Black Sheep

I disagree, the skills lost in modern cars is thinking for oneself instead of assuming 'the car will save me' and driving nose to tail in fog at high speed on the motorway.

My old fiesta took more distance to stop than a modern golf twice it's weight, it taught me to read the road ahead and to always adjust and adapt to my surroundings based on what's going on.

I'll bow out of the debate for the afternoon with this quote:

"everyone should learn to drive in a Morris minio, it'd reduce tailgating" -practical classics mag

I prefer driving older cars.

I learnt on cars with power steering but no other driving aids (ok, servo assisted brakes, disc on the front)

My first car was a mk1 fiesta, had the gear linkage slip one day far from home so quickly learnt to double de clutch which I continued to do so for the rest of the summer until it could be adjusted.

I can drive a Morris Minor as easily as I can the wife's Kia Cee'd.

I don't count as a young driver anymore (lived through the miners strike but too young to remember) but we're not all innept

I am sorry but I just do not understand this attitude, you keep your car door open only if it is not obstructing the highway. You have just given the best example of why a child should be put into a car from the pavement, the safety of the child must come first followed by good manners to those using the road.

 

 

Be that as it may, it is not always possible. 9 times out of 10 I am able to park on the side of the road I live on facing with traffic, the neighbours we have will often park across the road (those houses have driveways) to leave space for the residents with children to not need to cross the road at all which we are thankful for.

Unfortunately, as I have said earlier in this thread there are occasions the space I have planned to park in has been taken while I am turning in a side street and so I take the available space quickly to not be blocking the road with the entire car while I turn.

Some parents have no choice but to unload a child away from the pavement as the other parent is getting the other child out, the bulky design of child seats preventing climbing through the car.

I assess the risk and act accordingly and quickly, it takes me no longer to get my daughter in or out than it does myself and I wait until their is no traffic before starting - I can not speak for others nor the school run as daughter is yet to turn 2

Unfortunately Victorian terraces, while being wonderful houses even 100 years on didn't make provision for cars and I have to park on the road. I usuall do so facing with traffic but on occasion I've turned the car to do so on my side of the road but in the time taken to turn the space has been taken and do I take the next available space.

In a year or two it may not make a difference as there could be one to be gotten out from each side

Parents ( mostly women) refusing to close their doors when you pass them, especially the rear doors. I guess they are strapping their kids in. Firstly would it not be safer for all to have the seat on the pavement side, secondly they seem not to be worried about their and their property safety. Lastly its downright inconsiderate to others. I find a quick tap on the horn tends to bump their head on the door frame.

 

 

I make sure as much distance as I can see is free from traffic before starting strapping my daughter in, if I stop half way through strapping her in there is a high chance, especially when getting her out, that she'll lean forward out of the seat and land in the footwell or at risk of tumbling out of the car.

It takes me 2 minutes in or out after which I will quickly close the door and step behind my car out of the way while waving in thanks for waiting.

Just thought I'd give the other side of the coin

...whilst in rant mode....!

 

Nobody ever seems to 'let anyone out' these days. There was this motor that had pulled out from a junction blocking my passage today (no problem as they have to get out sometime) and at least twenty went past on the other side before somebody had the decency (courtesy) to stop for them. To make matters more irritating just down the road was a concertina slowing down for traffic lights.

 

Hat..coat...!

last time I tried to let someone out cars mounted the pavement to get round me, one of which hit the trailer being towed by the land rover I was letting out - the trailer came off better!

I have noticed a great variation in the standard of M/C riding in different parts of the country which may colour people's opinion of them.

 

Around here (Worcestershire & Birmingham) generally the motorcyclists are well behaved and don't do stupid things or speed excessively however in Cumbria...

 

Keith

Rider behaviour varies depending on the twisty remote nature of the roads, especially higher limit roads, areas such as Cumbria, snake pass, wood head pass, cat and fiddle and the like attract bikers who want to give their bike a good run out, some of us are happy to pootle others ought to head to brands hatch for the day

How's the quality of finish and content now they're getting going?

