aberdare

Looking good now Jeff and it's nice to see how it is all going to turn out later.

If I can ask one favour, can you not use blue text over the cork in the picture, I struggle to read that and it looks more like 'read no good yarn' , I have now managed to decipher it by clicking on it and magnifying it whilst holding the laptop upside down and squinting

Oh and as for spectacles I have 5 pairs and I know where they all are, it's just the cases they are in I've lost.

All the best

Jim

Brilliant little tale describing progress at Traeth Mawr Chris, I was going to do something similar last year but as you know very little (if anything) has happened.

I look forward to more progress and keep an eye open for further updates.

Don't be bullied by the little fella, you can always lock him in the cupboard under the stairs.

All the best

Jim

Great photos Jeff, I almost wish I had taken the chance to buy a telescope I was offered by one of my technicians before I retired as there is very little light pollution here, but then time would be a limiting factor now.

As for the pictures my jpegs are usually around 4Mb and I resize them to just under 1Mb on Microsoft picture manager and they end up on here about 400Kb, when I click on them they are then larger, would that work for you? My last post was in 'Autumn pictures' in the photography section so the results can be seen there, at least it gives a bit more detail.

If you can get planets or nebulae in the future that would be great.

All the best

Jim

I drove back into the Village this afternoon and saw the Highways dept filling in potholes on the main road, very good I thought, but why bother when they are going to strip between 100 and 150mm off the surface and completely relay it next week!

The Village will be shut to through traffic for 8 weeks while 1.5 miles are replaced and we are being given times and routes to follow depending where the work is, freezers and cupboards are now well stocked to minimise trips in & out. Looks like a quiet time ahead.

Great work Jeff, I just wish I had a fraction of the time you are able to devote to this as I would be finished by now .

I know how you feel about going crazy on getting it just right though as you seem to achieve so little in the time spent on it, great when it looks right though.

Keep up the good work and I'll try and keep up. I could say slow down a bit but I think others are expecting grazing sheep behind stone walls by Christmas

Jim

Hi Chris

Having just spent a bit of time catching up I can only echo what has been said about your little cameo, it looks great and I like the way you managed to recreate that photograph using different figures.

You may think your progress is slow at times but you are producing some fine work and of course providing us with loads of useful info on this thread.

Keep it up and I'll look forward to catching up again some time.

Jim

Sorry to hear of that news Jock. Our thoughts are with you and your family and wish you well in your recovery.

All the best

Jim & Linda

Just a brief visit from me to congratulate both Mark & Jason on the birth of their daughters, I can still remember the feeling of wanting to shout out the news from the top of Norwich Hospital back in 1980, a great feeling.

Sorry to hear your news Jock and I send my best wishes to both you and your grandson for a full recovery.

All the best to one and all.

Jim

Thanks to all for the support given it certainly cheers one up. After a brief spell of headaches, nausea and dizziness all seems to be settling nicely now, still avoiding power tools and driving though.

Spending a lot of time on researching a engin green steam driven iron horse that started life as a Camel   .kept me occupied for a few hours but well worth the effort.

Thanks to all once again and off for another look round.

Jim

*Quote*    I think this latest backscene is really going to enhance the layout, I'm really chuffed.

And so you should be Al some of those shots are superb, my personal favourites are the ones of the tunnel mouth and the one looking toward the goods shed with the loco in the foreground.

Lovely work and something to be proud of.

Now I really must pluck up the courage to paste my scenes up.

Jeff

Are you going to start storing stuff under here to continue building a framework all round the garage and remove those things as and when wiring needs to be done or complete sections at a time including traack& wiring. I have stored my stuff back under once the frame and top are fitted then remove it once I have finalised track position and wiring is to be done,I then progress along from one end to the other until it is completed. I have to do it this way as I have no spare space.

I know you have (or had) some larger white goods which are more difficult to move unlike my boxes.

And people wonder why some of us don't post as often as we once did........

 

 

Regards,

 

'Yes Man' Jason, who really doesn't give a shite at the moment because I have far more pressing things to attend to than train sets.

Dear 'Yes man'

Can you please donate a £10.00 to Jims railway fund?

Well it was too good a chance to miss

Thanks Andy

I turned 60 near the end of last year and have had a couple of thorough MOTs over the last 18 months or so and all is OK. Obviously I did get the full Temp, BP and ECG thing yesterday for collapsing but after a spell of irregular heart beats possibly the trauma of it everything returned to well within normal limits.

I was going to clear the gutters out today but the glare from the missus told me all I needed to know, made my son laugh. though

Chris

Thanks, just saw your message come through as I was about to post, it would appear to be a one off but the GPs will get in touch if they feel the need.

Cheers

Jim, being an absolute for those here today

Another minor crisis in the household yesterday which ended up with me in A&E.

We had just eaten a rather hot chili for lunch and while doing the dishes I came over all hot and dizzy and started to say to Linda 'I think that heat has got to me as..' the next thing I remember is opening my eyes on a cold, hard tiled floor. I did think to myself I feel quite lovely and cool down here but why did I come here? I then heard Linda on the phone going through an emergency call and was told not to move as there was a small pool of blood under my head but after twenty minutes it started to get a bit too uncomfortable so I sat up wrapped in a tea towel,

Anyway ended up in A&E plenty of checks, head patched up and sent home.

