Jock67B

Morning Nick, Send me your e-mail address and I'll gladly attach the shot of the said OAA for you. Good luck with next weeks domestic scene. Kind regards, Jock67B. aka Jack Kerr - jackjokerr@btinternet.com

Late good morning all, called to duty by grandsons partner with an early hospital appointment - third great grandchild due very soon! (don't feel old enough for this). Track engineering work is over and this morning we are back to mundane EMUs running past the garden, albeit much quieter on the new welded track. No real excitement yesterday afternoon other than missing a photo of 66413 as it headed to base wrong line with the spare JNAs and YKAs! Sunshine means it will be hard to avoid the green stuff again today! The recent post from Ashcombe, which I have just read, certainly gives cause for thought - it would appear that the more one loves and respects a person, the deeper the despair caused by their passing. As we get older, sadly, this becomes a more regular occurrence. Although we have not yet had a dialogue I am sure that, along with many other members, I will be thinking of you over the next few days. Kind regards, Jock67B.

Got it completely wrong in the dark - put it down to tiredness or lack of experience of later types! The now empty ballast train left Clacton on the wrong line and I caught it on camera (I'll try to learn to upload the shots for you if you are interested). The lead loco was 66725 in GBRf livery and that at the tail, 66508 in Freightliner colours. The train was in fact made up of MHA and MTA with odd ones at the rear as follows: OAA with caged mesh side doors instead of wooden ones and some bits of wood lying on the floor; MFA which I couldn't read until I zoomed in; a really tatty OBA with lots of inset repairs on the wooden sides; an FJA with the 'J' blacked out, also with caged mesh sides and some bits of wood on the floor. Hope this is of interest, kind regards, Jock67B.

Update to previous new track post! As luck would have it, I was in the garden with camera in hand when the (now empty) ballast train came past on the wrong line from Clacton so I finally got to see the loco(s). Leading was 66725 in GBRf livery, the train being mainly made up of MHA and MTA wagons with, at the back, odd ones: OAA with caged mesh side doors replacing the wooden ones, an MFA, a really tatty OBA with lots of inset repair pieces and an FJA (with the 'J' blacked out for some reason) which also had caged mesh sides. The loco pushing at the rear was 66508 in Freightliner livery. If Southern42 would like a few of the pics, I will gladly oblige - May try to learn how to upload them from my PC when I get time. Volunteered to attack some of the green stuff now in order that I'll be in the garden for anything else that might happen along! Enjoy the rest of your Palm Sunday, Kind regards, Jock67B.

Hi BoD, surely 'In Search of Lost Time' could sum up a lot of aspects of railway modelling? Ask the wife for instance! Kind regards, Jock67B. PS only strange little muddy things from the sea here now Trisonic!

Morning rs4, as a postscript to above, my latest early risers post is about me staying up till 2am watching the ballasting of the new track. Long train of JNAs mixed with what looked like JWAs (is this likely?). The weathering on these 12inch to the foot models looked almost as good as yours!! A bizarre thought occurred at that time of night - I have been reading back through your excellent weathering thread in order that I can learn some useful methods for my paltry 16T and old G&SWR wooden mineral wagons when I came across post no. 40 from Capt. Kernow. I am simply surprised that this raised no quips about 'Captains Log' ! On that note, 'beam me up Scottie'. Kind regards, Jock67B.

Pretty tough that Peter, ending up in Clacton on the last train. Must have done the same as I have now lived here for 29+ years.Loved the 'Big Apple' when I visited a couple of times - slightly different pace of life however ( always left more tired than when I arrived!). Kind regards, Jock67B.

