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Good evening everyone. I hope today finds you well. I offer good wishes and supportive thoughts to Laurence and his battle with the black dog. If you need a chat you know where I am, the kettle can be on in the shop on any day I am open. Some of you may, or may not have noticed that I have been away from these pages for quite sometime. I have not had much time for RMWeb recently due to a demanding schedule of marking. I need to do it however. Sadly the insurers have decided not to cover the fraud losses so I am now having to make up the losses through other earnings. The issue has left little time for much else and has brought about the reappearance of my own black dog. This weekend is a busy one, but I am aiming to visit the Derby Show on Sunday. If anyone is around please say hello. I am likely to have my dear daughter in tow and will probably be wearing my A2B Model Railways t-shirt. Due to my long absence I am out of touch with many happenings. I send generic good wishes to you all with particular thoughts to John and Sandy. I must catch up on the blog when I get chance. I noted Mal’s passing all those weeks ago and raised a glass at the time to the sad loss of another of our digital friends. Sadly, I read the news elsewhere of the passing of another RMWeb member, Paul Price, recently. He supported my Weston on Trent Show by exhibiting his excellent Foster Street layout a couple of times. Such sad news. Best wishes Andy

Morning all. Norman was up early this morning to catch the morning goods at Bleat Wharf. Here we see 47354 shuffling about the place in the hands of Sheep Lane regulars Driver Jack Hawkins and Fireman Donald Sinden. Once the wagons had been shunted, clearly it was time for a nice cup of tea and a bacon sandwich. All adjourned to the yard office where Foreman Harry 'H' Corbett was doing stove duties with his usual aplomb. Rob.

Today was our 45th anniversary. We celebrated by having coffee in the morning, she had massage therapy at noon, and we set up for the Opera Group's final party at 3. The party went well and we came in 3rd in the trivia contest (missed the country Parsifal is set in, and some famous person that I'd never heard of's name and something else.)

If I'd remembered to look in today's image folder before I started typing I could tell you where we are today. Perhaps I should now check before I just add the images. Having looked I can tell you that we are on the ECML, between Peterborough and Grantham once again. Lolham Class 47 up ex pass Feb 74 C1482 Essendine 254014 up Oct 79 J6654 Swayfield (near) Class 47 Kings X to Hull June 74 J3722.jpg Burton le Coggles 55017 Kings X to York Sept 81 J7576.jpg High Dyke Class 47 up Aug 74 J3997 David

Ey up! Sun shining. Cough abaiting! Good to hear from Andyram. Best wishes to all who ail for are missing from ERs. Have as good a day as you can Baz

Not been a good few days, the black dog is back with a vengeance. Night awl

You’ve not been to a hospital in Newcastle then.

Good morning all, John, if that is Leicester Tigers Rugby you're referring to their next home match is next Saturday however Leinster are showing as the home fixture v Saracens today but that match is in Newcastle. A grey start to the day with sunny spells, scattered showers and the possibility of hail and thunder all on the agenda. I will be "shedding" this morning and watching the aforementioned rugby match later this afternoon. Laurence and Andy, put those dogs in the kennel where they belong! Have a good one, Bob.

All this talk of rain - I've largely forgotten what it is. Normally Mother's Day (this Sunday in the US) falls on a damp and dreary day. Like many recent days, this one will be dry, sunny and hot. Our last precipitation (more than 0.01") was on April 19th. It feels like late July right now - presently 30°C, if my telephone is to be believed. My car was very hot at 1:00pm, having it parked in the morning sun. It may be delightful weather, but it feels wrong. I turned on the irrigation some days ago and this morning decided to set the thermostat to the cool cycle. Evenings are pleasant and opening windows at night has been sufficient to get to a comfortable enough ambient temperature for sleeping. I don't know if that can happen tonight without mechanical assistance. The AC runs on a profile (warmer during the day and cooler in the evening while I am home). I expect the AC will be running at times during the day. It may seem wasteful to cool the house when I am gone but I am convinced that keeping it a relatively stable temperature is more energy efficient than having the AC have to run flat out after I return home. The house is very well insulated and it takes a lot to shift the thermal mass - one of the challenges of reducing the temperature in the evenings even with a substantial temperature differential (inside to outside) and cross-ventilation. I wanted to install a whole house fan to exchange the air without using the energy required for a compressor, but the builder did not want to do that - he got credit for building "Energy Star" rated homes - that are basically airtight. He was very proud of his 'score' building my home.

