Derekstuart

I'd agree with you in theory, but if you loot at @Waverley West's photos you'll see all his BR blue look about right and I suspect that's because he photographs them using natural daylight, whereas most of us are looking under electric light. Just a theory, I might be entirely wrong. Derek

These were indeed fascinating vehicles. When I was a volunteer at a steam siding masquerading as a railway many years back, one of the two surviving driving motors was dumped in a siding. Unfortunately it was filthy and used as a dumping ground for rubbish, but interesting nonetheless. I can understand why they weren't popular with commuters though.

Thanks, but it wasn't anyone particularly well known who built this layout. At least, I'd never heard of him before or since.

Well I'm pleased to see that, Pete. I have not long been back 'here' and going through the site catching up- only to see you had disappeared. I've learned a lot from your posts so I was quite glad to see you hadn't disappeared after all.

Thanks anyway. I will find it- probably when I'm looking for something else. Normally I save interesting threads in my web browser, but seemingly not this one. Derek

Yes it would. If I find the thread then I'll be sure to post one. I've just searched under those names, but nothing has come up. Thanks both of you for the replies. The only thing that I can think of that really stands out is that the layout was destroyed as the bloke was on a work contract in Africa and couldn't get it transported back to UK (or wherever he was being deployed next). If you'd seen the quality of this layout, you'd understand why this is such a shame. I think he wrote that he was going to build another one, but I left the hobby for a while. Thanks again. The only option remaining is to ask the one person who probably knows every single solitary thread on this server: @AY Mod Mr York, Sir- ^^^ would you happen to recognise this layout from the vague description I've given, please? it was really quite something. TIA Derek

Nearholmer, as ever, is wise and fair in his posts. It is true that expectations change and skills must change with them. However, I take a bit of an issue with his suggestion that otherwise we'd all be living an agricultural subsistence farming life. Do we not still need farms for food production? Yes we do. Do we need people who understand how to tend flocks/ herds of animals? Yes we do. We now have computer controlled manufacturing, but as Hayfield has noted- do we not still need people who understand how to use basic production and assembly tools? I am middle aged and even I missed out on a lot of the practical engineering tuition during education, so Lord knows how younger people are coping. Well here's news for you- Germany, France, Netherlands, India, USA.... they're all still teaching basic engingeering and they are running rings around us. I have recently bought a lot of equipment for work and am quite enjoying learning engineering- so much in fact that I am suggesting business opportunities in manufacturing to our group Chairman.

Hello all I wonder if anyone might be able to recognise this, please- perhaps even the artist and engineer who crafted it. Somewhere on the RMW servers lives a thread about a layout set in the fens (nothing unusual about that, you might think) but this was a particularly detailed and realistic layout. If I recall correctly it was set at towards the end of the steam era and was based around a grain processing facility, or at least something agricultural anyway. In this thread the builder had many innovative ways of achieving things. What makes it stand out might well be the builder. He is/ was based in Africa or the Middle East and built this layout out there, before unceremoniously destroying it when his assignment there ended. It's a shame, but he had his reasons. If anyone recognises that and could point me in the right direction, I would be appreciative. I have tried RMW's search facility and a well known search engine, but I can't think of enough key words. No doubt as soon as I've pressed 'submit topic' I will find it by accident. It really was a very inspiring layout. TIA Derek

The words have fallen off this post. Please ignore it. There is nothing to see here.

I'm not sure I understand. It came out of a dead end siding- which is electrified. Granted, that is a reasonable length without a third rail, but by the time it got there it was running fast enough for momentum to carry it over. Again I'm not sure what you mean by the arc messing up the video. If I understand correctly, the diesel engine can be idling ready for use, but as soon as it is selected for traction, the circuit breakers cut in immediately on the shoe gear and thus if there is no circuit then there is no current being drawn and so no spark so clearly it wasn't running on diesel when crossing over. No, we won't know- not unless someone who knows what they are talking about happens to read my question and offers a response; asking questions in the hope of finding someone more knowledgeable about the subject is one of the great things about RMW. Apologies to the topic starter for the off topic question. Derek

It sounds like the 73 at the end is running on diesel, which seems strange. It is possible for the diesel engine on a 73 to be running when using the third rail, although it's doing nothing except wasting fuel. It's clearly drawing power from the third rail as you can see the sparks. I really can't think of any reason for it. Derek

Hello all Following on from the interesting 'how many journeys could a steam loco make in one day', I'd like to ask the same about diesels- particularly HSTs and Brush 4s etc. I am sure this question will have been asked before, but I can't find anything (my search terms???). As I understand it (for HST sets on ECML) most units would retire for the night to the depots/ stabling points and then be run into their start locations in the morning, but I seem to recall from a Bounds Green visit many years back being told that some HSTs would be inspected/ serviced in the evening and then stored overnight at Kings Cross. Would they typically do one or two round trips per day? I am going to guess- and it is a guess- that they'd do one trip to Newcastle or Edinburgh and one shorter trip such as to York and back. In terms of a London to Inverness or Aberdeen, would they work back the same day or be stabled overnight for their return working? TIA Derek

Does anyone have any contact details for his family? I would be more than happy to pay hosting fees indefinitely. David helped so many of us with information and help that we owe him that at the very least. Derek

Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere. I am back after a near 2 year absence- undoubtedly I have a lot to catch up on. Does anyone know if Southern Pride is still trading? I have sent them a couple of emails ***however*** I have been at sea and relying on satellites, so I cannot be 100% certain they've received my emails. Their website now shows XXX against ordering 310/312 kits. I'm not entirely sure if that is temporary or permanent. My last email was asking if they were not continuing with production, whether they would consider selling/ licensing the artwork for production. As ever, any information appreciated. No doubt as soon as I press enter, I'll find something on the search engine that I've previously missed. Derek

Reality? We all want everything for practically nothing. Result? Too low margins for small businesses and they then can't afford the overheads of the help they need. Personally- and I accept I am in a minority- I'd be happy to pay double if it meant a) these small businesses earned a better income b) they could afford better support services. After all, if you can spend £200 to open a boxed locomotive, why not a decent price for what amounts to quite a sophisticated etch. etc. Standing by for usual abuse...

