Respite

That isn't my experience. I had footplate rides on both the WB and HL fireless at Huncoat Power Station. They had a decent enough chuff or bark to them. The yard was on a gradient and the locos would take up to 12 loaded 16 tonners to the tipplers, 12 being the most the headshunts could take. Even when pressure was low they still barked. I recall also visits to Lancaster power station when the AB 0-6-0 was in use. Even with only 4 16 toners on going up to the tippler it made a very agreeable amount of noise. Furthermore it had a whistle and it was used.

What never ceases to amaze me with Hattons pre owned items (and Rails) is the number of faults/bits missing with them. Steam locos missing a chimney is a frequent issue.

I agree, Asbestos and Faraday seem very bright. I recall Faraday before it was scrapped and it was a darker green. The NCB locos in the North East used a darker blue than is on No.8 and I suspect the P.L.A. loco should be darker also, and should be a shade more like the Golden Valley PLA Janus diesel.

I attach a plan of the layout at Little London on the line from Caphouse and Denby Grange Collieries to Calder Grove. This would also make an excellent layout.

The advanced tickets for this show are referred to as 'Early Bird' tickets, but don't signify that you can get in earlier than the standard opening tine of 10am. Can you get in earlier with these advanced tickets?

The blue NCB wagons with the chevron ends are not like any I ever saw at a colliery. I know Chasewater has some in the same livery but they are not at all representative of 'typical' NCB wagons. It might be one or more collieries had blue/striped wagons towards the end of mining in England. I suspect they were shunted by diesels are not compatible with the steam era. Just thought I'd mention it. Otherwise you have an interesting project and I like your thoughts regarding the track plan.

I went to the show today with my grandson. It was very good, hall packed with layouts rather than trade stands made a nice change. Well attended and good refreshments at very low prices. We were there 2 hours and saw layouts I hadn't seen before.

I was very impressed with how quickly we were all scanned in yesterday morning despite the longest queue I have seen at the Racecourse venue. I also bought a Planet Industrials 'Victory'. The layouts were a bit lost in the number of trade stands and I wonder how many people didn't see the exhibits upstairs. Doncaster is a really good venue with its motorway, rail links and the car park being opposite the stadium.

A good exhibition but no signposting anywhere to the show (due to myopic local council not the organisers). Very annoying there wasn't more signage about car parks. Lots of trade at the show which was very good and varied, catering good and inexpensive. The organisers need to get the website going for next years show.

You are incorrect about this, they are taking on seasonal staff. I know someone who is so employed for the second year running.

Excellent layouts of a wide variety of types. The queue for the inadequate refreshment stall was the only negative. Glad I had taken my own.

"Ticket Factory lines close 26th November at 14.00" or so says the Warley clubs website. They have the date wrong. I have just tried to book now and Ticket Factory lady says the advanced ticket option is now taken down, it closed today, the 25th November. Really very annoyed that the clubs website is wrong.

This was a super exhibition at an excellent smart venue. A very reasonable entry fee. Lots of trade, lots to see and many great layouts of all types plus a proper cafeteria. Well done to all who contributed to the weekend.

I agree they are Centre Models kits which were made using plans that had appeared in Railway Modeller. I have one of the 16" Hunslets. I am envious of you getting the RSH 0-4-0 looks nice.

Absolutely! I haven't gone because I can't find out anything about the show. The website has no details and the facebook page hasn't been updated in years. Very annoying and hopeless PR.

I really enjoyed this show, only £3 admission. Lots of trade support and some really nice layouts, glad I went along.

Of serious concern is the fizzing firebox. That engine should not be in use. I read that many years prior to this photo they were using a loco with a bulged firebox at this colliery

I think members of this group may be interested in an event this coming weekend at the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway. The event is for four days 25th June to 28th June and is being called a Railway Rally and will include Knowle the Terrier from the Kent & East Sussex Railway, Lucie the Belgium steam tram engine from the NYMR, Hunslet 16" Beatrice, 100 year old Hawthorn Leslie No.2 from Tanfield and the NER Autocar 3170 doing shuttles on the line to Bow-Bridge . Please see the railways website for more details. the main days being the Saturday and Sunday. I understand that tickets are available giving travel on the various different train formations. Please note that as I write this the railways website mentions Caley 419 being there, this is incorrect as it has failed, and Knowle is taking its place and Lucie is an additional visitor.

I just don't see the need for this magazine and the first issue didn't interest me much. I agree with others on here that Steam Railway has obviously struggled for content this year. I don't know why. How about interviews with David Blair, Mick Roberts or some of the other mainline steam drivers for a start.

Definitely Wern Tarw Colliery.

The wasp striped austerity is at Coed Ely Coke works not Onllwyn.

It sounds like the pair of drifts being proposed for reopening are the Marchon anhydrite mine at Kells which were adjacent to the Ladysmith washery. When Haig closed in 1984 it was put on development work and it was referred to as the 'southside development'. The roadways were driven to quite a large size and the intention was to use vehicles to move the coal. The area of Haig and Ladysmith pits produced not just coal and Anhydrite but Alabaster, sandstone and other rock as well. Just beyond the quarry sidings at Ladysmith there was an inclined plane or tub run down to the alabaster mine.

Some of the coal from Harrington No.10 colliery at Lowca and Haig Colliery at Whitehaven went to Moss Bay Ironworks at Workington latterly United Steel and then British Steel. I always had the impression that the Cumberland coalfield couldn't supply enough coking coal hence the trains coming over the Pennines. The suitability of the coal for coking could be determined by which seam it came from and of course suitable seams would become unworkable due to faults and being worked out. The environmental lobby are very vociferous, the amount of coal steam railways use is negligible in the grand scheme of things. As many people have already pointed out importing coal from Australia and Russia makes no environment sense, and who knows what will happen to the price. I have fired locos on the Fros y Fran coal and its hard to make it produce smoke even if you wanted to.

The practice of propping was used at Ladysmith Washery at Whitehaven by the NCB. This was used to propel wagons on an adjacent siding if the loco couldn't get behind the wagons to do so. A wire rope was tried but this of course broke and whipped round so wasn't tried again. A search for Ladysmith Washery will produce images of locos carrying a large pole on the front running board or across the rear buffers. The term at Ladysmith was 'poleing off'

S134 had the two ladders at Primrose Hill colliery.