Not Jeremy

I'm intrigued by the listing of prints by Bernard Wright, I'd love to see one of these, To my mind Bernard Wright is something of a model railway legend, the creator of the wonderful "Bazzing Around" in Model Railways and much else besides. Simon

Ah well - what did you expect at £15.22 including post ?

Alex, I found my way in.... What a very handsome looking model you have created, and funny to hear Brian Clarke mentioned in the story too, a blast from the past and another clever chap. Fletcher Jennings-es are very nice looking prototypes on any gauge I think Thank you for pointing me in this direction! Simon

Fantastic pictures and great memories, going to Utrecht in 2016 certainly counts as an all time "high" from my point of view on very many levels. And that floor at York does look extremely unforgiving. When I had my stall at Green Park market I used to stand on sheets of cardboard, although that was also to keep my feet warm! I like this shot from Larkrail, taken by my friend Steve Cooke. Something seems to be mystifying Mike Corp and Nick Trudgian, and seated in front of Mike looking at a magazine is the never to be forgotten and much missed Dave Finney.

Ah, tis the season for naysayers..... I for one look forward to getting on a train and travelling to Okehampton - fantastic news and who really knows what the future holds for this route ? Potentially so very much more than a "Dawlish replacement" for heavens sake. In the meantime, here's a picture of that "weak-kneed" structure with some featherweight train on top of it, gosh they were brave back in those days. Westward Ho hauls four "blood and custard" Mk 1s eastwards across Meldon Viaduct in 1959. A Peter Barnfield picture taken from his wonderful book "Memories of the Withered Arm" published by Wild Swan. In the absence of a time machine (in either direction, natch) this book is a very fine record of the Southern Railway's network in the West Country, with lots of superb photographs and recollections of actually travelling on many of the lines. Memories of The Withered Arm Travels over the SR lines West of Exeter 1958-62 Roll on my beauty! Oh sorry, I came over all Rapido for a moment there..... Not Jeremy

No, in as much as I am outside of it, but if you were travelling from the south or west of Bath I'm not sure how the routes pan out, but aren't most modernish cars exempt anyway? I think very old ones are too! Simon

Now in new and better premises, a little further down the road to Wiltshire, together with Wild Swan Books Ltd. Open to visitors on Thursdays, mail order operates throughout the week. So with Coronovirus restrictions due to be lifted, we are open again from Thursday the 15th April. Bus route 3 out of Bath, best stop bottom of Bailbrook Lane and then walk back to the footpath that drops down to Toll Bridge Road, we are immediately on the left at the bottom of the path - look out for the signal arm! Or a really lovely walk along Kennet and Avon, get off at Bathampton and walk over railway and toll bridge and we are on the right past the old brewery. If driving then parking available immediately outside, two reserved spaces. Postcode BA1 7DE for satnavs. And we have just updated the website which now shows a couple of out of print books to be available again while stocks last. https://www.titfield.co.uk/

Bit late to this, very sad news indeed. Geoff was a one off, a character in so many ways; not always the easiest person to talk to, but his heart was always in the right place. He was an organiser of shows par excellence, so many shows over so many years, including a spell with the Westinghouse MRC before moving to or even setting up the Bentley group, I wonder whether exhibitions weren't really his raison d'être? He was also a vastly knowledgable enthusiast for the Western Region hydraulics, and wrote several really good books on the subject, back in the day when this was not the norm, the UK enthusiast market being much more tuned in to steam. Geoff was a very clever and intelligent man on many levels. I claim a personal connection in as much as I was taught by both Geoff's dad and mum in Chippenham, Fred being the headmaster of Westmead County Junior school, opposite George Flowers scrapyard and up the hill and in "smellshot" of the Oxo factory. Geoff's mum taught there too. Fred was great, and helped me get into Grammar school when we moved from Chippenham to Bath in 1970, Bath still being the old fuddy duddy single sex system where Chippenham was new fangled comprehensive and co-educational. At the time I wasn't happy with the move, but I have more or less got over it fifty years later(!) Fred himself only died a few years ago which makes this feel even more cruel and wrong. RIP Geoff, you will never be forgotten and have been the most fantastic advocate for this wonderful hobby of ours. Simon Castens

I have but one word to add... Matalan Need I say more? No, of course not, and you shouldn't have said that. Oh Gawd, I'm talking to myself on RMweb, I fear this may well be some sort of all time personal stupid Not Jeremy PS Barry Manillow

Yur, 'tis Colin! A bit of a day out in Blackpool, he do get around mind... Reg

Thank you all for the nice feedback, the book does seem to be well received. Supplies are now on their way to Cath at Book Law in Nottingham for those who wish to support this splendid emporium. Bill Hudson Books also have it in stock. Authors and complimentary copies all went out today too. Simon

And apart from where they are placed, you also have to think about the characters that go with them. Colin's bus had a character, Curmudgeonly Colin. Seen here in a lighter moment at Titfield, most probably contemplating life, the next gear change and a pint of Gem down at the saloon.... Unlike Pearce or Crump however, Colin likes trains. He could frequently be seen piloting such things on the West Somerset until last year's disruption. All aboard!