All set up at Bloxwich and ready to play trains.

Mooring Awl, 3 hours sleep, short break, 3 hours sleep, I could have done with more, but Ben the border collie wanted out. It's overcast but dry out there.. Break fast will be taken shortly, then out to the tin shed, trailer hard top building time.

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2019/05/10/sandys-chemo-day-136-of-147/

Morning all, Tesco visit planned - so I'm told and as it's the Good Doctor's last day I'd best make sure we're there on time. Mind you the cockwombles that run the company can't even get the redundancy payments to folk on the day they leave, what a bunch of utter p*llocks, serves 'em right taht they're 'grand plan' is going to cost them a massive amount more this year than they'll save. A visit to the builder's merchant has also been mentioned - seems 'someone' has in mind doing soem painting. Fortunately it is not this 'someone'; but I might be asked to hold the steps steady when the ceiling is done (smallest room in the house job so not a really big deal). Have a good day one and all.

Time for the latest blockbuster, The Return of the Fish. See... well not much really, as it's all very dark. Marvel..... at the cr*p photoshopping. Enough. Instead let's look at the image a contortionist photographer on Crescent Bridge managed to take. That's very dark as well.

Morning awl, Off to Lord's for a "training day" then to the Albert Hall to scrape up what's left of the Proms tickets. Bill

Almost time to leave the efficient, cheap and clean public transport system in Hamburg and experience something much less so as we get home from Gatport Airwick, although the Thameslink service that got us to GWA was not bad even if the seating was somewhat uncomfortable. Must fly (groan admitted!).

Good morning! It was pleasant here early this morning. I went back to sleep and it is somewhat overcast now. Today I shall return to my garage tasks, after being interrupted by study painting duties. I will be making a start on returning all the model railway stock and scenic items from the bedroom they are lurking in at the moment. I will try and rationalise and hopefully reduce the number of boxes. Tony

The smallest room in this house is an awful place to paint. It looks so easy but is really awkward. It has gone back to magnolia now but previously Aditi had been looking at something in the weekend supplements and liked the look of a rag rolled finish. So a base coat of crushed strawberry colour paint was applied. This was so awkward and time consuming “we” never got round to adding the special effect top coat. I am sure I can still see a hint of radioactive strawberry through subsequent layers of magnolia. Tony

Pah! And I say again Pah! Just been reminded that we're going to a 21st birthday BBQ and party at 4.00 this afternoon. Rugby will have to be recorded.

Mange tout, CK Bleat and Sheep are in Somerset, Mutton/Lamb Regis in Devon. Duties for Bleat and Sheep Lane are covered from Highbridge. In the case of the Lamb Regis branch, it is covered from Ewemouth shed 72A with crews staying overnight in the goods shed at Lamb Regis. Both Bleat Wharf and Sheep Lane are close to Highbridge as per map below. Neither a crow nor Ivor can go quicker than Norman in Murray. The roads are quite twisty. No dirigibles have been deployed. Rob.

That sounds quite an impressive feat. I have driven from Bavaria to the Baltic in a day which no one in Germany seemed to think was a problem but I wouldn’t do it now. We have a trip to the Lake District planned just before Christmas to attend a wedding. The estimated travel time is just over 5 hours. Going by previous experience that is very optimistic. We are going up a couple of days early to avoid any anxiety. Last time we went to the Lake District, we arrived after a very long journey ( over 10 hours) and Robbie refused to get out of the car. We had stopped at services for him to have a walk but I think he thought the car was his new home. Tony

Quite a bit has been done, the wheels are now correct. I've started work on the grain roof sliding hatches, added the Vee hangers and have added the axle boxes and springs. I've treated myself to some etched brass ladders, wheels for the grain trapdoor mechanism and some white metal buffers. My advice to anyone contemplating doing these.....a limited number of up to max of about five would be enough for anyone to build, building a whole rake....well Bachmann are one of a few companies that make them. Thanks for looking Scott

Morning all from somewhere that's a bit bouncy and a few hundred miles from Vancouver B C. No chance of back reading so generic c'' and c's to all. Jamie

Sending from my ffoen at daughter's place a bit South of LA. It was raining in the desert on the way down. Hit LA at the rush hour, naturally. Had a bit of numbbum after the long drive but no probs otherwise. Enjoy your Saturday or what's left of it.

