Geoff Endacott

Eight days to go and I can report that advance ticket sales are higher than they were at this stage last year.* Geoff Endacott * By one. P.S. This is how to make the number go up: www.wegottickets.com/event/458391

Why are people talking about successful British diesels on a thread about the D600s? Geoff Endacott

I am pleased to announce a potential new sponsorship deal for Trainwest. Pongo Products are offering to give away a free can of deodorant to every visitor. All I have to do is sign the agreement by noon today. Geoff Endacott

1964 would, if it is correct, be a very early blue repaint. Geoff Endacott

I am simply going by the fact that I found it difficult to tell the D800 and D833 Warships apart, but then I was only 12 years old when the last of the NBLs was withdrawn. Geoff Endacott

The MAN and Maybach engines were not dissimilar. Geoff Endacott

The best approximation would probably be D821 or D832. Geoff Endacott

I used to stay with my grandparents near the GWR main line west of Plymouth in the 1960s. I heard the trains more often than I saw them. The D600s were relatively common but it didn't hear anything which sounded like that. Sorry. Geoff Endacott

I wonder if this works: It is supposed to be a ticket buying button. Geoff Endacott P.S. Evidently not.

We now have a weather forecast for the next two weeks with not much rain in prospect. That means the main car park, which was underwater last year, might actually be available. Geoff Endacott

The guide is ready to go to press: (With thanks to Chris Nevard for the cover photo.) This year the A4 full colour guide has 44 pages. It is included in the £6.60 price of an advance ticket - otherwise guides are £2 each on the door. Geoff Endacott

I first put up the polite request poster at Trainwest 2010. I haven't found that rucksacks have been much of a problem since then. We often find that people are happy to leave large bags at reception because it's easier than lugging them around the show. Trainwest is a friendly show. I aim to keep it that way. Geoff Endacott

Isn't quality more important than quantity? Geoff Endacott

This is the notice which I have been using at Trainwest for the last ten years. Please do not wear backpacks or rucksacks in the exhibition hall. They should be carried by hand or left at reception. There is no charge for leaving bags with the reception staff. Thank you for your co-operation. Geoff Endacott Exhibition Manager

I think I ordered mine seven years ago and it still hasn't arrived. Geoff Endacott

Train station? What's that? Geoff Endacott

They could always have modelled them in post 1967 condition. Then they wouldn't have needed nameplates. Geoff Endacott

I thought I'd seen that somewhere before. Geoff Endacott

There is a slight difference between each side of the loco. Both sides have three pairs of doors. The nameplate is between the centre and right-hand pair. Between the left-hand and centre pair of doors are an inspection hatch on the upper bodyside and one or two vents beneath it. That is how you can tell the two sides apart. If the side with the single vent is facing you, A end is on the left. Geoff Endacott

Warships didn't have a number one end. They had an A end and a B end. Geoff Endacott

Here is the photo preview showing all of the layouts which are booked to appear at Trainwest 2019. Amiens 1918 Bakewell Street Birmingham Moor Street Burton-on-Trent Calstock's Halton Quay Cato Pass Chewton Mendip Deansmoor Denton Brook Enigma Quay Herculaneum Dock Kannotburn Much Murkle Navigation Road Roundtrees Sidings Salsdorf Scratchy Bottom Halt Stodden Hundred Light Railway The Bridge at Remagen My thanks to the photographers Jon Dean, Giles Favell, M Hitchen, Chris Hopper, Andrew Jones, Cavan Millward, Guy Molyneux, Chris Nevard, Chris Peacock, Norman Raven, Simon Stevens, Al Turner, Mike Walshaw, Richard Williams, Tony Wright and Andy York. Geoff Endacott

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Important news. We have secured permission to organise our own light refreshments. Many exhibitions seem to have problems with in-house catering. The prices at Springfield haven't been a problem, but they have never been able to cope with the number of people we bring in. This year, we will have our own stand serving teas, coffees, cakes and biscuits. That should take the pressure off the main cafe which will operate as usual but hopefully with rather less demand. Geoff Endacott

The option of fitting your own plates would have been useful for renumbering D600 as D601-4 in BFYE which would be needed to depict them in early 1970s guise.* Geoff Endacott *I know they were withdrawn by then, but on my railway they weren't.

It could be worse. They might not all be the right way round, but at least they are all the right way up. Geoff Endacott