Tallpaul69

Hi All, Can any one advise when the peak roofed Salt Wagons went out of use? Did the movement of salt then go by road? If it stayed on rail, what replaced the peak roof vans? If they were still widely in use in 1960-62, does anyone know how they were worked away from the Cheshire salt mines? Were there special trains, or did they just get picked up by the local pick up freights? I am also particularly interested in how in the 1960-62 period salt got to the station yards between Acton and Reading (if by train that is!)? Many thanks Paul

Hi All, Can anyone tell me when 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley was painted from BR Green (late logo?) to Blue? If it was after 1962 (when I want to model it in 00!), then an approximate date will be good enough! Many thanks Paul

Lucky you! A lot further in the past - early 60s, I used to travel to school from Luton to St.Albans by train. The DMUs had taken over, so when I could I used to go on the Morgate trains which were BR or GNR compartment stock hauled by class 24 Diesels. Not sure when the offices you worked in were put up, so you might also be able to help with the questions I asked in my reply to Rob D2's posting? Love to know more details on the trains you rode in from/to Didcot. I do like Class 50s so I am going to cheat on the number of them on my 1990s era of the model. I will be grateful for any info? Regards Paul

I took a ride to Maidenhead last summer, and yes, the service is very good! I love the service and ride you get on electric trains, its just the infrastructure I hate! (particularly when the overheads come down!!). My layout will enable me to keep the line to Wycombe open or not, as I feel at any time. It will just be a question of running the 90s or 10s versions of my 60s branch trains although obviously the freight consists will be somewhat different! You might be able to help me with some queries on the area around the Station:- 1) In the 80s what buildings occupied the space between the Station Approach and Grenfell road? 2) What was in the area further down Grenfell Road between it and the railway (opposite the park)? I took pics of the older properties area further along Grenfell Road up to the bridge over the branch, so its just the area towards the station that I am struggling with! Thanks for your interest and ,I hope, help. Regards Paul

Hi All, Even though there is no layout yet to show you, I have plenty of things on the go so I am taking the plunge and replacing my threads "Design Ideas Welcome" in the Layout and Track Design area and "My DCC journey" in the DCC help and questions area. For those who have not read the above threads, a quick review of my situation is in order:- Lower Thames Yard will be a round and round double track DCC Layout using Kaydee couplings, in a dedicated, existing, 12ft x 8ft room, which is insulated, lit and heated. The layout is based on the relief lines and High Wycombe Branch junction just to the west of Maidenhead Station on the WR main line. A reduced version of Maidenhead Yard will be included but is space limited. The layout will operate in three time frames 1960/2 (when I was train spotting), 1990/2 (when I travelled on NSE a lot), and 2014/16 (because I like the new GwR livery and the class 800s. Also this is the latest time before the dreaded overheads spoilt the scene!) My main interest is in operation and scenic development. I am not a base board builder (my wife will testify to my lack of woodworking skills even with flatpacks!!). Neither have my past efforts at track layer, or stock painting been successful, so those activities will be undertaken by others. So sitting at my operating position, with the track at eye level, I can see down trains appear from my left from behind station buildings, sweep round a flat curve towards me, then either continue along the relief line to disappear behind a row of houses on an elevated ridge, or divert into the down relief loop, or turn right past me onto the High Wycombe branch, pass in front of the above mentioned houses then disappear through a road over bridge. The track plan is almost complete and construction will start next month. Once the constructing company's track plan is finally agreed by me, the design will be mine and I can share it on the thread. Next time I aim to update you on where I am on Loco chipping, signaling and some pics of stock constructed. Enjoy your modelling! Cheers Paul

Good Progress Rich, I can see why you havn't got to answer my last couple of PMs! I had better go look at my Bachmann 45xxs, as I hadn't realized they were on the Mazac list! Have realized from your Blog stock list for your Devon layout that I have a class 159 and a couple of 158s you might be interested in if you still need them? I will PM you at the weekend. Meanwhile I need to make a start on my new thread "Lower Thames Yard". Cheers Paul

