john new

If true very good news.

Probably camera lens distortion but it also looks like a prototype for when your signal box looks like a card kit and was not planted completely plumb.

Sadly the set of EWS Turbot ballast wagons bought to go behind my Class 66, and make occasional forays into Phoenix Yard I have now discovered would be a period incorrect pairing. The livery on my 66 is 2009 and onwards, sadly although they look modern the wagons would have been withdrawn by then. See https://www.ltsv.com/w_profile_005.php for more details; additionally, given the bespoke nature of the traffic flow they were used for, their appearance in York also very unlikely. Rule one will apply but the reality of finding this inconsistency, due to most of my rolling stock knowledge covering earlier time periods, is disappointing. I had seen a photo of this 66 on a ballast train, and the wagons looked similar, but clearly what ever specific type they were they weren’t Turbots.

For the York Easter Show we also begin the bits that happen at the Racecourse before exhibitors arrive with setting out etc., commencing during Thursday morning. Even earlier bits of prep occur before that as the vans bringing the show’s working gear have to be hired and loaded for the journey to the venue. (And the converse at show breakdown). The visible public viewing part of Show attendance by participants is only the tip of the iceberg, there is a lot more to it than many of the paying public think. The bigger the show, the wider the geographic catchment area, therefore the wider the risk of spreading any illness/bug from/to new areas. Ignoring exhibitors for the moment, the geographic spread within just the usual set up gang encompasses all three of the obvious Yorkshire Ridings (to use their old designation), Lincolnshire, the greater London area, the south coast plus North and South Wales. The barriers also get brought up by lorry from their store, not sure exactly where, but it is in the English Midlands. Whether actual risk thereby increases over and above popping to your local shop is actually immaterial, it seems like it does, so will deter many. In both the surveys the figure for not for at least 10 months to a year is over 20%. IIRC for the static date of March/April 2021 (When Ally Pally and York are scheduled) the % has also risen from 9% to around 22%.

Likewise. Sadly there are quality divisions in modelling just like in sport. Unfortunately, and in many cases not even intentionally, those who are very good at it forget that for every extremely talented individual there are far more lower level bodgers. My quality standard currently is less than it was a few years ago through lack of practice, but I enjoy what I do even if the end result is not what I hoped for when I began the build. Conversely I have done more DIY in the last couple of years than previously and that is improving as a consequence.

The same is true when you volunteer for an active role(s) within a society, as the age profile of the members ages the ability to say "I've done my bit now, time for some one else to come on stream." also diminishes. What was initially interesting becomes a chore once it becomes a repeating cyclical commitment but that commitment to volunteering, and then keeping going because that is why you volunteered in the first place, stops you walking away! Several societies I am involved with are having a volunteer crisis as existing members age, social interaction is changing as life evolves, but it doesn't help when you feel you have reached the I have done my bit now stage but there is no one to hand your role over to.

The new class 134 Electro Diesel.

Being Dorset based we see the results on the streets, sadly shopping trips into Weymouth other than the retail parks is impossible as the same non-socially distanced behaviour is throughout the town streets. It is our local model shop that is losing out here to mail order, in the past I have bought local just for the speed and convenience even if Howley's (Weymouth) or Herrings (Dorchester) are a few quid more. Re exhibitions the real, short-term killer to larger shows is in the very last question on the survey - 23.4% responders are saying they won't go until at least May (7.9 + 15.5), and that still worryingly high 15.5% saying not for another 12 months at least. Whether enough exhibitors and traders are happy to attend, is almost irrelevant if the gate take is going to drop by those levels; even if in reality when someone tries to run one the true attendance drop is only 10% that will be a big hit.

Although today's running was not on the actual layout I have bought the Bachmann Whiskies Galore set as all relevant stock for the layout (A sound fitted Class 20, three grain wagons and a brake-van) plus an EZ DCC controller to use on the temporary track set up. Herewith a video of that under test out on the garden table this morning, no room for an oval indoors. Although the Hattons 66 will not appear regularly on Phoenix Yard (In reality the connecting lines were closed and lifted before the Cl 66s were built) it may occasionally appear using Rule 1/modellers licence as justification. The very brief video of the 66 is also from this morning. NB As a reminder to me, to embed as a playable video post the link as shown in the share box NOT the URL copied from the YouTube page header.

Having put the oval of track out on the garden table today to run in my new Bachmann Cl 20 I also got out the 66 for some more running in and looked a bit more at this coupling issue. The root of the problem is that the weird arrangement for mounting the coupling is body mounted rather than bogie mounted. The result Is that on a curve it seems to be body centric, not track centric, so hardly surprising there are problems. On my shunting plank the 66 will not regularly appear* (so the 2nd radius there won’t matter) but for any other future layout I do need to know what the actual minimum radius it will take with stock attached is. * the lines it is fictitiously representing a spur from (DVLR & Foss Islands Branch. York) had both been closed & lifted before the 66s were introduced.

