Steve O.

Hi C&WR, In which case... It's a perfect buy! Cheers, Steve.

Hi Anthony, Hugely impressive! The scale, the backscene, looking forward to the variety of rolling stock possible too. Cheers, Steve.

Thanks for the explanation Jez, that makes sense. Should be a lot of fun to operate, lots of scope for mainline running and plenty of shunting. Does your time period overlap with the molten steel 'torpedo' wagons? I know there's an old 'euro-style' Lima one in OO/HO, not sure about in N. Cheers, Steve.

Hi Jez, - very impressed by the progress! Do you have a track plan? Sorry if I missed in in an earlier post. I'm trying to link the photos in my head and see how you'll get the nose of the 125 (closest to camera) back around and underneath. Cheers, Steve.

Hi Gents, Itchy credit card trigger-finger... Any date we can pre-order? Cheers, Steve.

Hi Fletcher, Looks like a great project! Hope you have plans to video the operation, would make a very interesting topic. Like Austerities and hoppers too. Cheers, Steve.

Hi Folks, I used to work with a sales guy called A Price (Alun) and a lady in accounts called I Proffit (Irene). Not making that up... Cheers, Steve.

Hi Sarah, Great layout. I liked the 'history' of the line to put all the stock / freight in context. Lots of detail inside that signal box too! Echoing an earlier post, good to see old stock used - especially the Dublo breakdown crane. Cheers, Steve.

Hi, - that's a great 3D model, looks like a completed layout already! One quick question - how are the hidden loops / storage arranged? Are they within the room (bridge across the doorway? Very tight curves?) or through the way to the right? Thanks, Steve.

Hi Gents, I've been as guilty as the next man for allowing myself to get caught up in the rush / passion / heat-of-the-moment when bidding - and I don't object to a 'fair fight' when it comes to eBay bidding. Having said that, there are one or two bidders who seem to be working to drive up the price (and who may be the seller under a nom de plume. For example, there is one bidder who has "Bid retractions (6 months): 26" and yet "Feedback: 100% Positive" Or am I paranoid? Cheers, Steve.

This one has to be a wind-up. http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=221123210159&index=17&nav=SEARCH&nid=21546078034 Steve.

Bravo! A great project, very well written-up too. Very entertaining. Cheers, Steve O.

Hi, It's... Allied Marine (Railway Modeller 1978?) due to the attention to detail and industrial locos / setting (coincided with early Tanfield trips). Ravensworth (Birtley MRC ~1982?) for the open space, sweeping curves and stepped gables on the station building. Bredon (Railway Modeller? 1990?) for Peco set-track that convinced me that scratchbuilt track / EM gauge was a(n admired) 'nice' not a 'need' for me personally (time, skill, existing stock restraints). So many more but frustratingly, can't remember the names! Cheers, Steve.

Love the comments from everyone! I've just had a moment (or two...) on eBay and ended up with some North Eastern (i.e. Not even LNER) stock for my 1960's (historical) / 1980's (preserved) plan. Seems like the Delorean made it to 88 MPH and had some locos in the boot!

Hi Gents, Looks like London 2012 stock is now a rarity (even though with the right code it's 50% off on the Hornby site). http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hornby-LIMITED-EDITION-LONDON-2012-OLYMPICS-R1148-OO-GAUGE-TRAIN-SET-NEW-/360477650573?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item53ee246e8d Buy it now for 295 quid! Steve.

Hi, Why not run two time periods on the same layout? I'm planning part of the Consett line in ~1960 with 9Fs and local NCB traffic. Flash forward to 1980 and it's dual-headed 37s and the same NCB 0-6-0s plus grey/blue MkIIs calling at a rebuilt timber platform at (an off-scene) Beamish for the museum instead of 21tonners... which may yet run as a 'photo-op' special charter. Until someone invents OO-sized autonomous robots and sits back, it's all fair game. Cheers!