corneliuslundie

That 1F really looks its age. Definitely an earlier generation of locos. A great photo. Jonathan

I think we are up the (Barking) Creek. J

Anyone fancy modelling the GNR viaduct at Awsworth? Z gauge might be a bit too big. Jonathan

I haven't been idle, honest. Well, not completely I have actually ballasted the track on the station board, and am completing the track on the "country" board - hundreds of those little bits of strip to re[present spike heads. About five eighths of the way there. Not much progress with Gwalia Stores while I think about how to represent the windows and their displays. But I decided that there was one job I really ought to do - adding the magnetic links to wagon couplings, something I tend not to do when I build a wagon with the (very weak) excuse that they sometimes drop off. So over the last month I have had about 30 wagons at a time on the workbench. The best part of 100 now done, also making sure that the couplings can actually drop when pulled by a magnet. Even making the wheels go round on some wagons. The culprit is usually a brake shoe (doing its job) but on one scratch built GWR Loriot the wheels were rubbing against the insides of the frames. I eventually realised that they were a bit over gauge, mainly because I was using inside bearings and the wheels needed thinning down on the insides so they could be set to gauge. Done. But the exercise also reminded me of just how many of my Rhymney wagons either had lettering on only one side or did not have the small "To carry" etc lettering. To say nothing of those where the lettering had partly rubbed off through handling because I had not added the small lettering and therefore not varnished the vehicle to protect the transfers. So now all have their R R lettering thanks to a very old PC Models sheet of SR wagon transfers - not exactly matching but pretty good and in the right sizes. The problem about the very small lettering is that the Rhymney used a distinctive style of script, not really like that used by the GWR. And I have not discovered another company which used a similar style. And finally, I managed to damage the lower running board of one of the brake vans and realised when I looked that both the 8 ton brake vans need their lower footboards replaced as they have distorted badly over time and the plastic supports have become very brittle. One now done in brass, three to go. However, I used my tin of Rhymney wagon grey paint (bought after it was discontinued by Precision) on the footboard only to discover that it is considerably darker than the GWR grey I had used previously. Bu there is really nothing worth photographing at this stage. And there are at least 100 other wagons and a good many carriages which need those little magnetic links. Hopefully some photos next time. Jonathan

43019 is not a beautiful engine, is it? Or am I biased through too much studying Sharp, Stewart's products? Jonathan

Presumably "bring your own umbrella" J

Some dogs are not exactly small. Huskies and the like seem very popular these days. Much the same effect as hitting a sheep I would think. Jonathan

Dangerous birds, pheasants. At least two bus windscreens smashed by them last year in mid Wales. Jonathan

I seem to remember that a criticism of the Golborne spur was that the junction was to be with the slow lines. Or am I imagining? Jonathan Correction. I was remembering the wrong junction. See below that it was to be a flying junction to the fast lines.

"if people are really picky about names" Perhaps one starts a new project with a new name without the words "high speed" and then does exactly what would have been done for HS2A - but the politicians get off the hook and those who are convinced that HS2 is all about speed are bypassed. Jonathan

"A study revealed the red lights had been jumped a staggering 3,000 times during one 10-day period." From that report of the buggy in the barrier. There must be more stupid people than I ever imagined. Jonathan

" there should be no element of “risk”, or risk taking" Sorry, but that is nonsense. There is no such thing as zero risk. One can as was said reduce risk to a practicable minimum. After that you pout more and more resources in for less and less effect, often virtually none, and can easily create other risks which you have not thought about. The classic example in our field is "safety" requirements pushing up the cost of train travel so that people travel by much more dangerous roads. That does not mean that one should intentionally take known risks. Jonathan

It does make it a bit difficult to run the trains, too. Jonathan

Come on Deltic s[potters. Don't let David beat you. Jonathan

Didcot now but how long will there be a power station there? Jonathan

Did the sleeper get to its destinations? I thought Scotrand's railways closed down. Jonathan

Of course, in any country with a sane government ANY new railway line would be electrified from the start. Jonathan

That is often because of existing property boundaries centuries old, usually based on field boundaries, whereas in the USA they were starting with a clean sheet and the developer 9usually the railway) owned all the land. Jonathan

Having seen that I make no apologies for causing a deviation. A wonderful film to see. Jonathan

I am surprised that WMR does not need the 196s. I have a vague feeling that at one time it was suggested that it would be ex ATW 175s but presumably that went by the wayside after the fires. But don't quote me on that as it may be a complete fiction of my imagining. Jonathan

If train simulation programs are anything to go by, many rural American routes seem to have crossings every mile or so, often ungated. Or at least they used to since most routes are historic. And of course as has been mentioned previously there is still the problem in a number of cities and towns of the railway line running up the main street. I don't think we have had that problem in the UK for many years, probably since early tramways were converted to proper railways. A late example in south Wales was Argoed where the tramway had run up the high street and was converted to a siding serving the goods yard when the "proper" railway was built. But there are plenty of photos of south Wales villages with a tramway in the main road outside the houses. A slight diversion but it illustrates how one gets to the undesirable situation in many American towns. If the railway is not in the main street it often has a road parallel on either side, with level crossings at intervals. Jonathan

!it would be nice to think of more pleasant days in summer and autumn! Yes. Many thanks for the photos. Jonathan

I agree about track. Until around 1900 almost all track was ballasted so you couldn't see the sleepers, so simulating Vignoles track would not be a problem. The most important thing in my view is a source of wheels and axles, and of course track gauges though you could make your own - after all you need is consistency, you aren't going to be running your stock on the local club's ;layout. Building wagons and carriages will not be very different from any other gauge. Locos are more difficult, but again not very different, just wider and older. I say go for it. If it doesn't work out you shouldn't have spent a fortune. Jonathan

If they had left the brakes off perhaps they could have collected the car at the next level crossing. Seriously, a very good demonstration of how long it takes a heavy freight to stop. Jonathan

And still parroting out that "freeing up £36billion for other transport schemes" rubbish. I m a y live long enough to see it but I doubt it. Jonathan