E3109

Cheers for the info Supaned, sadly Makkasan Works is going soon too. To make way for yet another shopping mall, 'cos BKK really needs another one of those... The works is relocating approx 200ks north, I forgot the name of the place now. If no booked services are to use Hualamphong in the near future, then I'd hope that the rail connection is retained, for museum stock, steam specials and so on. I got round Makkasan twice a few years back, very lucky there but my friend is ex SRT and does a lot of work for them as a contractor.

Gibbo quick question regarding the 'Toby' roof, I have heard that pouring boiling water over plasticard while fastened to a former (in this case a jar) or submerging it in boiling water, helps to keep it in its new shape, something to do with the properties of styrene I think. Do you know if this is good info, it would seem to make sense as in the past I've experimented with curving plasticard in this way (without hot water) and it sometimes warps over a few weeks, trying to return to its untensioned (flat) state.

A few shots I took during demolition, summer 1991. A rather depressing day out if the truth be known, glad I went though.

What people wish to 'identify' with, is their own business. It isn't harming anyone so live and let live, and all the rest. I draw the line at the expectation of being beyond criticism though, because surely it ought to be equal across the board. In other words, if it's OK for a trans person to expect acceptance then they surely ought to also accept that some people may not accept their lifestyle as 'normal' (not that it's anyone else's business but maybe you catch my drift). Define 'normal' though, I mean let's be frank most non-railway enthusiasts have us all tarred with the Weirdo Brush anyway. Best thing to do is just laugh it off, although I acknowledge that some people find it difficult to do that. This is a complex area but I will say, that two of the most decent people I've ever known are Phnom Penh-based ladyboys (and no, I haven't by the way). That said, I've also encountered some real vile bit***s in Bangkok who are basically just brawler blokes in frocks. Generalisation is the key here, or rather, the key as to what not to do. One size does NOT fit all, in my experience. ER whoops, that wasn't intended as a double entendre... Sometimes I think this can go too far though, for instance the young black girl who is convinced she's white, and actually debases her own family (Google 'Treasure The White Queen Dr Phil' if you're interested, not for the faint-hearted mind). Sometimes I'm convinced I'm a full on lesbian in the wrong body... But let's not go into that haha. Live and let live, while maintaining balance.

I did see a box of 3 for sale at a local emporium yesterday, the revamped versions, they did seem to be an improvement on those I'm used to. They were s/h but as new, however at £55 I didn't buy them. Some old guy was paying for them ten minutes later, so they certainly continue to attract great interest!

Wow, old RMWeb thread here sheds more light on this. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/49374-what-locomotive-is-this/

Link below https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_rail_transport_in_Mauritius

Spurred on a little by Rue d'Etropal's Bermuda thread, I thought I'd post on this topic. A colleague and friend who I regularly relieve on Anglo-Scottish liner leccy jobs is from Mauritius and I must confess I wasn't aware that the island had ever had a railway. He's recently been over to visit family and his dad knew all about it, we were googling the hell out of it the other week in the mess room. What is even more remarkable, is that it was standard gauge, fairly unusual for an island former colony I expect. It closed in the 1960s but not before a last gasp at modernisation, a couple of NBL diesels were brought in and amazingly these were tested on BR metals prior to export. Even more surprising is that one of them ended up in the possession of a US dealer, after closure. Would make a wonderful model, especially if a "what if it stayed open" scenario were introduced. As it happens, the government are now pressing ahead with a modern tramway network and some of it will use the original formation by the looks.

Does anyone know whether Hualamphong will remain partially open for services once the main Bang Sue terminus is operational? From what I can see, it will be difficult/impossible to connect the Eastern Line (to Chachoengsao and the Cambodian border) to Bang Sue. I also heard on my last trip that Hualamphong is meant to become the Thai version of our NRM, I'd hope so with such an iconic building, which has a place in many Thais' hearts. SE Asian folk don't tend to get as sentimental about architecture as we do, but I guarantee an outcry if Hualamphong train shed were to be demolished.

I'm modelling that very shed, that's why I wanted one in a semi-dismantled state. They were stored at Bury in 1968, but a couple were brought out of store to demonstrate their capabilities to NS in 1969 and were sold that year. From what I can tell, these locos were E27002 and E27004, both sans nameplates. Thus, I can just about get away with multi-fitted EM1s rubbing shoulders with 2 and 4, whereas the one I've taken the Dremel to will need to be restricted to pre-1968 scenes.

Loco in question, bit of a basket case really but fair game for a TMD scene. Note the missing boiler panel.

