2750Papyrus

I have always felt Ullapool should have been rail connected and look forward to future posts.

My experience is that setting a metered connection does not inhibit W10 from checking what updates are available. Some subsequent updating may occur even when metered connection is set if MS consider it essential.

Did anyone else notice "ridership"?

When I was fortunate enough to visit LB (concerning either the J6 or V4), I asked if you had considered backdating it to LNER days. You felt this was impractical due to the sheer volume of locomotives and rolling stock which would be required. I am therefore delighted to hear that the Grantham team will be "importing" their stock to LB and look forward to this combination of two of the foremost ECML lines. Should be a great video! There should be a number of dynamometer cars available by then - will Mallard's run be recreated?

I have just read "Henry Charles Webster - Man of Steam" by Dorienne Roughley. Webster was Assistant District Locomotive Superintendent at King's Cross in the 1930s. After retirement he wrote "2750 Legend of a Locomotive", which was a major influence in forming a nine year old's future interests and passion! Of relevance to our topic heading is an anecdote regarding an A3 which had arrived from Peterborough on two cylinders. The middle big end strap and brasses were missing and the piston head was resting on the bogie stretcher. The driver claimed not to have heard it go and that there was nothing wrong with the exhaust beat after he had pulled her up, whilst he ascribed what must have been a very bad steam blow to a gland gone. Is anyone able to comment on this reported incident?

It's not just about hardware, there is also a major problem with regard to crewing the limited number of ships that do exist. Ten years ago a former CPO told me that ships sailed with up to 30% less complement than they were designed for, and a number of ships have been taken out of service because they cannot be crewed. 25 years ago, following the break-up of the Warsaw Pact, there was a demand for a "peace dividend" because of the perceived reduced threat. Maybe we now need a "Peace Investment" due to the apparent increased threat? Increasing recruitment and retention programmes would, in the short term, enable existing ships to be retained and fully crewed. Similarly, I would have thought F35 procurement could be accelerated fairly easily so that the carriers could operate the air groups they were designed for. Increasing the ship build programme is probably more difficult politically/financially

The original Hornby B17 was named and numbered for U but contained transfers for three alternatives. I think these included Liverpool an Arsenal but can't remember the third - maybe one of the Sheffield clubs?

Whilst I agree with most of the comments regarding York, Shildon is just too remote for many people and does not appear to offer much In terms of local attractions for family members who do not want to spend all day looking at dead trains.

46 years and you still don't know what colour you want it in!

Are the referenced emails those updating progress on the model or do they request payment? If the latter, I at least have not received it.

A great video of an inspirational layout. I'm supposed to be gardening but couldn't resist "just watching the trains go by".

Damn! Knew I should have joined 50 years ago - but couldn't afford it.....

In the first week of my Mech Eng degree course in 1965 we all had to complete a questionnaire relating to the status of engineers compared with other professions - the problem of professional recognition has been around for a long time. Part of the problem is probably historical - to a large extent we were pioneers and as scope of engineering grew the word "engineer" came to be applied to many different disciplines and skills whereas those who followed were able to generate individual terms. The mass media don't help - compare "Scientists are celebrating the successful launch of the mission" with "Engineers are investigating the failure".

I think the third wagon in the Bachmann set (at least it's coupled to the other two on my layout!) was Wrights of Colchester. Not strictly a wagon but Mainline produced a very colourful container for Frasers' of Ipswich, whose EBay appearances are occasional and expensive!

I visited on the Saturday, arriving before opening so parking was easy. Enjoyed the show greatly, one of the better local shows, used to be at Huntingdon race course. I enjoyed The Summit. Watching the trains go by did remind me of Stoke but I did the think the mix of stock was a bit eclectic. Presumably the cost of O gauge stock limits what is affordable to club members. Does kit build time increase with the scale or does "less fiddly" compensate for increased size? The second layout I particularly enjoyed was Sidmouth. Interestingly, it wasn't till I moved to the end of the layout and looked back along the track that I remembered it was P4. Viewed from the front, the height of the rail and sleeper spacing of the chaired track struck me but not the gauge! Poor running on other layouts - yes, quite a lot. Being so soon after show opening, I was not surprised but it should have improved by Sunday lunchtime. The choice of trade stands was about right for me and I spent more that I had budgeted on electrical and scenic bits. I'm a bit surprised the arena is being closed and redeveloped and wonder how much the charity will lose in donations and general interest from visitors to non-animal events.

Taking the "P" out of Thompson (would we?) gives us Thomson, after whom a gazelle common to East Africa was named, This would suggest that the collective noun should be a herd, eg "a herd of Tommies".

Model Rail's March issue has an article on Bachmann 2018 releases with a list of "highlights" including 31-998, LMS 10001 in BR black/silver.

In my student apprenticeship days in the 60s, I spent some time in Work Study, where regular tasks were timed with a stop watch. To these measured times were added various allowances (eg time to go to the toilet was known as "relaxation time" -2.5% for males, 4% for females) to establish a Standard Time. Subsequent elapsed times were then compared with this Standard and a performance percentage calculated. So if a worker didn't consume the allowances - or just worked faster - he/she could well exceed 100% performance. Incidentally, I was once told of a work study engineer who married a prostitute. In three months he'd dragged her down to his level...........

Still one of my favourite exhibition layouts - just watching the (convincing) trains go by.

Isn't it spelt "dire rear"?

I have the same when trying to change my World of Railways password.

Under pressure from Mrs 2750, I am starting to declutter. First to go will be British Railway Modelling and Model Rail, from start of publication to date. If anyone is interested, plse PM otherwise they go for recycling.

Personally, I would prefer BRM to concentrate on the printed magazine as I feel it has rather lost its way and is no longer any different from its competitors. What happened to the "If it's a kit we build it, if its not we take it apart" philosophy? I have taken both BRM and Model Rail from their first issues but am now considering dropping one of them.

I'm sure many of us use feedback controllers and they are still actively marketed by Gaugemaster. I personally find it a little odd that manufacturers use motors which are apparently incompatible. It would therefore be a great help if magazines identified any issues such as the supposed vulnerability of coreless motors when reviewing models - and possibly to test them on a variety of different controllers.

I am looking for a small quantity of H & M passing contact switches to match my existing.