SM42

Like all fine Easter related traditions it is a moveable feast and feast we will. Where we can move it to is another question. Flabby Friday? Wobbly Wednesday? Morbidly obese Monday? Anyone? Andy

Rejoice! rejoice! Today is Tlusty Czwartek. ( a noble tradition) Fat Thursday The perfect excuse to eat cake with no recriminations from Mrs SM42. Large quantities of doughnuts are on order and I shall shortly be collecting ours once the police escort turns up. ( can never be too careful in these parts - Nextdoorhipposhire) The local Polish shop has ordered 1000 doughnuts today. They dont expect them to last much past early afternoon. Must be expecting a bear to visit around lunchtime. Andy (mmm doughnuts )

I've used toilet paper (single ply only) to reasonable effect in the past but luckily avoid the quilted type and I don't have puppies embossed on the van roof either. I supect paper tissues would work just a well being of lighter texture or Izals shiny side down It is one of those strange things where something vastly overscale (roof texture, as long as it doesn't go to extremes.) often doesn't look out of place as the eye sort of expects it in the larger scales Andy

My understanding is that Spanish VAT (21% ?) + the courier handling fee (who will pay the duties and taxes for you) is what you may have to pay for the trains / track at least. (0% tariff on the trains etc AIUI) I suspect retailer 1 hasn't quite got this right and should have charged Spanish VAT and then pass that onto the Spanish tax authorities if they are so registered as they claim. The decoders I'm not so sure about. Whether there will be any import charges ( tariffs) to pay and as a mixed consignment, as it were, I'm not 100% sure how they would handle it. There could possibly be 0% tariff on the decoders too if they fall under the correct comodity code (perhaps 85439000 for electronic equipment would cover them. ) So assuming no tariffs (import duty) to pay and this is just a guess (based on some limited information gleaned from the web) around £84 + fees (an unknown quantity unless you know who the courier is and could find out) as an estimate. This seems a bit steep on your doorstep but remember In order 1 there is a risk of double VAT (UK at £16.66 and Spanish at £21) being paid. In the second you have not paid 20% UK VAT (£60) but may have to pay Spanish VAT (£63) In the latter case that's £3 more than if you were a GB resident stood in the shop and in the former £21 more + the unknown courier handling fees. Doesn't seem so bad when you look at it that way Of course as mentioned above, it may not happen and I wouldn't worry about it. Just be prepared I must point out that this is how I understand it and I may be wrong and I'm sure there are those on this forum who will correct any errors I may have amde Andy

I've used liquid decal film on dried up Parkside pressfix decals. It will make the sheet curl up as it dries but storing them flat with a little weight (even just in the bag they come in will help) After the film has dried, I cut out the decal and lay in position on the model and soak the tissue to release it. It's then just a matter of wicking away any excess liquid, final positioning and pressing down carefully. It is a little more fiddly but works well with care. Use preferred setting solutions to taste. Andy

I have given up with the old track pin and now use a dressmaker's pin in its place. I push it through the hole, and superglue the head in place and cut to length. I don't bother with shaping the end as I have a more impressionist approach. As Bernard Lamb said, you go as far as you are happy. Andy

Sitting in a 304 unit batting down the WCML between Stafford and Crewe. Bouncing along merrilly The two elderly ladies sat opposite on the compartment end bench seat giggling at the lively ride. I encouraged them to swing their arms up in time with the bouncing and we all managed to gain some air. We laughed like drains all the way to Crewe as in true Rev Awdry style we were "bounced like peas in a pan." Another memorable trip was overnight Poznan- Wroclaw to Budapest. The strange groaning noises from the undercarriage was likened to "like being in the belly of a dragon" by one of my travelling companions when their dimly lit face appeared over the edge of the top bunk, cherub like, in the early hours. Not the most confortable of rides and not much in the way of good sleep, especially in Slowakia (Do they have tampers there?) The return trip suffered air con failure so had to have the window partly open most of the way. Again not a good night's sleep but enough. The German fellow in the next compartment sharing his beer and food with us whilst we chatted in pigeon English, German and Polish. Being woken up at OMG it's early for detraining at Wroclaw just after 5am and then scouting around for breakfast whilst we awaited our connection to Poznan 2 hours later. What an experience. Andy

