ColinK

Rain hammering down on the conservatory roof.

I see the loco hauled services most days (they pass my house). Yes, punctuality has been a problem, but it seems to be more a case of turnround times that are so short, if a train gets delayed a few minutes, it cannot recover, then with sigle line sections, things only get later and later. There have also been some signalling problems too. Hence I don't think reliability/punctuality problems are due to them being loco hauled sets rather than dmus.

Thanks for the info. Wonder if there will be a rush by preserved lines to buy Pacers?

I've had an email today from 'Hermes' saying the book will be delivered to me in the next few days. Looking forward to it.

Delighted to here that so many have been sold in advance. The delay means we've all got something interesting to read instead of watching all that festive season tv rubbish.

I suggest you talk to Howes, they are very helpfull.

Went to an Indian resturan last night and enjoyed a curry. Didn't have a coffee afterwards having seen the second one on the list! Then went to model railway club where it was the annual photographic competition. The room has a projector built in, the orgainser brought his laptop, but nobody had a cable to connect the two. Oops.

Interesting to learn about the Co-bo trials. Maybe I'll get some hoppers to run behind my Heljan Co-bo now.

I wonder if there is demand for one without any logos on? Then I could have one for my fictious industrial complex.

IIRC, before the 37s they were pulled by single 25's (slow and noisy), occasionally 40s and there was a short lived experiment with pairs of 20s.

Interesting, but why were the cowls removed from some locos?

Please keep posting the pictures. They are helping inspire me to weather and renumber my stock.

Two motorised power cars, both with DCC sound please. I've got a Bachmann Blue Pullman set up like this by Howes and it is superb.

Looks stunning. Almost needs one side of the bodyshell of clear plastic to show off that fantastic detail. I hope Mr Tilt has followed Big Jim to the body scan people so we can have a model of him at his desk.

Another reason to build a shunting layout. Excellent news.

Yipee

I've spent the last couple of hours without success, trying to find colour photos of the Derby Research Centre Claytons (anyone know where I can find some?). Instead I found this video which includes interior and exterior shots of APT-E. Apologies if it has been posted before.

You were looking at the A4!

I wasn't sure what you meant by May, but now I know - an exhibition in Lancaster to commemorate the closure of Green Ayre, staring the model. Sounds very interesting, date now in diary.

Jamie, I'm glad that you put up the big picture of the actual Lancaster Green Ayre up by your layout. I though it put the whole layout into perspective. It also helped me as I moved to Lancaster long after Green Ayre vanished, enabling me to see what it used to be like.

Guy Davis, Skunkmello.

Kes, if you need some stronger card for you buildings, why not cut up a box file? You'll then have a boxfile layout! Not forgetting with the bridge supports (post 18) you've already got the pizza layout! Perhaps everyone with a layout small enough to go in their motorhome could get together and hold a model railway show on a campsite. The Caravan Club Site at Burrs would be ideal as its next to the East Lancs Railway. Returning back to topic, I'm very impressed with your progress and minimal expenditure. Looking forward to seeing more.

Looks great. You must be a serial building maker!

I really liked the bit on the DVD showing the making of foam stones for the canal edging. I'll use that method on my G scale indoor layout where the scenery has to be light weight and cheap.

The loco hauled trains seem to have had a rough time recently, with a fair bit of late running, some dmu substitution and at least one cancellation. Not all has been due to the trains, but signalling problems and dense fog. If you are travelling round the coast using the 5 minute connection at Barrow betwen the two loco hauled sets, do note that the connection is not always held.