EddieB

Just read your post, David and sorry to read of John Dunn's departure. I had never appeciated the extent his Christian ministry. I wonder whether his excellent history of Comeng (I have the three volumes published so far) will be completed?

Oh sorry, train spotters in Bristol - not the other sort! (That's aeroplanes, before anyone gets carried away...)

From what I understand, Spain no longer issues permits for photography from public places and (apparently) photography is more tolerated. I doubt this to be the case, and certainly having a permit was often needed to gain access and I have been "challenged" several times over the years while carrying a permit. Asking permission sometimes gives additional access - on one occasion I was even lent a hi-viz to go lineside at Irun - sometimes a refusal. As has been said, Portugal has traditionally been pretty open as far as railway photography goes and I don't think I've ever been hassled there.

So how is the R4522A different from the earlier R4522? Push-pull variety? Oh, please!

That's more than the "prototype" would be worth!

Having cancelled my Amazon pre-order during the dates fiasco, my subsequent über-cheap order from the Book Depository arrived yesterday. Not helped by calling in at Ian Allan, Waterloo (small expense) and the remainder bookshop nearby (rather more) on the same day. Let me start by saying that it's an excellent book and worth the wait. The photographer's eye for composition and the people bringing life are excellent. Here is the railway depicted as it really was - dirty, dismal, almost depressing. So many of the pictures don't merely illustrate, they communicate the "feel" of the subject. My favourite - spoiler alert - has to be the boy in shorts scratching his "bottle and glass" while watching an A3 Pacific at Darlington. However, as this is a new book, rather than just a re-printing, I'd say that - if anything - there are perhaps too many images. I know it's Colin Gifford's trademark, but so many unrelieved low-contrast scenes (pushed Tri-X?) make me wish for a few more pictures in good weather with a wider tonal range. (It doesn't help to be looking through the book on a typical November day - come sharp, bright days in January and snow on the ground, it'll all be different...). Oh well, that's me labelled as a heretic. I see from the preface that a colour album is planned. I'll look forward to it.

Don't forget that, in addition to the Sentinels, the LNER also ran Clayton steam railcars - though I think all were scrapped in the mid-thirties. There's a book available which gives their history (and scale drawings) and includes some O gauge models. Rather than pay silly prices secondhand or on flea-bay, the publisher still has a stock of new copies http://www.ruddocksoflincoln.co.uk/store/product/71842/Clayton-Wagons-Ltd-by-J-G-Ruddock-%26-R-E-Pearson/.

My message yesterday from Amazon was that delivery now expected between 15th December and 14th December. However, the Book Depository (Amazon by a different name) is listing on the Amazon site at £15.33 + standard postage (£2.80) (more on their own website). Not sure about availability, nothing said there.

Just received a press release from Modelzone of their latest limited edition http://www.modelzone.co.uk/rtc-modelzone-exclusive-railbus-laboratory-20-limited-edition.html?utm_campaign=HELJAN2& Rather expensive IMHO, if you take into account that it's W&M instead of Wickham and therefor bears only a passing resemblance to the prototype.

Well, I see that the new book has already been "reviewed" and given five stars by three "reviewers" on Amazon. Obviously fans of Gifford's style, but wouldn't it be better to check the contents and standard of reproduction before submitting a review?

Yes you're absolutely right, when it wasn't obscured by the weather, I watched an El18 pass through the tunnel and out the other end . Blue sky today, and the platform puddles have almost dried up!

Yes, two bidders one with a feedback score of seven, the other with no feedback history. The sweet aroma of rodents? OTOH, all the sellers other auctions look pretty normal.

I think it is a tunnel, entered through an avalanche shelter - but never having been to Finse, I may be wrong!

So far only an El18 on passenger and a Robel tractor.

Checking every now and then with the sound off - only to find the disappearing end of a Freightliner. Rattus norvegicus! Anyway, here is the standing weather forecast for Finse: Wet. Rain or snow expected later. Outlook wet.

That ain't just any parrot, it's a "Macaw B" in custom livery, ideal for any of you GWR modellers out there! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GWR_wagon_J28_MACAW_B_70335.jpg

Another ScotRail BG, behind "St Mungo" parked (geddit?) at Aberdeen, May 1985. Sorry, but number of BG not recorded (I'll check another picture shot in b&w on same occasion):

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRIANG-Hornby-R752-BATTLE-SPACE-TURBO-CAR-NEW-BOXED-ah-/330648174020?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item4cfc2abdc4 Go on, must be someone with deep pockets!

Quite correct it is too. While most photos tend to show the railbuses at rest or approaching, those that do show them departing have a red oil tail-lamp placed on the bracket over the right-hand buffer (from the observer's perspective).

Aaaaargh! A well-wrapped package waiting for me this evening - inside were E79962 and E79963. Two lovely heavy little railbuses - heavy, very detailed and, just having checked - smooth runners. Heljan have certainly done justice to the prototype. And heavy they are too. But now I am without excuse. Acrow Halt or Ashdon Halt? Dust off those plans for Bartlow from forty years ago?

I like that CIWL coach in the that middle link - reminds me I had/have a Jouef model somewhere (bought in Andorra quite a few years ago).

Yes, some shops have sold out of that version already. I ordered one yesterday and an E79963 (small yellow panels, as ran the last service on the Saffron Walden branch) from Cheltenham Model Centre who are showing all varities in stock at a good price.

Interesting lash-up there, David. I make it one ex-Vicrail G class, two ex-ANR GMs (Co-Co variety/GM12s) and a whole load of ex-SRA power (48, 49, 442) - is that right?

Same here - it's almost as if the birds knew there was a survey running.

Just back from picking someone up at Leytonstone - Central Line service suspended East of there. Only a couple of inches, but this is Britain in the 21st Century.