Arthur

Same here, bought all sorts of electronic odds n’ sods from China direct and through local ‘shop windows’. Never had a problem and, at the prices they quote, if it goes wrong it’s no big loss. .

Fifty yards from my Gran’s terraced house in Patricroft, Manchester, there was an end of terrace where the house was missing, just a cleared site. Self inflicted WW2 damage, the house had been nearly demolished when a barrage balloon which had broken free from it’s moorings came down on top of it. Such was the damage the house was flattened and the site remained so until all of the terraces were demolished around 1970. In this particular place the surviving end wall, effectively then the end wall of the terrace, was unsupported. There were none of the heavy supporting timbers, mentioned by Brian above, which were widely seen elsewhere. . .

That looks more like, or it certainly has a strong element of, a cable stay bridge. With a suspension bridge there are two main cables suspended between two towers and the main cables are not attached directly to the bridge deck other than sometimes at the centre point. Vertical support cables drop from the suspension cables and support the deck which is usually arched. e.g. Old Severn Bridge. On a cable stay bridge several cables run over the towers and run directly down to the bridge deck, supporting it at various points. A smaller cable stay bridge can have just a single tower. They are considerably more rigid than a suspension bridge and the deck can be flat which makes them much more suitable for rail traffic. e.g. New Severn Bridge Millau Bridge The French bridges have cable stays which seem to have subsidiary vertical support cables. .

On a more serious note ‘the late DonB’? Don was active on the forum yesterday and posted as recently as the 19th. Jan. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/107713-castle-aching/?p=3009411 I hadn’t seen a report of Don’s demise and, having exchanged posts and the odd pm with him over the years I would have made note. Genuinely, have I missed something?

I don’t know what era you’re modelling but EFE do this BSC liveried AEC Mandator Mk.V, a model introduced in 1959. The model is based on one which was operated by Lydbrook, Forest of Dean, based haulier, Edwards Transport on contract to BSC Ebbw Vale. The BSC was not formed until1967 and it is very possible that this lorry saw service, under contract with RTB, at Ebbw Vale before acquiring that livery. It is a nice model and EFE have done well in capturing the large flush-glazed windscreen. It’s still available, one here; https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F251722048029 .

Yep, the Humour Police, that really drains the joy out of posting a joke. Do you check all posts for repetition? One posted in 2011 is not worth repeating? .

The first one, seen running out of the mill building, is an Atkinson Borderer. Those shown on the road are, I think, Seddons, it’s difficult to be sure as the footage is grainy and they are moving quickly. The views from behind showing the cab rears show a window layout that is definitely not Atkinson. It would be reasonable to assume, but not certain, that Ebbw Vale had a similar fleet. They also had regular sub contractors working on haulage. .

Model Railway themed Big Brother. Blinkered advocates of several gauges and standards with strong opinions on the ‘era’ descriptions used by Hornby, a mix of kit building fanatics and RTR devotees, locked in a room for several weeks, give them Modelling mags in plastic bags..... TV Gold; tears, tantrums, passion, blood, snot, tragedy, murder..... Railway Modelling on Prime Time TV,....BOOM.

Strangely enough I didn’t scroll back to 2011 to check that...... .

Have you seen this book Stu? It’s not cheap but is packed with photos and info. There’s a second one on Cold War bunkers. Nick Catford has spent years, collecting info., exploring and photographing them. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Second-World-War-Secret-Bunkers/dp/099285542X/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=VM3YERW7GHKDJ5S9XZ14 .

An elderly couple, Margaret and Bert, live in Arkansas. Bert always wanted a pair of authentic cowboy boots. So seeing some on sale one day, he buys them, wears them home, walking proudly. He walks into the house and says to his wife ‘Notice anything different about me?’ Margaret looks him over, ‘Nope.’ Bert hitches up his pants and stomps around the room. ‘Can you see it now?’ ‘See what?’ Frustrated, Bert storms off into the bathroom, undresses, and walks back into the room completely naked except for the boots. Again, he asks, a little louder this time ‘Notice anything different NOW?’ Margaret looks up and says, ‘Bert, what’s different? It’s hanging down today, it was hanging down yesterday, and it’ll be hanging down again tomorrow.’ Furious, Bert yells, AND DO YOU KNOW WHY IT’S HANGING DOWN, MARGARET? ‘Nope’ she replies. ‘IT’S HANGING DOWN BECAUSE IT’S LOOKING AT MY NEW BOOTS!!!!’ Bert yells. To which Margaret replies…”Shoulda bought a hat, Bert. You shoulda bought a hat.” .

See post 10 David, it was indeed a weekend, the 1st. being a Monday. As I commented, 1st. was the official date, the final day of steam operation was probably the 29th, the Sunday generally being a quiet day anyway.

It is definitely not Trafford Park which I knew fairly well, it is indeed Newton Heath. I grabbed this partial shot from the link above, you can recognise the tall, rectangular section, brick structure and the roof ridges behind it. As for the date, in the absence of a definitive indicator, 1967 seems reasonable .

Thanks, 1st July 1968 tallies with my recollection. Of course, actual steam operation may have virtually or entirely ceased a day or two before the official last day but my recollection is that Bolton, Newton Heath and Patricroft officially closed together. We lived less than a mile from Patriroft at the time. As July 1st.1968 was a Monday it is probable that Saturday 29th June was the last day of actual operations, July 1st, being the official closure date. .

Don’t think it was Buxton Apollo, but it might well have been Bolton, I was also thinking Speke Junction as a possibility? Edit; the database linked above suggests that it was indeed Bolton. .

I think it was one of three sheds in the north west that closed on the same day, 1st. July 1968. Patricroft, Newton Heath and one other whose name escapes me. That left three still open until the final day, Lostock Hall, Carnforth and Rose Grove. .

They’d have to catch him first. ‘Make Smoke’ in the naval tradition. .

Still demonstrates those much loved Land Rover features, it leaks oil and water.

Then feast your eyes on this; The Great British Eccentric, you’ve gotta love it! .

Interest in military matters is not considered ‘Off Limits’ on this forum. .

Pre Department S and the spin off Jason King series he often played swarthy ne’er do wells in films. During the height of his Jason King fame he was voted by female TV Times readers as the man they’d most like to, er,...’bed’. About a week later he came out of the closet. In 1971/2 that was the kiss of death for a male lead and his career nose dived. Pity, he had quite a screen presence in some ways. Always fondly remembered his Jason King character, even kinda modelled him a few years back, half way through this post. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/66145-black-country-blues-arthur-builds-yorkshire-engine-co-de2/?p=9361777 Yeah, rolling your shirt cuffs back over your jacket sleeves, it’s got to make a comeback. .

Alan Keef Ltd. in Ross-on-Wye took over Motor Rail in 1987. Alan, who holds their archives, has recently had two books published on Motor Rail Simplex by Lightmoor Press. I know Alan and he brought copies round just before Christmas. I haven’t bought them yet but they are published to a very high standard, like all Lightmoor Press books, and contain an immense amount of information and numerous photographs. Not cheap but well worth having a look at. . .

DRUGS RUIN LIVES DRUGS END CAREERS JUST SAY NO!! .

There are lots of these motors and motor/gearbox combos avaialable on eBay from China. I’ve no experience of the motor/gearbox combos but there are 12v motors with 1.5mm shafts cheaply and readily available. https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F292347465800 .

A different Forward Control; at least, with the V8, they’re not underpowered, which makes them very good tow vehicles, and mine now lives in comfort in my recently constructed carriage shed, .