H2O

Much info at: https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/the-end-of-steam-tables-by-class-region-depot/ As for Swindon the fact that the WR put all their eggs in the hydraulics basket meant that the works were set up to overhaul hydraulics, not electrics. When the decision was made to run them down sadly the writing was on the wall.

I'm fairly sure the last steam service that the WR was responsible for was running the northern section of the old S&D. This closed in spring 1966, although originally scheduled earlier. So later than Jan 1st that year.

1979 b/w film "Radio On" that was on tv a few months ago^. If you can keep watching, the second half features some railway locations around Bristol. A station probably on the severn beach line and a railway in the background of an industrial estate (east of Temple Meads?). The final scene is the lead character crossing the tracks in front of an approaching DMU. He gets on, the train departs and the crossing gates open. This is not in Bristol but at Blue Anchor on the WSR which presumably allowed them to have him on the tracks. Having grown up in Bristol it does reflect what it was like in the less glamorous areas. If this film was your only view of Bristol I don't think you'd be very impressed! ^ Quick film review: Main character goes to Bristol to discover more about his brothers death, meets various characters on his travels, film ends with him gaining little meaning from what he has seen and heard - a feeling many viewers will also share. Much of the above also posted in Changing face of Bristol as many general scenes showing the city. Thought it worth posting here as it features a few specific railway scenes too.

"Derelict building with planning issues burns down..." I've seen that a few times. AFAIK this hotel is featured in the 1979 b/w film "Radio On" that was on tv a few months ago^. There is an external night shot showing the old single lane flyover going very close past the windows of the hotel, it looked a complete dump. On a wider point (on the changing face of Bristol) this film (in the second half) features locations around Bristol. I'm thinking; a station on the severn beach line and a railway in the background of an industrial estate (east of Temple Meads?). There's also a bit of driving on the M32 near Eastville park and down to WSM. Having grown up in Bristol it does reflect what it was like in the less glamorous areas. Being in b/w it looks a bit down beat. If this film was your only view of Bristol I don't think you'd be very impressed! The final shot is the lead character crossing the tracks in front of an approaching DMU. He gets on, the train departs and the crossing gates open. This is not in Bristol but at Blue Anchor on the WSR which presumably allowed them to have him on the tracks. ^ Quick film review: Main character goes to Bristol to discover more about his brothers death, meets various characters on his travels, film ends with him gaining little meaning from what he has seen and heard - a feeling many viewers will also share.

Apologies, the site said 'track' so I thought it included the sleepers. Perhaps they should have listed it as 'rail'... Good luck with your project by the way.

I don't think you will find brand new track cheaper than £1.39 a metre in the link I posted above. Although SS is not as easy to solder as N/S the op seems to me a handy person when it comes to diy :-)

No knowledge of availability or suitability but found this which may suite the op's need if cheap track is the priority: https://www.dccconcepts.com/product-tag/stainless-steel-track/ £160 for 120x 960mm lengths. End of line sale?

Looks all the world like the engine driver is driving the shunting loco home after a days work at the factory :-)

On a cycling holiday in Ireland in 1976, when following directions to the next town, it took us a long time to realise why the distances on the signposts gradually reduced as we got closer only to jump up when we got to a main road... The old signs on the back roads were in miles, the new signs on the main roads were in km!

What era? As no turntable I'm guessing post 1970? Also I'm thinking each square on the plan is 6" (150mm). The inner line at the lower board goes to the storage area looking like double track, but the junction to the station looks odd if that is so. To give flexibility I'm not sure if connecting the top left siding in the 'yard' to the inner single curve will help routing trains into platform 3 from the branch rather than take one of the main running lines of the double track. It will also allow 3 circulating trains uf that is your thing.

Perhaps all of that had to be removed after some of the motion was bent. e.g. due to a hydraulic lock from water in the cylinder? Any reference to that happening with Evening Star? What is also odd is that the tender is full to the brim with coal, not something you would do in preperation for being towed? Sort of indicates to me an emergency repair after being prepped for a turn. PS Not my photo, just quoting from earlier in the thread.

There appears to be an oxy-acetelene set next to the rear driver. Could be used to heat something to ease removal or bend something back, or perhaps to cut metal. Any way not a good sign!

One can only wonder what the crew member nonchalantly astride the rail in the foreground is saying, perhaps "Hello dearest, something has come up (pause) I might be a bit late home tonight..."

Great list, thanks to all the contributors :-) Sorry if obvious but is there any reason for the stripe, e.g. to identify 31s with eth? As more than one shed seems to have it perhaps a notice from head office to add it or perhaps a local thing that spread? From photos above 31014 also has an all-round stripe and the 31 behind it too (although that one is in overall green).

Let's hope Bacheljarnby don't pick up on the accuracy / price / self assembly combination that Lego seem to be offering on this one!

Bachmann put groups of boxed items in a fairly environmentally friendly cardboard tube 'wrapper' to make sets, you can see individual bar codes on the end to check what items have been grouped. Little complexity of packaging required.

I think that is Joan Rhodes, glamorous strong woman and actress. If so it was not that different to her iron bar bending act and similar to circus and stage performances over a long period.

Bit OT, but I wonder what his reaction would be to those outrageous 'chocolate cigarette' sweets widely sold in the 70's. These directly targeted smoking at young children - a small sign of how things have changed for the better in the UK within living memory.

I know you have mentioned not using a traverser bit I think that if the exit to the fiddle yard was moved nearer to the 'front' of the layout then a traverser could be used that overhangs the front edge of the fiddle yard board when fully over. I'm assuming the top of the plan is against the wall. This could save the length of a ladder of points. If a turntable or release road is needed it could be at the left hand end such that it lines up with the traverser track opposite to the entry road on the right.

Comparing the OP's photo and the instruction leaflet a bit futher down is the cup and bung missing? Hopefully the contents are long gone.

Agree with above. The typo/spell check correction (I asume it is meant to be 'overspeed') is amusing: I think quite a few people on the fundraising side of preserved railways would love an 'overspend shutdown' on locos :-)

I get where you are coming from, however AFAIK the preserved railway do the risk assessment. If there is a big change, after an accident or if they decide to do a spot check the ORR will review the railways safety case and a suspension or prosecution could follow if something is amiss. For a replacement loco control system (which could link into braking too) the electronics / software element would have to be documented to be safe - proving that electronics and software is fail safe (and not possible to run away uncontrollably) in ALL conditions is very difficult indeed. In terms of code PLC type controllers apparently are more predictable and hence testable. For safety critical systems the skills and/or costs required may be akin to boiler specialists (different skills obviously!) If the electronics/software issues are a problem then perhaps, long term, some present day stock may be 'unpreservable' as running stock :-( I'm thinking of the ones where power and braking are controlled from the same lever. We could have static displays for such stock but end up with increasingly static museums such as the NRM site. For diesels we must try to keep the 1st generation locos and DMUs running, hence the OP concerns.

I think March is somewhere in Cambridgeshire, but where is November? :-) It hasn't rained much in Essex recently and the Epping Ongar railway have self imposed a ban on Steam at the moment.

Perhaps not quite what you describe but, from the same website as above, how about a machine vice as they have the advantage of being able to move around as you work on a small item. I'm not sure if you can get one you could clamp into a bigger vice too. It can also be used for its original purpose. https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/foredom-machine-vice

Railways in New Zealand are 1067mm (3' 6") where the language barrier to do research you mention wouldn't be a problem :-) 1:48 is very close and lots of commercial items in that scale.