great central

Couldn't you nip to Curry's and get a Morphy Richards

156407 has recently returned to the area from exile in Anglia, now numbered 156907 to denote it's difference and now incompatibility with the ex EMT 156s, and can be seen on occasion at Grantham most likely on a Skegness service.

You keep your hands off our trains, GA got themselves into this mess.... Although it would have been nice if they'd given them a wash before sending (back) them to us!

Need some more Thunderbirds methinks, are 37401 and 37402 still parked up at Norwich? Could be some spot hire work for them if they can be coupled to Basil's and Sybil's

Hmm, it doesn't look good for my Friday plans. I have a work to Norwich and pass back diagram, so I was going to take a spin to Yarmouth, possibly treat myself to an all day breakfast on the seafront or nip to Gorleston for a haircut. Wonder what my chances are? Fall back plan is the X1 bus, only takes about 45 minutes so quite possibly quicker than a failed train. The Lowestoft line isn't open this week either I believe, that'll need another 3 or 4 Basil's in service

For what it's worth there's a trip planned with Royal Scot later this year in connection with the commemoration events for the 50th anniversary of the closing of the East Lincolnshire lines. The main events are based around the visitor centre at Bateman's brewery at Wainfleet. One of EMR's class 158s has been named ELR 50, not to be confused with the East Lancashire Railway. For my part I'd rather it was a B1 working the special as I'm not aware that Royal Scots worked into Lincolnshire at all, the lines being solidly ex LNER. Unless one or other of the poor selection that Annesley were saddled with managed to get there? The Royal Scot connection obviously is due to the fact that said loco spent many years on static display outside Butlins camp.

Not seen any mention of this show yet? I should be there helping operate Netherwood Sidings, O gauge Woodhead electrics. I'm usually shuffling stuff about in the yard which I find very relaxing. I may also act as Gopher for Kozel Cement, both layouts from Nottingham club members. http://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/events/20618-SystonModelRailwaySocietyExhibition The show is only a short walk from Sileby station on the Ivanhoe line, but please remember there's no Sunday service

Might see you there then, I should be there with Netherwood Sidings, gert big O gauge things

The Nottingham show is alive and well, albeit smaller. Very much a high quality show still with a selection of traders. The new style and venue have been very well received, as mentioned above it is on 14th and 15th March this year. Admission is a very reasonable £4. The biggest issue with the 'big' show was falling attendances over the years. Nottingham as a city isn't very outward looking in my opinion. The redeveloped Harvey Hadden facility was planned from the outset to be little more than a local venue with very limited car parking and being where it is not particularly good public transport infrastructure. We have had bad weather in the past and kept the show going, one memorable year we were scuppered by the weather FORECAST! It was for snow so people stayed away, the day was characterised by wall to wall blue skies. The Nottingham show is staged by a relatively small club with most of the work done by a small proportion of the members, the big show taking almost all of some people's spare time throughout the whole year. I'm sure other show organisers can understand that if the returns don't justify the work involved there is little incentive to carry on. Doncaster, in contrast, is backed by all the resources a large company can supply along with financial back up in the event of bad weather or other problems. To have carried on with the big show would simply have led to the demise of the club.

Personally I'd go with the sheet steel, a board and felt roof will need the felt renewing at some time. Some is very long lived though, our previous clubhouse was done with some with a 10 year warranty but it wasn't a cheap Job. I replaced my rotten shed roof with steel sheet a good many years ago, quite easy to do and cost me about £50. I have a large garage/workshop at the side of the house, pretty much self built, profile steel sheet with a couple of rows of translucent fibreglass (I think) roof gives a very good place to work as well. Only issue is a certain amount of condensation in winter although you can get fully insulated or lined sheets to stop that.

What should be remembered at the moment is that the Wherry lines are currently closed so rather less units required for service for the next couple of weeks. When the lines reopen with all new signalling as well however............

Should have put Duracells in. Other high power batteries are available

Without wanting to spoil the thread I had something very similar years ago. Had several youths with air rifles on the land behind us. Reported to police, no one available I was told, until I said I was going to see them off armed with a baseball bat!

That's K E Y N S H A M

Are they a true independent, as in one owner and a few staff, or part of a local chain? A friend of my son was an MOT tester working for a true independent some years ago. One man and a few staff providing an excellent service to a smallish town. Owner decided he wanted to retire so sold the business to a small local chain. New owners came in and immediately started to question any MOTs passed without any work needing done. Told my son's friend to find, or if necessary make up, chargeable work. Having been used to being totally honest with, and trusted by, customers this didn't sit well with him. The second week of this he packed his tools and walked out mid morning! I won't name the company for obvious reasons but they do take liberties in all ways, for example, there were several large trees partly obscuring a recently opened new site. They had applied to cut the trees down but local authority refused as they were on LA land, one day the trees suddenly weren't there. Our son through a friend found a very good small garage who does all our work now, for instance he only charges £20 for an oil change, we supply the oil and filter at best price we can get it. Never heard of this treatment and like you I can't see much value in it if you have regular oil changes with good quality oil.

How about this then, with a short rake of mk2s? https://mobile.twitter.com/Richard_rail/status/1222546215394521091/photo/1

I have one, picked up cheaply from York show many, many years ago, must be pushing 40 as my son was only a baby and he's 40 on Sunday. Scratch built a loco chassis with an XO4 in, I think, nicked from one of my childhood locos. I was unemployed at the time and model funds were all but nonexistent.

Speaking to a colleague a few days ago who'd been to visit a friend's and former colleagues shop. The one that doesn't tend to get very complimentary reviews on here. He was told the stock was valued in the region of £4million!! That could have been a load of old bull to sound good but I can see it being possible.

Sorry but carrying water against a possible problem is a non starter to my mind. I can have nearly 500 people on a full and standing 4 car 158. Small bottles of water come in cases of 24. We carry a supply through the summer when air con may not be able to cope, more than 5 cases I can barely get in the cab. So a 12 car commuter service could easily have well upwards of 1000 on board. More like half a coach to store enough water!?

EMR still run Manchester Liverpool hourly via Warrington Central although timekeeping through Castlefield can be challenging. I read somewhere, possibly on WNXX that in the 2020 timetable proposal only 4 paths a day were allowed for EMR between Manchester and Liverpool.

What I find really annoying about this farce is that GA are allowing their passengers who aren't there to think it's not one of the new trains. Bit of upfront honesty wouldn't go amiss I think.

Nobody, well certainly the staff, seems to know what's happening with Liverpool Nottingham. Northern are in turmoil as can be seen by other threads and TPE are little better, losing money hand over fist it seems. Some quiet whispers about other options, not least reducing the number of trains through the Castlefield corridor in Manchester, make if that what you will.

At least that one almost looks like it's been cleaned unlike, I think, 156909 pictured here at Nottingham on the 20th. 156912 has had the vinyls scraped off in places showing previous paint colours, Central trains green and possibly RR pale grey as well

Likely be back in Norwich before too long if the ongoing unit shortages at EMR are anything to go by. I believe 1569(4)02 made it there on Thursday or Friday

That's just wrong