5BarVT

Ahh, memories! I used to cycle old railway lines. Fine when they have a proper surface or in dry weather, but I have had the “all jammed solid under the mudguards” experience. Paul.

Most interesting to see a view showing how close everything was. Many years spent standing on that low level platform at c.17:25 to 17:32 when you could hear the DMU engines on the platforms above so I knew there wasn’t much gap, but nice to see it confirmed photographically. Also a revelation that 6&7 weren’t always as long as 2-5. And following the Queen St upgrade, they are shorter once more as 2-5 have been lengthened by a coach length. Paul.

Fair weather cyclist? Or do you go for the ‘brown line up the back of the jacket’ look? I used to be an any weather cyclist, now I just cart mudguards around as extra weight! Paul.

I see your 4’ road numbers in the FY. Do they act as clearance markers too? Paul.

I observe that rule too, with the exception of the Victoria Line where some of the longer sections are > 2mins. I suspect some of the ‘new’ Jubilee line sections don’t fit either. Paul.

Well that’s a back story. You have the gift of a fertile mind, Sir! Paul.

How about Swansea High Street? Missing the loco spur, 4 platforms not 3 but are just the 3rd split into two, inner xover after the 2-3 split and extra points to the sidings (but they are in the right place for expanded Minories. Pretty much the same operating constraints. Paul. And Helensburgh Central if you strip out the northernmost platform.

Received my MERG Journal last week, noticed a front cover leader to “An Arduino based interlocking signal lever frame’ and thought “I’ll have to read that “. Opened it today and flicked through from back to front (just ‘cos I was holding it in my right hand), missed the locking table on page 9, flicked to pg 6 . . . I recognise that Box diagram! I’m going to have to go back and read it properly now! Paul.

More of a Western fan myself. Can’t have too many of them. Paul.

I think Courour was a bit special. For a start, all water came in by train. But also the working arrangements - there may have been some relief, but I think once there you worked continuously. Paul.

That’s a lot of Warships! Paul.

Like that a lot! Interesting way of placing your WAGO222s. I’ll have to try it. Paul.

“And you’ll keep on doing it until you get it Right!” Paul.

Another vote for Abertawe. In the original photo I’m fairly certain I can see the characteristic arch of the footbridge over Oystermouth Road. Paul.

I’m slightly troubled by the wiring photo. How long did it take you to work out the wiring goes under the rails? :-) I like the layout of the WRD, and as you say, each part has its place, including the loop to run round each shunt between workshop and storage roads. On the annotated photo, the line under “storage roads” is a bit close to the line beside the headshunt because the two siding points are butted up to each other V to toe (afeature of Peco track that I discovered in 1972 doing exactly what you have done!). Have you tried putting vehicles in both roads to check clearances? (My recollection is that 7 plank wagons would pass but coaches wouldn’t.) Paul.

Yes. I get someone else to do it! Though, now that I know about Hooks Law, maybe I’m not so bad. I fear I need the more generalised version: A=N+K(p) where K(p) (personalised) is a failure factor individual to the operator. My K(p) is somewhat higher than 1. Paul.

And then have all the surrounding scenery in different firms as nature took over (all removable too). In fact why not build three layouts, so as you don’t have to remove all the stock and variable features to change era . . . :-) I’ll get back in my box now. Paul.

Including a lot of smashed up sleepers from the van behind the Hymek? Paul.

For the avoidance of doubt, I meant going anti clockwise around the central island (‘the wrong way’ compared to a normal roundabout) while correctly following the lane markings. Can see why you might have interpreted my words differently! Paul.

You’re making me jealous and nostalgic! I do like a Furka Oberalp loco. It has a differ3nt feel in English! Paul.

Liquid sunshine, dear boy! Paul.

Judicious changing of an 8 to a 6 required! Paul.

Will that be a Gwiwer Penhayle Bay type of beach scene, or is Pentowan too refined for that? Paul.

And Hemel. Paul.

I’ve learnt something tonight. I was about to say ‘you can’t ’cos they will have different coupling codes’. But I thought I would check first . . . I had assumed (for over 50 years) that Blue Square meant epicyclic gear box, but now I know that although some hydraulic transmission is a different code, there were some that were Blue Square. My guess is that the instructions were to drive a mixed set like a mechanical transmission - the epicyclic gearbox didn’t like a ‘hot change’ that you could possibly get away with in a torque converter. Paul. P.S. I still don’t know what a 112 or a 113 is. By the time Ian Allen was adding class numbers (‘74 ish) it seems they had all been withdrawn.