Chris116

Work finally recommenced with the wiring being completed yesterday so the plan for today was to run a ceremonial first train. The honour was given to the British incarnation of the layout, Elmstone, but the plan then was for the stock and station to be changed to allow a Wisconsin Central loco haul a train into the loop and shunt the yard. Sadly the direction switch of my Gaugemaster Combi controller disintegrated before the first British train could depart. The first Wisconsin Central service will now have to wait for a new Combi controller being purchased and delivered. The first British train in the station. The sadly empty Depot still awaiting the first Wisconsin Central service.

Wiring now completed so a running session seemed the best way forward. One of my J70's, 68223, hauled the four GNR Genesis coaches into the station from the fiddle yard as a ceremonial first train with the Ivatt 2MT 41304 ready to couple onto the back of the train to take the first train back to the fiddle yard but at that point things went wrong. The direction switch on my Combi controller appears to have disintegrated when I tried to move the Ivatt off the loop line to join the train. So it looks like any celebration will have to wait for delivery of a new Combi controller.

Sorry, I have just checked the other photos I took and none of them show the headboard.

I note that earlier in this thread there has been some talk about the Ruislip Lido railway which I paid a visit on 10th August when they had a two train service with one steam and one diesel in operation giving a 20 minute headway. The two trains were running using a simple token system with the trains passing at Eleanor's Loop and exchanging the tokens at that point. Both trains had ten coaches behind the loco and were well loaded.

I would have got the GER rather than the GNR had the GER not been in the second batch and being impatient decided the GNR would be close enough to the J70 BR livery and since it is a preservation line it didn't matter. Having got the coaches I think I made the right choice.

So 18 months later and I haven't got the wiring done but it should be finished by the end of this week. I now have some suitable coaches to run behind the two J70's I own and look forward to the arrival of the Rapido Wisbech and Upwell tram coaches I have on order. The Hattons Genesis coaches are in GNR livery and I am very pleased with them. Given that the layout is supposed to be a preservation society run line the fact that the Wisbech coaches and the J70's are in BR livery and the Genesis ones are in GNR livery does not cause me a problem.

I ordered the set of four GNR coaches which arrived about ten days ago as requested. Finally got around to getting them out of their boxes and onto the layout. Very pleased with how they look and hope by the end of this week to have the wiring finished so I can have a good operating session.

I just tried to get in on my mobile and it said I did not have permission to see my followed threads! Signed in again and it is all working fine. From my memory this seems to happen about once every three to four months so not really a problem just an annoyance.

It certainly looks like 1612 to my eyes.

I wonder if Jim does all the 'can you just jobs' just to keep us well supplied with photos?

I thought those were called buffers! Which is what we are going to hit if this line of reasoning continues.

Trouble is they have never shown any ability at reading or coming to a reasoned conclusion.

How do you know the prices in Victoria's Secret?

In the last year I was working for London Underground we sadly had a passenger jump in front of a train while I was on duty. All the staff present were helping passengers while clearing the station and enabling the fire, police, ambulance and LUL Emergency Response Unit to get on with their jobs. I assisted two visually impaired passengers walk from West Brompton to Earl's Court so they could continue their journeys. When I got back to West Brompton I was greeted by a person who was extremely rude about his being delayed and the fact that he knew I worked at West Brompton so why had I been skiving while everyone else was making out there was an emergency. Thankfully a police officer heard what he was saying and escorted said person away so I didn't have the chance to tell him exactly what I thought of his comments. In every severe delay or emergency situation there was always someone who acted in a similar manner and it is very hard not to react in an unprofessional manner. Thankfully what I said in such situations never matched what I was thinking.

It depends on what aspect the signal is showing.

They need to have painted lines on the road to show where the parked cars are out of the way like they have in many parts of the Croydon Tramlink.

I fear that you are now going to tell us you failed to get a photo of said unique formation! Just can't get the staff.

I would be surprised if they are going that quickly.

That is not a board, it a pile of planks!

Looks like it has had a very positive side effect!

After all this time the driver should be standing by the signal to phone the signalman.

I well remember the closure of all London Underground ticket offices. The public were told that it would mean more staff around stations. For approximately a year that was true but once nearly 1000 staff had taken voluntary severance my local stations went from having a Supervisor, a Ticket Office clerk and a gate line member of staff to being run by one member of staff who can be anywhere on the station doing their duties but how does a member of the public know where the staff are when they need help?

Is that taken from the multi storey car park in Lincoln?

I would suggest a large handful of treats and a full bowl of food may see you escape too much harsh treatment.