I've now been ordered by wife, son and friend to take things easy, so it looks as if I will have plenty of time on here for today anyway.

Hi Jeff

I also have L girders under what is the main station layout, mine is only half the size of yours, supported every 5ft, it works fine for me but that was to suit my budget and peace of mind.

If you want big that's fine too and I can't say I'm surprised because as you have said many times before that's how you do it and it makes you happy.

I may smile and say 'flippin eck Jeff that's a bit OTT' but that's just you and we are are quite happy to accept that.

Keep up the good work.

Jim

Hi Al

It's been quite a while since I have had time to post on here but things have moved on really well, I'm certainly looking forward to seeing a few more shots once everything is back in place. I'll also be interested in seeing how well the backscene stays attached to the boards and if any rippling occurs, hopefully not but it is one of the reasons I've not done mine yet - just not brave enough to risk it.

All looking good though and another reminder to me to make more time for modelling and get on with things, soon I hope.

All the best

Jim

Nice work on the figures Chris, you're progressing with them much faster than I am.

I have sorted my workshop out a bit now and have all my figures together rather than spread here and there, I was amazed to find I had around 120 or so with only 20 of them painted. It looks as if I have a lot of work ahead of me yet.

I quite like that rickety livestock pen in the picture if that's what it is, I might make one of those later for Hemyock though not as big as that one appears to be.

All over now.

I was allowed through the edge of the police cordon to access our friends house as I'm caring for her pets, though when I said I would unlock the back gate and walk the long way round on my return they did say that would be a good idea. There were 10 police cars, the chopper and armed police everywhere and all nearby residents were evacuated and marksmen hidden in their gardens but they all seemed pretty relaxed about it, there did seem to be more of them than us at one time.

About an hour later the they kicked the door in and after a couple of shots he was arrested, all other family members  are safe and no-one was injured.

Back to the quiet life now, well apart from the gossips over the next few days.

Jim

Flipping heck! I thought nothing ever happened in this Village but we are under siege by an army of police and a helicopter.

According to my wife who logged into Facebook a little while ago the residents just a stones throw away have been told to stay indoors and rumour has it an armed person is about, currently that particular street is cordoned off with chopper still overhead.

I've locked my shed and come indoors, don't want an incident in there.

Jim

edit

Yes it has just been confirmed as a gunman currently holed up in a house.

I got 1384 from Peter K which was the other loco on the CVLR around the turn of the century, still yet to be built though, hopefully in the next year.

As for 1300 I am looking at modifying some other tank kits that I have as I never found a kit for the model.

Hi Chris

Back to paths/pavements for a moment.

I popped up to our church this morning where there is a history and display of this village. I spent a fair bit of time perusing the old photographs c1900 supplied by older village members for information.

A long way from Wales I know but interesting all the same. The main road (to Scarborough) is as you say stone decorated with copious amounts of dung on the up and down sides, the pavements seem to have a large stone edging and possibly a fine stone infill to the cottage walls (no front gardens along here), I'm assuming fine stone as I can see no evidence of of larger stones and it is not smooth. They do look cleaner and in better condition than the present time though, proud villagers no doubt.

Away from the main street there are no pavements and the road surface and garden paths all seem to blend seamlessly between small grass verges. On these minor roads everyone seems to walk in the middle of them, much like they do now.

One final note, there were no street lamps, much too rural I guess.

Hi Chris

I managed to purchase a couple of books on the Histories of Hemyock and Willand which are the villages closest to my stations, they have been extrememly useful in identifying details such as paths, as far as I can make out they are just a mix of earth, ashes and stone (probably). Certainly no pavers anywhere or concrete.

However down in Somerset at my Grans old cottage the paths were huge uneven stones much the sam,e as were laid in the kitchen, my dad said they were just as deep but I can't verify that, he was born there in 1922 though so he knew the history of the old house from my grandad born there in the 1890s.

I also obtained some photographs of an old farmhouse I lived in when near Epworth, N Lincs and that showed dirt/stone paths annd also the yard where they did the threshing.

Keep up the good work

Jim

Evening Derek

I have just enjoyed reading your latest posts on the turntable as it is something I may have to face later. There was one at Tiverton Junc at the beginning of the 20th century but removed later and I had virtually decided to choose that option for an easy life, but now I am rethinking that after seeing your excellent work so a bit more research regarding size is needed before I commit to the build.

Mind you I've just seen how yours looks on the post just made and it's already swaying me in favour, oh dear, yet another project.

I will make myself known as I hand over my fee at Goathland to whoever is manning the door, if not you I'm sure you will soon be pointed out.

Jim

All this talk of stargazing and night photography made me want to get out and have a go myself as it has been quite a few years since I did anything like that, at this point I should post the results but that is not to be. As I have to go up the hill to get above the valley to clear the tree line and be out of the house during late evening I couldn't do it, Linda has been confined to complete bed rest for another two weeks and I need to be here all of the time, Oh well I'll just content myself looking at all your excellent shots instead.

I also thought it had scuppered my chance of getting to Goathland to see Jason and Chris with the Mill, but I have been told "You are going", well who am I to argue with the powers that be , apparently I need the break so it looks as if I will be there on saturday afternoon, looking forward to it.

Jock, I enjoyed reading about your day at the 'relay for life' and look forward to reading your post about it again next year.

That's it from me for now, all the best to one and all.

Jim