AngusDe

Great wee layout. The hand made pointwork is most impressive.

One of my 'secret' targets is a trip to Model Rail at the SECC next month Angus

Hi all, well I had my laparoscopic nephrectomy yesterday morning. It all seems to have gone well, they made me get up and sit in chair for my porridge this morning. Maybe it's the drugs talking but it doesn't feel as uncomfortable as I feared.

I'm going into hospital on Monday for my left kidney removal. This will actually be my first ever night in hospital, first general anaesthetic, etc, 3 weeks after my 60th birthday. Generally feeling ok about it all. The Christmas break felt like it went on forever but once every one was back at work there was a flurry of letters and phone calls setting up the op etc. My first appointment with oncology consultant isn't till next month, after the op, although she's due to start maternity leave soon. My specialist nurse also moves on next week, and her post hasn't been advertised yet. I still don't feel like there's anything wrong with me, yet the cancer treatment treadmill is taking over my life again. Strange times, Angus

I worked a few Christmases over the years. Most were self inflicted to ensure I'd be back in Glasgow for New Year. Worst was Christmas day shift at Stansted Airport, 1984. My housemates were away home, so I had house to myself, went to work at 07:00, did my handover with the nightshift guy, sat for 12 hours on my own, never spoke to a soul, handed over to nightshift guy, went home and had Bernard Mathews turkey sausages, instant mash and some sprouts for my tea...... Did 4 in the Falklands, rather more fun, as everyone was in it together. Bah humbug, Angus

Christmas 1964, 5yo me unwrapped this beauty. Never looked back! Angus

Hi all, I've just been (Nov 2018) diagnosed with kidney cancer, with some possible activity in my lungs that needs investigating. First meeting with the consultant is on Wednesday. In May 2011 my wife was diagnosed with stage 3b, type 3 Ovarian cancer, and passed away in April 2014. She had a tough 3 years, and my step daughters, granddaughter and I are still traumatised to some extent. Part of me is very matter of fact about the next steps and what I'm facing, but it is still scary. My mum had a kidney tumour removed in 1991 and subsequently died of Lung cancer in 2006. So part of me is worrying about heredity links, genetic causes etc for my brothers and their children. The step daughters are very supportive, more upset than I was when I got the call. I've not told my brothers or my dad, he's 95 in 2 days, the day of my appointment, dreading telling him the most, he relies on me a lot. So, unsettling times. Angus

From my memories of my late 60s onward trainspotting days around Glasgow, the most noticeable thing about modelled parcel trains is the lack of grime..... I've many a memory of being unable to tell if a van was blue or maroon or even green under the grime, lol! Why did so many ex SR vans end up in Scotland? Angus

There would be no benefit replacing Hornby with peco settrack on a like for like basis. Points will wear out with time, but can be replaced as required, but that's it really. You can improve the appearance with weathering, and careful planning to minimise reverse curves through pointwork and hide tight curves etc. So, f you are getting satisfactory running and fun operation from your existing set up, there's no need to change. Of course, in the future when designing your next layout, any new trackwork would be better with flexi track and larger radius points etc but you can still use the Hornby track in the hidden sections, fiddle yards etc. Angus

Garry, What I thought I was doing on the phone, easier on the PC, lol! Angus

As I remember it, this layout was used on the cover of CJF's Peco booklet, "A home for your railway". I think it was folded out of the way when not in use, but I've only the booklet now, rather than the RMs of the period. Always found the layout inspirational! cjfbook.html Angus

That pic just makes me want to start a new layout, now, this afternoon! Angus

Yep!

Back in 1965/6, when I was 6/7 years old, my dad was sent out to look for me as I hadn't come back from school.... ...dad found me, face glued to the toy shop window, marvelling at the bright red bogie brick wagon newly displayed in the window. Dad was so taken aback by my devotion to this wagon, he bought it for me. It was my pride and joy on my"Nellie" train set. Bit OT, but the wagon still fascinates! Angus

What's the reasoning behind the co-acting signals? (probably a daft question once I read the answer!) Angus

Another 2 that spring to mind from the Glasgow area are Motherwell, which had a bay between the WCML and the diverging Hamilton line. Also interesting is Rutherglen, in its heyday it had platforms on 3 sides of the triangle and bay platforms in the centre. Angus

Just seen this, recently uploaded, Glasgow - Craigendoran by "blue train", 1962. Enjoy! Angus

