Keith Addenbrooke

Well spotted, if a little frightening! (I was trying to include the boxes of tissues as they also sold out in the panics and are also now reappearing)

Fair point, I went at 8.40am before it got busy (needed bread after the weekend). By 9.00am there was a queue for the tills (by mid-morning the queue has been a dozen or so round the little car park - though I wouldn't call this panic buying, just social distancing).

Tesco Express this morning. Panic almost over (just hand sanitiser to reappear now).

Seen on my daily exercise walk this afternoon: prototype low relief terraced houses.

Good point: I was viewing it on a small screen. Thank you.

Could I ask: Is this N scale or OO - from the size of the writing I’d guess N - just wondered?

You could add: the garage behind is closed, and the train service may have been reduced in frequency too, in addition to the absence of other people in the scene?

A simple US Walthers’ kit I bought just before the lockdown, but is actually getting built now - without waiting months to get started. The home office is a shared space so layout progress is on hold, but this is a helpful way to relax - I don’t make any claims of great modelling skills, but am happy enough with this.

If you can get the eggs...

Own brand flour (plain and self-raising) was available today in our Morrison’s: just half-sized packets (500g) and limited to 2 per customer following the panic buying, but as they had a good shelf-full I didn’t feel bad buying two. Fair price too.

Photo taken this morning: beanz reappearing on our supermarket shelves.

The Seagulls are social distancing on the Wirral.

Easter, have I missed Easter? I hope not! Remembering the day of the week is hard enough (but the bin men came today, which makes it a Thursday).

West Kirby is better for watching trains while waiting to go in.

The most effective and concise definition of a “Leader” I remember from my time in industrial management was simply this: Someone who has followers. Applying this principle here, as others have already suggested, can look like this: A professional is someone who has customers. Following the logic therefore: How do I qualify as a customer, in order to be able to validate / justify / legitimise the work of a professional?

When I saw this idea I immediately thought of it as a passing station on a narrow gauge line (though that is a different concept). I think there are examples of heritage narrow gauge lines where trains only stop in one direction, so having one platform is valid, particularly if passenger trains would stop when travelling right to left (so trains in both directions head straight into the loop, rather than taking the diverging point). Most important thing is to have fun, whatever you go for, and there are loads of experienced modellers on this Forum to help along the way, so enjoy the journey. Keith.

I like the look of this one: it would make a nice model, but I also agree that a prototype light railway probably wouldn't stretch to a double slip. It could work with a single slip too - one that completed the run-round loop: it's not likely there'd be stock movements between the two sidings as shown. For a small (excessively compressed) station on a branch line, a double slip would keep the running line free if the right hand siding was a headshunt, but it's again unlikely (such a branch would probably run one engine in steam, and losing the coal yard would be most unlikely). Just some thoughts on this one, I think models similar to this have been built and much enjoyed.

I can't promise how far I'll get, but I've mail ordered a US building kit I've long fancied to get started on. There won't be a build thread, but I wanted to acknowledge this thread for the inspiration: thank you. Ensured I sought out the kit I actually wanted, not an easier to get UK one. (My "bigger" long-term micro layout projects - US and UK - will have to remain on hold while everyone is at home).

Inevitable the way things have changed this week. Full marks to Mr Y for his management of the communication of this in my view - it's not an easy balance. There will be as many reactions and feelings as people who were involved / thinking of going / not sure. Experience has taught me that our first reactions can be one thing: our later responses maybe something else. I'd fully understand exhibitors feeling flat about modelling for a while, even if also relieved at not having a health risk to worry about at the same time. Same perhaps for some customers who'd been looking forwards to the show. Maybe, after a pause, there'll be the incentive to do some modelling to make up for the disappointment: after all, this is a hobby for many of us, a source of pleasure to help us step away from the world and relax for a bit. That can be a helpful thing at such times. For some the cancellation is a business issue too: amongst the 'groups' affected that we talk about, there will also be those indirectly hit as exhibitions close, such as some local van hire companies for example, along with hotels / accommodation / the rail companies (etc), venues, as well as those directly affected such as Warners in this case. Hopefully we can all continue to support one another as partners whose passion / hobby and business come together at events like this. Keith.

Happy Birthday and congratulations! RMWeb (through Phil P's Cakebox challenge) finally got me to put together my first scenic diorama after 4 decades of collecting, designing, dreaming and crastinating like a pro. Thank you! Further projects are slowly now coming along - without RMWeb I doubt they'd have got off the graph paper yet. One more thought* - over the next few months RMWeb will have much to do to maintain, support and encourage community across the ages and oceans of our world: now is the time for true social media: I've never met the BRM / RMWeb team in person, but I believe we are in good hands. Keith (* apologies if it's on earlier pages already - bit pushed for time today as it's a Sunday).

Thank you for inviting us to comment: no surprise there are votes either way, of course. Perhaps it depends if the two main buildings go together (ie: part of the same firm or industry) - in which case I'd go for plan 2, or are separate in terms of their non-railway ownership or operation (in which case I'd go for plan 1). Either way, you have a couple of well built pieces to work with, Keith.

Good to hear you enjoyed the show. From the photo, it looks like one option for a slightly longer available platform would be to try "sliding" the existing platform down a bit so the end ramp is before the buffers? It looks like there's enough space before the fence starts. Wouldn't be long enough for a two car DMU (I don't think single car 121 / 122 Bubble Cars went far enough East for this kind of line). Just a thought, so you could see what it looks like? Keith.

Hi Mark, the backscene comes across really effectively in the picture - the post and wire fence running behind the platform had me convinced - if I'd not seen the posting about the diagonal "part-real" fence I wouldn't have known! Could I ask a question though: I was trying to find a fence for a platform on a diorama I'm doing and was assuming I'd need to keep the fence posts vertical on the sloping ramps. Looks like you've done it more simply by using fence panels that stay perpendicular to the ramp? I couldn't find a photo either way (all the photos I found had trains in the way). You may have saved me a job, Keith.

Several of the High St WHS stores I know now include Post Offices, and I do suspect that their outlets at Railway Stations and Motorway Services (and Airports?) contribute to margins. I seem to remember from a Hugh F-W health programme last year (BBC TV) that WHS sell 2% of UK chocolate. That might just be snack bars, but is still a lot. There was (hopefully still is) a good WHS in Altrincham in Gtr Manchester, with a well-stocked model shop just a minute or two away as well.

Aren't they actually looking at Phil Parker making things..?