fulton

2 hours ago, Pacific231G said:

Except that the pyramids weren't built by slaves (so forget the scenes of Israelite slaves in Cecil B de Mille's Exodus) but by paid workers, mostly poor farmers who supplemented their income by work on the pyramids during the wet season when their fields were flooded.

Your comments are part of this modern trend to apply facts, to popular and widely held knowledge, next thing you will be telling us Britain did not win WW2 all by itself. (THIS IS A TONGUE IN CHEEK COMMENT, before I get a massive backlash,I can think of allsorts of popular myths that if the facts are shown, could result in very angry responces as the myths are so strongly belived.)

7 hours ago, ColinK said:

I know of two Chineese model railways in the UK, one is regularly on RMweb.

I was thinking more of the hobby in China itself, know one of the UK ones well, and very good it is to.

Just completed a trip on the Swiss Glacier Express, very impressive but thats another story, sitting next to us, having a table and four seats to himself, was a Chinese journalist, the staff made an extra efford to look after him, with constant updates and information, we got talking, he presents a radio travel programme, said the Chinese love to travel, has been to the UK and was very impressed with Beamish, also turned out he has a big interest in model railways, sayes it is a popular hobby in China, we had a good time exchanging layout photos, he was more of a collector than modeller, a very enlighting chance meeting. He got off at Chur while we continued to St Moritz

5 hours ago, Al51 said:

Working at the Jobcentre has to be the worst job, knowing that if you get fired, you still have to come in the next day.

I was the other way round, was signing on at my local Jobcentre, then retrained for security, first job was back on the door of my old Jobcentre! suited me for the few years until I retired.

1 hour ago, Pete the Elaner said:

 When I want to accelerate, I am therefore already in the correct gear.

That was a problem with the Aygos' you could almost hear the little car brain thinking about it, then it would decide "I know lets try 1st!" Less of a problem with the Ford, maybe because it has more gears, a bigger diesel engine and the gearbox managment has improved  in the last ten years, but yes it can still be caught out.

3 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Here in the UK automatics have only recently overtaken manual gearbox car sales.

Modern autos, to me work so well, my current Ford Connect van has an eight speed autobox, twin clutch, so smooth and just as economic. Even my last two cars both Toyota Aygos with the much critizised MMT transmission, I enjoyed driving.

On 14/08/2023 at 18:48, hayfield said:

 I understand parking spaces have not grown in size as cars have,

Not just parking spaces, but other items designed for when cars were generally smaller, travelled on my regular trip on Le Shuttle, through the channel tunnel yesterday, followed a 4x4 Merc on, it only just fitted, the tyres only just fitted between the kerbs, once followed a Bently on, driver refused to take the upper deck, as he did not think he could get round the corner and up the ramp, I drive a long wheelbase Ford Connect van, classed as small/medium, does fit but not alot to spare, have to fold the mirrors in to pass the toilets, more people will be paying extra to use the single deck, which also have wider doors.

As the loco is second hand, could it have been run on a layout where something like Rail Zip had been applied, a friend used it on his O gauge layout, and found locos that were marginal at pulling their trains now sat there spinning! only answer was to clean it off the rails and wheels. Before anyone reacts defending these products I have no preference either way, simply relating a friends experience.

1 hour ago, hayfield said:

 

 

British customs acts no different to any other customs in Europe or the world. 

Even within the EU there are checks, on the Belgium/French border, on the E40 there was a temporary set up which has now been rebuilt as a more permanent set up, I have been stopped there and my van searched, really looking for stowaways, recently travelling from Poland to Germany, German customs had a temporary set up doing random checks, I did not get stopped but did get a very hard looking at, I suppose being a UK registered van.

As to Eurostar I think a competitor is pure fantasy, good for us to speculate and huff and puff, but there is no economic case for it, if it did happen it would be like a new budget airline, minimal investment, leased trains and infrastructure, staff on temporary contracts, with funding for, say six months, if no profit then it closes down.

I once had the experience of being delayed on the M25, going to Heathrow, ended up parking in the short term carpark, I would have missed my flight otherwise, yes it was expensive! I only had hand luggage and already had my boarding card, so went straight to security with 35 minutes to spare, at security they said if it had been less than 30 minutes I would not have been allowed to go through, so you do need to get there early.

sorry miss sent

While this project is some time from starting, I have dipped in with the lorry, which I can also use on my Janes' Creek project.

