drmditch

Likewise, all best wishes

Well, at least this current resurgence of 'the Thompson Question' hasn't yet reached the levels of unpleasantness of some earlier iterations! I think I may have to buy a copy of the books being referred to! I've just tried and failed to locate a statement written by R H N Hardy in his preface to one of the works in my collection. If I may summarise, it was to effect of 'letting Mr Thompson's memory rest quietly, because he did his job!' May I suggest that in terms of engineering policy, corporate politics, and workshop practice, there are other subjects we might explore. Gateshead and Mr McDonnell is one of them. Perhaps the importing of swing-link bogies from Inchicore might prove interesting in relation to several British railways? Then there are developments at Stratford. Fortunately Mr Wright's thread seems to be predominantly based on the LNER and it's antecedents, other wise we could get trapped into a discussion of Mr Webb's tenure at Crewe, especially in his later years. Then, of course there is the whole issue of design, workshop and running shed practice in the earlier years of the LMS........ Why would anyone have screwed down (ie shut off) the top feed on a Stanier boiler? (Sorry, can't find the reference at the moment!) Failing all of those we could revive the whole 'who invented the blastpipe' controversy of the 1860s! (I've just been re-reading a good book by Anthony Dawson 'Before Rocket - The steam locomotive before 1829', which I highly recommend.) Now - having cut the lawn between showers, there are capping stones to fit on the retaining walls on the incline to my coaling stage, and I really must start construction of a very challenging and interesting engine indeed!

I do have a (nearly) completed NER Inspection Saloon, with on-board video camera. I've been wasting time recently but am working on a 2-2-4 tank engine to propel it! (You can see something of it here - on my much neglected thread Do PM me if it would be of interest.)

Given the nature of this government and its supporters, perhaps that is something we should be grateful for? Has anyone done any analysis on tax/provision of services that might enable us to determine whether Northumbria (including both Bernicia and Deira) might be a viable independent state ?

Perhaps if some money had been spent on the approaches to Liverpool St and/or earlier electrification through to Norwich and Harwich then a new 2 cylinder pacific would not have been needed?

What is the line these people wish to drawn? Indicating a subtotal or (preferably) a total? Should not the latter require a General Election?

I thought that these were Apes? Have you no sympathy for your fellow primates? Apologise at once or you will be reported to the Librarian.

I note that the weather has turned much colder today. I presume that the Government (Mr Rees-Mogg?) has confiscated the warm summer as not being 'traditionally British' enough.

Well, I could tell you the story of the (up) Flying Scotsman and the soup..... But I'm sure I have already done so - a long way up-thread!

Bound to happen - (just when I was going to start the second one of a pair!) The NIUModels ones do look very nice though! (Mine has a fictitious number and location.)

Re: Scarm I agree with the comments above. I have used it for basic planning, especially since it can be used for Peco point/curve geometry. Using the flexible track can be tricky, but quite possible. It's main advantage is that it doesn't take long to learn, thus leaving more time for 'proper railway stuff'. In hindsight, I would do the first plan in Scarm, but before cutting materials, draw the critical elements at actual size on lining paper (can one still buy this?). One can lay out actual track, or use Peco templates. I do have one error now embedded in the layout which I could have avoided if I had made a full size drawing. Since I merely use Peco track (thus saving my building time for vehicles/buildings/structures etc) then inevitable my railway has compromises. I wish however that I had been bolder in emulating those valiant modellers who have lead the way in modifying the curvature of Peco points. I have done a little of this but should have used the technique earlier.

Re: Russo-Japanese War, and the 'Dogger Bank Incident' The Russians were suspicious of the British (as they have been before and since). The British had signed a treaty with Japan, thus ending 'splendid isolation'. The Russian fleet did manage to travel round the world, which was a logistical feet in itself. It was not just Barrow involved in construction for the Japanese fleet, the Tyne made it's contribution as well. The naval powers of the world watched the resulting battle of TsuShima with great interest. Re: Prussia. The state/kingdom of Prussia was officially abolished by W S Churchill and J V Stalin in 1945. Re: Railway design My railway room benefits by a 'swing-out bridge', which I can thoroughly recommend. Unfortunately the pictures on my own thread have vanished after the recent troubles, and I haven't yet replaced them, although I will work on this. If you will forgive me posting pictures on this thread - here is some idea of how this works. (Sorry for the and untidy pictures. My attempts to load better ones result in them being upside down!)

And especially not if you are supposed to be attending to business in the House of Commons. (but perhaps that's what the 'Commons' do these days?) I'm searching through my stock of old motors/gearboxes/gears to see if I can find something suitable for a small scratchbuild project. Perhaps it might be better just to buy something new.

