steve22

Simply to add my condolences to the many already expressed here. I confess to only buying something from Hatton's the once, a couple of Bachmann's Mk 2 coaches. They were such a bargain though that I decided to add two more to my order to give to a friend as a surprise gift. I can clearly recall their adverts from the Railway Modeller in the 1960s; they were as much essential reading to the young me as all the editorial. I worked in a model shop through most of the 1980s when many shops around were closing so I can imagine the worry that the staff will be facing. Again, I offer my condolences to all involved. Steve.

Taking in the scene overall; the backscene, the layout design, the tracklaying and the baseboard construction, there's some very fine 2D and 3D artwork here. Very nice. Steve.

You must be really pleased to find that after all these years! And great that it still works. Your layout seems quite extensive too - it must have been great fun. My brother and I, both in our sixties, often wonder what happened to some of our toys. Steve.

This is quite something - well done! Steve.

I totally agree. As soon as I saw Gopher's store, I thought of the buildings along one of the side streets on Peter Denny's Buckingham and felt it would look entirely at home there. Steve.

I ought to mention the opening times. Tues, Weds and Fri, 11am - 4pm. Thurs, 11am - 8pm. Sats 10 - 5pm. Sunday and Monday closed. Steve.

H Gareth, glad to be of service. You can sleep easy now! My memory for things in the long distance past is usually quite good. Then my wife spoils it all by saying to folk, "Yeah, now ask him what happened last week..." Steve.

My apologies if this has already been mentioned, but Jill's Trains opened up a few months ago in Quedgeley. Based in the Olympus Park, not far from Matalan. A small shop but a reasonable selection of stock, including quite a lot of second hand items. Mostly '00' but some 'N' as well. Second hand books too. It's very handy for me as it's just a mile's walk away. No connection except as a happy customer - on my first visit, just last week, literally the first thing I saw was a second hand Hornby BR black M7; something I'd been after for a while. Steve.

It's really good to learn of a new model shop in Shrewsbury. I'll tell my brother, although chances are he already knows. Mention of Hobby Specialists brings back many happy memories. Life for me as a teenager in the 1960s was very much centred around attending the Wakeman School on one side of the English Bridge and visiting Hobby Specialists on the other side. It was a very small shop but, as mentioned, it certainly stocked a variety of products. The electrical shop on Dogpole: I'm having to trawl hard through the memory banks...was it Durrant Electricals? Or maybe even Radio Rentals? Steve.

Sorry, late to this thread. Congratulations, Scouse889, Sir; the first post I've ever sung (in my head) rather than read! Mind you, speaking of heads, I'll have that tune in it all day now!! Just off to listen to the Pentatonix version now... Steve.

That's some nice work there. I'm impressed too. Steve.

Quite a labour of love, Mr. Manxman. And I did enjoy those outdoor photos. Steve.

I worked at the Newcastle branch of Beatties through most of the 1980s so I handled thousands of the bags of all sizes and never thought anything of it at the time. I do still have one though, I keep my Peco point templates in it. I think I may also have one similar to the above photo with a few bits and bobs in it, somewhere in the shed. Steve.

If people need A4 clear plastic pockets for filing pages saved from magazines, now I'm retired I have thousands of them, all empty and ready to go to another good home. Within reason I'll happily pay the postage if there's not too many folk clamoring after them! Alternatively, and off topic a bit, does anyone know how to recycle so many if there is no demand for them? Steve.

I think I read once that an actor got out of one of the cars when the screen behind showed that it hadn't quite stopped. Steve.

Yes, it's the boot space I remember, even though I was just a kid around nine or so and never saw a boot open. You could just tell. I had a preference for the Zephyr Four, I don't know why... And the colour I liked best was (I think) a blue, maybe not unlike BL's Teal Blue of the seventies. But I may be wildly out with the colours, it was so long ago. Steve.

I've got vague memories of a programme that would probably be 'Parkin's Patch'. Late sixties / early seventies? 'Z Cars' - those headlights coming on - yes I remember that! I really liked the Zephyr Four, Six and Zodiac of that era. Which one did they use in the series? I'd assume it was a Zodiac but I can't remember. They would say "Z Victor Two to Control" or something like that but it wasn't a Vauxhall. I once served Brian Blessed in the shop in Newcastle where I worked in the eighties. He must have been appearing in the Theatre Royal in Grey Street at the time. Steve.

I was thinking that; mid 60s Trix locos and coaches were approx 3.8mm scale. Admittedly, Flying Scotsman c 1968 was 4mm. I've just thought; their wagons didn't look under scale at the time, at least not to me. Were they actually 3.8mm or 4mm in the mid 60s - anyone know? Steve.

The Freightliner wagon and the Brush Type 4 were the first thing that came into my mind. I still think about them even now, wondering what the models if produced would have looked like. A bit off-topic - when I worked in a model shop I was fooled by a customer who brought in something he had created - a Lima 09 with a slave unit (Class 13?) But he craftily put it in a Mainline loco box and for a brief moment I was totally convinced of some sort of completely unannounced collaboration between Lima and Palitoy.

I've just been given a couple of vouchers for Model Railways Direct as a retirement gift so I naturally came to this thread to 'gen up' on the establishment. I'm obviously glad that they have earned great respect among Forum members and I look forward to viewing their website and making my purchase. Sorry, somewhat off-topic, but as the issue has been commented on, and I fully accept that posties do come in for some 'stick' (I also worked for the Post Office many years ago) please allow me to describe my situation when I worked in retail. Admittedly, I'm going back many years, and maybe it only happened to me, but in my experience of working in a shop, sometimes trying to cover a model railway section (and occasionally a radio control section simultaneously) whilst trying to get a parcel to the Post Office wasn't exactly akin to just putting something in a box. I'd get out of the shop to post the parcel any brief moment I had and, although I'd do my best, that moment wasn't always the same day I wrapped it up. Steve.

Rich, if you do get over, please give Dave best wishes from many of us here who have made purchases in his shop. When I had meetings in Exeter I always caught the earlier train so I could call in at the shop. I only met him in his shop several times but he always had time for a chat and he always seemed a very friendly and instantly likeable guy. Steve.

Mark, I hope it gives you comfort that we are now all aware of this lovely couple who were so good to you. Thanks also for 'sharing through the tears'; very brave and noble of you. Steve.

I'd go along with that suggestion. I've used something similar myself to prevent coaches clipping. I now use setrack spacing on the straights as well, regardless of which points I use, but that's just me and, of course, it's wider than the more prototypical six foot spacing that you're aiming for. Steve.

Not a shim remedy (and therefore easily discarded), but something I read a great many years ago, possibly in the MRC hints and tips page, was to fill the gap with papier-mâché. When almost 'set', very gently push through your loco, wagon or whatever with the deepest flange. This would create a groove below which nothing could fall. In the intervening half century or so I don't recall ever reading of this idea again but, as Norman Clegg might say, I offer it up for what it's worth. Steve. (I suppose if it doesn't work you just dig it out!)

I'd like to add my name to the many that found Penhayle Bay such an inspiring layout. Thanks for creating it Rick. Steve.