LBRJ

Snipped out the irrelevant parts of this post. If you start and run a business from scratch it should be up to you how you run it thereafter. No one has to work for you if they wish not to do so. You are nearly right there. The matter of "safety of the train" is a once year episode, the matter of keeping the passengers in order is a whole shift episode, all day most days. The RMT in thier ill led "politically guided campaigns" forever miss the target, I am not sure if they do this wilfully or through a blind hatred -whichever it is, they have a tenancy to use the members as cannon fodder.

I seem to have spent a large chunk of my earlier life confined in a class 153, with the occasional bout of Pacing about, and the odd high day and holy day in something with more axles than carriages so to speak For reasons that may involve masochistic tendencies I have several model sprinters and would rather like a 156 someday - I liked those I may even build a layout to house them in the right setting, but for now my modelling interests are more blue and yellow at the moment

I have had a few dealings with RM/ Peco, back in the day and found that the telephone and postal system worked very well for us You could say that Peco has Merit - but thats an atrocious joke

I have used OSB for the floors ceilings and internal lining of sheds, it also good for stables (when horses kick it, it shatters and won't trap the hoof ). Apart from that I cant see it as been a baseboard material.

Or you put clear nail varnish on the end of the rails to insulate them. No nasty plastic things needed then

I think that is a definite possibility, well it is for me

Thats why i mentioned old hands specifically and not on the former WR but ER - I am pretty sure the local PTE's (who actually pay the bills) value the customer facing aspect of the role of guards more than Southern ever will do - which is as it should be. Driver #1 is mid 50s and started as a traction trainee at 17ish #2 was a guard who got a Drivers job in the mid 90s. Its quite scary to think that them who were once derided as boil in the bags are now getting up to 20+ years of service in I do doubt though that any issues with guard recruitment will cease to be a problem in the mid term, there will be no need for it when the passengers have a free for all on the trains - whatever ones views on the matter, having no on-train staff presence is never going to end well.

All of the above applies equally to Guards too, at least while the grade still continues to exist in a recognisable form. As I am observing from a distance I can see both sides of the situation - Very few people would ever turn down such a pay raise, and ASLEF always appear to do well for their members. But talking to a couple of old hand driver friends down the pub, they were very much of the opinion that such clear moves toward DOO is certainly not in their, or the passengers interests at all. It was mentioned that the keenest supporters of going down that road are the newer drivers, who are used to earning very decent salaries. It doesn't seem (though it is now) that long ago, post restructuring through DRI that Guards were on ~£16k and RR Drivers on £25k.

There is a fashion in pubs etc at the moment for "industrial" style light fittings with a very low level of yellow light. Despite what one may think, pubs of the not spit n sawdust variety are designed to attract women ( on the basis that most men will think " They sell beer? lets go!")

Thanks for taking the time to post Fran Now I know where you are coming from I feel more of a sense of interest rather than my previous "meh-ness" After all even if they may not be exactly "my thing" it is always good to see new developments

A RES class 47 sometimes had a run out on the clay between arrival and departure of the TPO stock at St Blazey for servicing, which may have been for driver traction knowledge. Not sure if that was 1998 practice though.

30/31st of January next year. What can be so good that they think I am that interested to sit and wait that long? Probably nothing much at all, and then I will forever have a low opinion of the firm for ever more....too much ""marketing"" is never a good idea.....Unless you think FB or something such is reality.

The first time I heard DCC sound was most likely in a LMS about 15 years ago, and it was a Bachmann Class 47 they had sat on the counter - I was impressed. I still am impressed by the ability to sound just like a Locomotive (or unit) doing its thing But as to the sounds of a Railway, it does nothing for me I have been there, on stations or in yards at half past far too early, when the only sound you can (or should) hear is the engines starting up etc; but there is still some ambient sound even if it is far in the background.

Wonderful idea of a wonderful place, perfectly executed even in the rough

If you use Anyrail they have a selection of "British Finescale" points as well as the diverse ranges from Peco; very handy for direct comparisons on screen - And I am pretty sure the dimesional difference between a 2FS and N gauge B6 point, for example, would be minimal to say the least

I am pretty sure it is a firm at Oxspring, just outside Penistone. Wintwire are the chaps. They even have a picture of some FB rail on gallery of products! http://www.wintwire.co.uk/profile-wire-manufacturers.htm

I am most impressed with what I see of the product in this thread ( the rather unneeded OT, Devon bashing now thankfully ceased) I was intending to go and source some as soon as, but sometime today, the freezer decided it had had enough - so that acquisition will have to happen when I have replaced my (now former) freezer with one that will actually work, hopefully sometime tomorrow ( thinks of the appalling Quick Quid advert here - Ill use my own money I think ) I hope that then I can have some easy sourced points, where a 10 foot wheelbase wagon will look correct in relation to the sleeper spacing

Earlier I said I was not a collector, but sometimes bought some things on a whim for the pleasure of simply having them. All of those things were and are Wessex Trains related - I always felt that I had some affinity with them and really wanted something to remind me - that could qualify as a need! Maybe sometime soon I shall add them to a small collection of china clay wagons for the period and make a small layout - That seems to be how these things start

That is a very thought provoking post CK, well at least it is with me. I am not a collector by any stretch of anyone's imagination but I do sometimes buy things just for the sheer pleasure of ownership-even if it is just a temporary whim. Also I don't call my self a modeller, its far too loaded a word these days - I just buy and sometimes make stuff that could suit an idea that I have at a time; If I change that idea so be it. I can still use what I have to do something else

I like the comparison between the terms modern image and art nouveau a lot. After all I live in a classic 1930s Semi.....but I doubt many think I have an Austin Seven in the driveway and spend most of my evenings worrying about what that darn Mr Hitler is up to in Central Europe before retiring to the Lounge Bar for a light ale.

Surely Modern Image is a correct historical term, when used correctly. Its not to be used a synonym for the railways as seen "now" or even in the last few years - it refers to the "Brave New World" of the late 60s into early 70s when BR blue and the Corporate Image were modern.

My bold etc I suspect a lot of people do not actually think exactly how much they could be "worth" in the case of a terminal event. The house is just where you live, the car is what you drive etc etc....and then its all suddenly worth X hundred thousand pounds and some one needs to sort it out!

Not to me personally, but I do not buy things from Orinoco (or any other womble for that matter) However a friend of mine did have exactly the same issue recently, with an internet acquired lighting device - so you are not alone.

There must be some of the invisible ink they talk about used in here!! I think there was some good advice in this thread and i do have mates who are plumbers, electricians plasterers, builders etc Specially when I pay them!!

As regards the door, I would be firmly in the False Wall behind the door camp. If you have room, you can set it back slightly and still have a small storage area accessed from the up and over door. I know some councils like the garage door to be there for appearances sake. Some friends of mine had to include a garage door at the front of their extension even though said garage is totally inaccessible, and too small for anything bigger than an Austin 7!