I think we are in the process of losing most of our irregular plurals. I have heard people talk about 'deers' and even 'sheeps'. (I mean the ones with four legs and not hulls and rudders! I suppose we all react to different things. I really dislike misuse of participles. I got cross in an interview a decade or so ago when the interviewer, who claimed to be an English graduate, insisted on saying that something was 'forecasted' rather than 'forecast'. According to a learned friend this is likely to happen with 'weak' verbs, and is, over time, a common process. (Not that I understand the distinction between 'strong' and 'weak' verbs anyway!) I can cope with language and usage changing. I don't really mind the use of 'train' for anything which runs on rails. It does ensure that when talking to visitors (I volunteer as a Tour Guide at Locomotion in Shildon) one has to think more about what really matters, and how to explain properly. In addition to the 'participle problem' mentioned above, I do really react badly to the use of 'data' as a plural verb. ('The data are significant' as opposed to 'the data is significant'.) According to several sources (The Guardian and others), this did change in the late 80s and into the 90s. It probably does not matter very much, but since this straddles my professional career, it could sometimes be a nuisance. Language does change. The introduction of the word 'locomotive' is quite fascinating! (Lots of legal, linguistic, social, and technical history wrapped up in that!) Time to get back to railway construction. (That is 'railway', although even in the mid-19th century, 'railway', 'railroad', 'tramway' (and others of course) could be almost interchangeable. I do keep wondering if I have room for a colliery waggonway somewhere in a corner! PS. Please note that I have not mentioned changing educational techniques and standards. These represent for me 'a far-away country of which I know little or nothing'.

Re: Shed Any windows?

That's my sequence. - Track planning - Power planning - Power (12v) buss installation - Track laying with Traction current (and testing with most track-sensitive vehicles) (at this point one can actually run trains!) - Control wiring and testing - Some built infrastructure where needed (bridges - tunnel mouths etc) - Landscape One can, of course, make interesting buildings and rolling stock at any time to relieve the frustration with stuff like wiring!

Interesting picture. Thank you. Why would they all be moored 'bows-on'? Surely most inconvenient for loading/discharging cargp?

Ahem. I should point out that 'L-Space', as in occurring in Sir Terry Pratchet's excellent Discworld books, has nothing to do with magical (or otherwise) extensions of handbags, whether they are beaded of not. Quite logically, 'L-Space' has to do with Libraries. Please do not upset the Librarian!

Below are some (basic mobile 'phone) pictures of my latest project. (Sorry it's not a locomotive!) This building was actually started before my 'great move' and dismantling in 2014, but now it needs to be installed so work can continue around it. This is based on NER drawings and originals (although I suspect most coaling stages differed in some degree from each other.) It is surprising how much detail there is to add to this structure, (even with what I have left out) and how much time things take to make! ( (Sorry for the over-size pictures. I've just spent ages trying to persuade W10 to post them at the size I want.) References include several publications from NERA. Materials include :- Plastic Brass and copper (yes, there is some tricky soldering!) Re-cycled cardboard, rocket sticks and coffee stirrers Re-cycled electrical wire. There are several compromises in track height, and clearances for coal wagons and tenders. If any of these big engines with eight-wheel tenders come looking for replenishment they will have to go elsewhere!

There was a statement by, I think, Mr Jenkins-Jones one of the senior LNER managers during WW2 (sorry not to have looked up the reference) to the effect that:- 'There is never a shortage of wagons, just of empty wagons.' I think this principal extends to:- - There is never any shortage of siding capacity - just of empty (and accessible) siding capacity - There is never a shortage of time available for modelling, just that too much time is wasted that could be used for modelling. However, there are also other principals:- - There is always a shortage of bookshelf space. This is because the requirement for books tends towards infinity, whereas bookshelf space is necessarily finite. - (This is counteracted, thanks to Sir Terry Pratchet, in the Discworld universe where 'L Space' is available. The risk of this is that one may become lost in 'L Space, which happens to me quite frequently!)

Re:1938. Thank you. On some summer day in 1956/57/58 (having been born in 1952) while in my pushchair, I was frightened by a Brittania. I've never liked BR green since! (PS - you are quite right - posting on-line does take up time that could be better used. I should be working on the guttering. 4mm to 1' foot obviously!)

Is there now public evidence of your 'LNER weekend' with 'Team Grantham'? I appreciate your selection of 1958 for your railway, but some people do hanker after an earlier date and 'proper green' engines! (and of course black ones but with the 'proper letters' on tender/tank sides!)

Your picture is of Bishop Auckland - and the eastern side of the triangular station. West Auckland didn't have a station of that name. It did however have a locomotive shed (in BR times 51F) Names do get copied around the world. Obviously there is the NZ Auckland, but from where I sit in County Durham, I am within 10 miles of Toronto and Quebec, and within 15 miles of Washington.

Re: House Move Hope everything goes well. (I made my great 'last move' - or so it was planned - eight years ago. There are still some books I haven't found!) At least I managed to pack boxes, label them, and get most of them into the correct rooms in the new (now present) house. I did have a little railway intended to rapid installation; unfortunately the elderly foam track base had disintegrated which made it nearly unusable. At least I got a good railway room out of the move. This was part of the 'bait' I had to offer myself. It took about year of house improvements/conversions/carpentry etc to get to the point when I could concentrate on the railway room. (And I still haven't built enough bookcases!) I can't remember where I got the cardboard packing boxes from, it would either have been Homebase (before they eliminated their Durham shop, or B&Q. Strong tape and big pens for labelling were also essential. One of the factors that slowed down unpacking was sorting - and thus re-reading- all the old railway magazines. As it happens I've just got back to completing my coaling stage which was one of the last 'pre-move' projects! (Pictures soon; when I've tiled the roof!) ((The 1:76 one that is!!))

And I thought I was being really wicked when I did that on my A8 !