Afternoon All Chuckinitdarn here at the mo - 30747 wanted to groom Lily in the garden, but decided to tidy (for the umpteenth time) the small office room. Of course, I had to help. Been absent for a couple of days, Lawrence and Andy - hope the black dogs soon depart. Nice to see Pete popping in, even if only with a request for help. Generic greetings are, of course, on offer. Hopefully back tomorrow. Regards to All Stewart

Morning all from Estuary-Land. A quick hello as I'm off to visit two exhibitions today. A bridge isn't planned but I'm thinking of a quarry.

Thanks. And that's a super photo you've posted. It shows great modelling details like the missing roof slates and portable generator/compressor. Oddly enough I included a compressor on the gas holder site I built on a layout many years ago. The DED (distributing engineers department) used lots of them towed behind vans when digging up the roads. The model is a bit basic and impressionistic (I wouldn't be happy with it these days) but it served a purpose. It was built for my ‘Hedges Hill Cutting’ N/2mm layout, over 25 years ago, and made from Plastruct girders crossed braced with wire around a cut down Twiglets container. The top should be slightly domed although obviously it wasn't something I bothered with back then. Hopefully the next one will be much more accurate and closer to the prototype. G

As is proper for a young man's layout. Where does he stand on the subject of buses on bridges (or at the very least waving children)?

Deleted.. Some stuff from a post from ages ago.. That the editor didn't clear. Evening awl, just back from the MRC, Much landscaping Done, more to do. Some discussions on our club open day at Hoveton village hall, 26th May 10:30 - 15:30 http://broadlandmodelrailwayclub.co.uk/club-open-day/ Heard a few seconds ago Ben being let out, so hopefully I won't be getting up at 02:00. the paint for the trailer was obtained. B******y h*** hasn't paint gone up a lot recently £42 for 2.5 litre!!! I'm dreading what marine paint will cost later this year.. time for some liquid anaesthetic from the Orkneys.. good night Awl..

Shall we have a break from fish? There is some more, but I'll intersperse it with something different. The Up Sunderland is due, and as usual brings the only Heaton engine to get this far South on a regular basis. My memory tells me that Heaton booked a regular engine to this train, so here is Book Law once again.

