tigerburnie

Just ordered my tickets from Rainbow Railway and booked my seat on the train from Montrose, I have some Pullman coaches that I no longer need, are you able to sell or swap with any of the traders?

I really like visiting your site and I can't begin to understand the logistics of running a railway like yours as I am several years and a lot of stock, behind you. May I make an observation, is it running the trains or the photographing of them that is getting in the way of your enjoyment, are you not spending enough time away from it playing golf? For me my loft layout is for rainy days and winter time, as if it's nice I'm either gardening or fishing or out taking wildlife photos, so I spread my time and interests widely, that does of course mean that my railway will never reach PN standards.

This is far from finished, but depicts an up runner(coal train from Annesley) on it's way past Bluebanks wood(more trees to be acquired) a couple of miles north of Whetstone station on it's way to Woodford Halse. The Hornby 9F requires some detailing, first thing is to remove the front coupling , I hope to get to the Glasgow Exhibition in a couple of weeks and pick up some nice couplings.

Any non DCC or just DCC ready might be of interest Andy, I analogue not digital way back in the 1950's/60's.

I can help with that storage problem Andy any excess 16 ton mineral wagons and steam engines will find plenty of room in my loft on the GC.....................

Just had 5 hours grassing the countryside cuttings and beginning the ballasting of this area, will try and get some pictures tomorrow, I quite enjoyed doing that, some fencing going up and even a couple trees and some hedging. The station is still under construction, just built a Wills platform canopy, seems a bit delicate, but looks the part, so more on order from the model shop.

I have loadbearing brick walls supporting my loft, down pretty much the centre of the house, the floor/joists don't move at all, I guess advice would be a good idea before starting, my house is also single storey, if that makes any difference.

I think most home layouts are a compromise if you want a full circle track, for my layout, my large summer house wasn't really big enough at 14 x 12 whereas the loft accommodates the track and a station that is around 12 feet long including the access throats at each end. The only thing I would say is lay the track in the height of summer, that way you only have to worry about shrinkage and possible uneven gaps. My trains have run with a temperature of plus 30 C and minus 2 C and didn't de-rail after a couple of sliding adjustments during the freeze up.

Trying to assemble a Wills canopy SS54 together, now I'm an retired engineer, I've built stuff for power stations, oil rigs, even the insides of black box flight recorders, but these instructions make flat pack furniture look simple and coherent and why am I covered in glue again!!

Not enough hours in the day to list the dislikes, but I used to do a lot of Antique fairs when I lived in England and that David Dickinson was a top bloke, all the smarm vanished away from the cameras, I was quite surprised first time I met him.

My reason for starting on the Great Central is that is where I grew up and spent around 10 years trackside,(I actually lived close to it for longer), but I am already finding that is hard to remember things as well as you think you did, I do have access to pictures, but I think it is fair to say that folk don't seem to be around now who do remember much. My layout will be "representative", and is already giving me pleasure re living part of my "yoof". I walked along the track, climbed trees and built dens and fished on the canal and river along side it, but when I see a photograph, I realise I remember less than I thought I did. I have realised there's not much point asking questions about fine detail as I get different answers to the same question. Fair to say if anyone who knew the area I am modeling sees it, they will recognise it.

Thanks Brian, what paint do you use please?

Brilliant, thanks Brian

Has anyone tried drying their own moss/lichens for use on their railway, I have tons of the stuff up here in NE Scotland and some miles of hedgerows to do, is there a secret? I am trialing a bit drying on the window sill, I'm guessing it will lose it's colour, although it might just start growing in my loft lol.

Flags flying at half mast at Peterborough North tonite then?(Rugby fan myself)

Only just found this, great layout

Don't mince words Allan, tell us how you really feel lol.(I happen to agree mostly).

A scanned photo of my old AMV8 series 2, this had mechanical fuel injection, sadly sold now.

I wondered about this, it is also on some of trains in the Great Central working timetable too only in this case it looks as though it applies to some stations only and that the train seems to have run just not stopping at certain locations, some trains do seem to have not run however, it seems to be only express passenger services.

Another image I'm not sure where it is, could be Crewe works

I don't Trev, it is either 1963 or 64 I think, I visited both places so not sure, my brother has my Dads films and prints and he sent me these, so no idea if they are off the same roll of film.

I thought this was taken on a trip to the Tyne dock area.

Morning, can I ask what material you use to make loco smokebox door head boards from? I have just received my delivery of self adhesive names from LHP and wish to try one on my A3. I thought I would also make boards for the coach labels as well as at present I do not have enough rolling stock to permanently designate a rake of coaches for a train that only runs up and then down once a day. Thanks

Oswestry, either '63 or '64 I think.

I can't be sure but I think this is at Crewe works