Nick Gough

Sounds like how my Kindle changed last week. Also no longer have my watch list displayed and, whereas previously, the display would stay on full screen for a whole series of videos, it now automatically changes back to small screen after each one. AnnoyIng and unnecessary changes that I haven't found a way to amend.

My next effort is to reproduce the loading dock, as seen in this plan, below the weighbridge: According to Railway World, "The goods/end loading platform possessed sleeper walls and a gravel/black grit surface." I haven't come across any close up photos though it does feature in one of the photos kindly posted by Mike @The Stationmaster a few pages back, to the right of the signal post and alongside the turnout in the Up Relief: Sleeper construction seems to have been unusual for GWR loading docks so I have used the halt platform at Didcot as a guide: Sleepers laid horizontally on their edges, restrained by vertical ones positioned at 8' 6" centres, with the platform edging formed by more horizontal sleepers, laid flat. I have started by cutting strips of balsa to form the platform walls, then scribed these horizontally: I also cut small pieces of 1/16th inch thick balsa for the verticals. This thickness is roughly equivalent to 5" depth of a normal sleeper.

Easter weekend we visited our local Heritage line - the Northampton & Lamport: This was the former double tracked line between Northampton and Market Harborough. Most of the route was converted into a public footpath and cycleway - the Brampton Valley Way, but this has left enough room for a single line alongside. So you can follow the railway from end to end: This coincided with the opening of their southern extension and new station at Boughton: Making the railway up to 1 1/2 miles in length. They have two GWR locos on site, 5967 Bickmarsh Hall and 2884 class 3862, though both are still in the early stages of lengthy restorations. We had our young grandaughter for a couple of days, in the school holidays, last week. So I decided it was an appropriate time to introduce her to the Leighton Buzzard Railway:

My personal favourite - Hungerford, with a constant procession of Berks & Hants trains:

A nice display of, working, 19th century GWR locos and stock: Lintor Town - a fictional branch terminus: Two versions of Abingdon station itself, in OO: And O:

Back in March I went to the Abingdon Show. Several very nice GWR themed layouts. Bodmin: Pencader (Carmarthen-Aberystwyth line): Drws-Y-Nant (Ruabon-Barmouth line):

I haven't posted recently, so what have I been up to? Lots and lots of embankment construction:

Best not to mention it or you will have to put a diesel on the back of every train too!

Watch out! You'll get a prohibition notice from 'The Office of Road and Rail' for carrying passengers like that! No central door locking - no doors!

Last time I needed window grills I drew them on a pc, printed them on clear acetate (for Overhead Projectors) then glued them behind the glazing.

Thanks. I shall be glad when I can start peeing a bit less frequently - especially during the night! 😆 Nearly thirty years ago! No. I'm using the sand textured finish to represent the stones of a macadam road.

Nice, smooth running Neal.

I completed my radiotherapy treatment last week and feel generally okay whilst I wait for the side effects to wear off. As and when I have felt energetic enough I have been doing bits and pieces of scenic work on the layout - mainly bridges and landscaping: I have found no contemporary photos for the road, under this bridge, for my modelling period. Since it is an unclassified road I have assumed it would have been an untarred 'rural road' in line with the second paragraph on this interesting website: https://www.igg.org.uk/gansg/00-app1/roads.htm Therefore, I dug out this ancient tub from the depths of the garage: Finding it was still reasonably runny I added some black paint to the mix then painted a couple of coats over the primed plywood, forming the road surface, making it thicker in the centre to create a slight camber. I think it makes a reasonable impression of a plain, macadam road.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY - CHOLSEY STATION! 132 years, to the day, since it first opened to the public. Can it really be that long since I visited for the centenary celebrations?

Don't tell him Pike!