Froxfield2012

According to the website, Platform Models closed on 5th August. However, they also announced that the guys next door from Model Railway Solutions would be continuing the business and MRS announced on their website that they intended to open on 4th September. So, there should be something there although I haven't yet been to confirm. Perhaps it might be sensible to phone ahead to check? MRS 01202798068.

Is this an issue related to the stock taking, I wonder? I noticed a couple of days ago in the "new arrivals" a number of older models now in stock. One example was Hornby's Penrice Castle of which 10 were supposed to be in stock. I mulled over a purchase for twenty four hours and when I went back to order, the item had disappeared from the website! Hattons website is normally so reliable that I wonder if there has been a systems issue. Perhaps Hatton's Dave could comment?

Looks like we may be back to the same argument as was had over Flying Scotsman and some problems on damp track on the West Somerset Railway back in another thread!!! I doubt that one single issue is responsible and suspect that all the various factors add in: relevant experience of drivers, state of track (damp versus dry versus wet), Pacific versus 4-6-0, bends and gradients, limited speed of branch lines. The physics of a large metal wheel trying to gain adhesion on a metal track can always be somewhat dodgy. And I am sure there are other things I haven't covered: wrong kind of leaves on the line, anyone?

Yes, of course, Linslade. Thank you for correcting my (failing) memory!

We knew the driver in question over many years. He was a recently retired top link man whose career included many years on Duchesses on the West Coast Main Line, not to mention Royal Train duty and specials with Churchill aboard during the war years. So I am guessing that he really did know what he was doing. He would also know the road pretty well and be paired with an experienced fireman, who knew him well. Nevertheless, I would also guess that it might have been quite common practice back in the day. Driving those long distance trains had its moments. Another story revolved around passing through a narrow bore tunnel at speed (Berkhamsted, I think). Damp cloth over the face for protection and (you can confirm if this is likely: I may remember wrongly!) blower on to stop the draught forcing back down the chimney. Sounded horrendous!! There are many instances where you need to know what you are doing and have learned the route?

How true it may be I don't know, but a former LMS top link driver did once explain to me the process of taking a Duchess up Shap. It did indeed involve trying to time the perfect combination of water and steam in the boiler at the bottom of the climb and turning off the cold water injectors: a process that I gathered was termed "mortgaging the boiler". The aim was to reach the top before the fusible plugs were blown. At least that is what I gathered. Maybe I was gullible and it was just legend but the driver concerned was a highly respected Camden man.

Yes, it was R1s. But it took more than one Pannier tank to heave the Golden Arrow up the Folkestone Tramway. As I recall (although memory can play tricks about so long ago) the thing the Folkestone residents didn't like about the Pannier tanks was that they threw a lot more soot and sparks out of the chimney than the R1s!!

Having been involved in this back and forth, I reminded myself today that both East and West Coast mainlines had a standing start from London up fairly formidable gradients. In the case of King's Cross, it was through the pretty damp conditions of Gasworks Tunnel and on up to Copenhagen. Although 1 in 105 is not the same as 1 in 60, the trains the pacifics hauled would have been a full load. I do not recall seeing banking engines but then memory can fail over 60 years!!! Does anyone know if "bankers" were seen at King's X? I seem to recall they were used for the heaviest trains out of Euston up 1 in 77?

Oh dear. I would hate to think I had upset you. Regrettably, it is many a moon since I lived in Yorkshire and was easily able to visit York. Once upon a time, we lived near Tadcaster and it was easy. However, one doesn't have to visit to see that the locomotives available are not biased towards the LNER? The website is close enough. In any event the original "national collection" was a relatively small group of locomotives and chosen so many years ago that it would be difficult to criticise the choice with real understanding? Significant GWR locomotives are on loan to STEAM in Swindon, which I happen to think is the right place for them. I wouldn't want to see them recalled to York to "balance" the display there! The private preservation movement has reached proportions that I, for one, never imagined would happen when Pegler bought FS and some lads thought they could rescue a 14XX. Of course, the private preservation movement collection has its own bias. I suspect BR Standards and Bulleid Pacifics are over-represented: for purely practical reasons. We are fortunate indeed to have both public and private interests preserving steam. Back in the 1960s, I thought steam had gone forever. The challenge now, of course, is to keep it going as the skills of driving and maintenance will inevitably pass away unless the younger generation can be enthused. Despite my views on the FS project, I appreciate the efforts of the NRM. I would love to accept the invitation to a cup of tea if I could ever manage to get near York. You have been warned!

I don't think it is possible to end the debate between the GWR and the rest however much humour is employed: not to mention the rumour that it took a GWR man to sort out the Gresley bearings! I do see the Jester emoji but I have no idea how to illustrate my humorous intent here!!!

Frankly, I don't think it was much of a misfortune? A real accident would have been something else. As I tried to indicate, FS was being asked to do something it wasn't designed to do. And, I am sorry, but it was genuinely amusing to see the Hall coming to the rescue. I realise your connection to the NRM, but I am also afraid that I think the project to restore FS to running order went way over the top. And I find the media hype mixing the locomotive with the justifiably famous train of the same name somewhat irritating. Just my opinion, of course, and I realise that it justifies my status as "grumpy old man". However, I purchased a model of FS from the NRM site just recently so I can't be that irritated. I hope to be back for more of the National Collection in Miniature by way of support when I have the funds.

