Paragon

Late to the party, nevertheless interest registered for 92030. Regards Jon Paragon

Still a load of circular signs outside Leeds city station platform 1 approaches advocating 'North Sea Gas' , 'Opencast Coal', one with an intercity swallow on, another with Wallace Arnold (coaches) and lastly Leeds Bradford Airport which has Concorde and an old biplane on Must date back to the late 80s/ 90s surely! Also, anyone spotted the phantom lift shaft on p1 at Leeds from the Parcels and Mail days? It used to lead up to an over bridge to Wellington street sorting office. Now demolished,there is a signpost to 'Royal Mail' still visible in the taxi/ drop off turning circle outside the 'new entrance' by the long stay car park at Leeds which has had a white vinyl sticker put on it to obscure the fact it was torn down years ago... There's also an old mural to WYPTE Metro branded trains at Shipley which includes an artistic depiction of a class 158 still visible, it's on the triangle junction for the line direct from Forster Square to Keighley/ Skipton. Can't remember the platform number... Also, signs which have 'Great Northern Electrics' on them as a title at Moorgate above the escalators down to the old BR platforms from the old BedPan terminating lines and the City, Hammersmith and Met platforms... Paragon

Hmm Well, I've got more than one interest on the simmer at the moment: The 'master plan' is Tilbury Riverside to Barking on the LTS in NSE era The more realistic side to me however is demanding a junction with some sidings to practice Templot and hand built EM before embarking on the big 'un Current thoughts with Gaer Junction or somewhere down Avonmouth in sweaty BR blue because some people won't stop leading me astray with all their posting photos of West Country freight workings of the era or snippets of TOPS documents and Conditional and Sectional WTTs and appendices with loads of trip workings and siding shunts to reincarnate. Sigh, the joys of the interweb! Paragon

Dave, I have more than occasional dealings with Stobart through work! (The company on behalf of whom their rail operations section operate the intermodal with the Less-CO2 branding) Would you like me to ask through them if Stobart's would be agreeable with the reproduction? We (as in my employer) have been making a lot of noise about the benefits of the service recently and I know our UK director is supportive of it as he was recently photographed there at the loading point alongside a Malcolm Rail 66 and the container flats! Might be worth a go if you were wanting to do one? Jon Paragon

92030 is a winner, Dave. All the best Jon Paragon

A bit close to home, therefore not as funny to 'non-insiders' Went to another store yesterday which is having a refurbishment. Normally, the rule is if you can pinch it for yours, pinch it, because anything that gets ripped out gets replaced, not stock of course because it's a blooming well organised venture to strip all the saleable articles out and it's all categorised and labelled before being fed back to our depots and superstores for a week whilst the fitting out is done, and we all value our jobs too much to get caught nicking! Before I could even ask 'can I have that shelf/ poster/ filing cabinet?' The lead manager pulls all the rest of us managers together and says 'don't bother pinching anything because I'll just search you on your way out'. Cue a massive pile of stashed items (not stock!) appearing by the exit to the store and one smug looking manager. It did make me smile, at least I wasn't the only one who'd gone with a shopping list of sundry items of paperwork, fixtures, fittings and files to try 'rehome' in my branch! Jon.

That's my bad, thanks for the correction I should have spotted the lack of a MAD boom on the Airseekers! The confusion is due to the fact it replaced an operational capability fulfilled by Nimrod, and it is of course a different airframe and sensor package in itself. Duly noted Paragon

Don't forget that for every ship on the surface you see steaming around all pink gins and popguns , there's an awfully large amount of Subs bristling with torpedoes to put a few holes in the officers mess at drinks time! I forgot to add that the carriers are a wasteful shame if they were that much of a difference maker in this day and age then the Ark wouldn't have been retired leaving a capability gap of what, 10+ years? We need more 'Jacky' Fisher's and, dare I say, daringly outspoken First Sea Lord's stalking around Whitehall. Paragon (With a mighty wink to the silent service!)

