sidmouth

the internet has sadly become little more than a lawless wild west, where everyone's desire for a little piece of the action usually at the expense of someone else, manifests itself . Whether its grifters using urbex to boost their fledgling youtube/tiktok etc channels , to the cheaper than possible sellers on Farcebook marketplace who will take your £30 for that desirable model worth significantly more, as they know we are suckers for a bargain and the providence doesn't matter when it is that cheap. Ebay sellers look legit , good feedback so we assume authorised Dapol sellers but who happen to be in China . there is a very broad selection and what would constitute a good stockholding for a model shop available, so we are not talking about sneaking a couple of the production line

Always sad news when a shop closes down and my best wishes to all at Hattons, but I suspect the model railway world will continue to turn . Warwick model shop closed many years ago which was my local one but I found somewhere else . I confess to never having been a hattons regular customer , I did buy from them many years ago and no complaints about the service which was excellent but I do like to go into a model shop, browse , peruse and make my purchases even if I have to drive a distance. Liverpool though was just too far what does scare me about the model railway retail model , is how much even a relatively small shop has to in effect fund in stock . one model shop I know is sat on say around £250k worth of stock but carries borrowings or in excess of £100k to fund that stock . Manufacturer payment terms are fairly short for an item that may sit for 3m , 6m, a year before being sold . Now I'm sure you will tell me that this is just retail (in which why would anyone do it ?) Model railways are relatively niche business with a comparatively small market and certainly one major manufacturer who blows hot and cold about model shops does not help and I wonder whether hattons trading with both Bachmann and Hornby in recent times has been a factor in the decision. There has to be a better way for manufacturers and shops to work in a way that doesn't shift all the stock holding costs from manufacturer to retailer quite as quickly as currently happens

For those visiting the Severn Valley Railway between Christmas and the winter steam up David Postle at the Kidderminster Railway Museum has asked me to share the following events that are on . I suspect Cafe is open as well for refreshments and the museum itself is always worth a look around December 27th daily to January 2nd, January 6th and January 7th - book fair, selling over a thousand rare and out of print railway books, most in mint condition, and extremely hard to find. In addition there are thousands of other railway books for sale, all at half the labelled price, plus new books from publishers Lightmoor Press and Kidderminster Railway Museum. Opening hours 10am to 5.00pm Janaury 6th - photograph fair, with thousands of photographs for sale from 20 tables of dealers. Kidderminster Railway Museum's own photograph archive will also be available. Opening hours 10am to 4.30pm.

https://tonystrainsofrugby.com/collections/exclusives From Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tonystrainsandtransport/posts/pfbid02azBbgKXECCEWoccwvTLQowXCtPoZ3t7mP5Ec2FHUgWnZfM5eHcj3P8N2NUt8i4WQl We have teamed up with our friends at Rapido Trains UK to bring you our first ever exclusive product! Utilising their new Lowmac tooling we are taking some minor liberties to produce the model in Great Central livery as a near representation of the Mac N, the wagon which evolved into the LNER Lowmac. Taking influence from Rapido's own decision to make the "Not Quite Mink" Range based on their GWR Iron Mink wagons. A minimum of 150 will be made and expected delivery is Q4/2024. Unusually for us we have had to take the decision to request either 25% Deposit (£10) or Payment in Full (£39.95) on ordering. This payment is due to having to pay Rapido a deposit on closing of the order book. However, if paying in full enter the discount code FACEBOOK at the checkout to save 10% on the total price. Postage can be paid at the same time or if you want to delay that payment until arrival select "collect in person" at checkout. I'm afraid ALL payments are NON-REFUNDABLE.

9681 at the Dean Forest Railway by Martin Creese, on Flickr although a little off topic and as an avid reader of the thread and an admirer of the creation, Monday found me deep in the forest hunting a pannier on ballast empties for Whitecliff quarry . Just before the sun set this is what I found

