Captain Kernow

Well Robin, I like that very much, just the ticket! First time I've managed to see the thread, as I was escorting a group from the Railway Correspondence & Travel Society around the northern part of the S&D yesterday...

For me, one of the main reasons I like to support local model shops is that you can test a loco before taking it home. Locally, both The Model Shop in Exeter and Expressway Models at the South Devon Railway, Buckfastleigh, have testing facilities and are happy to do so.

A gentleman and a scholar!

Oh, what larks! One must have a good appreciation of what the goggle box has to offer day-by-day, so as not to miss any essential historical documentaries covering the trialling of the Blue Pullman over the South Devon banks....

In a secluded corner of The Gricers Arms, in Combe Hay, a couple of well-to-do gents are sitting conspiratorially over their respective halves of bitter. 'I say, Ivo, I never thought that thing would fit through Combe Down Tunnel, what with those outside rods flailing around like that'.. 'Hush, Norman, we've got to keep this to ourselves for now, don't want that Riley fellow muscling in on the act!' 'But what if he passes by and sees the Bentley parked up outside?' bleated Norman 'Don't worry, he's not about today, I sent him an anonymous postcard from Welshpool last week, which had a photograph of a Beyer Garratt on the front, he'll be chasing that thing around the Cambrian all week, if I'm not mistaken!' 'But the Garratt is being trialled over the Dorset on Friday!' exclaimed Norman 'Yes, rather a jolly wheeze, don't you think!' replied Ivo, 'Anyway, where would you like to get your next shot of that Dukedog? There's a good view from the fields opposite Midford Castle'. 'No, that's no good', replied Norman, ' that diagram works back to Bristol TM via Camerton. Let's try that road bridge near Engine Wood'. 'Fair enough then. And what about next weekend? Do you fancy a trip to Devon to see how the Blue Pullman gets on over the Devon Banks? My second cousin Martha Finching-Harbottle has offered to put us up in Glazebrook Manor'...

'Loose Women'...? oh, that is Channel 5 already!

Patience, patience! I suspect that the Finching sisters will yet have the opportunity to get better acquainted with a gentleman from the Royal Navy...

Er, some of the rest of us hoi-polloi did notice that too, but were too gentlemanly to mention it...!! (Honest, Guv!)

In a similar vein, it reminds me of the atmosphere on Brian Harrap's 'Quai 87' - a cold winter Sunday morning waiting for the ferry at Zebrugge, nothing to do, nowhere open, and another two hours to go...

I did like that clip, it just the right feel of waiting by the lineside on a cold Sunday morning for the only train for a while to pass through....

Tim - 'Callow Lane' will need it's own bespoke backscene, which will be semi-permanently attached to the layout, and part of the protective packing for the scenic board when they are packed away. It will also feature a lot of part-relief buildings, as you probably know. As far as 'Engine Wood' is concerned, I think that some kind of a roll-up backscene is indeed the way forward, probably something photographically printed a la Nevard. However, the operating team are pressing me to extend the middle board, so as to fit a longer radius set of points, which would extend the scenic section by at least another two feet. I think that that would be the time to consider a backscene. In the meantime, I'll keep my eye out for suitable landscapes that could serve (the real Cam Valley in the Engine Wood area doesn't really lend itself to this, I did visit it several years ago and took photos...)

High Level RSH kit, Corbs

Wot, you mean you don't like the scenic views of my conservatory! ;-) Thought about a backscene for EW for quite some time, the layout will be 20 years old this year, it would be quite an undertaking to produce something for the whole 14' of the scenic section, but which wouldn't be permanently fixed to the layout, due to the way it packs away. I did start something a few years ago, but it proved too unwieldy. Happy to consider suggestions!

Hauled away by a kettle! Perhaps waiting to be joined by his brother, Hal? ;-)

Peter, great work, as ever. I like the way that you weather your buildings, particularly the cream-painted wooden structures, are there any techniques and tips you could share in that respect, please? Thanks.

