GMKAT7

Good evening Rob, Enlarging the photo it looks like the headboard says "The Sparkle Express", if that helps. Cheers, Nigel.

Good evening folks, AndyID, a man after my own heart. First band I saw live was Thin Lizzy in November 1976, Johnny The Fox tour, at Coventry Theatre. Having played Jailbreak to death at my parents house all that summer, I couldn't get enough of the songs on that album. Just 16 then, now fast approaching 64. Where does the time go? Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks, One more saying from me about Derbyshire, 'me owd ducks'. Derbyshire born, Derbyshire bred, Strongth in'th arm, thick in'th head. And this came from a lad from 'Illson ', otherwise known as Ilkeston. Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon folks, One of my old work colleagues used the phrase 'Dukes of Argyll', as in polishing the... It took a while before I realised he was talking about the 'Chalfonts', also rhyming slang, as in Chalfont St Giles :) Although they are a medical condition, so should be acceptable to the thought-police. Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks, Did someone mention Stuka? :) Other options are available on request. Looking forward to seeing Project W Rob when it breaks cover and catching up with you at the MAG event in September. No progress on 'TNYQ' other lots of testing/playing and looking at structure options. Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning Sqdn Ldr Dave, At least it's only a slight scratch, even when in other body parts. Re.your incoming operation (for which best wishes), the Boss went into the QMC Nottingham recently for major surgery. She was given a MRSA shower gel and nose cream and was asked to start 3 days before the op. Once she came home, the day after the op, there was still plenty of shower gel left but she wasn't required to use it anymore. So, it was used by yours truly. When I had my hernia repair op in 2021 I had a spinal anaesthetic and the area was pre-numbed before the big needle went in. Cheers, Nigel.

Hello Andy (SM42), Duck is also usual for Derby/Derbyshire, both male and female addressed the same! Or for those more fluent in other languages, mon vielle canard (me old duck) also serves 🤣 Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks, Q? Is "Eh up" pronounced the same as "Aye up"? The latter is a usual form of greeting in the East Midlands, well Derbyshire anyway. Usually followed by the imbibing of Bass or Pedigree, rather than Boddingtons though. Cheers, Nigel.

Hello SM42, You are so right, if I mention muff couplings I'm sure AYMod will put me on the naughty step after getting a visit from the thought-police. Yours, Finbarr Saunders.

Good evening montyburns56, "Ooh you call in ugly then?" Cheers, Nigel.

Good evening folks, Probably just as well to not mention hot boxes then? Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks, Maybe an excuse for a Carlisle Canal A3 to visit Finsbury as well? Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks, Following Mr Wealleans lead, Carlisle v Arsenal or Tottenham, FA Cup 3rd Round tie. Football pedant more On. Forest Green Rovers are based in Gloucestershire and would have been unlikely to be playing in London. Football pedant more Off. Cheers, Nigel.

Good evening folks, Long time, no post. I have finally got round to finishing my LMS Dia 1663 unfitted van, completed using Railtec black patches and CCT wagon numbers. I have also completed a GWR Dia Vish unfitted van. The reason for the Vish description is that it was a Coopercraft grounded van body, which I have fitted to spare Parkside 9' wheelbase underframe parts. The body style is an early V diagram van body with single vent but that should have DC brakegear. Instead I used up the spare Parkside chassis parts, with lever/Morton brakes. I know from various Larkin books that some later GWR vans did have steel underframes and lever brakes but these were twin vent. Hence the Vish! Finally, an actual piece of RTR modification. I obtained an old Airfix/GMR vent van and replaced the underframe with a Parkside LMS style 8-shoe brake kit. Painted in bauxite and labelled XP, it will keep company with my other kit-built vent vans (as previous posts above). As usual, railway wagons have to fight for workbench space alongside my 1/72 WW2 aircraft builds. More on these elsewhere on RMWeb. Edit: Some numbnut left off the photos (doh!). Now added. Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning Colin, Interesting shot of the Desiros, consecutive unit numbers too. How often does that happen? Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon folks, I was working for Regional Railways at the time of the 323s being built (mechanical design team) and we had an inspection visit to unit 1 at Hunslet Leeds. 15 of us on the mini-bus up to Leeds and then into Hunslet. Doesn't seem like that long ago but obviously is! I have a Dapol 323 on order for next year, RR/Centro original livery. Thanks for the photos of Coventry, as a Coventry Kid it's good to see how it is now (changed so much around the station, never mind the city centre). Cheers, Nigel.

Hello Peter, Yes, well done! The photo in your article showed the bridge over the canal, Bridge no. 3 on the Ashby line. I always think of your article when I walk this way with the dog (and sometimes the Boss too 😊). Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning Peter, Looking good for Aston so far! A little photo quiz for you this morning - can you guess the location of the photo taken below this morning on my dog walk? Clue: In the MRC many years ago you published an article on railway bridges for model railway layouts and this location was shown when the bridge still existed, although no trains were running at the time. It is on the former Derby to Ashby line, on the Shelton Lock/Chellaston border. The footpath follows the route of another artery to Derby that proceeded the railway and is also defunct. Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning Robin, Buzzing here too! Will do my utmost to get a semi -final ticket for my son and myself. After all, it's only been 37 years since our last FA Cup semi, and I don't think I will make another 37 years to the next one ( telegram from the King time) 😂. Thanks also for the Rapido wagon photos, I have one of each on order with RoS. Looking forward to these arriving, BR format for me. Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon polybear, I have done something similar when taking the dog out for a walk and locking the door, only to leave the key in the lock. Luckily it was the side door, not the front door, and I got back before the Boss had identified my error. Phew! It has happened more than once though 🙄 Cheers, Nigel.

Hello Melmerby, Know it well. When I went to Foxford School (other side of the M6) we used to call in at Sutton Stop, Hawkesbury Junction. The old railway bridge was still in place when I started there in 1971. On Blackhorse Road there was also a Charringtons fuel depot right by Hawkesbury crossing and signal box. As you say, all changed now. Although the Greyhound pub is still there I believe and used to serve a damn fine pint of Bass 🙂 Cheers, Nigel.

Good evening Melmerby, Spot on! The area shown in the satellite photo/Google Earth view as Bedworth Leisure Centre is in what was formerly the Miners Welfare Park and the Bedworth Baths/Gym is the Leisure Centre. The area below those words used to be a pitch and putt course, where I spent my Tuesday mornings whilst in the sixth form. It was that or proper exercise! The exchange sidings were to the East (right) of the park, where the line curved into the colliery branch. Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon folks, Newdigate Colliery was located between Coventry and Bedworth (pronounced Beduth by the locals). Closer to Bedworth than Coventry. It was served by a branch off of the Coventry to Nuneaton line of the LNWR, and a branch of the Coventry Canal. I used to visit the Bedworth Miners Welfare Park adjacent to the exchange sidings with that line. IIRC, the canal branch and wharf, where the spill happened, was also near the park and exchange sidings. Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon Rob G, Is that the call for a WTF button/icon? Is it discuss or discus? Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon Peter, Following this thread closely as a resident of Chellaston and a sometime visitor to both Weston and Aston. The line from the Trent Valley WCML to Baddesley Colliery crossed the A5, surely as major a road as the A6? No reason not to consider the extension from Shardlow? Cheers, Nigel.