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A return to the ECML in Northumberland this afternon. This time we have photos taken at Morpeth and Pegswood, just a few miles further north. Morpeth 03112 up 18th April 85 C6809 Morpeth143001 ecs to platform Feb 89 J9754.jpg Pegswood 43045 up 18th April 85 C6827 Pegswood Class 254 Kings X to Dundee 7th June 86 C7571.jpg Pegswood 47306 down pw 9th Jan 88 C9314. David

Ey up! Happy birthday Lawrence! Disturbed night as it chuckeditdarn for a couple of hours.. about 3" of rain fell in that time. This morning everywhere is as dryazabone... Not as warm today but the air is very clear and fresh. Visitors this morning...a mum roo and her not so young joey. Splendid! Her indoors has booked a bridge walk in Sydney...not for me! Never trust a civil engineers calculations!! Now we know that..in reality..the bad lads started just south of Crimdon and just North of Easington Village. Once ventured to Shotton to see the shunting engines..but didn't stay. Sleep well everyone up there..here we are off on an exploration.... Baz

Lay in..are you having a giraffe.. been up for hours..... Had a nice day so far. The roos and kookaburras visited this morning. Now listening to other bird song. A quick trip into Margaret River is now being followed up with coffee and a sitoutside. Due to the rain last night thefire warnings went from High to..low. good! Off on a drive then flight to orrow..and we lose 3 hours of real time crossing various time zones....woooppppidddooo! Youngest Herbert had an American boss. He was hopeless and has been sent home..but only after herbert was paid a lot of money to have a bit of a rest. Have a great day..and just get a grip of it and make thinfs happen! Baz

Things are quietening down now, as the dead hour approaches. That means paths through to the Up slow are available, and more coal can be dispatched to Ferme Park. A nearly new 9F sets off with the next consignment. and passes a B1 waiting to go to Grimsby.

Good morning one and all I'm off to Stevenage later and will be slaving away in the shed where the layout lives trying to clear up the mess I made on my last visit. I've rounded up all the Blu-tack in the house and bought some more just in case. As light relief from the m*d*ll*ng I will be cooking stir fried beef with chilli sauce for Poorly Pal and me. Later at Stevenage Locomotive Society there is a regular speaker who on past form will give us a good show. I will be surprised if I don't spend some of the day brooding. The time has come to say goodbye, or maybe enough is enough, to a friend who gives the impression of no longer having time for me. The feeling is not mutual and there is a great deal more to it than it would be right for me to discuss. Whatever happens, it will hurt me more than it hurts him and I am not looking forward to it one little bit. The scope for making a complete horlicks of it is infinite. Oh dear. Mike Stationmaster, I am happy to stand corrected re what you say of Patrick Moore. One day we will find ourselves at the same show on the same day and then we will put the world to rights over at least one cuppa. Best wishes to all Chris

Mooring awl, Inner Temple hare, 1039/649. A betterer nights sleep, 2.5 hours plus several 1 hours sleeps with short wake up and turn overs. At least my Dose has dried out.. it seems that our current American boss is looking for a new job, he will be out of work in six weeks. his daughter is over here at university, so he has 2 problems , the cost, and now he won't be able to use company visits to go visit her.. it's a short day today for me.. this afternoon I have to go see the mining engineer.. aka the dentist. I have a major system to work on seemingly its been waiting several day for me after it was repaired... pity no one told me... Ben The Border collie decided not to go out this morning I don't know why, it was cool but otherwise quite pleasant out there.. Time to wander down to the lab connect up a unit, press a button or two and then sit for 30 minutes till the next move..

Good evening everyone Well I’ve had a busy old day, but it’s also been productive. I’ve finished the drawings for the circuit board, both sides are now complete and all that remains is to build a prototype, which will get done over the next couple of days. The grandkids weren’t too bad today, we assume Max is still smarting from the earth of his parents last week to be any real bother. Tea went down well, especially the cheesecake as I’d put a black currant jam topping on it, something I’ve not done before, but from the reaction of the kids, it won’t be the last time. I finally got round to reading the latest BRM, there is an interesting article about ‘Salt Union’ works in Runcorn, a place I know well having worked there many times through my last employer. The ‘salt drying process uses huge amounts of ‘GAS’ and the site had its own gas substation within the grounds, in which we had to maintain our equipment. I’ve driven through the gates in one of the photos many times. Happy birthday Laurence. Goodnight all

Morning folks. Hotel buffet breakfast beckons, I must resist bacon and suasages, I must resist bacon and........

