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These pictures from The Transport Treasury are why I suggest Blaenavon as the location. https://www.transporttreasury.com/p1071116337/h80189FCA#h80189fca https://www.transporttreasury.com/p1071116337/h80189FCA#h8018a2c8 Regards, Ian.

Might still be worth trying the Publisher route as I've just had a book sent from Scotland, posted Tuesday and arrived today in outer Leeds on a Sunday, so not all terrible with RM at the moment, much better than a previous small package from an Ebay buy that took nearly 2 weeks to arrive and it wasn't the seller's fault. Just a thought. Regards, Ian.

It looks like Class 11 12099 to me, possibly at Blaenavon Opencast Colliery. The livery actually being the faded exWilliam Pepper Orange and Black, the loco ended up at British Oak, Crigglestone in 1981 but was a bit more decrepit than your photo by then, although it was repainted and went on to work at Bowers Row and I believe is now on the Severn Valley. Others may have better information but a quick Google of this loco may help you. Nice photo though. Regards, Ian.

Thanks for the confirmation Andy, I wasn't sure whether you had any 'better' information with being involved at Monk Bar. I've probably got just about enough Blue /Grey stock but another couple of SOs wouldn't go amiss. There were a couple up for grabs on Ebay recently but I'd already blown my monthly budget so had to pass. Kind regards, Ian.

Hello Andy, I can see an SK on the website but not a TSO ? Regards, Ian.

Yes, possibly and I have to say that I hadn't thought of that but the Don Gatehouse photo has one at the head of an empty timber train heading towards Oban from where I would expect all returning fuel tanks to be empty. These particular Belgian made Ferryvan(s) that are always in the few photos that I've seen have a central door with outside strengthening bars as a design feature unlike other types of Ferryvan .... but I don't know if that's relevant to increased security or not .... and probably still not strong enough to withstand opening by a 'Glasgi nightlatch key' ! LoL. At the end of the day, from a modelling point of view we don't really need to know what's inside the van, it could be anything from boxes of detergent to bespoke Italian furniture, alas we may never know, but they do make an interesting addition to the trains and scenes being modelled. Apologies to Rob for me distracting attention away from his current WHL v.4 scenic development which sounds like it is heading towards a satisfactory conclusion after a bit of redesign headscratching on his part. Looking forward to seeing this feature in the morning photos to cheer me up after another long night shift. Kind regards, Ian.

I've also recently come across several 1981ish photos of a single exSR 4 wheel PMV at the head of Oban related freight trains (Oil tanks) and wonder if this was the Ferryvan's predecessor, again a pure speculation on my part, as I've also just noted a similar working approaching County March so that being a Fort William train. And another Ferryvan. Both by Brian Denton. Regards, Ian.

Thanks, Roja, I did wonder whether they may have be connected with whiskey transport from The Oban Distillery but this was (is) a pure guess on my part. At least being a van the contents don't have to be modelled and can be left to the imagination ... but I might just have to help fuel mine with a wee dram of the stuff whilst I contemplate this matter ! LoL. Kind regards, Ian. Regards, Ian.

Slightly off the current topic Rob (but hopefully of interest) but the photos that you sometimes post on here and other threads from Flickr quite often lead me into looking at other work by the photographer (I can lose whole days with this LoL) and this one came up by MagLad which helps answer a long standing wagon conundrum for me. Ever since noting a snippet of an International Ferry Van at Crianlarich in a 1981 photo on p.2 of Roger Siviter's 37s in the Highlands book I have been on the lookout for any more evidence of them on the WHL but until the last 2 weeks have drawn a blank. The photo caption in the book says the freight train that the wagon is in is Fort William bound and so I assumed that it must be Corpach bound but this photo and another one by Don Gatehouse suggest that the destination may actually have been Oban. https://www.flickr.com/photos/lickeybanker/51883089186/in/album-72157629133828311/ There are many different types of similar looking International ferry vans but which are actually quite different from each other, however the single ones in the photos on the WHL all appear to be of the same type of Belgian built 40t vans (dia. E.423) and appear to have been used around 1981-86 which begs the question that they 'may' have been used on a specific 'unknown' traffic flow to the continent ? None of the photos show them any higher up the WHL than either Oban or Crianlarich and in the Don Gatehouse photo it is the only van in a train of timber empties. The only other ferry van I've seen on the WHL is part of a weed killing train and in Dutch livery and is a British built example. Sorry for the distraction (again) but I think that I'm turning into a bit of a 'wagon Nerd' .... and the wife just doesn't understand the importance of these things !! LoL Regards, Ian. (NB Will add the link to the Don Gatehouse photo when I find it again.)

Hopefully you will be able to recover this, Andy. May I ask what the book / magazine is in the background that you are using for reference, please ? Kind regards, Ian.

