stevea

Hi, Paul Thank you for the tip about the cameras. I avoid that road like the plague due to its dreadful design, and wasn't aware of them. It's a shame it and the new A16 further south were ever built, as there would surely have been a good case for re-opening the line these days Regards Steve

Hi, Clive The Baby Deltic is an impressive piece of scratchbuilding. Re your change of layout location, how about north east London including some of the North London line, an area where third rail and OHLE also appeared if only to cross on radial suburban routes Regards Steve

I can't see the Dock Tower in those pics...

Hi, Ben Have heard murmurs at work of consideration being given to a Lincoln to Barton service when East Midlands take over the Barton, but not sure how true that is. Makes some sense, as you mention, with a Lincoln to Hull service via bus connection, I suppose. Will have to see what develops Regards, Steve

Hi I believe that only the first and last return services from Cleethorpes to Barton are class 185s. Another very recent development is an exchange of 153 units for the branch services on Mon-Thurs evenings, that day's Northern class 153 departing to Lincoln attached to the 2117 East Midlands service, with a replacement Northern 153 coming in attached to East Midlands' 0442 Lincoln to Cleethorpes ecs the next morning. The exchange unit arrives in Lincoln off a Sheffield service. On Saturdays the unit change is made with the Northern Sheffield-Cleethorpes via Brigg services. As a 'prototype for everything', recent transfer from First Great Western 153373 did a spell on the branch

Hi, Steve Thank you for pointing the banger out. On holiday at the moment so my IT options are limited. I'll watch for that on my return home. Excellent modelling as ever - star grade, in fact! Regards Steve A

Hi, Steve I'm emerald (very green!) with envy at your succession of superb N Gauge layouts. Only on thing missing from Farmers Drove - your trademark Superstox or Saloon stock car (for regional accuracy!) parked on a trailer in the corner of the yard! Keep up thw excellent work Regards Steve

Chris FP skinhead 31s according to Roger Harris: 31418 Oct 75-Apr 76 31108 Mar 74-May 77 31125 Sep 73-Apr 77, May 78-May 79 D5552 May-Jun 65 31134 Nov 74 briefly (- new number of D5552) hth Steve

Hi, Clive Just a slight correction to your fascinating list: the syp 37s which you assume were Immingham locos (presumably because they worked in from Cleethorpes?) were probably Darnall or (from 1964?) Tinsley locos, as the first Immingham 37 was 6938 allocated for a month in 1969 (centre headcode, not sure of livery but seem to recall seeing it in green fye in my early spotting days in the early 70s) followed in Aug 1972 by the first bulk allocation of the type to Immingham for the Santon iron ore workings. I don't recall any of the first main batch of 37s allocated to Immingham being green. Most would have had to have been through works before arrival to have been fitted with air brakes for the iron ore duties. Allocation dates quoted above from Roger Harris' excellent 'Allocation History of BR Diesels and Electrics' series. Most of my early observations of Immingham 37s were from walks along the gas pipes (see Peterborough North post) after a cycle ride along the 'sea' (Humber bank) wall from Grimsby Regards Steve

Apologies for pressing reply key twice - I'll get used to it eventually

In slightly more recent years, Crofty at Immingham shed was as bad. Used to tell you to clear off, then one day he followed us back to the exit, having second-guessed our plan 'b', and before we'd gone 20 yards alongside the gas pipes to get what numbers we could from outside, off railway property, he told us to clear off from there, too. . In slightly more recent years, Crofty at Immingham shed was as bad. Used to tell you to clear off, then one day he followed us back to the exit, having second-guessed our plan 'b', and before we'd gone 20 yards alongside the gas pipes to get what numbers we could from outside, off railway property, he told us to clear off from there, too. .

Apologies- hit post button twice!

Hi, Clive Maybe another concentration of population on the station could be Tiddles, his admirers and other interested onlookers, represented by some of your excellent Miliputians... Maybe not, though, as it may reult in another 40663-type incident. Rgds Steve Hi, Clive Maybe another concentration of population on the station could be Tiddles, his admirers and other interested onlookers, represented by some of your excellent Miliputians... Maybe not, though, as it may reult in another 40663-type incident. Rgds Steve

Hi, Clive Talking age is a slippery slope for me. The first 114s were less than a year older than me. As regards the 107/114 comparison, the bodies were different lengths of the same basic thing, as you say, but the 114s were blessed with the lovely gurgle of the unsilenced (in the early days) 230hp Leyland Albion engines. Handsome dmu fleet on your layout, and a promising trackplan on which to run them. Probably the best era of all, with steam and diesel side by side. Regards Steve

Hi, Clive That does look rather nice - the body sides do look the part on a 107. I'm impressed by all the work on your Trans-Pennine too. I do lament the passing of the heritage dmus. Used to despise them when I was younger, but what I wouldn't give to travel on them regularly now... Went to the Llangollen dmu gala a few years ago, and it was all good, but the 104 with all the rattles that I used to hate was an unbelievable nostalgia trip. The units I really miss are those that graced your new home county for many years - the Derby 114 heavyweights that were based at Lincoln for most of their lives. Nice and comfortable, quite quick off the mark by the standards of the day, and a good view thanks to the shallow seat backs. Always plenty in Sheffield, too...

Your class 107 conversion from the Hornby class 110 sounds very interesting, having something that sounds very close to the correct bodyside profile. Do you have a pic or pics available, please?