joppyuk1

I hope there's a branch of 'The Dragons Friendly Society' in the vicinity? A little known group dedicated to the late Oliver Postgate.

Good luck with your new toy. Have you had one before? If not, it's worth practising shapes and lines on some scrap material, remembering that you need thicker blades for thicker wood (not everybody takes that into account and then complain about the number of broken blades they get), have plenty of spare blades. If possible try to find a downloadable instruction book, as this should help with tensioning etc. The cut is downwards, unless, like some idiot not far away from where I'm sitting, you put it in backwards then wonder why it isn't cutting!. I've some old 'Hobbies' instructions I could share, if you want to pm me, in the meantime check out their range of blades at www.alwayshobbies.com .

I was at a recent large show, looking at a layout, when a couple of elderly gents passed behind me and I heard one saying " what's that one? I've never heard of 009".

I was thinking of Partridges, in Hadleigh. Right across the road from the main car park.

Our local Homebase had an Argos which is now moving across the parking lot to Sainsburys, and has seemed to be 'stocking down' for some time. The B&Q chain has closed one of its two outlets in town. Thankfully we still have an old fashioned hardware shop about ten miles away, next door to free parking, that will still count out how many screws you want and not sell you a packet ful. Guess where my money goes.

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Just found this entertaining thread. A wonderful concept, and I can show my family that I'm not alone in taking a travelling companion along, though in my case he's a 5 inch tall Dr Who. I look forward to more trips from this competitor to Mr Portillo!

I think Axford was Model Railways May 1980. One of my inspirational 'saves', among others.

I hope that the layout will come to East Anglia sometime, I don't get past the borders much these days.

There is a lot more actual editorial stuff in the Modeller these days. I just nipped up to the 'library' (spare bedroom) and measured my first years bound volume (3/4inch thick) against last years (2 and 1/4inches), both bound without all the adverts, so straight text. I agree that the lack of drawings is sad, as a photo doesn't always carry the information through.

Just in case this hasn't appeared before - the photo has been posted on one of the Facebook pages I look at, and is labelled as 'Wainfleet about 1880'. How is progress?

The Alford and Sutton Tramway offices is now a private house, while the tram shed is used as a warehouse. Unfortunately I don't have access to my photos at the moment.

He mentions his railway modelling interests in his biography, as well.

I like the last picture. Looks just like the Mrs while I'm going round the show, though it's usually a crossword book she's got!

My son's favourite at Southwold yesterday. We were particularly entranced/intrigued by the working cyclist!

I once had a small wood with a Frankenstein monster lurking within. Just waiting for the right place to put my Jabberwock.

Must say, I like the layout supports!. Seriously though, I'm enjoying the build log, thank you.

As an aside, the K class submarines were unique, steam powered on the surface with collapsible funnels. They were more of a danger to themselves than any enemy, I believe that the crews (always volunteers in submarines) called themselves "The suicide squad". Their history makes an interesting read.

Perhaps one of those little ambulance stretcher trolleys would come in useful?

Thank you for that detailed reply. I look forward to seeing the new photos when they are ready.

A couple of thoughts, while it's quiet. A) how do you transport the layout. Is it in two pieces or hinged, as the original, and do you use a trolley or assistants? B) it occurs to me that using the main station boards of two similar layouts, with the second one positioned as a mirror image and taking the place of the halt, would give much more operational scope? The two boards could be seperated, and joined by bridging boards at each end, giving an 'inside' operated roundy-roundy layout with basically two fiddle yards. My mind works in odd ways sometimes!

More on old backscenes. This is the master guide to a set of 10 scenic backgrounds produced by Modelcraft ltd, back in the late 40s/50s. They came as a set of sheets similar to A4 (but the old imperial size), on a grid, and the idea was that you scaled up to your size. The only one that was 'village' style is number 4.

try www.magazineexchange.co.uk , although that auction site is useful too. I have issues from 1955, (started buying it in 1960) to date, all bound up by the same binder, who is now retired but still does them for me every year. It's interesting how the volume thickness has increased over the years.

I like the track plans, and trying to spot where the various photos were taken. What gets my goat is where 'they' say the layout is (i.e.) 12ft x 2ft and the plan shows that - but at the ends there is a note saying "fiddle yard" with no detail of dimension or layout.

Who do your Holmes and Watson? Years ago I read a Colin Watson book about detective stories, and he envisioned a village called 'Mayhem Parva', populated by murderers and visiting detectives. I've often thought that would make an entertaining layout, where spectatorse are given to spot crimes rather than the number of badgers, or birds.