E3109

Total Recall was mentioned earlier. In fitting with the theme, the trains really should've been fitted with three buffers. I couldn't possibly elaborate on the number of shackles.

I don't agree with the destruction of flora and fauna except where absolutely necessary. Trees ought to be cut back next to the railway and for a whole host of reasons, adhesion being one of those reasons. But I draw the line at felling trees during nesting season. I don't CARE what the statutes allow for, that is just plain wrong and surely it's not beyond the capabilities of the railway authorities to work out their work timescales, after all they've been maintaining the railway for 200 years. Anyway sack that, I'm off to buy a tank load of captive-bred great crested newts, they need releasing shortly in order to scupper my local council's plans to cover the borough in concrete to gain more revenue via business rates and council tax. Sickens me that one of the high-ranking councillors in this area is also on the board of one of the most greedy developers this country has ever witnessed. But as usual, I digress...

Aye, understood. 66s are everywhere and for those who model the current scene, those locos are a must. I don't think the ACs have any less of a following, it's more to do with having to erect OHLE.

Indeed and the difference between the various class 66 batches aren't any more of a chore to manufacture than the differences between an 87 and an 86. 66s over the entire class have different cabside window arrangements, different fuel tanks, different body side doors and different lighting. 86s and 87s have almost identical body sides, the only differences I'm aware of are the double handles on the 87 cab doors (which in most cases was retrofitted to 86s anyway) and the drain spouts differ slightly. The underframes and bogies differ (although less so for 86/1s) and apart from the frontal arrangements that's just about it. If Hornby drop the ball and don't make a decent 86 off the back of their new 87, then in my book they've missed a trick that's been handed to them on a plate. If Hatton's can offer the 66 in its various forms then Hornby should be doing the 86 via their much-awaited 87. Here's hoping.

Hi Brian Like so often on RMweb I've only just discovered this thread/topic and can I just say, absolutely sterling work so far. It was the name of the thread that interested me, and maybe this is wishful thinking on my part but is it possible, given the location, that we might get treated to a "what-might-have-been" featuring bulletproof portals, with untensioned "third rail in the sky" dangling therefrom? Looking forward to seeing your progress, and best regards.

Saw a layout in Fleetwood a few years ago, during one of the Tram Sunday events. It was set in the current time, and there was an HGV on the hard shoulder with an Eastern European identity, people were bailing out of the back and running into nearby fields. Even then I thought the exhibitors were pretty brave for depicting that, and was it perhaps in poor taste? Maybe, but it was very topical at that time. Did it make me laugh, hell yeah. I'm part immigrant myself, ok not me directly but family. It all depends on your offence threshold, mine is pretty high and what annoys me more than most things, is when people expect you to bow to their low tolerance of having a laugh. It's not my fault that others are burdened with overactive trigger mechanisms.

One thing I've never seen modelled, is a well-beaten unofficial walkway from a depot or messroom, to the nearest BRSA or pub. Obviously this would only apply to pre-1992 layouts,

My friend has a full cabside panel off 76037, sadly cut off above the handrails so no windows. Anyway, I informed him the other week that when I win the lottery I'll rebuild the rest of the missing parts, utilising his cabside panel, in return for half ownership in the 'rebuilt' loco. Do you think 0.5% genuine EM1 DNA is enough to qualify? He he.

Only just seen this thread, FWIW they can b*gger off with their silly Klicks, in any case a manager from a different FOC was telling me that a patch for English measurements is available. Giving up miles? Nah, that's like telling the Germans to give up Bratwurst and even as a vegetarian I can see how that would be doomed to failure. One of the 'industry' mags so beloved of the New Railway Luvvies was promoting km over miles a while back, on the back of ERTMS, their justification was that "well the rest of Europe uses Kim's so why shouldn't we?" The rest of Europe also has a tendency not to assume innocence until proven guilty either.... Maybe a dodgy Rue to go down haha. Perhaps they'd like to take a poll of British train drivers in order to ask which system they prefer working in. But as recent events have demonstrated, they may not like the result...

Caught up with 86608 yesterday, just for info the engine has not one but FOUR extra sandboxes from its days as the regeared 86501. Two per side. No idea how I missed that, mustn't have prepped that loco for years as many of my jobs don't involve a prep, just step on/off. I will post the photos on this thread when I get the chance, if anyone wants them. It is markedly different from the others in that respect. Incidentally, FL's 86s all retain the two exhausters, purely as ballast I'd presume as they never work in vac these days and it's quite possible they're isolated. Never had reason to flick the air/vac selector switch and I daren't anyway! The exception to this is 86608, as one exhauster has been removed to make way for the sandbox in that location.

