Mick Boyd

I too have had first class service from Chris, I've always found him accomodating and helpful in every respect. Regards, Mick.

Morning Phil, I've quite a bit of Lenz equipment and when I require repairs or spares I email Lenz directly at: https://www.lenz-elektronik.de/info/service-support.php You may need to copy the text into Google Translate (or similar) if you dont have a command of German but it's very easy to do, invariably the reply will be in English. Lenz support is second to none, a few years ago I damaged a (steam) loco quite badly, they asked me to send it to them, they repaired and serviced the loco before shipping it back to me free of charge, I've recently asked for some detail parts for another loco that I'd damaged and my request was dealt with in a similar manner, parts sent FOC. Lenz in my experience are an excellent company to deal with. Regards, Mick.

To East Midlands locomen at least Ivatt 4MT's were known as 'Chinese 4's'. Regards, Mick.

Mine arrived a couple of weeks ago, I wholeheartedly with Dan's comments, fabulous books! Regards, Mick.

Ben, Mugs arrived safely this morning, one for home (already christened) and the other to go to the club on Friday, well done Ben! Cheers, Mick.

In reply to HGR's post, 'No, not independently switched on any classes that I am aware of. There was only one 'train classification lights' switch in each cab. For disks, all four lamps would be turned on together if any disk flaps were to be open. If all flaps were closed, you could leave the switch 'off'. As you would also do for an intermediate or rear-facing cab - should have all disks closed. With the train classification lights switched 'on', any closed disk flap would obscure its corresponding lamp and not be visible. You might notice light leakage around the edge of the closed disk on night-time long exposure photographs'. During my 40 odd years footplate experience as far as I'm concerned the lamps on disc fitted locos were turned on independently, certainly on 20's, 24's, 31's, 40's and 44's. Regards, Mick.

Our cat 'Boycie' has to have half a tablet each day to help reduce high blood pressure, our vet recommended Easy Pill (Cat) which is a meat flavoured putty, we just embed the tablet in a pea sized piece and pop it on top of his food - he never fails to eat it, so easy. Cheers, Mick.

RGA, It's nothing more than a 'sunshade' to help ward off the intense Liberian rays. Cheers, Mick.

Talking about putting things into perspective....

Hi Bob, I can help, PM me your address and I'll pop 'em in the post. Cheers, Mick.

Thanks for that PRWAL, I'm surprised that after all the years I managed to get the (approx.) date correct. I did have a cutting from a magazine of the van in use on the Holwell Branch but so far I havent been able to find it. Thanks again. Mick.

Hi Boris, I've always had a soft spot for these 40 ton vans, when I was a young teenager I used to live in Toton, one evening my mates and I were walking through the private cripples yard adjacent to Toton East Junc. and lo and behold we spotted one of them in the yard, I suspect it was during 1962/63. Moving forward a couple of years after starting my footplate career at Toton, I recall been told that one of the vans had been used for a short while on the two branches into Stanton Ironworks ( Old Works, New Works/Mapperley) from Stanton Gate, both lines which included heavyish grades. A few years ago I came across this image of the van in use at Stanton Gate on one of the two 'trippers' (T89 or T90) that serviced the ironworks. I dont have a record of the photographer so I'm unable to credit the image. Regards, Mick.

Having been born, bred and starting my railway career at Toton I agree with the posters who say ''Toe'tn", does it for me. Image, Black 5 on the ashpit at Toton circa 1965. Mick.

Excellent service from Steve once again, I ordered a set of custom decals for my 7mm Class 60 on a Bank Holiday Sunday and they arrived today (Wednesday)-brill! Cheers, Mick.

Hello again David, Chris Aldred has one for sale on his Steamline Ltd. site. http://www.steamline.co.uk/lmh17 Cheers, Mick.

There's been one (Mercian) on the G-O-G sales and wants since February 28th. Cheers, Mick.

The photo of 79094 was taken by myself in Green Hill Quarry on 24-11-82. The engineman is Pete Fisher an ex Toton man like me, the trainman at the first passenger door is Augustus Nelson. We were on our way to an ore train derailment further south with food and drink for the crew clearing up the wreck, on arrival at the site we handed over to another crew and then walked past the derailed cars to the train locomotives and worked them light engine to Buchanan on the Atlantic Coast. The three serviceable cars (91, 94 & 96) lasted a while longer but had become very unreliable, so much so that on occasions assistance was required to climb Kitoma Hill (a rise of 155mtrs over 15km.). Assistance was usually in the form of an EMD SW900, it was just a case of locking couplers and then head for home 40 odd km's. away. Russ p is quite correct about one car getting smashed up but I dont recall the no. at the moment. It was involved in a tragic accident resulting in the death of a member of staff and serious injuries to the enginman after the train had collided with a stalled logging truck on an ungated grade crossing in mid-'82. The car was damaged beyond repair and was stored at Nimba for some time before been shoved into a nearby swamp. Regards, Mick.

If I remember correctly the pony wheels on the 1-C0 -C0-1s were mounted in a cannon box and has been correctly stated earlier the protuberances house the pivot. Cheers, Mick.

Mark, Re. address, as Norman has replied. Norman, I emailed Lenz yesterday and received a reply today: 'Dear Mister Boyd, we thank you for the e-mail. In this first version we have no other language. In the next step we will have 4 different languages. For this step we need some more time. We think in 4 weeks we are ready. So you can update the handheld for your selve. We send you then a cabel with the needed software. Please write us a remember in 3 weeks. Best regards Thorsten Gradl' Cheers, Mick.

I took the plunge and sent my LH100 back to Lenz on July 25th with a covering letter asking if they would exchange it for a LH101, without prior notification and to my surprise DPD have just deliverd a parcel from Lenz with a nice new LH101 inside. Excellent service from Lenz. Just got to pay the bill now-€89. Cheers, Mick.

Hi Matt, If you are interested in purchasing any Cargowaggons ( or even flat IWB's) check out Hatton's, they currently have several liveries available at £89. Cheers, Mick.

Try Dalewood Models of Blackpool, I purchased a pack of 10 Sets Micro JST SH 1.0mm 2 Pin Connector F/wire M/Plug 100mm for less than £3 last year. They were for my Heljan O scale 05 speaker connections. Regards, Mick.

Early last week I ordered a set of 'O' scale wagon TOPS data panels from John using his custom template (D19-A), I was amazed at the quick turnaround when the order arrived two days later. I was so impressed with the quality and service that on Friday I ordered a similar set of data panels for a Ragstone Models Carflat, similar transfers had been on order from another supplier for a couple of years but so far have failed to appear. I was even more amazed yesterday (Saturday) when the transfers arrived less than 24 hours after ordering them. 1st class service. Thank you John. Regards, Mick.

Richard, The layout would have been Treloar Sidings manned by friends from Luton Model Railway Club. Your assumption is correct, it was a very late (Friday PM) substitute for a trader who was unable to make the show. Details of the layout may be found here: http://www.lutonmodelrailwayclub.org.uk/treloar_sidings.htm Regards, Mick.