If I may (I'll keep it brief) Two friends in the Senior Service (one on T45s as an engineer the other commissioned in the RFA on Mounts Bay last I heard of her) for legitimacy Last surface battle was what, 60+ years ago? Falklands highlighted a serious lack of anti air defenses, and battle management. Last conflicts since had negligible use of naval power in anything beyond 'force projection' (Balkans, First Gulf, TELIC (second gulf) and HERRICK (Afghanistan) except keeping the Iranians away from the tankers. The Cold War was largely ASW forces bolstered by what was the last gasps of Coastal Command in the Nimrods Nowadays the RUSI and Janes studies would depict an interim force of Anti Air destroyers bolstering a pair of hunter killer subs in the North Sea and more in the Atlantic if we tangled with say the Russians breaking out of the Baltic Otherwise it's Force Projection, i.e. Mobilising the RFA 'Mounts' class and protecting HMS Ocean and her Wildcats ferrying stores ashore for an amphibious battle group of Commandos. This is fulfilled by the T45s and existing frigates. The only real 'Blue Water' defences are the Sabres in Gib fending off the Spanish trawlers and Guardia gunboats and the Falklands Defence Ship but again, the Argentinian fleet is still minus a battleship and would suffer to put a fleet to sea themselves. Even the Germans are a Submarine heavy navy, the Americans are bullish with the Chinese and Russians about surface power, but tight themselves relying on AEGIS missile cruisers and Tomahawk Hazard Perry class destroyers and smaller frigates. Nowadays, most nations focus on an aerial battle space supremacy approach alongside a submarine spearhead force to put down a hypothetical enemy's fleet, which negates a strong surface presence. Hence the defence requirements for Astute H/Ks and Type 45s. What would be interesting would be to see the next gen frigates, which I imagine will be ASW/ Air defence same but smaller as the Daring classes. The question is, where is and who is the next enemy, and what do they bring to the battlefield? China is checked by the Anericans and South Korea and Japan, Russia by the Americans except in the Black Sea which is Turkey's playing field and the Baltic has Germany, Denmark, France and us, all largely coastal fleets/ subs and air power. The real question here shouldn't be bemoaning the lack of a 'fleet' per se, that is inevitable with the current and previous threat assessments and conflict experience and expectations, what really should be the question is 'where are we with regards the Fleet Air Arm, no Nimrods, how good are the Rivet Joints at finding subs (they can't!) and why did we buy those over the new Poseidons the Americans are rolling out to replace the P-3s As I once told RAF Marham's station commander who agreed entirely with my view when asked on the subject of modern armed forces, the army goes as far as the land, the navy as far as the seas but the air forces cover all of them! Fly Navy! Paragon.

Never heard one on the juice before Mind you, only ever seen the one sat at decoy yard pan down in EWS TTG with beastie sticker over the old RfD diamonds Must be about three year or so back That's largely because I lived off the ELL and the NLL at Stratford by the junction with the GEML so it was all 86s and 90s and the rarer 70 or 66. Jon

I'm in... Alas I'll only need one for my CTRL/ Ripple Lane project. Jon

Oi!I never! I deny everything! (That's a lie!) By "froth" I meant speculation as to which Vans and when! Big wink! Jon (All in good spirits!)

Dave, Put me down for a rake of said ferry vans Here's hoping we don't end up with another froth topic Jon

Bickershaw colliery, albeit over t' Pennines in Lancashire, had green painted steel framework around their buildings... Paragon

Re Ruston' image above, that sir would be a Hawker Hind. Inter-war light bomber. I have an interesting pair of books on the RAF from inception to 1945, there is a third title but I don't have it unfortunately, shows some rare shots of the oft overlooked mid 30's biplane interceptors before they were replaced by the Hurry, Defiant and Spit. From an ex RAF AVM who retired to Spain where I grew up, he graciously passed into my care a few select old books on the subject. Lovely shot of the mk.1 Blenheim, always attractive with the 'Knights helmet' cockpit and nose assembly, before the mk.4 with its more common looking nose. Paragon

Adam, stunning work as ever. Thanks for sharing Paragon

BTP on platforms, complete with obligatory K-9s marshalling rowdy hooligans? Or, in smaller space perhaps, platform LINED by BTP and said rowdy hooligans falling immediately silent as train arrives and trooping almost in step with each other without so much as a peep! (Inspired by real events, on an evening departure a few years ago on a 91+ Mk4s working KGX-LDS, called at PBO and collected a multitude of Huddersfield Town supporters. Despite being a dry train many tins were brought onboard despite platform staff protests, alas no BTP there to assist. Anyway, a little while later leaving Doncaster, the group which had centred in catering coach, including two old boys trying to look 'ard got a bit rowdy, so the guard politely asked them to return to their seats, as they were on until Westgate (next stop, change for short trip to Wakey Kirkgate and trains to Hudds) one of said 'old lads' starts mouthing off to the guard, on about them being 'last true fans, death supporters, mad hard crew/ firm etc.' And how he isn't listening to some upstart guard on a train, usual p'd up Northern BS, so he then threatens to do the guard, at which point me, in Leeds United beanie hat (should've checked fixtures before travelling!) and two other Town fans waded in and extricated the guard from the coach before a lynching delayed us, the guard all calm in the vestibule end says 'cheers lads' calmly opens the comms box and rings 9 bells (now it may have been 3+3 bit hazy here as I was in self preservation mode due to headwear and I didn't hear any convo over the 'celebrations' in the catering coach) Nonetheless, an extremely loud train pulls into Wakefield Westgate, where, in utterly amazing turnout, is the entire (hyperbole) BTP contingent lining the entire platform! So slowly coming into the station the ruckus dies down to silence with some whispers. The guard undoes the door next to us (me on the bench outside the lav and my new two bezzies from the Town mob wedged in beside me talking about next Yorkshire Derby) and two mountain men crammed into PC uniforms pop their blue shiny helmeted heads in. Convo= -You ok, fella? -Yep, I'm fine, you want me to point them out to you? -Yes, please On they come, guard leading them both past us (second glance at my now slowly smouldering hat!) into the coach proper. Guard says, top of his voice for dramatic effect ' those two gents there' Officers brush past him, con flab with the old boys, and lift them both in stunned silence. Once on the platform they cuff them and frogmarch them off to the exit. The guard, now 7'9" tall unlocks the doors and off get a bunch of stunned, silent Hudds Town fans, without so much as a whisper. And then, this short blonde PC pokes her head in to check they're all off and, seeing my hat now on fire, says "ooh, bad day to be wearing that don't you think! Count yourself lucky matey!" Doors shut and we glide off to Leeds, cheeks burning, hat in bag!!!