MINERVA MODEL RAILWAYS ANNOUNCES THE BRITISH RAILWAYS CLASS 14 0-6-0 DIESEL HYDRAULIC LOCOMOTIVE IN 7MM ‘O’ GAUGE (1:43.5) FOR 32MM STANDARD GAUGE Minerva Model Railways, the independent company formed by Chris Basten and Chris Klein, announce the production of a finescale, injection-moulded 0 gauge model of the British Railways (BR) Class 14 0-6-0 diesel hydraulic locomotive in 7mm scale (1:43.5, for 32mm standard gauge). It is Minerva’s first venture into mainline diesel traction and delivery is expected by Spring 2020. The Class 14s were ordered in 1963 and designed for trip working movements between local yards and short-distance freight trains. Fifty-six members of the class numbered D 9550-D9555 were built at BR’s Swindon Works with the first delivered in 1964. The anticipated work on BR quickly dried up and from 1968 the locomotives, some after a brief sojourn at Hull Dairycoates in 1967-68, were either sold to industrial operators including the National Coal Board and the British Steel Corporation or scrapped. Nicknamed “Teddy Bears”, 19 of the locomotives survive in preservation around the UK. Photo ©Chris Klein The Class 14 will be built to the same general specification as Minerva’s GWR 57XX/8750 0-6-0PT, Kerr Stuart Victory 0-6-0T, Manning Wardle K 0-6-0ST and Peckett 0-4-0ST locomotives. Technical Specification • An injection-moulded body • Over 200 individual components • Die cast metal chassis • Fine scale wheels • Six-wheel electrical pickup • High-torque flywheel-equipped motor • 40:1 precision gearbox for slow, smooth running • Options include DC/DCC ready, DCC-fitted and DCC sound-fitted using Plux22 technology • Detailed cab with illumination. · Directionally illuminated four-character headcodes • Sprung buffers and hook draw-gear with cosmetic screw couplings • Finished in BR two-tone green livery with black and yellow wasp stripes and BR crest · Includes a sheet of waterslide decals with BR running numbers and etched metal sheet with builder’s plates and BR shedcode plates. A bespoke DCC sound project is being developed. Design work is almost complete and the Class 14 is expected to be delivered in early 2020. The retail prices including UK VAT are expected to be: DC - £290 DCC fitted – £345 DCC and sound fitted - £415 Advanced orders taken before the end of business on 30th November 2019 will qualify for a discount of £30. Minerva does not take deposits and payment is not taken until the models have been delivered, tested and are ready for dispatch. The models will only be available direct from Minerva Model Railways via mail and telephone order, the Minerva website and from the Minerva stand at selected model railway shows. Further information is available from the Minerva Models website www.minervamodelrailways.co.uk. You can also contact us via e-mail sales@minervamodelrailways.co.uk or telephone 02920 531246/07775 782086.

Ooops, I've cut metal...

I eagerly await the invention of liquid crystal paint that lets you change the color from an app on your phone. It may even have been invented already and suppressed by Dulux.

Today we had track! ...and a sort of almost a stream. Thingy. ...and a big hole for a turntable to go in. ...and some very sexy point & signal levers.

RFD class 47555 waiting for signal to clear...

Good evening everyone Well I opened my mouth a bit to soon this morning, as when I went out it was starting to rain, thankfully by the time I’d got home, it had stopped and the sun was trying to show itself. However, that didn’t last long, because as we were eating dinner, it started to rain and by mid afternoon it was really chuckinitdarn. It then continued to rain on and off for the rest of the day. Whilst I was out this morning I called at the big orange DIY shed for some supplies. I then called at Asda some some bits and pieces we can’t get at Sainsbury’s, then Costco to put fuel in the car, then to M&S to pick up a click and collect order and finally the butchers, I was out less than 2 hours! I also had a little bit of good news this morning, just after I’d got home the postman delivered a letter informing me that I’ve won £25 on the premium bonds, that’s the second month in a row! Laurence. I’m sorry to hear about the black dog making an appearance, I do hope you are able to kennel him soon. Goodnight all.

Evening all from a pub not far from home. A great day yesterday in a great pub with great company in Borough near LBG. AndrewC also made a last minute appearance. Good to meet Rick for the first time. Today we have been out with Banbury at the show in Haywards Heath. A very good one day show. It must be Shedmania as apart from GDB I know of two other planning or thinking of sheds. Work recommenced on mine tomorrow and luckily the frame has dried out today after the rain during the week. Hope to have it weatherproof by end of Thursday if all goes to plan

It's certainly doable, depending on traffic in Seattle and Portland - but I wouldn't want to. My last family road trip back from Sacto to Portland took two days - with an overnight in Medford so we could detour the next morning to see Crater Lake. (We had visited Yosemite and I wanted to stop in Sacramento to drop in on the California Railroad Museum.) Once upon a time relatives had an evening flight cancelled from Portland to the LA area due to bad weather. It was winter and snowy. They had to be home for work the next day and rented a car at the airport when they learned their flight would not leave. They drove all night and despite snow on Siskiyou Summit (4,310' / 1,313 m) they made it safely. Google suggests this is a 15 hour drive. (Presently YVR - SMF is a 14 hour drive.)

