GMKAT7

Good morning folks, To back up Stephen's point, the John Arkell/Lightmoor Press book on Private Owner Wagons of the South East has an interesting photo on page 4. It shows the yard at High Brooms Station with a collection of loaded opens, full of 'black diamonds ', amongst which are a Coventry Colliery wagon and a LMS wagon. Confirming the Midlands coal fields supplied the South East. Edit: The photo caption states the date as late 1930s. Several PO vans in the book as well 😀 Cheers, Nigel.

Hello Melmerby, I remember the name Volmax, IIRC it was close to the ring road end of the Foleshill Road. As you say, an Aladin's cave. I think my first bicycle came from there, a Moulton small wheel type. Edit: My dad also worked for GEC for around 25years, based at Copeswood, in the telecoms design office. Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon folks (especially Melmerby), House! brilliant choice from Rapido to do the Lockhurst Lane Co-operative wagon. As a Coventry Kid I lived reasonably close to Lockhurst Lane and went over the road bridge next to Foleshill Station numerous times in the family car. Cycled over it many more. Saves me having to build the Slaters kit version now, can use the base kit for another Coventry coal merchant with POWSides transfers. Thanks Andy/Corbs, now, how about Settle Speakman, Queenborough please? Cheers, Nigel. 😂

Good afternoon folks, When I was younger I heard quite a lot about Bargoed, Hengoed and Maesycmmer (probably spelt wrongly - oops). When he was 10 years old my Dad was evacuated from the Isle of Sheppey to South Wales, on the basis that it was likely to be a lot quieter there. I don't think the 'powers-that-be' considered Cardiff and Newport, etc to be bombed to the same degree as Kent. I am pretty sure it was Bargoed he was evacuated to, but he is no longer with us so I can't check. He was there from 1940 until 1943, when the same 'powers-that-be' decided it was a lot quieter so he could go back home. Cue, in June 1944, the V1s and V2s. Whenever we were on holiday and he heard Welsh voices he always made a beeline for the people talking to see where they came from. If he found someone from that area he was lost for hours, talking about the spots he remembered from the mid-1940s and asking how they had changed. I think he had managed to go back to some when he was in the RAF (1951-55) and spent some time at RAF St Athan (he was an engine fitter, so went there for maintenance courses). Cheers, Nigel.

Hello Jules, A fantastic photo thanks and shows the relationship between the station and the landscape. Also a lower, bigger station with a diverging route to the left and what looks like a gasworks in between. Still areas of greenery amongst all the urban and industrial building. Great inspiration! Cheers, Nigel.

Hello Jules, One further thought from me. The photo is very Iain Rice, a platform squeezed into almost no space whatsoever and the juxtaposition of railway, road and buildings - very inspiring! Plus, a bus under a bridge 😆 Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning John and John, I too am on the look out for the other 3 books, but only at a sensible price. Some of the other Larkin books cover the wagons acquired by BR, including PO opens, etc. I have the volume on vans, which has been much referenced for Parkside and Cambrian kit builds. Cheers, Nigel.

Hello Jules, The Buffaloes branch/lodge I visited in Coventry was based in a building set back from a main road and had its own driveway plus car park. A couple of my friends from school discovered it as an underage drinking establishment. We were all 17 at the time but a former classmate of ours worked behind the bar. Since he was also 17, and a police cadet to boot, it was in our mutual interest to keep schtum about our age. By the next summer we were all 18 anyway 😂 The building was a 2 storey affair, so I assume the Buffs business went on upstairs. Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning Jules, I have just noticed that the end wall of the Smiths Arms has a sign for the RAOB above a doorway (just above the Markham bus). Can't have the Buffaloes going into the main bar! Secret knock and handshakes required? Cheers, Nigel.

Hello Northmoor, Agreed, I finished with the WW2 roof area last, which I actually did in a blitz ( ho ho) last Sunday as it had been sat there nagging 🙄 Two atmospheric views, hope your friend who gets your charity shop copy enjoys it. Last one the boss got me from the local charity shop has various pieces missing 😔 Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning St Enodoc (John), My copies of the attached are well-thumbed too, part of my wagon reference books along with later Dave Larkin editions, the Geoff Kent 3-part series and John Hayes' 4mm coal wagon book. Acquired from a bookshop in Crewe around 1979-1980 time, when I was but a young apprentice in the works :) I still enjoy building wagon kits, even with the delights of Rapido etc RTR wagons. Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks, My latest sample of non-railway modelling, although it is railway related but not modelling. My son bought me the Waterloo Station jigsaw puzzle for Xmas, so I felt duty bound to start it :) Started the first week in January and completed last Sunday, so 2 months overall to completion. However, it was not a full-time occupation, since there are other things in life, such as railway modelling and continuing my Battle of Britain Memorial Squadron of Spitfires ;) Enjoyed it mostly, although the (upper) WW2 view with the dark roof areas was a bit of a PITA! Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning Corbs, Thanks very much for the confirmation. Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning Andy, I assume that these wagons are now due Q2/24, as per the other Rapido RCH 7-plank opens (Rapido delivery schedule)? TIA. Cheers, Nigel.

