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On a bitterly cold afternoon with snow on the ground Alycidon fires up in Haymarket depot. Still on front line service but less than a fortnight later along with the rest of her stablemates she was surplus to requirements. 55017 behind had come off the overnight KX - Aberdeen and it was a strange feeling to be witnessing the end of an era at Haymarket. I must have spent a couple of hours in there standing alongside a paraffin industrial heater..backside melting and toes bordering on frostbite but no complaints. Dave.

87006 passing Polmadie Glasgow 1984 heading south and carrying experimental large logo Grey livery. APT Glasgow on extra 08.00 service to Euston April 1984. And same day 16.00 departure from Euston to Glasgow. Travelled down on 08.00 nothing out of the ordinary but the return with 007 on the 16.00 was into Glasgow at 20.32 including a dead stand at Crewe for 30 mins and a 2 min stop at Carlisle so 4hrs 2 mins net! Journey was mostly in the dark but it was very fast and felt like it! 2nd class interior. Dave.

..does that mean I'll be able to retire soon and while away my days casting buffers and the like?..oh joy bring it on. D.

I was just about to mention the Caley!..I believe it was known as 'Caledonia Model Co' It was the premium specialist model shop in Glasgow and carried all the bits and pieces like motors and gears plus loco Kits like Jamesion and components from Wrenn and other less mainstream suppliers plus they marketed accessories of their own like the hypodermic oiler..of which I still have! Clyde model dockyard in the Arcade was from memory a great emporium of colour and toys with alongside the extensive range of Hornby and Tri-ang displays cases of Meccano Baco building systems and some expensive model boats. It was an impressive place and in the centre of the busy Arcade a huge draw but noir that specialised and the deserved title of best model shop from a railway modellers point of view had to be the Caledonia. I remember it well and it played a big part in stimulating my interests beyond train sets. It was swept away along with the tram tracks when they redeveloped Anderston cross. There was also a toy shop on the north side of Argyle St about midway between Central station and Anderston ..Hobby something?..that specialised in dolls houses but also carried some rtr Hornby and Triang. Memories right enough..jeez am I that old?...(to Davy Franks.. that does not require an answer!) Dave.

82002 at Glasgow before talking over the last through southbound 'Thames Clyde Express'..by that time it was AC hauled via Beattock to Carlisle before reverting to the traditional Cl 45s via Leeds Derby Nottingham. Reversals and loco changes with 3 x 45s plus the AC.. a memorable trip. Pics of the 45s somewhere plus 8mm cine of same. The following Monday and the start of the new timetable the Glasgow St Pancras service was cut back to Nottingham.

Loads of pin sharp slides from the 70s & 80s but cant get the scanner to reproduce without loss of quality. New flatbed required..will address soon. Meantime a few of above and apologise re the quality. 55003 at York on afternoon Talsman. 55012 at Haymarket waiting to go down to Waverley to take an overnight train south. 55009 with 55017 behind in Haymarket late December 1981. Less than a fortnight to go before withdrawal. Exhaust hangs above the loco as a few minutes before 9 had just fired up her engines..have another slide somewhere showing the pillar of exhaust shooting out at the angle.

Couple more.. An immaculate 84008 at Carlisle on passenger APT at Carlisle July '79 Dave.

Departing Glasgow Central. D

Few more oldies. Kilmarnock heading north with 37693 'Sir William Arrol' nearest camera. Perth with 37707 Dave

Recent pic of my old Cresta in Dundee Museum of Transport. Dave.

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That looks a huge improvement over the original product and take it the pipes are flexibles. Are you connecting directly to the pump and anti roll bars or jointing with compression fittings? Either way you can assemble the tricky bit off the car and simply offer it vup[ and connect. Well done ..let me know how it goes. Dave.

The only non British car in al of the pics. Great images and note its always sunny in Eberdeeen….(For those conversant with the Doric..Furry boots nae needed)

'First cut is the deepest' .. model american railroad enthusiast Roderick.

'Nimbus' on the Scotsman leaving Edinburgh May 1975…a favourite slide of mine and one I use in my profile. I took this shot myself and we were travelling on the 10.15 Peak hauled train to West of England heading for York as the 10.00am only stopped at Newcastle. 'Nimbus' was the only member I believe to retain the cab quarterlights to the end. Dave.

West Highland line Fort William sleeper southbound at Bridge of Orchy. Dave

My old Disco passed on to my daughter who passed it on to her collie. He loves it. Dave.

Yes the petrol 4.4 is a peach and without a turbo instant response. Theres nothing like a normally aspirated unit and there's no substitute for CCs..lots of them. Good luck with the valve block ..I was driven to9 distraction truing unsuccessfully to repair the leaking pipes. As you will know they don't thread in but are held in place by a system of plastic olives and clamps. A crazy set up ..why dont they just use hydraulic type unions? The pipes for the system are installed on the chassis before the body goes on so purchasing shaped originals..very expensive..is oily possible if you can route the pipes ok. If the leak is on the pipe and back far enough from the valve block you can cut the pipe and join with high pressure brass compression fittings but if its close to the block you risk disturbing the thing and end up with more leaks. To work on this it requires scrupulous cleanliness as one speck of dirt in the system can bu**er the whole thing up and its very difficult to satisfy these conditions under an ageing Disco. I eventually abandoned all hope of repairs and fitted coils and isolated the ACE pump and replaced with an idler..its a LR component as non ACE equipped cars have this in place of the pump. I didn't replace the anti roll bars though as suggested and it was fine. I had a load of the plastic clips that connect the swaged ends to the block but haven't seen them for a while now or you would have been welcome to them. I might still have a pair of new ride height sensors though. Good luck! Dave.

Its a large and well equipped garage catering for commercial restorations with facilities for cutting sheet materials and several pits plus wheels free jacks for double deckers. There are many long term projects behind the scenes and the residents change with some departing and others arriving. Gasgow corporation collection Smell of nostalgia! In a corner of the workshop Dave.

I think there were 102 at the last count…room for more though! D.

Outside our local Vintage bus garage.. ..and inside Dave.

Clever stuff but things have moved on a bit now..mind you at £1.2m..! D.

That is a stunning looking car and a credit to you. I can't imagine wanting to part with it after the work carried out but when it cones to the tinworm a decision has to be made. The good thing about such desirerable classics is that anything you spend on them will be realised in a sale. Steel wings are more expensive but they will help retain value because purists will be knocking off £000s if you have flitted otherwise. The big show at Essen in Germany with 21 halls indoors and more displays outside is Europes biggest possibly the worlds biggest and the cars going through auction are incredible with Gullwing mercs from the 50s fetching over a million quite common. 635CSIs were there too shoulder to shoulder with classic Porsches and Mercs and BMW who along with the other big German manufacturers have a hall of their own had an immaculate example in the usual Martini colours on show. If you don't already there will come a time when you will wish you still had it! Pint of Guinness is a nice touch too. Dave.

'The Ballad of Tom Jones'..Cerys from Wales..where is she now?

Now thats a Classic!..saw 635 CSIs for sale at Essen Techno Classica in April going for 6 figure sums.