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Hello Les, I enjoyed seeing Bregenbach at the NGS show last week in York, a super looking layout with a trackplan very similar to something that I was working on last year but on a 9' x 2'10" footprint which in the end I decided (having built the baseboards) was going to be too cumbersome for what I was really wanting (a portable, exhibitable layout that can be easily stored and put up at home if required.) Having now seen your proven, working Bregenbach layout in the flesh I may revisit my plan and see if I can squeeze it down into the more manageable 8' x 2' footprint. Don't worry, my version would be of non-overhead electric British outline, based on my favourite mountainous area of the UK, so wouldn't be any competition to your layout. So far I've been unsuccessful at getting hold of the Continental Modeller edition, the KWVR old magazine store strangely had every copy from that year except the Sept copy in which your layout featured, so maybe somebody else was also very taken with Bregenbach ! I'll keep trying. Thankyou for allowing me to take photos of the layout at the show, which I've looked at daily since, you've certainly given me a lot of inspiration to contemplate this Summer. Kind regards, Ian.

Currently up on the Isle of Bute enjoying some typically mixed Scottish weather ... cold, wet and windy mornings with warm, dry and sunny afternoons and evenings. Had a walk down into Rothesay this afternoon and back around the headland and coast enjoying the many usual suspects of seabirds ... highlights being watching 4 Gannets wheeling and diving into the cold sea, a colony of around 100 Shags (never seen so many in one place) some resting on the rocks whilst others characteristically leapt clear of the water as they dived from a floating position. Unfortunately I forgot to bring my new little monocular with me and didn't take the big binocular or scope out today due to weight so everything had to be seen and enjoyed with the naked eye, which made positive identifications a bit more of a challenge. I even caught sight of a Dipper dipping away in a stream running out onto the shore area. These two (Grey ?) Seals entertained me for a while as they tried to outbalance each other on two rocks as the tide receded. 😂

Interesting, I've been collecting Peco 15' chassis with the intention of scratchbuilding some Timber Ps, I had a look at the new Rapido wagons but reckoned that only the chassis would get used. I'll hang fire for a bit and see what develops. Cheers, Ian.

I was talking with (I presume) Will Jayne of Beacon Models at the NGS show at York on Sat and I thought that I'd heard him mention a Class 29 during the conversation, which was mainly about replacement noses for Class 37s. Glad to here that Invernevis has found a new owner who plans to exhibit it, keep the photos coming, please, as I'd love to see some with the K1s etc in action. Regards, Ian.

I'm also in the Western Highlands on my annual pilgrimage, currently sat in the sun on the Isle of Bute, I may well be in the Crianlarich area myself come Thursday as I want to have a good look at Glen Falloch for a bit of inspiration. Regards, Ian.

I also forgot to mention how impressed I was with the sound fitted 08, I'd previously dismissed sound for my N gauge but I did think that that came across well even with the noise of the exhibition to contend with. Cheers, Ian.

Had a good afternoon at the show and very impressed with Kensington Olympia in the flesh and nice to finally be able to put a face to a name so thankyou for postponing your 'last orders' coffee run in order to spend a few minutes chatting. I really enjoyed seeing all of the subject builds that you've shown us on here from rolling stock to vehicles to buildings and cameo scenes, including the top floor ...erm ...err ... movie making scene !! 😅😉 One piece of rolling stock that did catch my eye after you'd set off for your coffee was the Inter-frigo van, which were seen briefly on my beloved West Highland Line and wondered what the models origins are, please ? (Sorry if this has already been covered in the thread.) Kind regards, Ian.

I should be there this afternoon, I'm really looking forward to seeing this and will try and make myself known if it's not too busy. Regards, Ian.

Likewise, I've just picked up a boxed 2nd hand B/grey SK from Hattons for £25 that had been there for nearly 3 months ! Just setting off for my 2nd OT shift of the week. LoL

In answer to my own question I came across this the other day in Go Outdoors and at only £8 it was worth a gamble, initial inspection looks very promising and I'm just about to take it out with me on my morning dog walk for a trial. The thing that I like about a small monocular is that you can preset your likely viewing range, ie. if you are walking in a wood you can prefocus in on a nearby tree that is outside of your 'own vision bird identification range' and then when you see something it's a very quick and easy action to get a quick ID on what you've seen before it's gone. If the subject stays around long enough you can then focus in more accurately for a better look. Nice, lightweight and comfortable to hold constantly in your hand makes it a lot less cumbersome than using my binoculars or big monocolar.

