Talltim

TPE's issues date back to the beginning of the franchise. The requirement for loco hauled was in the specs, and the DfT also inisted on splitting the unit procument into two (Hitachi and CAF), meaning they have had three types of traction to train on. But then First have deiced to massively reduce route knowledge too (to save money on training, in theory). Many of their routes now have 2 crew changes, meaning three point of crewing failure instead of one and a crew often can't continue to cover a missing crew because they don't sign the road. Then the crew for the last section might be available but with no train. Add in the usual reliance on RDW and when Covid hit training went right out the window. I've also seen reports of staff being available, but their trains being cancelled anyway. They are now stuck in a situation where they can't afford to take staff off driving, to train new drivers, so the new drivers can't pass out. Staff morale has suffered so drivers have gone elsewhere and the situation has just got worse. TPE got rid of their original director when First realised what was going wrong, but with franchises now being management contracts the current director had his hands tied by the Dft (Treasury). There's a hope the OLR, despite being DfT, actually have a bit more autonomy. They seem to have on East Coast.

He also benefitted from having his made up words becoming part of the language

At least the money from that went to charity instead of the Captain Tom family fund

It would go well with the prog rock wagons they’ve released over the years

It’s been mentioned before, in the thread, but the really poor bit of all this isn’t the loco chosen, or the colour, or the sound files, or the whole idea, but the fact it will be out so long after the event. Did someone spring the coronation on them last week?

A friend posted a pic of some sheet music he's just got. Quickly scrolling past I thought it was a drawing of EMD A and B units Too many wheels tho'.

I went all the way round (via Heathrow and Gatwick) one day. Clockwise starting from the A1

Excepting HSTs seems like cheating to me. You're ignoring a class of trains that had slam door for nearly your whole lifetime, that got to more places than nearly any other type.

The XC HSTs have sliding doors

EMR HSTs were withdrawn 2 years ago, were they the last in ordinary revenue service?

And a couple of months later they've re-run it!

If it isn't permitted, why do so many roundabouts have traffic lights on them?

Is Charles banned from RMWeb?

Sheffield Transport Models? 😉

Probably the easiest way to go if you get interest from junior members, it require that a parent or guardian accompanies them. This migh mean some don't join, but makes it a lot easier.

Ah, thats interesting, I was expecting it to be one of these coaches (I'd missed your link to the worthpoint example) (From https://www.altemodellbahnen.de/t10714f153-Lima-Giumbo-Train.html) I had vaguely noticed your style of coach when searching, there was a giraffe car too An alternative to covering the roof gap might be to hide it with somelettered sign boards?

Would it be possible to re-instate some of the photos from this thread?

Can’t see that working with a layout such as this one from a recent Freemo meet Edit: although a nice big speaker stack in each corner could get the good bass rumble

It doesn't for me. It sometimes autocorrects to the wrong thing, but I can change it

Wierd they are removing/replacing that gantry, when NR said this at the time it was installed https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/major-revamp-for-stalybridge-railway-tracks-and-station

German Jamiroquai from Wish. Like the cover tho, lots of atmosphere

I thought I would have a listen to them, Megabeat 4 is OK but quite forgetable, Onze Metro is nothing like what you would expect from the cover and is absolutely terrible,

There's loads of rail related album covers, but most are just a bit 3/4 loco photo style These are more modelable scenes

I would have thought a NSE loco would be more likely that a 50 in any paint. Someone will prove me wrong tho!