Clearwater

There is a great iPad/iPhone game called "TrackZ". It's an inglehook shunting puzzle with a weary looking pannier. I can't comment on the accuracy of the shunting operations but it is quite an addictive puzzle game. No connection other than as a user I've played it with my nearly 4 year old son who loves it. Last weekend, I suggested to him we play the game "in real life" albeit in oo on his/our 6' by 4' baseboard. Got out a pannier and five different wagons, wrote each wagon's name on piece of paper, shuffled them and then shunted (we have suitable sidings). He loved it and shouted to his mum "look! We're playing the shunting game in real life!" We also have Microsoft train simulator. I've learnt as much as to how to drive a steam engine from that than I have from any book. Indeed, when I went on a footplate experience on a heritage line, the basics I'd gathered from train sim were invaluable. As with most things, there is a benefit technology can bring in showing old ideas to a new generation. My son and I are never going to see real steam age shunting but the game has given an appreciation of what it involves. I doubt without the game, he would have understood what he needed to do on the oo model. David

Was is this miniaturisation that inspired Howard Smith to get down to platform level in this month's BRM DVD?

I think these points are highlighting the'Daily Fail' paradox. "Why oh why oh why was this terrible tragedy allowed to happen? Our spineless MPs must immediately pass legislation to prevent it happening again. Britain's nanny state is drowning in red tape as MPs pass yet more laws" David

Some layouts, particularly in my opinion those on a 'big' canvass view better at shows than in magazines. Whilst when I saw it in a magazine, I thought World's End was good, I was blown away by it at Warley. As were others given the crowds around it. Equally I thought Hassell Harbour Bridge was more impressive thanin magazines. I think it must be something to do with the bridges and landscaping coupled to the buildings which when you see in 1:1 scale, you appreciate the modelling and the vision more than you do in a magazine photo where you perhaps compare more to prototype. Oddly appreciating the bridge is actually 1.5 metres high is more impressive than realising it is a scale 375 foot. On the flip side, at exhibitions it is usually n gauge layouts that I'm less impressed by however I do think that they can photo well in magazines David

Personally I've found the Hornby is more narrow than this one in terms of content and breadth. It's user interface is also less useful. It is, however, very useful for resolving specific Hornby problems eg elink. The one great thread I did read was about a conversion someone was doing on one of the oo live steam products into a gwr King. I thought that was excellent modelling David

There's a very good parody of the Hungry Caterpillar called "The Thirsty Gentleman." On Friday he had a mojito, two pints of Guinness etc etc. Great tunnel David

Certainly way better than the little ones fitted around 2751 Humorist's funnel or the A1/A2 ones also trialled. David

Waitrose is often good for whisky bargains. Apparently they're one of the larger sellers of malts and consequently have stronger buying power than you might otherwise expect. Consequently they get some great deals

Given his purported age, wouldn't the gentleman have been born in the late Victorian period? If so, how about one of those splendidly over the top (Melchett on the brain) names beloved by the Victorians? Eg Somerset as a Christian name (would suggest he's off his patch and hence why is catching a train) or an Old Testament name - Caleb, Seth or Ephraim? Perhaps coupled to an old Devon surname of the sort we don't see many of these days. Continuing the Melchett theme, the Devon regiment appears to have had two WW1 VCs George Onions ans Theodore Veale. Not sure how ' Devon' those names are... David

I agree re difference between catalogue and actual release dates. I'd suggest keeping stock in the year announced with a bracketed date shooting when it reached retail. To take the WD example above I'd notate as WD 2-8-0 1995 (1999) On the predominance of BR liveries, I guess that's to be expected given most locos probably wore BR colours for a good proportion of their operational lives plus given BR covers all four regioan:, it has a statistical advantage to show up more than other liveries. I agree re Hornby guide site - I've found it easiest o search by catalogue year though it's hard to tell what is actually really new each year Great initiative btw David

4 years! That's ridiculous. I appreciate that building on the network can be difficult when ground conditions are unknown and there's the risk of finding relics of prior upgrades that are no longer marked but four years seems excessive. Whilst I'm not a trained engineer and therefore may be misreading the situation, but I'd have thought that there is nothing particularly novel or innovative that NR is doing in this electrification- surely the technology is pretty much the same as wcml or ecml. As a taxpayer, I'll look forward to reading the nao report on where the project went wrong and how they'll avoid a repetition. David

Yes - on the upside so assume that is the training school.

http://www.hornbyguide.com Hi If you've not seen it, the Hornby guide someone's compiled (link above) may be useful David

They were actively working on it around 3pm between Ealing and Acton this afternoon... Lots of posts between reading and Didcot. Couldn't see any between Didcot and Swindon. Though a set of sidings just east of Swindon had been wired up. Lots of Crossrail activity too David

Yes - always before eating. Often after handling money, particularly Egyptian. Also after any childcare related activity

My wife's carried her own antiseptic hand gel around for years. I'd say she was in a minority though

Am planning to do a Paddington to Swindon return trip tomorrow. Will keep my eyes open to see how route has changed since my last trip. Looking forward to seeing how Crossrail's progressed as well. David

Thanks Tony and agreed. Following frequent exhortations on the joy of brass on this and other threads, I've followed advice suggested on rmweb for a suitable beginner's level coach kit and have invested in a comet brake third to try and build. I have open a George Dent book on kit building at the soldering chapter and will be rewatching your demonstration in a recent BRM DVD. If I don't try, I won't find out what I can do! David

Aren't we back here to a variation on the RTR(P) vs kit build debate? I agree with the comments above that a good rtr catering vehicle should sell. To me an express looks 'wrong' without a buffet car of some description whether it is 3, 5, 7 or prototypical car length so I'd guesstimate that most people who buy brake thirds would also buy a catering car. However, if you are of a RTR(P) mindset, then even if you are aware that the car modelled actually isn't 100% technically correct! given you can't / won't make the correct versions, you'll live with the inaccuracy so long as the livery of the coach matches the rest of your rake or is within a margin of error (eg a crimson/ cream coach in a maroon rake etc). Copious rule 1 application. Obviously if you care enough to have a 100% accurate catering vehicle you have to either learn to build or commission. David

Images 2 and 3 are excellent. Real double take time to check whether real!

I'm also an Smws member albeit I frequent the London rooms. The everchanging selection is the draw. The Leith rooms are also pretty cool Personally, my preferences run to, in no particular order, Ardbeg, Caol Isla, Bruichladdich and Glendfarclas. I liked the 1930s/1940s Macallan used to do. Back to the OP, I did a tour once of Auchentoshen. The triple wood one was excellent but I came away with a bottle of one branded QE2 they'd don especially for Cunard and had surplus they were disposing of at the distillery post to QE2's retirement David

I suspect Santa is still more careful than Yodel. Also the National Air Traffic Service has issued the following bulletin: http://nats.aero/blog/2015/12/important-message-for-uk-airspace-users/

There was a question on another thread as to what the 'X' above the number plate signifies. Does anyone know? David