Part of this is revising our behaviours to move within what we perceive as acceptable risks. I am happy to shop in the village, the users of the few shops we have and the P Office are generally following the guidelines and the streets are not packed. However, unless I have to do so I won't be visiting the nearest town centre again in a hurry, I have been over once this summer to visit the local model shop and one other high street chain store, inside the shops was fine, unfortunately it was a busy day and the people in the streets outside had no idea about social distancing. I won't be going back until after the summer holiday rush has gone by. Local pubs - have been out a couple of times to our usual local, all trips made early evening when the regulars were comfortably distancing but am avoiding later in the evening visits when the pub is likely to be busier. (The time we used to go) I have walked past some of our other neighbouring pubs and you could see through the window they were packed with no social distancing. Why have I posted this - well in relation to model railway events even if our local club does go ahead with their medium sized 31st October show I won't be going. I declined the option of a Society promo' stand space back in March due to the perceptions of COVID risk and won't go as a punter either. If their usual pre-Christmas open day runs in December, for that there is a much lower perception of risk, wearing a mask for perhaps an hour I can cope with, so I might go. Big shows are out for me as of now, we have the SLS Promo stand provisionally booked for two in March & April 2021 so at some time a decision will have to be made regarding go/no go but for it to be a go decision, with two full days of mask wearing whilst doing face to face selling as a perspex barrier screen is impractical, a lot will have to change before then.

Possibly they are having a litigious dialogue with a supplier in either or both the design or manufacturing supply chain over the issue so cannot go public on causes etc., without risk. An example might be a firm saying yes we’ve stuffed up but provided you agree to non-disclosure of the fact it is our fault we will fix it.

Happy with my 66 apart from one issue, it decouples on 2nd radius curves due to lack of coupling hook swinging room in the modern style small couplings. As I may have the opportunity shortly (SWMBO permitting) of laying an outdoor patio layout/test loop* can anyone advise the minimum curvature they will stay coupled at? What are they like over PECO 2ft radius points as 3ft would intrude a bit too far into the residual area? * gained a massive amount of free, recycled, plywood as result of a flat roof repair.

Given the year of publication might the needs of the war effort not also have had something to do with it?

And today’s bonus, as a result of some roof repairs we are having done a massive quantity of scrap wooden sheeting has come my way for free. The short term solution is therefore pretty obvious.

Thanks for this, a problem I hadn't foreseen as an issue. Both possible locations would be in full sun a lot of the day so probably not a wise move. I may well sling something down for the next month or so on a temporary basis using scrap timber bits with a view to doing something better next summer. I can, just, run a temporary 2nd radius oval on the garden dining table for testing (one of B&Q's range) but, as this video clip shows, it is quite a tight fit hence thinking of a patio layout alternative. Also, although good for drainage run off, nowhere was the concrete yard/patio base laid level by the former property owners which doesn't help; the table occupies the one area mostly in the shade.

Could you add a bit more about the problems of the recycled plastic boards please? I was looking at that option for an outdoor circular patio layout/test track* as no room in the house for a long roundy-roundy set up. *Basic oval with the vegetation around the layout growing in patio tubs.

To avoid adding another, similarly titled thread, I am adding my query into this one - Has anyone used this, or similar, for their track bed? Recycled plastic planks - https://www.kedel.co.uk/mixed-plastic-lumber/BG2010080.html?keyword=&matchtype=&network=u&device=c&gclid=CjwKCAjwjqT5BRAPEiwAJlBuBQcgFYbA2LQXJNp6UnQr68034rY5fvVOl47WBNRdveFM2TdINCSZJBoCtqAQAvD_BwE

So my memory of it as the end of a parade of buildings was sort of correct - I just had the wrong end of the parade! The toy museum, if my memory is correct (probably from the late 70s early 80s) was that it was up at the other end near the harbour. One vivid memory I have of the model railway building is that at the top of the stairs he had that BR poster of all the locomotives lined up in black livery. One I have liked ever since.

Also remember going to see the Sammy the Shunter layout as a boy at Scarborough. IIRC location was an upstairs room opposite the fishing harbour. Possibly used later as a toy museum.

Very sensible approach.

Out of curiosity I ran a brief personal overview yesterday of the small, local, halls round us as to assess whether a small, very locally based, show could be put on. Several had to be dropped off the list immediately as there is nowhere for attending layouts to load/unload and then have the vehicle parked up. (Why their current use is mostly birthday parties and the like) My wife and I then ran a memory check of where the toilets were, although this was from memory alone it left only one venue in a roughly ten mile area where separate in and out access/egress could be arranged and the toilets are suitable for any form of attendee social distancing in the access corridors etc. A small club event, or a handful of layout owners clubbing together, may well be practical even with the current guidance, but actually finding a venue locally to do so won’t be easy.

My understanding with the Settle and Carlisle route is they (the MR) proposed it in the full expectation that this threat to other existing operators would lead to their getting concessions over existing routes. Their intention all along was that once those concessions were gained by the threatened rival route the never really wanted S&C project would then be abandoned. Unfortunately (for them) power politics prevailed, the scheme was not allowed to be abandoned, and they were forced to build it.

Surely for your Clan to reach Sheffield just needs a football special - United or Wednesday home to Carlisle United or a game in one of those European cups that were variously named over the years versus one of the bigger Scottish teams.

Same with so many branches, Beeching blamed for cutting services that had no traffic left to justify them being kept open. That era made mistakes but not as many as In public perception given the times in which the decisions were made. The Portland branch down here is often locally argued should never have closed but, as in your example, the bus did it better from the 1950s onwards and picks/up drops off at both ends closer to where people either live or would be visiting. That was the case then and still is.