drmditch

And what about The Straights and Constantinople? (since we seem to have reverted to 19th century nationalism and imperialism.) Ah - but didn't that happen in the 20th century?

Small boats and sailing ships can't be a democracy. (I don't know about big powered ships, but I suspect the same is true.) There needs to be someone in command, and when the sea does what the sea does you need a skipper who will make decisions and get you through. He/she doesn't need to be the best sailor, just someone who knows who the best sailor is, and know when to back their skill and judgement. When the frontal systems changes direction and/or speed, and the 'weather window' turns out not to be a window at all, you don't need words, you need a seamanship and skill. If you have a Shackleton, or a Worsley, or even a Bligh (who may have been a difficult commander, but was certainly a superb sailor), or on a smaller scale one of several sailors whom I'm grateful to have sailed with, then be thankful for them, because they may save your life.

Have sent PM.

Wunderbar!

Re: Sheds I purchased a 12' x 8' shed (with assembly) from a company near Bearpark, some eight years ago. I was/am very happy with it. I can't find the references/paperwork at the moment, but can look them up if it would be helpful. The company provided what I consider sensible value and didn't keep pestering me!

Where is the James Caird now?

Thank you. I must have missed something - please could you give the provenance of the Ploughing Engine - and perhaps the machinery wagon it's taking a ride on?

But it is worth joining though. The 'Express' publication is always interesting, and the on-line photograph archive (which I only discovered recently) is very useful.

Astounding. There ought to be an 'exceptionally exceptional' button.

If you are interested in locations north of Doncaster, 'North Eastern Railway Engine Sheds', edited by John Addyman and published by NERA is excellent. Link here

Rocket, like the other Rainhill competitors was a 'proof-of-concept' machine. It was effectively obsolete within six months. If I was going to choose another (working) replica it would probably be Royal George. Anyway, the Museum is not just about 'bright shiny pieces of metal'. It is what they are made up of, and how they were made, and who worked with and on them. There are many items of the National Collection that there is no space/funding to display anyway.

Like Ankh-Morpork!

Re: Making things. (I hardly dare to call what I do 'modelling' - I still have a lot to learn - and at 25,565 days old I had better get on and learn it!) My latest three-part project has taken up far too much time, but is making progress. This is an ex-NER Dia.85 Officer's Inspection Saloon. As drawn in Volume 2 of NERA's Diagrams of Passenger train vehicles. This is a different vehicle to Dia.B which is (I think) the prototype of the sometimes available D&S kit. Two of Dia. B survive. The vehicle at the Aln Valley Railway is currently being restored, and the group working on it have been most helpful. The other vehicle is at Tanfield and has been mounted on a four-wheel underframe. No.23271 (mine) appears to have undergone several modifications in the course of it's 60 years or so of working life. Several pictures of it are available in the NERA archive. I am arranging a visit to the 'Search Engine' at the nRM. The drawing I'm working from states that it was revised in 1926, and that the vehicle at that time had Westinghouse and Hand Brakes, and was Gas lit. The basis structure of the sides is derived from the old Triang Hornby Clerestory mouldings. The disadvantage of using plastic mouldings is that their thickness requires each window to be cut and fitted individually. I haven't done this for a while, (with a Kirk 52' CL) and that worked better than this, so some re-glazing will be needed. The second part of this project uses this:- which fits neatly into the saloon and peers out over the veranda. I have run some tests, and the videos resulting show up all the inadequacies of my railway - and will thus form a superb modelling tool! When I have learned how to edit videos I will try to produce something worthy of posting. In the meantime here is a a quick view to give an idea of what is possible! I did show the un-detailed (and unglazed) vehicle to Tony at the Doncaster show, and he was kind enough not to laugh at it! The third part of the project may have to get started now - with the re-glazing in abeyance!

Does the acronym 'posh' really apply to the ECML? Since the best views (well, north of York anyway) are all to the east, shouldn't it be 'SDPU' (Starboard Down Port Up) Didn't the major trains from KX have their compartments on the East side?

Re: The Attractions of the ECML. Thank you for the reprise of all these splendid models. However, what is the special attraction of the 'London Branch', ie south of Shaftholme? You mentioned a model of Morpeth, but what of all the splendid NER stations, large and small? We have recently seen a new and excellent model of York, but are there others? I understand that in 1923 the NER was expected to provide most of the profit for the Eastern Group, compared with the impoverished GNR and GCR. We know now that it didn't work out that way, but surely the NER had enough architecture, bridges and viaducts, and scenery to allow interesting models? If you want 'big engines' and 'interesting engines' then I agree Mr Gresley's designs are splendid and seductive. (I have far too many Pacifics for my 'secondary main line' railway.) However, Messrs Fletcher, Worsdell, Worsdell, and Sir Vincent Raven provided hard working and 'good looking engines'. Perhaps I should have based my own railway on an actual prototype, and my progress recently has been shockingly slow. I will try to get more done - but then have the problems of taking pictures! However - there is a 'cunning plan' !