I spy some BR Mk2 derivatives.

Not a gripe as such, I use the phrase myself. But have you noticed how many people have, in the last six months or so, started to use the phrase "it is what it is" at any given opportunity, and certainly more so than ever before. Or maybe it's just a Lancashire thing!

I'd love to find out one day that 4472's frames, motion and God knows what else were actually stamped up with, say, Spearmint's identity. Mr McKillop for one would be pleased...

I've just noticed that, not only has he neglected to shave the name and number plates off that Hornby Western, but it would also appear to be sitting on Warship bogies. Maybe there was a precedent for this in the Swindon cutting up area. Can't think why the ZL chopping squad would bother to weld some Warship cowls/skirts in though... To be fair, the paint job isn't all that bad. However, there are only a finite number of errors that half decent weathering can disguise. And this example isn't one of them...

3118 still gets used occasionally, it seems to be a depot pet at Thonburi. Personally I prefer a GEK, but each to his own!

Been googling stuff about the EMU100 sets in Taiwan again, the country is now setting up its own 'NRM' with, it seems, British (and German) assistance and know-how. It's feasible they might get offered a driving car, unlikely and no suggestion of it, but certainly feasible. If that ever happened it would look ace next to the Shinkansen...

Forgot to mention too, the Taiwan EMU100s were built at York Works.

The BREL Sets were/are referred to as 'EMU100' and at least one has been retained for occasional specials. I think there may be more than one in existence though, these were iconic sets in their time and are still referred to as 'English Grandmothers'. Presumably because they were the first EMUs there. Use the EMU100 name as a search term, and plenty info comes up although naturally, much of it is in Chinese. Some have definitely been scrapped (gory YouTube footage available!) and there is also an N 1:160 model available.

Owd Bob, a 323 is very unusual there, I wonder what it was doing? Ps do you recall the old loco boilers where you took the comparison photos, they were set into the ground and had rudimentary benches inside. They were great for spotting from during a wet weekend and you could stick your head through the holes as a train approached... Happy days.

Hello again Michael. Just a quick query, I'm wondering if you'd be willing to produce a "Heljan EM1/EM2 Correction Kit", either as a commission kit or as an pack on general sale. I'm thinking windscreen surrounds with proper radii and no visible rivets, the later marker light bezels that they had for most of their lives, and corrected cabsides. From what I can tell the EM2s were identical in all of those respects, and I'm more than happy to wander off down to MOSI to take measurements/photos and confirm.

Thought I'd post these on this thread, as Altrincham EMUs are being discussed. Didn't want to start a new thread on it! Cheapo build Altrincham set, from some OO Grafar carriages obtained at a reasonable price. Think I mentioned before that they're a foot short (i.e. 4mm), but I can live with that discrepancy. The only problem with that, is that there would then be no room for the cab on the DTS car without extending it. However, fate has played a hand here, for one of the centre cars was rebuilt to a DTS and had only 8 compartments instead of 9. So that's the one I'm doing, and it got BR Blue too, which is basically my era. So that's one issue sorted. What I did notice though, is that the Grafar carriages have perpendicular, vertical sides, the Alty sets didn't. Sorted via a splice down the middle, as seen below. Incidentally, I'm minded to motorise it and I've been considering using a Hornby 2-BIL power bogie. Does anyone know if that'll be a decent match? Looks all right from the photos online, although I'm not convinced about the wheelbase. Cheers Off doing a bit more on Reddish now! E3109

I think you're getting confused with GB there sir. FL's drivers are known as, er, 'drivers', be it IM or HH. They might be 'engineers' following today's announcement mind....

My missus claims not to like trains in any way. The fact that trains pay her rent every month and have done for the last four years, seems to go completely unnoticed.

That would be a good thing, if any of them had a clue what they're actually supposed to be doing.

For most of my life, I've been accused of being something of a 'Thatcher lackey' just because I point out regularly to my Union, and my previous Union, that in fact Liebour are filth when it comes to railways. Look who signed off the death warrant on Woodhead for example (it was only Ken Clarke who sealed the bid 15 years later and yes for that I'd still take the greatest pleasure in chinning him) and for those who think that Liebour are friendly towards railways, I present Barbara Castle... Wish they would allow RAILWAY people to administer the railway for once. Never going to happen though.