bingley hall

I was in Ghana for a fortnight back in 1976 and it was pretty ramshackle back then. Sad to see its gone backwards over the years. More pics would be interesting if you have them.

Driving around the canefields on sunset and seeing the smoke from a cane burn off, I said "let's drive down that dirt track and see if there's anything around we can make something arty farty out of", and low and behold on Pioneer sugar mill's 1067mm network, B-B diesel hydraulic locomotive 'Jerona' was heading its train of loaded sugar cane away from Maidavale sidings 2 & 3, on 2 August 2022. Out of the inferno by Bingley Hall, on Flickr

Thanks. No I collect UK, USA and Euro N-scale/N gauge. I've heard of Peter and seen some of his photography, but never actually met him

A few pics from a recent trip to 'outback' South Oz 128 wagons of iron ore and 11200 hauled tonnes could be too much for one loco, but there are two more out of sight bringing up the rear as distributed power. On Monday 24 April 2023, GWB103 (built in the US by Progress Rail) heads Aurizon Bulk Central's train #9612 from Wirrida to Whyalla as it approaches the Stuart Highway overpass, just outside Port Augusta, South Australia. Locos still carry Genesee & Wyoming colours, despite G & W having had no presence in Australia for three years now. Ore in the landscape by Bingley Hall, on Flickr Running about 5 hours early is Aurizon train 7PU1 carrying empty containers that had been used to carry processed mineral sands on the westbound journey from Broken Hill to Perth. Luckily we were staying at a roadhouse only 10km from the highway overpass and had set the alarm for 6.15am, so were able to get going and grab this shot about 40 minutes after sunrise. This is the longest distance mineral haul in Australia and the westbound train grosses over 9000 tonnes. The empties go like the clappers and it was around 130km between shots with this train. Event Aurizon by Bingley Hall, on Flickr Hauled by CSR022/024, SCT Logistics service 7PG1 from Perth in Western Australia to Parkes in New South Wales on 24 April 2023. A year ago this area had been the scene of a serious washaway that closed the transcontinental rail line for over three weeks. Outback transcontinental by Bingley Hall, on Flickr

The Southern Shorthaul Railroad crew get to enjoy a panoramic view of the flooded Burdett Swamp at Murray Bridge South Australia on Friday 17 February 2022 - a very rare occurrence. The train is Australian Rail Track Corporation's track recording cars hauled by privately owned, former NSWGR loco, 42103, working with Southern Shorthaul Railroad's GM10.

Amazingly 11 of the 17 Morrison Knudsen CL class rebuilds in Oz are still active with another four still with the potential to return at some stage..... Back in October, Southern Shorthaul Railroad's CLF1 was leading train 2MC5 at Coolamon after loading at the mainline loader a few kms to the east, while last Saturday saw Aurizon Bulk Central's CLF6 and CLP8 as part of the lash up near Port Adelaide on 4176S grain from Snowtown.

The high sun in summer here in much of Australia is a curse and makes good photography very difficult between 1000hrs to 1600hrs, but sometimes "you just gotta do what you gotta do!" With Encounter Bay and the town of Victor Harbor as a backdrop, Steamranger's heritage Alco DL500B 958 heads the last 'Cockle Train' of the day back to Goolwa on 7 January 2023.

Looks like I got lucky - ordered a triple pack of the Conflat Ps with all bauxite containers and they all run freely. Might remove a bit of weight from the containers, but not critical with only three wagons. Looking forward to pre-ordering some of the SECR goods wagons once we know what liveries the BR ones will be in.

Yeah bring on more Mk2s in green - they're bound to fly off the shelves.

On the volunteer run, heritage Pichi Richi Railway's ex Commonwealth Railways 3'6" gauge, BRC&W/Sulzer diesel-electric NSU52, on a relatively rare working of the Afghan Explorer from Quorn to Port Augusta, crosses Waukarie Creek at Woolshed Flat on on Saturday 29 October 2022.

Not quite. The rail operations have contracted considerably in recent years, many rail functions being replaced by trucks or diesels. There are only a handful of steam locos in use daily, down from 20 or more a decade ago. Still probably the steamiest place on earth (when there are no gala weekends in the UK), but now shadow of its former self. There are at best two, maybe three, return steam trips per day in daylight.

The Facebook group 'Rail Thing - REAL Trainspotting (1945-1968)' https://www.facebook.com/groups/rtRealTrainspotting today had some excellent colour pics posted of Standard 5MTs 73040 and 73069 at work at Bolton in March 1968.

Here's one to make life interesting, with a 101 class trailer in the middle. Taken by me at Barmouth in August 1983 Barmouth by Bingley Hall, on Flickr

Spent a few days in late July/early August chasing sugar cane trains in Queensland all are 2-foot gauge (610mm) South Johnstone Mill 0-6-0DH locos 17 & 16 head down the main street at South Johnstone on 4 August 2022 Mossman Mill locos Douglas & Faughy at the Cassowary load point on 6 August 2022 Victoria Mill's 0-6-0DH Lucinda heading back to the mill with loaded cane on 29 July 2022

Prussian 3-cylinder G12 - very nice to see one of these in gainful employment. Saw a few of the last survivors at Aue in East Germany in 1975.

George Costanza : I think I can sum up the thread for you in one word. Nothing. Russell Dalrymple : Nothing? George Costanza : Nothing. Russell Dalrymple : What does that mean? George Costanza : The thread is about... nothing! Jerry Seinfeld : Well, it's not about nothing. George Costanza : No, it's about nothing.

The Bachmann version looks stunning, but if the Peco/Kato version still goes ahead it is likely to be just as good and probably around 2/3rds the price.

All over the news for several days before the announcement. My sympathies if you have to live in a cave for whatever reason, but on the other hand you have form as a serial Dapol hater

So we can only hope number three in N will be the A5 - the J50 doesn't do it for me, but I'd snap up an N version of this in a heartbeat

The first of what I am sure will be the first of many well thought out, quality posts to come in this thread.

What absolute tosh.

Very true, though unfortunately only a handful will bother to read it. The rest will continue to peddle their socialist nirvana of "Free models for all' on the various forums

I don't have much time for speculation posts, but will be happy with RevolutioN's forthcoming announcement of a Class 76 in N

It's brilliant to hear that orders are coming in strongly - deservedly so when all things considered it is a risky prototype to market. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined seeing an N gauge 128 produced. Despite my initial enthusiasm, and I'm probably an exception, I'm having great trouble hitting the order button as none of my preferred options has been covered. In fact I'd go as far as to say a whole decade has been ignored - the late 60s to the late 70s. No green with SYP and no blue with headcodes, for either Midland or Western. Hovering between taking the risk that this model will be so popular as to justify a second production run with different combinations, or going for the Midland blue with dominoes so that I don't totally miss out. Not a criticism as I do appreciate that you can never please all the people all the time, and also the challenges you face in bringing a model to the market. More a case of - if you ever change your minds

Their system has automatically recognised my Australian address and taken VAT off for me before I've even ordered With that saving I might even have to get two!