Of course, as you are right to remind us, it was Alan Pegler's choice: I remember seeing FS go through Reading (light engine) shortly after the purchase. But it always seemed sad to me that Papyrus (the locomotive with all the proper documented evidence of the 100mph run) did not survive. It just indicates the random nature of which engines were saved for preservation. All steam locomotives being something of a "Trigger's Broom". And I agree wholeheartedly about Class 8 locomotives and branch lines: always reminds me of tigers pacing around cages in zoos particularly when condemned to run tender first. Which is why, I suppose, we have just got back from a trip to the WSR hauled by 60009. I thought it ran particularly well doing what it was designed to do. It will be sad to see it retired and passed to a museum in a year or so.

Thanks for the correction. You can put the mistake down to approaching senility! I have spent enough hours on both sides of the country to know the difference. But at least express trains got a bit of a run at Shap and Beattock even if (as I understood from a former driver on the route) one had to turn off the injectors and "mortgage the boiler" to have a satisfactory shot at Shap.

That is a very enjoyable video for those of us who wondered why so much money was spent on such an over-hyped locomotive. A locomotive that was saved when the equally significant 2750 Papyrus went for scrap. However, perhaps the real point is that Gresley's "racehorses" were designed for maximum speed on the relatively flat East Coast Main Line not for working Great Western branch line trains up challenging gradients from a (more or less) standing start. Frankly FS just looks odd on a single track branch line!? Even one used for lengthy holiday trains back in the day. Still you can't blame the WSR for trying to use the publicity inevitably attache to FS to try to increase revenue. At least I hope the income exceeded the cost of getting FS in?

I too got to go to STEAM and see Bournemouth West. It is indeed a fine layout and congratulations to all involved. It looks even better in real life than in the pictures!

As one who remembers the Bluebell's beginning and the excitement of enthusiasts actually running a standard gauge railway, it has been a remarkable story over the last fifty plus years as the heritage movement has expanded. However, as I visit various places I do find myself wondering about the viability of many of them in the long run: it would be wrong to provide a shortlist here! I am sure that consolidation will eventually be required. I am guessing that the financial and other demands of the narrow gauge will ensure that more of those are able to survive. I might hypothesise that a truly viable tourist attraction link and main line connection will be vital. But I am not putting myself forward as a candidate for authorship of the Beeching Report on the Heritage Railway industry. All things change and the preservation of the railway heritage will be no different. Maybe everyone will need to manufacture themselves a Thomas in order to survive: but how many Thomas days will the market stand?

Yes, that is now known as Great Western Hall and is available for functions, including weddings. Today, it was empty. It will of course be full for the September model railway event. Evening Star has gone back to NRM to be replaced by KGV, which I believe is on a 3 year loan arrangement to head 90th birthday celebrations for KGV. None of us would like to see KGV leave to go back to a dusty corner of the NRM! One of the two Manors is actually in the Outlet Mall. The other is tucked right at the back of the station display. This is the one that may be on its way but the space will be tight for 2818. We wait to see.

Well, I dropped into STEAM today and it seems that virtually no-one there had heard anything about this acquisition: not the staff or the Friends etc. I am not sure what dining tables could be moved to provide room for 2818. I suppose the entertainment hall (which used to be a workshop and is often just a blank space) could be brought back into use. There might be room alongside Caerphilly Castle if access could be arranged. There seemed to be general uncertainty as to where 2818 might go although someone suggested that the Manor currently on loan from the Severn Valley might be going back: a 28xx is longer than a Manor. There was general amusement that the people at STEAM had had to find out from the likes of Facebook and the NRM press release. All good fun and I am sure a solution will be found.

I wonder where STEAM will put it? The space by the station exhibit is pretty full at the moment. Perhaps something is leaving to make room? Perhaps they are sending the Dean Goods off to be modified to match the model from the National Collection in miniature?

Just to prove that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". That Colourrail image bears no relation to any colour that I recall seeing on the real thing (nigh on 60 years ago!). Certainly, in use, the paint was cleaned (if it was cleaned at all!) with an oily rag which tends to impart a dirty blue and rather darker element. Which only goes to show how subjective the whole colour thing is. And I for one have been pleased to watch this new tooling develop since seeing the "grey ghost" version announced at Warley.

It does look nice and I am looking forward to receiving mine. However, I can't help thinking it might be quite exciting going down Camden Bank with only two brake shoes on each side. The omission of the front brake shoes has already been commented on and a reason offered. I don't suppose I will notice it when running on my train set.

Perhaps, those of us who are wondering how much of the physical locomotive that was present in 2005 will still be on the locomotive that visits in 2017?!?! In any event, I am guessing that Scotsman will bring in a lot of much needed revenue for Didcot and I am happy to see an unfortunate LNER loco supporting such a worthy cause :-)

To be fair to those who run Didcot, it is all a good bit cleaner than the sheds I remember from my youth (notably Reading and Camden) and that includes the locomotives! We were there on Saturday and didn't get the benefit of the little rays of sunshine on 1466! I hadn't been since the brief visit of Flying Scotsman back in 2005. I hope to go a bit more often than that but I won't be risking the crowds on the upcoming visit of Scotsman: they were bad enough last time!!! Although it did sound as though excellent plans were in hand to manage that issue.

This may be a clearer image? Dated to 1957.

Not a problem I have ever had with my Powercab. There is a dedicated yahoo group (NCE-DCC) to which I always turn for any queries. But then perhaps you have found this already?