Dava

Thanks Neil, Maybe this project may get an outing next year. Like your coaches by the way. Dava

Another attraction to the Heljan class 05 is that they operated the East Fife Central (Lochty) Railway in its latter BR days with D2583-4-5 running from 1962-64. The Lochty is a highly modellable basis for a compact layout as others have observed. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/39742-useful-reference-books/page-3&do=findComment&comment=2116313 #53 Dava

The Great Central, North and South, are now into Santa Special mode. This is important not only for Santa-seekers but also as a major revenue earner for both lines. Here is the GCRN operation at Rushcliffe Halt today, 6 December. 8F 8274 is performing very well on this line and pulls away from the halt with a well-loaded train. D8098 is on loan from the GCR, as the North apparently has no operational Diesel locos up to the job, a bit surprising as ex-BR Diesels are their stock-in-trade. Maybe they could trade in a 73 with Brush for reconditioning? Atmospheric vapour effects as the 8F works hard on the climb past East Leake to Barnstone Tunnel. More to follow in the coming weeks and hope both lines have a bumper season. Dava

I've enjoyed (mainly) adding some scenic touches to Coxheath Sidings after the ballasting work last weekend, most of which actually stuck down. This Friday evening and Saturday were sent applying ground cover. The flock went down fine but dilute PVA didnt work so well on the Woodlands Scenics and shrubby bits. Anyway it looks better overall. Peckett 1287 shunts a van in the loading dock. A blue Terrier has arrived from the K&ESR! The Peckett runs slowly past the timber yard. That sawdust is genuine - fire hazard? The Peckett runs past the Terrier in the siding. So there we go. I seem to remember Copydex works on some of these scenic products. I will experiment with static grass. I can see some of the Christmas break being spent on painting figures & small details. Also it helps me develop ideas for a more 'grown up' layout project. All good fun. Dava

With reference to the BFB wheels on the EP, imagine if Mr Bulleid had designed locos for Pecketts! An airsmoothed 'Beast of Maerdy'? Q1 style shunters? Seriously this looks an attractive little model. Dava

So with all but 6 of our boxes dealt with, finally time for some modelling after a break of 3 months. One advantage of a micro-layout is that the boring bits don't take as long as on bigger projects...so Friday evening was spent painting the rail sides rusty coloured. After this dried, Saturday early evening was ballasting time. My way of doing this is with mixed flock powders to simulate ash ballast, I don't like granite chippings. So I dissolve PVA in water with brown-grey acrylic paint and a drop of washing up liquid (I don't know f this is needed but Mrs Dava got very annoyed that the bubbly stuff was in the workshop!). I paint this on three sleeper gaps at a time and add the ballast using a cardboard hopper resembling one you can buy (sorry). Tamp the powder down with a pencil and and move on. This morning I shook, blew and brushed the loose flock off the boards onto newspaper, this material (there was quite a lot) can be re-used. But enough had stuck to make it a relative success. Railheads cleaned. Rest of the scenic work can now follow. It doesn't look too bad. This may be a relatively short-life layout but its a pity not to finish it. Baseboards from above From one end, the sector table is to the left With warehouse and end wall added for effect. Dava

I also visited the Bord na Mona lines )in the 1990s). They have a unique character. Possibly the rolling stock (trains of turf wagons) & operation is rather standardised to appeal to modellers? Then there is the craic: 'What did the Bog Man say to Irish Pete?' "Torf Lok!" Dava

Andy, to be fair, the 31 had the N2 pushing from the back! You can see the vapour by the signal. I gather thats the MO for the Santa trains too. Mrs D is keen to go on a Xmas dining train but I'm a bit wary of shelling out £00's for haulage by something from Planet Lima. We leave that to the GCR(N), though the 8F is expected to pull (and push?) their Santa trains. Dava

No other posts have appeared of the GCR Last Hurrah of the Season gala last weekend, so here's some photos from the Saturday. It was an enjoyable event, cold and bright in the morning and just cold later. All went well except for a points failure at Loughborough which led to delays and a few cancelled trains. I dont think any other preserved railway in the UK was running such an intensive service at this time in the year. N2 1744 at Leicester North Sir Lamiel runs into Rothley Gresley Buffet at Rothley, lovely vehicle to ride in for coffee & bacon bap on a cold day! 92214 runs into Rothley on a freight Ivatt 2MT and 3F parked at Loughborough Class 31 on the dining train 45305 from under Quorn bridge on a freight So now its the Santa season, hopefully this will be busy to pay the coal bills, before the post-Christmas-New Year trains.

