lee74clarke

Good Morning Tony, The Cancer Research UK web-site, makes an on-line donation really simple, that's how I arranged the Brit payment. You tick the 'Gift Aid' box before confirming payment, and that amount shows as well. Maybe a bit of a gimmick, but you can add the name of someone lost to cancer as a dedication. I added one of my closest friends, who passed away aged 39 November '19, leaving a wife and 4 kids. Cruel world at times. What would he have said about me making a 'dedication'? Probably "Lee, don't be a t*"t, what a load of s*&t!" Best Regards, Lee

No problem Tony, apologies for not having a set of flush glazing. South East Finecast still list the set though, code SE95, list price £2.50.

Good Morning Tony Deltic kit and DELTIC transfers found, I will deliver today or tomorrow Best Regards Lee

I am off work now for a week, I’ll see if I can find it and drop it (gently) through your letterbox. I may have some of the side ‘DELTIC’ transfers as well. Best Regards. Lee

Good Evening Tony I see you’ve ordered a Bachmann Deltic, but if you want to bring the other one back to life sometime, I have an unopened Dapol model somewhere. Yours if you want it. Best Regards Lee

I haven't been up to the Willoughby line cutting for over 30 years, so I can't even recall the different track bed levels. It's a real shame more wasn't accurately documented through its brief history, the two books that have been published sadly have a few easily avoidable mistakes. Where the line ran over the river at Bytham, and up and under the Witham road bridge, plus at various points into Grimsthorpe Estate, the land was farmed by a late friend of my Dad's, Geoff Foreman. He chatted to one of the author's at length about the lines route, and the author disagreed and published his view. Evidently, his plough dragging up sleepers wasn't evidence enough! Whether this was the original route, or the slightly revised 'gentler' route, I can't recall. There being the problem, I can't remember accurately the chat from 30 odd years ago, so what chance precise detail from 1860! You would have liked Geoff, he had a headful of local railway history, you would have never got him away from the Bytham layout! He had loads of GNR and M&GN 'goodies' as well, would love to know what happened to them. Daniel Gooch is recorded as having driven the line several times, but Stroudley's influence seems a bit more questionable. In terms of Ian's buildings, given Lord Willoughby being about skint by the time the line was completed, the modest, small building is more likely. However, if the GNR took over in 1880 (?) who knows what they may have built there? What about both, with the smaller one, being the run down, old original building, now used as a store/shed/stable, and on the opposite side? If Ian wishes to stretch history slightly further, is there space for the proposed Kirkby Underwood extension, winding away into the distance?

Good Afternoon Tony, An interesting project, please pass on my best wishes to Ian, I haven't seen him in ages. That would have been a great alternative history, requiring a level/flat crossing with the M&GN perhaps? The two publications I have on the Little Bytham to Edenham line, both refer to one of the Willoughby loco's (Ophir I think) running on the GNR line to reach Bytham brickyard, the points into that being controlled by the old signal box at Lawn Lane. Who knows if it's true? As you say, I only know of wagon turntables as a definite link. When the road was resurfaced at that end of Bytham in the 60's, there were still some of the railway lines buried underneath. I believe they were finally dug out before the resurfacing was completed. Kind Regards, Lee

Good Afternoon Tony, I trust all is well? I remember the day the Flying Scotsman ran through, me and a mate from work had to leave the office for an 'emergency meeting'! Are you alone in thinking the world is a madder place? Considering, my daughter was one of the "odious charges" that day, I am not too stressed over a slightly misinformed teacher showing concern for the children. For me, not showing concern due to the possibility of saying the wrong thing to someone with a camera may well be the world approaching madness, who knows? Anyway, back to Bytham. Was the siding into the brickyard, only in existence when it was two GNR running lines, or did it survive the track doubling? I can never quite make out where the siding was. I know during GNR days, Lord Willoughby had permission for one of his loco's to run down to the brickyard, in fact in one of my books, there's a photograph of the signal box at Lawn Lane. On another note, some friends of mine who also live in Little Bytham, were telling me recently how fascinated they had been, watching a model railway of the village on You Tube. They have no interest in railways, other than using the ECML to commute to London daily during 'peacetime', obviously working from home now. How nice it has an appeal to interest in the village's history, not just the railway history? Best Regards, Lee

