Not Jeremy

Advanced printed copies coming out from the printers next week, after which we should be able to give a likely delivery date. The book contains 5 images from Wales, 3 of sheds in South Wales, 1 in West Wales and one in North Wales(!) I'm afraid I'm unable to supply into Europe given the EU's new VAT regulations, I am currently looking in to possible solutions to this problem. Simon

Ex works Crompton running into Westbury on a summer's evening in 1976.

I am really not a very good photographer, nonetheless here are a few of my snaps taken on a week's Railrovering in the summer of '76 - happy days! Simon

Here's my contribution, St Erth in 1976, still despatching milk to London. "Western Reliance" is the loco. This picture (suitably cleaned up and improved) will be appearing in Wild Swan's new book on diesel hydraulics, see here for a few more details. simon

Here he is cheerfully pulling away from the station, I'm sure he gave us all a toot!

Shome mishtake surely, it was beautiful!

One of the 47 hauled diverted trains opens up as it passes the signal box on the same day, it made a great noise! This snap gives you a better idea of the liquidity of the weather on the day. By the way, I think the last picture may be Inter City livery rather than Scotrail(?) I do like a good 47, under appreciated at the time possibly... Simon

Scotrail liveried 47 during diversions at Garsdale, scheduled to be the last weekend of such things before closure of the Settle and Carlisle, which happily didn't happen. It was ever so wet, which I think amused the driver of this 47 which was on a service train stopping at the station! Captain Kernow was in attendance and will have taken a better picture than mine... Simon

At the printers and due in the next few weeks, a significant new railway book in a brand new format and style from Wild Swan. Covering an enduringly popular subject which I know is dear to the hearts of many of us on RMweb, Diesel Hydraulics a colour retrospective is authored and put together by Andrew Vines, a very competent photographer and enthusiast for all things hydraulic. Andrew's own work has already appeared in print with his 2006 Ian Allan book "Diesels in the Highlands" and in this new book he has drawn upon various resources and authorities on the subject in order to give readers as comprehensive and well informed an account as possible, all of which are duly acknowledged in the text. All of the photographs, with few if any exceptions, have not been seen in print before. They include the work of Andrew, his father and numerous other photographers, some well known, images having been purchased by Andrew via the Internet over many years. There is even one photograph taken by me - but don't let that put you off... In a new departure for Wild Swan the book is produced to a 215 X 275 landscape format. It has 128 pages, full colour glazed board covers and is printed on to high quality stock gloss art paper. The design and colour work has been carried out to a very high standard by Andrew and an industry leading talent and we are both very pleased with the way that the whole thing has come out. I hope it is the first of a series of Wild Swan books that will celebrate and reflect and record our railway scene in colour and to this end various other subjects and areas are currently being looked at. The idea, at least, is that the text should be as important and informative as the images, something which is not always easy to achieve when you are working from unknown collections or photographs taken by other people. Unlike so very many colour albums of this type, the captions in this book are extensively researched and thoughtfully written, and provide a wealth of information on the locomotives themselves, the trains being worked, the traffic being carried and the locations and lines that are pictured. There are also interesting observations on various aspects of the subject, several of which I knew nothing about until I read Andrew's text, together with some thoughtful reflections upon some of the issues that the railway faced fifty or so years ago. There are some unusual views and locations to tempt you, together with favourites of course, and all hydraulic classes are covered. Priced at £23.95 and available very soon, direct from Wild Swan or of course from all good quality booksellers and suppliers. I can hear those Maybachs from here already..... Simon

If Warley happens this year, which I hope it does, then I will definitely be attending with Wild Swan Books. I am booked in and very much hoping that the show takes place. If it does then I look forward to meeting with and talking to as many folk over the weekend as is possible. Whether it is busy or quiet, no matter how much money I do or don't take, it will be just great to be back there. I will be, and am, very grateful to all of the organisers for all of their hard work - no doubt all made more difficult and challenging by the prevailing situation. What I will most definitely not be doing is worrying myself witless about what might or might not happen, as some folk appear to be. I am very grateful to have been double jabbed, have read the statistics, listened to news reports and am happy with the situation. Of course there is a risk. "Zero risk" is about as likely as perpetual motion, although some of the pointless drivelling and pontificating guff in this thread would appear to challenge this notion. I will very much miss seeing Owen Gibbon and will be remembering him with affection. I absolutely respect anyone else who makes any different judgment, and will quite understand if I don't see some people there at all, or perhaps some folk still wearing masks. I will not feel any need to comment on anyone else's behaviour, just keeping myself together and going hopefully forwards is quite challenging enough for me. Finally, it absolutely astonishes me to read that the exercising of one's personal judgement rather than being told what to do by the state is seen by some folk as "being cast to the Lions". History rather indicates the opposite I think. Simon OK Barry, can I have that packet of gobstoppers now....

