roythebus1

Were those locos really fitted with train air brakes? i thought they were all withdrawn before the advent of lots of air-braked coaches. Have. a look at the Symoba "kinetic" coupler box, it's 12x10x4 mm, quite small really and easy to fit. I've just bought a load from Peters Spares.

I've just read on a London Transport Facebook group that Shapeways has shut down, filed for bankruptcy. The website is still operating but has no content. No further details as I've not had cause to use them.

I tried Trainline a couple of years ago when "commuting" from Ashford ent to Manchester weekly for a few months. In every case the booking clerk at Ashford came up with return tickets cheaper than Trainline and National Rail website.

All of which reminds me of a chat with an Underground ticket inspector back in the early 1970s when I was a guard on the District Line. the story went something like they had a hunch that someone was going from Turnham Green to Dagenham every day without having a valid ticket, just paying for a ticket at Dagenham from Becontree, the next stop back. the TTIs had bods on this particular day at TG, Becontree and Dagenham. One of the plain-clothes bods followed the suspect on the train all the way. At Dagenham the suspect paid for an excess from Becontree and he was questioned by a TTI at the barrier. It was suggested that he'd come from further away which he denied. He was told "we've got TTIs working today", not saying where exactly. Matey denied this, so was asked for identity. He had none so was asked where he worked. "Fords at Dagenham". "In that case maybe the chap on the gate will identify you?" "No, we just walk in". The hunch worked, he was accompanied to the factory gates where there was indeed a security check. It was confirmed matey lived at Turnham Green and had worked at Fords for over 5 years. It cost him a considerable amount in court and he lost his job at Fords. Sometimes a hunch works.

The other major problem here is the Europe-wide shortage of HGV drivers. The UK suffered a loss of how many thousands of lorry drivers during covid, much the same with bus drivers. I'd suggest a 4-car train load of mail would need at least 8 lorries. 8 lorries would need about 20 drivers, assuming 2 shifts per day plus annual leave/sickness/training requirements. the manpower simply isn't there. I'd like to know where the spare grid capacity is coming from to provide power for all these electric vehicles.

On that point, my German train driver friend (retired) was driving a Cologne-Moscow train via Hannover, loco and 15 on, it failed just outside Hannover Hbf. It was rescued by a KöF, one of those tiny 4-wheel shunters.

Remember the main idea of Dungeness was to develop another Channel Port, mooted by the SER. As is obvious, nothing came of it. Somewhere around I had the book of the New Romney and Dungeness branches.

I may well look up fares on the National Rail website and try to work out split tickets, but will NEVER buy tickets online. On most occasions in the last couple of years the helpful ticket clerks at my local station have come up with better prices than the computer. I had to go from Ashford to Kensal Rise for a funeral a couple of years ago, funeral time 1100. Unable to get a day return as I'd have to got out before the 0930. I can't remember the full price, say £55 on a senior railcard. Ticket man said get anytime day return from Kensal Rise to Ashford and come back before you go. £28. Another joureny I've done a few times, Ashford to Isle of Wight. Computer says via HS1, Northern Line St.Pancras to Waterloo, fast train to Pompey then ferry. £78 return just to Pompey, journey time 3 hr 45. Ticket man says go the pretty way round the coast, the Southern DMU to Brighton, electric to Havant, DMU to Pompey Harbour. Return £28 with railcard, journey time 3hr 20. The ferry is £12 each way these days. The computer would never cope with such a journey.

It works its way up from below...

Did you count the BRUTE that was seen on a barge in the Thames by the Waterloo Pier? :)

Hunt Couplings do a starter pack of NEM magnetic couplings of various lengths. Some of mine were a bit fragile as the fish tails broke off. Worth trying though. They do quite a range of lengths to suit most things. I've seen a test train on the Folkestone club's layout with a very heavy train and the couplings didn't fail.

Not quite, the tide never goes that high! well not since about 1360 AD. :)

Somewhere around I may have some official photos of BRUTES, acquired from the Plans Arch at Waterloo.

There's very little earth at Dungeness, it's all shingle.

I don't trust anything computerised or mobile-phone-ised! Especially tickets. A while ago I tried buying a car park ticket on HS1, no internet or bad internet made it impossible, I ended up with a penalty charge even though the train guard tried to do that for me as well. I never paid the penalty charge.