Soggy Coventry brought to you by Natalie reading out Early Risers. A bit like the Shipping Forecast, but ships are few and far between...

The earlier release the D33 as sides/ends format is the last version from 1927 onwards when the look outs were removed and electricity installed. The new release is the 1908 full third rebuild to remove the centre toilets and composite layout. The Hornby sides are as built and only lasted a short time. The new etch represents the window compartment layout through to the end of the C16 lives, mostly gone by WW2 but it is highly likely a few lasted into he war. Records are incomplete. Thebenefit of the new etch is that there are no roof alterations required unless you are going for the electric light versions. If you want to reduce the work, you can keep the original Hornby ends and not used the supplied etched ones. I will post a complete image when my etches arrive. It gives the opportunity to have relief rather than printed panels. By sanding the Hornby sides flat and cutting away unwanted areas, they can be used as overlays, and they look something like this. Mike Wiltshire

Have woken with a cold. It's just the beginning but a sore throat, thick head and sniffily nose are all the start. At least I did all my job around the home yesterday so can focus on converting some of these HTA wagons to Kadees today. A lot of work but the main draw for me is the ability to lift a wagon from the track and not have to faff with the coupling. That and every other loco I have are Kadee fitted anyway!

Morning all from the village just north of Casvegas. A book arrived yesterday with pictures of the railway line that ran past us till the 90's. I was thus able to show the girls what the site of their house used to look like. Babysitting to do now. Beth is off to have a brunch with various ex weighwatcher friends so it's dad, daughter and granddaughter till Rachel goes out to some sort if return to work interview. Happy Birthday Laurence. Chrisf, thoughts are with you. Regards to all. Jamie

Baz, If you bump into any of my relations, please say hello. We had one that was deported from Bodmin Goal, and is mentioned in Ned Kelly's Book as being in his gang, but was killed. He may have just spurned (EDIT = SPAWNED, see below post,) some off springs along the way. Enjoy.

Today is a another piece of the jigsaw completed, with the fiddle yard now joined to the scenic section and trains running between them for the first time. This gives a running length of about 400ft end to end in a U shape. Just the curves at the west end and in the middle to complete. Thanks to my IT guru modelling friends the trains are now operated via a Digikeijs & Digitrax set up using Railcom. At the minute this means signals, trains, points can be controlled via a touch screen. With the necessary block sections built in, soon the system will then become automatic (still retaining a manual option) with route setting controlling aforementioned signals & points, sounding horns and working smoke units at preprogrammed time’s. The other benefit is complicated manoeuvres with long heavy freight trains over the crossovers (which would normally need coordination between 3/4 operators) will be done automatically. Colour lights will fade in and out realistically just like the old filament bulbs. HLJ was always going to be a ‘watching the trains go by’ layout so it’s the last step before a complete loop due around the end of March The fiddle yard is beginning to fill up..!

Well I have to say I'm sold on 'sculptamold', it's really easy to use. I've finished the land form around the rock cutting south of the viaduct and given the lot a coat of watery brown paint. Once I've painted and ballasted the track I can start ground cover, trees, hedges etc. I'm looking forward to this as progress is rapid and the transformation spectacular but that will have to wait until after the weekend at the earliest. I'm currently suffering with a snotty cold that some kind sole gave me at theSouthampton show and I'm at Yate this weekend. My rock cutting south of the viaduct isn't as spectacular as the prototype but does serve to conceal the point where the line doubles, a good mile or more earlier than it should. Both the cutting and viaduct were modified ready for double track in the late nineteenth century but it was never extended beyond Midford due to the cost of doubling the tunnels. Jerry

Afternoon awl, Just back from the cavity miners, with a date in a fortnight to replace a failed filling. We have a raptor of some kind taking up residence in the garden, other than its dark brown I've not seen it close enough to identify it. There are plenty of pigeons for it's dinner. They got dad home yesterday but he's not well, nurses are visiting every day... There is a DNR letter...

