33C

That's the kind of thing that could reinvigorate the trade. I love it, kids should love it, roaring around at 100mph! A shed full, in all different colours, eye-catching too. As a body/tender "kit", keeping costs low, and/or to be the add-on to juniors first train set, even as an armoured train, to introduce the "vintage classics" kits to a child's play, and making the triptych of rail, road and air! Could, at a stretch, encourage learning if the packaging had a potted history of the real thing and suggested liveries and other products to incorporate in play, like the old Matchbox kit boxes that used every surface for information and were artistic and genius.

Imagine "starter sets", containing chassis, choice of bodies, (steam or diesel), pack of options and paint, glue, brush and transfers. How much? £20-25 fair? Some great artwork on the header and, in a blister pack style, Airfix style, so you see what your getting. Almost a CKD or pocket money kit. (Hornby can nick this idea...)

Agreed. e.g. Airfix Tiger Tank, and P1127 @ £6.99 each. Hornby, "Triang commemorative", 0-4-0T, £17.99. (For the chassis) ......i'm now thinking how to combine all three.....a vertical take-off, heavily armed, TANK locomotive. New "BATTLESPACE" or the current "Thomas" cartoon...bedtime methinks...

It occured to me that, in the spirit of the thread, a pack containing a crane jib, large buffers, side skirts, extra cab and pony trucks, would be a great compliment to the current, Dapol, "Pug" kit, as a taster for bashing....

Just body and tender mouldings, designed to fit on proprietary chassis. We only wanted to motorise them back in the day anyway! (New York Central Hudson)

You mention "a modular kit". This sounds a great idea. A couple of stock bodies, (Tank, saddle, well or just boiler). Separate boiler mountings/fittings on a sprue. Sold together or separate, would cover a panopoly of classes. Even some colonial fittings, (Large Headlamps/cowcatchers.) would increase sales. Body interiors could have recessed guidlines, to show how much to cut out/away for your chosen 00/H0/009 chassis, so you would not have to faff about with body mounting points. Cab sides could be a large, flat, surface with fine lines prominent, to show cab design, and the purchaser cuts away until they have their required style. (The fine lines left are sanded smooth.) But, is this possible in the home printing world? Are YOU the next Kitmaster?!! (H0rn8y are nicking these ideas as i type, probably...)

It stays fresh right up to the day you throw it in the bin.......

If your a dab hand with this 3D printing malarkey, why not "Ivor the engine"!

You could lose the steps, buffers and the boiler mountings and add a selection of different types on a separate print. E.g. dumb buffers, sand boxes, ogee bonnets and giesel ejectors. The bunker looks a bit anorexic and would probably require an (internal user only?) auxiliary tender. Only my opinion!

I can't wait!

High winds and kilts don't mix!

Ockendon has this layout and 99% of the time we are signalled on the straight through platform, until peak periods where we revert to type to cross at the station. It can catch out irregular passengers who stand on the "up" platform, look confused about the amount of people on the "down" platform, and then do the mad dash over the footbridge. If they make the effort, we wait, if they dawdle, we don't. We have to clear the single line and junction on time otherwise there's a knock on. Moral: read the boards, all of it!

Is the view as good out of your office window!

I made two of the 2-4-0's. One uses the original kit wheels, the other, some Romfords i had lying about. Both utilise the Lima HO 4F tender drive for power with piano wire, wiper pick-ups on the rear of the drivers. Rover Damask red auto spray paint and hand lined. Both great runners. (Pics. 1+2, original kit wheels. Pic. 3, Romfords.)

A bit of fine fuse wire, wrapped around the split axle, keeps 'em steady!

Best rule of thumb. Look at the wheels on the class 31. They are pressed on to the nylon axles, which are "stepped", to prevent them going to far in. Measure the back to back and use that. Alternatively, find the best runner in your fleet, that navigates your points with the least bangin' and crashin', and measure the back to backs on that!

Sounds like a Lima Baldwin-alike.

Mess-room had a lead water pipe coming out the wall for water and a gas ring for heat, light and decoration. I still use a tin cup. Fill from the pipe, stick it on the gas ring to boil, add leaves, sugar and milk. Stir well. Lovely! (Don't forget the asbestos glove to take it off the heat.) The boat trains were still something to run, even towards the end. And the "Grey Ghost" in the box would always wave... A very spooky station at night..Kipping on cardboard boxes in the derelict, depot hut, but it was quite cosy and i always slept well.

That's a nice photo and plenty of modelling potential.

If it is fitted with thrust washers, these can seize on the shaft if kept in less than dry conditions. Remove, grease, replace.

Business at the front, party at the back!

A Fender Telecaster, 1981/2, numbers matching and fully banded, old gold beige..... ....under a thick coat of black paint! 3 days to get it all off and after some TLC, fully useable. Since sold. Also, on the same street, a massive collection of Airfix model 'planes, just chucked in from a loft conversion. Many years ago, when I was in demolition, a lot of boxed, Hornby, tinplate models fell out of a chimney flue on the top floor of an old victorian house that was coming down. Weird!

NO! Titanic 2...

A lovely photo, plenty of atmosphere.

I have seen an early trackplan from the late 19th century which shows the bays. The down Tilbury one was filled in, behind the current platform 3. The retaining walls at the London end show where the line ran in.