brianusa

They probably said the same thing about early Japanese imports! Brian.

Were all GW brown vans considered addonable to passenger trains? Brian

Actually, it was a good idea, probably easier than the second and with less hassle! Brian.

For all the benefits of taking ones own pictures, for those on the ground a row of heads in top lights or cameras thrust out doesn't do anything for their pictures. Also the viewing is all shaky and blurred and really not worth the effort especially as about all you see is assorted trackside weeds and buildings, depending on where you are.. Brian

Pop music died for me in 1966! Nice music lasted a little longer but when rock and roll and worse became the norm, that was it! Brian.

Hi Alan, I had mine out when I was five. Still here over seventy five years later and a lot of trains since then! Brian.

Hopefully that's not some early scrappers stored on the back siding! Brian.

We used to get off at Polsloe Bridge halt to go around 72A. Exciting times! Brian.

Michael, had I been around then, I would have been upset when the GW removed some of the Duke nameplates that coincided with passengers destinations, mostly in the West Country! Brian.

I'm not sure naming new aircraft with sombre names is a good idea considering todays terrorism threat and the recent faux pas of United and Delta. They have to keep the customers coming and people need to feel good about getting on an aircraft in spite of all the hassles and the disgraceful economy classes that most have to endure. Qantas usually has good enough names as it is so why is there a need for public input. Pan Am (RIP) had the right idea with their Clippers; Bermuda Clipper, China Clipper, etc; all promised new horizons with luxurious and pleasant travel in comfort getting there. Brian.

One I've known from an early age; Shaugh Bridge on the Tavistock branch. Sometimes there was a booking office inside to the left of the door but have no idea when or how it was staffed. Picture from an unknown source. Brian.

A little difficult these days to find your basic halt. The nearest these days usually comes with a bus shelter which is certainly not very photogenic and hardly worth the effort. The older variety sometimes had oil lamps, a railway wire fence or if you were lucky, spear fencing and fancier gas lamps, maybe even a pagoda shelter. Brian.

In my 'cool' days about this era, late fifties, Crestas and Zodiacs were the cars of choice. I had a Velox similar to the Cresta shown and for some reason sun visors were de rigeur along with head lamp visors. I added similar accoutrements to my Zodiac and the Vanguard of the same period. Big engines, bench seats, column shifts; no little pimple cars in those days, we wouldn't be seen dead in those ! I rather think the idea was to make them look more American and fit in with the music, films and other images of the era. Brian.

Apart from the wagons, what an interesting picture. Three way point, wagon turntable and a weighbridge all in the same photo as well as the shunting horses and all the other railway ephemera long gone. Brian.

Now you've gone and derailed in the murk! Brian.

Lovely old picture, although could someone turn off the 'aged look'! Brian.

At the risk of being simplistic to Ozex's thoughts, while his three solutions did the trick, each would be too expensive these days and 'People seem to take it as a right they should be able to drive a new upmarket car, wear designer clothes, go on foreign holidays three times a year regardless of whether they earn enough to support such a lifestyle', also 'The British people are, by and large totally complicit in causing the financial crisis by not exercising self control,' are the main reasons why both countries suffer the same fools and the problems they create for themselves. Saying that, many have accomplished the 'good life' without resorting to bankruptcy, foreclosure or others and continue to hopefully prosper. It has to be mentioned that if one is uneducated or undereducated these days, there's a good chance of ending up in these sorry situations with little hope for the future. In this country, the average immigrant coming over the southern border has little chance of success while the more educated Indian and Asian newcomers do quite well. In Europe, how will all the immigrants crossing the Med ever get on and what will it do to the society that exists today; the one they all want to get to? The system doesn't allow for it these days and while neither my wife nor I went on to higher education other than grammar school, we have not suffered and have accomplished much, mainly in the US. It would be hard to do that in this day and age. Being older has its advantages as we seemed to learn more at an early age then! Was it due to more discipline, stricter teachers, more respect for authority or what? Brian.

Staverton. Brian.

Layout naming is usually a personal thing. One is reminded of a holiday or a certain picture which has been lurking at the back of ones mind. It is fairly easy to come up with an original, look up on an atlas or area map to see local names. Cornwall is easy; stick Tre, Pol or Pen in front and you have a Cornish locale. For the rest of rural UK, add ton, or field or perhaps mouth depending on where it is Something church or newton might be an alternative. Or you can just use an actual name in the vicinity to be modelled. Whatever it will be it appears to be off to a good start! Brian.

As an ex pat, I have lived abroad for a long time now and never voted in a UK election. By the same token being a UK citizen, have never voted in a US election either. In the most recent case, I'm glad to have nothing to do with the disastrous outcome!! Brian.

This whole project is a great record of a certain place and time. Not well known except to those who are familiar to the area. Brian.

A long time ago hen we were very young and were train spotters, in order to satisfy our craving for more numbers it was decided to write down the numbers on buses in our exercise books! It was OK out on the streets but it took many a trip to the local bus garage to satisfy ensure we had them all. This was very much like shed bashing, complete with the irate foreman! But it didn't last, buses weren't trains and so the fad died and was left to the genuine aficionados to carry on, apparently to this day. Whether there is enough support for its own section is open to conjecture, but a few words on Wheel Tappers should bring results Brian.

Thanks to the two examples, it just shows how mundane are the BR diesels, especially in various shades of blue, and as for the yellow panels, do it properly blended in with the appropriate livery. There used to be a on line site where such colour manipulations were shown to great advantage. Similarly, the constant renaming of locos is getting a bit old. All right for one off events, funerals, etc, but if I take the trouble to see a particular favourite, then I want to see the real thing, not some imitator. Surely, the owners can do what they like with their property, just don't do it so often. One day, there will be a glorious c**k up and nobody will know who's, who! Brian

One down, one to go! Brian.