steve W

..... and then came the Pandemic....... Subsequently it has taken a bit of time to get the layout going again, but rewiring is virtually complete with a few snags being sorted on running nights.

As an exiled Cornishman I'm really looking forward to this one, one of my favouite sections of railway.

Clearwater Harbor is almost ready, a few more bits to do. It will be good to get out again.

Whatever next! There were big BLUE diesels on the layout last Friday, dribollic ones at that.. Yep, if it runs its welcome in the club room, although Add Rd group are much more particular on the exhibition schedule of course. https://www.facebook.com/TwickenhamMRC/

I lost all appetite for modelling during most of the various recent incarcerations and didn't go to the workshop for months on end. I have returned recently and I started with a small 4mm diorama. All done from bits I already had (except the car as I don't normally model 4mm!) The whole thing is 300mm wide by 200mm deep Thanks for the many inspirational pics on this thread. i'm sorry, but there was no room for a railway on this one. Cheers Steve W.

Sorry to butt in, but another possible option is Marcway, also in Sheffield. They have a point lever very similar to the American ones. Good picture on their web site but no useful information like dimensions or throw details unfortunately. http://www.marcway.net/store/1068/Point Levers Not used them personnally, but found the page when looking for something else.

Looking closely at the end of the car, there is an exhaust pipe to the right of the AC unit and clearly a radiator of an engine in the central area below the AC unit, so almost certainly a generator unit for the AC and possibly elsewhere on the train. Steve W

Nice picture, shame about the livery of the loco, even though it appears well wiped!

Twickenham Club re-opens on the 31st July (Friday) for the first time since lockdown last year. A cautious approach for the time being with a limited number of members each week on a rota. Prospective new members are welcome, but must discuss attendance with Gerald, the secretary, in the first instance. Email: secretary.tdmrc@gmail.com

Quite right Sir Douglas. No. 1530. I should have scanned the back of the photo as well. Thanks for noting it.

Laid up with a touch of gout, I've been sorting a vary random mixed Tesco bag of pics that range from gardens to switchboards and UK to Japan. However, Here's a few from Cornwall, Falmouth Docks, mostly an Open Day in July 1964 and a visit in 1965 to Par Docks. The last one is probably a couple of years later. #3 Hawthorn Leslie 1926. This is a later pic as I chanced upon it simmering outside the back of the shed, probably 1972. That's a big brass plate on the side of the tank, the advantage of having 'in house' pattern making and casting facilities! #6 Peckett 1530, 1919 with dumb buffered wagons, and enthusiasts holding on like leaches! #6 again. Alongside a dry dock that is now part of the luxury yacht company's operation. #4 Hawthorn Leslie, 3670, 1927. These locos were not in steam, but were 'polished' for the occasion #5 Peckett 1530 1929 These came from a trip to Par Docks 'Judy' on a lunch break. I spent the morning riding with the crew, one of the best mornings ever, and all for the price of 20 'Senior Service'. Bagnall 2572 1937 Back at work; there's little/no visible ballast, the track is probably glued down with decades of sticky clay dust This is a scan of about a third of a so-so print so lacking in detail. These locos were kept in immaculate condition with the wooden cab detail varnished and fit for a yacht. Wagon load heights /shape and sheeting vary considerably cheers Steve W.

A bit of change of subject, a rough trip on the Penzance - St Marys ferry recently. Good bit of video on the 'Cornwall Live website of the Scillonian3 leaving Mounts Bay. https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/gallery/uncomfortable-isles-scilly-ferry-trip-5437463

proudly displayed on

of new roundabouts

adds more excitement

Yes that was likely the case, there were 'mountains' of these on sale at the time and similar ones today, but it certainly had work done (poorly) to fit the new case by the provision of the connectors and removal of two or three components. Whether the two loose steel strips, one down each side that rattled around, were part of the original for some sort of shielding or added for weight to imply some sort of quality I never resolved. Sorry no pics of the guts of the failed one, but the back cover was very pretty: Of course, none of the significant marks were genuine, each had a small modification. The unsuspecting could have been easily convinced, despite the bargain price tag at that time of under a fiver which should have raised an alarm. Bob is probably losing his hair by now and looking for a clockwork drive for his sander!

of little Brats

Not quite "adopted world wide", tho as you say, Budha was enlightened. Japan for example uses Black White green for flex colrs (L,N,E respectively), Canada (and USA) appears to use Orange, Brown and Yellow for three phase and Iv'e worked on busbars that were purple yellow and green (France at one time) To be honest there are a whole rainbow of colour schemes https://wiraelectrical.com/wire-color-codes/ After over thirty years of working on overseas electrical installations you become a bit cautious of any piece of wire!

of rusting trains

Agreed. There you go, title changed.

Only if Cod

In the case of our club one, your'e absolutely right - whilst investigating the lead the cover fell off the power supply (no screws or glue) revealing a reworked unit that must have failed original QC checks. Both connectors were new, the original use was meant to be hard wired as the stub ends were still attached from where they had been snipped off. Components had also been removed and nothing in their place, it did produce 12V though. I could go on, we just binned the whole thing. I'm not suggesting this variable one is anything like that, but the price is well below any 12V 5A psu brick (fixed output) that you would buy with a reputable UK seller and that you could claim from in the worst case. I regularly pay betwenn £15 and £30 for 60Watt brick power supplies.

I would echo that. One of our groups at the club ended up with one of these leads (on a psu for LEDs). Not only wasn't it fused, but the lead had quickly broken away from the entry to the plug revealing Red/white/black cores with very thin insulation. A Positively dangerous thing.

down the drain

Spot on! A really thick beach mat and shoes was essential! That little railway was a very successful operation in its day and was seldom seen running without a full load. Maintenance might have been a problem with salt air and that sand, but ballast was freely available in large quantities.