GRASinBothell

If you're looking for diecast horse-drawn vehicles for O gauge, then the Models of Yesteryear horse-drawn bus (YSH-2), gypsy caravan (YSH-1) and Merryweather fire engine (Y-46) may be your best bet. And Arttista do a penny-farthing bicycle to add more traffic to your road... Gordon

Of course, the Great Western, and later Railway Air Services, flew Dragon Rapides, so this is technically all "on topic". You could probably justify one parked alongside the Birlstone Aerodrome terminal building... Gordon

They absolutely came to the UK. I was at a boarding school in Folkestone, where the playing fields were alongside the South Eastern main line, and saw many trains composed largely of STEF (and some INTERFRIGO, but mostly STEF) vans. I'm pretty sure some of those trains were pulled by Bulleid light Pacifics, which is why I have JeP and French Hornby STEF vans for my Ace West Country! And why my dublo layout in the sixties include Hornby AcHo STEF and Airfix Interfrigo vans. Gordon

Having not seen that before, I then checked the ETS site, and found it with "First pieces available soon". Either you got an early one, or their website is out of date! I'm going to have to think about getting one, though I'm not sure it would go well with my JeP or French Hornby ones. Did you get it direct from Prague? Gordon

I am intrigued by the refrigerated van behind the 8F. Clearly not the French Hornby STEF van. What is it? Something from ETS? Gordon

Just so long as the one in the goods yard doesn't do a Mount St Helens, Brian! Gordon

I like it! Mind you, a Google search revealed that it's been 60 million years since the last active volcano in the UK, so the rivet counters may have opinions on what livery would be appropriate for the diesel shunter in that era... Gordon

The model railway at my school got Beechinged (at around the time much of the real railway was getting the same treatment)! Anyway, back to Nearholmer's question, I found this in the HRCA supplement on the HV Metropolitan set: When the HV Metros returned after the suspension of sales they were supplied with a revised rheostat, now with an overvarnished dark red enamelled case. Tubular, ceramic core resistor elements replaced the earlier flat type, and the switching arm and contact studs were covered by a metal plate attached to the top panel. The revised rheostat also featured different mains-to-track wiring connections. Whereas the previous rheostats were supplied with a detachable 2-wire input cord (with a plug for attachment to the power supply light socket on one end, the connecting plate at the other end, and another socket part way along the cord that is pushed onto two vertical pins on the top panel of the rheostat) the revised design had the input cord wired into the rheostat case with a separate flex for the output. Unlike the two early versions, the re-introduced rheostat has an OFF position that isolates the mains supply. Seems like they tried to put something between little Johnny and the high voltage... There are, of course, pictures in the supplement, but they don't seem to be amenable to a simple cut and paste! Gordon

The HRCA supplement came with journal #450 in February 2010. The bit you recall was: The Hornby O-gauge HV Metropolitan loco was manufactured between 1925 and 1929. In 1926, however, its sale in the UK was temporarily suspended in response to concerns over safety and, allegedly, following a Home Office request. Interestingly, during the time it was unavailable in the UK, the HV version could still be readily bought in foreign markets, giving those buyers a choice of HV, 4-volt or clockwork traction. Whether the HV model was produced during this time, however, or whether all the sales were old stock, has not been confirmed. Hope that was what you wanted. Gordon

In view of today's news, I thought I'd post a picture of HM the Queen and HRH the Duke of Edinburgh seeing off an Ace Trains 25th Anniversary Special and a Hornby Railway Collectors Association Special. The figures come from Andrew Stadden's range. Gordon

So, I thought I'd post a picture showing the things that are likely to be opening today... Happy Easter! Gordon

Well, there was a certain amount of trickery involved in the aircraft world, at least. Starfighter sales (and thus Lightning non-sales) were helped along with some serious bribery, I believe. But the chief harm there was done by ineffectual management and political manipulation. Directing nationalized airlines to buy local resulted in those airlines knocking the product as hard as they could (to get additional subsidies as "compensation" for buying a lousy product), thus putting off other buyers, and usually involved tailoring the product to an extent that no one else would want them anyway. And the less said about the Wilson government's wholesale cancellation of virtually every aircraft program, the better... Gordon