Coming your way soon?!

Are there not a few architectural model possibilities too, perhaps with sound? "Walter! Do you know what time it is!" "Yes my love! Summer double time." "Come back!"

Blimey Ed, I don't know what you're worrying about, at least no-one's calling it "modern image" (yet)

Complaining about thread drift? Are you joking? Is it April 1st already? This is RMweb for heavens sake, all varieties of lunacy are welcome here surely? Simon? Sorry, thought it was a good morning for question marks?

Toadwise, W68740 is an AA20, qv my article and model in MRJ 261. The "other" one may be slightly different, which was of course also numbered as W68740 for the film. Which most probably creates an Escher like nit pickers conundrum...... Simon

If they order it, yes. Wild Swan is happy to supply any retailer with stocks of all of its titles. Bill Hudson books will have stock on the way already, the Alton Model Centre should have it hopefully, there are quite a few stockists. It won't be available through Smiths or Waterstones however, for various reasons and in common with nearly all the other specialist publications in the UK. Simon

MRJ 282 is now in stock here in Bath, my take on it is here: https://www.titfield.co.uk/Wild-Swan/MRJ-Journal.htm All the trade orders were sent out today so your supplier of choice should have stock very shortly. Subs copies are going out on and from Monday and newstrade copies are distributed at the end of next week, so Smiths etc from about a week's time. As observed earlier, the price has gone up to £5.50 from this issue. What isn't visible is that this is the first issue to be produced by a different printer than hitherto, for various reasons. The quality looks good, the pictures seem to have come out well and I can report that all concerned with its production are feeling very positive. This despite the "publication date of MRJ 283 not known yet" comment(!) Just don't worry about it, I have it on good authority that the next issue is underway. Simon

I don't know about that Chris, for myself I have always been good at forgetting things and coming to the wrong conclusions and you have a few years on me... As far as keeping file copies of magazines you have worked on goes, well that would be a Herculean task for anyone, simply on the basis that you have produced so very much over so many years. I have very much enjoyed your writings in magazines, books and on RMweb. An enduring personal favourite book is your "The Western Before Beeching" from 1990, ( I have just taken it off my shelf and enjoyed it again) then there were your brilliant MRC covers, GWR stations drawings books, too many articles to list, your ongoing involvement with Model Rail, the Model Rail commissions, and also your innovative CJL products. Finally your priceless recollections of Alan Williams and early days with Ian Allan that you have shared with us all on RMweb. And I will have missed lots of other good things off that list. I don't think Ian Allan appreciated you half as much as they should have done, which says much more about them than it does about you! Apologies for the thread drift, I just felt the need to record my appreciation of what you have done for the hobby. As Mr Valentine exhorted Roll on my beauty! Simon

Hi Chris I hesitate to correct a luminary such as yourself(!) but based upon my copy of your article I am pretty certain it was Bert Harris (driver to fireman Bob Stride at the time of the film) that you interviewed. In fact you did both myself and posterity a huge favour, in that I had given you his contact details when you visited me at Limpley Stoke station all those years ago. I fully intended to speak to him myself, but whereas I never got around to it, you did, resulting in your very fine article. This picture, which came to me from Harold Alford's grandson, shows Bert Harris and Bob Stride either side of George Relph and Hugh Griffith. All of which we might be able to recreate more easily in 4mm scale in the future.... Very Best Wishes to you Simon Castens

As do many organisations

Well quite!

I am very pleased to announce that Wild Swan's latest modelling title has just been delivered. Written by Bob Williams, Geoff's son, it is a very nice account and description of both the man and his famous and ground breaking model railway. Designed and beautifully laid out by Steve Phillips, it is absolutely packed with photographs and information on the model and the prototype it represents. Fully indexed, it also forms something of a history of the hobby after the war, the layout appeared in many articles (all listed in the book) and Geoff had many visitors and made many friends though his building of the layout, all again covered in the text. The layout is now owned by the Risborough MRS, who carried out a very effective restoration to enable the layout to appear at "Railex" in 2016, this is also covered in the book, which includes a contribution from Paul Bambrick on restoring the backscene. Our very own Andy York was on hand at Railex to photograph the layout for British Railway Modelling and he and Warners have very kindly given me permission to include the wonderful pictures he took in the production of the book - thanks Andy! 120 pages, high quality softback, £24.95, available from your usual stockist or direct from The Titfield Thunderbolt Bookshop Simon

Not just the locomotive either....