StuartMc

Although that is indeed a very good price, before you buy that that particular class it's worth remembering that there are several other O Gauge locos slightly more but still under the £200 mark (class 08, terrier, 14xxx, pannier tank - and also the sentinel for a bit less) so really think about what you want.

I was reading a book about GWR in the valleys of South Wales and there were some cramped track formations there; not only were the lines sometimes perched on steep valley sides, but there were also cases of other, rival lines being in the way as well. As an illustration, there was one station squeezed next to an existing building on a curve such that the platform is only something like 18" wide. And of course docks/quaysides could be very limited as well.

Make it an even more "interesting" start by being an exact mirror of the previous race finish with all the cars therefore facing backwards Really, though, the unintended consequence of this system would be chaos at the end of the race at the back of the grid everyone not likely to score points stops on the track to come last and get pole position next race. I suppose you could award points for all places (rather than just the top 10), but with the drop off of points you'd still dis-incentivise one of the most exciting aspects of the races - someone out of position near the back would no longer have nothing to lose - like Verstappen did in Brasil in 2016; rationally the best thing to do if a poor finish meant a good place on the grid next time would be to retire, rather than, as he did, absolutely go for it.

Michael Oakley's book "BR Diesel Freight in the Traditional Era" that I'm reading just now mentions that (presumably in the early 70's) that after some of the lines were removed, they used to haul class 03 diesels up the incline to work at the otherwise isolated upper section!

I'm sure there's a joke there but the best I can think of is running over 1,000 bras and books must have been a novel and uplifting experience for the driver!

I spoke to him on the phone today sorting out an order. He is very busy but he sounded like he was managing to methodically get things done and even had time for a short chat. (You know that thing like at shows when you're chatting to the guy on the stand and you don't know whether to continue your pleasant chat or let them do some actual business My wife used to work for a small on-line retail business and we need to bear in mind there is a lot to do to run a enterprise like that - it's not just the fulfilling of orders - so everyone should try their best to be patient with businesses large and small.

It's coming on nicely! Are you going to have a fiddle yard, or do you run trains between the two platforms and use a bit of imagination?

This week I've ordered ordered some 7mm O-MF gauges from Debs of Speciality Gauge Products via email and also phoned C&L for some track components. I must say that in both cases, they were extremely helpful, professional - and above all just plain old pleasant! This is despite the challenges of the times. Dealing with people like that really helps take away the lockdown blues!

Great video which makes a famously intimidating topic feel accessible! The explanations and demonstrations were extremely clear and helpfully presented - it's a privilege to watch a craftsman at work!

Wow, such a great job on the weathering. Lovely to look at.

Lovely models, I think the expression is: "looks right" - which is the sign of a master modeller.

It was still there when I visited in 2014. We went for a walk in the area and had a picnic inside it. I don't know about the current status.

Speaking of Gaiman, what about Troll Bridge, which is set on a disused railway line. Although the art is generally fantastic, RMers may have to avert their eyes from this panel:

...assuming that the medical experts with decades of experience of the realities of disease infections, reporting levels and clinical outcomes are not smart enough to avoid that schoolboy error. The WHO estimates reported by the BBC are stated to take exactly that factor into account, so no Trump is not a genius with an insight that the medical profession has overlooked, he's just a clueless but charismatic clown.

Or, perhaps electronics and goods manufactured at huge scale have got stupidly cheap? If you instead compare the A4 example above with the weekly wage (which is how you normally purchase a loco rather than trading for white goods) it hasn't actually got more expensive at all: Cost of: 1980 2020 Painted Hornby A4 £25 £110 Average weekly wage £125 £550 In both cases the cost is about 20% of the average weekly wage. I think we all set our exceptions of what is "a lot of money" in our 20s or so - so some of us might consider 100 pounds for a loco being expensive - but your grand father thought 20 shillings was extortionate and your grandkids might be happy paying £1,000!

A Google search to a Pressreader subscriber-only page suggests it might be "1st Sept 2017" - worth a try for the magazines near that date.

A new record? A modern 'O' gauge RTR loco for under £140! https://railsofsheffield.com/products/34528/Dapol-7s-005-005-o-gauge-y3-sentinel-4wvb-no-68164-in-early-br-livery Some of the other liveries available at that price, too.

The BBC article specified the measures as applying limits on sales, not on use. Maybe it will have a high value on the black market in 2023 when the full ban on sales of house coal comes in!

Hang on a minute - if you are looking for an asymmetric 3 way, does that imply there is there such a thing as symmetric 3 way points? [space reserved for the "thinking" smiley that I couldn't find] (I don't think those things on monorails and raised garden railways where the whole section slides out count).

Is this, from C&L, what you're looking for (though their website a bit annoying as the pictures do not always appear). https://www.clfinescale.co.uk/online-store/TEMPLATE-THREE-WAY-ISOMETRIC-7MM-p128257044

The plan was to leave the building in place: https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/travel/star-garter-drawn-regeneration-plan-put-beloved-music-venue-jeopardy-520645 "The chosen option maintained the Star and Garter, but would still lead to its closure for the whole duration of the three year building project - the whole Mayfield area would be closed to traffic and pedestrians," explains Martin. "To this end, the Star and Garter as a business would close, and the building sold - either by compulsory purchase order or an outright sale." People I know who are associated with the Star and Garter have long believed that there was an agenda to make a discounted, compulsory purchase of the pub and redevelop it for a big profit. This view is somewhat backed up by the low figures offered: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/star-and-garter-manchester-pictures-10595403 "There’s a two-bed flat with two parking spaces above a supermarket up for sale for £60k more than we have been offered."

Hi Kevin, I'm blown away by what you've achieved, particularly when you revealed the TARDIS-like space you've squeezed so much atmosphere into - and if people hadn't already compared you to that pioneer of layouts that seem to spring to life, John Ahern already I would be doing so now! This is a looooong thread and it might have been covered already (I did have a quick search), but I wonder how you operate that lovely layout of yours - do you have a timetable, just run a couple trains now and again, or is it mostly about the model making for you? Keep up the inspirational work! Stuart