Dubloseven

Hello everyone. Thanks for all your replies. I'm glad to find out a bit more about the loco. It seems there's quite a few around still and there is also a you tube video of one running. Kind regards, Cliff.

I think you might well be right actually. Sadly my ancient eyesight isn't what it used to be. Regards, Cliff.

I spent my formative years living just outside Holt and never knew that the Germans dropped any bombs around. Mind you it's not surprising given the installations around at the time. I remember exploring what was left of Matlaske air station and also the installation at West Beckham what ever that was. Is there anything left of it these days do you know ? Regards, Cliff.

Hello Gordon. Thanks for your reply. I've had a look with a magnifying glass and on the small plate underneath there's faint markings and a number "MARTUA" and 3992 Regards, Cliff.

​Good morning everyone. ​I wonder if anyone can throw any light on what this might be ? ​I've had this little loco since 1964 when it was a present from the Canadian branch of the family. Unfortunately if came without a box or instructions ​so I have no idea of who made it or any prototype info. There's no indication of a manufacturer on it and I feel sure it's not kit built. Attending many shows and toyfairs over the years I've never seen another like it. The body is diecast and it's quite weighty for it's size and it absolutely goes like the proverbial bat out of hell even after all this time. Many thanks, Cliff. [attachment=1002375:IMG_0448.

I would have picked up a copy as well but unfortunately I've been unlucky in the few places I've tried. All I managed to find was a single copy of last month's on Saturday. Has anyone else had similar problems ? Regards, Cliff.

Found myself waiting at Derby station yesterday and spotted 31452 and 50008 parked up next to platform 6. The 31 was in original green without crests and looking about ready for a repaint while the 50 was looking good in br blue. Unfortunately someone didn't have his camera with him. Regards, Cliff.

Visited yesterday and enjoyed an excellent show. Pleased to see this is now an established exhibition with a great venue . Well done Mike Wild and the Hornby Magazine team. Regards, Cliff.

Well...I've read the articles in BRM and RM ..and just watched the video. Absolutely brilliant. Definitely in the top five of my all time favourites. Looking forward to Stafford. Regards, Cliff.

Definitely looking forward to this and to Stafford show to see the actual layout again. Regards, Cliff

Noticed 37099 parked up in the sidings at Derby this afternoon. Also someone parked up a class 31 in a siding at the end of platform 5. Great to see all these locos still in use. Long may they continue. Regards, Cliff.

Just passed through Derby on my way home from the NEC. Never seen so many 37's all in one place. Regards, Cliff.

Do they still have open days at Toton or is this something else that's been consigned to history? Regards, Cliff.

There was an article in BRM a couple of years ago about upgrading one of these. Also there's a thread on here as well. If you type 'upgrading a Lima 42' LMS GUV' in search you should be able to find it. Also Peter's spares do replacement wheels for these vans too.. sadly I only found out about them after I'd filed the points off some Hornby wheelsets! Regards, Cliff.

I can't help thinking this driver should be prosecuted, fined and banned for six months. In addition, if it were down to me, they'd be required to attend a level crossing fatality to help the clean up and accompany the police officer to notify the next of kin ! Harsh I know but maybe it would get the message across ! Regards, Cliff.

In Derby myself today and look what was parked up ... ...looking very smart in the afternoon sunshine. Regards, Cliff.

After viewing the clip several times I have to agree with 96701. It looks to me like the guy was a chancer risking his life and that of his child. It's the train drivers I feel sorry for, having to put up with this sort of thing on what seems to be a very regular basis. Regards, Cliff.

They're not all over here in the UK then? Absolutely unbelievable. I suspect the train driver might be a little miffed given the way he's sounding the hooter!

You know you're getting ancient when you watch old episodes of 'The Sweeney' and can correctly identify every motor. Cliff.

Hello Russ I've a couple more photos in my collection. Both trackside this time. The first one I think is from just around the time of closure and the second one some years after when the main building had been demolished. If I recall correctly the old W.R. West building by this time was a wholesale grocery company and the yard contained a small shed manufacturer called Thaxters Portable Buildings. Hard to believe some 40 odd years have passed. Regards, Cliff.

At least someone managed to get a picture of this lovely old station a few years after closure before it was torn down. I cycled over that level crossing on many occasions back in the day.

What an absolutely marvellous layout. I used to know the area well having lived just the other side of Holt in the sixties and seventies. I can remember Holt station in its last few years of use. It's a pity the NNR couldn't get to Holt station itself and ultimately save it for posterity. Sadly it was finally demolished sometime later to make way for the Holt bypass and apparently there's a tyre depot on the site of the old goods yard now. Such is progress. Regards, Cliff

I might be able to help with this one. I've recently acquired a few Lima 42' parcels vans and fitted new modern couplings using the Bachmann screw-on mini version (36-025) although you might need the slightly longer ones (36-026) if you have tight curves on your layout. I went about this by first cutting off the old coupling frame and removing the hook which left an oblong of plastic still attached to the bogie. From the top, and not touching the actual bogie cross member I filed a few thou off the oblong so that the height would be right. Then having trimmed the ends of the new coupling to fit I then drilled a small hole through the plastic oblong and fitted the new coupling with a small self tapper although a small nut and bolt might do just as well. And there we have it...it couples up nicely to everything else and looks a whole lot better. If I can work out how to do it I'll post a photo when I get a moment which would probably make the explanation a lot more clear. Regards, Cliff

I've had mine running around the layout using a Gaugemaster D controller and had to take the dial way past 30 to get things moving whereas my class 15's will start smoothly around 20.

I picked up D8400 a couple of weeks back and I found the same thing. After a few hours running things improved but it still seems to take a lot of juice to get going and even on full power it's not exactly like a bat out of hell unlike some of my other Heljan stuff. Apart from that it's a great looking model. I think next time I buy a new loco I'll say I want to review it for a magazine; they always seem to get an example that runs smooth and quiet straight from the box.