Jim49

Is 36 Hewisbridge? Jim

Thanks for the info folks. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend this year as I will be off on holiday on those dates and SWMBO will not let me go. Jim

Does anyone know the date for the above show in 2018 please? It is normally held in early October but I cannot find any information to confirm this year's date. I have tried the Hornby website but it only takes me to the 2017 header page. Thanks in advance Jim

Hopefully never! He was probably sedated and locked securely in a soundproof basement somewhere far from the railway until the filming was over. jim

In Mac Hawkins' book "Somerset & Dorset, Then and Now" he says that the Platform roads had been filled in in connection with a project for the nearby Somervale School but had subsequently been dug out again. He continues to say that the site currently (1985) was receiving attention from a YTS project and that the goods shed had been turned into a woodworking shop for their benefit. In a later edition of this book (1995) he advises that the station site had remained intact thanks to a restoration project by Avon County Council Youth Training Programme which took over the work previously started as a school project in the 1970s. He continues that later the station building and goods shed formed part of the Art and Design Department of Norton Radstock College until its sale in April 1995. I don't know if there is a connection between Somervale School and Norton Hill Grammar School as mentioned above by Malc2085 but in any event we should thank them for their early involvement in preserving the site which no doubt was a major factor in the decision of the current preservation society to choose Midsomer Norton as their base. Hopefully I will be able to visit there in the near future and see their efforts for myself. Jim

Thanks for the update Craig. Looks like I will have to update my calendar for April. Jim

Hi John and thanks for the reminder. I will be there on Saturday helping with Calla so hope it will be a good show as usual. Jim

I was out there helping to put up Renfrewshire MRC's "Firtree Bank" earlier this evening but just too early to see what else was on offer as I had to leave before all the other stands were up. I won't be there on Saturday or Sunday as I am required to visit my Mother in Law in Oban so to anyone who attends, enjoy the show and remember to comment loudly that is wasn't the same without me. Jim

Will be there on Saturday helping to operate Calla and struggling with this new-fangled DCC contraption. Jim

For anyone interested,the September Railway Modeller had an excellent article on detailing these coaches. Jim

Just a wee reminder for regular visitors to this show (and anyone else)- The show is a week earlier than normal this year so it will be held this weekend. I will probably be down on Sunday and am looking forward to seeing Lammermuir and Elderslie layouts. Jim

Any chance that it will be a Caledonian 439 Class 0-4-4? No, I don't think so either but if this plants a seed in the mind of one of the manufacturers where's the harm? Jim

Well dressed people going to a model railway exhibition? Never!!! Next thing you'll be saying that none of them had backpacks and you didn't need to open the window to get fresh air in. Jim

Are you sure that you spelt "witch" properly? My mother in law has insisted that she be buried at sea but only because she heard me say that when she dies I will dance on her grave. Jim

Everybody has a better body than you Boris, even those who have been dead for years. Jim

Ahh, the famous "Gruesome Twosome". Don't worry guys, we will be down on Sunday with Ian and Dougie from AMRSS so you can get your own back. Cheers, Jim

Thanks for the information about the show. I see that the date is a bit earlier than normal this year but fortunate for me as I would miss it if it had been at the usual time. My calendar is duly marked up. Jim

Thanks Mike for that recommendation for Hewisbridge. Cheers Jim

Hi Legend, the station buildings are based on Elderslie and are pretty accurate. The layout also has the two island platform arrangement of Elderslie but because of space restrictions there isn't enough room to show the junctions at either end. I saw the layout at Glasgow and was very impressed with the running and the stock, anything from G&SWR to BR Blue and operated at sensible speeds too.

I don't know if a 'Clan' ever did make it to Bath Green Park but the back page of "Footplate Over The Mendips" by Peter Smith shows Loading Tables for BR Standard engines working over the S&D Railway. These include a listing for 'Clan' Pacifics with a permitted load of 290 tons between Bath and Masbury and 400/425 tons elsewhere. I believe that a 'Britannia" did appear at BGP at least once so if you have that picture and you screw up your eyes & squint a little, it could just be mistaken as a 'Clan'. Jim

Does it have Magnadhesion? Jim

Hi Phaeton, I'm afraid that I can't help you with info about how the platforms would be numbered but Leuchars junction station in Fife had a track and platform arrangement exactly as you have shown. The main line North went to Dundee and Aberdeen while South was to Edinburgh or Glasgow. The South facing bay served trains for St Andrews and the North bay was for trains on the former line to Tayport. Both bays were fairly short, probably accepting a loco and about 3 coaches at most. When St Andrews station closed in 1969(?) both bays were filled in. Jim

Is the big one for your wallet? Didn't see you at the SECC last weekend. Did you manage to get down for the show? Cheers Jim

Hi Folks. The Railway Modeller many years ago (may be March 1972) included drawings by W.D Stewart of the Caledonian 19 Class, together with some brief notes. If any of your are interested, please PM me and I will pass on a copy. Meantime I am slowly struggling with my own attempts to convert an old Triang M7 to look something like a 439 Class. Jim49