KeithMacdonald

We'll have to watch out for the Rivet Police - they'll have us for the coffee cup - it's the wrong shade of brown for this era of BR Catering!

Please excuse my ignorance - what's a ducket?

Newton Abbot library http://newtonabbotrailwaystudies.co.uk/ Gallery photos http://newtonabbotrailwaystudies.co.uk/homepage/historic-photographs/ Catalogue https://www.devonlibraries.org.uk/web/arena/my-account http://newtonabbotrailwaystudies.co.uk/contact/

Just a few days ago, I was in the Hornby Hobbies shop in Swindon Great Western outlet village. In one big display case, the Railroad range, with lower prices. In another big display case, the "super detailed" range, with higher prices. It took me quite an effort of concentration to go from one case to the other, and back again, several times, to get it clear in my mind just how much difference there is between the two ranges. It is significant, but like with so many things, if we want the extra quality we pay a higher initial price. From personal experience, there is a hidden extra cost to buying anything from the Railroad range, or old Lima/Hornby from eBay. It's the emotional impact and disappointment when you get the Railroad item home and put it close besides besides anything from the "super detailed" range. Like : "Oh why did I buy that?" (insert headbang icon here). My post-hoc attempts at rationalisations include explaining to the Financial Director that I was saving money. I'm not sure she believes me, and I'm not sure I believe it either.

Not even with the BR Mk1 Discotheque Coach? I'm gutted, sick as a parrot..

Yes, it's the Paddle Steamer "Embassy" http://poolehistory.org.uk/node/327820 Lots of info here: https://www.paddlesteamers.org/news/wessex-dart/p-s-embassy-1911-1967/ The loco in the foreground is 30093 (Adams B4), assigned to Bournemouth. http://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&type=S&id=116739&loco=93

Can I offer a small imaginary line in North Devon? The "Exbourne Link Railway", with a more direct route from Meeth to Stamford Courtney. Clay traffic from Meeth (etc), but also coal from Bideford coal mine (which really existed) and imported stuff from Fremington Quay.

Oh, alright then, here's another one: Don't tell them your location, Bramley!

Not sure if this has been mentioned already, but James May and Oz Clarke had rebuilt the line from Barnstaple to Bideford (with a bit of help). Ten miles - in OO gauge! In the video below, @5:50 Atlantic Coast Express feature. @9:00 ACE into Barnstaple and across bridge to Quay station @10:50 Fremington @21:20 Pendon Model Railway etc Oz Clarke turns out to not only be a wine expert, but very knowledgeable on the history of the route.

I've found a copy of their letterhead. "Per Parva, Per Magna" - is that close enough? Oh, alright, I'll confess, it was a Warning Letter. They'd noticed my post on An Idiot's Guide to Acrylic Paints? and rumbled I'd used Southern Region Green instead of Malichite Green.

One more preserved to keep people suffering as part of their "heritage"? "Class 144 pacer heading to the Great Central Railway in Nottingham" https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2019/12/class-144-pacer-heading-to-the-great-central-railway-in-nottingham.html We've still got some Pacers in the "Triangle of Doom" (Exmouth-Barnstaple-Paignton). What did we do to deserve them? Were we very bad in a previous life? Any offers welcome. Could we sell them on eBay?

Is it obligatory to add a Rivet Counter Detector Unit?

Very much looking forward to The Rivet Police: Part 2 ...

I think you'll find the LBCD & SEC railway later merged with the Greater Thameside railway. Now known as the LBGT Railway. Or the GayWay for short. With a very colourful paint scheme.

There ought to be a film of this : "Who Framed Ducking Giraffe?" Have you started negociating the film rights? Wanted: Actors with experience of working with trains. Here's a few we could put in the frame: Jim Broadbent (The Great Train Robbery) Amy Schumer (Trainwreck) Euan McGregor (Trainspotting) Burt Lancaster (The Train) John Wayne (The Train Robbers) Danny DeVito (Throw Momma From The Train) Emily Blunt (The Girl on the Train) Rowan Atkinson (Mr Bean's Holiday) perhaps? And Bob Hoskins of course. Any more?

Yes, lots of "Top Secret" places that all the locals knew were there. Like the Royal Ordnance Factory in Bridgwater. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ROF_Bridgwater Incidently, there was a great civilian benefit from the ROF factory being there: i.e. the artificial rivers and drains were well maintained and regularly dredged to ensure the water kept flowing off the Somerset Levels. Sadly, after the factory closed and the responsibility for the waterways transferred to the Environment Agency, the latter organisation insisted on treating the waterways as "natural". They stopped dredging "to protect the wildlife habitat". Which did not help when the Somerset Levels flooded in November 2012 and again in Jan-Feb 2014. I'll play safe and not mention some other "Top Secret" places that are still active (but easily visible on Google Maps satellite view).

Winning bid: £1,100.00

Now showing as £1,100 with 39 minutes to go https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bachmann-35-990-London-Underground-4-Car-S-Stock-Ex-Condition-lighting-kit-inc/254444295093?hash=item3b3e0fd3b5:g:yasAAOSwJFVd6Vgt

Thanks, it's a bit of a clue, even if nothing is named. We can see the same detail here: https://maps.nls.uk/view/189241965 Or here: https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15&lat=51.0845&lon=-2.5504&layers=193&b=1 It looks like a storage site of some kind?

I just spotted these sidings on Rail Map Online, close to the village of Alford in Somerset, west of Castle Cary. I tried RMWeb search, but the only Alford I can find mentioned is much further north. At first I wondered if they were for a quarry, like Cranmore. But Wikipaedia suggests something else. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alford,_Somerset Anyone got any ideas what it was for?

Could there be some freight services that don't appear on the working timetable? Appearing at random times, as if by magic.

Here's an even crazier airport/railway modelling idea : Stonehenge Railway Station and Stonehenge Airport. Stonehenge Light Railway http://www.sarsen.org/2013/03/the-stonehenge-railway.html Combined with Stonehenge "airport" https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/history-and-stories/first-world-war-aerodrome/

Was that the one at Double Hedges in Bulford village? Was for the Amesbury & Bulford Camp Light Rly (LSWR). Still visible on Google Street View: https://www.google.com/maps/@51.1885451,-1.759487,3a,75y,43.93h,98.38t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1soagZUTJogXG0LzvRSLTDlQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 Not to be confused with the Stonehenge Railway http://www.sarsen.org/2013/03/the-stonehenge-railway.html

I guess that must of been at the east end of the runway where it converges on the rail track? The two taxiways at Brize Norton get a mention in the "Level Crossing Stupidity" thread:

I've just thought of an almost-aircraft option : Pegwell Bay Hoverport, with a branch of the line to Ramsgate. http://www.jameshovercraft.co.uk/hover/hoverports/pegwell_bay_hoverport.php http://www.jameshovercraft.co.uk/hover/srn4/srn4_pegwell_bay.php But the only model of the SR.N4 hovercraft I can find is 1:144 scale.