Small update:

The loft has been decorated and carpeted, been having some help with the layout planning…

Interlude: An Aeroplane Trip Over Frankland

 

 

It's been quite a while since I've updated here, and to be honest whilst there's detail stuff continuing in the background - there's nothing worth a proper post until that work is concluded, probably around October.

 

In the interim I thought I'd share with you a very exciting time I had today...

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I went on one of those novelty  "Aeroplane Afternoon-Tea Trips"  over Frankland that are all the rage at the moment.

 

 

It did cost £2/2/0 - and I know that's a week's wages for many people - but sometimes you have to push-the-boat-out a bit

 

 

 

We were greeted by the steward as we boarded the aeroplane.

 

 

 

 

 

It was an Armstrong Whitworth Argosy which apparently can fly at over 90mph!

 

 

As we flew over Frankland we were served finger-sandwiches, tea, and cakes.

 

 

 

 

 

All quite delightful and what a thing to actually be in an aeroplane!

 

 

 

 

 

Apart from a few clouds we had a good view - and I saw a train below hauled by a locomotive I hadn't seen around Frankland before ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

... I thought to myself I'll have to research what that locomotive was when I get home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So when I got home I got out my collection of Cigarette Cards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's what I've got so far  ...  (anyone up for swops?    )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think card No. 11 is the locomotive I saw from the aeroplane ....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And it's been happily trundling around Frankland the last couple of days

 

 

I hope to bring you a full and proper update in the form of a newsreel in October / November.

 

 

Buy your cinema tickets early to avoid disappointment!

 

 

All the best,

 

Mark

As a fellow designer, 10/10 for effort, not sure I could pull that together even given a few days!

With regards to flying boats, in 1937 Imperial Airways started their Short Empire Flying boat service, a development of which would become the Short Sunderland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Empire

not sure if that's outside your time period?

Looking forward to the next broadcast

Yes Clive, I noted your mention of the use of 'stone' earlier. My point was, and still is, about the accuracy of that National Benzole tank modelled by Hornby, Bachmann and it would seem in N by somebody as well. The prototype photo I linked to shows the livery, colour aside, to be largely accurate so the question is; diid three RTR manufacturers get the body colour wrong? Now it is possible that they did, could they have followed an incorrect original resource and then just copied each other, or just picked a yellow out of the air?

 

However, the 'yellow' chosen is nothing like the bright, intense egg yolk yellow National Benzole used on their road fleet, it's a more creamy yellow. So I still ask is it correct, did National Benzole use a yellowish stone colour, have the RTR manufacturers just produced a too yellow version of it?

 

So, in the absence of a good colour photo of the prototype, I wouldn't dismiss it as being wrong too readily.

My Minitrix wagons are a yolk yellow from around the time of Hornby involvement.

If aiming at the growing 'toy' market of the time then liveries matching road tankers seen from the back seat of Dad's Cortina on the new motorways makes sense, along with shredded wheat and Birdseye wagons.

Another N manufacturer has produced a more buff/stone version

Should barrier wagons be between guards van and tankers also?

Where do the yellow benzine with red solebar fit into the mix?

To be honest i actually think some engines look better travelling tender first   . Hopefully i will extend the layout after these boards are done as i really want to model some of the promenade and beach if possible

 

Kind regards,

 

Gary

I'm attempting to fit prominade, beach and pier - however I'm working in N so it's a bit easier to fit it all in. I didn't have that much 00 stock but it was heart wrenching to sell two of my locos as they'd been purchased by grandparents who are no longer with us - in the end I decided there was no point in them gathering dust in a box in a cupboard but better trading for other locos that would be seen running on the layout.

