Edge

As far as I understand the situation, RB will be in charge of everything on the track, and everything involved in the teams coming to the track to race . This will include levelling the playing field in terms of finances available to the teams as well as the technical regulations and sporting code.

Others will be responsible for the commercial aspects of the business - i.e. television rights, race sponsorship, trackside advertising, new tracks etc.)

So I think that RB will be able to address the inequality amongst the teams finances and level the playing field slightly.

A good number of shops have a presence on eBay, without having a 'pre-owned' section on their website per-se. Rails is the obvious example, but there are a great many others

I do take your point, and I hope that my comment didnt seemt o overly critical.  

Perhaps I would better express myself by saying that I consider such nicknames to be most appropriate between friends and family. I certainly don't know Sir Frank personally so I would personally feel uncomfortable calling him 'Davros' even in jest. If I did know him and knew that he would find it funny then I would be only too happy (I always ebjoy having a laugh).

I too have lived with someone who was wheelchair bound and she showed no end of humour about the situation.

Anyway, off topic here, lets talk about racing cars some more...

Oddly enough I can see Sir Frank himself having a wry chuckle at the nickname.

That doesn't mean it's okay for us to use it though...

Vettel and Mercedes - I just don't see it. Although he hasn't got the push this year Werhlein is their guy, with Ocon just behind him int he pecking order. You've got to think that they will make  bid for Verstappen or Ricciardo at some point as well 

In other news, an offer has been made to buy Manor and its parent operating companies

That was the situation yesterday, but not today.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/38603355

Well that will teach me to read stuff before opening my trap lol

That is good news, as is the news about the 2016 chassis being allowed. it will be hopelessly uncompetitive, but at least it will be there.

Now, if Ron Dennis is able to mount a bid for the team 9he's about the only guy I would trust to run it further than the end of 2017), I wonder if he wil revive his old team project 4? Interesting thought, isn't it?

FYI: Gutierrez is out. Moving to Formula E.

Good. Formula E is a hell of a show and anything that can boost its attendance at events (Gutierrez has signed for Mexico E-Prix only at the moment, although there are options for more events) is nothing but good in my eyes. For those who are interested, it seems that he may go to Dragon Faraday racing (a.k.a Penske) and displace Loic Duval there.

the situation for Manor is dire, and does not look at all rosy I'm afraid. Jan 20th is the deadline for the team to be able to make Australia. Even if the team misses a few races to make the time (I think they can miss 3 and still receive funding from the TV revenue) things don't look like they will work out.

I wonder what happened to Ron Dennis' interest, or was he, and others, waiting for Administration to get it at a lower price, d'ya think?

I suspect that he will be restrained from acting in any official capacity until his contract with McLaren is officially terminated on 31/01/2017. I rather expect that it will be too late for Manor by then.

there is still a chance that it could race, but the prospects are not good (I expect that they have missed their window for the first test already) and are lessening by the day. The administrators will sell the team as a going concern if they can, but you're talking £100 million to run around at the back for a year - not likely to grab huge investment

The black peckett is the one for me -already pre-ordered from Hornby, but will keep my eyes open for some elsewhere.

Maybe pick up the red rod sentinel, but as I've already got a similar one in 'Barabel', i'm not too concerned.

The pecketts will come - the length of time that it takes to assemble a range of products for 2017 more than encompasses the entire period that the pecketts have been on sale. Fiscal prudence is the name of the game with the plain black example. Now that their success has been established I expect we will see a few ad hoc additions to pecketts throughout the year. the pattern roughly matches the sentinel diesels and look how many variotions of those that we now have

The series does have its low points - Episode 2 and the Xmas special were both a bit naff - but overall its like they were never away. And when its good, its brilliant.

In particular, I laughed at Hammond slowing down past the Cenotaph in london show due respect nice dig there

Bottas will run Hamilton very close - he's a comparable talent who has never had the machinery.

