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Can’t remember if I posted this sighting before, but saw 5 Spoonbills near Keyhaven in Hampshire. My first sightings in Britain. Plenty of toddler Avocets as well.

You lucky devil. I haven’t seen a hedgehog around our place for over 15 years, chances are that the recently introduced badgers have driven/eaten them out. They built a sett 15 years ago, and brought up badgers from a badger hospital in Surrey. Don’t mind badgers, but would prefer to have the hedgehogs.

He needs to get a life. How about railway modelling?!emoji of some sort here.

I like the way that you justify new kits for duplicates, instead of just renumbering. Pure class!

I went along to the Trevithick bicentenary exhibition in Merthyr: marvellous full size working replicas of Trevithick’s loco, steam bus, etc. Marvellous, but very poor turnout by the townsfolk. And for a incredibly important remembrance of Merthyr, and the world’s, history. All the best with this, looks just the ticket. Dai Davies (ex Merthyr)

Lined. I’m sure others can tell you when crimson faded out on these coaches, but I doubt if it got to the 60s.

I like to have my footplate staff with as many contact points as possible: this helps them stay on board when they pass over points and sharp curves at a scale 160mph!

Outside Elsan privy needed?

From my ‘vast’ experience of firing ex GWR,LMS and BR locos, I noticed this as a distinct advantage for a right hander. I wonder whether this arrangement also led to the GWR fireman having to do more lookout duties for signals,etc.

Careful, we might have to move you to another thread!

Cheers, Pete. May be a little while before it’s completed as I am on with building a new layout. But the H41 has always been intriguing to me since that day (while off on holiday to Blue Anchor b y the way) —- but it will be finished!

I can remember, as a very young boy brought up in valleys chapel tradition, seeing a man drink beer between Bristol and Taunton in the buffet. I went and told my mother as it was during the day!! You can see the impression it made on me as I remember it after 60 years or so, and I am building an H41– might put the evil drunkard inside as well.

Come on, it should be ‘late summer’. Ps. Didn’t allow an emoji!

A show without you, Martin, seems odd! All the best, Dai

Kept you waiting till the end! The buyer has got a lovely, little layout there; and I hope they look after it well, and even carry on at exhibitions. All the best, Dai Davies

And another Rochdale MRG layout, Andy Cooper’s North Ballachulish, will be there as well.

How come Expo EM Autumn is higher up the exhibitions list than this one? It was on page 5 or something. Let’s bump it up! Shall be there helping on Hebble Vale, and looking forward to the show.

As long as you don’t put the houses that are there now! They were built, I guess, in the 60s; and are the only blot on your/Hebden’s landscape. As a Welshman who lives in Hebden Bridge, I also am looking at your Welsh take on Hebden. The area is very reminiscent of the valleys, but the beer is much better. Halifax MRC (still?) have a layout of Hebden Bridge, somebody may have a picture of it? Also, there are plenty of layouts around which would give you an idea on ‘northern’ architecture: Hebble Vale, Glaisden, Eastwood, to name but a few. All the best with it, and I look forward to your progress. If you want to know anything about Hebden, pm me and I shall try and help. Dai Davies

Also be prepared to sell the stock separately. Lots of people will already have stock of their own, or want to model a different period from yours. eBay is useful for selling stock, but keep your layout away from it. By the way, I’d hate it if you broke up your layout: it looks far too good for that ignominious fate!

Why not put it up for sale on RMWeb? After all, we are the most likely market for exhibition layouts such as this. I would also echo the others who have said ‘advertise to other exhibitors’.

Looking forward to the show. Shall be helping out on two RochdaleMRG layouts: Harkness and Amwag, so look forward to seeing you there.

Layout put away for a little r and r. Good to meet up with old friends, and also plenty of newbies wanting to build a layout for the first time. Good show.

Culm all packed and ready to go. Looking forward to the show.

Serious question: will AR remove the problem of dirty track at shows? If so, I’ll buy one!

I thought Hornbywere very remiss on this. Their stand was low profile, literally, and lacked impact. Rails banners showing outwards, not inwards? Straight forward advertising so that people from all over the show could see them. Rails outdid Hornby in this mini battle.