Dava

Try Handel Kardas' Portrait of the Terriers for under a fiver! Recommended. Dava

I dont have my books unpacked at present to answer this but Bodiam and Rolvenden as dlivered were very similar A1s, See http://www.terriertrust.org.uk/colstephens.html Dava

Ian Peattie did a book on the Mountsorrel Railway a couple of years ago (confess to not having it). There was a fleet of cabless Hunslet 0-4-0STs in a photo on display, and there is a preserved 0-4-0ST (Peckett I think) at Rocks by Rail which worked on the line, there is hope it will return when restored. Dava

Never mind trainspotting the tinwork on the 9F, there were better things to do today..... The opening weekend for the Mountsorrel Railway featured 10 pretty fully-booked trains along the branch on Sunday, headed by Y7 130 borrowed from the Middleton Railway and with 'Teddy' at the downhill end. Parking was predictably a bit busy but we managed to park in the old quarry at Nunckley Hill which is where the heritage centre, sidings for the rail museum and intermediate station will be. The quarry rail system is being relayed with a sharply curved spur from the running line, forming three sidings. It will be very attractive and probably a hit with photo charters. A steam and diesel shunting loco to go with the restored Mountsorrel Granite wagons will be valuable. If you wanted a prototype for a small shunting plank layout this would do well! It was about 10 minutes walk to the station at Mountsorrel where there was a display, coffee & bacon baps from a Citroen van, and a lot of people waiting to queue down the zigzag path to the platform. There were lots of friendly and helpful volunteers from the Mountsorrel Railway group. I'd just ask some of the local BMW drivers to be a bit less psychopathic in their driving on Swithland Lane when there are so many pedestrians around! The two locos did a good job with the two coach train of a recently restored BS compartment suburban and LMS inspection saloon. A really enjoyable visit and the message to the GCR should be that Mountsorrel will deserve regular trains next season when the displays start to open. No-one seemed to know how they will do this; there is no run-round loop on the branch so a railcar or DMU service is most likely. Apparently the curves are a bit tight for the 3F 47406, though 37 diesels fit under the bridge. Teddy was easiest to photograph at the downhill end; the Y7 was a bit harder. Teddy running through Nunckley Hill Y7 130 at Mountsorrel Enjoy - that's it till 2016! Dava

lovely period film of a Terrier which deserved to survive... Dava

Here's a photo thru' the fence at Loughborough today of 'Teddy' & the Y7 on shed before the Mountsorrel branch trains this weekend. You saw it here first! Dava

So, two of my favorite locos running, what a treat! Looking forward to this. Agree with Andy that through trains to GCR will be needed when the line opens fully. Dava

Here's a link to IRS article on railways in North Borneo. It includes the Peckett 4-4-0T locos of the Sarawak Govt Railway, same design as the Schull & Skibereen locos, I came across the photo 40 years ago & always liked them. Different system from the OP I think but interesting reading. http://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/14/Borneo.htm Dava

Costs of GWML electrification reported to have tripled from £874 to £2.8bn: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/oct/21/cost-to-electrify-great-western-mainline-triples-to-28bn-risking-other-schemes Dava

So rumours of Minerva making the QJ class 2-10-2 in Gauge 0 are unfounded? Dava

Is it 1 April already? With scrap prices down, the half-life of zombie locos in the ghost fleet lingers on...... Dava

First visit to a model shop for 8 months, Gee Dee Models in Nottingham, following return from Ca. They had all Sentinels at $50-95. Bought the Barabel rod drive version. Its a lovely model, test ran nicely, amazingly short wheelbase. It makes me want one in 7mm scale....Judith Edge do a kit apparently. I dont model 4mm anymore, havent done for years...but sorting through items in our loft which stayed in UK reveals enough materials for a shunting microlayout, with track from my son's old layout and buildings etc from my 009 years, Even 2 baseboards with combined length of 68". This could get tempting. Our container due to arrive Monday, including among much else the Gaugemaster controllers. With Hornby also promising a Peckett W class I see possibilities. Dava

I recall the AC Cars railbus restoration was the original idea but that never really progressed. A bubblecar or DMU on routine days and steam hauled branch train on special days would work well. The GWR steam railmotor has yet to visit... What about that NER petrol-electric railcar...? Dava