I put 'Engine Wood' up for testing this morning (it is normally packed away at home), to ensure that all was well for a forthcoming session. The testing regime normally consists of running a loco up and down all roads, in all configurations, ensuring that the signals work etc. This time, apart from my usual pannier test loco, I deployed 82044 on the layout for the first time. This loco, which is a combination of Bachmann body and modified Comet chassis, featured in some of my earlier blogs a couple of years ago or so, but apart from running it up and down on my test track, it had never been run on either of my OO layouts. Fortunately, it seems to have acquitted itself OK today, and thus earns itself a place in the roster... 82044 arriving with a train from Bristol TM to Templecombe: Waiting for the road: Pannier and local NCB loco stabled in the yard: 82044 gets the road and re-starts the train: About to pass over the footpath crossing to the west of the station: Passing over the river bridge: View over the hedgerow:

I am very much enjoying seeing this project unfold...!

Looking very good, Richard - you've made good progress with the layout. Looking forward to seeing this one 'in the flesh' in due course!

It's a fair spring day in Brent and just a mile or so away the ganger has paused in his walk of his length for a breather and a quick Woodbine outside the PW hut near the narrow metal bridge that carries the lane to Cheston. It was very quiet, with just the gentlest of breezes from the south west and the sound of bird song in nearby Lady's Wood. There had been a lot of rain the previous week, and the little culvert under the main lines was still full with gurgling water running off the moor. Joshua Finching yawned and checked his pocket watch. There was no real hurry, the Down 'Limited', with it's usual gleaming 'King' and new 'Centenary' stock would be due in half an hour, plenty of time to continue his patrol up to nearby Wrangaton station. A sudden 'poop poop' heralded the approach of a large motor car in the lane above. Probably Sir Greville, returning to Glazebrook House, after doing some business or other in Plymouth. The heavy and rather ancient Wolseley laboured up over the bridge, the sound gradually receding as it disappeared down the lane. Joshua contemplated a second cigarette but decided to continue with his inspection. He was about to get to his feet, when the distant whistle of a Great Western loco echoed on the breeze. 'What's that, then?' he wondered, 'nothing due on the up for a while yet'. Silence returned, and Joshua reluctantly stood, but the sudden realisation that he could be at The Horse and Groom in Bittaford before closing time gave him a new impetus. He started to walk towards the summit, when he again heard the whistle on the breeze, only louder this time. Then there was a second whistle, a slightly different pitch. The breeze stiffened and he heard snatches of locomotive exhaust. The sound faded again, to be replaced by the bird song and the hum of the breeze through the telegraph wires. Then it returned, this time the faint but unmistakable sound of two steam locomotives in double harness, being worked hard against the gradient. This must be a special, he mused. As Joshua approached the portal of Wrangaton Tunnel, the cacophony increasing in volume as he got nearer the short tunnel, with the station visible beyond. The twin whistles echoed again, warning of the approach of the special. Joshua stepped clear into the Down cess, not wanting to get caught by the sound of this unexpected up train masking the sound of anything on the Down. Suddenly, the smokebox of a small Prairie hove into view, with a larger engine coupled behind. With a volcanic exhaust and deafening roar, the second locomotive was revealed to be one of the new 72XX 2-8-2 tank engines, it's Brunswick green still respectably clean. The driver on the '45' gave him a friendly wave, and Joshua glimpsed the fireman on the '72' working hard, filling the firebox, as the train, composed of a seemingly endless procession of box vans, passed him. Finally, the smoke from the exhaust cleared the shallow cutting, as the 'Toad' brake van lurched past and disappeared onwards towards Brent. Quiet returned to the countryside as Joshua continued walking through the short tunnel and emerged at Wrangaton station. He had barely reached the neat, stone signabox, when the block bell from Brent announced the imminent arrival of the Down 'Limited'...

This sounds like good news. Just how encouraged should I be by this news, then, Marc?...

If whitemetal, this can only be an advantage if modelling in P4.