Looking good Rob and very, very helpful to me at the moment as I'm also currently trying to work out how to build / modify my own baseboards to best include this feature for a Ratio N gauge viaduct version and at what levels the trackbed and hopefully the edge of the Loch will end up at. The other feature that I've been pondering is how to make the A82 appear and dissappear as I really don't want to let it take any more of my Lochside scene than is necessary, luckily I remember from my early trips that there were one or two very tight corners that were only wide enough for a single carriageway with high rocky overhangs and were controlled by some very old fashioned red / green traffic lights .... since been widened with shoreline bridge sections. Regards, Ian.

Don't think that we've had this one before .... taken by MagLad. So much to take in ... chaps coming out of the weighbridge office on the left ... mascot on the shunter ... facing point leading straight into the works shed ... driver training Unit ... 4 very different house surfaces on the same building, etc, etc.

.... and according to Patrick you now work under the name of Andy !! LoL

That's a very evocative photo Rob, the slight haze giving the effect of dispersing diesel fumes after a short burst of power. Great shot.

Thanks for that Rob, I hadn't seen that one before and it confirms my suspicions from the ones that I have seen that in a lot of areas there is a treeline that is only 1 or sometimes 2 trees deep following the railway with open spaces beyond them, this is probably more so on the section North of Creag-an-Arnain viaduct rather than the more heavily wooded section South to Arrochar &Tarbet. All very useful as I try visualise what I can create and how the baseboards need to be formed. Hope that your Warley trip today is a successful one. Kind regards, Ian.

This shot really captures the feel of the 'narrow trackbed on the ledge' Rob. I can see the issue regarding trying not to obstruct the view of Fort William with tall trees but I'm sure that you will be able to do quite a lot with lower growing bushes such as Rhododendrons. This area of the line between Arrochar and Crianlarich is also my own current area of focus as I try to winkle bits of the WHL into my modelling room and I'm finding that it has not been 'overly' photographed which is probably due to the tightness of the path that the railway cuts along the mountainsides. The best general impression being the aerial shots on the 3 'drivers view' DVDs that I have, otherwise it's just like snaking through a green channel. Does any body know of any drone type You Tube clips that are worth viewing, please ? It would be helpful to see a few more shots like this one of Creag-an-Arnain viaduct, by Craig Bradford. https://unsplash.com/photos/tlZzfkOeHio Regards, Ian.

Well, if I was a thief .... you'd still be able to chase me on the bike as I made a break for it with an 8' rucksack on my back !! Lol .... super layout !

37669 looks like my R/freight Red Stripe West Highland visitor, officially transferred to Eastfield on Aug 16th although still at Crewe Works for a few days after conversion., only stayed in Scotland for 4 months before transferring South again. Between your information and the up and running website again I think that I've solved my mystery. Regards, Ian.

By chance I've just tried my original link to this useful web site and can happily report that it seems to be back up and fully available again. Maybe now I can track down that elusive R/freight Red Stripe 37 seen at Tom-na-faire depot. Have just used the site to probably answer another photo query, 2 photos of 37029 on WHL freight in 1981 in one of Brian Denton's Flickr albums both with the same date but showing two very different loco frontages (ie buffer beams and buffers) .... I suspect one is possibly 37028 (a WHL regular) whereas 37029 doesn't seem to have visited the line .... I suspect the other loco is possibly 37039 and just a typo but all conjecture on my part. Regards, Ian.

Nope, I had a good look at it last week but couldn't read anything into it, partly as I'm printer myself and thought that it was a fairly unusual choice of buisness to model ..... so, I'm afraid that you will probably have to enlighten me. Regards, Ian.

I only heard this myself on Saturday whilst in Frizinghall M&R. A great shame (not that I knew him personally) but at least his and Alan's books are a great legacy to leave behind for others to enjoy. Regards, Ian.

But did he fall .... or was he pushed ? https://www.google.com/search?biw=1280&bih=800&tbm=isch&sxsrf=ALiCzsYaXVDIqFqP7ESATXFap0pf0z2i9w:1668845169453&q=dirty+diesel&chips=q:dirty+diesel,g_1:thomas+the+tank+engine&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiLiIrc5Ln7AhV5UaQEHZbDBKAQ4lYIEygE&biw=1280&bih=631#imgrc=Lih9J2cgt9qC9M

Hello David, does the 'body lowering' involve taking a bit off the body .... the chassis .... or both, please ? It does look the the part as it is (IMHO.) Regards, Ian.

A very great shame but wholly understandable in the circumstances. Thankyou all, exhibitors, organisers, traders and helpers for always putting on some great shows over the years that I've been able to get there, including this year which was an excellent show. Happy memories. Kind regards, Ian.

Yes and I think so but unfortunarely I've lost custody of my copy until Dec 25th so can't check the photo dates, I managed a quick flick through and remember seeing several photos taken at Guiseley and out to Ilkley. Hope this helps. Regards, Ian.