Bernard Lamb

A reference to the sidings here. http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/284421/details/stobs+camp+sidings+railway+exchange+sidings+and+signal+box/ Bernard

I usually read The Railway Observer some months after publication. In the April edition there is a reference to finding a few lengths of light rail during excavations for residential development at Acreknowe. These could have been from the tramway that served Stobs Camp.I knew that there was a signal box at Acreknowe and that there was an army camp at Stobs but knew very little abouut the area until I found this. http://stobs-camp.bizhat.com/index.htm Page two has the only direct railway related photo. The last page has a now and then shot that I find rather interesting. If you relate the number of troops in some of the photos to the amount of supplies that they would need then I imagine that the railway would have been very busy at various times in providing for there needs. For Waverley fanatics only, but to me an insight into the history of the line and the people it served. Bernard

As a change from all the weird descriptions and prices how's this for refreshing honesty. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hornby-modern-steam-loco-s-x-2-for-spare-or-repair_W0QQitemZ220668038396QQcategoryZ125452QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4012.m8QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DMW%26its%3DC%26itu%3DUCC%26otn%3D15%26po%3DLCA%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D5649511313594741131 Bernard

Several old Hornby A3s on t'bay at the moment at (to me) ridiculous prices. But this one ? What am I missing ? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hornby-Triang-A3-Scotsman-4472-LNER-4-6-2-Pacific-Loco-/260630229084?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item3caec5b05c Bernard

The photo in the new David Cross book states the 18th July and a Waverley- Carlisle service. The reproduction is also very much colder colour temperature wise, with the buffer beam looking far closer to crimson than vermillion. I actually saw this machine a few weeks ago at York. When they open the new Waverley line it would be a great publicity shot to restage this scene. Bernard

Bit dificult to take a photo and put it on the web site if they havn't actually got one in stock. Proof enough for me. Bernard

From memory the deflectors on the A1 are wrong. Bachmann have inspection hatches on both sides but I believe this hatch should only be present on the right hand side. Bernard

Dave A1 6'3"+5'9"+7'3"+7'3"+9'9" =36'3" A2 6'3"+5'7"+6'6"+6'6"+9'6" =34'4" Bernard

I believe that there was at one time a proposal to down rate the class 21s and rebuild them with a cab at one end only like the 20s for use on freight duties. Any body ever see a drawing of such a beast? Bernard

It could also mean that they have arrived in the UK. Bernard

Quite easy to do. If Raven had taken over it would have been electrified by 1930. Armstrong Whitworth would have built some diesel shunters and steam would have been relegated to colliery workings before WW11. That leaves the problem of how to power the Aberdeen traffic. An elongated Raven A2 instead of the Gresley P2? Bernard

I first had a moan about this when I came across it on an updated Britannia. Got some flack on here for being critical about it. A pin in a hole has done the job since the days of Adam and Eve. Why change it? Bernard

Probably because they didn't scrap the trams back in the 60s when we decided that such things were old fashioned and had to go. For 'getting it right' go to Edinburgh and take a look along Princes Street. I will be venturing out of Waverley with a bike next week not knowing what I will find. It changes every time. The only certainty is that I will not have to watch out for trams. Bernard

I like the way you have added the frame pieces with the body off. So much easier than the struggle I had to push 'em up from underneath with every thing else in place. Your photo does show the superb quality of the castings for the draincocks and associsted pipe work. The Brassmasters, to my eye, are much better than the Gibson version. One point that I have always considered to be not worth the efort is changing the axle boxes. Yes I know that the replacements have more depth but can you notice the difference in most views? Bernard

The last time that I spoke to them in person at a show, I got the response that they were rather amazed at the demand for their products. They are trying as hard as they can as far as I can see. A far better situation than certain ranges that have new owners and some products never see the light of day. Bernard

A total anorak like me ignores the train and studies the track. Nice one. Bernard

Information from the Green Book. 7 allocated to Tweedmouth in 1924. All gone by 1935. They were regular visitors to Edinburgh in this period on both passenger and goods workings. Berwick - Waverley stopping service was a regular turn and they were even used on one service to Corstorphine. In 1955 10 went to Heaton mainly to work on the Carlisle - Newcastle route. However until 1958 they worked on the Heads of Ayr Holiday Camp Saturday trains and also Glasgow to Filey Holiday Camp and Scarborough. Unfortunately no mention of specific numbers regarding any individual working. Bernard

I do like the caption on the photo of the foreigner. 'Alleged record breaker'. Seen various shots of Merlin in late and dirty condition but never before seen one in colour. Bernard

My first thought was an LNER Toad B as I think I can just make out the line of the ducket. But lasting until 1968? I know all about spending your annual budget to the last penny. I used to deal with the MOD. Bernard

Any one help identify the brake van? It looks to be light grey so an unfitted vehicle? Bernard

http://www.5at.co.uk/ Have a look. Bernard

Having studied welding design at one time, a field in which the name of a certain Mr Bullied cropped up, I wonder what he would have produced if he had continued as the CME of an independant Southern Railway to say around 1954. Bernard

Take a look at the RCTS Green Books and you will find enough designs to last a life time of modelling. Forget about recreating Gresley's lost masterpiece. Start building, if only in model form , all those designs that never left the drawing board. I am sure that other companies had a similar hoard of never built projects. At least there are the never built standards that Redgate is atempting to bring to life. Bernard

Which neatly brings us back to my comment about the unusual variety of wagons in the 1968 photo. Despite a couple of comments we still don't know what the wagons actually contained. There has to be a specific reason for the make up of this train. I just get curious about odd things like that at times. Bernard

Thanks for that. Presumable freshly repainted in blue. Yep. That's the one. Was the fitted head only a requirement of diesel workings? Photos from a few years earlier with 9Fs and Black 5s don't normally depict this arrangement. Bernard