Alas, but no. 'One of a kind' Fortunately(!) Paragon

OP, Don't quote directly, YH or YJ springs to mind for the 'ull area... I have a friend partial to the region I am sure has a relevant WTT in the paraphernalia somewhere I will ask t'question and make sure for you. Paragon *edit; wrong! YC Lincs and Humberside, lifted from a Pass &Parcels WTT circa 1982! Jon.

So, I thought I'd give a blog a whirl to showcase my opening foray into a transportable home based layout, in EM which will be based on East London and swing between eras. First I shall hope to draw a backstory for the project (which will have its own entry) but for now I will cover the principal points I aim to achieve to give me a tangible objective list for the concept overall. Using my managerial training I've opted for a SMART plan of action, that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and to a set Timescale. As it stands I'm right at the start, with an approximate space and prerequisite requirement laid out for me by the domestic power in being (my better half) who has generously granted me the lease of the spare room, a double bedroom, for a removable and transportable arrangement. There is another possibility as well however, but more on that shortly. The space will allow for a 2' wide, 10' long straight arrangement (for the boards) and must be portable enough to store as and when the need for the spare room to fulfill its actual duty arises. The second option, is an ancillary space in the dining room, which will be either tabletop in size and disposition or fit on the double length windowsill (this is my preferred option) the idea being that space one, the bedroom, be for the full scale project and space two be a tester for track work and concept proofing. As we are approximately 75% done decorating the master bedroom at the moment, once this space is completed and we vacate the spare room then I will be decorating that and then I will be allowed the space proper for the main layout, hence the negotiation for the dining room small space as a temporary proof of concept build. The idea is for a Great Eastern build, between 1969/70 and 1990, inspired by Ripple Lane sidings and Tilbury Riverside. More to follow, Paragon (Jon)

My better half has always entertained my enthusiasm for the noble sport of Railway Modelling. That said my spasmodic flitting between regions eras annoys her as she's happy when I set up my oval of setrack to run my dilapidated stock which spends 97% of its life sat in a cupboard (or 6 under the parents house!) and she can play with them! She particularly enjoys my 33/1 which has directional lighting and my 59 which basically pulls everything she attaches to it (including 4 mk1's, a rake of PGAs and several 12 ton vans! She also is happy for my 08 to sit on a shelf in the dining room for all to see; I don't hide my interests as most people who spot my locos and other rail related paraphernalia pass comment to her and not me anyway. She's openly said she'd rather the modelling I do try and do over say PC gaming or watching tv because she likes creative stuff herself (I bought her a sewing machine at 21 and a semi-pro kitchen mixer at 22 so you can see we're both older than our ages!) And, I don't go out partying (she occasional does under the auspices of 'wedding planning' with the bridesmaids) nor do I sit plugged into a console at all hours, just my iPhone on Flickr and RMWeb looking for inspiration which is infinitely preferable to sitting looking at Facebook or similar such drivel, so she tells me! Needless to say she's a gem! Jon(Paragon)

Today was a good day for the Bose, it was graced with the following playlist I chocked together whilst I was cooking: Sting- Moon over Bourbon Street (Live in Berlin version with the RPhO) Duran Duran- Ordinary World Oasis- Cigarettes and Alcohol Delamore Brothers- I let the freight train carry me on (from Crazy Heart soundtrack, a solid performer in my top 10 movie list, who knew Jeff Bridges could sing!) Now we're on Hugh Laurie's delectable blues offering, Let Them Talk, which is what I said when my missus pointed out that I'd left my 08 and 12ton ply van out last weekend when we had all her family over for dinner, and she said that no one had mentioned it to me but they'd all commented to her that they never knew I was "into trains at my age!!" Weird, people. Jon (Paragon)

IMHO and experience, a "drop" in Yorkshire is surely equatable to up to 6 aforementioned pints, owt above that is anywhere between a skinful and a lashing. Paragon (Jon)