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Hi aardvark, Many thanks for your kind comments, hope everything works out well with the 3D mock-up. Kind regards Paul

Hi 81C, many thanks for your response on Havana, do you think it's likely to be the same at Santiago de Cuba too? Kind regards Paul

Many thanks 81C, how safe is it to wander around the station and yards in Havana? Regards Paul

Thanks for your help, will try everything listed though I'm pretty certain Rafael Freyre Mill (near to where we're staying) has closed, certainly to rail traffic. Kind regards Paul

Had a fab time at York Model Railway Show, our first time here, and looking forward to the last day. It's been great to meet so many Model Rail readers and RMweb members and hopefully there'll be more. Appointments have booked up quickly and we already have some in for today, so if you need a session make sure you speak to Mel as soon as you arrive. Kind regards Paul and Mel

Hi Folks, All set up and ready to go. Met some friends already and wishing everyone at the Derwent Valley Light Railway a great weekend, please give them your support if you're passing. Ask Mel to book a design session at our clinic, so that you don't have to spend time waiting, and she'll phone you when I come free. As always we'll have copies of Making Tracks and the Right Track DVD at massively reduced prices for the duration of the exhibition. Looking forward to seeing you there. Kind regards Paul and Mel

Hi Folks, Will be visiting Cuba in a short while. Can anyone advise of any freight operations/rail served factories or yards, particularly on the eastern half of the island? Will be staying on the coast (at a railway themed hotel) north west of Gaudalavaca. Kind regards Paul

Hi Folks, We're getting ready for the big show at York next weekend and will be there over the three days. If you need help planning a new layout or have got into difficulty with an existing one come along for a design and planning session. They're aimed at all skill and age levels, lasting about 15 to 20 minutes and are free. Monday's sessions are already starting to fill up so don't leave it too late. Regards Paul and Mel

Hi Folks, Just a quick message to say thanks to everyone who came to the excellent Sheffield show. We had a great time trying to solve a wide range of design and planning issues and hopefully everyone went away feeling better armed at resolving them. We've got more exhibition dates coming up this year and we'll post them nearer the time. Regards Paul and Mel

All ready for tomorrow's show at Sheffield. We're often really busy so book a session with Mel, when you arrive, she'll phone you when a space comes free or you can agree a specific time, and then there's usually very little waiting. As always, we'll have our book, Making Tracks and Activity Media DVD at massively reduced prices. Looking forward to seeing old friends and making lots of new ones. Regards Paul and Mel

Hi folks, Following on from a very successful time at EBOR we will be at Sheffield Exhibition (at Broomhill), 30th and 31st March, 2019. If anyone needs help, regardless of experience, with layout planning and design, either for a new project or resolving issues with one that's hit the buffer stops, pop in for a chat. The service is free and is likely to last between 15 minutes and half an hour. Look forward to seeing you there. Paul and Mel

Hi 03060, Remember, the E&WYUR was used by many of the Leeds based loco manufacturers to test their new products, particularly on gradients. Kind regards Paul

Ready for tomorrow with a complete new display. Last book and DVD at specially reduced rates for the exhibition and looking forward to meeting old friends and making new ones. All the best Paul, Mel and Alfie

Hi folks, Will be at the EBOR exhibition in York this weekend, 23rd and 24th February. If anyone needs help, regardless of experience, with layout planning and design, either for a new project or resolving issues with one that's hit the buffer stops, pop in for a chat. The service is free and is likely to last between 15 minutes and half an hour. Look forward to seeing you there. Paul

Hi Folks, I write for Model Rail almost every month, there occasional gaps, usually when I'm doing a bookazine, on holiday and the like. Although there wasn't a plan feature this month there'll be one next time out. Hope this helps, kind regards Paul

Hi Izzy, Many thanks for your kind comments, there's lots of fab stuff coming from the team over the next few months, hope you like that too. Kind regards Paul

