Moxy

It could very well be Pat, I was only going off memory & pictures on Google. I'm certainly no expert on old Fiats! I seem to recall there was quite a bit of the practice of reintroducing old models under new names in the 1970's & 1980's. The Renault 12 reappeared as a Dacia (not sure what model), and although they are now part of VW, I seem to remember Seat started out building copies of Fiats for the spanish market.

Polish built 'pretend' Fiats were also available in the UK under the FSO or Polski-Fiat brand. In theory there was a 126p model, although I don't remember any of those. The model I remember most is the FSO 125p, which was the old Fiat 125, long since discontinued by Fiat itself. That 125 was also the genesis of the Lada Riva.

There is some footage on Twitter of the snow plough in action. Hope this link works https://twitter.com/GreaterAngliaPR/status/970305018934054912/video/1

Bit more up to date than NSE, this was on Twitter earlier, a Network rail SE snow plough (of sorts) https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DXS2C3xXcAEjevV.jpg Sorry can't tell you where, Twitter has just broken. Edit: Got back on Twitter, it's at Lenham

Bolton Great Moor Street was another elevated station http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/b/bolton_great_moor_street/index.shtml

Having traffic sources 'down the line' such as a quarry or dairy is good. It gives the excuse for both empty and loaded wagons to be at the terminus to run round before going back down the line to their destinations. Empty mineral wagons arrive, run round & depart for the quarry, full mineral wagons arrive from the quarry, run round & depart for the main line/rest of the world. Same with dairy traffic, although a milk tanker or box van looks the same whether full or empty. Moxy

Some of the ones in the OP do have wooden solebars. Arnold Sands, BQC & Pilkingtons all do. As John has said above (while I was typing this reply!), it varies depending on the builder. I have attached a link to GER Society wagon page https://www.gersociety.org.uk/index.php/rolling-stock/wagons/1880-1889 the drawings aren't dated unfortunately, but they were experimenting with steel underframes as early as the 1870's. There wasn't a clear cut off date for the changeover from wood to steel, both types overlapping by many years. I think a better question would be 'is the livery correct for a steel underframe wagon?' Moxy

If the 'Green Merseyside' lot you are talking about is LV, they have not been based in Liverpool for many years, I think they are in Bournemouth, despite the name. IIRC correctly, they used to be called Frizzells Insurance, who took over Liverpool Victoria, then adopted their name. I agree they are generally seen as one of the better insurers. Direct Line I wouldn't touch with a barge pole. Regards Moxy

You can just imagine the discussions in the drawing office when that was being designed: "Well, if you want wheels that big, you'll have to have splashers over each of them." "No, one big splasher will do..."

Those half loop couplings are the original version of the 'tension lock' type. They are what I nicknamed 'harpoon' couplings when I was little, because I always seemed to stab my fingers on the sharp edges & draw blood! The middle ones in the picture with the more rounded edges are the later version and I agree much better. You might find that the older truck chassis with the open ended axleboxes have much thicker wheels than more modern types and might not run on modern track. Although it can be done, they are not that easy to re-wheel. It might be worth getting hold of some wagons with the newer chassis/wheels & swapping the bodies over. I am definitely a fan of minor & light railways, I have a long term plan (about 3 or 4 layouts into the future) to build a light railway in the rural expanses of Lancashire, north of Preston at some point in the future. Moxy

...or as a Foster Yeoman/Hanson Industries one, see this thread http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/32351-mendip-industrials/&do=findComment&comment=340674 If I remember correctly, the CSX model is an SW1500, where the Foster Yeoman one is an SW1001, but the differences are largely internal, the bodywork is very similar. Moxy

Perhaps it was labelled 'Coke,' then the 'X' added afterwards to indicate its condemnation/withdrawal? Although I have to say that looks in pretty good nick for a 16T mineral! Regards Moxy

You mean like this one? https://i.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/g/idMAAOSwY~1aJFND/s-l225.jpg I had one of those when I was a child, but the body warped one way & the roof warped the other!