Hi All, I have decided that my layout adventure has reached the stage where it would be sensible to amalgamate my several threads into one, which I hope to find easier to keep up with! So I will over the next few days be starting a new thread in the Layout Topics area titled "Lower Thames Valley". My thanks to everyone who has contributed here, even those who disagreed with me! Keep smiling Best regards Paul

Hi All, I have decided that my layout adventure has reached the stage where it would be sensible to amalgamate my several threads into one, which I hope to find easier to keep up with! So I will over the next few days be starting a new thread in the Layout Topics area titled "Lower Thames Valley". My thanks to everyone who has contributed here, even those who disagree with me! Keep smiling Best regards Paul

Here are some details from a 1961 diesel Unit Working book:- Notes:-This is not for the AEC unit as it attaches a class121/2 and trailer for part of the working cycle:- When berthed at Paddington it was at No5 Line stop blocks Monday to Friday leave Southall shed 02.05 am to Paddington Main Line arr 2.30 am then from 2.55am til 7.18 am two trips, one to Greenford, one with 8 wheel van to to West Drayton. 07.44am to Slough arr 08.32 09.07 am to West Drayton arr 09.23 0928 am to Uxbridge arr 09.34 10.33 am to Paddington Parcels arr 11.34 12.21pm + 2 vans, large for Hayes, small for Southall to Slough arr 1.32 2.38pm to Greenford arr 3.25 3.52pm to Paddington Arrival Sidings arr 4.09 4.56pm to Greenford arr 5.12 6.06pm to Paddington Arrival Sidings arr 6.21 6.55 to Greenford arr7.25 8.10pm(empty) to Paddington Parcels siding arr 8.25 9.20 to Winsor arr 11.18 11.30 empty to Southall shed via southall station arr shed 12.00midnight Saturday am similar to above but pm trip from Paddington to Reading with two vans leaving at 2.48pm and pausing at Slough 4.29 to 5.10. Arr reading 5.53pm Return empty at 6.30pm to Paddington Main Line followed by returning at 12.30am Sunday to Southall shed arr 03.10am via Hayes with a 121 and trailer attached at the Bristol end! Hope the above makes sense? Cheers Paul

Here's one:- My father was born and bought up in a village in Bedfordshire called Shillington. During the 1850s/60s? the first "l" got changed to a "t"! Why is lost in the mists of history, probably a semi literate parish clerk!!! It was/is a nice little village, the only smells being agricultural ones! Cheers Paul .

Hi Marcus I agree with the other comments, with a few additional thoughts:- If the blue L is the road access, how do vehicles access the goods shed? you might be better with the goods shed on the other side of the track so that you view the vehicle loading side and there is room for vehicles to turn round, back up etc. If this is a heritage line it needs more coach storage, perhaps between the loco stabling/display and the station loop? But if it is a heritage line only, why the goods shed? Before going any further, I suggest you decide on the heritage line's heritage! So is it to have one of the Big 4, or BR 50s/60s as its main focus? What loco stock do you have? Is the refuel point diesel or coal and how does the fuel get there? Do you need coal wagon or fuel tanker sidings? Few heritage lines are diesel only. Hope this helps? Cheers Paul

Hi all, Many thanks to you for your posts. The reason for the question was that I am changing the period of the modern era of my Western Region Region/ FGW model from 2002-7 to 2016 (so now Western region/GwR). I need to decide how to use/ repaint my Railtrack wagons. From info you sent I think the JJAs will just loose their branding and the PNAs will go rusty. My excuse for still running PNAs is that I like them and the scenario is that the JJAs etc. are too big for use on the branch lines so some PNAs are still in use! I will also take up the suggestion of looking at Flickr in specific years. Best regards Paul

Hi all, When were Railtrack wagons such as the PNA and JJA rebranded to Network Rail Was the Railtrack branding blanked out prior to any repaints and if so when? Thanks Paul

