LBRJ

It is always lovely to see more of Melangoose! As a former WT man back in the day, it really does hit a lot of sweet spots for me Not the least of which is that those WT times in Cornwall are now twenty years ago or thereabouts!!

I have spent far too long wondering where this one is heading, or indeed where it came from, It seems to me like "we" are not really comparing the same things here . It is more like comparing the products of a local craft brewery to those of Carlsberg Tetley; while much of the tiny range may well be "better", the point would remain that it is a tiny range of products.

This refurbishment of such an icon sure ooks to be coming along good to me! Though some may say that the track looked "more realistic" before you reballasted it ;)

Just as an observation from some several hundred trips over the Devon Banks I was pretty much of the opinion that Hemerdon always seemed to be the steepest, or at least it was the one that would take the most work to get up. Even in a 153 I can remember topping the climb at about 15mph! Then again, I was more used to a unit struggling up Luxulyan Bank on them reverse curves.....

I found your latest video via a Youtube notification. Its a fine bit of film and particularly to see an overview of the whole layout

I must confess that adverts do not often bother me either way (though those pop up ones can be a bit gear-grinding on occasion). The "secret" is to click them away and tell google why....then, eventually, you get lots of adverts that are very much more your thing... Unless of course ...cough cough

I am scratching around my memory a bit here, and thinking a little further West (as one does!) but I think the first 47s on freight in the area were in about 67/68 on an Air Braked long distance china clay service.....(presumably to the Potteries) Bit vague, but its a bit late! If anyone can fill in the blanks, please do so!

Probably a bit of both in the choice of subjects. Not that there would be all that many Peaks and 47s knocking about around Exeter in 1969. I think the D6300s were pretty common on Devon local services.

Oh how fabulous! Love the single milk tank coming off the branch at Tiverton Junction, obviously it had been a quiet day for the cows.

I saw an article earlier this week on the matter, and it suggested that "The Authorities" decided CO2 / pollution levels were getting a bit high, so they literally just pulled the plug!

I always thought that your line manager was your manager, IE in charge of you, and so on up the tree. Presumably this is to stop people like the aforementioned "manager fresh from Tie Rack" thinking that they are in charge of you.

With The Canyon as the perfect backdrop, and the general feel of the place as it isnow it would surely make an ideal prototype for an N gauge layout....

There are plenty to aim for, and Tinsley is virtually next to the M1, so getting it away should not be an issue. I would take a semi-educated guess at landscaping (for want of a better term) somewhere round the Dearne Valley.

IF an approximately N scale lighthouse is wanted, then I think Trinity House (Of all people!!) do a rather nice selection of 1:150 models. They are, from memory, about £30ish

A Fenland based layout would be just about diametrically opposite to a flat earth baseboard. The railway would very possibly be the highest point in the landscape. More On Topic, I have seen maybe half a dozen "build a layout" type films on YouTube... That is more than enough for me ta... Conversely, a lot of the ones that I do see on matters related to joinery, woodwork and general construction (particularly those from north America, where they do things a whole lot of different) are often very educational or thought provoking or at the very least entertaining.

I would have thought (from seeing such things several times a week) that most "end mile" delivery vehicles would cube out way before they ever gross out. Even the gigantic double stack artics of the Blakemore Group only seem to carry a couple of dozen of the ubiquitous man handleable caged trollies.

The use of more trains and the use of "smaller" lorries sounds like a win/win to me; though whether it would all work smoothly is less certain.

Crikey! That is some mighty structure indeed - Its got that slightly chunky look I think of as typical "limestone country" works..... Cornish ones look more "spidery"

The Ratio (or is it Wills?) viaduct kit has always had quite a strong Cornish mainline look about it to me, if a kit is the way to go...

Like I said, It is being done with quite some care and attention. It is not just been demolished and lets see what happens, which was just occasionally the case back in the day.....

It looks like it has all been done with quite some care and attention, whatever the reason was.. I wonder if the paving was thought to be " Of better use elsewhere"

I think Captain K needs to see this one too!! its literally breath takingly amazing!

I would have to agree there CK, and for once, I think the colour shot is as good as the B&W one - its got that atmosphere thing down perfectly.

One item you could really use to "nail the location" if not quite the period is a Western Greyhound liveried bus! Ideal for taking the onward journey to Eden as well

Not really too far Off Topic here.. But, for those who like 59s and lack space I do recall seeing one in the late 90s with just 3 wagons in tow - They may have been TTA type oil tanks. I only really remember it 'cos at the time it struck me as being a very short train for a very big engine!