VIA185

So, the LMR put forward names connected with the war but they were passed over in favour of mountains. I wonder why? (CJL)

Post-Nationalisation and with the likes of George Dow heading the PR departments there was a policy move away from naming locos after weapons of war. That's why there was a controversy over naming the new A1 Tornado - a name it would not have carried if it had been built by BR in the 1950s. (CJL)

I guess the alternative would have been to do it like all the others, with the sandboxes on, and leave it to the modeller to take them off if he wanted to. However, when you look at it from a manufacturer's (or in our case a commissioner's) viewpoint, there's always a desire to provide as many versions, variants and liveries as possible, as simply as possible. That's what makes the total run of models attractive to as many buyers as possible, and helps to ensure that they sell out - which is imperative these days. (CJL)

Just scrapped Athearn GP38-2 Ontario Northland No. 1800 (catalogue number 77147.) Bought 9/12 but not run in recent years. Serious distortion of Mazak chassis frame resulting in seized drive and bogies. Beyond repair. My first North American Mazak rot victim. (CJL)

Hi Tony. I'm not personally familiar with these locomotives or their history, but it looks like it did at some point and didn't at some other point and that we've modelled it at the point when it didn't. We research these things pretty thoroughly and though we aren't infallible, we do usually have photographic evidence where detail differences are concerned. I'm afraid we don't carry any spare parts. (CJL)

I have been asked to confirm that the the WD model is correct. The locomotive in question did not have rear sandboxes. (CJL)

I see that the Class 66 hauling the Colnbrook-Grain empties on April 5th, was partially derailed at West Ealing. (CJL)

Swindon 75ton crane in Colnbrook up platform after replacing underline bridge s. of station. (CJL)

I think this may be the bridge in your third/fourth pics. The bridge carrying the footpath was right beside the railway bridge and the footpath crossed under the railway immediately south of the bridges. When I last saw it (from memory) the wooden footpath bridge had gone and the footpath was diverted onto the much more substantial rail bridge. Incidentally the rail bridge had been replaced in the late 1970s (I don't have the date) but the Swindon 75ton breakdown crane came to Colnbrook to lift the girders and I have pics of it standing in the remains of Colnbrook station. I'll post one if I can find a scan. (CJL) In this shot, the 47 was waiting while the secondman walked back from shutting the level crossing gates. (The gates were eventually demolished)

The dumped concrete frames in the first picture certainly look like the remains of the halt platform. The last time I went back that way I photographed a Class 60 on the tanks at Colnbrook but I'm afraid I find the amount of change down there to be depressing - I just prefer to remember how it was. Here's the halt at Poyle Estate - probably 1964/5.

Ian, I'm glad it's going Ok. It's not exactly pleasant, but of the various things they do to one in hospital it is, perhaps, one of the least unpleasant. Getting the balance of drinking water/waiting time correct was the biggest challenge for me. As one would expect, I finally got it sorted near the end of the treatment! As someone who lives alone and is 'old' I used to enjoy my 20minutes interaction with the (not young but younger than me!) radiographers - all girls. I actually miss that now. I was initially told that any side effects might last for 3 months after treatment but in a more recent consultation that was changed to 18 months. I have suffered quite severely from dry itching skin. Have not discussed with the consultant (I'm not due another consultation until about May) but another guy who had the radiotherapy says that he is similarly affected. Make use of any aftercare facilities they offer (Peterborough has a wonderful walk-in centre in a separate building with free drinks and biscuits and volunteers on hand to help with any side/after effects). (CJL)

Tried sending these to Canadian Railway Observations, as the Editor is clearly a fan of BC Rail's Dash-8-30CMs, but my e-mails to CRO just bounce back. So, since I went to the bother of scanning the original prints, here they are. I was lucky enough to get a conducted tour of 4604 at North Vancouver, brand new in 1990, hence the two cab interior shots. 4601 was entering Lillooet, southbound same year. Sad to think that the BCR is no more - though I preferred the two-tone green PGE/BCR paint scheme. I last saw one of these locos far from home, in Halifax, NS,back in 2012. Still in (tatty) red, white and blue. (CJL)

Looks like a modern DCC-fitted Athearn SW1500 is available so I could maybe cannibalise one for its chassis. I have a Rapido switcher, bought for a repair job on another model. I may just switch the chassis from that. I'm currently hooked on getting some old models up to date and some really old kits, acquired long ago, actually built! (CJL)

Yes, OK. Just thought it was worth posting anyway. Shouldn't have bothered, I guess. (CJL)

In the back of a cupboard, I found an almost-finished Cary Loco Works Fairbanks-Morse H10-44 which will do nicely for my new logging section. However, it's on an old Athearn analogue chassis and I know these don't convert easily to DCC. So, is there a current Athearn DCC-fitted loco with a chassis that will fit? It looks like a switcher chassis but I haven't bought Athearn for a long time and I've no idea what's available - if anything. (CJL)

Yes, but there are other projects ahead of it. See https://www.modelrailoffers.co.uk/pg/167/Project-Class-11-12 (CJL)

Sounds like the 'new more accurate and clever' machine is a Varian Truebeam or a development of. Peterborough has four of these and I found the technology mind-blowing. There's no 'sensation' of any kind, the machine moves round you, directed by the radiographers who are safely ensconced in a bunker nearby and watching everything on their bank of computer screens. Sometimes there was music in the background and always the ceiling became blue sky, fluffy clouds and apple blossom! I could tell which machine I was on by which colour blossom was projected. The whole process took less than 15 minutes, most of which is spent setting you in position and getting dressed (shoes and trousers) afterwards. My treatment was all done by girls - well women a lot younger than me - and one couldn't have hoped for a nicer bunch. I, too, had four weeks worth - every weekday except a bank holiday Monday. I drove myself the 20-30minute drive to and from the hospital after being taken by my son and daughter for the first couple of appointments. The bladder emptying and filling thing is a bit of a pain if the timing is off or they are running late. I'm quite small so I found 3 cups and 30 minutes too much and was able to reduce it to 2.5 cups and 25 minutes. It's worth it! Good luck. (CJL)

https://www.modelrailoffers.co.uk/c/1814/Class-48-Diesels

Two Southern railway of BC switchers return from Annacis Island having delivered a long train of car carriers. Not sure of date - maybe 2007ish. (CJL)

I travelled on those a dozen years ago when they were in good order. They rode very well - a lot better than the 1954 Budd cars on the 'Canadian' - but they are cramped by comparison. But the Budd cars are 70 years old and have mostly been rebuilt/modified umpteen times. The 'Renaissance' stock (ex-Nightstar) is reputedly falling apart/leaking - at least in part because the Canadians carved it around and cut extra doors into monocoque bodies etc. (CJL)

The BR green versions MR511/512 are clearly illustrated on the web site and the magazine ads, with correct grey cab roof.

MR-523 BR/SR Class 12 15212 BR Rail blue with wasp stripes (Just the catalogue number has changed). Delivery expected later this year.

MARC Models produced the CIWL sleeping cars and the SNCF Forgon and the SR CCT with the 'birdcage' lookout for Model Rail at my request when I was Editor. They were complex etched brass kits on which some of the shaping/bending/forming was pre-done. I'd love to see a ready-to-run version but I'm not sure we ever will. (CJL)

I guess it must have depended on which electrified lines. Plenty of steam-hauled freight squeezed in between the electric passenger services where I lived on the line in to Feltham yard from Southampton and Reading. (CJL)