Afternoon awl. Hope everyone is well, if not, sympathy and best wishes as appropriate. Once again a case of early rising for me being the afternoon, my sleep patterns proving beyond logic again. Nothing planned today, so not really an issue. Remembered to phone my mum however to wish her happy birthday and enquire how my father is getting on with his chemo sessions. All good for the most part thankfully. Woken up with a pounding headache, but not unusual as got the flu jab yesterday and that usually leaves me a feeling a bit out of sorts for a day or two. Bacon on the grill for bacon sarnies now and a cuppa.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Just as well I put the bin bags out last night. They have to be out by 07:30, this morning by 07:35 the pink recycling bags had gone! The bin wagons dawn chorus was rather muted this morning despite the lesser spotted glass & bottle wagon being present. Time to get on with the household chores, be back later.

Morning all. Aditi was trying to encourage me to go for a walk at lunchtime but fortunately Joe the Window man is coming to replace the double glazing that has gone misty in the kitchen. Happy Birthday, Laurence. Tony

Good morning all, Belated birthday greeting to Laurence. Dull and dismal but dry here. Might be some patchy rain later. Bin chorus has started, one down, two to go....and another lorry has just turned the corner. I was awake about 5.30 but decided to turn over and didn't get up until 7.15. Whattalazysod. First task today is to accompany Management to Sainsbury's. As usual I will be told we're going to stick to "The List." Also as usual I will ignore this command as it is writ on paper and not on a stone tablet and if I see anything I fancy I will lob place it gently it into the trolley. I will win the ensuing argument discussion at the checkout. After that I have some paperwork to sort out and then may, just may, visit The Shed. Have a good one especially if you're on walkabout and take care not to tread on any snakes. Bob.

Good Morning, TheQ; I was beginning to think that the World had ended and not told me as, by this time, the pages are full to capacity! Maybe, everyone's taking a lay in this morning!

Ok, I blame everyone on RMWeb that has ever said something along the lines of "Once you've tried O gauge, you'll never go back". You know who you are. Having downsized from a 6 bedroom house to a tiny 2 bedroom cottage, space is very much at a premium, but I still get the urge to dabble. Having next to no spare space, I decide to move up a scale. Bright, huh? I have been taking a break from model railways recently but the editor kindly sent me a freebie copy of Traction magazine recently that features my first layout Croydon North Street. Memories came back, tools were dusted off etc etc etc. Despite many valiant efforts, I don't think I've ever been able to improve on Croydon. Everything just clicked and came together for me and produced a pleasing little layout. I could be really boring and replicate it but that would be too easy. Late 80s/early 90s O gauge in a space of approx 6 feet x 12 inches? Yes, it's pretty much just a siding. Think "Sheringham" on the Bittern Line. Zero operational interest, just a DMU shuttle and maybe an 08 with a couple of wagons. Like Sheringham (in years gone past), the little station is at the end of a triangle which allows, in my head, the occasional interesting loco working that requires turning. No 3rd rail, perhaps West Country this time. This is as far as I've got, which is not far! I miss posting in RMWeb's "Layout Topics" subforum, so indulge me while I make lots of mistakes and offer them here for judgement... More soon. Edit: Oh, and for those that know me, spot the Lego!

I see fitting out your new shed has progressed quite a bit

Afternoon all, not on top form today, just feelin' a bit sick, just a bug I guess or the bacon butty I had out yesterday in deepest darkest Aberdeenshire(I must check my inoculations are up to date before doing any more missionary work up there in the land of Doric). Me and my pal had a good old blether about things muddling and both plan to miss Glasgow Ex this year and go to Perth instead when it's warmer, off to browse t'internet for things that go choo choo.

I saw a car sticker yesterday, it said "I'm a vet so I can drive like an animal." There must be a lot of gynaecologists driving around.

Snowflake charging up the channel at speed! Trying to beat the tides to get in the estuary leading to Little Muddle harbour..... It'll be tight as slack water is nearly over!!! Skipper at the wheel - decided to use the Dart Casting one as I had it... Navigation lights needed, waiting for the missing one to arrive from Cornwall Model Boats. Anchor to fit and the steam winch to built once I've worked out how to build it as I have no drawings, photos or idea at the moment....

Good morning everyone Well blow me down, it’s a dry sunny day here in the northwest of England, we’ve not even had any overnight rain as the patio is dry! What are my plans for the day, well after my usual tasks such as Sheila’s eye care and laundry, I’m hoping to make a start on the first prototype circuit board so that I can connect everything (including points) up and give it a test. I definitely won’t get it finished today, but hopefully by the weekend it will be ready for testing. If successful I’ll be placing an order for more bits so that I can go into production and make enough for the layout! Have a good day folks, back later.

