Warspite

Have to say your EWS 08 looks superb compared with the real BR blue one ........... Seriously though, that is a cracking photo.

Marc Yes, that was me at Taunton! If it hadn't been pouring with rain outside, I would have been convinced that was where the sparrows were coming from. :-) The sounds are very effective and add an extra dimension to the layout. Stephen

Bill Layout looks superb. Hope Saturday's show goes well - you're certainly well prepared! Stephen

Marc I loved your previous minimum space O gauge layout and having seen (and heard!) Poynton Sneer at Taunton, I absolutely adore it. Beautifully detailed and everything looks just right. This is yet another really inspirational layout from you and demonstrates just what you can do in O gauge in a small space. You've just raised the bar ........ again! Stephen

Great find. There's also a lovely photo of Western Gladiator on a milk train at Moorswater (April 1974). Nice! Stephen

Andrew I know what you mean about the location of the yard crane but don't forget that it's quite nice looking round an object (crane, small building etc.) as a train enters the layout. Just a thought. The pannier is a Lionheart one. Got me modelling steam again after many years modelling blue diesels. Ah, 50s on china clay! It's 50014 Warspite (what else!) at Burngullow on Parkandillick clay hoods to Carne Point, Fowey. Happy days! Stephen

Andy I have the same predictament. With a distinct lack of planning, I built a yard crane and want to include it on my layout but not sure where it should go. I'll also be interested in the views of others. Stephen

Richard It was a thrill to see this layout at Taunton. Beautifully done, stunningly detailed and bags of atmosphere. I'll second (or is it third) that. Thanks for the website link DLT. :-) Stephen

Andy Love what you have done with the coaling stage and the coal drops. Very nicely finished. Stephen

Alan Pastoral, peaceful, bucolic, idyllic ....... love it. Stephen

Andy This is coming along very nicely. The scribed loading dock looks great. Excellent weathering on those stones. Stephen

Now that's just not fair! You're quite right - the second one is just a bit too clean for me. But that B&W shot is a classic. I've just got to face it. My prototype area has to include one of these beauties. If only Dapol ........... perhaps if we all wrote begging letters? S

Now, you're not helping! Diesel Hydraulic Heyday looks very tempting. Just visualising "extensive footage of D6346 shunting"! Must concentrate on modelling, must concentrate on modelling, must concentrate ...... Stephen

Tim This is coming on beautifully. The goods shed looks stunning - brilliant modelling. Have to agree with some others here though, that photo with your blue 33 looks 'so right'. Exquisite! Stephen

John Great first post and welcome to the forum! Some really useful information here. As you may have gathered from some of the earlier posts on this thread, quite a few of us are fascinated with the operation of 1960s/70s milk trains, including, of course, in South and West Wales. I mentioned John Vaughan's book The Power of the Hymeks earlier and there are some great photos around Cardiff and Newport including a cracking one at Marshfield showing D7080 shunting milk tanks (page 93). This clearly shows the hard standing you referred to. You've now got me thinking South and West Wales again! Just a shame class 22s weren't regulars there. Stephen

Mmmm, class 50! Richard - looks very nice creeping through the undergrowth. Takes me back to when I saw Warspite on china clay wagons many years ago. Excellent modelling. :-) Stephen

Richard This layout just gets better and better. Wonderful detail and texture. Love the low level shots of 25057 and 37251. Superb! Stephen

Another wonderful picture, Les. Hope you and Mrs Unicorn1 have a great holiday. Stephen

Les That photo of 5358 is quite superb. Stunning! Stephen

........ and me! Mind you, anything Bristol/ECW would go down very nicely ......... especially a Lodekka FLF (Tilling green, new shape grill, cream window rubbers and C-B-C ventilation). Not that I'm asking for much! United Counties anybody? Stephen

Richard I do like that gate. As they say, "a prototype for everything"! Now, I wonder if I can do a 7mm version ........... Stephen

Alan I think what you are doing here is stunning. I've just been looking at your pannier shots again - quite superb. And great photography as well! Stephen

Very, very nice. First time I've seen this superb layout. A great inspiration.

David Not sure whether you saw this, but Michael Portillo's 'Great British Railway Journeys series' tonight covered the area from Lydney to Newport, including a fascinating look at the micro-mines in the Forest of Dean (as well as a ride on an auto-train on the Dean Forest Railway). If you missed it, check out BBC iPlayer. I now want to model a Forest of Dean coal mine in 7mm!!! Stephen P.S. There is also an interesting article on "Rails through Portskewett and Severn Tunnel Junction" in the January 2012 issue of Steam Days.

David Ah, happy days, driving to Hemerdon and Dainton on summer Saturdays in the 1970s/1980s. Sadly, the Westerns were at the end of their days by this time but seeing (and hearing) class 50s throbbing up the Devon banks was a pretty good substitute. Dainton was probably my favourite where you could clearly see the steepness of the bank. I've visited Heathfield in more recent times when it was still shipping ball clay. I remember seeing a book about railways in the Forest of Dean - I cannot remember the title but it was quite a thick hardback book (i.e. not Middleton Press), possibly OPC. What I was surprised about was the degree of industry in such a seemingly rural area with (I think) colliery and quarry railways. I once quite fancied modelling somewhere like Tintern Quarry. Thanks for the tip - I'll do some more research of this area. Stephen