Iain Popplewell

Hi Dave. I have just reached the stage of painting my first etched kit, (NER Class P) and the Clostermann primer tip will come in very useful,thanks for that. There is a lot of loose talk on RMWEB about things being inspirational, but let me say this Dean Goods model is inspirational. In the unlikely event that I ever mature into a proper modeller and produce a model as good as this, I will die a contented and happy man. You have every right to be pleased with this model it is truly beautiful.

And by the 70's non of them did.A lot of us on RMWEB, myself included, have still to get over it. I once asked my father, "What did you do in the swinging sixties?" He grumpily replied, " I got married son."

Are you sure it was Jenkinson taking a "Little Long Drag" and not you puffing on that pipe Iain. I've never heard you sound so mellow.Communing with Jenkinson in a dream.Whoa,Far out! and laid back man!!... Peace Brother. Dillon.

Yeah already seen his blog and follow it.In his Aire Valley days he used to live in Shipley where I live now.Strange how our paths in life have crossed and yet we've never met.There's a church in Shipley and a Salvation Army Citadel that featured on his Aire Valley layout so many years ago and I recognized them as soon as I moved to the area.

I think you'll find most peoples rivets are just impressions if you look from the other side. PS.Hope you like me knew Avatar.That's me doing a bit of gentle riveting, pretty cool or what?

Two layouts that inspired me in my youth; Peter Denny's Buckingham the first Railway Modeller I ever bought 18p. had an article by Denny in it.What was inspirational was the way Denny could turn his hand to everything and what he did was always so good. Derek Naylors Aire Valley.Fantastic narrow gauge system in the 1970's.Almost everything scratch-built and it formed a complete imaginary world.It was this layout that got me into actually building my first proper layout in 009. Layout that inspires me today.The best layout I've ever seen no less, the incomparable Bramblewick.North Eastern pre-grouping layout on the Yorkshire Coast, could you want for more and superbly modelled in all it's aspects.

You know what Lee you're a bit of an artist with the paint and whatnot.That weathered van is excellent, you'd never think it was a first attempt.

That's all right then.May I recommend you get one of those Bachmann LMS radial tanks I bought myself one for Xmas it's really nice.Ex Lanky tank on an NER layout don't ask!!

Shouldn't your lad be deciding what he wants to run on the layout.After all it's supposed to be his layout isn't it.

Conversation in house to rear." Blxxdy Hxll you know that weirdo who lives across the road.He's only out in his garden now taking blxxdy pictures of a dolls house on top of his blxxdy bird table!! " Seriously though Allan I suspect you're quite pleased with the way this one is turning out.I love it. Note to Jaz. I know that Allan doesn't do trees (well not if he can help it), why don't you send him a couple of yours to plant in front of his post office.The winning combination of your masterful trees and Allans postoffice will be so dazzling that no-one will notice the crappy flat Noch grass. PS.Jaz I really do like your tree.Brilliant stuff.You're right to be pleased with it.Loved the roots.

Looks like some people made a serious bid to get lynched at this years Pontefract show..

£8.25 a page if I recall.A pay rise that's long overdue in my opinion.

Come on Iain credit where credits due, it's pretty impressive that after all these years Allans just as good as he always was.Same techniques, same impressive results.

Crikey Allan I saw this image and I was transported back to the time when I avidly read your articles in the Railway Modeller in the 70's.Great stuff!

Brilliant, do I get to dress in black and recite mass backwards? Sounds great. PS.I hope this isn't a stupid question but do I need to bring a sacrifice?

Cheers Satanic Goldfish.You've made me feel a lot better about myself now.

A happy modeller receives the news that he is to be paid £8.25 a page for his last article in the Railway Modeller.

I don't know Mick, but it's a true story and it amused me at the time and I thought it might amuse other people now.The only part that isn't true is crying in the toilets I made that up for effect,(although I admit I did feel like doing so), I'm made of sterner stuff than that.Mind you when you make a fool of your self as often as I do you need to be.

Personally I'm not sure I'm in favour of punishment for stupid questions at least not if I'm still to visit exhibitions.Several years ago I was admiring the most excellent layout Stainmore when into view came an exquisitely modelled J21.Immediately I fell in love with it, I needed to know if it was scratchbuilt or from a kit,if it was a kit I was going to get one. So applying my recently acquired extensive knowledge of all things North Eastern I said to the operator,"Excuse me but that J21 is lovely is it a kit and if so who makes it?" The operator replied,"It's not a J21 it's a J25,but it's from London Road Models" I winced a little at this reply but when your in a hole you stop digging.Not if you're me you don't.So I said," I must say your dry stone walling is the best I've ever seen what are the stones made from?" The operator replied "Stone". I then hurriedly retired to the toilets and had a little cry. PS.I'm currently building my J25 kit now and if you fancy another laugh at my expense there's some pictures of the build in my link below.Come to think of it my over thick homemade splasher tops make my J25 look more reminiscent of a J21.

Every so often on RMWeb you come across an image that is so jaw droppingly good that it just stops you in your tracks.Your walling is superb.Might I suggest Peter that you post the image of your finished walling from your other thread.All you need to do after that is sit back and accept the plaudits of the multitude that follow this thread.Awesome stuff!

I couldn't agree more Bluebottle.The curse of the Internet, it seems you give the jokers an inch and they always take a mile.It's so sad. But irresistible.

I read this as "Allan a few years ago our machine failed irreparably .Seizing the chance to find remnants of my lost socks and the kids,I took it apart. Not one single thread of evidence.I was quite disappointed." The idea of being "quite disappointed" at finding no evidence of the missing kids quite amused me. Edit:A note of caution. Whilst it is quite possible to clean automotive/bike parts in a dish washer,(after a particularly grotty off-road session it's not unknown for me to hose down myself and my bike in the bath.) under no circumstances try to wash automotive parts or crockery for that matter, in a clothes washing machine.It doesn't work. PS.I never knew dishwashers had silverware baskets.Up till now I've always had my Butler do this. Yours Regally Lord Popplewell.

Full details of figures on Andrews website.Hight quoted 22.7mm men and 21.2mm female. PS.Thanks for the painting tips.

Ordered a set myself.The forthcoming workmen and railway staff should prove a God send.Haven't received my figures yet, but judging by the quality evident in the photo's they look to be excellent.

You know how it is Lee,how you can be happily grouching around moaning about how utterly crxp everything about Xmas is,when something like C&WR's card comes along and you lower your guard just momentarily and a bit of Christmas good will catches you of guard. It's just happened to me Lee. So here's wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. All the best. Iain.