Had a couple of busy days (unusual in this year of lockdown, I know!), so I didn't get around to it, but now, as promised/threatened, here is No 72, Fenchurch, in all her Stroudley glory: And in close-up: Unfortunately, I don't have any Brighton coaches, so I had to resort to some goods wagons, products of the nice Herr Bing. The Landau on the open carriage truck was acquired after I saw that Nearholmer had done that. Hmm... Must get myself a Brighton horse box to go with it! Gordon

The pub also sold a small booklet about the loco. I have one of those upstairs... I shall have to retake the photo with my other Terrier - Fenchurh in Stroudley's Improved Engine Green - picked because I worked in Fenchurch St for a couple of years. Gordon

Ah yes, the Royal Oak at Langstone was a very nice pub, at least the last time I was there, which was more years ago than I care to admit! However, after this digression to Hayling, we should probably return to coarse scale O gauge trains. Keeping a bit of the Hayling theme, how's this to get us back on track? And no, I don't run it on this particular track. I don't think it would do very well, as it's O-36 (18" radius). It also only has an AC controller. I put this loop in to run my Lionel Hall. But it's the only single-track section I have. Enjoy! Gordon

The house on Hayling that was a converted railway carriage was probably not too far away from where I lost my Dinky Toy in the early 1950s. We lived on Southwood Road (on the sea front), and even in the 1960s the furthest end of that road had many houses that were converted railway carriages. Gordon

...and I lost a Dinky Hillman Minx to the sea at Hayling in the early 1950s. I really should get another for the layout! Gordon

We even have a Newcastle here in the US Pacific Northwest. http://newcastlewa.gov/ Now that really would be a gross navigational error... Of course, no worse than ending up here when you were looking for Washington, Co. Durham! We have a Vancouver in the South of the state, as well as the better-known one just over the Northern border in Canada (both named after Royal Navy Captain George Vancouver). Some years ago a woman was detained at the Canadian border, because she had a live hand-grenade in her car. Her excuse for trying to bring a live grenade into Canada was that she was confused when she drove onto the freeway, and followed the signs to the wrong Vancouver! Gordon

Duncan Models in Salisbury do a set of 6 seagulls (two in flight, plus one just taking off or landing) in 7mm scale. http://www.duncanmodels.co.uk/price_list_figures_and_animals.htm Here's a couple of them on the beach on my layout. Hope that helps. Gordon

The Merci Train was sent quite a long time after the Great War - actually in 1949, after World War 2. For more info, see http://www.mercitrain.org/ Gordon

Try model ship rigging thread. It comes in a range of thicknesses (and colours). Gordon

Named in honour of an uncle (born 1912). The name "Gordon" was popularized after the death of General Charles Gordon (who I presume the LMR loco honoured), so not too far from the truth! Thr great trick, of course, would be to find a 1/9 Postal Order. Or, I suspect, a Postal Order of any kind. Do they still do them? Gordon

Austerity tanks and hockey sticks made me think of the Great St Trinians Train Robbery. But I don't recall any cranes in that, although it's been half a century... Gordom

I was aware of it having the wrong bunker and cab when I purchased it (on my wife's behalf, so she could give it to me for Christmas!), but decided to go for it anyway. I gather from Paul that they only made a grand total of 4 of that version, because they decided to do it after all the other versions, and at that time ETS only had enough parts to make 4. Reading between the lines, I suspect they had 4 sets with the later cab/bunker, and zero with the early versions! I'm pretty sure I got the last of the 4, so you're now limited to the WD version... Gordon

Going back to the Dinky yard cranes, I also bought one on eBay for my layout. But, as I started adding scenery to the area it was to be sited, I found I really couldn't put up with the garish colours. Here it is with a WJ Vintage/Raylo Austerity 0-6-0ST in post-war Army livery shunting. That's an Ace GWR Mogul, in the background. I felt it was in too good a condition to paint it, and I have a Marx Freight Depot (which you can just see in the background) it can sit beside, garish colour scheme and all. So, I went back to eBay, and bought a more down-at-heel version (actually in slightly different colours - the base was a much darker blue), and repainted it. Here it is, with my Christmas present, British Railways 0-6-0T No 30074 shunting. The extra hook hanging from the crane hook is the one it came with, now replaced, as you can see, with a replacement similar to the Dinky original. BR No 30074, I should add, was the later identity of US Army Transportation Corps #4326. She was borrowed by the Southern Railway, for trials in Southampton Docks, after which the remainder of the USA Tanks were purchased. And she spent most of the first year of the existence of British Railways in her USATC livery. Gordon