Kelly

Lovely models James. Especially liked the Electrostars you did earlier in the thread. Wish I could justify a 375/377, but the area I'm looking at requires a 376, which as you know is a much harder prospect and rather different. For now I'll concentrate on a 465 and 4EPB, but a 376 would be good to bring the ideas into the modern era rather than the current plans for early 90s when the Networkers were just coming in.

Plans for working on the layout have taken a back seat again due to funds and lack of space to store any boards sadly. Hopefully in the summer I'll be able to get a shed in the garden sorted out which will allow me to store some layout boards. Obviously stock would always be kept inside. Talking of stock, I'll hopefully get the extra bits I need at Ally Pally from Replica to be able to make another go on the 4EPB project again. I've also managed to source 4 more bodies (3 toilet, 1 non-toilet) for my 465 project so should be able to make progress on that soon. With the 2 bodies minus cabs I already have I should have more than enough to make a complete 465, though think I'll end up needing to make glazing so it looks uniform. 1 465 and 1 466 should be enough initially. The plans have sort of changed a little to try to make it possible to be in (almost) any 2 track electrified area of the SR. As well as the Woolwich Dockyard are, Addiscombe Park is being considered too, with possible plans for a terminus added at a later date. Kidbrooke is also being considered. Thats all for now.

So it has been over a year since the last time I updated this blog about what I was thinking of/planning. Some big changes occurred in that time, namely I moved house, to a smaller 1bed ground floor flat. This has presented problems and Improvements in equal measure. The biggest improvement has been mobility/health. I no longer have to contend with a myriad of stairs which helps immensely. Unfortunately the nature of the flat means I have very little in the way of storage space other than a small room where the fridge/freezer and boiler occupy most of the space. There is an out building, but it is a bit rickety, and I wouldn't trust anything that needs keeping dry out there really. Though I do have a small garden so hopefully next year a shed might be possible, which would make a huge difference. Out of all the plans myself and Natalie came up with the one that has my interest the most is the Woolwich Dockyard one, so I am likely to focus on that for now. Though I am tempted to do the narrow gauge portion of the Chilmark based layout plan as that is fairly small and should be easy to store at least. I have gotten inspired to actually do something at least now though, though as always money hampers that. But I think by early/mid next year baseboards (from Tim Horn) will be purchased and track from c&l to EM gauge most likely. For now I am going to continue to plan and research and get bits as funds allow. Another Hornby Networker set and another Bachmann 2EPB will probably be added as well as a Class 33/37/47/60/66/92 for freight duties at some point. I am intending to get my head around Blender/Sketchup to have a go at seeing if I can manage to get some items 3D printed, perhaps even making a 4DD or the 465 bits I need (2 more bodyshells for the TSOL carriage), though I am also considering resin casting the Hornby body to make a complete set from them. I think the early 90s setting will be rather nice, and will be more what I remember having traveled the line numerous times growing up (though before University it was the Bexleyheath line most often). The idea is to make it possible to make it represent most 3rd rail locations within reason and fixture being changeable to allow different eras to be represented later. Obviously DCC/Computer control will be a priority to make wiring simpler and give much better control. Besides I have plenty of spare computer parts so something that utilized them will be feasible for me. Next stop Warley to collect more bits for the 4EPB project which I made a rather botched attempt at due to a mixture of sloppiness and bad tools (since ordered a better quality razor saw rather than the ancient one I had) at the Great Electric Railway Show at Gaydon earlier in the month.

Always nice to see more SR 3rd rail layouts

Glad to hear you're making good progress Don How sad horrible what some people will do to animals. I'm very much of the opinion that animals can no more consent than a child could, perhaps less so, so punishments for animal cruelty should be much much harder. But, glad Lucy has found a loving home, that there are people who'll take in rescue animals and give them the love they need is wonderful imo I grew up with them going by either side of where my parents lived (near Dartford), but can only really admit to remembering the EPBs and later the Networkers. Current plan is for a small simple 2 track line (with level crossing and spur for wharf/docks) based upon the Woolwich Dockyard area, set around the time of the Networkers being introduced. So currently making a stab at a 4EPB to go with the Hornby 466 and Bachmann 2EPB I have, then to think of relevant freight. The plan is to make it modular (with baseboards built by Tim Horn) and all fixtures (where possible) removable to make storage easier (1bedroom ground floor flat presents problems in that regard!) and to allow changing of line/era for extra interest, ie going back to the 3/4SUB and steam, though obviously with fixed 3rd rail it limits how far back it can go.

Morning all. A sleepless night for me sadly, damn back pain. Oh well plenty of caffeine then out to my art class later. Mention of military railways makes me think of plans for an 009 military store micro layout I had/have on the back burner. Though I'm more focused on Southern EMUs atm...

I grew up down that way, in Barnehurst. Thamesmead was always on the top of the list place to avoid if at all possible. It also has HMP Belmarsh there too. I was in 1579 Sq ATC, fun times. I was never good at shooting, always preferring the gliding and flying when the opportunity arose. Though we did get to fire the L98 (non-auto, bolt version of SA-80). Acrobatics in gliders or Chipmunks/Bulldogs were always (to me) much more fun! PS: not been reading the forum much recently, but speedy recovery wishes to Don.

