Dava

I’ve read Classic Trains for the past 10 years during my time in Canada & afterwards. Helped me start modelling my US shortline project. The only mag I buy regularly now. I hope Kalmbach’s standards & quality of output is sustained, but suspect the best days may be over. Dava

The domeless taper boiler on an inside cylinder loco made them very distinctive. Great that 3205 survives. I built a TT one from a BEC kit, it was the most detailed loco I built (I was 16ish). A TT120 would be a useful loco for a branchline project. Dava

All the track on the existing sections of Grand Lake RR is down and being tested by the existing locos before remaining ties & ballast are laid. Here #96 is on the back road via the traverser to ensure there will be clearance alongside the warehouse loading ramps, there will be a loco servicing area further along. The warehouse started life on Coxheath Sidings, built in Canada 9 years ago.

Well there’s a reason to visit Melton! There are some good pork pie & sausage shops too, not just the famous ones. Not far from Rocks by Rail too.

Thanks for saving me a less than productive trip. Hope to see Hibel Rd at a future show.

Anyone else noticed that these lovely models are being produced to the incorrect ‘mongrel’ gauge of 16.5mm, equating to 2’4”, rather than the correct gauge of 2’, for which 14mm is the scale equivalent? Of coarse I understand why, it’s commercial, but it’s inaccurate. Let’s hope an 014 conversion can be produced, which will probably need new or reprofiled wheels to meet the EM wheel standards for 014. Hopefully EDM Models will offer a solution… Dava

Tickets booked for my birthday on Sunday!

I'd like to see 'Hibel Road'. Used to be a member as a youth up to 1980's-ish when I moved away. I guess most everyone I used to know has moved on... Dava

I should have written that in 1:120 scale most people(including myself) would find them indistinguishable, or maybe not interesting enought to tell them apart. Also I dont think Hornby promised a 57xx in TT120, just a pannier tank. As for eyesight, I've just spent £500 on new varifocals and avoid specsavers ever since they gave me a duff prescription.

The story of Bunny Old Hill, Mine and Mill (all real places in Nottinghamshire) can be found with other 014 musings below. You can be forgiven for missing it, borrowed away in the narrow gauge backwater. The layout has no sheep but a fox, badger and working rabbit.

Even I know the 64xx pannier tanks were auto-fitted and most people would find it very difficult to distinguish between a 64xx and an 8750 [57xx with later cab].

Hi Pete, I havent looked for a few years but I expect if I go looking in the Bunny Old Hill area there will be outcrops where I last saw them. I'll PM you. Dava

I found a broken wire coat hanger in the wardrobe. Small event but I needed one to make the wire operating handle for the traverser on Grand Lake RR. The traverser still needs its locking bolt and guards to prevent mishaps. Its completion opens up the ‘back road’ accessible from it, an obscure legacy track. This will access a warehouse but also be an isolatable track where DC steam locos can be stored when the line is in DCC mode or vice versa, or be a programming track. There will be some scenic breaks in this area, behind the freight house to conceal the traverser pit. I enjoy following Chris Mears Prince St blog/Fbook on his modelling, located mainly on freight lines in Halifax NS, an area I know. Small observations on progressing modelling projects.

Thanks, just too chunky & need a smaller one which used to be available.

This weekend I laid the track on Grand Lake which will serve the warehouse backs of local businesses. Is this the team track? Anyway, it’s laid and runs nicely with 40ft boxcars. There is a Banta kit which will become 2 warehouse backs. I need a small locking bolt to finish the traverser, small barrel bolts seem to have disappeared so I have to make this from an Allen key, brass tube & sheet.