5BarVT

They don't. Consistently!

But not for long bashing those hoppers up & down.Paul.

I think I knew him.Paul.

Thanks to the organisers from me too. A really enjoyable day, spent too much time talking and not enough looking at the excellent models (only me to blame!). Paul.

Was the right size for two tracks in 1970.

Not a forum I frequent, hence delayed response. Co-acting: platform 14 at Piccadilly. Interesting 'splitting' banner: Deansgate platform on the end of the canopy. Neither Western unfortunately. Paul.

The two distant signals that can be seen are for Benton Quarry Junction. As shown, the line is clear through Benton Quarry for the ECML. I'm fairly certain the LH distant will be worked as it would not need to be provided if fixed (unless someone knowledgeable in NE signalling knows better) and will be to indicate that the signals at Benton Quarry are cleared round to Benton Station. I would expect the RH signal to be a distant too and it looks like it is: that will indicate signals off round towards Backworth. Paul.

Looking good Andy. You can feel how the river and then the railway have cut through the landscape. Paul.

Got mine already, just need to remember to take it with me when I come south tomorrow. Looking forward to the show too.Paul.

Henley: not 'cos I'm clever, but because I'm familiar with The Stationmasters thread "The Stationmaster Says Goodbye to Steam at Henley-On-Thames" and I recognise the signal gantry in the background. Paul.

Ed, I lost your thread in the move, but have found it now. As you can see, a three platform minories, with above the third platform a parcels platform and siding. An arriving parcels can run straight in (or into the passenger platform), a departing parcels is made up and placed in the top passenger platform for departure. I have added a loco release crossover in the platforms - this works for short trains, but longer expresses are taken out by a new train loco. To give an idea of scale, the bars below are 12" and 3" in OO. Paul.

I'd forgotten about the napkin rings - thanks for the memory. I worked there 84-88 when Charles Underhill was in charge - he took us on an outing to Tees Yard and Thornaby depot in the induction week, so he may have taken over by then too.Remember the dodgy emergency alarm and the poor soul who was allocated follow up each one overnight? Paul.

One of my colleagues carries an induction charger with him so that he can plug it in and place his phone on it to charge. I find a lead lighter and quicker to use in the same USB socket!! Paul (semi-Luddite).

Congratulations. 42 years two weeks ago yesterday for me. WR S&T started their trainees two weeks before BRB that year (get the regional loyalty in early?!). So 42 years ago today I would have been sitting in the lecture theatre at the ex LMS training school in Derby. Ditto! Really nice. I have seen their site before, just need to get round to deciding what I want on mine.Paul.

That's assuming you could find your way there with all the monolingual signposts cut down. Paul.

I have a plan for what is essentially an extended minories. I want shunting so I am using parcels traffic to give that. Newcastle 1970's certainly had enough moving of parcels stock to justify what I'm intending to do. Paul.

More or less pure Minories. There may be a plan somewhere in the thread, but you can easily work it out for yourself using the photos in posts 2 and 16.Paul.

It doesn't! At least not as written. If you imagine the whole layout to be wired in L&Y phase, a L&Y train will depart in forwards, circulate, and enter the FY. A GN train will depart in forwards, but as soon as it reaches the main lines it will need backwards polarity. Feeding the GN chord through a bridge rectifier allows the controller to be put to reverse while the train still runs forwards. Dead easy if your direction is by switch. If you want I can do a diagram to explain, but it will be the weekend before I have time. This work stuff doesn't half get in the way. I hadn't realised how many locos you had, but I did know that DCC wasn't an option for you. I'm going DCC to enable computer control, but as you say: it ain't cheap. Paul.

Three alternative solutions spring to mind, one untenable, one that avoids the need to stop, and one that also does not require the full 8 car length.Let's get the untenable out of the way first: go DCC! Avoiding the need to stop: feed the 8 car sections through a bridge rectifier and change polarity on the move. This does prevent shunting out and back on these lines. Keep shunting option: feed groups of the station sections via double pole switches for polarity change selected GN or L&Y. Possibly a double wafer rotary that progressively switches the station from L&Y polarity to GN polarity. Paul.

They made one in Reading works in autumn '75. No idea where for, or whether that was one of the last.Paul.

We will! Ignoring complications like junctions and even bigger complications like four running lines, a typical double line box would have from the left with lever no.1: Distant, home/starting signals in order, points/FPL/shunt signals, starting/home signals, distant signal. FPLs would be adjacent to the relevant point lever (without checking diagrams I can't say whether one side was usual) The two shunt signals reading through a crossover would be either side of the point lever. Your layout seems to be actual Aberaeron, so is simpler than above. The lever numbers can just be made out on the SRS website http://www.s-r-s.org.uk/html/gwm/S2106.htm. It is a very small and efficient frame. No yellow levers (no Up distant, Down is fixed), 3 and 4 are crossovers, 5 is FPL for 4, 6 is Down Home, 2 is Up Starting, 1 is Up Home OR sidings to main shunt signal. There is no signal protecting the exit from the headshunt/engine shed and I can't see what operates the shunt signal for the run round move. (It may be a point indicator worked with the points, not sure if GW had those.). You will also need a token/staff instrument in the box. There are other threads on GW signal box interiors that you should be able to find by searching, including a very informative one by Mike (Stationmaster) himself. He operated and managed such boxes, I'm just the engineer who didn't write enough down when younger as I didn't know I would need it to help others with their modelling! Paul.

Not a steam expert, but looked just like Machynlleth to me too, so needed to be a BR standard 2-6-0. Paul.

That's so as you know what colour the cheese will be . . .

And do you remember how they came out in hot summer weather?Paul.

Sooner than that. First possessions start next month.Paul.