I've a few (2nd hand) contributions from my dad, if you are all interested!? 73 years ago dad was sunk by a German mine. On the 3 October 1943, RFA War Nizam (pictured) rescued all the crew of HMT Meror (including dad) which had been mined and was sinking 1 mile south of H5 buoy - 12 miles east of Spurn Point at the mouth of the Humber. After they'd been rescued the crew of the HMT Meror were eventually taken back to shore and barracks in Grimsby, where the 2 guards on the gate were both from Ness on the Isle of Lewis (as was dad) and let dad out unofficially to visit Angus Gilles (also from Lewis, and a pal of dads) who was on another minesweeper in the docks. When dad arrived Angus was just sealing a letter home to his father, which he reopened to tell his dad that our dad had been sunk and had survived. His dad, when he received the letter, walked down the hill to tell my grandfather the news. Of course, such communication wasn't allowed, but the letter was posted ashore (& possibly written in Gaelic?) away from the censors who checked all the mail posted on the barracks! Dad and his crewmates were eventually taken back to their home barracks in Lowestoft where there was a parcel for dad from my grandad of clothes etc. He got 14 days survivors leave for which he headed back to Lewis after which he was posted to Scapa Flow. He was in Ceylon when he was demobbed and joined the Merchant Navy, he went to sea up until his 65th birthday and today is still very fit and alert for a 93yo and still full of stories! I've never found a picture of HMT Meror, hence the picture of the RFA War Nizam. Hope it is of interest, Angus

Having spent years sketching out layout ideas centred around train ferries I can only think, despite the compromises, this is a good thing...... ...then I saw the price. Ho, hum, linkspan it is then. Angus

I've always been a fan of gadgets and an early adopter of many devices so when I was offered one 30 months ago, I thought bril..... After it was installed the novelty quickly wore off, watching the wee display light go from green to red every time the kettle went on didn't tell me anything I didn't already know, but the constantly up to date meter readings did seem useful, but.... .... after a couple of months the meter reader chap turned up, but I've got a smart meter, "still need to check the readings" err, ok. The meters are both on the floor at the back of a cupboard, so you need to empty the cupboard of all my tools and boxes of bits to read them with a torch, irritating, but no deal breaker. After 12 months the tariff ran out, and I switched suppliers. And I started getting monthly meter reading email requests, but I've got a smart meter, "no you haven't" err, ok. After another 12 months the new supplier offered new meters, so chap arrives and replaces the old smart meters with identical new smart meters and a different display. After a couple of hours of phone calls he still couldn't get it to work, but left saying it would be sorted. The monthly meter reading requests continued, so more phone calls ensued. Eventually the explanation I was given was that the network master asset database wasn't updated properly when I switched suppliers, which was why they never knew I had one and why they couldn't get new/replacement one logged on. Reading requests have stopped but the display has never connected to the meter, so who knows if my kettle still uses lots of electricity. The reality is, they bring little or no benefit to most consumers, but they do offer the utility companies many advantages, once were all on them, in being able to manage demand with more dynamic tariffs, protect revenue with ability to turn off supplies remotely etc. So that's my experience, forget all the crackpot conspiracy stuff, they're just a mobile phone strapped to your meter, no more and no less, you'll never notice the difference. Angus

Hi there, historically, one of my favourite CJF plans. I would't mind a copy if you do scan it, I've always fancied trying to recreate it in AnyRail. Angus

Nice little layout. Have you a track plan to hand? Angus

I started buying RM with my pocket money in the early 70s/my early teens, I bought many old issues through the next 10 years till I nearly had a complete set by the early 80s. I chatted to CJF on several occasions at Model Rail in Glasgow through that time too. Unfortunately, after I moved away from home, sometime in the mid 80s my dad binned the lot doing a tidy up, I was gutted! I loved all the CJF monthly plans, but the greatest layouts for me were Garsdale Road, Buckingham, and two I can't remember the name off, the big TT layout with the hump shunting yard and one which was a large OO layout with a large terminus serving two circuits, one 1500v electrics and the other diesel and steam with a scenic reverse loop/fiddle yard modelled as a junction with a loco shed and carriage sidings. And the best CJF plan? His one fitting a representation of Euston into the proverbial 16' x 8' garage. I've always felt Peco have missed a trick in not putting together a quality book of all the CJF plans, with decent production values, rather than the cheaply produced booklets. All the magazines have good and bad months, but I buy most of them every month anyway, but the RM is the only one I've subscribed to. Angus

I've sketched out various 0 ideas for my various spaces, but never managed anything as nice as this, brilliant stuff. These ideas bubble to the surface every time I visit my local model shop and see the Dapol Terrier, all I need is a Scottish back story for one, but given panniers made it to Helmsdale, easily created! Like I say, all very inspirational and evocative! Angus

I've just watched the YouTube videos on my big tv with my 5yo granddaughter. "that's a great train set granda!" She's right. Angus (dusts of sketch of Glasgow Central and approaches in the attic in N.....)