Not Jeremy

Thank you very much Din, glad you liked it. I think you raise an interesting point though, in that I wonder what the book reads like if the reader has no prior knowledge of the film? There is a lot of dialogue and we worked quite hard in editing to try and make it as clear as possible. It is also interesting in that in the original film script the Squire is never referred to by his name "Gordon", and the pub is never called by its name "The Grasshopper". Not that I'm obsessed or anything....

Thank you for the picture Jerry, that was such a hugely enjoyable weekend from all possible points of view. And for putting together this MRJ too, a very good read and fitting recallation* of Iain, as others have said. Simon *That may be a word I have just invented, a cross between recollection and evocation, sort of inspired by Mick Simpson's Cameo Callaton

I'm glad you are enjoying it so far Paul, I am feeling slightly nervous now that so many copies of the book are now out there and being read..... A bit like waiting for the children's exam results(!) In the meantime we are finding even more material for my new book about making the film, quite exciting in a small train sort of way. Great to have seen you at Warley, we all had a great time on the stand, even though every one of my "staff coffee runs" got waylaid and delayed by conversations and meetings(!) Simon

It was an utterly fab show and I take my hat off to the Warley club for organising it - well done. As far as the booking thing goes, it wasn't the getting your vehicle out of the hall bit that caused the anguish, it was the threat that unless you removed your vehicle to one of the outer car parks, then you would be stiffed for 75 notes. Using the credit card number that you had been forced to enter into their system. This did cause me extra anxiety ahead of the event and was, as a matter of fact, very unwelcome. But I accept that this is out of the control of the club. If they could in any way influence how this is arranged or at least worded for future shows then that would be a good thing. Either way, thank you very much for this year's event and let's hope that there are future Warley shows at the NEC for us all to attend and enjoy. Simon

More Good news

“Route Reopeners”, here we go again, another negative cobblersfest of how impossible everything is, can’t you just give it a rest pal? By the way, have you travelled on the reopened line to Okehampton yet? It is lovely, you’d really enjoy it…

Warleyreport, a great atmosphere, lots to see... Corwin in full flow over at Rapido.. Kevin and David are to serve you on the Wild Swan stand... And the great and the good in conversation on the Peco stand.. But fancy exhibiting a part finished kit at the premier National show!

All set up on stand A02. The show looks really good, so much good stuff to see....

A question if I may. I have started work on my Fred Phipps kit in 1/32 scale, and intend to build it as D6315 in its earlier condition with train describing discs and before having a yellow panel added. Using the modifying parts that Fed supplied me, this is as far as I have currently got. The black Plastikard "boxes" are my interpretation of what I think goes behind the discs, which are hinged vertically on these locos, with Fred's supplied etched pieces representing the marker lights. On the lower right and left corners are the same thing as moulded on the kit body, which have the lenses modelled as being plated over, I think. My question is, does anyone have any clear idea, drawing or photograph of how the discs are attached to these assemblies, or any other detailed information covering this aspect of the loco's "face", the catches for example. Also, I imagine that the marker lights would all have appeared as a clear glass with the two tail light lenses being a sort of claret red when unlit. I have a number of books, the Hugh Dady Modern Locomotives Illustrated, and Peter Barnfield's lovely shot taken at Truro in 1960, and am fairly up together with the rest of the fittings and layout for this style, but the discs are a bit of a mystery and very hard to see in pictures. Thank you for reading so far, any advice would be most welcome! Simon

Edited by Jerry Clifford, issue 293 marks the sad passing of Iain Rice. A legendary name within the hobby in so many ways, who with the late Bob Barlow really helped to launch MRJ on its hugely successful voyage into the seas of publishing. Was it the "Beagle" or "The Dawn Treader" - more likely some sort of Jack Russell probably, but whatever the ship was or is called it has been illuminating our hobby lives ever since. As did Iain himself through his writing, modelling, wit and personality. There are some really lovely photographs of Iain and his layouts, and a thoughtful collation of memories and thoughts about the man, even including a rather wonderful poem from Richard Butler - the one from Ayrshire... Continuing the dodgy nautical theme, the cover features Maestro Gordon Gravett's very lovely model(s) of the coaster "Radstock", which are featured inside the magazine. This article very nicely complements Jerry's own, on the re-working of Highbury Colliery into a scene alongside the main line of the Somerset and Dorset Railway. The photography of which is absolutely, staggeringly, utterly and fabulously good. I'm not allowed to reveal who the photographer is, but well done Andy. The rest of the content is fab - honest, a bit of a return to form it seems to me. Anyway, you've heard enough from me already and I'm going to shut up and carry on fretting about getting up to Warley. On stand A02 at Warley, as well as Bill Hudson Books, Book Law and others I expect, also available to order direct here. Iain and Bernie Baker with "Trerice" snapped by Steve Cook at Larkrail in 2016.

