TonyA

Given that the world and everything I see is just a figment of my imagination, the only real time is my own. Tony

There was an audio adventure on Short Trips where he did build a model railway. However, the figures came to life and carried on with the job, demolishing parts and then extending it if my memory serves me well. Tony

Also played Sul in City of Ember - another favourite. Tony

As an aside (and to show how sad I am), I have worked out the age of the actor's when they took the role. In order of age, they were: William Hartnell 55 Peter Capaldi 55 Jon Pertwee 50 Patrick Troughton 46 Sylvester McCoy 44 Christopher Eccleston 41 Colin Baker 40 Tom Baker 40 Paul McGann 36 Jodie Whittaker 35 David Tennant 34 Peter Davison 29 Matt Smith 27 From my perspective, the actor playing a character who is at least 1000 years old should have a certain maturity and gravitas unless his brain has regenerated so much that he cannot remember his earlier persona. Tony

I have watched Doctor Who from the start with only a few gaps due to work/travel and I recently watched some of the early recordings. Ignoring the rubber suited aliens and wobbly sets, I was surprised how slow-moving the plots seemed. I think a large part of my reaction to recent series is simply down to the passage of (real) time and changes in my tastes. I think that whether or not the new Doctor should be female is down to the reasoning behind it and how that affects the scripts. Given that Pearl Mackie's character is gay could make for some interesting interactions without it degenerating into a rom-com. It just needs to remember that it is sci-fi drama and not try to include too many messages. Star Trek was very successful in doing that by just including and accepting variety without pushing the point. However, I originally wondered, when Peter Capaldi in The Doctor Falls said "I don't want to change", whether the next Doctor would be David Bradley with things going back to the start. Tony

Geddi, Sorry to disagree but AD 47777 was originally 12t paired plank van SR 49741 built 1939/40 to diagram 1458 under order A1034. It was sold to the army in 1943 and became Mobile Workshop Train stores van MW105(S), registered as SR 1170/43. References are NRM Southern Railway Register of PO Wagons, CW/DY/17,and An Illustrated History of Southern Wagons Volume Four, page 61. AFAIK, all Mobile Workshop Train 12t vans were uneven planked. AD 47777 appears to have been rebuilt at Longmoor as a tool van prior to April 1967 when it was given an even planked body, the side doors on each side being replaced by planks and a window. It retained the door at one end. In this condition it was transferred to Marchwood prior to November 1979 where it was photographed. It was subsequently preserved on the Mid-Hants line where it was photographed at Four Marks without side doors in 1994. The side doors were added later during restoration. Tony

I use mainly no.18 NEM couplings, as much as anything out of laziness but the closeness of coupling hasn't worried me so far. Pointwork is 2ft radius. The important thing is to leave at least one wagon length of straight each side of the uncoupling magnet, otherwise you will have problems. I didn't originally and had to realign the track. This photo should show how close the wagons are and also how much curve you can get away with for the uncoupling magnet. Tony

I have used Kadees on both my German layouts and intend to do so on my next one. I know they are not realistic but neither are the alternatives. However, unlike British models, newer continental stock follows NEM standards for mounting boxes and makes swapping couplings simple. The only exception is my Piko Ko 1 where I use a barrier wagon. My luckiest find was a pre-NEM Fleischmann T3 second-hand at a show which already had Kadees fitted and could immediately replace a loco that had decided to cause trouble when I was exhibiting Nürnberg Winkelhof. Tony

I agree with this. I like shunting puzzles and I also enjoy crosswords, Sudoku etc. That is the way my brain works. However, I do enjoy watching the variety of layouts such as the ones I saw at Chatham today representing different scales, themes and countries. However, at my age it is not realistic to start on a 10-year layout project even if I could maintain my interest for that long. I personally would prefer to plan ten 1-year layout projects (each different in subject and scale) in the hope that many will be finished and possibly exhibitable. And if not, at least there won't be too much for my children to clear up and take to the tip. Tony

As promised, here are some photos from my iPhone. Bad Rehau Bahnhof Hofen Industrivej Tachov-Unriches Tilley Yard South This really tempts me to try a snow scene! And as it was a nice afternoon at the GWS. Tony

An excellent show with the added bonus of being able to visit the GWS site as well. I hope to be able to post a few photos of the show tomorrow. I might even add one of a GWR engine to keep Bill (bbishop) happy. Tony