I do love spell checking Andrew. These days I do a good bit of spurned as I no longer do any spawning!

Just been reminded that I have compleated anoter orbit Night awl

Evening all. A good day has been had. I entrusted myself to the tender mercies of Northern and Transpennine. Northern managed to leave at least 100 passengers on 2 platforms on the first train (A 150/2) TPE then got me to Manchester over half an our late, so delay repay kicks in. The train was termibated at Manchester Victoria. Passengers were given no help or advice so I got to Lancaster my own way chani g at Salford Crescent and Preston. An excellent pub lunch was had in the 3 Mariners, sorry I didn't let you know Stewart. Then back via Oxford road, Man Vic, Leeds and a bus back hime from Casvegas. I even managed to travel on 3 new classes of train, 331, 397 and Loco hauled Nova3. All in all a good day out. Babysitting duties tomorrow. I am to ve entrusted with Emily for a couple of hours. I better practice being grumpy. Jamie

Afternoon all, The train spotting branch of Waitrose has been visited but only trains of the multipcating variety were seen. Far more importantly 51 litres of diseasal were obtained from the almost neasby petrol (and diesel of course) station in Tilehurst village - at a saving of 10.2p/lite re compared with the price charged by the Euro=rip-off-garages merchants just down the road _ I'd have saved money even if i'd driven over there just to buy fuel. A tip for Baz - you let her indoors go toddling off on her bridge walk in Sydney and make sure you're in position to take a picture of her from above (see pic below). Simple although it does include climbing some (far from steep) stairs - http://www.pylonlookout.com.au/Visitor_frs.htm And aren't you lucky - not - being woken up by a bl**dy kookaburra of a morning, amazing racket that drwons out the dawn chorus. Enjoy the rest of your day one and all.

Close call there, Tony

After about two years of planning and procrastinating, I've finally got some modelling done. Hopefully the denizens of this thread won't mind me sharing. It may just be a BR 12 ton van, and is definitely full of mistakes that I (hopefully) won't make on the next one. But as a total novice working in 1:148 scale, I'm very happy that it rolls along the track, looks vaguely like what it's meant to be, and none of my fingers are stuck together.

Well, that took me back to “my days upon the briny” when the Chief Steward was the medical practitioner who would treat the symptoms of infections acquired in houses of ill repute after each port. My dose has dried out was a term welcomed by many a matelot of the day . I am not suggesting that The Q is in any way so incapacitated. Hacking has continued overnight despite the supposed suppressing linctus. Dull but mild with 8/8ths here now. Apparently CowboysRUs are still not able to sell the very expensive shoe boxes but are now making them watertight. Could that be against a rainy day? Would any reader buy a detached four bedroom new house where you have a bare 2m of frontage from your door to the main estate road, particularly when the asking price is around £750,000? As for a 2m frontage, well, really matron (in best Kenneth Williams delivery). The world’s gone mad I tell you, mad... Today I shall be mainly seizing - I haven’t yet been told! Laters....

Jill saw the GP today about her BP and it's whore's drawers behaviour; result is that she is on some hypotensive tablets and has to continue tracking the daily figures for another three weeks before attending again. At least it seems that something positive is being done. Oh, and she was told to cut down on salt. My day consisted of getting what's left of my hair cut, which didn't take long, then doing some wiring on my lay**t before cooking my take on spag bol for dinner and giving my Dad a game of Scrabble before taking him home this evening . Tomorrow we are off to Aberystwyth for our Dutch friend's funeral on Friday morning - not something we are looking forward to. Possibly no visits to ERs for a couple of days. The bright spot on the horizon is Stafford on Sunday. Hope to see some of you there. Bye for now, be lucky. Dave PS. Happy birthday Laurence

After this afternoon's pie and lattes session, I ventured into Waitrose to see if they had any of Twinnings Buttermint tea. The Obergrumpenfuhrer is quite partial to a cup, so since they had it in, I bought a number of boxes as it can sometimes adopt the persona of rocking horse droppings. You never know when you'll see it again. With that safely secured in the basket, I wandered around to the whisky shelves to see if they had any single malts on offer. Cardhu Gold Reserve was offered at £25.00, and having seen how much they had reduced it by, I bought a bottle and am now forcing myself to try a glass. Mind you I need it after agreeing to make a Pickler Triangle for my grandson.............. I've spent nearly £50 so far just on materiels and I still need two planks of timber for the side frames. Having looked at the prices of a finished one, I can see why my daughter was so keen for me to make one. Thank goodness I'm a cheapskate, as she knows I'd have been apoplectic if she'd gone and bought one from a toyshop at the prices being charged. Of course I've already drawn up what I consider to be an improvement in the construction over the commercially available version. (Mean and modest...... What fine attributes have I!)