Just booked tickets online for the Mountsorrel branch reopening, there seem to be plenty available for the Sunday. Apart from the ride there's the Heritage Centre, nature walk & of course photos to take of the shuttle trains...looking forward to it. Dava

Its so impressive to see the craftsmanship & dedication beyond human limits which is going into Green Ayre. So looking forward to seeing it at Wakefield next month! Dava

Its our first weekend back in the UK since returning from Canada on Tuesday, but with so much to do, there was little chance for more than a flying visit to the GCR for the gala event today. This was actually an hour on the earth bank next the new housing estate on Woodthorpe Lane. A handy vantage point, it will doubtless have disappeared before the next gala. Others will have much better photos than mine but here is 45305 in the fine autumn sunshine bursting out from Woodthorpe Bridge. After returning home in late afternoon I heard another LMS hooter and headed out to Rushcliffe Halt to catch the final returning train on the GCR North. 8F 8274 is on loan and is adding a real touch of mainline steam class to the GCRN which is sometimes a bit challenged in the steam motive power department. I need to ride behind this loco before it departs (along with the Mountsorrel branch reopening soon). 8274 waited a long time to depart and the reason became clear that a ballast train was running south from Ruddington to cross in the loop. In the millions of images created on the GCR over the weekend, I dont think anyone else caught this or the next scene, of 47 292, 3 ballast wagons and a Shark ballast brake van passing the passenger train. This was a delightful little interlude which helped make up for a steamless and near rail-less period in Nova Scotia! Dava

I hope to be at Weston this year, but not with a layout - possibly next year? Dava

Thanks,I prefer British rain to 8ft of Canadian snow! Only keen readers of the Cape Breton Post or Times Higher might have spotted any news of this...let's say Mrs Dava prefers shopping in M&S or Sainsbury's to Walmart or whatever. I start a new job in the UK next week... Our box should be back home around mid November. It'll be interesting to see how the microlayout comes out. If it's structurally OK then yes to Mickleover next January, we can run Terriers on it! Sorry to be parting with our trusty Mitsubishi RVR. Dava

The latest from Coxheath sidings is box related. Small boxes & big boxes. The foamboard structure has been packed up in some card & f-board packaging to make a hazardous journey to its new home.....lets see what shape its in at the other end. Lets call it the Coxbox! There has been lots of other boxing of things and no modelling or anything much else in prospect for some weeks Then today what rolls up our drive but a big box..... Into which the Coxbox & everything else has been loaded and is now en route to Halifax & in due course a big box boat back to the UK! Our adventure in Canada nearly over, we follow on Monday. Hello again the pleasures of the East Midlands, Great Central Railway and the autumn model rail shows, all of which I`ve been deprived of here in CA. See you next month.... Dava

The very latest news on the local rail line here in Cape Breton is that the reports which will inform decisions about its future have at long last been published. Lots of information, but the business case to retain & reopen the rail line is a long way from made. http://novascotia.ca/tran/rail/ Having got these released, its a good point to bring my own involvement to a close, for now at least. More personal news in my layout thread. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/96750-easy-low-cost-micro-layout-baseboard-ideas/page-3&do=findComment&comment=2019062 Dava

Around 10 or maybe more years ago, one of the key people in the 7mm narrow Gauge scene very courageously went through gender reassignment in a public way, those around at the time will recall I'm sure. She had a lot of support and respect from that community, deservedly. Respect and tolerance are so important, there is a lot of repression and fear out there and we might be surprised how many LGBT folks are in the Rail lovers (not only modelling) community. But when are Buffers going to have a more trans-gender representative figure selection? They've not even got 7mm nudes yet! Dava

I think the demand for a few will encourage him to scale up the design later this year. I definitely want one and think a few others will too. Dava

I use DAS clay for ballast, paint it then add scatter materials when dry. You'd get away with this, the effect would be OK for the period & you don't actually have a lot of track to do. Wet afternoon job (how is the weather in the UK?). Dava

So good you want to go there...perfect Terrier country.All this & Saltdean too! Dava

Fantastic detail on this tiny loco. If they could print one in 7mm scale I wouldn't need to build it-the 4mm version looks delightful. I'll ask them if I can navigate the sign-in system! Dava Overnight Charlie confirmed he'd give it a go!