A great announcement .... I'd better get some OT put in !!

Mixed media or mainly Plasticard, please Paul ? I would like a single example of either a PBA or a JIA bogie 'starch' wagon which I keep contemplating how to make. Regards, Ian.

I'd be interested in the design of your hedgehog house and where you have sited it as I've tried and failed with one bought one and last year my wife tried with collection of things which didn't work either even though we were visited virtually every night but one hedgehog (a male I think) who invited a female along one Saturday night .... afraid that it seems that it was just a 'One Night Stand' though ! Please don't disturb your current tenant but if you have an old photo I'd be grateful if you could post it here, please. Regards, Ian.

Tsk, modern women !

Beautiful day over here in West Yorkshire, strange though in that whilst it was a warm Sun there was also a cool nip in the air. I took a walk on the nearby Otley Chevin thinking that there might be a few butterflies to be seen in the sheltered nature reserve part but not one was to be found. What more than made up for it though was that there was a Kestrel hovering above the main Surprise View rocks which treated me to some superb aerobatic displays as it hunted for some poor unsuspecting prey, only to be disturbed by another male competing for the territory rights. After a bit of a squabble down at tree level what I presume was the original male returned to his business with the loser making a briefly pursued break for it out across Wharfedale. Very entertaining ! Am liking the frog that you found @monkeysarefun. Regards, Ian.

Hello Dave, I went on the web site this morning to Pre-order one of these but found that there wasn't a Paypal option when I got to the checkout stage, I'm afraid that I'm not too keen on entering my credit card details, I did however manage to buy a few 2nd hand items from you via Paypal so is this just something that applies to Pre-orders please ? Regards, Ian.

Yes Grahame, most definitely to me and I'm sure to others. They are great 'Inspirational' publications which not only show the high standard that is achievable in N gauge but also that individual more specialised items or modifications that will probably never come from the RTR companies are also achievable with a bit of thought, planning and work. I for one will look forward to Issue No.4. Kind regards, Ian.

Hello Ian, I've posted a picture of the front cover of the copy that I've borrowed (and will have to return tomorrow) just so that you know what to look out for as it didn't come up when I searched on the web last week. Let me know via a PM if you can't find one and I will photocopy you the drawings and article regarding The Killin Pugs, if you want it, which I can then post onto you; I'm afraid that since Windows 10 came out I've given up using the computer and scanner ! Regards, Ian. Apologies to Angus for the slight thread drift .... I'll now return to the backbenches where I belong.

Thanks Angus, I've managed to borrow the whole of Modellers Backtrack vol.4 from the Leeds MRS clubroom so that I can photo copy the drawings which on viewing I didn't recall having seen them before, so a positive result for me last night. I managed to walk roughly the full length of the Loch Tay, Killin to Killin Jct branch a couple of years ago which made for a very pleasant walk, the Killin Jct platform was still present in the undergrowth and you could still recognise large parts of the trackbed despite the forestry work that was going on at the time. I look forward to continued watching of your progress with your layout when it restarts but appreciate the current situation, my own West Highland based N gauge layout keeps getting delayed either due to my own distractions or by other outside influences such as work or doing things for other people ... but maybe one day I'll have enough done to confidently start showing it to others via RM Web. Regards, Ian.

Hello Angus, If you do get chance to look can you let me know which Modellers Backtrack has the Killin Jct info in it, please, as I think that I've missed that article and would like to try and get hold of it (although it could already be in the loft ??) Regards, Ian. Edit - Aug '94 possibly according to a quick Google search. I'll see if we have it in the Leeds MRS collection tonight if I get there. Thanks anyway.

The resin ones look better to me, Pete, as the whitemetal ones look a bit cumbersome but maybe that would change when painted a darker colour. Regards, Ian (most definitely still 3mm .... a lot of N .... several O .... a bit of 009 .... and just a smattering of 00 !!)

47471 was always one of those "Oh, no, not again !" locos for me in my spotting days but I'm certainly enjoying looking at that photo now, just as I remember it and one that is high up on my 'to model' list. Thanks for the memory.

Could be straight out of one of the published photo albums .... Marvellous .... and a great inspiration for me to 'get something done !' Best wishes, Ian.

I take it then that you are definitely not at York this w/end with Foxcote New Pit ? Shown in the listings in the April Modeller but in fairness not in the official York MRS layout list. Regards, Ian.

There's only Mr. Prickles (your pet Hedgehog) paying any attention !