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My payment receipt is dated 12 December 2022 but no sign of anything yet!!

I'm very impressed by your tidy and organised approach, looking good. Tony

Ash Die Back is changing the appearance of current Ash trees. We have an established Ash at the bottom of our garden and over the past few years when it comes into leaf there is less foliage. I'm sure there was much more leaf cover back in the 50s, even 20 years ago, so Ash trees in the 1930s were probably much fuller than they are today. As to fighting back, yes, they'll send up fresh growth when they've been completely cut down so there is always hope of regeneration. Tony

Thanks Mikkel, I have high hopes! With very best wishes Tony

Thanks Chris, I'm pleased to say healthwise things are looking more positive. Looking forward to 2024! With best wishes to you and yours Tony

Wishing all who have visited and commented on my Birmingham meanderings a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful, healthy and productive New Year. As a solo modeller I very much appreciate the cameraderie and expertise freely given on RMweb. Tony

Wow, really pleased to see both the loco and coach progressing so well. Wishing you a very Happy Christmas Neal and a productive 2024. Tony

Mine has arrived as well. Thank you Stephen for Modelling the Midland, lots of inspiration. Tony

I'm sure we're not alone in remembering you to the boss Jonathon. Glad that you're settled in your own surroundings. Tony

Have a happy and enjoyable Christmas Chris, come back when you're able. Tony

Yes, I fully agree. The nearest four wheeler I've seen had the ducket towards one end but separated by the guards door such as: Coventry Station: View of Coventry's third station built in 1873 with a LNWR 2-2-2 Bloomer standing at the up platform and a LNWR 0-6-0 DX goods passing through the station (warwickshirerailways.com) The Hornby model does have luggage doors within the run of panels and perhaps I need to add the additional step below those doors as well, I accept this is all rather tenuous and just hopefully gives the already generic model a little nudge in the direction of the LNWR which is the most I can hope for. Thanks very much, though, for your comments and interest. Tony

Having come across a Hornby 4 wheel passenger brake in LNWR livery at a price I couldn't resist I thoight I would at least try to disguise its ancestry a little and give it a bit more LNWR flavour. It's still generic but I've reduced the amount of glass in the Guard's end to two smaller windows, added two roof skylights and an additional step under the guard's doors. Viewed optimistically through a murky lens it perhaps bears a passing resemblance to an early North Western passenger brake, of which, photos seem to be few in any case. Here it is in a short train hauled by Coal Tank number 136. Thanks for looking Tony

I started riding in 1964 and have finally accepted that now it probably will happen to me! My awareness and reactions seem to have developed a built in time delay which on modern roads is deadly. Love the Triton, brings back memories, the bike park at Mallory Park when every other bike was a boy racer. Tony

Excellent, I look forward to receiving it. Sorry I can't be there tomorrow (recovering from surgery ) Tony

And also December 1979 and January 1981: December 1979 is a one page progress report by the company engineer in "Rice Cornish"! January 1981 is a six page article describing The New North Cornwall Mineral Railway. Tony

Our thoughts and prayers are with you Jonathon , may your faith, family and all your friends sustain you. Make the most of every day. With very best wishes Tony

Brilliant, one of the best, thanks! Tony

Try this Annie for contents of ST-701 : https//www.themodelcentre.com/st-701 Tony

When Rapido announced they were producing this “Not Quite Mink” back in March time, as a long term resident of Harbury I just had to have one. The Greaves family was associated with the south Warwickshire cement industry from at least the 1840s and probably earlier. Blue Lias clay was known as a valuable constituent, originally for lime production and subsequently for cement . The Warwickshire Blue Lias deposits extend from around Stratford Upon Avon in the west to around Rugby in the east and Harbury is situated midway between the two in company with many other small producers in villages such as Ufton, Stockton, Long Itchington and Southam. Originally the quarries and works were sited by the growing canal network but with the coming of the railways new sites were opened to use the new form of transport. This was the case with Harbury. The GWR main line from Paddington to Birmingham and beyond was opened in 1852 and Greaves are said to have commenced operations in Harbury in 1855. Greaves Siding was situated just the south of Harbury cutting which at the time of its construction was the deepest in the UK, all cut by hand through the Blue Lias deposits which right up to the present day has caused many landslips owing to its unstable nature. The cement works became one of the larger ones in the area with its own internal 3ft gauge rail system but it closed completely in the early 1990s by then part of Blue Circle Industries Ltd. All trace of the works has disappeared but the quarries remain as a coarse fishing complex but remembered also for a complete fossilised Ichthyosaurus now in the Natural History Museum. Finished cement was shipped out by the company’s own standard gauge covered goods wagons such as the one produced by Rapido although liveries and types of wagon varied over the years, The Rapido wagon appears to be based on iron bodied wagon number 242 which can be seen in a photograph on the Warwickshire Railways website taken at Leamington on the 26th May 1925 Leamington (Avenue) Station - Locomotives: Close up showing Great Western Railway rolling stock passing behind the GWR station on 26th May 1925 (warwickshirerailways.com) The Greaves wagon with a hand lettered Ratio Iron Mink acquired some time ago for Nelsons of Stockton, another of the Warwickshire cement producers. For an in depth look at the south Warwickshire Lime and Cement industry (admittedly a rather niche interest) there is a useful book: Warwickshire Lime and Cement Works Railways by Sydney A Leleux published by Oakwood Press, the result of 55 years research by the author!! Thanks for looking Tony

Hooking up the front coupling, particularly on express locos was a GWR feature over many years Tony

We'll be holding you in our thoughts Jonathon. Tony

According to the 1901 census John James Robinson, born 1859, was a coal, coke and lime merchant with an address of 10 Cavendish Street, Skipton. He died in 1931 leaving £7713 2s 11d, a substantial sum in 1931 so one would assume he was reasonably successful. Tony

Very best wishes for a successful outcome. Tony

Hi Rob, sorry to hear you have double arm trouble, one has been enough for me! I'm sure Aston will be excellent therapy but do take it easy to let your body heal itself. Looking forward to seeing your modelling progress and wishing you all the very best. Tony P.S. I'm having an operation on my right wrist in a fortnight so hopefully I may have the use of my hand back by Christmas! PPS. I also have found a TENS machine very beneficial.

My thoughts and prayers are with you. With all good wishes for a positive outcome. Tony