BlackFivesMatter

Excellent series, a shame there are only four in it. I would have hoped more well known modellers would have been involved, Peter Snow, Anne Diamond, Rod Stewart and no doubt more, still possible series two fodder?

The Glasgow and south western railway association are bringing out a kit in 7mm in conjunction with a kit manufacturer of good repute in the near future. Take a look at the website for details.

Has anyone else had difficulty contacting Julian at Taff Vale Models recently? Hopefully he is ok. I've been trying to phone him and emailed him several times over the last three weeks and no reply. I heard his stand at Stafford was empty, do he must have planned to attend.

Orange trains, orange bus. Don't forget an Iron Bru labelled taxi from Harbour hobbies! I'm guessing with the colour, it's set near Ibrox, and not Parkhead?

Many have confirmed what I thought, that most rail employees are enthusiasts, or interested which is a good thing. I recall hearing there was an individual at inverkeithing who was very anti-enthusiast and objected to people photographing "his trains".

A question, more for the professional railwaymen (railway people?) What do they, or moreso their non enthusiast colleagues think of railway enthusiasts? Train spotters, photographers (within the law) and people who stare, wave or just look intently?

Hi, I'd appreciate helpful thoughts on signalling the branch platform of the Junction. Probably LNER northern division, ex NBR. Dotted line and solid line are the main lines. Branch line leaves the mainline into a kickback platform. Opposite end is the branch line and a siding. From the branch , approaching the station I'd have a home signal to protect the mainline to platform road. There has to be a home signal at the end of the mainline platform to protect it at C. But B, a starter for the branch platform - would a branch platform to mainline need a signal? I'm sure it would. In reality there would be a catchpoint. I do t want to oversignal, but I'm conscious that undersignalling would be unrealistic. I'd appreciate some suggestions please.

Hi, I have a small DCC layout, wired with bus wires, many connections to tracks and isolated points. Works great with my lenz controller in DCC. I switched off my DCC controller, unplugged it and plugged in by DC controller to operate a DC loco. All DCC locos off the tracks. The DCC loco ran fine, but I noticed the handset on the DCC controller lit up. Is this normal and ok? If I want to run the layout in DC mode should I do anything different? Thanks in advance.

Buses on bridges, ho no, never on real life. Oops, Largs, former Glasgow and south western railway terminus. Charles Street over bridge. The other shot is because it's Friday.

She will want a model train set/ model railway when she is older. Start now!

I understand costs to traders have increased, and payments to invited layouts have gone down, but how much of that is due to other events unrelated to vandalism is open to debate. I imagine exhibitors are more likely to remove as many valuable items as possible when leaving overnight, but that is pretty limited. Post COVID I understand attendance numbers are back to what they were so hopefully income is forthcoming. Theft from exhibitions is not a new think, one Scottish club lost at least one model ship in the 1970s, and the chap with the long sleeve enveloping a train or wagon is not unknown.

I would have thought that a Saint from a Hall and a Star from a Castle would be easier. But the GWR is a bit far south for me. Good luck in your endeavour though.

I bet they had good roses!

Was this the one over silver street? If you can get a copy of a scan of the HMRS book on the station it should help?.

If can get one of Derek Cross' albums of Scottish steam in the 1960s or Scottish urban and rural branch line, they will give a good idea of the proportion of open to van traffic. Also don't forget seasonal and branch specific traffic. You cannot have enough 16t minerals!

Blairgowrie featured in a British Railways Journal. It may have covered two issues. Unsure of the date. Also featured in the Caledonian railway association journal. I would recommend joining the Association. There was a booklet published by the Angus railway association on railways of Perthshire which had the trackplan and a few photos. There is a plaque at the Tesco's on blairgowrie too! A lovely prototype, keep us informed on progress.

Relating a story of how (in 2000) I bought the surgery where I worked a mobile phone for the receptionists to call any GPs on a house call and it cost £5. ( And I set it to bark like a dog instead of tinny ring) . And they started at me. At least they did not ask if I recorded t-rex (the critter not the group) as a ring tone. Sigh.

Interesting that some other railways, and particularly those influenced by Dugald Drummond used the under-axle springs. Was there and mechanical or engineering advantage to this or was it a "because I can". Given that it did not last long and the normal location of springs became universal I wonder what the rationale was?

I've recently acquired a Caledonian Jumbo whose tender has the springs under the axle boxes. I've seen photos of this but never found out why the springs were fitted thus. Is there a reason or was this one of Dugald Drummonds "goods ideas"?

We use bank of Scotland treasurer's account. They are painfully pedantic on paperwork, but the interest bearing account is good for interest. Online and phone app, also being able to photograph capture cheques is very useful. Initial mistakes by them when opening resulted in me thanking them at an AGM for doubling the donations with compensation for their errors!

Going slightly off topic, as is our want, are there any plans of the standard Lancaster and Carlisle station building? I'm keen to model Burton and Holme in particular. Thank you.

Whilst researching a YouTube of the late John Smith's Caledonian loft layout, he makes reference to a "Caley tobacco van". Many places had tobacco factories "once upon a less enlightened time". Did tobacco have special vans for it, or would any ventilated van be used?

There was a Four seasons one some time ago based on the Wisbech tramway. I think it rolled on a central axle. I think it covered GER in spring, Lner, BR Steam and Ended with BR diesel reflecting the winter of the line.

But hopefully it does not squeal or go off the rails.

Dark purple lake and white with a soupçon of ultramarine blue. Brown for the Cathcart circle. Now, about the blue… then again about the loco- have you a few hours to spare? Hey if it gets more people modelling Scottish locos it cannae be bad.