brianusa

Once these locos are incarcerated in museums, its usually the death knell for any future restoration endeavours even if it were possible Brian.

Is it really necessary to compartmentalise those who purchase model trains? We all enjoy our chosen aspect of the hobby; I have a tinplate layout of British and American trains and I don't' expect to be derided because of my choice of modelling. If you are a scale person (insert your own adjective), then enjoy your aspect of this hobby. RM Web has sections for various modelling preferences and many comment on each others efforts to recognise other modellers expertise in the hobby. Brian

Hi Joey, where are you located; you are lucky to have a model shop that sells anything British, let alone GWR. We have just lost our last train shop, not that he sold any foreign trains! There is so much to interest you on this site alone that you won't need to travel far but if there is anything specific, just ask and someone will have an answer. I currently have an 20x16 O tinplate layout so am not much use but a lot here certainly are so keep in touch. Brian.

We went through this scale thing before, with passengers. Presumably the same applies with donkeys who come in all shapes sizes and ages. brian.

A comely wench, forsooth! Brian.

If this is serious musing, my advice (FWIW) is to do it early on when you don't have to spend a lot to equip all the stock and locos that you nay accumulate over the years over the years. Kadee's in large numbers can get expensive! Brian

Much has been made about prices and sales, etc. Also the seasonal changes which is a bit doubtful unless I'm the only one who plays trains all year long! The average model train enthusiast by very factor that he is into toy trains is not without means. To be able to afford the hobby to the full in this day and age, one has to have a decent income with enough discretionary spending ability to afford it all. Sadly it is no longer a pocket money pursuit! If our deep pocketed enthusiast is also into golf, boats or other expensive pursuits, then perhaps he is wary and observes all the sales options but for the dedicated train hobbyist it is advantageous to be able to add to the collection whenever the opportunity arises. Brian.

What is the difference between a Siding and a Refuge Siding? Brian

Thanks for this - most interesting. I always wondered what happened to these after BR as they were usually found around the Cattewater and the Turnchapel branch for many years. Brian

Another problem these days but its unthinkable that such a thing would happen at North Road Station. Not exactly a dodgy area. Brian.

Amidst all the sausages, a really nice picture of tanker bankers on Dainton summit. Never seen the Up siding in use before. Brian.

Its different; I'll say that! Brian.

Passengers are a bit of a problem as they don't do anything! They stand on their little pedestals all day, not moving while trains whiz by them, not getting on even if a train stops. Their size, especially if they are seated in a carriage is immaterial as they can hardly be seen anyway. As there is no actual scale size person as long as they appear to be in the realms of reason either OO or HO will suffice. So they stand there motionless but at least they fill platform space and prevent empty carriages where in reality, that's the only place they should be, sitting down! Brian.

What are the prospects for service improvement to Exeter? Brian.

In the middle of the last century when spotting mad, we used to go to Exmouth Junct. to see exotica never seen at North Road or Friary. It was exciting to see something other than T9s, Ns, M7s or small Bulleids. Merchant Navies, King Arthurs and various tank exotica soon helped fill the Southern ABCs Sadly never got to see LNs or Schools except on trips to London where parents got in the way of any spotting. They always wanted to go shopping or see shows and all that boring stuff which is part of the deal now when my wife an I come home on holiday! Brian.

Wouldn't like to take that too far or too fast on the Motorway! Brian.

<<The Lodge for Laira in the 50s/60s was a sort of Prefab building on the north side of the main line, opposite the Laira Up Sidings where the Auto Trailers used to be placed. The track into the Depot from the road that served that Lodge was how we got in a lot of the time as it was opposite the Coaling Plant 'ramp' and about 400 yards from the Foreman's Office! I can remember the smell of that shed on a hot summer's afternoon to this day.................................such memories.>> Phil, don't know if you knew that these also served as the local railwaymens social club also. My Dad, being a keen snooker player took me with him and the best part for me were all the old name and number plates which covered the walls. I often wondered what happened to them - must be worth a fortune these days! Brian.

Busy times on the railway with GW Lionel Hall on the Down line and Hornby County on an Up service. Brian.

Despite SS of Sunny Plymouth's not very flattering comments of Bulleid's finest, even in the midst of Gods Wonderful Train Set, many of us on 'the Lane' at North Road, welcomed them as a change from the usual assortment of Great Westernry. Indeed starting off from Platform Seven to Friary invariably featured a fine smoky departure accompanied the usual noisy wheel slip. Sometimes only with a few carriages! Since then, I always thought they looked great; the 'streamlining' was a turn on to the kids in those days but the de-streamlining spoiled the whole image and made them look like any old 4-6-2. But I still liked them and considering their number today, many others must have also. Brian.

Luckily plans for wires west of Taunton or Bristol for that matter, have never materialised. The GW main line is an excellent example of why and who wants all that catenary spoiling the country side and the trains. Brian.

I liked it! The anticipation of a train rounding the far curve and suddenly coming into view and disappearing exit left... This immediately followed: Brian.

As we grow further and further away from the golden age, our perception of locos and railways in general changes dramatically. Picture this, many years ago the Good Capt'ns description of 1369s as 'cute' would have been reason to become discharged from the Ian Allan Book Club and stripped of Hornby Railway Club badges, but now not a murmur in protest. Its all right for my wife to call most things cute but a recently retired Orange Army general..........................? Seriously, they are cute as are the 1361s and any CMR loco and woe betide anyone who challenges the new lexicon of railway descriptions no matter the brand. Brian.

Surely the problem is the inability to add extra carriages as has been mentioned. While overcrowding has been a problem since the early days(?) there is little excuse for it now except for the fact that it would be difficult to add the extra carriages to the modern HSTs and equivalent trains. The lack of extra anything these days means that once there were extra carriages in sidings, they couldn't be easily added because of the complex hook ups, coupling, etc in todays trains, on top of which there are no locos to shunt them. As long as railways are run on a shoe string and without the necessary investment this problem can only continue and get worse. Brian.

"I did think when I fist saw the story "Is this the end for first class" that we had long since lost any semblance of first class government....." It would appear that it a lot of the world is you are not alone and certainly no worse than the current US government, if indeed it can be called that. A lot of the worlds leaders suffer the same problems Brian.

Thanks to 'The Coroner' on TV, I get to see how things have changed in the South Hams. Indeed there are scenes I don't even recognise Thanks for the logical explanation of the STOP board at Yealmpton; goods trains certainly outlasted any passenger but I did get to ride one just after the war, on a Sunday School excursion from Friary. Brian