jcarta

errrrrr YEP Please let me start your letter off..... Dear Bank Manager.............

I had the privilege of visiting the shop a couple of years ago, and I nearly walked straight past it. Anyway a quick U turn and I was in...... It didn't have all the fancy lights and showcases that you would expect from other retailers but it has a presence. A showcase full of loco's to druel over, everything from steam to diesel and the staff will chat to you and get to know you...... Aladdin's treasure trove ..... Problem is ...... you will never have enough money in your pocket when you walk in......And even less when you walk out Jim

I best check my 03 or the 08 as I haven't seen him or his siblings for a day or so. I bet he is hanging around the phone box with the woman that was adjusting her attire......

I'm sure you have one of the Class 33 and LJ / siblings all together Jim

I done a little bit more with the canopy after Ray left and hopefully tomorrow it will have the facia put on both sides.

We managed to get a few more signals in and up and working but Ray needs to do something very important with his laptop and the Arduinos tomorrow. We also need to have a look at the signal at the level crossing because the green is very faint so we will change the resistor to see if we can get a nice bright visual, similar to the one a Ayr Road Sidings. The green is on but very faint, unlike the Ayr Road Sidings one, you could probably see this one from outer space

Whilst out dodging the rain showers we decided to give up for today so this afternoon I started doing some bits on the station area in the garage. Might have to get LJ out with his strimmer... Started building the station canopy so only another two more to go. I will fit the roof once I have sorted the lighting out.... the brute trolleys now have newspapers placed on them. Jim

Today Ray and I started fitting the signals outside, we've nearly installed the first three signals in Ayr Road Sidings area but had to keep stopping due to the intermittent rain showers so we will have another attempt tomorrow but it is starting to look the part. All the converging junctions we will be installing braking sections to avoid any unwanted prangs. This one has been refurbed and reinstalled so we will see how long this lasts. Next up we have decided to use low level signals as the local moggies tend to use them as scratching posts.... We have run the wiring above the board and placed them in some cable troughs. Jim

At least if he bleeds it won't show up on the bike........ next he'll be asking for an electric scooter

I was a very fortunate youngster when my parents bought me a yellow MK1 for the princely sum of £29.99 from Ron's Cycles in Worthing in September 1969 and they then bought me the MK2 version in red in 1972 and the yellow one went to my younger brother as he was out growing his Raleigh bike...... Hate to think what they are worth today....

LJ has been getting around Ayr Road to meet other staff and now I think he's becoming too familiar with them as he's starting showing them his big red chopper Only scroll down if you really want to see it !!!!!

Blimey, at this rate you are going to take over from Andy Peters on how quick you can build a layout...... Richard, it looks very good keep the pictures coming Jim

I can get a couple of headbands with lights on them if that helps....Thanks for doing the decoders. Lets hope we have a couple of rain free days to install them.

Thanks Al, 2 sets have now been ordered. Jim

You really have got the trackwork looking superb, even the colour looks the bees knees

Not sure if LJ is helping out the station staff or he just needs something to lean on, probably the second option is the correct on. Andy what do you think?

Not sure if LJ is helping out the station staff or he just needs something to lean on, probably the second option is the correct on. I'm glad he hasn't wandered up the other end of the platform as he may have seen the young lady adjusting her dress in the telephone box..... His blood pressure would have certainly gone over the top.

Well LJ, Fred & Jed arrived in a safe condition, mind you LJ was complaining that he wasn't allowed to sit up front with the Royal Mail driver. Fred & Jed was just happy to stretch their legs but as of yet they refuse to unfold their arms. As you can see they have already started to make friends with Sid the shunter.....

Some of the staff may have moved on but as LJ needs to survey his new area of control (or hiding places), This morning he travelled by train to Oldbrook Junc and was having a look around and who should he start chatting to at the Level Crossing........ Didn't take long for him to be rubbering shoulders with the power's to be, it's only Winston Churchill.

Transfer Fees..... They move less than a snail and probably at a lower speed.

Well LJ, Fred & Jed arrived in a safe condition, mind you LJ was complaining that he wasn't allowed to sit up front with the Royal Mail driver. Fred & Jed was just happy to stretch their legs but as of yet they refuse to unfold their arms. As you can see they have already started to make friends with Sid the shunter..... Jim

Only when he flicks it on and adds milk, sugar and a nice slice of cake

On the MKI version of Ayr Road we had screwed the track down with small screws in the centre of the sleepers and although my garden is south facing, the seasons played havoc with the track but I also believe the boards had a part to play in the track warping. Throughout the year the boards would move as well as the track, here we have a few pictures to show what I mean and in the end we decided to totally rebuild the outside section on a more sturdier base. On rebuilding the railway we decided to nail the track every 10 sleepers on the outside rather than in the centre and leaving a 2mm gap at the end of each section. On the curved sections I overlapped the rail joints so the joins would not be opposite each other (although this used an extra piece of rail) and the track hasn't moved in over a year considering we have experienced -10 through to 30+. Jim

You will need to make sure all the layouts have a strong leaning post / fence / barrel etc for him to visit.

This was the other end of the loco and another great photo by Martyn Hilbert. The loco was repaired and ran for about 4 -5 years before heading to the scrap yard. The connecting doors were plated over during the repairs and you could tell which Class 40 it was providing of course it was running No2 first.