56 minutes ago, BachelorBoy said:

 

 

Bone-headed purists who crave "prototypicality" and, pedantically, only have one train movement every four hours may feel superior to layout operators who please the crowds by "playing trains". How ghastly!

 

 

 

I once visited an exhibition in Holland, the operators on one layout were doing just that, it was a large, probably scale length, branch, very nice modelling, very nice stock in the staging, never seen anything move as it wasn't time, I think there were four trains scheduled that day! We all have to tweak reality, very few of us have room to build full size, even if we did, could you transport and set up such a layout, with the crew available, as a visitor I want to see trains moving, as an exhibitor I also want to play trains, sorry operate. Photo of my layout at the recent Exeter show, this is actually scale size, but with the trackwork tweaked, try to have constant switching/shunting going on, the carfloats act as the staging.

4 hours ago, ELTEL said:

I think you will find it’s designed to go over a double track not a single track

Some single track lines were built with double track bridges, with the intention to double track in the future, often did not happen, I have in mind my local line to the Isle of Grain, in Kent.

Looks like it could be asbestos, I would not take the risk, these old controllers, and some other old electrical equipment, needs to be disposed of properly, modern replacements are not expensive and generally better.

3 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

Maybe he was telling him to change his CD!

 

 

I take it Sean Bean's character "went for a Burton" early on!

 

I think you maybe mistaken, I am sure it would have been 8-track at that time, unless someone knows better.

I have that same problem as well, I put it down to my internet speed but maybe that is not the problem.

8 hours ago, Michael Crofts said:

Andrew Probyn has agreed I can mention his find, posted on Facebook. It is remnants of the Chattenden and Upnor railway, Kent (named Lodge Hill & Upnor Railway after 1906). The first image is on the pier at Upnor, the second where the line crosses a footpath. He says it looks like there could be more track in the undergrowth.

 

 

Ever since this thread started I have been meaning to take a walk and take just these pictures, so good somebody has done it, little can left to the left of the footpath as the "new" military road, which effectively replaced the railway, is there, not sure of the current status of the road but it still displays signs that it is a military road and can be closed at anytime.

Had to smile while watching the WW2 BBC drama Saturday evening, when the Spitfire was hit, his wingman told the pilot to EJECT NOW, did check Wikipedia, was surprised ejector seats were being developed during WW2, thought they were later, started to be fitted to production aircraft in the late 1940's

4 hours ago, wombatofludham said:

I would expect a Housing Corporation to use only lower grade agricultural land to protect the most valuable, productive land for food production,

One of my pet moans is the amount of brown field land, that could be developed, plus the number of urban/city derelict or semi derelict properties or even just time expired properties that could be redeveloped before green field land, I know there are extra costs but there is also some help with tax for brown field sites, a brown field site at the end of my road, with planning for around 300 houses and flats has stood for 25 years now, my own house is built on brown field land, I worked for the developer and a profit was made.

45 minutes ago, kevinlms said:

I sell tickets at our miniature railway and one of my assistants is a 13 year old girl. I have no problem with her being there with just me. But something I always do, is have the door wide open and also the big serving window. I don't care how cold it is with the wind, the key is anyone can easily see what is going on! Not negotiable.

I once sat as a Juror, following that, seeing how easily things can get out of hand, the alleged incident was in public view, I would never be alone with a child unless they were one of mine.

On 15/07/2023 at 11:54, Reorte said:

 

 

I have lived in many places in the UK, it's most certainly not a perception based on having lived in crowded cities and extrapolating that to the country in general. It's the realisation that you're never that far from a crowded city, wherever you are in the country (although some parts are worse for that than others), there are very few places with any sense of remoteness.

Reminds me, when we were on holiday in Canada, our coach driver said to relax he goes off hiking, might not see anyone for two to three days, asked what we do, someone shouted out "we go down the garden shed!"

32 minutes ago, njee20 said:

Yeah, you do! Exhibitions are a great place for young children. 

I try to take a relaxed attitude when exhibiting, you have to expect children to be curious, virtually all the damage to my layouts has been at my own hands, while setting up and transporting. When I was involved in organizing exhibitions we had hop ups available, parents signed a waiver (do not know if that meant anything legally) and paid a £1 deposit, was very popular and much appreciated.