17A

My first thought was, what hasn't been covered already by other programs, honestly I was impressed with what I saw. When it comes any railway programs one of my pet hates is when the presenters are to join in with the activity. I mentioned something like this on another forum when 'Train Spotting Live' came out and back then I said something to the likes of 'Railway Roundabout' would be prefect in the 21st century. After watching 'Steam Train Britain' I'd say it's a close second to 'Railway Roundabout', as it's a nice torch for the volunteer's / apprentice to talk to the camera, a little commentary to what is happening and being 45 minutes long. I'll stay turned in for the next few episodes.

Something that worries me, the NNR now have two appeals on the go. Reedham signal box and now Sheringham Platform 2 buildings, it's a shame little has happened with crossing the line (footbridge) appeal, in regards to the Holt footbridge. I don't want this to come across as point scoring, when setting up an appeal to ask for £35,000 to build Holt footbridge and Sheringham footbridge for £80,000 respectively. To forge ahead with another 2 projects when the other one isn't started. Having put a little bit towards the footbridge appeal, I'd be very worried to see a turntable appeal set-up before anything happens on the Holt footbridge. https://www.nnrailway.co.uk/reedham-junction/ https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/railway-appeal-to-build-bridges-at-sheringham-and-holt-nears-its-target-1-4086262

Having travelled a large part of the country for the week, I am surprised by how many posters both at stations and trains about delay repay schemes. On the one hand it's good TOC are now publicising these facility to the customers, because I'm sure only 10 years ago there very little mention about delay repay schemes. On the other hand quite a few TOC have a different approach delay repay, as East Midlands Railway has now introduced 15 minutes fresh hold compared to the likes of the LNER who have a 30 minutes fresh hold. Looking on the TOC websites brings up some very interesting results with how they go about delay repay schemes. Working from Top to bottom: East Midlands Railway LNER Northern Trans Pennine Express

Saturday 14th September, another beautiful and by far my longest stint today. Edale to Penzance Today wasn't to get the quickest way down to get to Penzance, but to enjoy the ride. Which sounds cliché but it's what I've been doing all week so far. 9:33 from Edale to Sheffield, the walkers are out in force but like them I have a soft spot for the Hope valley as well. The tell tail signs of race day looms. My plans of going to do a branch line of sorts has back fired over the week and today was no exceptions on my list was, Derwent Valley line, the Looe valley line, Tarka Line. Maybe when I have more time. Sheffield to Birmingham, via Nottingham. Since the 10:29 EMR didn't want to open it's door to anyone, however in comes the Norwich service. A nice little jolly to Nottingham busy service with only 2 carriages. Changed for the Cross Country Birmingham service, oh boy did this train get very busy quickly but the WiFi worked..... just. But take note again no one had checked my ticket since leaving Edale and now in Birmingham New Street and what a difference. Last time I changed trains at Birmingham new street I remember paying 20p for a wee, it's a worlds away from the likes of Hellifield and Edale. It has to be said the ticket barriers at Birmingham New street or Moor Street didn't like my ticket. Having heard and seen quite alot about Birmingham Moor street station I decided to take my next train from there (rather than going via Bristol which is what I'll be doing on the 15th September). I think it's a wonderful station to be at with the likes of Skipton and Hellifield there are some TOC (more community groups than anything else) that are very sympathetic to the look of their station. Moor Street to Leamington Spa, Chiltern Railway's have a good system in place, again Wifi on the trains very good, clean and not busy compared to my train from Nottingham. Leamington Spa to Banbury, same again as the last. Banbury to Oxford, I guess since I last used this stretch that Chiltern Railway's have increased the service between these 2 stations. As I thought only GWR and Cross Country ran the service between Banbury and Oxford. Oxford to Reading, This is where I get a first ride on the new class 800, it's a thumbs up from me. I think I understand what folks mean by iron board seat now. Good lord the journey was quick between Oxford and Reading. Reading station, I can't compare to how it use to look. It's a fine line between bringing a station / track re-modelling into the 21st century like Reading or Derby compared to the likes of Birmingham Moor Street where the old ties in nicely with the new, on all accounts a revamp is never a bad thing. Reading to Plymouth, Another class 800 overall very nice. Signal problems outside of Castle Gary station didn't help much to my long stint to Penzance. My connection at Plymouth was down by 7 minutes following my train previously. Plymouth to Penzance, I seem to have forgotten how far Penzance was. I remember my grandad telling me when he did a rover ticket and getting to Plymouth saw it was a another 2 hours to Penzance, he turned around and went back to Exeter. Not quite sure what that says but there we go. So leaving Edale at 9:33 and getting into Penzance at 21:45 on Saturday evening.

