EmporiaSub

Ideal for through trains from Letterkenney to Dublin, if the line is reopened to Londonderry too. Give County Donegal through trains to Dublin!

Or 21.14 in Shanklin…..

Passenger services resumed to and from the Pier Head today. I was on the pier on Thursday when crew refreshing trains were running.

Meanwhile, on the island….. 001 has been split, not sure why. Can just be seen at the back of the shed.

And now it’s gone back home……

Was planning to attend but there is an RMT Rail Strike on the Saturday.

Fenchurch now at the IOWSR.

Currently there are 2 trains each hour between Shanklin and Ryde Esplanade, 7 days a week. 10th July is the current date for services to resume to and from the Pier Head, but still only one an hour, connecting in and out of the FastCat, with an average 4 minute turn-round.

Meanwhile, over the water…. 484005 works the 14.59 Ryde Esplanade to Shanklin service yesterday afternoon. It’s still not confirmed what service will be operating from June 10th though….

The layouts and stands confirmed so far include: Bembridge - 4mm model of Isle of Wight station Bigbury on Sea - 4mm model of a GWR Devon terminus Colyford - 4mm model of a WR terminus Freshwater - 2mm finescale model of an isle of Wight terminus Frimley North - 4mm layout of a LB&SCR terminus Folly Lodge - fun layout Graffham - a modern era 4mm layout Horsebridge Wharf - EM gauge layout set in Devon Island Lines - a freelance 2mm model inspired by the Isle of Wight Isle of Wight N gauge group - a large modular layout Kaninchenau - HoM model of the Swiss/Austrian Alps Little Fen - OO gauge LNER model Romsey & Halterworth - Lego layout based on Southern Region 1970-1980 Sandown - 3mm layout The Garden Railway - 009 model by the Medway Queen Preservation Society Watershoot Bay - 4mm, fictional layout based on the Isle of Wight Westcliff - EM gauge layout of a 1920s Dorset seaside town Traders & Groups Heritage in Motion Invicta models Kytes Lights Loco Doctor N gauge society layout IOW division Smart Models IOW Model Engineering Society Medway Queen Preservation Society Mike's Collectables Wheels of Southsea

Exactly. And this is what a large minority of enthusiasts fail to understand. I’ve had this discussion with fellow volunteers too, and whilst the majority understand, there’s always one who wants to put the onus back on to the passenger, which unfortunately in todays society is no longer considered acceptable.

To take just this quote…. One train working has gone from £250 a day up to £1000+. Some lines only operate one steam train a day, and have also cut back on the number of operating days too. That sort of increase in costs has to come from somewhere!

Rumour has it that it did a test run up to Haywards Heath and back today?

Probably still hoping for that certain Saturday at the end of April…..🤔😉😂

The only time I had an issue was at Drei Annen Hohne, and the Police were adamant I wasn’t allowed to go up to Brocken, but I knew that anyway. Never had a problem anywhere else back in the 80’s.

Finally. I for one will be glad to see the back of them, even if I have been out over the last few years (since I retired and no longer have to regularly use them) photographing them throughout the network!

I think some of it with not only couplings, is that modellers see it affecting their resale value, and also many modellers are no more than collectors. I have a friend who has a considerable number of European locos, mostly modern, but one of each, along with numerous rolling stock, including duplicates so he can make up reasonable looking trains, but they’re all shiny and unaltered. Therefore by the nature of this, then those of us who do modify stock are probably in a very small minority. Brian

I still prefer Kadee’s, having used them on a previous US layout. I’ve started to fit them to my HO DR stock, usually with success. It’s just working out the types that are needed, as it varies according to the stock. For example, the Roco Reko passenger coaches, I use 17’s one end and 18’s the other end. But then they’re permanently couple rakes. I’ve seen a hook and a bar used on O scale models, the hook one end and the bar the other, it does make shunting a lot easier than 3 link couplings, but realism, well, everyone to their own.

That was my reason for going from German N scale to US HO models some 25 years ago. Unfortunately the German love never left me, and now I’ve reverted back to German modelling again, but this time in HO and in the former DDR. My US trains are no more…. Brian

No connection other than a satisfied visitor the last time I visited 3 years ago! https://southamptonmodelrailwaysociety.wordpress.com/

And the other 3rd Rail land, October this year, one Sunday morning.

The funny part about that was when an announcement was broadcast that the canteen shuts at 1pm prompt, the hall more or less emptied out…. Anyway, next years date is in my diary, it was worth the trip over from the IOW. Brian

I wonder how many of those members are still active, either still at the club or elsewhere. I remember meeting up in the loft too as a mere youngster, but now living out of the area.

I remember the early bus connections from Fareham station often used to bring in up to 40 people, so perhaps 100 extra visitors is noticeable?