The only good thing civil engineers do is build targets for the like of Biggles Hunt to knock down. (Although he will argue that primarily he was not a mud mover!)

It's great to see what 'modellers' have been doing with their cranes, instead of just taking pictures of them fresh out of the box. I'll see your grey one, and raise you a red one!

In current parlance, OMG! I had no idea SWMBO had an identical sister in Sutton! Sadly mine (and her eldest granddaughter) don’t believe in Sainsbury’s - eldest granddaughter is not yet 12 - but will shop in Waitrose. This gives me Carte Blanche to add items to the shopping trolley, after all if we are to pay premium prices daily, why not?

The first announcement was usually in Meccano Magazine, with a brief description and a drawing; then as they were released MM has pictures of them in a layout setting, and finally passing the local HD stockist they would be in a display case, usually priced at many weeks pocket money! These were some of the last, and most detailed (expensive) of the Dublo SD6 wagon range. Being a Tri-Ang lad, my dad counselled against purchases of HD wagons because of coupling incompatibility, so I did not buy these at the time. Now, some 50-odd years later, I have tried to bring them up to a (relatively) modern standard. Inspiration came from John Isherwood , cctransuk on here, but whereas John was happy to build new underframes and add etched details, I wished to utilise as much of the original as possible. First, and possibly the most sacrilegious, the Caustic liquor tanker #4685. The model was obtained from Ebay and had been heavily coated in a yellowish varnish. Taken apart, the bogies were removed form the underframe and couplings/wheels removed. Both body and chassis components were stripped in caustic soda. I was concerned to try and find a suitable colour paint for ICI blue, but the body came up beautifully after its bath and only required clear varnish coats prior to transfer application. The underframe/bogies were stripped back to bare metal, a Dave Franks coupling hook added, then primed and recoated using Tamiya spray paints. Ladders, stay wires and end stanchions were also sprayed. Transfers are from john Isherwood's Cambridge range, and finish the model well. My next victim was another favourite of mine from the era, 4679 Traffic Services tank wagon. the tank filler moulding is a tribute to the mould designers art, however, other aspects of the body were improved. Both halves were glued together and the join line filled and smoothed. The large moulded number panel was removed. Body and u/frame again totally stripped back using caustic, and repainted using Tamiya spray. CCT transfers finish the model, I am very pleased with the way a rather battered Ebay purchase has turned out. I have four more to do as time permits, a couple need replacement tank fillers, which are available from Shapeways, to finish an interesting rake. I have tried to envisage where H/D would have gone had they lasted a couple of decades longer..better paint finishes and transfers? we will never know! I hope that the above does not cause too many palpitations..! Cheers from Oz, Peter C.

Afternoon. In our local brewery drinking their smoked ale, Templar using Bamberg smoked malts. Its got that distinctive rauchbier taste. Really does remind us of past trips to Bamberg.

Well that'll be me in for thick ear later, dropped SWMBO off in the town, came home feet up, checked and found my reserved shiny all singing and all dancing DCC controller is in stock, now paid for and will be winging(or more likely rolling along the road in the back of a van) to me and should be here by Monday...………..just like Santas coming lol.

Our dodgy pane has been replaced. Too late to go for a walk now but as Joe the window man phoned to say he would be later than predicted we did go down to the shops to get a couple of items and post a letter. Tony

Just need a few HESH rounds...... Baz

Greetings all from LBG where it is grey and has been drizzling. Belated birthday greetings to Laurence. Not a lot to report from here so have a good day

A V2 heads South. All downhill for a while, which must be why the fireman is seated.

HB Laurence.

Evening all. Reminds me of the early days of Railtrack on a project that wasn't going well. The new project manager was getting on my ***$ at a crisis meeting so I just said "my bank balance is as big as my mortgage and an early pension would be enough to live on. I only come to work because I like the job. When that changes I won't come any longer". He had been replaced before the project finished but I was still there at the end.

Morning Skipper.... Bit of a hurry I see from that wake and smoke?

Test run of 1561S and nearly finished support train.