Good morning all, late riser today due to staying awake until 2am watching the track laying by floodlight from my bedroom window! After the science of the afternoon, the ballasting seemed a much more 'low tech' affair. A long train of ballast wagons, JNAs and what looked like some JWAs, crept along the down line whilst a couple of 'diggers' with buckets moved back and forth on the new track, simply scooping out the ballast and dropping it in piles (regularly clouting the sides like the J. Arthur Rank gong at after midnight!). They later moved along the line scraping the ballast into some sort of level, the noise was similar to a teacher scraping her nails on the blackboard! Luckily Archie the Westie guard dog stayed asleep! Checked at 8.30 this morning and the ballast seems to be completely covering the 'sleepers' and has quite a pronounced ridge either side of the track. Their is a team of men a little way up the track that appear to be using shovels - I'll check when they get closer. I regret that sleep overtook me before I saw the motive power for the ballast train; I could hear it ticking over in the distance but was comatose before it passed! I have my decorators ladder by the back fence and hope for some photo opportunities later but I'm fairly sure I missed some movement in the night. All this is a far cry from the 16T ballast wagons and ex-G&SWR wooden ones that did this job when I was young. Hope the weather is as beautiful in your part of the world as it is here. Thank you all once again for your kindness, Kind regards, Jock67B.

Well rtrevor, they say you learn something every day - stayed at the 'Braes Hotel' Brora often in the early 70s. I was ( perhaps too ) familiar with the distillery but had no idea there was a brickworks as well! Thanks for the info and the fascinating blog, keep up the good work, kind regards, Jock67B.

Evening rs4, just put a post on early risers about watching the incredible 'Balfour Beattie' track laying machine with a very long train of FEABs in tow ( sadly didn't count them!). The way they have been combined, complete with running tracks for the shuttle that feeds the steel 'sleepers' to the front would give you a very complex task, but one which I am sure you would meet from the evidence seen already!! Thought of your images while watching and, should you wish, I took photos which I haven't yet processed, and you would be welcome to copies should you decide to climb this particular mountain. Kind regards, Jock67B.

Thanks for the tip Il Grifone, thought there must be some sort of angle! Kind regards, Jock67B.

Thank you one and all for your very kind and supportive messages - they mean so much. I've been on domestic duty most of the afternoon but managed a couple of fascinating hours watching the incredible 'Balfour Beattie' track laying vehicle from the top of a decorators ladder, only a few feet from my garden fence! What an incredible device, laying almost complete track as it moves along!! The chap in the shuttle that flies back and forth to feed in the steel 'sleepers' seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself. The FEAB wagons would take some modelling? Missed taking photos of the 66 as the camera battery was flat. Got quite a few of the track laying later however so I'll try to upload and transfer them if I can. I now look forward to being an early riser tomorrow in the hope that some more interesting engineering ( my subject at college albeit with a slide-rule! ) is on show. Goodnight and kind regards, Jock67B.

Absolutely right iL Dottore, transplanted in early teens to Essex - my late father always said that there were some good 'missionary positions' going here!! Never did take up smoking but of course, spent a lot of time in pubs so probably ingested as much as some with the habit. My cancers are in the pelvis (2) and the ribs as secondaries from the kidney but, diagnosed this time last year, it would appear that the new drugs now available are remarkable and seem to be containing the tumours. Of the philosophy that I am living with cancer, not dying from it, I mention my condition, not to seek sympathy but to illustrate your point - none of us know when we will hit the buffers, only that we will one day. To lighten things, this wonder drug (Pazopanib) taken as pills nightly, looks that it may give me enough time to realise some of the railway modelling that I dreamt about before enforced retirement. I hope to make a representative model of Hurlford MPD where my dad was a driver on the G&SWR. I was lucky enough to live for some years in the railway maisonettes nearest to the shed and you will notice me to the right of the nameplate in my avatar in c.1953! The first module, (I thought it prudent to proceed in stages) the coaling stage, is on the drawing board awaiting funding. Thank you for your input, like Oldddudders, I have found RMWeb to be friendly and supportive. I feel that I have a fantastic team of people, medics and family around me and now a growing number of friends who bolster my resolve. Kind regards, Jock67B.

Hi rs4, only recently found your thread and am most impressed. As a matter of interest to a purist like yourself, some of the JNAs at the end of my garden this morning (I put a post in 'early risers' about track re-laying outside my house this morning.) had marks/dents on the top edge of the sides and it wasn't long before the cause became obvious, the buckets on the machines clearing the old ballast quite often hit them with a resounding clang which, along with the tick over noise from 66413, failed to impress our Westie self styled guard dog! Keep up the brilliant work, Kind regards, Jock67B.

