Neil

That strikes me as a bit of a large assumption to make Jim, given that John Ahern, Edward Beal, Peter Denny and John Allen aren't around to question. The 'at all' part is a particularly sweeping assertion. However principally I do wonder if we have a different view of what inspiration is or can be? I find your model of New Street inspires; it shows that it's possible to contemplate a huge project at the highest standards solo, that's inspiring, the exquisite ordinariness of some of the structures you've built for it demonstrate that character can come from the mundane as well as the spectacular and that's inspiring too. Does this mean that I'm going to create my own wishy washy copy of a masterpiece? No, my interests lie eighty odd miles away on Cardigan Bay, but your and many other layouts inspire me to do better, to see possibilities and to be creative.

Man, it just gets better and better. I'll be trying the PVA and toothbrush technique in 4mm as I've a bathroom window to glaze in a bungalow that's taking shape on the workbench.

Beg to differ, I think there's merit in pointing out the inconsistencies in the way we view transgressions.

It's potentially distressing but unless there's a fluke turn of events not life threatening to anyone except the culprit whereas all the forms of driving transgressions have taken the lives of innocents in the past.

Well, do we hang him, flog him or merely transport him to the colonies? Now it's not perhaps the cleverest thing to do, but in terms of social irresponsibility it's not up there with drink driving, breaking the speed limit, overtaking in stupid places .....

Though the underparts differ, the Dublo and Dapol wagon bodies are indeed the same thing. In the past I've cut up both to make scale length GPVs. If you're really good (I'm not) it's also possible to narrow the bodies to a scale width too. Here's a couple of my half way houses snapped on my trainset earlier this evening. .

It's actually comes complete with a transformer plug and lead as well as the control unit itself.

H&M, bombproof but crude control by modern standards (I have a fully functioning safety minor that I only use as a power supply these days that came with my first OO trainset forty six years ago), for a budget price plug and play controller I'd recommend one of the current Bachmann DC units. I've a couple of them and reckon they give as fine control as my hand-held Gaugemaster controller. From time to time it's possible to pick them up unboxed, split from trainsets for very little money.

I thought it might be useful to show the finished 009 brake van (that was in primer in my May posting) as no matter how rough or exquisite we judge a raw 3D print to be it's the finished item that really counts. I can't claim that applying the paint has been trouble free as my first attempt at applying colour remained tacky after three weeks. Stripping off with thinners and a much more robust coat of primer did the trick allowing Humbrol enamels to dry properly. Nuff words here's the van in gruesome close up.

Such a hard choice, I can't seem to stop hoovering up influences, but trying to whittle down to three has thrown the really important key moments into focus. My first would have to be Totnes by Mike Cook. I joined the Castle Railway Circle at twelve, just as Totnes was heading towards completion. Seeing the more senior members and Mike himself working on it helped me bridge the gap between trainset and model. I still use plasticard for buildings and varnish for water nearly forty years on. The second would be Ken Gibbons Sheepwash. A few have been kind enough to mention Shell Island in this thread, well Shell Island wouldn't have happened without Sheepwash. It's simplicity gave rise to the less is more philosophy that underpins Shell Island (and my later layouts) and the no nonsense approach to EM made me realise that improving my standards was within my grasp. I'm not sure that I can single out any other layout that's had such a profound effect on my own model making, though plenty have made my jaw drop. However I've got to mention Ste Coline des Champs by the late Dennis Allenden, the model making was exquisite, the concept highly original, but it's his prose that really hit the mark. Whenever I put pen to paper of my fingers on the keyboard I realise that I'm never going to be able to write in such an easy unforced style, but it still gives me something to strive for and the motivation to try an do better.

Cop a load of this over optimistically priced book. Can't be that rare, they've got two to sell. Buy it now; I think not.

Perhaps, but in this instance I thought it displayed a very healthy questioning of the status quo. It's also noteworthy in being the only time to my knowledge that the Cambrian News has scooped the national news media.

Well try as I might I can't find the 'Guilty Pleasures' thread. I hope it wasn't the mention of the farting contests my brother and I used to hold at the dinner table when we were teenagers that tipped the balance. I thought botty burps, even when deployed strategically as opposed to inadvertently, would be safely pre watershed.

One of my favourites 'Meritocracy is no substitute for equality. By definition it provides ''escape routes'' for only a minority of the population.' Roy Hattersley addressing Tony Blair's indifference to equality in a New Statesman essay (6th Feb '06)

Challenges and I don't usually get on, committing publicly to a project usually heralds the kiss of death to all enthusiasm and therefore progress. However I'll give it a punt.

I've just caught up with this thread, brilliant stuff. Inspired choice of subject, exquisite model making and hugely entertaining bulletins. Just love it.

The UPS delivery chap dropped off a print in frosted ultra detail yesterday. It's a rather charming (freelance) 009 passenger brake van, designed by Tebee. Here are a few snaps after I'd been at it with the primer The surface finish is far better than the white strong that I've had parts printed in before. There has been some ridging along the lower body side that I've attacked with sanding sticks. It's a far more workable material than the white strong, and I believe that any blemishes will disappear once painted and weathered.

I see that Gostude is pulling our collective plonkers again with this over ambitious offering. .... and this ..... and this I could list lots more but there's no sport in it.

Can't beat a big trainset.

Like the fully lined tunnel on a curve; I'll be picking your brains about this as I have one of my own to do after I've built a bridge.

The ultra detail looks very promising; I'd be very interested to see how your sample turns out RD.

Ninety quid seems a bit steep for a postcard.

It may have been me, here. The Hornby four wheeler does indeed bear a reasonable resemblance to one of the S&D carriages, at least above the solebar. I believe that it was remarked on at the time of its release by the modelling press (the first versions being in S&D blue) one of the mags probably Model Railways or MRC having drawings of the prototype.

Not only railway stuff where the asking price is a trifle optimistic.