Midland Railway in EM gauge

[St Enodoc]

Derek, hope the joints give you a bit less pain...a squirt of WD40..

 

The freights could be going anywhere. Bradford, Ilkley, Leeds, Wakefield, York, or off to exotic places in North Eastern territory..

But passengers can wait while hard brass is earned.

 

Baz

You and MDE told me to use GT85 not WD40!

[St Enodoc]

I wish it were that simple Barry. As anyone with arthritic pain will know, the cartilage wears away in the joints and the pain comes with the bones rubbing together. I have often asked the consultant if he could just squirt some silicone sealer in there. The time will come when it will be as simple as that, but unfortunately not yet.

No one to blame but me, My knees have suffered a lifetime of abuse with me leaping around playing various sports, often quite badly.

Derek

I have every sympathy. Many years ago, when even Barry O was a young man, I injured my knee playing rugby. The first specialist told me I would have to give up the game, so I went to see a different one. He fixed it up to the extent that I played for another 20 years and have just retired after a further 20 years of refereeing.

[Alister_G]

I wish it were that simple Barry. As anyone with arthritic pain will know, the cartilage wears away in the joints and the pain comes with the bones rubbing together. I have often asked the consultant if he could just squirt some silicone sealer in there. The time will come when it will be as simple as that, but unfortunately not yet.

No one to blame but me, My knees have suffered a lifetime of abuse with me leaping around playing various sports, often quite badly.

Derek

 

 

Hi Derek,

 

Some more lovely photos mate, and Coachman is right, there's something about the colouring of your layout which lifts the whole thing, it just looks amazing.

 

Sorry to hear about your joints, hope you manage to get some relief.

 

You and MDE told me to use GT85 not WD40!

 

Indeed, I hear whisky is often recommended, it doesn't do much to lubricate the joints, but it dulls the pain marvelously

 

Al.

[coachmann]

One is allowed a few steroid injections Derek, but no doubt you have already had your quota. Nothing like as bad as many people, I got away with a minor operation that involved a few holes, camera, brush and shovel that cleared all the debris from behind the kneecap following a head-on RTA. Mary on the other hand had a new knee at Oswestry last year. Anyway, all your suffering hasn't stopped your very fine modelling. You were head & shoulders above the norm in the 1970's.

Edited August 27, 2016 by coachmann

[Mrkirtley800]

Yes Larry, I had an arthroscopy (the wash out) before my knee replacement. Unfortunately it wasn't successful. I think the damage to the cartilage was too far gone.

Hope Mary is going on OK. A lady living in our road had a knee replacement six weeks ago. She is amazing, walking the dog and driving easily. So although it is a drastic remedy, it works for many folks.

Derek

[Mrkirtley800]

I have every sympathy. Many years ago, when even Barry O was a young man, I injured my knee playing rugby. The first specialist told me I would have to give up the game, so I went to see a different one. He fixed it up to the extent that I played for another 20 years and have just retired after a further 20 years of refereeing.

It seems that your second consultant was pretty good. I played Badminton for about 25 years and at the same time 34 years of folk dancing, that's after I had stopped playing cricket and tennis. I should have stopped running around at the first twinge, but I ignored it and played on to my cost, but it was good fun at the time.

[Mrkirtley800]

Hi Derek,

 

Don and I were both telephone engineers once upon a time, although not on the Railway. I can't add much to what Don has already said, except to point out that in the time you are modelling each wire you see on a telephone pole was just that - a single conductor - so each circuit would use two separate wires.

 

If you consider that each signalling block would require a telephone circuit (2 wires) and a block bell (2 more wires) and two sets of block instruments (4 more wires) in between each signal box, and then probably telephone circuits between non-adjacent signal boxes (2 more wires) and to the Stations (2 more wires) you can see how this would soon add up to a quite considerable birds nest on each

 

Cheers,

 

Al

Thanks for that info Al. I have studied hundreds of old photos of railways and it always struck me how many wires there were, but I never enquirer as to why. Now, thanks to you and Don, I have a better understanding.

Derek

[Mrkirtley800]

There's an art in it

[Mrkirtley800]

Been absent for some time from this thread, although kept up with much of RMW. My arthritic joints have been misbehaving now for quite some time, which tends to dampen my enthusiasm. I have been doing a little running now and again, but Kirkby Malham has been pretty static most of the time.

Tomorrow morning I am going off to see the doctor for a steroid injection in my knee, so I am hoping that the constant pain will abate a little, although, I understand, it does take some time to work.

I have also been referred to the orthopaedic consultant at the James Cook Hospital in Middlesborough, but the waiting list there is quite long. So here's hoping for some results in due course.

Did some running during the week and attach a couple of pics of the 4-4-0 being turned. The Kirtley goods is waiting at the signal to allow it on to the main line.

You must be getting a bit bored with pics of my engines on the turn table, so my apologies.

I hope to start some scenic work around Hanlith Junction soon. I will have to take those sections down to work on. My eldest son is coming for the weekend next week so will get him to lift the boards down so I can work on them sitting at my bench.

Derek

Edited October 16, 2016 by Mrkirtley800

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

I have been doing a little running now and again, 

 

Well no wonder your knees hurt.  Can't beat a jolly good sit down I always say.

[Andrew P]

Good luck with the injection Derek, I had one in my Hip almost 2 years ago, and it's made a wonderful difference, the way I feel at the moment I don't even want the opp.

 

Your pics are really inspirational, I do hope you get more use out of the Layout fairly soon.

 

All the bets.

[Worsdell forever]

Good luck with the injection.

 

Nicola says those locos really ought to be green...

[Mrkirtley800]

Paul, since I am a gentleman, I will not reply to Nicola. But I do think you are misleading her. I will have to have a little word next time I see her.

