SM42

Large companies will probably be able to take it in their stride as their systems will probably be tried and tested Its the small and one man band operators that have now discovered an unpleasant complexity that will be hit the hardest. Unfortunately they are where all the model railway gold can usually be found. I really do despair at the clear as mud communications on the rules, how they are spread about on different parts of websites (both the UK's and the EU's) and the ambiguity of some phrases used. If the professionals are struggling, how on earth is the average Joe sat in front of a PC going to manage? I think I have got my head round it, but I'm not entirely sure Andy (having to re-assess his retirement plans now)

Not according to what it says (My bold) Andy

Not quite. He is charging Belgian VAT below £135 ordered via UK based online market place who do all the VAT work for you AIUI Andy

It's free of tariffs. The problems are non tariff issues like VAT, Rules of origin, product certification etc Andy

I think this bit falls foul of the same rules that are making touring musicians angry. The customs procedures to bring his stock across, not to mention the working and being paid bit, would be a quite substantial impediment if I have understood the issues correctly. It could also affect the ablitity of European modellers bringing layouts to places like Warley or indeed GB modellers travelling to shows like Utrecht Andy

A few from far and wide, Ancaster 2014 Ascott under Wychwood 2016 Batley 2016 Bingham 2014 Couldn't resist a final interloper, location obviously not UK. Sorry for drifting a bit too far eastwards Andy

I always do number 3 when I'm concentrating on something fiddly , like making up 3 link couplings Andy

The loco I believe is on the EMR connection. The line in the foreground is a dead end. Andy

For those wishing to purchase in person and then bring home in luggage, I would suggest checking what the customs regulations for personal import are in your particular country or customs territory. There is a limit to the amount of non excise (booze and fags) goods you can bring into the UK and I'm sure the same applies for the EU. Rules on gifts sent by post from friendly residents either side of the border also seem to vary. Last time I checked the limit for gifts from the EU was not specified on the UK government's website. Only the rest of the world and the limits were only around £20 You may have to be careful over rules of origin (ROO) too when crossing the border. Whilst I believe model trains are 0% rated for tariffs, I'm not sure how some of the accessories and materials we may use will be classed. If they are not 0% rated then there will be import tariffs to pay on top of VAT and admin fee bearing in mind a lot of stuff is made in China or India. Made in the EU or UK should be OK as long as it meets the ROO criteria Still, as travel isn't very likely this year, we have plenty of time to get acquainted with the new way of doing things Andy

That's quite a collection of cars. Some classics even for 1989. More from 2014 Ashton Moss North Jn Acle Blotoft Andy

But we got more of 'em. Gulls v crows sounds like the makings of a computer game. Andy

I think it's in the Caribbean. We don't have a pigeon problem round here. It's Seagulls. (and I don't mean the backs for all you rugby fans) Squawking all night, carpet bombing everywhere. "Theyre endangered" they say, "You're counting 'em at the seaside where they don't live" I say Unfortunately they are the wrong type of gull Andy

Rowley Regis has canopies opposite each other, albeit the station building being built on the road bridge. http://www.miac.org.uk/rowleyregis.htm Andy

It was outside the station so that may explain it. It is also partly hidden behind some trees, or at least it was 7 years ago. Thank you for identifying it and also explaining why I kept coming up with conflicting TKp and HL16 descriptions causing my brain to hurt. Now where's my Polish ABC Combined Volume? Andy

The dreaded MOT. Mrs SM42s car is booked for a couple of weeks time. Need to check it over, but I can guarantee trat a headlight or similar will blow on the way there. Luckily the garage I use will fail it and then repair minor things like this and re-test so no need to have the car off the road waiting for the next slot. Gotta go get some sleep soon. I am truly a Night Mailer this week in that A: I am male B: I'm working nights Andy

A few more from around the country in 2014 Hubberts Bridge (different) Downham Market (it was a particulary hot and humid day and you can see the back end of the thundestorm I drove through to get here. Had to stop in layby with around 20 others as the rain was that heavy it was hard to see more than a few tens of yards even at 20mph It seems to have bypassed Downham Market though) Ketton Burscough Bridge Jn Andy

Yikes, that's some expensive rubber you've got there. Andy

Some are supposedly around Poznan but I haven't seen any on my travels. If they are going to be anywhere in Poznan then Franowo would be the place but I've not seen any there. Did see one once whilst travelling back to Poznan some years ago, but I suspect that may have been unusual. Katowice area sounds a good bet due to the more industrialised nature of the area. If you do end up round Katowice you are not far from Rybnik which has a model shop in the station building. There's also a shop in Chorzow but that one has a more supply and demand attitude to pricing. Andy

Certainly three signalboxes in reasonable proximity to each other based on the distant arms below the homes. Perhaps a station behind the photographer. The gantry has three posts of same height suggesting not a junction but can't rule that out. The lattice posts and sky background for signals which need lower level repeater arms has a Scottish look about it Don't know why but the Dumfries route springs to mind but then I could be very wrong. It wouldn't be unusual. Andy

A slightly related but totally unconnected story . A couple of years back myself and Mrs SM42 spent a long weekend in Pickering. A good pub and the station in walking distance, it was a perfect break. As one does in such a situation, a train ride to Whitby was taken All went well until just after leaving Whitby on the return journey and a commotion ensued at the far end of our carriage. The guard appeared checking tickets and was met with the cry of "There's a bat in the train" and sure enough there was indeed a real bat flapping about causing a commotion all around. Eventually it found its way out through the ventilator window (BR Mk 1 stock) which I thought was a very deft bit of airmanship. Given Whitby's association with Dracula, it was a rather spooky episode. Checking for puncture wounds then ensued but no-one had succumbed. Andy

Having a bit of time on my hands I have been looking through my old photos and present two more locos plinthed at stations TKh49 5564 at Torun Glowny in 2009 And a loco I never managed to identify with any confidence (even by the power of the internet) at Krakow Plaszow in 2013 (Perhaps someone out there in RMWeb land knows its identity.) Andy

A few more from 2014 with an east side flavour St James Deeping Thorpe le Soken Three Horse Shoes Cowbit And finally East Gate jn Andy

Found another plinthed loco from 2009 TY45 149 at Kluczbork Andy

Well I hadn't realised that. Not a cop after all. I've been through my files and here is the very same loco at Zbaszynek in April 2010. Photographed whilst I was en route back to Poznan after the steam parade at Wolsztyn, Andy

Here's one I grew up with (no I'm not that old. I had my father's musical tastes force fed ) Played on a 78 Sort of reminds me of the all shacks from Brum on the way home after a long shift Andy