37Oban

Never mind dcc, have those two 31's been fitted with an experimental gas turbine, maybe using methane produced by Mrs M's horses? Roja

Hi, I only use Klear as a patch on which to place the transfers. They are soaked as per instructions then applied with a generous wash of microsol and gently teased into place and any nooks and crannies with a cocktail stick before gently patting dry with a piece of kitchen paper. They are then left to dry fully before weathering, if need be, and sealing with dulcote or Klear. Roja

One bus would be sufficient to be on all five bridges and station forecourts and anywhere else you wanted. All you have to do is look and it would be there and when you look away it's gone!

Mm, bit spoilt for choice! Loch Quoich, Loch Luichart, Loch Arkaig, but I'm going to plump for one that has no chance of winning but I like the name: Loch Laoghal. Roja

Hi Clive, I've just had a wee browse on t'interweb loking for this band. They are called Hitsujibungaku , or sheep literature! Looking at some of the photos it's the clothes he chooses to wear that makes Fukuda look bigger than what he actually is, especially when hunched over his drum kit! Roja

The drummer looks like he's a sumo wrestler in his spare time! Or maybe it's the other way 'round! Roja

Hi, re naming your layout, a lot of the place names in the north and west of Scotland, as well as the western Isles are derived from old Norse, not Gaelic. People forget that for several centuries these areas were a Norse stronghold. Nsmes such as Wick, Dingwall, Ullapool are of Norse origins. It's well worth looking into the history of the Vikings (or Norsemen) in Scotland. You'd be surprised how far south they ventured down the west coast! If you can, read about the exploits of the Vikings, including the Treaty of Perth and the Battle of Largs. Roja

And don't for get the brambles! And maybe a few nettles and docks wouldn't be amiss! Roja

Mm, plenty of scope for brambles in the scenery! Roja

Hi, I'm currently building a JE 06 which my brother bought for me last year, and I'm finding it an enjoyable, if tricky in parts, build. Some of the tricky parts are of my own doing, I have only the full use of my left hand and 5% of my right after a stroke some years ago, so I have to find some inventive ways of holding things in place as I solder, and sometimes also to form some of the parts, such as the curve on the cab sides where they meet the roof. However, with a little ingenuity, and some lateral thinking, it's coming along nicely. Maybe I shouldn't say this, but I've also diverged from the suggested build order, mainly because it makes things easier for me. Some good photographs are also helpful. Also, if you're not too sure about your soldering, practise on some scrap etch first and try to use as little solder as possible to ensure a good joint as it saves on cleaning up afterwards. For you first kit, on balance, I'd say try one of the NBL models, but if you feel confident and are prepared to take your time then try the 06 if you can get hold of one. After all, problems are just challenges to overcome! Roja

Progress is progress, no matter how slow! Better to take your time than rush things and make a mess. Think about how plants grow: they take their time and don't react well to being forced to speed up! Roja

Hi, before dabbling with painting your rocks again I would suggest having a good look at any photographs of the rock formations around Mallaig to get the colours correct. I believe that the rocks around Mallaig are granite with some basalt intrusions, gneiss and schists. Each on has a unique mineral and crystalline structure which means each has different colour combinations and weathers differently. It's one of the reasons granite is used building work and basalt is not. Also take note of fractures and possible fold lines in the rocks; due to geological forces what appears to be solid rock can be bent and folded like plastic and this can be seen in even small rock outcrops. And, as previously mentioned, the weather conditions, season of the year and type and angle of the light have an effect on how the rocks look. Wet granite on a dull, winters afternoon looks very different from the same piece when dry in early morning sunshine at mid-summer. Also granite can appear to have a sparkle to it, caused by mica crystals, which is another reason it is used for building and monumental work. The best advise I can give is, as ever, study any photographs of the area as closely as you can and decide what season of the year, weather and type and direction of light before committing paint to model. Roja

Hi, at it's most basic, shire comes from the Anglo-Saxon for county, so county of Lincoln, county of York etc, the word county being introduced by the Normans, so all counties were also shires, it's just that some never use the term shire. A modern day example is that although Argyll is sometimes called Argyllshire, I've never heard it called that, and in the local newspaper it's just referred to as Argyll. However, in some copies of books I've got originally printed in the late 19th century some of them refer to Argyllshire. Roja

Can never have too many brambles!

The Brocklesby, local to me.

Hi, just read this. It's my personal experience that biting the bullet is by far the best way, much better than hours of frustration trying to get things to work "just so" that have no intention of doing so. It's also my experience that, not matter how well you plan things, and how good it looks on paper or whatever, be prepared to do a bit of fiddling when laying the track as it sometimes looks a wee bit different in the flesh. Roja

And another vote for Lincolnshire!

Hi, I was once that rare beast, a vegetarian butcher! It lasted all of three years before the lure of grilling crispy bacon grabbed me and never let go! Roja

And two thirds the length of my layout without the fiddle yard! Ah, to have the space! Roja

A happy, and brambley, New Year to you!

Or disturbed any hibernating haggis! The hunters that supply the beastie for Burns' Night will be very annoyed if they've fled to different haunts and can't be found!

Nollaig chridheil! Roja

Well, it's been a few weeks since I last posted, not that I've been idle, but a couple of projects and Christmas have been a priority. So Merry Christmas Nollaig Shona Qlmas Datlvjaj 'ej DIS chu and Felicitations of the Season Roja

Just for my two-penneth, wouldn't the box be situated on the mainline, controlling that and the entrance/exit to the sidings so would be out of sight on your layout? I would have thought a small ground frame might be employed for the exit turnouts and hand levers elsewhere. Roja

No, it was an LNER Society trip. In those days there were hardly any rail trips run from Hull, and to do it using service trains was expensive, beyond our budget. Got me thinking now, may have been a year or two earlier! Roja