No avocado bathroom fittings. This house dates from 1990 and by then I think most people realised it didn’t go well with hard water. When we bought a house in the 1970s “Primrose” was quite popular. However when looking through estate agent brochures I somehow thought primrose was pink. So was quite surprised to see a yellow suite. When I bought the stuff to rebuild our en suite shower/loo the man at the showroom said he could fairly reliably date any bathroom, surprisingly subject to fashion it would seem. Our main bathroom is probably dated (1990, Misty Pink) in terms of fashion but everything functions. The downstairs loo (the horrible to paint room) is white and modern but in that faux Edwardian style. I would have gone for modern modern myself but I am not going to change anything. It all works, unlike the original en suite which went through the floor and then made a hole in the garage ceiling. Quite a few down the road did that. Tony

Just cover your walls with LED screens.. As for the future, 1984 is here, 4 government thugs arrest a man for hiding his face from the camera while walking down a street in London.. See this week's click online show on the news channel... Today.. (times approximate) 08:30 start trailer work, 11:00 panels for hard top assembled. 12:00 sides and front mounted on trailer. 13:00 roof fitted 14:00 all joins fiberglass taped. 16:00 all outside now painted with base coat. Now... Eyelid inspection beckons...

I have trimmed the uprights to length and set about making the bars that help strengthen the sides. There is a photo which can be seen in Vol 3 of the LNWR wagons on page 203 which clearly shows this. They were made from a couple of small piece brass U shaped channel and some .9 nickel rod.

Hi Guys, Best wishes and commiserations as needed. Just a few days off and nearly 10 pages so not really possible with the time constraints to look through although have attempted to skim and like John's comment on stockpiling. Hope to be at Derby on Sunday.

Third and final instalment of our USA Big Boy / Golden Spike adventure: Having checked into a hotel in the locale for three nights, we made our way to Ogden's Union Station The 'Steam Meet' was set up to the south of the station, with #844 already in situ. UP CEO Lance Fritz was amongst those making speeches and called #4014 to come into the arena And here they are, in a homage to Promontory 1869 The inevitable cheesy photos (but not too much so) And then a prolonged photo opportunity, with crews on the front of the locos, Promontory style. We went for a walk around to let the crowds subside and the locos were duly able to be photo'd unhindered (similar, it appears, to Wendell1967). Today, had tickets for Promontory Huge crowds but great to be there under cloudless skies The re-enactment And then a stunning finale. Fireworks were set off (despite it being broad daylight) and - completely unexpected (to us at least) - a flight of four USAF F-35s to complete the picture. Quite a moment. Nice locos but very difficult to get many decent photos due to crowds. Hope you enjoyed the story of our visit. We're not hanging around to see the locos head back to Cheyenne so that's it ... for this visit, at least!

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Had a good day, only a few modelling tokens disposed of, all for the young mans layout including the most important tunnel mouths. The South Benfleet exhibition being rather small was 'done' in about an hour then we went onto the Billericay exhibition in its new venue where we found the aforementioned tunnel mouths. Made friends with a couple of dogs, one a Jack Russel at the Benfleet exhibition was friends with everyone and a young spaniel outside the Billericay venue invited everyone to play with his ball. You threw his ball and he bought it back and dropped it at your feet and gave you that expectant look meaning 'I want you to keep throwing the ball for me all day'. Thats it for now, be back later.

Yes, actually, sometimes they do. And sometimes they suffer from people who submit an expression of interest and then genuinely forget that they have. And sometimes people change their minds, but would prefer not to admit it, so they claim never to have placed the order in the first place. And sometimes people misread the web page and don't realise that they're placing a definite pre-order. And so on. There are all sorts of reasons why unconfirmed (ie, without a deposit) pre-orders end up being non-orders rather than confirmed orders. But that's precisely why the order management system has to be robust enough to cope with all this, and has to be designed in such a way as to minimise it. And the financial planning for the product has to be based on a realistic (in fact, it's safer to be pessimistic) prediction of what proportion of pre-orders won't ever be confirmed.

Hopefully you haven't got an avocado bathroom suite, otherwise your bathroom will be a bit clichéd

I asked one of my local MEP candidates where he stood on the subject. In reply he said "usually next to the driver, chatting." "Taxiiii"

John, Thankfully the cute Jack Russell Terrier has disappeared from your blog. I was getting seriously tempted. Bill