Friday 13th...…. what could go wrong when traveling by train? A beautiful morning to start todays leg of the journey from Todmorden to Edale. I did have several plans of where I wanted to head during today, one of them was Llandudno another Blackpool or Colne and Clitheroe branches respectively. First I headed for Blackburn, looking at connection times my best bet would be heading for Preston then take it from there. The Blackpool service was well loaded for the time of day at 11:20. I was Incredibly surprised how busy Preston station was, take note this was the first time that morning where I had my ticket checked by a human barrier ( revenue protection guys) Looking at my options and it didn't cross my mind that Windermere wasn't a million miles away and gives me a chance to go on part of the west coast mainline for the first time. Following my theory of the quiet coach having empty seats came up top trumps. Upon arrival at Oxenholme Lake District a very smart looking class 195 was waiting, what a bit of kit. A very enjoyable ride up to Windermere and with the returning train then headed for Manchester Airport, perfect get off at Manchester Piccadilly then for Buxton. Well Friday 13th was going to deliver something one way or another. All was going well until after Oxenholme when someone had from what I could see locked themselves in the toilet, this meant a we were held at Lancaster for those that wanted to use the loo. Okay no problem yet still a few minutes down, nothing to worry about. Upon arriving back into Preston the service terminates at Preston...… okay I like a challenge. Everyone from our train told to head to platform 2 for the next train to Manchester Airport.... Next train arrives but is going to Hazel Grove, I've never seen such madness from folks rushing to get on the next train. I think it was down to the way the information was delivered to passengers on our train and how it was given over the station announcements. The fun doesn't stop here for Friday 13th..... Jumping on board for the train to Hazel Grove, 2 announcements came from the guard 'Passengers please note that this service will no longer be calling at Leyland ,Buckshaw Parkway ,Chorley ,Horwich Parkway ,Lostock, Bolton ,Salford Crescent, Deansgate. Passengers wishing to travel to these station please get off at Preston' Quite a few didn't here this memo, so thundering through the likes of Chorley gave a few looks of 'oh there goes my station'. See I'm inclined to believe that someone locking themselves in the toilet on another train results in one termination and a semi express service to Hazel Grove? When getting to Manchester Piccadilly apparently signals have been playing hard to get. I cut short my Buxton jolly as I knew something would go wrong but also giving myself time to get to Edale then the walk from the station to my digs. I can remember from our family days out using the Derbyshire Wayfare ticket that New Mills as 2 stations. So on board the Buxton train as far as New Mills Newtown then walk to New Mills Central, perfect timing and in Edale station before the sun goes down. The number of times my ticket was checked on Friday.... twice, sadly this is a running theme all through the week.

Thank-you Pandora, a visit back to the likes Todmorden and Knaresborough and surrounding area will be on the cards. I think as long as I left wanting more than the Yorkshire tourist board are going to be very happy.

Having now been let across the boarder back into North Norfolk, it's time to report on the rest of my travels. Starting on Thursday 12th September. Newcastle Central has a real buzz, where I stood on the end of platform 4 I couldn't keep track (no pun intended) of the amount of movements. From Newcastle my destination was a town called Todmorden where I hoped to catch a bus up to my digs in Mankinhole. As I've based myself around the Northern half of the country for most of the week I've heavily used TPE (Trans Pennine Express) and can say I'm not disappointed. First point of call was the Bishop Line, as I wanted to catch a glimpse where tornado was built and see what I could of the Newton Aycliffle Hitachi factory.... Not a lot. Back at Darlington and I made haste to Doncaster. I have found traveling over the week that within the quiet coach can deliver on quite a few seats being empty / unreserved. Cross Country Trains and LNER especially after the morning peak. Arriving at Doncaster on time gave an opportunity to go to Lincoln, it's been on my bucket list and knowing there are a direct trains to Sheffield and Leeds for onward travel to Todmorden. I am staggered to find a class 153 to run the service to Lincoln but saying that a class 153 runs to Derby to Crewe line. Lincoln station is very pleasant and I do commend East Midland Trains for giving the station a nice ambiance. On the Northern service to Leeds, compared to my Settle to Carlisle journey the previous day, the scenery couldn't be more different. I went as far as Barnsley to change onto the Penistone Line. This is where I should have planned a lot better, as I didn't bank on how long the journey from Barnsley to Huddersfield was going to take. Needing to bare in mind my last check-in for my digs was 21:00, onward travel to Halifax was my option but connections would mean I would wait 40 minutes at Halifax. So enter centre stage right...…. The bus. Running like clock work and with top notch WiFi on board the bus, I made my connection at Halifax to Todmorden with a few minutes to spare. Still missed the bus up Mankinhole so used a taxi. The lesson here is best to research train times before one gets off at a station then not knowing very little about the connection further up the line later*. But having done the distance and seen what I might have missed it's still worth it, even if I have to improvise. *Still didn't learn my lesson later on in the week.