Hi Steve sorry you couldn't make to the DVLR do, will let you know of any up and coming events if that helps, Kind regards Paul

Hi Steve, Great, look forward to meeting you. If there's something specific you need help with, and can send a few details beforehand, I can start thinking about possible solutions. Kind regards Paul

Hi Steve, Have sent out a number of requests and still awaiting replies, should definitely be doing the show at the Middleton Railway Leeds. Actually you've prompted an idea, I'll put something on the exhibition heading. Kind regards Paul

Hi Folks, I regularly follow topics in Layout and Track Design and Boxfiles Micro Layouts and Dioramas and am always fascinated by the variety and number of enquiries that arise. Many of the issues raised are 'close to home' and would love to make more regular comment, hopefully helpful, if only time allowed. As some will know, I get on the exhibition circuit every year with a Design and Planning Clinic aimed at new designs or problem solving for visitors. It's a free service and a great opportunity to meet lots of people. With this in mind, my first outing of the year will be a one day event at the Derwent Valley Light Railway, York, Sunday 25th March 2018. There'll be several layouts on show and a normal service on the preserved railway itself. If you need help, pop in and have a chat, we'll be there all day. All the best, Paul, Mel and Alfie

Hi Folks, Have a look at the Topic in Layout Planning and Design. All the best Paul

Hi Folks, I regularly follow topics in Layout and Track Design and Boxfiles Micro Layouts and Dioramas and am always fascinated by the variety and number of enquiries that arise. Many of the issues raised are 'close to home' and would love to make more regular comment, hopefully helpful, if only time allowed. As some will know, I get on the exhibition circuit every year with a Design and Planning Clinic aimed at new designs or problem solving for visitors. It's a free service and a great opportunity to meet lots of people. With this in mind, my first outing of the year will be a one day event at the Derwent Valley Light Railway, York, Sunday 25th March 2018. There'll be several layouts on show and a normal service on the preserved railway itself. If you need help, pop in and have a chat, we'll be there all day. All the best, Paul, Mel and Alfie

Hi Folks, Yes the images are all black and white originals. It was a tough time back then, I could only afford black and white to negatives only, no prints! Some of the images are published for the first time and I have thousands of others that have never seen the light of day. I still remember those times in black and white in fact many locations, like Rose Grove, appeared to be devoid of colour. You'll notice in the text I've thrown down the gauntlet to model in black and white or at least largely so, for me, it's a very dramatic palette, given the subject. Some modellers, like Richard Stott's Staly Vegas, already embrace the concept. Regards Paul

Hi Simon, There's a great deal of sense in what you say and more important relevance. It's naive to believe we have all the best ideas in the UK and have much to learn from others regardless what they model. Take 'Open the box', pages 6 and 7, on the face of it, it's a bit too 'Rembrandtyish' for my liking but there's no mistaking Peter Diillen's brilliance in forced perspective modelling, you just have to transfer his concept to a Uk subject. I'd choose London, backstreets, Underground station, Southern region line, smoke and grime, probably 1950's....fab.. The same applies too with Peter's article on page 48 onwards, though he makes a clear link to UK relevance. I keep sneaking in the odd subject; North West Frontier (India), Elevated Railways (USA), Continental Europe (Ideas for Layouts 2), Cuba (Ideas for Layouts 3) and I'd be fibbing if I said there weren't one or too others up my sleeve! All the best Paul

Hi there, you're absolutely right I was disappointed too and take full responsibility for the quality of reproduction. It was a bit of an experiment in trying to share pages from my sketch/notebook in trying to encourage folks into realising you don't have to be an artist to get a solution 'doodled' out. Unfortunately pencil doesn't seem to transfer too well! I've tried to upload better copies with this post but to no avail, but think I can provide a link to WeTransfer with the necessary images uploaded there. If this is something that would be helpful either for yourself or other readers please PM me with a suitable email address and i'll send the link. Kind regards Paul