Clearwater

I think that's an excellent idea. To use the Dragon's Den term, these are 'lifestyle'businesses which I suspect don't produce enough revenue and profit to support a small number of employees and capital. Therefore, the valuations are not beyond a group of people to club together. I'd suggest rather than looking to pay dividends, investors get a discount on purchases. However, the complexity of setting up the shareholder arrangements and governance shouldn't be underestimated. An alternative model, pardon the pun, would be for a shop to purchase such ranges of kits and market them alongside their other stock. David

I'd have to check my credit card statement but I think I was charged at order and not delivery. Fearing that was why I placed a small order so if the money was lost, although if be annoyed and out of pocket it wouldn't be the end of the world David

In looking for stuff, I'd come across the Coopercraft website but I'd recalled seeing threads on here about them. Therefore I checked and did not place an order. However, there was a flurry of activity on the thread that suggested they were still trading. Hurrah I thought and hurried to place an order. I thought wise, though, not to place too large an order... (And at that point I didn't know AndyY would be interrogating my spending)! That was in late January/early February. Radio silence. nada. I thought I'd better chase but never got around to it. I then saw they were due at Railex. Aha, I thought. I can check them out and ask the stall holder where my goods are. However, as I approached the stall I changed my mind. Rarely have I seen such a feeble and sad stall at a show. No branding, no jazzy display, just a few forlone looking items attached to some vertical boards. I brought a small item and moved on ready to chalk up my previous order to experience. However, the good fairy must have seen me. Barely days after railex, I refreshed my email and nearly fell off my chair. I had an email from Coopercraft saying my order had been processed. Once the shock had subsided, I thought I will believe it when I see it. Low and behold a few days later, my order arrived. So, still in business. Clearly struggling. I agree it would be good if someone It's a pity someone could buy them out but I guess that depends on whether the owner is actually willing to face reality and sell David

Given I'd need to convert it to 'oo' do you reckon they'd take a substantial haircut on the price?

Would it be unreasonable to ask / hope for a non-lurid shade of green?

Pocock and Harrison"GWR locomotive allocations for 1934" has the class split as follows: Tyseley: 4700, 4701 Exeter: 4702, 4706 OOC: 4703, 4705, 4707, 4708 Laira: 4704 David

I understand the Oxford Uni Rail Club In The 60s used to charter trains and even a branch line? I suspect the Bullingdon had a limited cross over with the Rail Club. However, I know of at least one ex-member who is now happy to be photographed with narrow gauge locos

My recollection of the early / mid 80s is of 31/4s on that service too David

Definitely past its sell by date

Doesn't look like it has wi-fi either!

Was the loco also colloquially known as "Teddy Hall"?

Ironically, in the early mid 90s, there was a reasonably used direct coach service between Oxford and Cambridge. From memory, journey took around 3 hours David

I read yesterday that Golden Eagle's nameplate is coming up for auction soon: http://www.gwra.co.uk/nextauction.html Suspect it will go for quite a large amount of money....

She didn't ask and I didn't volunteer the information! I try to operate on a "need to know" basis

It's in line with the autocoaches pricing and not far adrift from what they are indicating for new tooled other coaches. Clearly they think people will pay and I don't blame them for trying to get a bit of a premium for a unique product. Also the train pack is £240, double that you have a 4 coach Pullman pack with two power units. Would be £480, compare that to the Blue Pullman pack and its pricing. Of the same order... David

Correct! Or as my wife described the box "is that more train junk for you?" I've not added other photos - I think most people know what it looks like by now and Andy Y had already posted a nicely posed version of the box. I didn't think my camera phone pics would add anything more to the debate. However, the menu is new to this box and is an interesting curio and sociological insight to the mid 60s hence the subsequent interesting discussion on cigarettes and hovis. I'd be surprised if any sandwich shop, particularly one aiming for the upscale customers, would advertise a fairly ubitiquos brand in that way. These days I'd expect it to be toasted sourdough with organic whole meal seeds instead!

On the standby loco and crew point, I can see the logic why the train crew takes over in terms of shift patterns and that it would be a bit unfair on the standby crew to suddenly find themselves going off to Doncaster or where ever plus even in those days there must have been limits on how long crew could work before tests. However, if the loco and its condition is the train crew's responsibly to sign for, how could they be satisfied that the standby loco was up to scratch? If anything, I'd have thought the standby would have to be in tip top condition to prevent either tit for tat retaliations of using duff locos elsewhere and a level of one upmanship professional pride to show others that you can turn out locos better than them. If the train crew was not satisfied and then failed the standby loco as well, I don't see how that would have been in the railway's wider interest hence I'd have thought every possible excuse for the train crew would be removed David

Hovis was and is a brand of sliced bread

If you're going for wartime black, wouldn't the cab side windows need plating over?

Blimey - makes me glad we went on Saturday My guest may have *marginally* reduced the average age... Spams will be pleased to hear his highlight was the " big bulleid with the White stickers on the front" on Sydney Gardens. David

Who is a rail enthusiast and railway modeller (of sorts)

3 and 6 extra - that's 17.5p? Also I note the bread being "hovis" was a selling point!

Being left to water plants is a real damned if you do and damned if you don't situation. Years ago, my mother left me in charge of her plants. First year, I didn't water them enough. Second year, I watered them too much. Third year, my sister was left in charge...

I wasn't buying model railway stuff when the Blue Pullman came out and they'd all been sold by the point I realised I'd quite like one thank you very much. Therefore, I was delighted was it reappeared in Bachmann's catalogue and in true FOMO style placed my order. It arrived today. Not read the book yet, but the menu is a delight. Eggs and bacon or sausage and chips for tea! Class. A period piece with long forgotten beers on the menu and, hard to believe these days, listings of cigarettes....