keefr2

I think that would certainly persuade me to leave well alone...!!

I've recently read your thread from start to finish, & think it's a beautiful layout, & I love the detail work you're doing on it. However, I think that unless you're a SR fencing expert or deliberately looking for it to nit pick, I'd say the difference in how you wire the posts up would be next to impossible to spot in the overall scheme of things, especially as the overall picture it presents is so good! But if you're like me, once something starts niggling I usually can't leave it alone & have to change it (not that my modelling is anywhere near your standard mind...!!) keith

But you'd probably only do it once...!!

It's not claiming to be a Lotus - it's a modified GT. A Lotus will set you back at least twice that...!!

1760 x-flow on dellorto's - I had a Mk1 Mex with a very similar spec motor - it was a flyer, but did like a drink! Wish I still had it now. Never had a Cortina, but I think you're right, didn't they have 1500 pre-crossflows? But the ad for that car doesn't claim it to be restored as original. And I'd much rather be running that GT or a Mk1 Mex or RS rather than my Focus, couldn't care less about practicality to be honest! Just a shame that the cheapest decent Escort is now worth about 4 times as much as said Focus...!! Anyway, methinks I'm wandering a bit OT now...

And have you seen how much you'd have to pay to get one now? http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/ford/classics/ford-cortina-mk1-gt/1096683 And Lotus' are in Ferrari territory...!!

I don't doubt many employers & employees alike still flaunt H&S rules. It's when something goes wrong & they get taken to task for it that they start to worry....

Now those are proper 'thrones'...!!

Think so, I passed my test in 1974, first car was an RAF Blue Morris 1100, Springalex steering wheel, twin Su's, no passenger floor & an 8 foot or so long, lime green radio aerial. But no radio.....!!! keith

Brilliant! I've seen worse than that restored though. Nice little project that...!!

Not many - one of the reasons this one is so special!

Good spot - I'd forgotten almost destroying the lab with a molten ingot of aluminium that fell out of the crucible onto the rubber gas pipe of a lit bunsen...!! Keith BSc Materials Engineering (somehow!)

I could be completely wrong here, but I'm wondering if regulations may have changed after the Bradford City stadium fire in 1985? This was believed to have started when a match or cigarette end was dropped through the floorboards of a stand onto rubbish stocked below. At the time I was working in the Civil Service, & it had long been standard 'policy' to make use of the stairwells (which were the one & only fire escape for an 18 storey building!) to store stationery including large boxes of computer paper etc.. In the aftermath of the stadium fire this was seen as to not be particularly wise & it was all immediately removed with large signs prohibiting the storage of anything in the stairwells being put up at the same time. Just a thought as to whether it may have led to other changes like storing explosive substances under fire escapes too?! keith

Good idea to leave well alone then...!!

I'm no fencing expert either, but wouldn't the mesh have been run so the 'holes' were diamond shaped rather than square - looks too easy to climb when run like that, maybe it should be orientated 45 degrees from how it is now? I love the lab though, it's great! Takes me back to my late 70's Uni days...!! keith

Ditto !! 'tis lovely! keith

Thanks again Adrian, I meant to reply yesterday but I forgot! Interesting thread started by Pete - what he'd like to do & what Al has done would also be my idea, that is those looooong freights running through open countryside & towns (& I wouldn't mind some street running!) - but space & finances preclude that at the moment. So what really encouraged me was Al's comment earlier here that he finds no real problems in switching in Ngauge - I've always been put off British N by the perceived problems in shunting. The website you've referenced looks very useful - it's already provided me with some clues as to what to look for on e-bay, & I was surprised by how much is available just on e-bay UK.... Anyway, I don't want to clutter up Al's thread any more with my wittering, so I'll just say thanks again to all for their advice so far. I'm sure I'll be asking more later - but I'll start my own thread for that!! ATB Keith

Sounds just like the real thing..!!

I think that's a cracking photo - I love the 'rooftop' railway, the engine & stock look tremendous, as does the track & ballast & again it shows how atmospheric your backscene looks! Excellent stuff all round! keith edit for spelling...

I'm sure I saw a pic of the back end of it disappearing across a bridge...but I can't find it now so maybe I dreamt it (although I don't often dream about Mk1 Cortinas - Mk1 Escorts yes, but not Cortinas...!!) keith

Thanks for all the replies chaps - & the talk about e-bay has reminded me there's a free listing weekend on now, so I'd best go & get some stuff listed so I can buy an N gauge loco, some boxcars, some track and....here we go again!! Keith

Thanks Ian, It's typical - my daughter now lives in Alton, but they were back in Swansea last weekend. I had thought about going & staying with them for the show weekend! @Pete - thanks, I've seen a few mentions of UK suppliers for HO stuff, but not for N gauge, but I'm probably looking in the wrong places! Shall have another look later. And sorry Al for the thread hijack.... keith

Hi Al, I just finished reading your thread from the start & I'd just like to say what a wonderful layout you have there, really very well done with excellent scenery & stock! Unfortunately, being easily distracted it's now made me want to have a play with a bit of U.S.. N gauge (although reading other's posts it seems to have had that effect on a few people!) So I was wondering, are you able to buy loco's & stock in the UK, & if so could you give me some pointers as to where? I also noticed that you say you get a fair bit of stuff from e-bay - is that the US or UK version? ATB keith

Stunning!! And the backscene really is superb & adds a whole lot of atmosphere to the layout. Brilliant stuff all round! Thanks for the piccies...!! keith

Well Chris, I can only re-iterate that I think you & all the rest of the team involved in the project have provided some marvellous entertainment & inspiration during this project - & I for one was really glad that you all found the time to be able to post such good updates, especially as your deadline loomed ever nearer!! I hope that everything goes well for you this weekend, & just regret that Doncaster is so far away, as I'd love to be there at BCB's debut!! Good luck....!! keith