Very enjoyable afternoon on Sunday at Blaenavon . Very hot and humid and well done all for running the event . Coal Tank looks fabulous as dies Furness 20 . Timetable drifted through the day Footage from my youngest https://youtu.be/NI28DNZVpIM?feature=shared Blaenavon Steam Railway - 40th Anniversary gala by Martin Creese, on Flickr Blaenavon Steam Railway - 40th Anniversary gala by Martin Creese, on Flickr Blaenavon Steam Railway - 40th Anniversary gala by Martin Creese, on Flickr Blaenavon Steam Railway - 40th Anniversary gala by Martin Creese, on Flickr https://youtu.be/0316fKHGDLE?feature=shared eldests footage

slope sided mineral is one I'm looking forward too . Captioning images for a book currently and they turn up so regularly

https://www.minervamodelrailways.co.uk/news/minervas-next-locomotive-the-gw-56xx-0-6-2-tank/ Now on Minerva website too

It is perhaps all too easy criticising those who have left . Individuals rarely act solo though the actions or inactions of others empowered the decisions made . That said and despite many positives her departure is marked by the SVR being in a business sense in the worst place I have known it . The covid bounceback or as others who took one out call it , biteback loan is a major causal factor and the decision to take it out in hindsight was probably wrong . What is positive is the volunteers fabulously support the railway and from a lot of conversation have faith in the new the new general manager .

I'd be tempted to wait for the accounts to come out

For anyone planning on going over the weekend and please if you can do go and support the SVR , I've tried to bring everything that is on together in one place Timetable https://svr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Spring-Steam-Gala-Timetable-ALL-DAYS.pdf Tickets https://my.svr.co.uk/events?view=list&k=Spring-Steam-Gala Station updates Kidderminster Kidderminster Railway Museum should be open with their excellent cafe and book sale . Kidderminster shop and buffet Coalyard minature railway King and Castle Station fund stall Bewdley Bewdley station fund shop Erlestoke Manor Fund Shop GW SVR A Fund shop 813 fund shop Bewdley Buffet Bewdley Buffet, Fund Shop & Beer Tent opening times over Spring Steam Gala: Buffet: 8am-3.30pm Fri/Sat/Sun. Station Fund Shop: 10am-6pm Fri/Sat/Sun. Beer Tent: 10am-10pm Fri/Sat 10am-6pm Sun Arley Tom's Cabin will be open every day 11am till 3pm serving teas/coffee's and biscuits, run by the station volunteers. Come and have a cuppa! The station fund shop will also be open throughout the event. Highley Engine House and station cafe Hampton Loade Station open day Thursday and then the weekend Bridgnorth Bridgnorth buffet will be open tomorrow 8.30 - 1.30. LMS/BR Carriage fund shop Railwaymans Arms Fri, sat, sun will be open 8.30 - 4.30.

A very enjoyable day as part of a two day photocharter at the Bodmin and Wenford and Railway weather was a challenge and Spring hadn't quite arrived as Storm Mathis hit on Friday 30742 Charters - 5553 at the Bodmin and Wenford Railway by Martin Creese, on Flickr leaving Boscarne Junction 30742 Charters - 5553 at the Bodmin and Wenford Railway by Martin Creese, on Flickr arriving at Bodmin General 30742 Charters - 5553 at the Bodmin and Wenford Railway by Martin Creese, on Flickr Dreasons Woods 30742 Charters - 5553 at the Bodmin and Wenford Railway by Martin Creese, on Flickr Charlie's gate Video compiled by my youngest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQWVOHJQSw0 And by my eldest https://youtu.be/MMSVtOTPu_4 Many thanks to all involved at Bodmin for making us so welcome

Scots Guardsman put in a rare appearance in the midland on a Railway Touring Company, Manchester to Stratford upon Avon tour . This had the bonus of both ways along the North Warwicks line and my local station of Shirley Last of the snow at Earlswood Lakes 46115 Scots Guardsman - Railway Touring Company Manchester to Stratford by Martin Creese, on Flickr Shrewley on the ECS Turning movement 46115 Scots Guardsman - Railway Touring Company Manchester to Stratford by Martin Creese, on Flickr Video from my eldest Earlswood captured by my youngest His slightly different viewpoint of Shrewley and finally his footage in the rain of the return at Shirley . checked for the Preceding stopper

I think 18th March is being postponed as the industrial action that day means they cannot use Shrub Hill station

Hatton bank on the return Castle Centenary event at Didcot by Martin Creese, on Flickr Castle Centenary event at Didcot by Martin Creese, on Flickr Castle Centenary event at Didcot by Martin Creese, on Flickr Castle Centenary event at Didcot by Martin Creese, on Flickr and my eldest's video of the Birmingham - Didcot and return working which does include my hatton footage as well