Edwardian

Not at all. On the substantive issue, while I would be very sorry to see Scotland leave the Union and I suspect that would play about as well for Scotland as BREXIT has for the UK, that is very much a matter for the voters of Scotland and not, therefore, a debate for me to enter. What I have a distaste for are populists, and nationalists are the worst sort of those, and de facto one-party states, neither of which are good for democracy IMHO. As to the individuals alluded to, we do not know what is behind Sturgeon's fall from power, but we could all see what a thug Salmond is and we should judge a man who, while still engaging in Scottish politics, was happy to be a paid mouth-piece of the Kremlin, so, frankly, f- him. Rant for the Day being my, so far, unsuccessful Radio 4 pitch.

Whereas, north of the border, the fishiest names are salmond and sturgeon.

We have, split between two topics, touched on the 1860s Oldbury carriages of the Isle of Wight Railway. These are made in 4mil by Matt Wickham, if I understand correctly the gentleman who is probably best known for his excellent depiction of the Bluebell Railway: Horsted Keynes The kits are listed here Fortunately, we have a restored example, and Matt has had access and been able to check measurements (the drawings in the Oakwood volume are not dimensionally reliable): Here we have Matt Wickham's own build of one of his prints: By way of explanantion, the 1864 Oldburys were supplied providing First and Second Class accommodation only. I purchased an extra print to use for the WNR; this carriage is an IWR 3-compartment First (used for the WNR as a First/Second Composite). The real IWR Composites are as the preserved vehicle above, with the First Class passengers enjoying salon style accommodation. There were also 4-compartment Seconds and 3-compartment Brake Seconds, with birdcages. There were 4 of the latter, all of which were later converted to 'passenger luggage vans' (I assume brakes). Three were converted as per the vehicle shown below, with the birdcage flattened (so not a feature that would have been built as such, because the raised portion of the roof now appears to have no function), and the other to a slightly different design. The models so far produced represent the later Victorian condition. One of the problems in being restricted to these coaches is that there was an 1880s generation of Oldburys and the two types were often seen mixed in services. The train below, showing the Vectis prints cleaned up, but not assembled, and, based on published period photographs, is a reasonably credible selection of carriages (ignore the order in which I have plonked them down, I don't have the prototype pictures to hand). The one without the body is to have a planked luggage van body built for it. Looking at pictures of the period, this was a regular feature of IWR trains and the underframe appears to be a match for the Oldburys. At the other end is one of the 3-compartment Brake Seconds as converted to a passenger luggage brake. Ideal motive power is one of the Beyer Peacock 2-4-0Ts: Here the Golden Arrow Productions kit

2024... Good luck!

I am prepared to pay for transfers to be printed. The WNR already has carriage and wagon transfers courtesy of Ian MacCormac. Given the number of WNR locos, it is worthwhile and more economic than with one or two models. My problem is this; it would be prohibitively expensive, even if I could find someone to do it, to draw up the lining schemes for all the locos. My thought is that I must learn to do so. I can attempt to print my own as a check that the idea is working, but I think I will need the quality of professionally printed transfers. Nothing bodged about you models, and I am wondering if the West Norlk should have a Fletcher Jennings J Class; it's a lovely prototype and I think it would suit an elaborate lining scheme such as the WNR's.

It may interest you learn that this luggage brake, a conversion by the IWR of the original Oldbury Brake Second, was kindly drawn up and added to the range by the manufacturer, Matt Wickham, at the request of Yours Truly. I also asked for the chassis for these Oldbury carriages to be made available seperately, which was also assented to, in order to facilitate the scratch-building of a planked luggage van, also seen operating with these Oldburys on the IWR. The instructions/construction video for these carriages is essential viewing and there are transfers made for them. On receipt it will strilke you how very wide the bodies are. Matt Wickham has, however, checked this against the prototype; they are every bit as wide as the models suggest. Matt, you will gather from this, is a perfect gentleman. The quality of the prints he produces is very smooth and crisp.

Busy man. When the time comes...Vectis 3D Models

That's the plan. I wonder if whole panels, including the clear bits, could be single transfers. If the two greens are painted, meeting at the mid point of the red-black-red lining, then gloss vanished, the carrier film should remain clear. Then satin varnish on top to seal the transfers and take down the shine. In order to see them on the layout, services from the western branches of the WNR will need to terminate at BM. I assumed this would be at the shorter branch platform, not the island platform faces. The same platform used by the northern branches, Birchoverham Staithe and Fakeney. There will be the Wolfringham branch passenger train, running Shepherd's Port to BM, and the Bishop's Lynn Tramway, which will alternate WNR and GER services, the latter comprising a G15 and W&U type carriages. The coal trains from Wolfringham Staithe would work to AC, there they would be split between wagons for the rest of the system and wagons that would be sent to BM for use there or to be dispersed round the district. Thus I expect a train of about 10 coal wagons arriving at BM behind the CMR Sharp Stewart.