"A more detailed history can be found here, http://www.rmweb.co....-5?do=findComment&comment=1954641." A very good detailed history. It shows the Departmental and post-BR industrial histories of these locos which may tempt more buyers. I was a bit worried that someone posting as Swindon 123 would be upset by my comments on class 14s! Dava

It looks an attractive model, will be heavier than the Dapol 08. Personally I'd go for an 04 or 03, but this has a surprising appeal and they did run in Scotland. I have no interest in an 07, 08 (aptly named Gronk!) or the mutant-on-steroids class 14. Yes its pricey, you can get a class 26 for the same price at the moment. I fully expect others to disagree with my views! Dava

Good to see these fine old pictures of the Manchester Ship Canal when it had steamships (some coal fired!), tugs (similar), its own rail system and waterside smokestack industries. The whole economy was pretty much coal (and to a lesser extent oil) driven. As some of the posts above point out, much of our industrialisation was done the dirty way, as can be seen from the air pollution. Dava

Away from the UK, coal fired power generation looks set for growth in the Philippines where 23 new ones are apparently planned, despite extreme vulnerability to climate change. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-34900312 Just seen Jon Snow's C4 report from Bangladesh on the impact of rising sea levels from climate change is having on populations. How much difference does the UK's remaining 10 or so coalfired stations have on this? Dava

There is plenty of scope for railway might-have-beens in that area as you say. Back in the '70s there was a 009 layout named Wincle & Wildboarclough by two members of the Macclesfield group. I like the effect of the 3 way point, did you build it (clever if you did)? Dava

I like your layout, the name is familiar as I grew up in Macclesfield. You wouldn't expect a rail line at Three Shires Head, its very rugged but there were lead mines further up the valley (spoil tailings still there) so a plausible source of traffic? I was also modelling in a (double) garage until 2 years ago, sealing the door & converting half into a insulated workshop was the best thing I did! Look forward to seeing what you do. Dava

Last Hurrah of the Season event this weekend. Off to exercise my membership card on a ticket. Cold & windy but bright. Dava

No, you were busy with electrical matters when I saw you. I did admire the MR steam railmotor in the sidings though, then went for carp'n'chips 'cross the road. Dava

Bad luck about this evening. Looked like it just needed longer to get set up and debug the electrical problems. Having seen it, its a huge, ambitious project which will yet consume a whole lot more work on track, scenics, catenary, buildings & details, and be wonderful when complete. No criticism intended. Dava

A problem the delightful Ms. Rudd faces in making such policy decisions is that it is well known that her bro Roland is a heavy hitter in the gas & nuclear PR business leading to claims of conflict of interest which have been well documented: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_Rudd Dava

I recall the last week of the GN Widened Lines trains to/from Moorgate in 1976 (about this time of year or was it late October in half term week?), riding into Moorgate on empty stock compartment trains behind 31's in the evening peak. It had to be the most atmospheric ride you could have on BR at the time. So I like the idea and design of this project. Greater width would allow LT Met/Circle trains on separate tracks if you wanted. I dont think anyone has modelled Hotel Curve tunnel and platform at KX suburban yet! Dava

We can date transport of coal by rail back to at least 1725 on the Tanfield Railway (290 years rather than 280) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanfield_Railway No new nuclear stations will be online by 2025 and it is questionable whether there will be sufficient new gas generation capacity, so the ability of baseload generation capacity to meet peak demand will be uncertain. Some good points being made in this debate which is not attracting much media scrutiny. Dava

So our government in its wisdom has announced closure of all coal fired power stations by 2025 or earlier (2023). Is this the 1955 'modernisation plan' of the electric power industry? It does mean reliance on nuclear stations (yet to be built by Chinese & French interests which are bound to over-run on cost & time), imported gas (price & supply beyond our control) , and renewables (variable supply). One wonders how feasible and smart this decision is. UK power generation policy has been mainly deferral of costly decisions and 'hope for the best' since dear old Lord Marshall (kept the lights on in 83-4) shuffled off. What does this mean for the rail industry? Closure of the last remaining deep mines, no more opencast, greatly reduced coal imports, no more block coal trains within 8-10 years from Immingham through Lincoln & other places? Redundant 60s, 66s & fleets of coal trains? UK coal and rail have co-existed for 280 years or so. Will this be the end? And will the next step be to clamp down on those 'smoky carbon-polluting' preserved steam locos, or to inflict punitive carbon taxes? I would not put it past our political masters. We do need clean power, but even the flow of anhydrite from power station exhaust gas scrubbers to Rushcliffe over the GCR(N) for conversion to gypsum will go...another manufacturing industry and more jobs will be at risk. What do you think? Dava

Looking forward to seeing & appreciating the layout at the show, whatever small problems yo may encounter! Dava

Tower Models have a useful plan view of the points on their website which shows a 40.5" radius, rail code and some indication of flange clearance. Due late 2016 according to the G0G guys. Not a moment too soon. I may have built some points by then! http://www.tower-models.com/- look under PECO track Dava

The December Railway Modeller has a 4-page article by John Treays on Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST locos, with drawings of 5 variants and a good selection of photos. Its principally of use to those modelling in 4mm scale and using the ARC resin body kits on the L&YR Pug chassis. Nothing wrong with that. Drawings of Barclay Pugs are surprisingly hard to come by. See the ARC kits at http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/76530-arc-models-new-range-of-4mm-scale-products/page-8 Its less useful for those modelling in larger scales or building their own chassis. Only one drawing shows detail below the running plate and the variations in cylinder size, wheel diameter etc. which affected the overall sizes considerably, from the elegant to the thuggish, are not mentioned. But its a useful introduction to the ubiquitous uber-Pug. The definitive drawing and photo collection for this varied and long-lived loco type yet awaits. University of Glasgow apparently holds the Barclay archive and drawings. Someone is going to have to go and mine them, one day! (maybe they already have). Dava