Mike Storey

Can you send that eagle our way please? We have had at least 5 snakes in the garden this summer. It is usually only one or two....

Looking blooming marvellous Andy! Just as an aside, will you be running any passenger trains on this creation? If so, have you decided what (as I see no third rail (yet)?

At several SED locations (in particular Queenborough, Sheerness, Swale Halt and elsewhere), the trap point leads to a sand drag, which was standard OP in the 1950's, 60's. I have seen this (on Cab Ride vids) at many other locations in the Midlands and Yorkshire. if you have room, that may be easiest, as you do not have to surgically transform any points.

The story of how the Queen "told off" Lewis (linked to the above) is also a good read.

Most excellent! That means I can name my (eventually to be built) layout "Isle of Sheppey" to avoid confusion - mine will be a portrayal of Queenborough to Sheerness, assuming I can fit it all in....... It was just going to be called Queenborough, but I soon realised that would be a little boring to operate. Very best wishes with your progress!

Apparently, according to Ms Truss, we are now entering another Carolean Age. I wonder why, when the first King Charles' reign was known as the Carolinian Age, and only the Charles II reign was Carolean. Both derive from the Latin for Charles. Anyone know? As a mild Republican, I do accept the enormous contribution Elizabeth II made to the world, and, at first impression, Charles may well exceed our expectations. I am very sad for their loss, and for those of the population that also feel that loss. But, at the same time, I do wonder quite why - is it the continuity (as well as the enormous devotion to duty and the constitution)? I do not, under any circumstances, deride this grief, and I totally respect it. But please, do not force me to join in, even at the cost of membership of this esteemed club.

Ah, new signs!! Have you decided now?

Are you sure that wasn't the long-lens effect, with which any piece of track can look terrible!!

I think it has shrunk a little bit more, temporarily: https://www.navylookout.com/hms-prince-of-wales-suffers-technical-issue-after-sailing-from-portsmouth/

Without doubt, this has been a much more difficult project than originally foreseen, and the delays and cost increases have been frustrating, as well as costing TfL the chance to get on with Crossrail 2. But as with almost all such projects, if the final product proves to be as successful as is likely, in a few years who will care, or even remember?

True! But it is probably part of the long term plan "Access for All", which would include installing lifts (probably) at some indeterminant time in the future. I note the budget for this has been slashed recently.

Unbelievable......

Yes, Article 42.2. But what is a "qualifying practice session" ??

What is "sms today" please?

Thanks Andy - I did not realise you are using Insulfrog, which makes all the difference, of course.

Sorry to be thick Andy, but I just don't understand what that wiring does, other than separate the feeds across one rail each on two tracks. How does that work? Thanks!

Its actually Nouvel Acheminement des Wagons, which means (new) Wagon Routing system, based on the 1980's version of RU, Routes Universelles (compared to the earlier RO, Ordinaire and RA, Acceleree) routings around strategic fiddle yards), when uniform minimum speeds of 100kph were introduced. It is not the whole system, which, as I said, is open architecture (quite unlike TOPS for example), and keeps being added to, or altered, as time goes on. The latest (that I can see) is a collaboration with one of their primary customers to test (yet) another version of TMS, called TVMS (Traffic Visualisation and Movement System), which interestingly swaps out balises at their yards, for GPS tracking and prediction. So, not all wagons on the network are fitted with transponders after all. I also recall, in the latest (2021) SNCF standard freight contract, that customers are expected to report their estimate of periodic wagon distances and weights moved for their own vehicles. The document did not mention "unless already reported automatically" from what I could see, although I did only scan it. That suggests their automation project(s) is some way behind.

We were blighted by that cycle race yesterday - it came straight through Aulnay, which was pretty much closed as a result. When we finally got to our usual haunt, we were treated to about two dozen safety cars and a million Police bikes, all honking to anyone who waved, then just two cyclists!! The rest of the Peleton was about five minutes behind, still in team orders, with yet more cars and bikes. But not a single freebie!!

How on earth do you do these so quickly? Do you not even stop for toilet breaks???

Agree with all of that Mike, except that the business sectors were created in 1982, not the latter half of the 80's.

Yes, it was called London & South East sector from 1982 to 1986, when Chris Green took over from his stint at ScotRail. There was an attempt to call it LASER (for London And South East Railway), but he preferred NSE, so that is what it became.

I wonder just how many ships are being diverted elsewhere - there are reports but with no figures. Some to other UK ports, some to the Netherlands. I would guess the FOCs are seeking to serve at least some of these flows.

What does that actually mean??? What we are seeing, on here at least, are proposals for roads that would be detrimental to the attractiveness of train travel. If you mean the creation of better roads feeding into public transport hubs, then maybe I would see your point. But that is not the case, both for the propositions on here and the general direction of Highways Agency (for which read government policy) - they are primarily vote-catchers in a very localised way. This thread is about the (re-)development of an East West rail route - it should not be about anything else, however attractive that might be to those who wish it otherwise, or as well as.

It is not at all clear. EWR are buying/leasing the rolling stock, and, as of 2016, the DfT were said to be considering a "new" franchise to operate the line. Since then, nothing about operations. Just the Shapps announcement that he is considering curtailment of the whole shebang, for reasons unstated other than the usual "costs", but surmised to be about losing votes in south Cambs. (and possibly elsewhere). An absolutely brilliant way to conduct strategic transport policy. Nonetheless, DfT were still advocating a way forward with the ORR, for operators of the line, in July 2021, suggesting that EWR would be the shadow operator until a company could be selected: https://www.orr.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2021-09/2021-07-20-east-west-rail-phase-2-letter-from-dft.pdf

Brilliant - many thanks for posting. The new traverser is a great addition. Let's just hope the new station roof goes as well. Incidentally, funds still needed to finish off the Falcon loco, so that steam can be assured on the line for the foreseeable! I was a member for several years, and helped maintain the track at the loco shed end. I will re-join as soon as we move back to Blighty, although my aching bones may preclude the more physical tasks any more!