That's good news Tony. Although I never met Roy, I hope to see Retford running one day Best Regards, Lee

Good Morning Tony, I would have thought the Blue Pullman at 90 mph with 6 cars, may have been a more likely alternative for the Master Cutler perhaps? I have seen photos of that being pulled by a Brush Type 2, I think they were 90mph maximum? This is stated to be October 1965, not my photo, PH Wells from 'Modern Railways' in April 1966 Best Regards, Lee

Many thanks Tony, PM sent. Kind Regards, Lee

Good Afternoon Tony, Which number Britannia is it please? Best Regards Lee

Good Morning Tony if you still need the brass tube turning to length, let me know and I’ll try and sort next week. I keep my Myford lathe at work these days, it’s ‘precision’ days are long gone without me replacing bearings, but for odd jobs, it’s fine. I have some brass parts to make up for a Hornby P2 chassis I’m messing around with, bigger motor installed and a revised set of valve gear to fit, which require some spacers turning. Best Regards Lee

Good Afternoon Tony, My Dad's late sister Pat, (don't think you met her, she passed away in 2009) used to take the train every morning from Bytham to Essendine, then change for Stamford East, to get to her job at Boots in Stamford. I will be dropping some papers through your letterbox over the weekend, something I have stumbled upon In the last few days, which makes interesting reading. Best Regards, Lee

Good Morning Tony, Great to see the different running sequences, and the various angles you've taken photo's from. Is there room to take a general shot from above the girder bridge, looking south? It may be too much of a laborious task, but the make up of the passenger trains would be very interesting, the prototypical ones and your versions if you've had to compromise anywhere. (I suspect you haven't though) Best Regards, Lee

Thank you Tony (also Headstock & David). That's most helpful, I would have been fairly annoyed, if I had stuck roof boards on a load of Bachmann MK1's! Best Regards, Lee

Good Morning Tony, A couple of questions, if I may please? What was the correct position of headboards on A4's? Or, did the position depend on the service? Were different colour headboards, of the same named train, simply from different periods? Also, seeing your Master Cutler rake, with roof boards on the K-type Pullman cars, did the roof boards get used on the later MK1 Pullman cars? I can't recall seeing any photographs of the Metro Cammell cars with them on. Lastly, did the colours of the roof boards depend on era? Taking the Master Cutler as an example, I have seen various coloured versions, but never understood the reasons. Maybe I overthink these things, perhaps it was whatever paint was kicking about at the time! Best Regards, Lee

Good Morning Tony, Good to see you briefly on Saturday, at a greater distance than the minimum advised, I should add. Bytham looking great, I was looking forward to seeing the new overbridge, hopefully that will be possible again soon. Did you receive info I sent you on PM? Best Wishes Lee

Good Afternoon Tony, I trust you are well? I saw an undated black & white photo recently of D16/3 62614 at Hunstanton, early BR emblem on tender, with the description as 'lined passenger green'. Do I read thegreenhowards post correctly, that the green is LNER green, rather than darker 'BR' green? I have never seen a colour photo of the BR green D16's, and have often wondered. Best Regards, Lee

Good Afternoon Tony I trust you are well? I really like the first Bytham photo, for obvious reasons. Thank you for dropping the DVD's off at the weekend, very kind. I did drop you a PM, but not sure if you picked it up Lee

Good Afternoon Tony Are John's remaining items all coaches? Best Regards, Lee

Good Afternoon Tony I trust you are well? I really like photo's number 6 & 7. Gives me a slight image of my Gran cursing the engine crew, as smoke from the J6 wafts across her washing. Similar curses probably to when the house chimney caught fire and filled the front room with flames and soot. Best Regards, Lee

Apologies in advance, but please can you remind me how to make further interim payments? I know I have read it before somewhere, and typically can't find it now Many Thanks, Lee

** All sorted on this one now ** I am looking for a copy of the Stations & Structures of the Midland & Great Northern Railway, by Nigel J. Digby, volume 1. I have volume 2, but cannot find the 1st anywhere. Apologies if this isn't relevant in this section, please delete if necessary. My thanks in advance for any help.

Thanks Rob, much appreciated