Andy C

Nice one Jason, go for the brass for the walkway / brackets and rails - its much more forgiving and repairable if you knock it all when track cleaning etc.

Around about the same time this happened another demonstration loco, a 45XX 2-6-2 tank in BR green livery was lifted off the Alan Gibson stand, probably by the same thief, as the MO was remarkably similar. And again they will be dissapointed unless they are an EM modeller and have a good supply of AG crankpin bushes and nuts. So again if you see or hear anything about either of these two distinctive locos, let either Mike know if iits the diesel, or Colin Seymour at Alan Gibson on 0161 678 1607 if its the 45XX.

I do like the new angles Jason, especially looking down the layout, it just looks right for the location and I'd recognise it straight away as Bacup.

Fassit Larry! - bit like Eely (Healey - where you would also have seen buses bound for going up Whit'orth road to Baykup)

Yes indeed Jason and its a bit of a snap situation as 43734 is on New Hey working the evening Oldham / Stoke parcels. The loco at the time was allocated to Rose Grove - Richard Greenwood can tell you in graphic detail just how much these Midland machines were hated by the ex L and Y men up there, they were sent out on this working as often as possible in the forlorn hope that they would never come back! It was inevitable as such I'd do it for New Hey on the short parcels - theres another photo of it in the Jeff Wells books at Jubilee Crossing just coming out of New Hey on the same working, thats the train I've modelled - just got to get round to the EM conversion of the Loco!

Stunning Jerry, a really lovely piece of work both in the etch and the build.

I'd go further than Stationmasters very sage advice about studying the area you model - Use a photo of the actual machine you are weathering, you can't go wrong then! Something Ive done on all of mine, that way no know it all can say its wrong

Jason - I fabricated my own sandboxes out of plasticard - I had a drawing to work off and its a simple enough job.

I wouldnt get too hung up about the loco allocations - its enough to know the locos were shedded in the area at the time modelled - Most of my motive power is Newton Heath allocated (26A) because thats the shed whic provided the majority of locos - but not all, Ive a few Agecroft, Bury, Lees and Patricroft allocated locos which I knew ran on the loop - At its most extreme examples, the unamed Patriot 45177 was a very regular wakes specials performer, and that was Bank Hall (Liverpool) allocated loco, and Iron Duke was only actually allocated for 6 months to 26A over the Summer of 61, but it did run the loop!

Careful Jason, Graham will introduce you to the dark art of Black and Decker modelling!

Tell you what Jason, cut out the middleman, go straight to P4 :-) When you get up here and get time out, come over and see us and pester on !! - visit to the Rochdale Group or Dean Hall

And that is the difference between someone who opens red and blue boxes, and someone who is a modeller - and a skilled one at that Jason. Do a coachmann, rip it up and relay it in EM

Does Sofia understand the logistics of moving a model railway Jason? i.e. it takes precedence, never mind the furniture, goods and chattels Todmorden - it's technically the right side of the border, a short ride away from Bacup and the Lea Quarry Mountain bike trails, and not too bad a commute to Leeds!

Ply sleepers are dead easy to get hold of Jason and a damn sight easier to lay than fiddling around with cut off plastic ones. Shame you are not up here - the stores at Scalefour North in a few weeks will have them in stock. Alternatively pick up some 1 mil ply and cut your own! Colron Dark Oak is a good dye to use as you get a nice creosoted look to them. Without the smell though.

That was fairly standard L and Y practice Jason, and one I had to repeat on New Hey as it had exactly the same arrangement - I used ply sleepers suitably stained with wood dye, then subjected them to a blast with the Grassmaster.