Have done, thank you very much Mike. I will make sure I turn up "on parade" in a timely and efficient fashion on Thursday!! Best Wishes Simon

Which cautious approach seems somewhat at odds with your ever so bold Avatar Sorry, couldn't help myself....

Great publication, I have it stock here in Titfieldshire - I real must get it up on my website.... By the way, the VAT changes are not Brexit related, they apply across Europe: https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/business/vat/vat-e-commerce_en All very headache creating!

Bit of a strange one, and I'm asking for a friend of a friend(!) Who has been told that the lady on this platform is their Granny. The picture was taken from a magazine by the friend of a friend's mother, who recognised the lady in the picture as being their mother. Which makes the figure the friend of a friend's Granny - I do hope you are keeping up at the back there.... Thing is, they all think that their Granny didn't ever leave Cornwall, which implies that this picture was taken in that County. Which I don't think it can be, LMS style signal, LNWR(?) looking station building, plain-ish square-ish footbridge etc. Can the collected wisdom, contacts and knowledge of RMweb members help my friend of a friend with any further information? Does anyone actually recognise the location? Is it even Cornwall? As to what Granny Moses was doing away from Launceston on a platform with tight clearances and a man with a pronounced centre parting - well who knows? Simon

What terrible news, a great bloke and so much part of the hobby and exhibition scene, he seemed indestructible. Which I know none of us are. RIP Owen and condolences to John, his family and close friends

Great pictures, thank you for posting them. I visited Burghead in 1974 and was really taken with it then. There is something about that location with that lovely building and the sea in the background that really made an impression on me. Does it still stand there with the track or has it all gone now? Simon

The way I heard it, the real reason was that Network Rail massively upped some contingency payment the developer had to put in and they very understandably walked away. This apparently a decision taken by NR after their "experience" with the WR electrification. God bless 'em. But then again NR have just relaid the railway to Okehampton, having hopefully bought the whole shebang back from the Yanks at a knock down price. God bless 'em Funny old World, but however you look at it the prospect of getting tracks back over Dartmoor can only be better than they were - I may yet live to see it....

Get on and use it Simon, you could fit a nice little G1 terminus in there, knock a hole through your concrete (easy if its as bad as some are saying) and run the line outside. I reckon we'll all be dead long before that building succumbs to whatever faults it might have - unless you insist on giving it a hand Another Simon

That looks very good, well done Graham for putting your money where your mouth is and producing something that you believe in. I hope you sell all that you wish to and enjoy the experience from all points of view! Simon

Just published by Crecy, this well produced and lovely new book, my take on it is here. Available from The Titfield Thunderbolt or from your favoured bookseller.....

Or you could instead order it from a bookshop or supplier that knows its *rse from its elbow, of course you might not get such a good "deal" but you'd get the book without the b*ll*x. James Hudson and Booklaw come to mind immediately, or you could buy direct from the publisher. Too simple for most I appreciate.... Not Kevin

Now on my website but without description for the moment. My description: Edited by the legend that is Iain Rice, the very appealing cover picture features "Kenton", built by the recently departed John Watson who is fondly remembered inside the magazine by Barry Norman. Two Cameo Competition entry layouts are featured, Nick Salzmann's unusual period "Lananta Quay" in 3mm Society finescale standards, and the irrepressible Mick Simpson's small but exquisitely formed "Callaton" in 2mm scale, a tiny layout which is full of interest - caravanners take note, as Mick says! Simon De Souza makes a really beautiful and very well observed model of Dromod station building, using a range of techniques in Plastikard that would suit any number of brick structures. Iain reveals a near Pre War HO survivor, a beautiful model of "Claude Hamilton", and in "Classical Jazz" with friends John Chambers and Dave Doe the modelling options for creating Stratford's N7 class are explored and expounded. Trevor Pott illustrates how passenger goods traffic is handled at Churston, Roger Bird shares with us his Thomas Green built examples of the Irish narrow gauge while finally Iain extolls the virtues or otherwise of bad track. Plus small suppliers forum and an obituary to John Watson.

Last call for the cats, MRJ 283 is in the World and copies will be with outlets and subscribers from early next week. Currently awaiting delivery here in Bath..

Gosh, there really is nothing quite like the sight and sound of a comatose horse being mercilessly flogged backwards and up a very steep hill to brighten up a dreary wet afternoon. As for Robin's forty years later comparison - what larks! I will sadly miss it, as I will by then long have been elevated to the celestial Atlantic Coast Express or cast down into the fires of Little Bytham Not Jeremy

Waiting is just so exhausting...