Peter Kazmierczak

I'm getting an ad for "Furniture for industry; furniture for offices". Something I've never, ever Googled about.

Southbound Freightliner.

The Wills goods yard crane makes up into a nice little model. The prototype seems to have been seen at MR locations, which is a bonus. As it's rather delicate, I've placed it where (hopefilly) it won't get knocked. Haven't painted/weathered it yet. Also need to make the thread taughter...

Sales of Hornby products slump in Newcastle, after hearing of Mike Ashley's involvement...

Though only 45in x 13in, I'm getting more enjoyment out of this layout than from much larger stuff I've made. For some reason, though, the LMS omitted this little branch from their maps...

Try https://one.network and click on the "live map" tab. Ignore the "sign in" thing; you don't have to. You can check for roadworks for either today, the next 2 weeks, the next 3 months or next 12 months. I find it very good.

Enjoy your well-earned (I'm sure...) retirement. I don't miss Ofsted, getting up at silly o'clock to run breakfast club, working evenings and weekends on "school work", feeling the only one day of the year when you could fully relax was after the children left on the last day of term. I do miss interacting with the children; working in primary schools kept you young. Also miss (most) of my colleagues... Perhaps the biggest thing was being part of something in the community - sports days, summer fayres, the Christmas nativity and the end-of-year production. Walking through the school hall when a class was practising for their nativity and hearing them "singing" carols was magical and something few of us have the privilege of being a part of.

Just took out a loan and bought a large container of Woodland Scenics light green bushes (FC1645). What's the best way to secure this material to the layout? On the container it says attach with "scenic glue". Would normal PVA be suitable? Do I just put glue on the layout and dab on the bushes? Or put glue on the bushes and attach that way? Thanks.

I could say get a life..., but thanks Nigel. I presume the bridge has long gone. I left Derby long ago when Thatcher was still the PM. Despite my good old English name, my maternal ancestors all came from the Twyford/Barrow/Swarkestone/Chellaston area. Even a bridge over the Trent & Mersey Canal is named after the family. One of my favourite lines was the MR between Stenson Jn and Sheet Stores Jn; I suppose I had a subconscious affinity with it. So I suppose a model set in this area was inevitable.

Swarkestone branch of the Derby Canal?

For some strange unknown reason, when I got in the car yesterday it ended up parked outside a model railway shop. It would've been impolite not to venture in... So I come out with a big tub of Woodland Scenics, a Wills goods yard crane kit and some fencing. I wanted some gates but they only had SR examples, but I was allowed to rummage in a tray behind the counter and found some old bits and pieces for a couple of ££. From these, I managed to create the scene illustrated.

More importantly, anything of MR interest up there? I think we should be told...

Northbound Freightliner.

West Coast catenary tunnel.

Coming and going at Kings Langley last month...

Saxby was (still is?) an interesting location. The illustrations are of the second station, so it is pure Midland; the first was located slightly north. Later the curve was eased on the mainline (after hostilities with the local landowner eased}, and the station relocated and enlarged.

Though it looks like it's heading EAST away from Nottingham. Either bound for the Lincoln line, or more likely via Grantham, P'boro towards March.

That Airfix 31 really was a game-changer when it appeared in the late 70s; smooth running, well-proportioned and nicely detailed.

If someone exhibits their layout, apart from the politeness to ask to take pics/vids, why would an exhibitor refuse? That would be perverse.

Derby must be short of suitable motive power, as a 2P is shunting at Aston.

I see no ships...

Progress after two weeks - apologies for the rug... None of the buildings are fixed down yet; still not sure where to (or if) locate the small stable building bottom right.. Might need a small water tower so steam locos can be topped-up - pondering on that too.

It would take someone really brave (or daft) to name their layout Buckingham, Charford or Borchester.

Completed the warehouse...

Surely they must have a can of off-white to paint the driver's cab windscreen surround. It's been like that for ages now.