Well a little behind on travel my reports, Wednesday 11th covered quite a few miles starting in Keighley which is a pleasure to wait for a train. Keighley to Skipton, a fast and frequent service. Skipton never been to before and keeping in with the theme of Keighley colour scheme well done Northern. Skipton to Hellifield, starting to get into the dark depths of the Yorkshire dales now. I didn't know what to expect at Hellifeild, it's certainly out in the sticks but reminded of North Norfolk with what was waiting in the other platform..... Hellifield to Carlisle, oh this is what has been on my bucket list for every since I've found out about this line. Wait pays off @Pandora . Something that bugs me about this line, with all the hype about the Settle and Carlisle why isn't a more regular service being run? All the same the service was on time the class 158 being a little tired but there we go. Carlisle to Newcastle, the Hadrain's wall country line is a little gem of a line and I don't think it's publicized enough which is a great shame. To say that Dr beeching would have kept the Newcastle to Carlisle line open had his second phase of plans of cuts gone ahead. Newcastle to Berwick-upon-Tweed return, just a quick call to Berwick-upon-Tweed can't help myself by falling in love with that stretch of coast line and Berwick-upon-Tweed it self is very pleasant. Ps more photo will follow later as the WiFI on XC to Birmingham is a little slow, as I feel I could be slowing other people down.

So Tuesday 10th September, from my nights digs in York, I wanted to do what I can only descride as a large figure of 8. York to Leeds via Harrogate, No problems and what a pleasant journey with Knaresborough definitely worth a holiday on it's own. Leeds to Hull, Signal trouble outside Hull but other wise TPE very good and smooth which is a odd thing to say. I've found class 185 ride very well. Oh I was interested in seeing 2 HST sets at Hull. Hull to Seamer, Another pleasant journey and first time on a class 155. My plan was to head to Scarborough but the change over time between the Hull service and the Liverpool lime street serivce was to large, I bottled it in the end. Besides Scarborough isn't going to disappear anytime soon. Seamer to York, A another journey pleasant, I just can't get over Malton station everything tells me that the second platform should still be there but like Dunbar lost it's second platform due to reduceding serivce in BR days? York to Leeds, To complete my figure of 8 I was heading for Doncaster but jumped on the wrong Cross Country Train and headed for leeds instead, nothing lost. Leeds to Keighley, 16:28 to skipton is the where what feels like the whole of Leeds fit onto one train.

Following on from my October trip last year, thought I would push the boat out a little more for this years holiday. A 'All line rover' is pushing the boat out by a long way. When I first entertained the idea back in 2017 I just couldn't swallow the price £347.15 for 7 consecutive days with rail-card discount. As my little jolly last year with split ticketing showed it can be good value. At £49.59 a day for 7 consecutive days, I am someone who wants to squeeze every penny out of this ticket. With my accommodation booked, in the order of staying York, Haworth, Newcastle, Mankinholes, Edale (Derbyshire) and finally Penzance. To say squeeze every penny out is a understatement , starting my little jolly from North Norfolk yesterday (9th September) I want to knock down quite a few stretches of line for some it will just be another commute by train for me it's a voyage of discovery. Setting off Gunton to Norwich, No problems here's, always a good start. Norwich to Stowmarket, Minute down due to a late departure for the 10:57 EMR Stowmarket to Cambridge, Well broken down freight between Ipswich and Stowmarket and 'Vehicle striking a bridge'. Credit to the staff a Stowmarket for keeping the passengers updated, sadly lost 1 hour 20 minutes and the train to Cambridge now going to Ely only calling at Bury St Edmunds only, making up time by terminating a train earlier is standard practice which is something my Grandad told me about when he worked for BR / Central trains. Any who getting to Ely and our guard being very useful and information which trains to take for onward travel. For me London Kings Cross. Ely to London Kings Cross, for a country bumpkin those class 387 can really take off and tried the 'Free WiFi' all in all no problems. Kings Cross to St Pancras. St Pancras to Sheffield, no problems here, I'd be interested to see what EMR do, the old saying 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' comes to mind but we'll see. Sheffield to York, No problems just the usual busy service. With day 1 down Gunton to York via Stowmarket, Ely, London and Sheffield not bad going. I'll try and post my fun and frolic over the week.