Derek

[Barry O]

Derek, don't worry about Mr Gallooon .. he's just envious of engines in the proper colour....

 

and hope the injection goes well.

 

Baz

[Alister_G]

You must be getting a bit bored with pics of my engines on the turn table, so my apologies.

 

 

Err, Nope, Uh-Uh, no-how, no way.

 

You keep posting them mate, and we'll keep drooling over them.

 

All the best for today,

 

Al.

[Mrkirtley800]

Thanks for all your good wishes fellas. Turned out to be a bit of an anticlimax. The doc watched me walk down the corridor, then followed it with a full examination of my knobbly knees. He decided that an injection would not work since there was a lack of fluid in the joint for an injection, in his words, I wouldn't thank him for it.

So I am now waiting for an X-ray on my knees and hips, although it should not be very long. I have had so many X-rays over the last five years, it's a wonder I don't glow in the dark.

Following that, it's another wait to see the consultant. Over the years I have become quite good at waiting for people, but I think I am getting somewhere. At least he took his time with me and a ten minute consultation turned into more than half an hour.

Meanwhile back to Kirkby Malham.

Derek

[Mrkirtley800]

Thank you Simon. Yes I had a full replacement of my right knee nearly seven years ago. Unfortunately it became infected and for nearly a year and a half the consultant did nothing but have an occasional look. I sought a second opinion and there the new consultant was horrified. I spent the whole of the summer of 2011 in hospital while they tried to sort out the infection. Finally in 2012 after two more ops they did it.

All the while I put all my weight on the left knee which is now the one giving the trouble. The problem is the arthritis seems to have spread to my hips. So the sooner anyone can do something the better. The only thing stopping it is a faulty heart valve. I have, like a good proportion of the population, a heart murmur, and the anaesthetist does not like it one bit.

I am in a sort of loop trying to get out.

Derek

[Donw]

I gave you a like for the photos although I did feel you deserve sympathy for the knees. Treatment does vary a friend in Broadsands had seen a specialist and was due for an op but it ended up delayed for a year as the specialist was off sick. Meanwhile the infection worsened. The concept of back up cover seemed to be alien to the NHS. I do hope they can sort something out.

 

Don

[Edwardian]

Been absent for some time from this thread, although kept up with much of RMW. My arthritic joints have been misbehaving now for quite some time, which tends to dampen my enthusiasm. I have been doing a little running now and again, but Kirkby Malham has been pretty static most of the time.

Tomorrow morning I am going off to see the doctor for a steroid injection in my knee, so I am hoping that the constant pain will abate a little, although, I understand, it does take some time to work.

I have also been referred to the orthopaedic consultant at the James Cook Hospital in Middlesborough, but the waiting list there is quite long. So here's hoping for some results in due course.

Did some running during the week and attach a couple of pics of the 4-4-0 being turned. The Kirtley goods is waiting at the signal to allow it on to the main line.

You must be getting a bit bored with pics of my engines on the turn table, so my apologies.

I hope to start some scenic work around Hanlith Junction soon. I will have to take those sections down to work on. My eldest son is coming for the weekend next week so will get him to lift the boards down so I can work on them sitting at my bench.

Derek

 

Lovely shots - can't see myself getting bored of pictures of beautiful hand-built models of elegant prototypes on your stunning layout.  It's not as though you've shaken a box, posted a snap and now want a prize!  Quality viewing, your stuff.

 

May I add that I am sorry to hear of your ongoing and seemingly intractable health issues.  You have my very best wishes and hopes that you can get it sorted out before too long.   

[Mrkirtley800]

Thank you very much Edwardian. Strange, isn't it, here I am, classed by the population at large, an elderly man, yet, in my general health, I feel very well. It is in my lower joints where I feel a bit 'off it'.

A friend of many years, and physically very fit, has developed, over the last couple of years, very bad dementia. He is now confined to bed permanently and does not even recognise his wife of 54 years. An absolutely heartbraking situation.

So really, in a way, I am lucky. Just doesn't feel like it at times, especially when there is a good exhibition taking place within easy reach.

Derek

[Edwardian]

Thank you very much Edwardian. Strange, isn't it, here I am, classed by the population at large, an elderly man, yet, in my general health, I feel very well. It is in my lower joints where I feel a bit 'off it'.

A friend of many years, and physically very fit, has developed, over the last couple of years, very bad dementia. He is now confined to bed permanently and does not even recognise his wife of 54 years. An absolutely heartbraking situation.

So really, in a way, I am lucky. Just doesn't feel like it at times, especially when there is a good exhibition taking place within easy reach.

Derek

 

Derek, if you check your ratings, you will see a notification that I rated your above post as "Funny".  Needless to say this was a slip of the keys, for which I must apologise.  I meant to indicate my support.

[Mrkirtley800]

Don't worry about that Edwardian. I am so contented to be able to still do a bit of modelling that it takes a lot to upset me. The only time I really get roused is when I read in the newspapers of some of the things that low life get up to.

Derek

[Edwardian]

Don't worry about that Edwardian. I am so contented to be able to still do a bit of modelling that it takes a lot to upset me. The only time I really get roused is when I read in the newspapers of some of the things that low life get up to.

Derek

 

Well, it seems that you live in God's Own County, and the North Riding to boot, so that must count amongst Life's store of consolation too! 

[Mrkirtley800]

Certainly does, although I spent my early years in Leeds, and my first job in a place called Kirkstall Power Station, a pretty mucky environment.

[Mrkirtley800]

Simon, I knew Esholt sewage works quite well. After the power station and a spell in public analysts, I got a job with Yorkshire Water. I went to many meetings at Esholt over the years. I always thought it an attractive area, especially as after the meetings, I could call at the Frizinghall model shop on the way home.

Derek