melmerby

Midland Red buses (- especially the D9) and their routes, mostly gone, with some very long journeys in the country. Municipal Bus companies (I know some survive but most have been lost) Proper Trams - I can remember a tram ride from the middle of Brum to the Lickeys. The original Radio Caroline. Curry houses when all you got was Curry, not Tikka, Tandoori, Makhani, etc. etc. 4 oz Sun Pat hot roasted peanuts - 3d, Cashews 4d Penny bottles of pop from a local shop (I dread to think what they made it from!) EDIT: Remember Pink Stamps - never seemd as good Keith

That's old news, here's a picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hornby_HST_43087-02.jpg Keith

Well, that's the rub. It is this 'atmospheric' thing (just because it is B/W) that I don't get. If I turn the colour off on my TV is it more atmospheric? I get 'atmospheric' colour shots because they I what I see. Everywhere I look I see colour, even a damp, foggy, cold day with it's much reduced contrast still has some colour. The little remaining colour is what gives it, to me, atmosphere. If it was just B/W it wouldn't be the same. One of the most atmospheric films I have seen was Blade Runner and that was full colour. I also get art and some photography (both B/W and colour) can be high art e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O._Winston_Link but a lot of what I see in B/W pictures does not seem to add anything by being B/W. I was an E4 man myself Keith

Both But I am prepared (obviously) to accept B/W when that was the technology of the day. I just don't get this idea that modern photograpghy in B/W has anything to offer over colour, in fact it reduces the amount of information we see in the picture. I have seen pictures taken on a modern hi-res digital camera presented in B/W. Why? I have never taken a B/W photograph in my life and I have had cameras for 50 years or so. Keith

As regarding B/W versions of colour films being used to reduce costs, presumably the same reason that the UK quite often got mono versions of American recordings originally made in stereo. These were then later given the reprocessing treatment here in the UK to produce a "stereo" version when the proper stereo master still existed in the States. Many of these duff recordings even made it to CD and only recently have some been released in proper stereo. Even some UK artists got the same treatment, Cat Stevens original stereo versions of the "Matthew & Son" album have recently seen light of day after many years of reprocessed versions. I personally like to buy collections of old recordings on the Ace (UK) label as you get what you are supposed to. Mono is mono and stereo is stereo, nothing else! Keith

Same with "Colourising" old B/W movies, in vogue a few years back. What's the point? Although I believe that as we see in colour we should photograph in colour. I don't find black and white "atmospheric" just plain dull. - But that's another argument. But what was done was done in the past, on the technology of the past, should be left alone. However, I think cleaning up old hissy/scratchy master recordings from long long ago can be worthwhile. (more controversy) Keith

Back to Music: How about "Electronically reprocessed for Stereo" How to ruin a perfectly good mono track with some dodgy filtering! To make it worse in some cases there were perfectly good stereo master tapes sitting in record company vaults. Keith

And don't forget when something catastrophic has taken place - "Lessons will be learned" until, of course, the next time the same catastrophic thing occurs. Keith

The greater problem is a lack of consistency around the UK. What's recycled im one local authority isn't at another. Recently I have lived in Birmingham, Cumbria (two authorities) and Worcestershire and they all have different policies regarding what can be recycled and how many bins to use! Worcestershire have an automatic sorting system (exactly the same as shown on TV a few months ago as being "a first", Worcestershire have had theirs for a couple of years) where all recyclables go in one bin. However it will not accept any black plastic even if it is the right type. Apparantly the one bin system has increased the recycling rate over multi-bin systems. Keith

How about the pole-less dodgems which relied on pick-up from rows of alternated conducting plates and a double pick-up under the car. Great until you ended up stationary with both pick-ups on the same panel - plenty of see-sawing of steering wheel until you hopefully managed to get both contacts again! Keith

My loft was insulated to the recommended level with a grant to the previous owner, just before they sold the house. However the local council got some bunch of cowboys to fly over the district in a chopper with a thermal imaging camera to find "uninsulated" houses they could target. Guess what? We got a letter suggesting we insulate our loft! When I contacted the council they said we weren't the only ones complaining and the results must have been inaccurate! - What was the point of the exercise? Keith

SWMBO does it even more eco friendly. Also - exactly how does a washing machine do a cold rinse with only hot (60+ degree) water? That temperature would ruin a lot of fabrics. Keith

The first programme in the new series of "Coast" features a ride along the Kusttram in Belgium with Nick Crane. This Sunday, 21:00 on BBC Two/BBC HD Keith