Are you not, therefore, in need of a rake of Oldburys, like the one in use in the Wolfringham branch set? Let me know how you get on with the Beyer. That kit is some way down my to do list.

Yes, Brother Nearholmer has the right of it; the smallest things are the highest things. Something to do with perspective and horizons. I reckon. I find this helps

Ah, I suspect I meant Brother Nearholmer, but these days it's hard to tell! Thank you.

I finally found the little Fox Walker, WNR No.2, that had been lost for months and months in a hair-tearing anxiety of searchfulness. In the meantime I had made a start on its carriage set. Thus, this work in progress shot represents the Wolfringham branch train. As befits the sparse traffic on this 'withered arm', down-graded to Light Railway status, it is a short train of second-hand stock, in this case an Oldbury 1st-2nd Composite bracketed by two ex-GER Third Breaks, all 1860s vintage. Around 1900, the GER began to dispose of stock of this vintage. Customers could specify any upgrades or changes they wanted, and Stratford would do the work for the appropriate adjustment in price. Thus, for instance, the Rother Valley took two, which Stratford converted to vacuum braking and gas-lighting (the stock not having been converted to gas lighting before withdrawal). The Minute Books of the, at the time, cash-strapped WNR record that Stratford was only required to fit its coaches for vacuum braking. The origin of the Oldbury carriage, of a type similar to those supplied new to the Isle of Wight Railway, alas the Minute Books do not record*. While there will be trains of inbound ship-borne coal, for which I intend to employ the ex-Cornwall Minerals 0-6-0, and return empties, I do not plan to run a separate branch goods service for Shepherd's Port, but instead to add 2-3 wagons as tail traffic to the passenger set once a day or as required. Passengers can, thus, enjoy the Colonel Stephens' Experience (miss your connection while the engine of your late running train shunts its tail traffic in a goods yard en route to the junction station). These services could logically terminate at Aching Constable, but, as that hub of railway business will not be on the layout, I decided they should run through to BM! The originall intent was to send the regular Wolfringham service to CA, but that would need Aching Constable Junction South to be retained/reinstated, and Duo Account has warned against over-burdening the timetable at CA. Returning to WNR No.2, here is the last time I saw it before its rediscovery yesterday. This was 11 September 2022: And here is the livery I must try to reproduce (!): * G.R. Tweddle, Carriages of the West Norfolk Railway, An Illustrated History and Minute Books of the West Norfolk Railway, collections of the Castle Aching Borough Museum & Gallery, available to view on microfiche (Tuesdays and Thursdays only, by appointment). For a picture of the set running behind WNR No.2, circa 1905, see the Rokewood Press volume on the WNR, sadly now long since out of print.