Good afternoon iL Dottore, are cigars and whiskey what a doctor would recommend? Don't use the former but the current nightcap is a Macallan and very fine indeed and so I shall have to now say 'medically recommended'! As to the animals, we have had a pedigree Westie for all of his 7 years (now nut free for any allergic readers) and he exhibits a cunning that most cats would be pleased to match. That said, having been against a dog at the outset, I now have to confess that he has become an integral part of our lives and both I and the domestic management feel enriched by the experience! As an aside to DonBradley (see post above), thank you for the welcome - as a fairly recent member I haven't had much experience of this thread but am greatly enjoying reading the 'back nos.' When it can attract members from afar like yourself, Oldddudders, 1216 025, iL Dottore, the thread and RMWeb can only go from strength to strength, thank you all for lightening the burden of my current illness and very kind regards, Jock67B

Hello all, I know it's slightly 'off thread' but perhaps in the same vein, if like me you believe in the principle that you get nothing for nothing. Just reading the insert with May 'Hornby' magazine (I know, but we must have something to show how good our BRM is!) which offers a Carters tow truck and trailer for only £1.99 with free p&p. Surely there has to be some catch or am I just getting wary in view of the actions of the many disreputable organisations in posts above? Has anyone had experience of such products from 'Atlas Editions'? Fancied it for my great grandson as it wouldn't fit on my projected layout! Kind regards, Jock67B.

Morning folks, I'm an early riser due to the relaying of the track at the bottom of my garden! We back on to the Liverpool St. line about 1/2 a mile from Clacton on Sea terminus. They relaid the down line with new welded track many years ago, but when Potters Bar occurred, they disappeared with only the down side completed and haven't been back since (leaving the welded rails for the up side lying in the drainage channel!). Last night they lifted the old track and 66413 is currently sitting at tick-over with a train of JNA's being loaded with the old ballast. The dog is un-impressed with this and the noise of the diggers and graders right behind his territory!! Wonder what happens to the wagon loads -up to 64T of old ballast? Although not good for sleep, it is fascinating to observe the engineering ; modelling in 12 inches to the foot? I will be watching (they claim it will be finished in time for Monday rush hour) to see if I can pick up tips for my projected model. Will they use dilute PVA with a big splash of washing up liquid for the ballast? The most amazing thing over the last few years has been the difference in noise levels between the old and new tracks - at least the house and garden should stop vibrating with each passage of an up train! Kind regards, Jock67B.

Robin,like your name, you would indeed be robbed! Perhaps they were made from Gold? Kind regards, Jock67B.

Derek, a lovely humorous post. Nellie, now I could have a go at scratch building that - fits my current skills level admirably!! Kind regards, Jock67B.

Thanks Phil, This could save my antique writing desk! Not sure my version will ever look as work worn however - too many projects and too little time - but I think one of these would even keep the 'domestic management' happy!! Keep up the good work (look forward to your next efforts in BRM), kind regards, Jock67B.

Evening 'barrowroad', superb craftsmanship. To be honest, I have been worried about the (I thought complex!) roof trusses on the 6 road shed at Hurlford but your effort makes it look simple! I particularly like the idea of the use of handrail knobs. Who knows, you may have inspired me to at least get on with the design? Keep up the good work, I am sure that I am not alone in looking forward to your next blog entry, Kind regards, Jock67B.

Blimey, I can paint like that!!

muddys-blues is right! Surely they've placed the dot one space to many to the right??

Although my interest lies in S.W. Scotland, I can't help but be impressed with such a lovely shot - my early experience of such loco power stems from the Caledonian McIntosh and Pickersgill types popular at Hurlford MPD on the G&SWR - irrespective of region if my planned modelling comes within 50% of that shown I'll be very happy! (that is without mentioning the photographic skill!). Well done, and once again a piece of inspiration for all who visit the RMWeb site. Kind regards, Jock67B.

My model is still at the drawing board stage and the most used item is the rubber. I'll take this as a lesson! Good luck with reconstruction!! Kind regards, Jock67B.