Re:Russia We don't want to fight, but by jingo if we do We've not the ships, nor many men, and as for the money - well we've borrowed it from you! If I remember correctly the war scare that promoted the original song was during the Russo-Turkish war in 1877 (ish?) which lead to the treaty of San Stefano and the 'Big Bulgaria' That mess took the Congress of Berlin, Bismark and Disraeli (der alte jude - das ist der Mann!) to sort it out. Do we have anybody of equivalent stature and abilities now I wonder? Of course, that settlement did lead to another problem some 36 years later - but perhaps that happened because the leaders of that time were not of equivalent ability? (or just wanted a war anyway!)

In 2009 (I think) I had a holiday at the hotel at Ravenscar. so I could cycle to Scarborough and to Whitby. This was quite fun, but unfortunately staying at the summit of the line meant going out downhill in the morning and then having to slog back up the 1 in 39 and 1 in 40 gradients in the afternoon.

Many thanks. Even if 1956 is a bit late for my purposes! I suspect that some practices didn't change much.

Re: Units of Measure When I last checked, cm were not SI units. The combination of metric sections and imperial lengths seemed to be normal in the timber industry for a long time. I think it has changed now, and they talk about 'metric equivalent' lengths. I was brought up with imperial units, but learned when a student that for buoyancy and other calculations involving the weight and volume of fluids the metric system is much easier. ( I was reading history, but working on other practical projects.) Re: Timber I have just consulted my copy of 'Modern Railway Administration' (published 1925). This always takes time because of the distractions. I wasn't able to find a standard charging rate for timber. (It must be there somewhere.) There is however a difference of classification between 'pitwood' and 'timber for construction'. I will look further. I do have some loads made up of buddleia representing pitprops. (I don't know where they are at the moment!) In the LNER Society Journal No.78, a copy of which I purchased at Doncaster on Saturday, there is an article first published in May 1947, concerning timber loading at Arlesey in Bedfordshire. (Much felling of of broad-leaf hardwood.) Interesting aspects are:- Loading of whole trunks on Sundays using the Grantham (and other) steam cranes. An average of approximately 100 tons of timber in a train, using double bolster wagons and bogie bolster wagons. Loads of special elm timber for HM Dockyards (including Sydney, Australia) Cutting of some trunks into 7ft lengths. This is timber 'in the round'. Photographic evidence (certainly from most of the NE ports) shows some planks overhanging the ends of wagons. Surely there must have been regulations for this?

I'm sure I have been following this thread, but seem to have missed last summer's posts. I have an on-going project for which I purchased an NIYPS cube camera some time ago. Only now have I advanced to the stage of fitting in an ex-NER Officer's Inspection Saloon which is taking some time to build. Descriptions are here (on my RM layout thread) More detail is on the LNER Forum here. Please may I ask the physical size of your cube camera please? I have a long way to go, and must spend more time actually working on my railway. But these pictures show what may be possible!

I have used Halford's primers for years. Grey or Red depending on eventual top coat. Prior to spraying I clean with lukewarm water and household cleaner and old toothbrush. Seem to work reliably for me.

No posts on here for a long time. One reason being that I have been distracted by a rather complicated three-part project building an ex-NER Officer's Inspection Saloon. This is a Dia.85 vehicle, using a drawing published by NERA. It is different a little different to the Dia.B types one of which is currently being restored by a most helpful group at the Aln Valley Railway. (The sometimes available D&S kit is for the Dia.B) My project has three parts. Building the saloon is the First Part. It is not yet complete, but now looks like this! The Second Part of the project uses this:- This fits into the end of the vehicle, and peers out over the veranda. I had hoped that it would work as a wi-fi camera, and it may yet. (The instructions presumably translated from Chinese are a little un-clear.) However, the camera can be switched on/off in place, utilising a small hole in the vehicle roof, and since the roof is removable the camera can be taken out and plugged into a USB port on a larger computer. The imagery is not brilliant, but it works! it seems to focus on the centre middle-distance. I have only had it working since yesterday morning, but the test videos suggest it will be a most useful tool. It shows up all the flaws in my modelling from the Driver's/Inspecting Officer's view point. Just using standard MS tools, here are couple of still pictures. I don't dare show the videos until I have learned how to edit them. Now I really need to spend time working on the layout properly. (However, the Third Part of this project is now pushing itself forward!)

So that's where (one of them?) was! I nearly got near enough to see that one when someone (literally) pushed me away - and I wasn't even wearing my backpack! Also glad to see that 3667A doesn't look too bad!

I do like your pictures which show 'trains in context'.

In addition to the Monsaratt books mentioned above, (and after all he was there) may I suggest 'The Real Cruel Sea' by Richard Woodman (published 2005). The same story from the MN perspective. I was once shown, by a young man who was himself, and came from a long line of, marine engineers, one of the silver MN badges. Brave people little appreciated.