The Night Mail

[Happy Hippo]

This afternoon's tasking consisted of lots of lawn mowing including the shared frontage to the various properties.  I also did some tidying up of various stumps and bushes to remove suckers and the occasional twig that had put on a growth spurt.

 

The work was interrupted by a discussion with the local pest controller/gamekeeper  about the decline in habitat for birds and wee beasties as more building work in the lane is authorised. We also had a chat about the best place to site some new nest boxes I'm making.

 

The mowing included the bottom of the muddy hollow, which has dried out, although within an hour or so of doing the mowing, the skied opened for a short but torrential rain storm.

 

This has left enough water in the bottom of the hollow for the plastic duck to go for a sail around.

 

Railway plotting consisted of revisiting the Torri Gwynt track plan, although as it stands, the combined lengths of the fiddle boards are longer than the scenic section!

[Tony_S]

I had to deal with a mysterious fault that appeared on my layout. Everything was fine before dinner but when I returned afterwards and switched back on all the dcc handsets were in Stop mode . It wasn’t any stock as it still shorted when all was removed. An isolation gap had moved enough to not be isolating .

Here is a green loco as promised. I think the coaches should be maroon with that green but I was too tired to change them. 

Edited August 4, 2021 by Tony_S

[Florence Locomotive Works]

Right, well I think I’ve got a plan.

 

I am at the moment heavily considering modeling the Union Pacific in the 50s in either Spokane or Tulsa, in N scale. This decision was motivated by the exceptional value for money that can be had from a Kato UP FEF-3 4-8-4, (not helped by at @jamie92208’s thread though, highly recommended). 
 

Tulsa would be the easiest of the two, as I can easily access all the relevant sites. Spokane would be more interesting but was an extremely complicated bit of railroad, crossing back and forth across the river’s gorge, with the station on one bank and the shops on the other.

Here’s an article with a before and after shot of the former line, where I took the photos of the hydroelectric plant were where the railroad bridge crossed the river, something I never even knew existed.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/apr/06/then-and-now-union-pacific-rail-yard/%3famp-content=amp

 

 

Any opinions welcomed.

 

 

Douglas

[polybear]

7 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

The work was interrupted by a discussion with the local pest controller/gamekeeper  about the decline in habitat for birds and wee beasties.....

 

 

Wouldn't a Hippo be a little out of his league?

[Happy Hippo]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Wouldn't a Hippo be a little out of his league?

Probably, but he can dream.

 

Trying to hang my head as a trophy would probably bring the shed down.

[Dave Hunt]

10 hours ago, Tony_S said:

 

Here is a green loco as promised. I think the coaches should be maroon with that green but I was too tired to change them. 

 

A green locomotive with a good pedigree though. I can recommend a couple of good books about the Twins....

 

Dave

[Happy Hippo]

58 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

 I can recommend a couple of good books about the Twins....

 

Dave

Ron and Reg Kray?

 

I prefer the Piranha Brothers:

 

 

[J. S. Bach]

1 hour ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

A green locomotive with a good pedigree though. I can recommend a couple of good books about the Twins....

 

Dave

                                                                                                                                                                       

Hey! My NH EP-3 (shown above) is green! Doesn't that help in the beauty department?

[Happy Hippo]

42 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

                                                                                                                                                                       

Hey! My NH EP-3 (shown above) is green! Doesn't that help in the beauty department?

When one looks at all the fancy liveries around and the attendant problems of painting them, especially the masking, you can understand why my own preference for steam locos is unlined black.

[Tony_S]

15 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

When one looks at all the fancy liveries around and the attendant problems of painting them, especially the masking, you can understand why my own preference for steam locos is unlined black.

I can just about manage unlined green too.

[Northroader]

12 hours ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

Right, well I think I’ve got a plan.

 

I am at the moment heavily considering modeling the Union Pacific in the 50s, in N scale. 

 

 

Douglas

 

Yeeaaahhh!!!!! Just be very careful to get your track dead level and no kinks, and don’t have any tight radius curves.

[SM42]

Today task is was to eradicate a strange greasy spot that had appeared on the wall.

Correct shade of leftover paint found. Spot sanded back and paint applied. 

It has changed colour in the tin. Oh flip

Anyway onto wielding the vacuum about whilst Mrs SM42 is out gallivanting with her parents. 

If I can get this done quick enough, there is a chance to pop out to see some trains later before she gets back

 

Can't promise but may be some pics too

 

Andy

 

 

Edited August 5, 2021 by SM42

[dick rowland]

4 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Ron and Reg Kray?