Yes, they are lovely smooth runners and, therefore, are a lovely mechanism to work with if you can find something to do with one. Part of what I factored into the trainset purchase was that I was acquiring another such chassis. So far my effort has been using one to convert Nellie to a 2-4-0. This was a bit of a practice run for a similar stunt I want to pull for a WNR loco. The wheels are 18mm diameter and equidistant at 23mm centres. 4'6" is not a bad size for a small Victorian 6-coupled engine, though 5'9" centres is the problem. In the whole world of mid-late Victorian 6-coupled locos, I cannot think of one that combines this wheel size with any wheelbase measurement starting with a 5. Prototype w/bs are invariably longer. Take for instance the diminutive 4’6” Cambrian Small Goods/Furness D1 0-6-0, with it's w/b of 6’9” + 8’ . For this reason I decided that the mechanism best suited a small Victorian 4-coupled passenger engine. As the mechanism drives the centre axle, the unit can readily be changed to an 0-4-2, or, as here, a 2-4-0. The other dimension to bear in mind is you probably need approx 38mm above the rails to clear the motor. If interested, there is a Bachmann Junior diseasal that uses the same chassis and is sometimes easier to come by. I have also found it in a Bachmann Junior 0-6-0ST. Meanwhile, back at the test track... Two days later... The good news is that Eclipse, who, though like all the majority of my kit-built locos would appreciate a service, is a runner! And, I have been able to run for the first time pretty much 3 years of RTR purchases: Further good news is that all the WNR locos in their various states of incompleteness, also work... In the foreground we have three locomotives for the Norfolk Minerals Railway. The Bourbonnais is slated for Anglicisation (no doubt the Government will then claim that as a BREXIT benefit along with blue passports, the ability to sell champagne in pint bottles and ... er ...) in order to resemble the Brampton Railway's long-boiler tank rebuilds. We see the WNR's tram for the Bishop's Lynn line, and the rest are intended as WNR locomotives, though I am concerned that both the L&YR 0-4-4T and the LSWR 0-6-0ST are too large for the WNR. Very definitely good news is that the majority of kit-built locos work! Mechanically these will need a service, but no more. A number await physical back-dating and or liveries to bring them pre-Grouping condition. Brother Stephen will note two 2-4-0s and two 4-4-0s requiring de-Deelification! Although this may appear madness, I have concentrated my efforts on a mere eight pre-Grouping companies, though my recent interest in the L&YR would make a ninth. In my defence, the GER, MR and GNR are intended for eventual service on Castle Aching, with the LNWR Precedent appearing with a Special. The GWR, LNWR and LSWR were originally collected for the dormant Butley Town layout. This was a Macclesfield MRC layout set in Grouping era and notionally linking LMS and SR routes via the GWR. Somewhat in the spirit of this, my plan was to back date it and run it as, alternatively, GW-LNW joint (think Welsh Marches) and GW-LSW joint (think West Country), however, the SW stuff is now intended for Barnstaple Town. The NER has a list of three projects, Cawood, Marley Hill and Richmond. For the SE&CR I have settled in my mind on Robertsbridge, so I can combine with the K&ESR. The Brighton is very much at large, but who can resist the Brighton? I will not live this long, of course, but the joy is in the journey! In the meantime, these are the non-performers and I really do need to get them working:

So, as regular parishioners may recall, each Christmas I furnish my own railway presents, to spare the family the trauma. This year I took advantage of a second-user listing to complete my trinity of Bachmann L&YR Aspinall1008 Class (Hughes Class 5) tanks. Also, this.... Now, before you decide that I have taken leave of my senses, I had better explain. I have no working layout. Since dismantling the test track layout on moving house, what, two and a half years ago, I have had no means to test locos. It stuck my that I should rig up my Bachmann train set controller to some track and deal with that. Said controller was nowhere to be found, however. So, thinks I, when I bought it, it was only £25, so I'll buy another. Well, they're not £25 anymore. The cheapest complete controller set I could find was £75. I thought I'd see if anyone was flogging a second hand Bachmann train set for less. Well, they weren't, but this one was on offer for £75, so I thought I may as well go for this, as the circuit of track would allow me to run in RTR locos, everyone of which has yet to be run in. The clincher was that the vendor was including some sections of straight track, which would be easier for placing some of my locos of the track, and would allow me to test those kit built locos that wouldn't fancy the train set curves. So... This arrived two days ago, since when I have been testing locos interpersed with desperate hunts for those not seen in years. I think all the kit-built locos have been now found, save one large Swindon saddle tank, though, of course, it's always possible I've simply forgotton one or two. Anyway, I have now tested all the kit-built locos I could find, and have run those RTR locos acquired since the move, which had not, therefore, run until now. There are a couple of surprise failures - ones I am sure did run - and a previously untested NER C Class that runs splendidly, provided it's forward. The rest on the 'problem pile' are very much the usual suspects. To be continued....

What a perfect modeller's compact passenger terminus!

Well, 4 hours ago I was sound alseep. No yetis in Yorkshire. No snow. Plenty of wind, however.

The locus in quo...

Well, it's near enough Easby, which the old Richmond branch used to pass, so pretty familiar turf. It's a 10 minute drive away.

It is hard to imagine that such a deep cut could be self-inflicted, so I have my doubts. Hell hath no fury, on the other hand. The timely presence of at least one other policeman is also interesting. I cannot help but wonder whether Mrs Ashton had sought solace for her husband's long absences at Cardiff library and, perhaps, had not expected him to return home in the middle of them. But, hey, we're killing the mood, so apologies.

Here's an old time copper for you, Chris, though I assume that you will have come across this picture yourself by now. He's a member of Merionethshire Constabulary pictured in 1894. As I assume from its proximity to Barmouth that Traeth Mawr lies Merionethshire, and IIRC your setting is 1895, this fellow would seem to be pretty spot on. It is to be hoped, however, that your Sergeant Roberts enjoys a happier home life and kinder fate than that of PC Ashton. I've always felt too much poetry has a deleterious effect: Link

At rent of £38K a year! St Trinian's Hall, on the other hand, can be yours for £2.5m

Assuming Blanche can't find her own way home

My neck of the woods, too...

Hear, hear!