Fair enough! I don't get upset if folks don't reply to my postings, I am afraid I sometimes forget or get sidetracked myself. Its your layout so Rule 1 applies. Sorry, can't help with the W&M Railbus, not my era or railway line. Your other thread suggests the layout is developing well so good on you. Cheers Paul

And there was me worrying about restarting some projects that I last touched 20 years ago! Agree that its a hobby not a chore. I used to worry that my part built projects would get overtaken by shiny new Manufactured items, but the price so many of them are now -who cares!! Cheers Paul

I am looking to try the Soundtraxx Econami UK steam or UK Diesel chips, so am looking for examples that anyone has surplus? Many thanks Paul

Sorry Folks pressed wrong button! Fair comment Richard, What I am trying to say (perhaps not very well!) is that we don't have good choices. The lower cost options are far inferior in the range of models that can fitted, and there should be better options for those who don't have the £120 budget. I think a lot of people are having to settle for completely non sound DCC, or with just a few sound fitted locos who would love to do more Sound but are frightened that once they put a toe in the water they will be sucked into paying out more money than they can afford? (Bit like current media frenzy about gambling!). If there were better entry level options more would try and might be able to go for sound in a careful way. Then, in the end there would be more sound business for suppliers. Ask yourself for instance,why, when DCC Sound has been around for 20 years, that sound in many exhibitions is found on only some 10% of layouts, and of those, a good number are of specialist models such as North American layouts (are their chips relatively cheaper?)? Cheers Paul

Yes, there are options if you don't want to (can't afford to!) spend £100+ per loco. However, those options are not all that good, and there are not many of them, especially outside the most common locos,(and I exclude all the oddball low volume models!) see below, (with apologies to Dungrange and his original comment a few posts ago, which I have altered in italics!):- For those who can only afford a £40 sound decoder, we have Hornby' TTS (twin track sound)(IMHO better than £40 especially diesels but limited range even in Hornby prototypes) For those who can only afford a £70 sound decoder, we have the Soundtraxx Econami (multi channel but fairly generic). Agreed but still a limited range For those who can afford a £85 sound decoder, we have D&H decoders (with Locoman's sounds) Limited but growing range, IMHO 15% saving is not all that attractive For those who can afford (maybe because they only have a few locos?) a £100 sound decoder, we have Zimo decoders Good but expensive For those who can afford (maybe because they only have a few locos?) a £120 sound decoder, we have ESU decoders Good, but IMHO not worth the 20% cost uplift. So I am suggesting there is room for someone to make a move to improve the sub £70 market?? I think the people with medium/ large fleets and limited budgets (such as the large number of retired people in this hobby!) are poorly served. I agree the uplift in Loco prices is huge, and is why I spend less now on locos than I did 10 years ago, so I have to be very selective on what I buy! Cheers Paul

Unfortunately these are only available for a limited number of Diesels, and no steam:- Class 20 Class 31 Class 37 Class 47 Class 66/67 First Generation DMU (According to Hattons web site) So a possibility if you wand any of the above. They also have the advantage (or not!) depending on your view of not having a speaker supplied. So they have their place, what do others think? Cheers Paul

If I took your post seriously, I would ask your evidence for your assertion readers LIKE topic wander! However, as it clearly isn't serious I will say Ha Ha, now lets move on with the topic of this thread. If you are not interested in the topic then please move to another thread. You will probably say to me "Move on yourself", why should I, do you realise if you did say that then your so called humour could be interpreted as BULLYING!!! Getting back to the cost of chips, an earlier post suggested that if we start stripping features out of full priced chips than we end up with TTS. Not so, I suggest there is room for something in the middle between TTS and full priced sound chips at say c£70? What do others think? If you agree with me, post which features are MUST HAVE and which could be LEFT OUT ? Best regards (even to the jokers!!) Paul

Looks good, keep us informed on progress! Paul

Around 1960 W34 worked between Paddington and Slough weekdays with a trip to Reading on Saturdays. If there is sufficient (any!) interest I will dig out my 1960 Carriage working book which has the exact details? Cheers Paul

And the relevance of this to the cost of Sound chips??

Are there any pics or videos of the new steam engines?