Hi Dan, Thank-you for the message, Sadly the stations aren't available anymore. I have sorted out arrangements with a another person only just this evening. Thank-you for your interest though. Regards Ross

I am shorting through the loft and have found, 1 Hornby R590 OO Scale Wayside Station Halt Kit (complete) and 1 Hornby R8009 OO Scale Station Terminus Kit (incomplete). Both are free to a good home, sadly in my child hood days I didn't look after my model railway stuff. You are more than welcome to pick 'n' mix or have both. I'm quite happy to send by post with a small donation going to the inshore Mundesley lifeboat, collection from Mundesley, North Norfolk is also possible.

Something I find odd about this. Didn't Wrexham & Shropshire railway plug the gap, so to speak of a direct rail service from London to Wrexham? With Hindsight could Wrexham & Shropshire railway made a success? I'm not sure how much is true from the Wikipedia page. ''On 28 January 2011 operations ceased after a review concluded there was no prospect of the business ever being profitable. The low passenger numbers and lack of profitability were blamed on the Great Recession'' I'd be interested to know why the DFT and First Group see a direct service from London to Shrewsbury, Gobowen and Llandudno. Now fast forward 8 years and there will be higher passenger numbers and will be profitable?

Hi James, I've been pointed in the direction of the Broadland Model Railway Club, only yesterday. Having lived in the Belper / Ripley area for 18 years. What's your mode of transport? Sadly North Norfolk can be a little unforgiven with public transport. I do echo what @PaulG said, check-out what is at Holt station.

oh crumbs that is a very generous offer, thank-you @sjp23480. After my last post I saw a advert from rails of Sheffield for a brand new Bachmann 4F '£79.50' those little teasers. Where I am at the moment, I've stripped down the '4F 44523' loco body and tender. Hunting down spare parts for the newer 4F 'R3031/R3314' are far and few between when the newly designed 4F was released only in 2011 in think, happy to be corrected, but yet older parts are plentiful. A quick email from Hornby as found that there aren't any loco drive chassis 'Thank you for your email, we do not have any chassis available & We cannot advise on changing yours, there is a significant difference between the two, we have never tried to do what you are considering trying to do, so unfortunately we cannot assist you any further'. Fair comments I think, meanwhile I sent a email to Peter's spares to ask about Hornby X6469 Fowler Class 2P / 4F Motor & Worm Gear. Saying there's been a back order with the supplier with no arrival date. Amusingly I've found in the library K.Chadwick's 'Locomotive building on the cheap' Volume 2. I do applaud any modellers that have followed through. I'd be interested to see or hear how the process was of converting ready-to-run loco into unavailable classes.

Hello all, Sadly it's not looking good in the Mundesley-on-sea locomotive works. I've given the commutator a jolly good clean, It would be a shy of a miracle for the 4F to start working after so long of not running. But if I can change a wire feed motor on a welding machine, An AC contactor, make-up a new capacitor bank and change a mig welder rectifier. How hard can getting a 00 gauge 4F up and running be? So for my first victim test subject I've come up with a small shopping list. Hornby X6855 Class 4F 0-6-0 Loco Driving Wheel Set £14.63 Hornby X6859 Class 4F 0-6-0 Tender Wheel Set £14.14 4F Class Tender Chassis Bottom £10.49 4F Class Tender Assembly £14.49 Hornby H133 Railroad Fowler 4F 0-6-0 Loco Body BR Black No: 44198 £22.99 1227 size 5 pole skew wound 12v model loco motor small OO gauge £16.00 In total I'm looking at spending roughly £92.74. If I want to go for a heavy overhaul, but that price I could buy a second hand 4F. I did stumble across a website 'Brassmaster kits' http://www.brassmasters.co.uk/4F.htm their 4F kit build might point me in the right direction. But as @Stoker suggested a Mashima motor could work. It would be safe to say the WD40 didn't help. So my plan of attack email Hornby in the off chance they might have a 4F loco drive chassis. I'll keep a look out for any Bachmann 3F chassis. I'm in two minds whether to use a 4F donor. I've also had a quick look at DJH motors & gearboxes. It's nice that there are motors & gearboxes that are off the shelf, that will work. But it's experience of fitting the dam thing in and price. But baby steps first.