Today's selection with a bit of a Midland theme Ashwell 2014 Lowdham 2014 Uffington 2014 Andy

Ahh I see. Prancing Pachyderms are generally bad news for chariot wheels. Meanwhile I came very close to uprating a 4 wheel van to 25t. Andy (where's me specs)

Could be worse. the chariot could have still been attached. Pray tell what has brought about this intrusion. Hopefully nothing serious Andy

GW transfers I found some Parkside PS72 and PS74 transfers, some Slater's with assorted GW lettering and something of unknown origin, that looks to be for brake vans They are all getting on a bit so may need rescuing with some liquid decal film. Free to a good home Andy

Checking my stash Andy

Some of the stuff I'm using predates Railtec. The likes of Fox 3 character number sections and some old Woodhead restored with Liquid Decal Film Waste not want not. There is a bit of Modelmaster thrown in and the CCT and Railtec stuff waiting till I get round to the wagons that I can use them on or odd elements here and there I have choice if nothing else. Andy

Time for weathering 2 down, a dozen to go. Andy

As there is a lock on the outside you may be right By way of an anitdote St Mary's Crossing 2016 (without double glazing) Andy

the E looks like the C with an added bit in the middle. So as it was made in China (although this is not stated anywhere) it will be suject to a tariff which fortunatley, as it is a model train is, 0%. AIUI I hope that's right as I want to know what to expect when passing through the red channel at Dover, as I suspect not having the foggiest what should and should not be declared, will be the safer option. Keeping receipts will be vital and I hope my favourite shop is set up for export sales. Mrs SM42 is going to have to take up a new hobby so we can use her personal allowance too. Andy

I seem to recall there was a lot of discussion about what % of a car could be made outside the EU / UK and still be classed as a domestic product of either customs area and hence have no tariff applied when traded between the EU/UK. IIRC it's about 60% Back to model railways. I have in front of me a loco sold by Piko. On the box sleeve it mentions the above 14 years age limit model for collectors, it has a CE mark and it has Piko's German address and website on the box. However there is also a lot of I presume Chinese writing i.e pictograms on the box too. No obvious mention is made of actual country of manufacture Now what would a customs official make of all this if it wasn't a model train. What will they make of it given that it is? Andy

In cross eye mode again. More van lettering. Got a few to do, see previous photo. Only problem is that as most numbers are made up of bits, I'm waiting for the first part to harden off before tackling the next part. It's slow going do a bit of each side at a time and I fear I may lose track of where I had got to on any particular wagon. After that it's a vast weathering campaign Andy

Mines due around May I think In the meantime I am taking advantage of not working till saturday and enjoying an alcoholic beverage or three. I've spent most of the evening applying decals to 4mm vans and really need something to uncross my eyes. Gauge 1 is looking attractive Andy

But it looks the part Someone, somewhere thought about what they were building and where they were building it. A rare thing nowadays The whole line is a strange mix of preservation, nostalgia and unsentimental business. Andy

Why do I have a sudden urge to buy a jinty that will be no use to me whatsoever? Andy

I daresay that will be the immune system making lots of nice antibodies. I've heard similar reports following a flu jab Andy

I was thinking exactly the same. " is it coal you'll be wanting?: "Why what else have you got?" " we've only got coal" " we'll have coal then" Brilliant dialogue in what I think was episode 1 Andy

Another mixed bag Midge Hall 2014 Mobberley 2014 Narborough 2014 and finally Kingswear in 2016 Andy

The small consignment exemption (sub £15) is probably what you are thinking of. It was abolished on 1st jan Andy