It was near Hammerwich on the Walsall-Lichfield line. EDIT "Past & Present 62" lists it as (correctly/incorrectly?) "Anglesey Sidings" Another rail atlas I have has it as "Anglesea Sidings" Apparantly named after the Marquis of Anglesey owner of some local pits. Keith

Harringay, Haringey and Hornsey are all variant spellings of the same name (Dictionary of British Place Names) and have been used variously over the years, not one is either correct or incorrect. Haringey is not a modern invention. Keith

Records show that the claim at the time was lower than the later published record. With their earlier record attempt the LMS claimed 114mph, just enough to beat the LNER's then current maximum, although independent timers wouldn't accept more than 112mph. City of Truro also seemed to have gained just enough to beat the magic ton although other timers wouldn't accept more than (I think) 97-98 mph. It's the sudden spikes on an otherwise fairly smooth speed curve, which enable a record to be claimed, that arouse suspicion. Keith

The problem with all these claimed rail speed records is that they are really flukes. For a land speed record to be recognized there has to be two runs in opposite directions within a given time limit and the average taken. No rail records ever come near to meeting those criteria. There always seem to be discrepancies between different timers and the Dynamometer car (if used) and so often the highest claimed figure is presented. E.g. City of Truro's 100mph was due to a sudden blip of speed not accepted by some(most?) timers, likewise Mallard's 126mph and the Coronation's claimed 114mph maxima were due to a sudden small, but significant, increase during a relatively steady speed curve. Keith

Nobody has mentioned a Stanier Coronation as a possible Mallard beater, similar sized wheels (actually 0.5" bigger) free running and more horsepower could mean a top speed at least on a par with Mallard on the same track. How about DOG? definitely has the horsepower and is supposed to be pretty free running. There were other locos around the world that might have been faster than Mallard but were never timed officially, such as the Milwaukee Road F7, which supposedly attained 120mph on a regular basis on level track and had attained 125mph but was not authenticated. Incidentally they had 7 foot driving wheels and 300psi boilers with just two large cylinders they developed 3000hp. As an aside Riddles 9Fs have travelled with a wheel rotation speed greater than Mallard's at 126mph! EDIT this can't be true as it would mean a 9F at 98mph and I don't think one went that fast. Keith

This happens regularly. I've seen quite a few Modelzone "exclusives" go for silly prices whilst still in stock in the shops, I especially remember their last batches of Coal Traders wagons Modelzone price and in stock = £22.50. Ebay at the same time £40+!!! the mind boggles. Mind you it goes both ways, I have been trying to get a copy of Essery and Jenkinsons LMS coaches Vol.2 for years, which in good nick typically now fetch £50-£60 from book dealers. I've just missed an Ebay auction where 'pristine' copies of Vol 1 & 2 together went for only £31. I'm gutted. Somebody got a real bargain, not me sob sob. Keith

I have a Sprog II and think it is a very useful piece of kit. Go to the JMRI pages http://jmri.sourceforge.net/ and see for yourself about Decoder Pro which is the essential driver software. Decoder Pro is free and versions are currently available for Windows, Mac & Linux. (and I wouldn't be surprised if a version came for hand helds.) P.S. I think it would have been more appropriate to post this question in the DCC section Keith

And the chap on MREmag - not so sure I would have done so had I read MREmag before I posted! PS. the Bachmann site now shows 3031! (again) Keith

Hi Bazza I believe that's what it was supposed to be when originally unveiled, but the 2011 catalogue p22 (and the retailers adverts) now show 3099! Modelfair have this rather confusing (or hedging their bets) description: Bachmann 31-129, 30xx ROD 2-8-0 Steam Locomotive 3031 in GWR green Ref: 31-129 31-129 Bachmann 30xx ROD 2-8-0 Steam Locomotive 3099 in GWR Green. Keith

Some of them had two cast plates, a ROD and a GWR, e.g. picture K462 in RCTS showing ROD 1868 (3084) on loan in 1921. Even some of the short lived ones were partly "Westernised" e.g. ROD 1947 (3089), which received a Taff Vale chimney and GWR safety valve cover (RCTS plate K466) but not it would seem green paint! Keith

A further titbit regarding RODs: I read in one of the monthly mags that a group is trying to repatriate up to three RODs which ended up in Oz, at least one of which ran for a time on the L&Y and LNWR. Even more possibilities if they manage to get one home! Keith

Just had this reply from Bachmann: "Thank you for your email. This issue has already been raised and passed on to our Research & Development Team who are carrying out further research. I will forward your email also. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Dennis Lovett Public Relations Manager" Looks like they were already aware of it, Maybe the person EDIT: Julian Evers who contacted MREMAG contacted Bachmann as well. Keith