Alex TM

Slightly off topic, but we called them 'trendy bendys' as well as 'scuds' (156s were the 'bendys').

No, but be sure to wear shades (wait until you see the ever brighter lights in the shopping streets). If you want a real party, then New Year's Eve through the bells into the New Year is the time to be in Edinburgh. That said, I do find the Beltane and Celtic New Year festivals to be the more inspiring and more exciting (just don't let my 'bosses' know that I said that!)! Regards, Alex.

Hi again, Thanks for the detail. Now I have the builders number I can try and find out a bit more about the loco type, and the history of this particular example. Many thanks. Regards, Alex.

Hi Corbs, Certainly looks the part, and the time-frame is right too (1979-1984). I would take issue with some of the other information on the site. The owner states that the pit closed in 1982 after an accident, yet I seem to remember that it worked up until later. According to 'Stepps Online': Then again in Jan 1982 there was another explosion at some 1700 feet underground and 2 miles from the pithead, resulting in 41 injuries. The mine finally closed at the end of 1983 and was abandoned in 1984.This was the last operational deep mine in Lanarkshire. http://www.steppsonline.com/index.php/stepps-history/cardowan-colliery I remember the winding frame being pulled down soon after the end of the strike (1985). Only ever saw 37s on the mainline traffic. There were coal sales sidings on the down side toward the Glasgow direction; in all the times I passed it I never once saw a loco there, but only a handful of 16t minerals (MCV/MXV). Thanks again for this. Regards, Alex.

Hi everyone, Although a couple of related prototype questions, I thought their specialised nature may be more suited to this particular sub-forum. Help identifying a loco: Anyway, back in the 1980s I routinely passed Cardowan pit and, contrary to a couple of books of the time, the resident Barclay was active while the diesel shunter was parked up seemingly out of use. Parked out of the way to the rear of the washery, I could only get a glimpse of it as I passed by on the local train; does anyone have any idea what it was? Livery: Any help with an idea of appropriate colours and shades for NCB diesels in Scotland would be a big help. I only ever saw the one, as noted above, which was green. I've seen images of the preserved Sentinel at Dunaskin; it's blue. Grateful for any help or information. Regards, Alex.

Hi again, Here's how we do pagan revivalism here in Edinburgh: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-41831810 Although I'm not a pagan, it's a wonderful night out especially if the weather is crisp and dry. It's funny that, in a country that can sometimes be quite conservative in it's approach to the world, Edinburgh is a place where a wide range of religions seem to mutually co-exist. Regards, Alex.

Hi again, Sad to say that the petty vandalism I mentioned earlier descended, later in the evening, to thousands of pounds worth of damage to cars in our street. Not the same kids, but the 'trick' got out of hand. Some of my friends are pagans, and they do get upset when their festival gets taken over and abused whether by commercial enterprises or vandals. Regards, Alex.

'Carol murdering' - didn't realise you know our 'choir'!

HI everyone, Don't hate them as such, but Middlesbrough to Newcastle a couple of years ago by the long route brought me close to it! Regards, Alex.

Hi folks, That's the petty vandalism started around here. Group of four primary school children causing the chaos (no adult in sight). Young family across the street just had their large front window 'egged' for not answering the door; they were out 'guising'. Enough force was used that it set of their burglar alarm; needless to say the other neighbours hid behind the curtains. (Earlier the children came to us, and I told them we didn't do 'trick or treat'; they simply left with their faces tripping them.) Hope the rest of you have a quiet night. Regards, Alex.

That deserves a medal!

Hi again, Thanks for the extra information. As of lunchtime today I now have my GWR liveried 64xx, and a can of Precision GWR 1946-1948 green. What I need to find now is a suitable number for that particular livery; a supplier of buffer beam transfers and etched nameplates has been found (ModelMaster). If anyone has the relevant volume of 'The Pannier Papers' are there many images of the post-war but pre-nationalisation liveried locos? If there is, then I'll pick up a copy from Ian Allan's when I'm in Birmingham next month. Thanks again. Regards, Alex.

I only 'know' three people with the surname 'McLeod'; you are all called 'Colin' and you all share the same sense of humour; are all three of you the same person (albeit in Cork, Inverness, and Edinburgh simultaneously)? Meanwhile, the mention of pi has made me hungry ......

Hi, Interesting idea there. Any thoughts as to scale, and location? Answers to these may help provoke some useful ideas for the lower-level space. (e.g. if it's late 1970s UK, and somewhere urban and reasonably industrialised, then the siding could be in engineers' use or for stabling a spare DMU; your lower level space could then become the station car park, etc.) Just one other suggestion: you may want to edit your diagram as I am assuming that your dimensions are meant to be 'cm' rather than 'mm'. Good luck. Regards, Alex.

Shouldn't that be grin AND gin?

Christmas!

Hi John, For an 0-gauge Santa it may be worth looking at some of the fantasy/wargames maufacturers; they probably won't do the man in red/green but will have something similar. Much of the 28mm fantasy production is more than a little overscale, and nearer 1/48 so may be of use. Please post pictures of the tree when it's done. Good luck. Regards, Alex.

Hi again, Thanks for all the additional help. I had a look at the blog, and the work on it is fantastic. My favourite has to be the model of 7414 that's so filthy that someone has formed the letters 'GWR' in the muck on the panniers! What a brilliant idea, and with humour too. Again, thanks. Regards, Alex.

Nice piece of work on the 74xx. Thanks, too, for the advice on how to do likewise.

Hi again, Thanks for the advice. The idea for the conversion came from RMWeb, so there has been plenty of good advice about what to do and how to do it; I've also managed to locate a few food photos to show what needs changed. Thanks for the suggestion about trying out the colour on the inside of the body first; I'll try that, and the paint suggestion. I'm happy to buy a few different pots of paint because they will always come in handy for something else. Very much liked the model in the link, too. Again, thanks. Regards, Alex.

Hi everyone, I'm looking at the possibility of buying a Bachmann 64xx in GWR green with a view to converting it to a 74xx in the same livery. Ideally I would prefer not to have to give the loco a full repaint; I will also not be weathering it. Can anyone recommend a paint that's a close match to the original model? Again, as an ideal, I would prefer an acrylic paint. Thanks in advance for any help. Regards, Alex.

Hi folks, Joke? It'll depend on the builders. I used to work in the building trade for the first ten years after leaving school, and we committed a few 'howlers' in our time: bus 'station' with access road so tightly curved you could walk it quicker than a bus could safely drive; bus stances (a different location) too short and narrow for (then) modern buses; windows hung wrong way round; and shopfront fitted inside out meaning all the drainage holes were of no use. All of these were by a local authority! Regards, Alex.

Hi Jason, Thanks for that. Another site that's new to me. Regards, Alex.

Hi Martin, Welcome to the world of RMWeb. Intrigued to see what you make of the APA Box, and how you make it work for you. Already like the industrial backscene; how did you do it? Good luck. Regards, Alex.

Hi Vespa, Thanks for the link; it's not a site I've seen before. Regards, Alex.