jonny777

Judging by the packaging on my 47996 when it arrived, I don't think dropping it in transit would produce that damage, as the loco is packed in the box so tightly and surrounded by bubble wrap. The broken buffer would still be within the packaging in that situation. That damage looks as if it has been sustained whilst removed from the box (or before it went into the box) by falling off a table (or equivalent) and landing on that side of the buffer beam, then being replaced onto the table and packaged as if nothing had happened.

Here is a photo of 47996 http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/mrwo1043.htm

You can't say that now. Someone has already bet on you being the first to receive one.

I know the corporate blue enthusiasts disagree, but I thought all over green (or the two/tone equivalent) with the old BR symbol and a small yellow panel, looked very good on most classes of 1960s diesels. Maybe it is because I grew up with them painted that way?

Blimey, that was quick. Did he raid the mail centre overnight? In that case we will have to change the sweep to who gets their loco last; and I am definitely in with a shout, as I entered the parcel code into the RM tracking website which said that the parcel number was not recognised.

We could have a sweepstake for whose heavily weathered Garratt gets delivered first by post.

Well, I have just had an email to say my credit card has been relieved of £200-ish, and my heavily weathered Garratt has been parcelled up and is on its way. I will allow myself to get somewhat excited.

An excellent overall view of High Dyke sidings. I am not surprised that the grass is not doing too well in the July 1972 picture, as that summer was one of the worst ever in England, and maybe still holds that record as far as temperatures go. In many areas the maximum on the Summer Solstice that year was less than the maximum had been on the previous winter solstice in Dec 1971.

Excellent photos, especially the goods ones with so much of interest to the modeller. I dont think that I have ever seen a container in a 6 plank wagon before, and it does look a very new container, as do a few of the others behind it, so I would agree with hmrspaul and hazard a guess that they are about to be delivered elsewhere.

Thanks folks for all your i/d efforts. They are much appreciated. Here is another one -

Actually, yes. It could be Tyne Yard. Did a steam era water tank and column survive that long at Tyne Yard? I don't remember that at all. This old steam shed looks very familiar, but apart from Longsight I can't think of anywhere else. But wouldn't Longsight have some overhead wires in the background?

Thanks very much Igor. Now, how about this one?

I hope you don't mind me muscling in on this thread as well, because I have numerous unidentified location slides. For instance - is this Frodingham?

I bet those school kids in their uniforms were excited about that 'cop'.

From watching a fair number of video clips from that era, it appears that crimson/cream vanished rather quickly between 1958 and 1960. In 1958 a majority of coaches are still in that livery except on the most popular main line expresses, which tended to have more Mk1 stock anyway. However, by 1960 they were quite thin on the ground. Admittedly, a few survived until 1964/5 but they were probably the exceptions that found themselves in holiday rakes stored in sidings for much of the year. I think you could use a bit of license because no one has a definite list, but if I was modelling the early 60s I would only have one in a train otherwise composed of maroon stock, and none in most of the trains.

Colours? Without a time machine, I am not getting involved in that hot potato.

I have tried to take a close-up photo of the porthole coach buffered up to a Hornby corridor 3rd in maroon. Unfortunately, they are only standing on a cardboard box and are taken with my mobile phone - so are not quality by any means, but they seem to match up pretty well to me.

I would also love to have Larry's skills, but what he has demonstrated above is not too difficult for anyone. Unscrewing a couple of screws and gently prizing off the body from the underframe is not beyond my capabilities, nor is changing the colour of the roof or painting the interior of the compartments. What he has demonstrated is the value of adding a few finishing touches. I received my porthole corridor 3rds this morning and they are superb. What really wowed me was the glazing effect. Having not bought many passenger vehicles recently, I was unaware of the advances reached with flush glazing. I can honestly say that these are the best coaches that I have ever owned, and although I am satisfied with some of my home-made Ian Kirk Gresleys, there is not a chance that my efforts will ever match these 'portholes' for quality. I will be buying more of these in this livery, and also in maroon if/when they appear. If I am bankrupted as a result I don't care; because I will go down happy.