Hello all, I'll keep this short and sweet. On my 9th birthday, 2003 I was very lucky to be given 'the colliery set' I cherished the 4F '44523' that came with that set, however my basic understanding of maintance didn't do the 4F any good. During a running session the 4F wasn't running properly, my lack of knowledge saw me spray WD40 ...... yes thats right WD40 on the tender wheels, allowing the WD40 to run into the motor. Putting the 4F back on the track, give it some power, the tender starts to smoke....... a live steam affect. Sadly the 4F stopped running altogether, after this my interest in model railways was put into a siding. Fast forward to 2019 and I have started an electrical engineering apprenticeship. The 4F has been at the back of my mind so now, I am looking to get the 4F running again. What I've done so far I've replaced the carbon brushes and springs as can be seen in the photo. My soldering skills are not quite there yet, but I've reached a snag. Trying to run the 4F with the new carbon bushes still came up with smoke. The photos below are taken after the new carbon bruhes where trailed. I think it might be the Motor Armature, but second opitions are most welcome.

I wonder if Gunton and Roughton Road are going to get the same treatment? As the 3 coach 170s struggle to fit.

A photo from my grandad collection of a 'SECR C class' at Tonbridge, with Cinema Coach No.2 and I'm not sure what the other coach is.

I stumbled across this song a year or so ago and I'm hooked. I'm not 100% sure on the location with a bulleid Pacific and 5MT on shed. Oh boy I wouldn't be to happy to be in the inspection pit with a engine coming from behind. But a good song all the same.

My most recent experience of the UK railway have been very good. I'll try to compile my weeks holiday back in October as short as possible. Thinking ahead and trying to save, split ticketing helped cut the cost of my travels plus using a rail card. For those that don't know the split ticketing means changing at a station where you wouldn't normally change or staying on the same train but one ticket ends while a new ticket begins at the same station. So starting on 22nd October off from Gunton to Keighley £10.00 ish one-way. Changing at Norwich, Ely, Peterborough and Leeds. There was a small delay outside of Doncaster, missed connection at Leeds nothing to spoil as I only waited tops of 25 miniutes for the Skipton train. Change at Keighley for a bus to Haworth YHA. 23rd I was in pure midland heaven on the KWVR worth a visit. 24th October is where the split ticketing comes into it's own, Keighley to Ruabon £16.00 ish one-way. Changing at Shipley, Leeds, Liverpool lime street, Bidston and Wrexham with split ticketing at Huddersfield and Conway Park. I nearly missed my connection at Shipley for going on the wrong platform, apart from this, trains where on time to say how far I was going. Changing at Ruabon to catch the bus to Llangollen Hostel. 25th October an explore along the Llangollen canal, walked to Trevor and back (Felt like a hell of a long way when walking from Llangollen via Castell Dinas Brân). Final stint on the 26th October Raubon to Evesham £22.00 ish. Changing at Smethwick Galton Bridge and Worcester Shrub Hill only. Split ticketing at Chirk and Smethwick Galton Bridge. 27th October I was on the GWSR to say a final far well to my granddad by putting his ashes in the firebox, Being a midland man I have to say 7820 'Dinmore Manor' what a bit of kit footplate ride I'll never forget, just a wee bit cold. All in all to travel from Gunton to Evesham for £48.00 one-way with railcard via everything inbetween, I'd say the rail system and the bus services that I used is pretty dam good.

The latest offering from the M&GN Society photo vault. As a side note I have in the past tried to research where the ex-loco of the M&GN Society/North Norfolk Railway have gone. It would seem No 5470 'Colwyn' has been at the Northampton & Lamport Railway since 1985 > https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/kitson-works-no-5470-45-colwyn-0-6-0st/ . But looking on the Northampton & Lamport Railway stock list > https://www.nlr.org.uk/about-nlr/stock-list/ nothing of show. All the ex-loco's very hard to track down. If you have enjoyed these photos, of a small part of the M&GN rail system, then why not check-out 'M&GN in Colour' Showing large parts of the M&GN in Norfolk and the surrounding area. Perfect inspiration for any railway modeller or simply to look through a captured moment in time. M&GN in Colour Volume 1 > https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/223174847435?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649 M&GN in Colour Volume 3 > https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/223174855197?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649 M&GN in Colour Volume 4 > https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/223174859609?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

From the vault, here are a few more M&GN Society photos...

These photos are part of the M&GN society archives, Copyright where it's due. I'll upload a few more over the next few days.

The weather here in North Norfolk has really set in now. I have a few more lineside photos to show, hopefully to clear those winter blues.