the requirement for frequent washing to avoid smelling of stale sweat. And some people regard us as 'Lords of Creation'!

 

Also, when we lost our furry/hairy coat we also lost most (but not all) of our external parasite load, and with that the requirement for 'social grooming'. Had we retained that it would make large crowds and assemblies (railway exhibitions/parliamentary debates????) very interesting.

 

Of course, the big brain (easily bored) opposable thumbs (good for holding small parts) fine motor control (needed for locating and fastening small parts) and language ( for swearing having dropped said small parts) mean that we have evolved into (almost) ideal railway modellers!

 

The marvels of life. East African savannah to my railway room in, what, two million years. Puts my current slow progress into perspective!

 

 

(With apologies to Prof. Alice Roberts and others. If anyone didn't see the RI Christmas Lectures they are  still available on BBC iPlayer.) 

[Hroth]

Hairless Monkeys ? I would have you know that we an Ape. The eighth Great Ape in fact, and, in terms of population numbers, by far the most successful. This has been and is being extremely bad news for the other Great Apes.

 

As for being hairless - we all have the five million or so hair follicles that we were born with. It's just that most of them only grow fine vellus hairs. As part of that development we also have sweat glands over most of our skin.

 

So there we are. A large animal defined by a big head (for the 'big' ideas), a big bottom (for standing upright), and the requirement for frequent washing to avoid smelling of stale sweat. And some people regard us as 'Lords of Creation'!

 

Also, when we lost our furry/hairy coat we also lost most (but not all) of our external parasite load, and with that the requirement for 'social grooming'. Had we retained that it would make large crowds and assemblies (railway exhibitions/parliamentary debates????) very interesting.

 

Of course, the big brain (easily bored) opposable thumbs (good for holding small parts) fine motor control (needed for locating and fastening small parts) and language ( for swearing having dropped said small parts) mean that we have evolved into (almost) ideal railway modellers!

 

The marvels of life. East African savannah to my railway room in, what, two million years. Puts my current slow progress into perspective!

 

 

(With apologies to Prof. Alice Roberts and others. If anyone didn't see the RI Christmas Lectures they are  still available on BBC iPlayer.) 

 

Most interesting, and a couple of ideas popped unwillingly into my mind:

 

1. The Prime Minister leaping over the dispatch box during PMQs to comb through the Leader of the Oppositions beard in search of juicy ticks
2. Rather less odiferous crowds around popular layouts and trade stands. (Though many of the most extreme offenders do seem to be trying to regain that shaggy, hairy look...

Two million years from Savannah* to a shed with idealised models of the world to create, Railway Modellers are truely the most advanced beings on the planet!

 

* Or seashore for those who uphold the shellfish/aquatic environment route to losing body hair and gaining a huge brain....

[drmditch]

Most interesting, and a couple of ideas popped unwillingly into my mind:

 

1. The Prime Minister leaping over the dispatch box during PMQs to comb through the Leader of the Oppositions beard in search of juicy ticks
2. Rather less odiferous crowds around popular layouts and trade stands. (Though many of the most extreme offenders do seem to be trying to regain that shaggy, hairy look...

Two million years from Savannah* to a shed with idealised models of the world to create, Railway Modellers are truely the most advanced beings on the planet!

 

* Or seashore for those who uphold the shellfish/aquatic environment route to losing body hair and gaining a huge brain....

 

Not to mention the layer of subcutaneous fat!

[Jim15B]

2 million years - the blink of an eye where any of my projects are concerned, or so it seems.

[Edwardian]

Hairless Monkeys ? I would have you know that we an Ape. The eighth Great Ape in fact, and, in terms of population numbers, by far the most successful. This has been and is being extremely bad news for the other Great Apes.

 

As for being hairless - we all have the five million or so hair follicles that we were born with. It's just that most of them only grow fine vellus hairs. As part of that development we also have sweat glands over most of our skin.

 

So there we are. A large animal defined by a big head (for the 'big' ideas), a big bottom (for standing upright), and the requirement for frequent washing to avoid smelling of stale sweat. And some people regard us as 'Lords of Creation'!

 

Also, when we lost our furry/hairy coat we also lost most (but not all) of our external parasite load, and with that the requirement for 'social grooming'. Had we retained that it would make large crowds and assemblies (railway exhibitions/parliamentary debates????) very interesting.

 

Of course, the big brain (easily bored) opposable thumbs (good for holding small parts) fine motor control (needed for locating and fastening small parts) and language ( for swearing having dropped said small parts) mean that we have evolved into (almost) ideal railway modellers!

 

The marvels of life. East African savannah to my railway room in, what, two million years. Puts my current slow progress into perspective!

 

 

(With apologies to Prof. Alice Roberts and others. If anyone didn't see the RI Christmas Lectures they are  still available on BBC iPlayer.) 

 

Some counter the innate and hubristic sense of human superiority by contemplating the Great Works or Destructive Power of Nature.  Others reflect upon the insignificance of our existence viewed against the Sweep of Geological Time or the Vast Infinity of the Cosmos.

 

Me, I just recall the fact that Donald Trump is President of the United States.

 

Evolution?

[Nearholmer]

DrMD

 

It’s a colloquialism.

 

And, the real problem, IMHO, is the brain. Cause of endless trouble.

 

K

[Edwardian]

.. the real problem, IMHO, is the brain. Cause of endless trouble.

 

 

 

Life can certainly seem simpler if you've dispensed with one ... 

[Martin S-C]

According to Prof Alice Roberts our large bottoms were developed for long distance running in pursuit of (probably) food. Which also tended to run.

[drmditch]

According to Prof Alice Roberts our large bottoms were developed for long distance running in pursuit of (probably) food. Which also tended to run.

And to get the best bargains before the're all gone?

[drmditch]

Re: Hornby 'Short' Clerestories.

 

They are useful material, and don't scrub up too badly!

 

[Compound2632]

Re: Hornby 'Short' Clerestories.

 

They are useful material, and don't scrub up too badly!

 

 

 

Thanks - that's a relief! There have been some nightmarish images posted on here lately. In fact I woke up in the early hours of this morning realising that I'd been dreaming about Terrier bunker variants - unfortunately (or otherwise) it was one of those dreams where you don't have any recall of the content, just know that that's what your dream was about. I got back to sleep by counting Johnson Standard Goods engines.

Edited January 12, 2019 by Compound2632