Yes thats a very good point. Modelling pre-2008 means i don't have the two 'Y' points off the upper run-around loop either which means thats 2 less points to make! Operationally though it would be nice perhaps in the future to have a turntable to stop the spotters complaining that the engine is 'tender first' on the gala days,

 

Gary

Meh, not heard complaints on the east lancs railway, no turntable here.

Locos ran tender first more often than photos and books would have us believe as it doesn't make a great photo.

As a fellow beach layout builder I'll be following with interest

I need to see this in the flesh, is it coming north at any point? 

The old goods yard has been squeezed in to the east of the running line (remember, we're on the west coast, so east is upwards on the plan) 

So, the original goods yard was constructed north of the station (left on plan) away from the sea front and has gradually been squeezed over the years of platforms being built longer (can't go the other way as we're going over the town itself and can't build) 

The last expansion resulted in a line of the goods yard being lifted to extend the platform with a larger goods facility being built the other side of town, the small yard simply handles goods traffic for the centre of town / the holiday park. 

So, looks like my plan is complete  

Ours are metal with some plastic parts, aquired via Kellogs in the 90's

Trying to get a sense of scale, printed the plans out full size and laid them out in the loft

Slightly confused as to how the printer has set things out as some areas of the page don't print so could be that I've got the size wrong compared to room width, or I might have more space to play with than I realised...

I think the station is large enough however

Wow t gauge is microscopic!  Every time you think its small...it just gets smaller. Does it not derail continuously?

The wheels and track are magnetic to ensure good electrical contact. 

Shhhhhh don't tell, we just couldn't afford to pay for artwork!

In other news I'm considering DCC to avoid issues with parking locomotives in set spaces and simplify wiring runs (there'll be enough with the points!)

I've got the loan of a dynamis to see how I get on but I also need to start working in 3D to get a feel of space so I need to paint the railway room and lay out the track plan and raid the cardboard recycling!

Enjoyed watching at the show, didn't get to say hello as you were busy with other guests chatting and my 16mth old doesn't have a very long attention span before wanting to move on! 

She did enjoy watching briefly (she enjoyed the show itself)

I agree with the above, 

Great service, occasionally with Jim dashing between customers as a small business in a small shop it's not practical to have more members of staff all the time. 

It's a bit of an aladin's cave and occasionally you might need to ask where an item is / if they have it as you might not be able to see it! 

Always welcoming and willing to order items for customers if he doesn't have it in stock, including second hand items on the occasion that I've got some cash tucked away my wife doesn't know about  

LOL well you can do the dirty work and I'll sit back and watch, as I have a good number of those terrace buildings for when I come to do our mining area. Theres the low relief, the  flat front, and the bay windowed ones, and some corner shops too......so get a move on so I can see how it goes .......;p

 

a very early 2011 probably part of AV before we moved onto something else.

3989terraces

we were never happy with the mines position, and much of it ended up reboxed.

Is it me or does your backscene follow the roofline slightly?

Trying to work out for locating my layout in a similar area

Ta,

LOL well you can do the dirty work and I'll sit back and watch, as I have a good number of those terrace buildings for when I come to do our mining area. Theres the low relief, the  flat front, and the bay windowed ones, and some corner shops too......so get a move on so I can see how it goes .......;p

 

a very early 2011 probably part of AV before we moved onto something else.

3989terraces

we were never happy with the mines position, and much of it ended up reboxed.

Is it me or does your backscene follow the roofline slightly?

Trying to work out for locating my layout in a similar area

Ta,

Like the evolution of this!

 

In that much space I think this will become a pretty spectacular layout

Thanks, had some moments where I felt like dropping the idea as I couldn't get it to work in my head, I've tried to bring the right hand curve in slightly and fit a depot without turntable (since I have a return loop that can stand in for a near by triangle) but it just doesen't fit properly without halving the shed space (I intend to be able to squash most of my locos into the shed if needed)

Still would like to fit in a small goods shed if possible

Thanks for the encouragement