You were right first time, it is Corn Products Co UK, there are a couple of photos here of it shunting their Trafford Park Works. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/126141-andrew-barclay-14-16-0-4-0st-in-oo-gauge/page-4&do=findComment&comment=2850948 HTH Moxy

They're separate, here's a photo from the first post of this thread showing locating hole.

These photos on the railcar website show blue/grey and refurbshed liveries http://www.railcar.co.uk/type/class-114/images HTH Moxy

11305 was a Departmental Loco at nationalisation and since it hardly ever left Horwich loco works, I don't suppose there was any point in renumbering it. More A classes ? - Yes please!

That has brought back memories, I had forgotten about Zodiac Toys. They were a chain of toy shops that eventually went bust. There was a shop in the Fishergate Centre in Preston, that one certainly sold Hornby because I bought my first Hymek from there when I was about 18 (early 1980's).

Don't know for certain, but I think the Railfreight markings are early- mid 70's onwards. Some discussions on early Railfreight liveries here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/19400-railfreight-liveried-rolling-stock/ HTH Moxy

It is a Janus, ex Stanton Iron Works; details about half way down this page http://www.kirkbystepheneast.co.uk/Stainmore_Railway_Diesels.html If you have any cab shots, I for one would love to see them Rob. Regards Moxy

Apologies to them if they are still trading, but I think I read somewhere that Modeltorque have closed down. There is (or was), this guy here http://www.hakanpaa.net/susumotor_en.htm He used to sell them on Ebay, but I can't find a current listing, so again I'm not sure if he's still supplying them. It might be worth asking though. The motors shown in the above link are from CD/DVD drives, so if you have an old dead computer or DVD player it's worth stripping the motors before recycling the rest of it. HTH Moxy

I don't think it's a case of can't be bothered, I think it's more a case of economics. There were 102 of these locos built, and just a quick scan through this thread shows some of them were rebuilt several times over the years, goodness knows how many detail differences there are. Producing RTR models costs time and money, and the more differences in lights/panels/exhausts/cab doors etc that you incorporate in the model the higher the price will be, so there has to be a balance struck between detail levels and final selling price, otherwise the model becomes uneconomic to produce. I would much rather have a RTR Janus at an affordable price with some (potentially) incorrect details that I can personalise to my own needs than no RTR Janus at all.

Before you replace the point, I would check the back to back measurements on the locos that don't work. As you have said, you do have some 66's that are fine with that point, if it is only one 66, the 40 & that 20 in the video that are stumbling, it might be the locos that are at fault, not your trackwork. HTH Moxy

Spotted whilst in my local Asda in Wigan, Hornby R1205 Western Freight Hauler Train set https://direct.asda.com/george/toys-character/cars-trains-planes/Hornby-western-freight-hauler-train/050215367,default,pd.html reduced from £60 to £40, also available online. Box is branded 'exclusive to Asda.' Hornby is currently listing an industrial version of GWR 101 at £32.99 RRP, so for an extra £7 you get 3 wagons, circle of track & a basic controller. Moxy

I did have the pleasure of operating 'Beccadale Haematite' on a couple of occasions, and although I am not sure if I was at that AGM, I would like to add some comments if I may. No 11 'Titan' is built on a Bachmann 03/04 chassis turned end to end so the drive crank is at the front. The rest of it Dave imagineered from plasticard. The Dapol railbus of Alan Catlow's (painted in IOM livery) is IIRC 00n3, rather than 5.5mm scale. I think Alan removed around 4mm from the width. Can't remember anything about the chassis though. The unnamed Sentinel VBT of Dave Scott's (the photo after 'Phobos') is 009. It is much lower than 'Phobos' to its right, different couplings and I am pretty sure that looks like a Kato tram chassis under its skirts. Regards Moxy