ColinK

I really don’t believe what the operators say. For example putting staff on the concourse might happen at major stations, but I just can’t see it happening at smaller stations eg Morecambe, I anticipate these will become unstaffed eventually.

While it might in theory save costs, it becomes a barrier to travel, so fewer people will go by train (lower income and more savings follow by cutting services), but increased costs repairing all the vandalism. 
 

Furthermore, our trains are all too frequently replaced with buses, who is going to help passengers who find there train is cancelled.

I went over to video and photograph the remaining BnM lines earlier this year. Had an excellent time and made very welcome by the staff.  I’ll post a link to the video once it’s edited - will be later in the year though.  I’ve also made one of the Narrow Planet Waggonmasters, but really want a 7mm scale version.

I’m building a 009 micro layout which includes a factory yard which I’ve made using DAS.  While I could just paint the yard surface using various dark and dirty paints from tester pots, this doesn’t have any texture to it and looks ‘flat’. Hence I was wondering if anyone has tried using weathering powders to add some texture.

I was thinking of first giving the DAS a coat of dark and dirty colours as a base.  Then give it a second coat, but adding weathering powders.  Has anyone tried this?  Did it work?

I’m not sure how best to add the weathering powder, do you mix it into the paint then apply the paste, or do you paint the surface then sprinkle the weathering powder on?

Thanks.

And its neighbour, uses a window and doors off the Scale Model Scenery kit.

The building is finally finished on the third attempt.  The first one was a Scale Model Scenery kit, but I messed up the paper overlay so it ended up in the bin.  As I still had the windows and doors I tried scratchbuilding one, but slightly larger, that’s the one at the start of this thread, but I wasn’t totally happy, plus some of the windows had vanished, so that got scrapped.  So for the third attempt I bought another Scale Model Scenery kit, but instead of using the paper overlays, I covered it in embossed plasticard and painted it.  To make the arches over the windows I used microstrip cut into individual bricks; they looked a bit rough until painted. To give it more relief I  made the centre section stand out using a bit of 6mm balsa.  So here is the completed low relief warehouse.

If you are wondering about the name (made from Slaters letters) it is inspired by Friden Brickworks in Derbyshire, but not a copy of a real building there.  All I’ve got to do now is complete the 009 micro layout it is going on.

Excellent news, but what about one for the other end of the train?

The bluegrass band I play in has several banjos and an acordian, plus three bass players!

That’s a shame, may be worth contacting him in case he has anything suitable in stock.

Thanks for all the mudic jokes everyone.  I’ve enough now to fill the time when banjos are retuning.

Has anyone got any music jokes?

The bluegrass band I play in has got a rare gig on Thursday and I’ve been asked to introduce our songs.  Could do with a few jokes to occupy the audience while people retune their instruments.

Try Kitwood Hill models - he makes kits for tirntables large to tiny.

We’ve had big problems with our Skoda too (a Fabia).  We get often get messages on the dashboard saying ‘change key fob battery’.  The longest we’ve gone without getting the message is four weeks, the shortest 24 hours, most commonly about 14 days. Both key fobs have this problem.   I don’t think its anything other than the car/key fobs creating the problem as one night well away from home the key fob battery suddenly failed (24 hours after having a new battery fitted by the Skoda dealer) and it would not unlock the doors.  Had to get in by the emergency method of prising up a bit of trim on one of the doors to reveal a keyhole (luckily the car wasn’t too close to a wall as there is only a hidden keyhole on one door).  Of course it then wouldn’t start as there is only a start button.

Keys have been replaced under warranty but the problem has continued.   Oddly, the Skoda dealer. says we must only use ‘special batteries’ from them (look like standard CR2032 batteries).  However, I don’t think the problem is the key fob batteries - I’ve tried testing the batteries after getting the message saying replace them and the voltage has been fine.

Skoda HQ have been involved but neither them nor the dealer have any idea what is causing the problem.  We ended up saying that if the problem is not fixed by a certain date then we will reject the car as not fit for purpose.  Skoda accepted that.  However, after the latest service the problem has not recurred yet.

Being Southport you will not need to model the sea.

Really suits the BR green.

The colour light signals on my layout don’t work because nobody can see them.

I’ve also been today, glad I had a few £ in my pocket so I could get in.   Train fare was £55 so not much left to spend in the show, but the main reason I went was to meet Tim Horn and order baseboards for my next OO layout (must  get rid of the old one to make room).  Shirebrook was outstanding.

Can admission be paid by card?

Interesting starting post, I hadn’t thought of that when I got all my sound cine films digitised. It did cost a lot but they are all on Vimeo (not youtube) for anyone to watch.

Most surprising was that a TV company got in touch and asked to use a clip from one of them.

Thanks Guy, yes I used my free ticket, first time I had been.

Excellent to have the guide available on the DEMU website.  Day off work and train tickets booked. But I can’t find my DEMU membership card.

Brilliant magazine.

My Loch Eil arrived today.  Came in huge cardboard box with loads of packaging - great for protecting it in transit, and I need a box that size for a item I need to post.   The actual loco box is very big, going to be hard to store, but again great for protecting the loco.  Intetesting leaflet about the loco and a driver’s story.  Yes, the 37 looks great, the nice surprise is just how heavy the loco is, should have lots of pulling power.

One query, in the box there was a card saying which way the switches in the loco should be set for an ESU decoder, other make of decoder …. as my loco is sound fitted I’m assuming I don’t have to do anything?

Not tried it , but a fair chance some grass will get caught up in the mechanism.

Many thanks John, that is really helpful , especially the data security attachment.

I’m thinking of not using iCloud photos, particulary because I also have many hours of video, in finished projects  as well as the individual clips, the latest being in 4K, so massive files that may slow down editing if they are stored in iCloud.

I’m going to adopt your recommended approch with two time machine backups.  Once I’ve finished scanning my slides I’ll do an extra copy on give it too a friend for safe keeping.

Your comments about disconnecting discs are so true.  Very recently I couldn’t get my iMac to start; it would start up then say there was a problem and shut down.  By using ‘safe mode’ I tracked down the problem, an external disc had been knocked and was no longer connected to a USB hub.  The accident has damaged the external disc, while I can read and extract data off it, new data cannot be written to it.  The disc is the backup of my scanned slides.  Perhaps I should only attach external discs to the computer when I’m using them (except of course Time Machine).