landscapes

Hi Richard I was in Spain for four weeks so kept in touch with RMWeb via my mobile phone. My daughter is on holiday for two weeks in the USA, my Son-in-Law’s father live in California we are dog sitting for them for the next two weeks. I look forward to seeing more photos of Basingstoke as and when you have the opportunity to post them. I decided to photograph A4 60011 Empire of India as I had just added a dusting of dirt along the boiler top it looked just too clean for my liking. Regards David

Hi It's been quite a while since my last post. Here we see two locomotives about to leave Haymarket and a close up of the large timber foot crossing giving access to the MPD from the main entrance road just of Russell Road. I have been away abroad for some time and while there I cleared all the old data and cookies from my mobile phone and as a result I cannot access any information of two sites of RMWeb. Layout Topics and Modelling Musing and Miscellany which is unfortunate as they are the two I use most, when I click on either I just get a blank white page all other blogs and sections on RMWeb I have full access to. I have no idea why this has happened. Regards David

Hi Tony I was very fortunate to be visiting a National Trust property recently in the Chester area and in their second hand bookshop was a copy of “The Power of the A2s” in absolutely mint condition for a £3.00 donation my bargain of the year. Regards David

Hi Gilbert I think the cropped version is the better of the two photos. David

Hi No complaints about Gilbert’s photography as he consistently produces superb images but it’s nice to see someone else’s view of a stunning model railway layout. Lovely images Regards David

Hi Gilbert If you don’t mind me saying the photo looks very good to me just maybe slightly over exposed but nothing else looks wrong, on occasions when the natural light is a problem there is very little you can do to rectify the issue even with the most expensive Camera’s. If you have the editing software have you thought of taking your photos in the RAW mode on your camera instead of taking a JPEG as you have a lot more control over the exposure before you download the final photo. Regards David

Hi I have Daylight colour LED down lights on a track located each side above Haymarket and they do give a more natural look to the photos. Also I can reposition the light fittings to suit the requirements on the part of the layout I am photographing. Regards David

Hi John Thank you for that, I have never heard of that book before , I will look it up I assume he was a Haymarket Man? Regards David

A4 60027n Merlin has moved on and now we have the only A2/3 to be allocated to Haymarket MPD 60519 Honeyway ready to leave for Waverley. Also on the turntable is home based A3 60100 Spearmint. Both Hornby RTR model with additional detailing and weathering. Regards David

Hi Eric Many thanks for the information Regards David

With so many locomotives in such a small area Haymarket will be DCC. I am away for a few weeks from next week so the first three locomotives are off to be fitted with Digital Decoders and a health check. Regards David

Hi Gilbert Thank you for your reply, I am in total agreement with you, being only 48 miles in distant I cannot believe there would have been an engine change so early at Waverley. A Newcastle change would have made more sense. The reason I asked was to authenticate photographing a Pacific carrying the headboard passing Haymarket MPD on its was to Waverley and what classes would haul the train on the section from Glasgow to Edinburgh and visa versa. Regards David

Following the last photo I have a question that hopefully the RMWeb members who knew Haymarket and it workings may be able to help or advise me? The Queen of Scots Pullman ran from London Kings Cross to Glasgow via Leeds and Edinburgh Waverley. Does anyone know where locomotives where changed and in particular from Waverley to Glasgow. Was there an engine change at Waverley or did the locomotive bringing in the train just carry on from Edinburgh to Glasgow and the same for the Glasgow to London working as well. Regards David

Hi Eric Some lovely photos and it looks like some were taken from different angles to your usual photos you post. I do like the high level views as they show just how good the scenics are on your layout. Regards David

A different view of A4 60027 Merlin standing buy the Offices/Stores, looking back towards the turntable and main shed building. This is where the locomotives leaving Haymarket MPD would receive lamps and headboards before going onto the main lines down to Waverley. A new view on the layout. Regards David

Now we Have A4 60027 Merlin next to the Stores/General Offices building about to leave for Waverley complete with lamps and Queen of Scots headboard. Regards David

Two photos showing two of Haymarket's own Peppercorn A2 Class locos, No 60529 Pearl Diver and No 60537 Bachelors Button. No 60529 Pearl Diver started out as 60533 Happy Knight which I renamed and renumbered only to find a few months later Hornby brought out it's own version of Pearl Diver. Both locomotives at standard Bachmann RTR A2's which I weathered some time ago and on looking at them yesterday the finish to both looked a bit flat so a few coats of Johnson's Klear to each model has worked wonders. in my opinion it takes away that plastic look and the model almost take on a kit built metallic look, a big improvement. Regards David

Many thanks to Eric & Mick for the information, the two Hornby J 83’s I have both had terrible chassis and both locomotives wobbled when running. Also the loco body looked as though it was sitting to high on the chassis. I got Gareth at Replica Railways to replace both chassis using pannier tank chassis they look better and run smoother as well. Which made me think should I ever go down the kit building Road then my existing chassis may fit the kit bodies to save some cost. Thanks again to you both for you input. Regards David

Hi Eric Thank you, a big improvement on the Hornby model. I do regularly scan EBay just in case a kit built version comes up I will continue to monitor the second hand markets. Regards David

Thanks Mick I totally agree with you I know my limitations. Regards Dsvid

Hi Richard First you comment on my harsh comments regarding the Hornby J83 then you torment me with that image. But serious that’s an absolute stunning model so much detail and makes the Hornby version I have look even more inferior. I have had this conversation with Tony Wright before regarding locomotive kit building I just feel it’s a step to far for me. But after looking at that image if the J83 I may just investigate what would be involved in costs and making up the kit. Thank you for posting the photo. Best Regards David

Hi John Thank you for your kind comments and the information on loco workings and train formations, that will be very helpful to me and much appreciated. Regards David

Hi Richard Thank you for your comments, the valve gear and cylinders are finished with dry brushing using Humbrol metelcote 27004. Regarding the J83’s Harsh comments, maybe but they do lack any detail. If ever a model locomotive was due for an upgrade or re-tooling then that’s the one in my opinion. Regards David

Home based Class A3 60035 Windsor Lad is seen sitting on Haymarket's turntable. Regards David

Tonights photo we see A2/3 60511 Airborne passing Haymarket on its way to Waverley Station, the MPD had borrowed it to take an express further north and we see it on it's return. A RTR GKing/Bachmann A2 conversion. Regards David