Many years ago when I saw the stage version, some people in a box were causing a disturbance by releasing rocket balloons. Just before the curtain went up, Herr Flick came onto the speaker system and said that "anyone letting off balloons will be shot!". It was a very effective and, in that context, an amusing way of achieving peace. Tony

Where I live, most of the local foxes live at the side of the electrified main line to Sevenoaks. I don't see horses or hounds doing too well there, whatever the riders want to do. Tony

Very true. However, what I actually said was that the DB locomotives were used in the north. I didn't mention trip freights as they were used on passenger workings as well. I also said that the nearest ones to Höchstädt were over the border in the Thüringerwald. Having said that, it should look interesting pulling Bill's Bavarian 4-wheel Lokalbahn coaches that had been scrapped before the date of his layout! Tony

Last November they insisted on fitting one for the electricity in spite of me telling them that the signal here was bad. They fitted it and it is still not working! The engineer said that they may have to fit an external aerial. No thank you! Meanwhile, I still read the meter myself and enter it online. Tony

The SR style brake vans were built by the SR in response to an order from the WD. Two batches each of 20 vans were built based on the 25 ton design with 2+2 planking with right-hand duckets. The most obvious differences from the SR vans were two vacuum cylinders mounted on the end platform with associated pipework and the absence of a guard's stove or chimney. As far as I know, there were never any Highfits at Longmoor. All ex-mainline stock was from a much earlier era. The only open wagon that I have identified as suitable is the ex-LBSC wagon available from Cambrian (C33) or Smallbrook Studios. Warflats and Warwells are due from Bachmann and Hattons. The best source of information on Longmoor stock is The Longmoor Military Railway - a new history, volume 3 by Mike Christensen and David Ronald. Tony

One thing that ticking both boxes does not highlight is proportion. I currently have three small layouts of which 2 are DC and the other is DCC. However, a new layout is in plan and that will be DC for the foreseeable future. It may well be a reflection of my skills but DCC was more sensitive than I had hoped and the sound, although nice, gave me far more functions than I needed or would use. Basically I cannot justify the expense and "tweaking" for the marginal benefits to my particular activities. Tony

DVLA My 3-year type 1 diabetes license ran out one month before I was 70 so they just renewed based on the diabetes date. Also they were not interested in my bypass surgery. More sensible than I expected. As a bank manager (in IT), I never had to sign a pasport form but I did sign a gun license application. It was for a half-ton cannon used by a member of the Sealed Knot. We do strange things in life. Tony

As Bill is without computer access at the moment, he has asked me to post the question as to whether anyone has organised this (or any other) meet at Ally Pally this weekend? I will try and keep my eyes on this and phone Bill with any updates. Many thanks, Tony

I believe the legislation that Bill referred to applies to dealers in second hand goods based in or operating in Kent and Medway. Details can be found here. http://www.kent.gov.uk/business/business-licences-and-registration/register-to-sell-second-hand-goods As noted in the guide, similar legislation is in force in some other local authority areas. Tony

From a very quick look in The Railways of Beckenham, locomotives in 1946 would appear to have been class C and O1 with Cromptons taking over by 1961. As for agricultural traffic, there is a family story that my uncle collided with a cow near Eden Park while cycling home at night. That would have probably been in the late 1920s so dairy farms must have been in the area then. Tony

They are two captured A7Vs arriving at Tank Corps Headquarters, Erin, in July 1918. Hagen had previously been in action near Villers-Bretonneux, possibly in April 1918 during the first tank versus tank action on the 24th when three A7Vs encountered two female and one male British Mark IV tanks. Tony

The wagons built for the M6 were Warwell B, not Warflat B. The height of the deck was 3ft 2ins compared to 4ft 2ins on the Warflat and 2ft 8ins on the Warwell. Tony

TonyA is able to browse posts from the ward but not able to type in the right place Everything went very well and I was chatting to my daughter by 7pm on Thursday. Still a bit sore but just wanted to thank everyone here for their support. It made a very big difference. Typing on an iPhone is a pain so probably won't post again until I am a home on the PC. Very best wishes to everyone. Tony P. S. In the end it was a triple bypass with no extras.

I post so rarely here that I am not sure I qualify as an ER but I will own up to the op. It's the first in my life and its a multiple bypass so I am going straight in at the deep end. All advice on low impact modelling that I can do in recovery will be very welcome. Thank goodness for all the Christmas TV. At least I can have my iPhone there so we will see how quickly I can post an update. In the meantime, best wishes to all the others with health issues and I hope to be back soon. Tony