 

I prefer the Piranha Brothers:

 

 

 

Not the original sketch, I think.

[SM42]

As promised a couple of train pics from my afternoon trip to the local station. 

Only stayed an hour so not much seen and as you can see I'm not in England any more. 

 

ED78 002, calls at Poznan Wola with a service from Swinoujiscie to Poznan Glowny 

 

EN57 2205 calls with a service from Poznan Glowny to Krzyz.

 

That was all the action 

 

The heavens have now opened and Mrs SM42 is less than two hours away. 

 

Must get on with things

 

 

Andy

[PhilJ W]

Good news for @jamie92208 no need to quarantine if you arrive in the UK from France after 4 am Sunday the 8th.

[Oldddudders]

2 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Good news for @jamie92208 no need to quarantine if you arrive in the UK from France after 4 am Sunday the 8th.

It would be, but he travelled from Caen last night.......

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Good news for @jamie92208 no need to quarantine if you arrive in the UK from France after 4 am Sunday the 8th.

Yes we arrived in the 2nd best county in the UK about 1.30 pm. We met Olddudders at Le  Mans en route.  We are now in Quarantine for allegedly 5 days subject to tests on Saturday, Tuesday and possibly  next Friday.  Until the Clowns get their act together and actually publish the detailed regs we have no idea whether we get early release or if we can get any of our money back.  The devil is always in the detail.  Meanwhile there are at least 3 doors to trim and one to reverse plus other DIY jobs, what else does a daughter have a father for.  Anyway Emily is charming us all and Papa has already become Grandpa.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

Edited August 5, 2021 by jamie92208

[SM42]

It is a mess isn't it?

 

Getting here was easy.  One form and one piece of paper from the NHS. 

Everything was booked last minute and much checking an rechecking of rules  done

 

Getting back is more complex. Tests, more tests, forms and that NHS piece of paper. And that's just to get on the plane

 

Considering we didn't think we would get to see the family this year, I consider us to be very lucky to have the chance. 

 

I know many others are not so. 

 

 

Andy

[Tony_S]

I didn’t do much this morning and planned to do some sorting out of coaches into rakes. However while driving some trains round to an easy part of the layout to remove coaches I noticed a dead spot on a point. A very small loco (very small green diesel) just stopped. The live frog was dead. The wiring was ok so it was  a faulty switch. I removed everything, replaced everything, and it worked. As it was a non-scenic part of the layout removing the point was not difficult and I could do the soldering sitting down at the kitchen table. So another day has been hobby related problem solving. Frustrating, but I suppose good for keeping my brain active.

Tony

[simontaylor484]

3 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Yes we arrived in the 2nd best county in the UK about 1.30 pm. We met Olddudders at Le  Mans en route.  We are now in Quarantine for allegedly 5 days subject to tests on Saturday, Tuesday and possibly  next Friday.  Until the Clowns get their act together and actually publish the detailed regs we have no idea whether we get early release or if we can get any of our money back.  The devil is always in the detail.  Meanwhile there are at least 3 doors to trim and one to reverse plus other DIY jobs, what else does a daughter have a father for.  Anyway Emily is charming us all and Papa has already become Grandpa.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

You will probably be sharing the rain we are Having then.ig it keeps up like this the road between Castleford and Allerton Bywater will be flooded

[Dave Hunt]

13 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

                                                                                                                                                                       

Hey! My NH EP-3 (shown above) is green! Doesn't that help in the beauty department?

 

I think that it was one of your US politicians who said that you can put lipstick on a pig but it will still be a pig 

 

Dave

[Dave Hunt]

5 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Yes we arrived in the 2nd best county in the UK about 1.30 pm. We met Olddudders at Le  Mans en route.  We are now in Quarantine for allegedly 5 days subject to tests on Saturday, Tuesday and possibly  next Friday.  Until the Clowns get their act together and actually publish the detailed regs we have no idea whether we get early release......

 

Never mind Jamie, if you come to visit North Hipposhire, HH and I will ensure that the border patrols are sent south that day.

 

Dave

[J. S. Bach]

If I were ever to visit N. Hipposhire, I would be very sure to bring the EP-3!

[Florence Locomotive Works]

1 hour ago, J. S. Bach said:

If I were ever to visit N. Hipposhire, I would be very sure to bring the EP-3!

You may have to build crate first…

[Happy Hippo]

3 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

If I were ever to visit N. Hipposhire, I would be very sure to bring the EP-3!

A large cake and some falling over water might be easier on your baggage allowance.