Well that's been an 'interesting' thread. I have to be honest and say I couldn't give a monkeys about real railways now and haven't since the Brush 4/ HST era ended. Partly out of nostalgia and partly out of a dislike of the interior of the new stuff- it's mainly those seats they've put in on 2000 onwards trains. It's not natural to sit bolt upright for that length of time; what's shocked me is how both first class and worst class are the same there. Now, down to the important bit... When do we think Sims will get their first voyagers and pendolinos? Given how each generation seems to last less years than the previous one, I'm hoping we'll see them go in the next few years. As for the objective matter here: if you have a monopoly on X item, whether it is a complete locomotive or a specific part such as a spare transformer, you control the market and thus the price. It is not in the stock owners interest to see cheap stock going on the market otherwise how can they command high prices for the newer stuff? We saw this in the bus industry in the 1990s- leasing companies were selling off Nationals and VRs so cheap that operators were buying them and shunning new builds, which made the leasing companies no money.

I still can't see any part of it that's under Brownsover. I've walked the old lines enough times. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15&lat=52.39445&lon=-1.24351&layers=168&b=1 could you possibly point out what I've missed as I would be interested to look at it. Thanks.

I don't know the Leicester area well enough to comment, but getting out of Rugby is easy enough as the line is still clear. It doesn't go through Brownsover, but to the West of the Avon Valley Industrial Estate (this might have been renamed by now, but it's along the Lutterworth Road.) As it happens, when I was working there an inspection was undertaken on the viaduct to see whether it could be reinstated and as I understand it was classed as structurally sound; this was in one of those early privatisation eras when everyone was looking at playing trains. Of course that was 20 odd years ago. I am not sure whether it's fair to say it's probably not worth re-opening. It would not only provide an intrinsically beneficial option for local traffic, but there can never be too many diversion options for engineering purposes or for re-routing away from over-crowded lines.

Mike, if you go back to the beginning of this thread you will see people engaging in speculation. I suggested they stop. Was I somehow acting unreasonably in doing so? Yes, I have read the reports. I do not personally see anything wrong with discussing those reports- provided people keep to facts. Others have hinted at some sort of special knowledge of what is going on behind the scenes (although I suspect this is something that could be bagged and put on the roses). In fact, you make a good point- look at the report. Only official statements by those involved should be considered as facts. I am not sure why you're telling me about their engineering practices; as I have written several times now, all I was suggesting is that people stop speculating. Last point: When was the last time speculation of any real World event by members of a hobby forum ever actually did any good? No, me neither. But I can think of when they've done harm. Anyway, I'm putting this topic on ignore now. I don't want to get involved. Consider me to be the horrible ogre if you want. Mind you, I suppose whilst people are speculating here it means they aren't speculating/ moaning about what Bachmann will be doing in 2031...

Jason, If you 'know' then make a formal statement, or stop vague statements- they help nobody. Raising £30K is very good and I commend them for that- but that's not even 10% of what they need to find here. If you actually bothered to read my post, I quite clearly stated that I wouldn't write them off just yet. What you know, what you don't know and what you don't know but think you know, I neither know nor care. I made a very reasonable suggestion to not engage in speculation. Unless you are so authorised to speak on behalf of either the trust or the company, then anything you write is mere speculation, regardless of what you think you know and whether you're even right or wrong. I won't engage further with you as this is contrary to what I myself suggested. Leave it to the professionals who understand insolvency proceedings.

When will I ever learn about posting on RMW? It was a reasonable suggestion for people not to post speculation. Nothing more. I have seen your post, thank you. It tells us nothing new.

Hello Jason. There's speculation on page 1. With all respect, I am always sceptical of situations that 'people have seen this coming for years'. It's very easy to retrospectively claim to have foreseen anything. Of course if people know, rather than guess, then that's a different matter. However, I suspect those who do know, will be keeping quiet for the moment. If that is so, then how is it currently in such a financially poor condition? It seems previous appeals for funds have really struggled. If this is receivership rather than administration, it offers more questions than it does answers. But I won't engage in speculation.

Could I respectfully suggest that those who do not know what is happening try and avoid speculation? That the operating company and the asset owning trust are separate entities is all people need to know for now. I wouldn't go writing this railway off just yet.

The only two very minor observations, if I may: a) the demolished station- given how little rubble remains, it's likely it's been closed for some time- perhaps some more foliage over it. b) would the TMD of that era have stone ballast or ash from a previous steam depot? Personally I think it looks right with loads of thick oily sludge over the tracks so you'd never know (but then, unlike you I don't have to walk across contaminated ballast going to work). The water looks really good, just like the original Cley. That's really important, given your location. The engineers siding looks right to me- again it's something that few seem to capture the 'feel' of, but given your profession it's hardly surprising you got that bit just right. You've achieved an awful lot there, Russ. Far more than I have in the same time.

Hello Russ That's looking really impressive. I've just been catching up a few pages and thought 'I wonder what the whole layout looks like'- and the next page has pictures of the whole layout. As with the original Cley, you've caught the 'feel' of a full sized railway, packing in an awful lot but at the same time not making it feel crowded as so many others have done.