checkrail

Afraid not, though I have his brother. And I also have Henry V. My son's given names are Richard Henry.

Know what you mean. I originally intended to make my first King 'King Henry II', but once I'd fixed the date as 1939 (give or take a year as modeller's license applied) I realised it would have to be something else. Luckily I hadn't bought the plates!

Coming on very nicely indeed. You've done a lot on a few short weeks. (Though they don't seem quite so short at the moment.)

Makes sense. At first I thought, "That can't be a DMU 9 car sign can it? Must be something else I don't understand.". But that's because I was assuming from the loco and the people that it was a 1920s photo. Perhaps in its latter days 1363 was tarted up a bit by shed crews, including an attempt at a GWR buffer beam number? I remember a family holiday at Totnes in 1961, during which my 13 year old self took a train to Plymouth and managed to get into Laira depot for an hour or two without being turfed out. 1363 was present, IIRC, but I don't remember it being tarted up like that. No doubt Robin will reveal all.

Nice water crane Robin. And what a cracking picture of 1363 at Brent - not seen that before. What's the source, and do you know of the date or circumstances of the photo? I note the buffer beam numbers are pretty small. Was this an earlier style? John C.

… and a bit more. John C.

Whole lotta shunting goin' on! John C.

And a few more, in which the goods train guard gets a good view of 5041. (Though I don't know why he hasn't got out of that Toad to give the crew of 8709 a hand.) John C.

8709 about to start a bit of shunting after arriving from Newton Abbot with a pick-up goods train. Meanwhile 5041 Tiverton Castle hurries through with an up express. John C.

No.

Great shots. Really like the Bulldog. I wonder of Bachmann will eventually oblige? They've got most of the makings I guess. John C.

Oh yes! Lovely stuff. More please. GWR expresses sweeping through the landscape do it for me every time. (Though I have been known to glance at the odd goods train.)

Only just remembered this and just checked it out with the set-square. You were right. I thought it was solidly glued down but perhaps it took a knock during track cleaning. Now restored to vertical. So thanks Bogie - the more pairs of eyes the better.

Nothing more than historical associations really Robin (my degree was in mediaeval history). Henry V was at Laira in 1938. Richard I started life at OOC in 1930 and I think stayed there throughout the 30s. But by 1946 it had been transferred to Laira. There are plenty of pics of both of them on West Country expresses during the 30s in the various photo albums.

Tender swap - I'm lazy! Or just run it on down trains.

Had another minor disaster when preparing King Richard I for traffic, but eventually turned it into a learning experience. I originally sprayed loco and tender body with Humbrol acrylic gloss, after masking off all the black, as I'd done with Henry V. Unfortunately, when I came to spray the R hand side of the tender the spray can had been standing much too near a heat source, and I ended up with a sort of acrylic porridge of rock-hard lumps all over the tender side. There was nothing for it but to order some Deluxe Materials 'Strip Magic' (usual disclaimer) and take it right back to the black plastic. Then several thin airbrushed coats of a Railmatch/Precision GWR green mix were applied, followed by new lining and monogram transfers from Fox. First time I've used loco lining transfers and was reasonably pleased with the outcome, though I haven't got the match quite right with the green. Fettling Richard I was also the first outing for my new airbrush (an Iwata Revolution CR), which seems much more forgiving and user-friendly than the 'Neo for Iwata' one it replaced. I enjoyed using it - a big improvement on the love/hate relationship I had with its predecessor! John C.

5557 pulls away along the branch as 6027 King Richard ! approaches on a Plymouth - Paddington service. John C.

5557 has retrieved the through coach from the down platform and propels it towards the end of the B set to be coupled up. Not sure when Bachmann first produced their small prairies - quite a while before I returned to this game I think - but I think the model has stood the test of time. Still one of my favourites. Then after running round the train, and after the fireman has repositioned the headlamp, she gets the signal to depart for Earlsbridge. John C.

The through coach has now been uncoupled, allowing the Plymouth stopper to resume its journey - you can just see the M set van 3rd moving away, while on the right the tail end of the Wolves express moves off the scene.. And here's the other end of the platform as the Hall pulls out. John C.

Guilty as charged m'lud.

Do those CMX things work well?

All good, but those first two platform-level shots with the footbridge are fab.

Here's a view of the end of the down stopping train, revealing that the fifth vehicle tagged onto the usual M set is the daily Paddington - Earlsbridge through coach, being brought forward from Newton Abbot. Meanwhile the Star accelerates through the end of the station, heading for the tunnel John C.

Lovely finish on both those locos.

Quite pleased with these two pics of a busy scene (except of course for weird sky crease in first one!) Mr & Mrs Preiser better hurry if they want to catch the Plymouth train. John C.