Jamie

Hi Mark, good to see some signs of life ;-) "It's been ages since I last posted and truth be known my modelling motivation isn't brilliant at the moment." I think we all get these cycles of inactivity. It's worst when in theory you want to model x, y or z, but when push comes to shove... there's something else and non-model related which seems more appealing to do. Bide time and it'll be back.

Hmm, that post might have cost me a lot of money! Excellent work Alan.

Capercaillie - Beautiful Wasteland. Saw them live yesterday in sunny Ayrshire, superb. Hence needing more of the same today.

As regards Clydeside locations, I've the feeling I've seen a shot of one on the erstwhile electric hauled Ayr-Euston (via Glasgow C) Intercity service. Can't seem to find said photo though.

If you're not fast, you're last I was more looking out for G&SW stuff, but have to make do, y'know?

Couple of V2 shots from Gerald Robinson on Flickr, always a collection to keep an eye on:

Touche Mr 65B. I only made that mistake once. But if you fancy a green 24, I have one of the ghastly things spare. EM too, jus' perfect for Fort Wull.

Might be worth doing something with the hideously misshapen lump of Chinese plastic I have here that claims to be a cl.24.

Here's one, a clasp braked Bachmann conversion. Currently my only acrylic-weathered model.

Going by memory of reading coaching stock books it'd have been OOS for a few years by that point, yes.

Mike Delamar posted pics of this train earlier, but this one caught my eye on George of Dufton's Flickr site. The contrast between the new Mk2 behind the loco and the somewhat tired LMS period 2 (?) coach in the background is marked.

Roco's coupling is the same pattern as Hornby supply, compatible, just slightly shorter. I mix the two to get optimum coupling lengths between different coaches. Dunno about Profis, but bound to have been discussed on here before. I'd be quite happy with the Roco/Hornby pattern, as although they look awful if projecting from the end of a rake, they're wonderfully reliable and pretty unobtrusive (in my experience) within a set. Also much easier to couple and uncouple than the false pipes that are supplied with the Bachmann Mk1, which require to be disconnected from the NEM socket - fine for two coaches, cumbersome beyond that. I'm looking forward to these models coming out. I expect to stick with my Comet plans for maroon vehicles (I can paint a single colour livery) but will possibly use the Bachmann models for any crimson/cream coaches - if the glazing and livery colour rendition is good enough.

Literally breathtaking stuff Andy. If the resolution was higher I'd be sorted for desktop PC wallpaper for months from this post alone. Pleased to see the outcome of the 26 bodysides - didn't think it'd be obvious but the most effective touches never are. Point rodding pic is beautifully observed in the b&w shot, NBL pic in black and white is straight out of O'Hara's big blue book.

Excellent Phil, I haven't seen that layout for a long, long time, maybe at the SECC one year. Trust Bonnybridge MRC to come up with the goods again!

Wow, bang in the gritty heart of the Sou'West there Mike - I love it.

Rob, Second shot/loco down: http://www.rmweb.co....post__p__648488

Shot of the model seen on the Alexandra Palace exhibition thread. Go find. It looks good

Big beastie at Whitrope:

I know this is a kitbuilding subject but I've been trialling mine on shaking the crud off of wagon and coach wheelsets - pop them out and dunk a batch of them in the ultrasonic pan. While I'm a little worried that it could loosen tyres, or wheels on axles, I haven't spotted any such symptoms yet. Certainly seems to be doing a good job of loosening the usual black grime on the treads in early trials.

Thanks for the correction - will teach me to post after bedtime! All I was certain of last night re Deeley/Johnson/Uncle Bob/whoever was that the NRM tender was "the wrong one" for the later LMS builds. Was sure the splasher comment isn't something I've dreamt up but I've no time to go digging for a reference - will accept another correction.

Most obviously: dome, chimney, safety valves. LHD/RHD switch (edit - at some point within the LMS build), wheel and splasher diameter. Tender broadly speaking changes from Johnson to Fowler pattern (bit shorter, amongst other things). Vast number of other detail variations within the class. I'm about 75% of the way through a conversion of the NRM model which will satisfy my Compounder needs, but many of us expected this arrival so I'm not put out in the slightest. Good to see more elegant 4-4-0s gracing the RtR shelves.

Interesting group of shots round about here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/6774469516/in/photostream from the last day of passenger services to Grangemouth. Transitional liveries visible range from a AC Cars railbus lacking a yellow panel through blue SYP and blue with wrap-round yellow Met-Camm DMUs. Tellingly, the linked shot shows the blue SYP unit pass the plain green railbus. I'm quite surprised that the whiskers on that particular 'bus hadn't given way to yellow panels even by '68.

I generally know I've made it by the combinations of burns, blood-stained sticking-plasters and paint on my fingers. Edit: as opposed bought it of course...

Wossat you said Chard? One made it up over the Waverley? Oh I'm sure it must have done a round trip back via the GSW Looks very impressive from the CAD renders. I might well be tempted to bend my rules and get one of these most elegant of diesels, in maroon, lovely.

Suggest decorator's masking tape rolled into a tube for the water crane bag - holds its shape well, and when painted grey-black has a canvassy texture. It's also flexible enough to be forgiving of being swiped when cleaning rails etc (from experience).