Hello Rob Mr Wolf, Times have changed at Rock City, no more sticky carpets! Even the 'greeters ' on the door seemed to be the usual 'for hire ' security types, not a Hells Angel in sight. Given the bands that were on that night I wouldn't have expected any ruckus. The other band was Phil Campbell's B@stards, playing Motorhead covers and some original stuff. And air conditioning - what is the world coming to? The main attraction for me was seeing BSR with Scott Gorham, probably the last time given he and I are both getting on a bit now 😅 Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon folks, Seeing Black Star Riders at Rock City (Nottingham) in February last year, one of the support acts was Michael Monroe, one-time vocalist for 'poodle-haired' band Hanoi Rocks. Given that he was 63 years old, his performance was amazing, moving all over the stage and speakers stacks etc. Still has long hair as well, not like yours truly 😂 Unless it was a syrup? Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning Tim, Are you sure that the sheep is coal powered and not just eaten a Vindaloo? Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon folks, 'Cashley' bought the formerly Ricoh, now Coventry Building Society, Arena from the bankrupt Wasps Rugby Club. Then promptly told the only tenant, Coventry City FC, to 'foxtrot oscar' with minimal notice. What he thought he was going to do with the Arena for 10 months a year nobody knows but him. Having seen the light the Frasers Group relented and gave the City a 5 year lease. I thought the stories from Newcastle United fans were exaggerated, but it seems not. Still, his Hornby shareholding is currently only less than 10%, so others still have control. For now. Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon Darius, In the words of Bill and Ted - most excellent! Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks, Annie, is that both a cat and not a cat at the same time? And is it both alive and not alive at the same time? Or has it ceased to be? Noting that it is not blue and may not be Norwegian. Yours in uncertainty, Nigel.

Good afternoon Sqdn Ldr, You could fall back on a saying we have in Coventry - you could ask him if he likes sex and travel 😅 To which the reply is Yes, good then f%&k off! Cheers, Nigel.

Good evening Captain, You have to be of a certain age to remember that 😂 Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon folks, To amplify St Enodoc's comments about structural integrity, this can relate to the vehicle bodyshell, bogies or wheelsets. When the Heathrow Express 332 units were refurbished in 2012 the weight of the STD vehicle (yes, really) was significantly more than expected and originally designed for. The design consultancy had some involved work on identifying the correct maximum number of passengers and that mass impact on the axle integrity, especially for that particular vehicle. It took some hard sums to get to a position of 'comfort ' with what was signed off by the VAB. Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon Tortuga, Yes, I will be starting a layout thread of my own to stop clogging up Rob's. Progress will be glacial currently, since I will need to read through multiple threads to understand the 'dark arts' I referred to above 😂 Plus some dry/warm weather for the track painting stage (can't see the Boss wanting me to spray indoors). I can promise no computer feet are involved, at least until my son comes home from university and demands his desk back 😅 Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks, I had the great pleasure of meeting Rob in Cardiff yesterday afternoon to collect some goodies I have just acquired from him. Noticing that he wanted to reduce his stash of 03s, I managed to get one before SteveyDee did :) So, Eastern Region allocated D2011 has joined the collective of wee engines I now have. Also acquired was his Type 1 DH 0-6-0 in the shape of D9505. Finally, I needed somewhere for my 'little engines' to stretch their legs so I also acquired Rob's 'New Year quicky' layout. Fits perfectly on my Bench of Bodge/Desk of Doing (delete as applicable), with the added bonus of an additional Presby shelf for the fiddle yard. I have not gone in for terraforming by Triffids, I will need to find a new home for 'Vera'. I now need to get to grasp with the 'dark arts' of track painting, ballasting, scenery and structures. Gulp! And work out how I am going to arrange everything. However, Rob kindly added in his spare copy of some suitably 'Riceian' inspiration. In the meantime some suitable testing/playing of trains will take place. It was also good to see Sheep Dip and Ewe in the flesh. Rob's demonstration of the DCC slow running of his locos was also impressive. Rob, having spoken about operations yesterday (medical not trains), the Boss had a call from the QMC Nottingham this morning to say she is now booked in for 21st February with a pre-op visit on the 15th. So, hopefully your further manglings can be booked in soon! Hope to catch up again at the MAG event in Derby come September. Cheers, Nigel.