Sadly when you get past about 80ish the risks of survival of GA become much worse from hat I understand. That and the stress on the major organs might mean survival of the operation itslef might be a risk as well. Sometimes you can only give palative care and make people as comfortable as you can, it is very sad at that point. If mid-60s is the time for things to 'go' then at 35 I dread my 60s! as everything already feels like it has gone. Roll on body replacements! Always best to get checked out every so often, especially men past 40 years as I've known too many who have died suddenly around 40-50 in some cases it was random, but in others earlier intervention might of helped avoid it.

rather annoying to say the least isn't it? It is not beyond the realms of possibility that my TV got a bit of unnoticed damage when I moved which has caused my issues, but I don't think it is personally. do you think it is a defective freeview box or aerial/lead in your case? kelly

Afternoon all. A quiet resting week that just was. Apart from Thursday when Richard visited with his mum and we went to the Transport Museum here in Coventry and the Cathedral as his mum wanted to see it. It ended with some lovely rump steaks (Richard is a good cook, which as I can't be trusted to cook myself most of the time is a blessing!). It also saw my xbox 360 console go off for repair with him, I will get it back next Saturday. It does mean I'm reduced to all video/TV watching on my laptop rather than my 42" telly, which is a tad annoying! (for some reason the telly only picks up 9 digital channels on freeview and at other times none, so either cable from aerial is damaged or aerial is damaged, neither of which I can afford to get fixed, there is tho a sat dish on the wall so I could just pick up a freesat box at some point and make use of that, tho the cable from that has no connectors on it!). Today and yesterday one of mostly rest and catching up on stuff on iPlayer/ITV player (utterly terrible) and 4OD. Now for a cuppa and lunch.

Sorry to hear that. Fight them, ask them to look again at the decision. If they still then deny the claim, then go to tribunal, though i think Legal Aid for them has been withdrawn sadly. Good luck, don't give up, DWP just rubber stamp anything ATOS tell them and the ATOS staff/decision advisors/doctos get paid per cperson they find fit for work regardless of DWP or tribunal outcome. DWP in turn hope people will give up and not continue to fight, which a lot do due to the time and stress involved.

Not posted on here for a few days due to NEC/Warley happening. Managed to afford it (just) in the end. Had a great day Saturday at Comic Con, with some fantastic items on offer and some equally fantastic costumes on show. I'll put my photos of those up on flickr at some point when I've had chance to look at them. Sunday was there all day for the Warley show. Enjoyed it, despite the struggles with batteries dying on my scooter (and consequent needing to put it to charge a few times! thank heavens I had my eReader with me!) and dealing with the crowds and getting near layouts being lower down made it much harder. Next year I'll fit dalek bumps I think and airhorns Today has mostly been a case of resting and catching up on telly I missed.

Morning. A night of insomnia for me, so awake and not feeling great. But Natalie should be visiting sometime today, and the weekend promises Warley and MEM/Comic Con so not all bad at least, even if I am very skint.

No snow in Coventry thankfully. Not that I have much issue with driving in it, it's more the idiots wwho drive too fast i'd worry about! Though walking as I do with a walking stick in the snow/ice is somewhat... interesting, especially when you go forwards and the stick goes sideways! I have fond memories of driving a HA Viva in snow several years back on crossplies, easy and effortless to drive. A year or so later it was less so with a HC Viva, pirouetting on a roundabout was... 'fun' Yesterday was spent having words with the Dealer about the exhuast on the car falling off. Sadly to no avail, they refused to do anything about it. Took it to National Tyres for a quote, got quoted £200 to fix it. Though later speaking with a friend revealed a friend of a friend who could get a good deal at considerbly less most likely. Thankfully the psychology appointment that afternoon went well and helped me calm down a bit at least.

Sadly all too common an occurance I had a 2 year fight with the DWP over my DLA, which I won at tribunal, I was as you'd imagine, quite glad when I didn't have that level of trouble from ATOS/DWP over my ESA claim! The stress they can put you under with the forms, medicals etc can get really horrendous. Keep fighting them, they want you to give up and not fight, but fight on and you'll eventually win as long as you document every aspect of the issues with supporting evidence from Doctors, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers and the like where applicable. If need be look for support from local agencies that help with benefits matters (CAB etc). Hope it all gets resolved for you both soon.

Morning. Am awake early for a change (woke about 7ish and couldn't get back to sleep). Going to let Richard have some sleep (he's not long finished a night shift and driving here) then head to the Dealer about the car exhaust, big stick in hand. Then hopefully I'll have enough spoons left to cope with my hospital (psychologist) appointment this afternoon.

Today was feeling a better day, until my Xbox 360 DVD drive decided it will no longer read discs. Time to box it up and take it back to the store and hopefully get it sorted (it was second hand). If not £8 for a replacement laser unit, or £40 for the whole drive depending upon how much work i want to do... Oh well, Richard's here tomorrow so the company will be welcome..

Spent most of today asleep due to the effects of the exhaust falling off the car yesterday leaving me stuck and needing the RAC (The back box fell off, but still was hung by the rear hanger, so was fouling on the road). 2 hour wait in the cold wasn't much fun, on top of a cold coming on. Hoping the dealer where I bought it recently play ball and sort the exhaust out... if they don't I can't afford to sort it, and may have to consider skipping memorabillia/ComicCon/Warley next weekend

This reminds me of back in the early 90s as a cadet in the ATC spent a week at RAF Northolt. It was good fun getting shown around the Queen's flight HS125s and Andovers and getting taken for trips in them etc. What wasn't so much fun was when one idiot, from another squadron of cadets also there at the time decided to annoy the station fire crew... que early morning wake ups with the Andovers being run up to full power outside the blocks and a fire drill being done at the same time on them... they also didn't like that we cadets beat them at volleyball that week...

Afternoon. Great work on 'Cody' Debs A busy few days has seen me sort out getting a sofa delivered (monday), finally I'll have somewhere to sit other than my bed! and sorting replacement car out (mondeo estate), which should be sorted by monday when tax/insurance is all sorted out. Most of today otherwise has been spent on the phone to the DWP sorting out why theyve not paid me. Always a time consuming and stressy situation! Now for a cuppa and some gammon sarnies..