Thanks for the review Larry. I have bought a couple of corridor 3rds at £34 each, which to me is excellent value as I did not pre-order any. With my ageing eyes, I doubt that I can focus down to 1mm so davefrk's buffer criticisms are of little concern to me. The models certainly look the part, but I will await my order and if I am blown over by the quality of the finish, I will invest in a few more of various configurations. Well done Bachmann.

I have had a rather depressing afternoon watching what I initially thought was a moulting magpie. It landed close to the living room window and looked a bit ragged. Then, the bird turned its head back and started to peck underneath its wings and I could see that it was bald under there. What is more, it seemed to have no long tail feathers so typical of magpies. It hopped away into the bushes and for a short while I thought little more about it; but then a large fat magpie appeared and suddenly flew into the shrubbery where the pathetic bird had last been seen. There was lots of commotion and it appeared that the big fat magpie was attacking the pathetic bird, and I surmised was responsible for the damage to the latter. It looked as if it was trying to kill it. I scared the fat bully off and for a time all went quiet, with the pathetic one hidden away in the garden, but the fat bully had not gone far away and seemed to be just sitting in a neighbouring tree watching and waiting. Unfortunately the pathetic one was occasionally emitting a squawk (probably for help, or out of pain) which was giving away its position. As soon as bully thought I was not looking it would dive back into the bushes and the attacks would start again. Fortunately the bully was not prepared to do this while I was visible, so I deliberately sat out in the garden for 30 minutes and it seemed to get bored and flew off. I don't know where the damaged bird is, because it vanished into the undergrowth and stayed there I presume. I have not seen or heard anything from either of them for a couple of hours now, but I hold out little hope for the victim unless it has amazing powers of recovery.

The photo of what appears to be 5 x 2-HAPs brings back personal memories of afternoons at Ashford in the 1970s. In those days there was a large car park by the cattle market which bordered the main line just to the north of the station. While my wife and her mother were busy shopping, I used to sit by the line and watch the railways goings-on. From about 3pm a succession of those units would leave the sidings at Ashford and head off to London for rush hour services. I used to feel sorry for some of the poor commuters who probably had to endure both journeys every day in a 2-HAP, whereas for most of the day the occasional traveller enjoyed slightly more luxury in a 4-CEP/BEP combo. Unfortunately, many of these units were withdrawn before I had a chance to see them all, but your photo has reminded of those days almost 40 years ago.

I seem to remember a coal yard on the east side of the line, somewhere near to where Abbey Wood station is now. My wife used to drag me around a large furniture and home electrics superstore there at the time, and their car park was right next to the sidings. There used to be some Coal Concentration wagons there most times. I always meant to take a camera but kept forgetting, and regret that very much now.

Some 37s receiving attention. However, I am not sure exactly where they are located, as works buildings all look the same to me First is 37148 - Then 37153 - Followed by 37165 - And finally 37506 - I'm sure many of you will recognise the location(s).

The wish of many England fans is probably the reason the players do badly. That is; our team has a bye to the World Cup Final and all the other teams fight it out amongst themselves for the right privilege to play us. Ask a Scotsman what it is they hate about the England football team - arrogance, I think they will tell you - the idea that England only have to turn up to win. Our media, and especially newspapers, grossly inflate the skills of our players, and even though they profess not to read newspapers, our players seem to believe every word of it. Although a few of the top Premiership teams go onto the pitch each week with an attacking mindset, most of those have hardly any English players in their line-ups. The majority of teams go out with the sole intention of 'getting a point'; putting 9 men behind the ball and forcing the opposition to break them down. They do it because it seems to work, but it is unlikely to produce quality talented international players.

What I don't understand is that most (if not all) Premiership clubs have academies and they must have an intake of talented youngsters with promise each season. But what happens to all this potential? Do they all end up as part timers in the lower leagues, or do they just give up because they don't have the determination to put in the effort to get to the top? Or maybe they get hooked on video games, and just can't be arse_d