D1059

Tree huggers are NEVER happy unless you do what they want, and even then they'll still moan

But New Road - is of direct use by MP's local constituents New Railway Line - is of no direct benefit to MP's local constituents Bigger picture doesn't interest many local voters

Wow - SERIOUSLY impressed with the modelling skill here - the buildings are wonderful - can't wait to see them painted

Economies are all giant Ponsi schemes - they only work if you have an ever increasing population fuelling demand for 'stuff' - To keep the thread on topic - this bridge scheme will never get off the ground. A tunnel would be a better option, but it won't happen this century

Thats going to stretch the memory cells !! Just outside the station on the walk down to Grenfell Road, on the left (I think) was a row of nondescript low rise shops and business premises - can't remember properly, may have been single storey The office block I was in went up sometime in the 80s I think, and had a small multistorey car park attached on the west side of it (or adjacent). Can't remember what was further up Grenfell Road

1990 - 92, I used to work on the ground floor of the green office building beside Maidenhead station. I could see the branch platform and trains a few yards from my desk, about 15ft above me January - September 1990, I commuted to/from work by train from Didcot - I usually liked to take one of the Class 50 hauled stoppers, complete with Mk1 compartment stock - happy days

Now that's a fascinating picture - I always assumed (wrongly, obviously) that the line was severed by the motorway construction, causing the closure Not on a motorway, but how about the bridge over the A498 just outside Beddgelert - built for the original alignment of the Porthmadog, Beddgelert and South Snowdon Railway which was to have featured electrification. When the scheme was revived by the Welsh Highland after WW1, they bypassed the original bridge, which has now stood for over 100 years, and never used

The original poster is either deliberately trolling this forum thread, or just has a very deep lack of understanding of how railways actually work and run. To the vast majority on this forum it is blindingly obvious that HS2 will bring huge benefits to the UK's railway system, the least of which will be quicker London - Birmingham journey times. Yes, there will be disruption while its built and life will change for those living near it, but the same can be said for any new road, or housing estate. Think what the inhabitants of the original village of Milton Keynes must have felt when they saw what was being planned - and the effect of that must have turned out to be many times worse than a new railway line

Thanks guys The camera certainly does pick up imperfections - and I spent a LOT of time carefully laying the track on City Basin Goods to ensure it was kink free The tank unloading gear was a gift from a fellow club member who had it going spare and is scratchbuilt Exhibitions for City Basin Goods this year are Cheltenham 4-5th April Fareham - 25th April Wing - which is either 26th September or 3rd October (I shall have to check as my diary still has both dates in it) Oxford - 11th October

Not really relevant to your time period but I couldn't help offering this as a comparison shot to what that end of Par used to look like Summer Evening at Par 1 by Stephen Dance, on Flickr

Hi Duncan I checked my archive for photos of 37239 and came up with this one dated August 8th 1989 - still in blue Moreton Cutting Coal Empties by Stephen Dance, on Flickr

An excuse for some more WHL freight porn Glen Falloch Freight by Stephen Dance, on Flickr County March Summit Freight - Explored by Stephen Dance, on Flickr

Back in the 70s and very early 80s I lived only half a mile from Whitlingham Jn. I've seen photos of cement wagons being in the sidings as late as 76 and remember them there myself, but I don't think it lasted long after that. I certainly never saw a loco in there

Another view of Diss - from 1984 Diss Is Diss Station by Stephen Dance, on Flickr

Will there be a conflict with West Coast Railways over the name ? - Will WCRC object, or will the new franchisee try and force WCRC to relinquish its identity as other large companies have tried to do, even when the minnow existed first ? Still, they could always paint their shiny new trains sludge brown

My fave was from Oxenholme. While waiting for a northbound service while on an Area 2 runabout, summer 1978 - Typical Lake District 'summer' weather - it was absolutely p*ssing it down. A southbound service is announced, followed by 'Second class accommodation on this service is at the EXTREME rear of the train...........beyond the station canopy'

Maybe they should take a leaf out of the modellers handbook and only use nickel silver

I exhibited my layout there a couple of years ago - the organisers were helpful and I could choose what hotel we stayed in, which was nice. The shed is what it is - a loco shed. It's dark and the lights are poor. If you don't provide your own good lighting for your layout, you will struggle to see anything, and whatever you do, don't wear any clothes you care about. The floor is filthy, and layouts being layouts, you have to get up close and personal with it while working underneath the baseboards That said, it was a nice couple of days, and quite novel to be operating with real locos in steam (or in diesel in the case of the smoky 03) outside the doors

One of the most memorable railtour sights I shot May 8th 1982 - 40 084 and 40 057 pass through the centre road at Oxford with 1Z78 the York - London Paddington Cotswold Venturer railtour. I have never seen more immaculately prepared locos on a railtour before or since. Bulled Up to the Max by Stephen Dance, on Flickr

Nicely captures that down at heel, late 60s/early 70s look, before nature was allowed to just run riot across our railway infrastructure

Absolutely shocked at this. I can’t imagine how I would feel if my own layout had been trashed like that, let alone the traders, who’s livelihood depends on their stands What I find incomprehensible is that the parents of these 15 year olds let their offspring be out on the streets AT 3 o’CLOCK IN THE MORNING

And the section in bold sums up the problem - either no extra infrastructure to cope with the extra population foisted on already overcrowded areas, or laughably inadequate provisions (a local example being the addition of one new set of pedestrian lights as a solution to (already existing) traffic congestion, plus the addition to hundreds of new homes being built in the Abingdon - Steventon corridor. Guess what - it hasn't worked, quelle surprise

Interspersed over the years with at least 2 attempts to put an airport twice the size of Heathrow there. and also, the proposal to build the Oxford Garden Village (30000+ houses) on the same site - you get the feeling that TPTB won't give up until the whole area is concreted over, or flooded.

Don't get tied up on the listing issue - it's only been relevant in that it has been a reason to try and get NR to consider alternatives to a full rebuild. The real issue is the length of time the rebuild will take (9 months to a year), the impact on local businesses, and the inevitable traffic chaos in an area plagued with congestion and adjacent to the notorious A34 which suffers frequent disruption, especially in winter

Is that a Bullion van I spy in the platform on the right ? Very nice layout - ALMOST tempted to go for handbuilt track next time