johnarcher

I agree about the Augher Valley, which I remember fondly, and I think you have a point about the reason for it seeming more likely. Of course there were not only more common carrier NG lines in Ireland, there is also the fact that once they became part of GSR stock was moved from one line to another, so some types don't seem so unique to one particular line. (Though that doesn't explain how all the Lough Swilly and Donegal stuff got there!). I find a fictional SG light railway more convincing in English terms - eg several Col Stephens lines had Mannings, Terriers, Ilfracombes, and things moved from line to line.

Probably a rather mixed picture, eg on the Shropshire & Montgomery pre war, locomotives seem to have got pretty grubby, with a long time between coats of paint, then suddenly one would get painted up with lining and all. The Bishop's Castle, as some stories have it, was mostly pretty run down by the later 20's at least I think (closed 1936ish), the track was notoriously bad (rotten squelchy sleepers replaced, eventually, sometimes with green wood cut from lineside trees), and there are tales of mud from the sodden track splashing up through holes in the carriage floor. However Carlisle seems to have been kept pretty clean, with polished brass etc - so where an individual with a rag could do something there was care and pride, but, I suppose, very limited money for more expensive things like renovating permanent way.

I was at university when decimalisation happened, so had some experience of both Lsd and LSD. A confusing time.

Good news, I will, I hope, get there and be glad to see Lydham Heath in the metaphorical flesh for the first time.

This thread started with the world cup final. That was enthralling and exciting, but this, for me, shows how for real fascination a great test can trump a great one-day game. There was what looked like England restricting Australia in helpful conditions, then England could bat (mostly) like idiots in one innings, and then have the tension in their second of, first correcting that with some disciplined batting against fine bowling, with Root, Denly and Stokes, and then, when the latter felt the need, his amazing acceleration. You don't get all that ebb and flow in 50 overs each. (Even less so, of course, in 20 overs. As for 100 balls......)

Following it on TMS while sitting in a sunny garden was tense enough, it must indeed have been some experience at the ground. I did love the transition from 'smash - another six' to 'hold on a minute, Leach is cleaning his glasses again'.

Because you find model-making more satisfying than shopping? Anyway, must go and have that brief surge of optimism about England's batting disappointed again (though I stubbornly hope not).

How is it for slow running (and smooth slow starting)?

Yes, J15 (bothe GE and the Irish varieties), also rebuilt Ilfracombe goods for me.

Bus with a door new-fangled? How old are you?

Re such connections to the past, I know my father (b 1894 in London) saw both Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and Queen Victoria's funeral procession.

I think (could be wrong) that it is hanged if the unfortunate victim is hanged until dead - ie the hanging is the manner of execution. Whereas when one is hung, drawn and quartered, one is only hung for a little while, and cut down while still alive as at that stage the unpleasant process has only just begun.

I clicked agree with that (because I do!), but I'd add that I think it's a good comment with reference to the whole scene, not just the railway. The expanse of fields around (eg) Petherick I think is far more convincing than any number of weddings, foxhunts or catastrophes. Personally I also find that such scenes often fall into the eternal flag-waving guard trap -something that should be moving but isn't, while the trains do. I'm sure Manxcat's chatting clergy was a good idea.

Someone above soldered the motor on, or I suppose one could bend up a brass strip bracket with a bolt pressing on the motor end and solder that to the gearbox? (Haven't tried yet though). I bought a couple of N20 motors with no attached gear https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Micro-Minebea-N20-Motor-DC-3V-12V-6V-9V-24800RPM-High-Speed-Precious-Metal-Brush/282601710312?epid=2163196563&hash=item41cc5fe2e8:g:g1QAAOSwU1RZhHIO however if I can I will use this 5 pole one in preference, it seems to be a smoother-starting motor.

According to here (https://avaragado.org/tag/alice-grigg/) she was born in 1863, so her father was c 64 when she was born, she lived to c107. I'm almost tempted to re-animate my Ancestry membership and check it.

That's quite remarkable, do you have the dates? I always thought I was doing pretty well because my grandfather was born in 1858. PS Just found the dates - (http://mentalfloss.com/article/29842/president-john-tylers-grandsons-are-still-alive) Tyler's son born 1853, his sons born 1924 and 1928.

You could (I've always rather liked the mirror idea), though in the case of Plowden (given a 'cameo' style high viewing level) I reckon the large building would hide the track ends well enough.

Thanks for all replies, Miss P I am encouraged that there is some tolerance for variation in these parameters, I suppose it might get me close enough to with the etches, motor, gearbox and a likely amount of lead even unassembled. I will also look at the S4 Soc. thread, maybe post this same query there. Thanks again.

I am wondering about combining the good old inglenook with the 'part of a station' approach. It could be the goods yard beyond the platform, as at Fairford, or if one took Plowden (Bishop's Castle - plan attached if it works) and chopped it in half at either edge of the station building (looking from the approach) you'd basically have an inglenook, with the large building as a view-blocker. Has anyone used the puzzle in such a way?

A good many years ago I did some P4 stuff, and at least got some simple things working reasonably. Looking now at doing some more (though I may yet go for EM, just thinking of age and how much time I have to come) one new factor seems to be the advent of the CSB. I quite like the idea, I always found beam flexichas a bit floppy, especially if, say, test running in the air. However looking at some of the CLAG stuff (including spreadsheets - not an area I am familiar with, but preferable to the maths that seem necessary otherwise) I am a bit puzzled. It always seemed natural to me to build the chassis first, get it working, and then the body, giving the chance to adjust clearances etc while building. However it now seems necessary to have the body basically completed, even ballasted, as one needs to know weight and centre of gravity in order to set something so basic to the chassis construction as fulcrum positions? Or have I grabbed the wrong end of this strange modern stick?

That's looking very interesting. I don't know about 8mm wheels for 00/EM/P4 (not sure which this is), but if you're stuck they are produced for 00n3 use (would need new axles of course), Dundas do them ( https://www.dundasmodels.co.uk/webstore/index.php/hikashop-menu-for-module-108/category/542-dundas-models-00n3-wheels-bearings ) I thnk Branchlines do too.

I don't claim any great expertise, but don't you also get edges and LBW's when you have good seamers bowling in helpful (atmospheric) conditions? It was very odd, on that same pitch the England No. 11 (County average about 4.6 I think) made 92?

Is there any idea what the motors are, or whether DJH might sell them separately? The motor sounds good, but the gearbox seems a bit big, and a single shape, to squeeze into some smaller prototypes?

He didn't tell me about his, mine usually was.

Long, long ago, when Joni was as young as in the picture on the last page, and I was a 19 year-old, hairy, hippyish student, I had an uncle of a rather adventurous and youthful turn of mind. He asked me if I could get him some of that stuff from the East that young people were smoking in funny large-looking cigarettes at the time, as he fancied giving it a try. I must emphasise that this was long ago, when drinking and driving were not such rigidly separated activities as they rightly now are, for he rang me a few days after I posted the required resinous substance to him and said that he had thought it had no real effect, and had even driven a short way home. However, he added, he got up the next morning and, looking out of his bedroom window, saw his car parked on the lawn, and deep tyre tracks showing its path thither through a small hedge and two flower beds.