What a really lovely model. Very evocative of Highbridge Wharf and Chris's beautiful book. The next issue of MRJ should be of interest in the shipping context, due to arrive with me today apparently...

Huzzzahh!! I'd volunteer to help you ballast, but I just can't see anything that small any more... Seriously, so good to see the "bones" of Bath taking shape, with those distinctive track formations already shouting out the location. They are busy "improving" that part of the City right now, and it is becoming increasingly impossible to picture how it all used to be. I console myself with memory and my BR fire bucket rubbish bin, collected from the goods shed when everything was being finally ripped up fifty years ago. Can it really be so far away in time?

They have arrived! There will be ample stocks at Warley this coming weekend, but in the meantime you can order copies direct from my website right now. I am really pleased with the way it has come out, and John's illustrations are really nice too, here is an example, Mallingford Junction box, with the infamous "Taff" looking out of the window! If anyone wishes to share the drawing then that is fine, but please credit both the book it has come from and the artist, John Wardle. It is a really great story, ideal Christmas present for lots of folk I think.... And I think we got all the railway details right too, no running through parks this time(!) Simon

Brilliant to see you pressing ahead with your meisterproject! Looking forward to seeing Bath single line junction, I have been doing something very tedious with mis shaped bits of brass…

Well that is very good, of course what we are all really waiting for is the "panto" function. Oh yes we are...

Just delivered today and available to order now direct from my website. 96 pages packed with high quality photographs, all printed on to quality art paper. An accompanying text, informative captions and two additional GA drawings covering the smokebox and inner cylinder of the rebuilt locomotives. £19.95 plus post, and available to purchase from my stand A02 at the Warley show next weekend.

Thanks Paul, in the meantime the "other" book has just been delivered! No sign of Charlie just yet though.....

Excellent! I will have two brand new Wild Swan books for sale on my stand A02 at Warley. This is one of them: I'm expecting the lorries today, so fingers crossed that they can get in through the car park and that Charlie gets out of bed to help me shift them all.... Simon

Well that will be the current product then, having just looked at a tin I bought a couple of months ago from Eileen’s. so I’m none the wiser really, no change there then….

Apologies if I missed it in the maelstrom of chemistry and chest beating that followed this intriguing post, but what caused the problem and how can one avoid same if one is in possession of one of those big tins of Mek Pak? Please, no theories or lectures, just a credible explanation. If you don't know then there is no need to tell us, really, please..... Simon

Here is our brilliant smiling guard on arrival at Okehampton yesterday. Cheerful helpful and bright, he said he didn't get up to Okehampton very much as he worked on the revenue protection side of things. I think he might have had one "customer" on our run(!) Anyway, thank you to him and all the other railway staff we encountered on our trip down to Okehampton and back, you were all without exception professional, cheerful and helpful. I know its easy to complain, but I think the staff on the modern railway do a brilliant job and are great ambassadors for rail travel. And going down to Okehampton by train (for a third time since reopening) is as joyous as ever. If you haven't made the trip yet then I really urge you to, it is just great!

Irene Handl - an amazing person If you are of a literary bent, then seek out "The Sioux" and "The Gold Tipped Pfitzer" I don't believe she had a train set though.

That'll be Rich Phipp, a very fine fellow indeed! Seen here as a porter on the "Watchmouth Railway" at this year's Larkrail, complete with memorabilia from the line....

Lederhosen for some of you from the sound of it!!

I'm an absolute stickler for lamps myself, when I remember to bother... I am lucky though, it is much easier in the larger scales!