Not too sure Russ, various stuff on the net suggests that Ped bogies were 'legitimately' fitted to EM2 models from time to time, back in the day. I don't buy it, but it may be true. In any case, if EM2s are your thing then ensure you check this out when bidding on a Triang EM2.

I do nothing that pretends to be 'money', apart from one standing order I don't indulge in this devilry... If you want to use money OP then why don't you do what I do, and withdraw all your money the moment it gets BACSed to a third party. Oh, for the days of physical pay packets....

I do have an absolutely mint Triang EM2 Jason and I'd never touch it re mods, it's a lovely model and deserves to stay in its current condition, apart from wheelsets which can easily be backdated if req. Sometimes I feel that modding ancient locos incurs the wrath of the collector fraternity, I do get that though.

I acquired a 'spares or repair' Triang EM2 recently in a rather parlous state, and even worse it came with a class 31 power bogie which is something I always look out for. This time it slipped my radar, but no worries really as it wasn't expensive. The loco body itself was in a decent condition, but nonetheless I wanted it for a cameo scene on my layout. I had the Dremel to it this afternoon to cut out the boiler panel and other mods, but I still feel sort of bad for taking the hatchet to what is after all a collectable model. Am I alone in feeling this way? The loco as it will be modified will be an absolute boon to my layout, but I still can't help feeling a bit guilty at 'defiling' an otherwise collectable item. How do you guys feel about committing such 'sacrilege'?

An ugly brute in that livery, isn't it?!

Locos used to be left idling overnight at Springs Branch quite regularly, especially in the winter months. Then an old folks' home was built on the embankment behind the depot, complaints were raised and it got stopped. This would've been in the early to mid 1980s. I can see both sides to this, however if you open a new building next to a TMD then what do you expect? At the time there were a lot of Class 20s subshedded at SP from Toton, so I also sort of get their point...

I did drop on one recently for £3 (!) at a swap meet, needed work but very good going really, rest of those I have were approx £10 each. They seem to attain silly prices on eBay at the mo, many thanks for that link and may place a bid but I doubt if that lot will go for less that fifty nicker.

As a Woodhead crank clearly I need boatloads of HAAs/HOPs but I do wonder why these Rovex antiquities are still commanding such high prices on eBay and so on. To be fair I acknowledge that this is still a damned good model, and can be improved on with relative ease. I did hear that there are some inaccuracies with the Hornby wagon but even if that's the case I can live with it: it looks pretty much right to me. Maybe I've answered my own question with the above comment, but if, say, Accurascale were to produce such a wagon I'd reconsider my position. As it is, I'd like perhaps 90 of them (3 rakes) but not really willing to pay the best part of a grand for the privilege! Woodhead may be a niche market, but HAAs certainly aren't! Comments welcome, cheers. E3109

70 nicker for an HAA, anyone? Not cheap at twice the scale. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hornby-R6533-BR-Railfreight-32-5-St-MGR-Hopper-Wagon/163437316620?epid=2161445058&hash=item260d9f8a0c:g:BikAAOSwUalcAbMe

A ragtag collection of Triang castoffs, featuring a Blue Pullman (one power car only),a quasi-Canadian Pacific and various stock. The hand-me-down job lot also featured the famed giraffe car, in an unserviceable state. Dad paid £10 for the stuff approx 1973 and although I reckon he was ripped off I don't mind one bit. For it sowed the seeds of a lifetime interest/obsession from which there's no coming back from.

Agreed although (IMHO) Mr Green sold out to Beardie for twenty pieces of silver. Still, nobody's perfect! Chris is still a damned good railwayman, as most of us will know. Always had the utmost respect for Sir Bob, bear in mind that he cut his teeth in the real, cutthroat private sector (Shell) and yet he STILL spoke out against BR's privatisation. Further to that, he made a point of meeting up with and nurturing the mech/elec apprentices on my local watch. He was the sort of fella who realised that the youngsters are our future way before that idea became fashionable and I will add, that the BR apprentices were tipped off when meeting him to offer their left hands for shaking purposes, as Mr Reid had lost his right arm early on in life. One railway legend I would've loved to have met.

Gratuitous 'playing trains' shots... 10001, as every fule no, is there for bogie attention as 9C has spare parts, well that's my story anyway. The bogies are identical to EM2s, so it's within the realms of possibility.

After much head-scratching I've finally worked out where all the windows and doors go, on the office/stores side. As expected, they generally line up so that they're in between vertical RSJs. I'm just glad I stuck to using the Lego stud centres as a datum, this has resulted in the shed being 2" short but at over 5ft in OO is an acceptable compromise, I think. If I hadn't used the stud centres and made it to exact length instead, then it would've meant carving a LOT of Lego bricks up to fit.

Many thanks gents.