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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 !

Hello Ken, Can I ask where buy your Delrin chain and sprockets from, please, as I have a length somewhere in the 'tip' that is my workshop but can't find it or remember where I got it from (Branchlines, maybe ?) and would like to improve the traction on my Greenwood & Batley loco and maybe buy another small diesel Alphagraphix kit which could use this type of additional drive system. That's a great aerial shot, by the way, showing the clearances needed to make this chassis run smoothly. Kind regards, Ian.

Whilst I did see it at rest I didn't notice the green underwing pattern of the Orange Tip but I didn't get very close before it moved on, so maybe. Yesterday I saw a Comma and I'm afraid one of my cats caught a Small Tortoiseshell which was still alive after it had made her sick, I put it back out into the sunshine on a Dandelion flower but I'm not sure that it would recover properly. Regards, Ian.

Possibly to carry the workparty to locations not accessible by road ? (Just a guess on my part.)

My 'best guess' at this 1984 consist superbly caught by Bill Watson is 37144, ×2 Bass (ex OCA), x3 Bass (ex OBA), x2 Sealion, then 4 more wagons including possibly a Catfish and Dogfish (or two) with a BR 20t Brakevan at the end. A little bit of guess with the rear of the train but hope this is of use. Ian. PS - the 1st photo that you posted, Rob, has led me to start looking through the work of Petejrogers on Flickr ...and there are some real WHL gems tucked away in his Class 37 album.

They're back ! ... 'Jewels in the Sky' ... a beutiful day in Leeds today and very near to the end of this morning's dog walk I saw my first Butterfly of the year, a lovely fluttery Small White .... which was then closely followed by a wonderfully greeny / yellow wandering Brimstone which I usually only ever see one or two of in my area each year. Regards, Ian.

There's a few photos in Ernie's Railway Archive that they creep into such as in the sidings at Spean Bridge and Mallaig Jct Yard (at least 10 in the rake, all Olive livery.) W.J. Verden Anderson has also captured a fine c.1988 Engineers combination of 37401 'MQ of S' in Intercity livery hauling a rake of 6 Mermaids (1 Dutch / 5 Olive), 5 Dogfish (2 Dutch / 3 Olive) and at least 3 Sealion / Seacow (1 Dutch / 2 Olive) heading up to Rannoch and beyond in his postumus Scotland's Railways (Ian Allen.) @PaulRhB makes interesting comments regarding their side tipping use and I've noted more modern side tipping types (Octopus rakes) in photos in the 90s and 00s, so they were obviously useful for certain jobs. I've also added a couple of earlier Black liveried examples to my N gauge collection so somewhere I must have come across a picture of them (Mermaids) in the 60s and 70s eras ... but I can't remember where ? Hope this helps. Regards, Ian.

Just came across this photo of 37026 'Loch Awe' at Mallaig taken during the filming of the 'Weir's Way' programme that was discussed a while back on here, thought that it might be of interest, if only to include a wee man in a red bobble hat sitting on your platform with his rucsack !! LoL. Photo taken by Lothian T (Flickr.) Regards, Ian.

Likewise I've seen many different names given to this viaduct, some clearly wrong such as Craigendoran. I try to refer to it as Creag an Arnain (if I can remember how to spell it !) as this is how it appears on my OS map. Maybe we should just refer to it as WHL bridge 74 as it is marked in Lothian T's photo .... nah ... I think that all of the other names are much more interesting. Regards, Ian.

Morning Rob, Not sure if you included this image by Lothian T in one of your posts but it felt 'new' to me and is relevant to your current bit of work in finishing off the viaduct ends. If you expand the photo it shows just how narrow the trackbed is at this point and that it could almost be on a baseboard itself .... beware though, looking closely into the photo can make you feel a bit dizzy !! Photo by Lothian T.

Hello Dave, Thanks for the detailed reply, great information for me to work with, much appreciated. Your IC liveried 90 is certainly a fine looking loco. Best wishes, Ian.

Picture 3 seems to be missing Andy ?? The one showing the underside ... as it's rolled over onto it's roof !!

The rainstrip on the roof is a feature of the BCKs, hope this helps.

I also meant to comment on this photo when posted which really took my eye with both the contrast between the red of the locomotive and stock with the whiteness of the snow / heavy frost but also the sense of power and speed of the train swirling up the snow with the stillness and freshness of the cold, still frosted grass and grey steel steelwork of the overhead line equipment .... a real photo to stir the senses, thanks for posting. Regards, Ian.

You've also managed to capture a nice side view of a debranded ESSO TTA from the 56xxx range which will be a future modelling conversion for me in N gauge using a Farish model as a starting point (twin ladders to be replaced by a single end ladder, etc, as seen on the WHL.) Lovely photo of a much missed era for me (in more ways than one), thanks for posting. Regards, Ian.