Williams won't do too well this year, but 2018 will see a renaissance for them. Merc engines will be effectively free with the Bottas exchange and investments will pay off in 2018.

Werlein should have got a better seat than Sauber. Force India have missed out in my opinion, although he may still ultimately have a seat there if Perez gets the rumoured Ferrari 2018 contract.

An interesting point that doesn't seem to have been raised yet is that Manor is apparently about to be purchased by Ron Dennis

A few years back I drew up plans for the North Western Railway's Birmingham Terminus (Birmingham St. Martins) with a whole selection of stock from the 'Locomotives that Never Were' book running in pre-grouping, Grouping and BR liveries. The idea never got off the ground, but i'm wondering if I should have another go at it

Ive used Turtlewax polish to good effect on a Hornby pug to relivery it. A bit messy though. If they have used the same printing method, it should work.

 

And if Im honest, my Dodo is rather let down by the printed nameplate. Seems a bit dull and unreadable. Must get a replacement done next time I need an etching.

Narrow planet sell complete Peckett sets - custom name and works plate - well worth it

Did any W4 pecketts see service with the NCB?

Finally managed to get my hands on NCB 36 (was removed from my hands by management just after it arrived from Kernow in Sep) and what a model this is. Superb. Although i suspect that my allowance will nto allow it for some months to come, count me in for another one (probably 30071 - I'm pretty sure that this was loaned to the NCB for a while, right? )

I've been interested in the whistle too, and I've watched the models carefully in person when the whistle sound effect is going on - I've yet to see anything myself to be honest. The sound plays and then the normal chuffing of the chimney begins. Once or twice I've seen a faint wisp of the smoke when the whistle effect plays, but nothing too obvious

I'd have a careful think about the elements that you want to keep in the layout - what is it that attracts you to this particular one? is it the tight curves? the intruguing shunting? the run down industrial atmosphere?

Once you have identified what it is you like, I'd go for a totally independent design. i find these considerably more satisfying, as they are quintessentially 'mine' and whilst they can take inspiration from other layouts then they arent modifications or direct copies of anything else. 

Indeed the models are 4mm scale on 9mm track, its a slight scale/gauge compromise but allows scratch and kit builders to use N gauge chassis virtually unmodified to represent the narrow gauge system.

Its a bit elastic, but tends to be restricted to railways between 1ft11.5 in gauge (Ffestiniog / WHR / L&B) and 2ft 6in (W&LLR, GVR).

I'll be honest here, the loco itself doesn't interest me as it's not the sort of thing I buy.

However, if there is any way of supporting this project outside of buying the model then I'd be interesting in hearing about it and helping out if I can.

Email from Hattons - Manchester Shipping Canal expected 16/12/2016 and Huntley & Palmers expected 17/01/2017

Has anyone located a source of these little engines where the pre-order price is below the £70 at Hattons? I keep hearing about loads of bargains out there, but I can't seem to actually find any of them.

Is there also any more information about when these will be released? I'm getting one as a xmas present for someone (she's nuts about anything Huntley and Palmers) and I'd like to practise my excuses early if it doesnt arrive in time....

So I've finally got my test print - and the news is not good for my hope to have this on sale by Warley. I had planned that the wheels could be 3D printed with the body in order to provide the most comprehensive kit possible. The tyres would be printed in either brass or Stella to accompany the engine.

Regrettably the tyres are proving to be a real menace, and it doesn't look like I will get a handle on it any time soon.

So, the kit will now require modification to accept Farish08 wheels. So a slightly longer delay for you kind folks out there.

As recompense, please take a look at kit number 2... A cookie to whoever guesses what engine it is...

Or if you wanted to, I can produce the valve gear to go with it as I will be expanding it in the new year.

Oooh, what a generous offer I may take you up on that (or something like it, as the single slide bar valve gear is almost perfect for Irt anyway)

In the news, all of the parts have now been ordered and are on their way to me from various providers, so hopefully the final iteration (Irt-iration?) of the kit have now been completed and I'll have photos and/or video to show you soon