APOLLO

Oh, drinking a large bottle of Estrella, 3 for £6 at Tesco (Estrella, Beer Madri and Cruzcampo) - nice smooth lagers. Brit15

My twin daughters loved the series, and still occasionally watch it !! They're 23 now, and both hold Masters degrees in Physics & Biology. Didn't do them any harm. Iggle Piggle, iggle onk, we're going to catch... the Ninky Nonk !!! Brit15

Ninky Nonk next please, Oh and a sound fitted Pinky Ponk would please the kids (here on RMweb !!!!). And an Iggle Piggle or two !! Brit15

Some interesting photos Note new steel mineral wagon. As you can see, very little discernable private owner liveries were evident by the late 40's due no doubt to WW2 and little / no maintenance, especially the paint !! Brit15

This makes it a bit easier, a search with all photos with the word "Railway" Only a thousand to look at !! https://www.timepix.uk/keyword/n-rthKP3/railway/i-SGWpzNG Thats me done for the morning !! Brit15

Lancashire 1960's ?, have a trawl through the photos (Thousands of them !!) on this interesting site. Towns in Greater Manchester, photos (many railway ones, all from late 40's - early 50's or so). Taken during an Ordnance survey map revision. All these photos were destined for the tip but someone saw their historical value and have (and still are) digitising them. You will have to trawl for the colliery / railway images showing old wooden wagons, there are many. https://www.timepix.uk/ https://www.timepix.uk/SMART-galleries-folders/n-L6hwLC/Postwar-railway-lines https://www.timepix.uk/Collection-galleries/OS-Revision-Points-in-Greater-Manchester/1940s-1950s-Wigan/Wigan-north/i-wv67gm9 Below are some examples though all from late 40's &early 50's or so The above is South side of railway line, 40m from Douglas Bank signal box (Southport line just west of Wigan Wallgate) Hope this is of help. Warning - hours can be spent on this site !! Brit15

No Coal mines, Coke Ovens, Sinter Plants or Blast Furnaces etc no new steel. No new steel a lot less construction etc. The world can't go forward on scrap alone. In the UK we have decided to close most of our heavy industry and virtue signal to the world our "green" credentials whilst shooting ourselves in both feet and one arm (one is needed to hold the gun !!). The rest of the world (USA, India, China, Russia & Australia (vast coal & iron ore exporter) simply do not care. I watched the HS2 BBC programme last night, left me disgusted. Gas is next on the chopping block, it's not just poor pensioners that will be freezing in winter in the coming years. Brit15

No steel = No HS2 (or all other civil engineering construction projects, not just railways). Google Chinese rebar quality (concrete reinforcing bar) for one example. We Brits lead the world at shooting ourselves in both feet. Brit15

This is an interesting image of PORR "Austrian" slab track. https://porr-group.com/en/projects/austrian-slab-track-technology-for-australia/ The raised "girders" also perform a guard rail type job. Needed for the UK ? Brit15

I visited early yesterday, a 5 minute queue, to get in, a good sign !! I thought the layouts, trade, venue etc to be excellent and having lost my local exhibition (Wigan) this one at Leigh is now my local venue. Looking forward to next year, and thanks to all involved. Brit15

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Quick note - Got back earlier today from the excellent Leigh (Lancashire) model railway exhibition. Some very nice layouts there and quite well supported by the trade also. If your local its on tomorrow Sunday 10 - 4pm, £6 entrance fee. Free parking at Leigh Sports Village where the event is. No, I'm not going to buy anything (I thought), well I got three old Tri-ang brake vans for a tenner (for my brake van enthusiasts special) and a load of cheap but interesting books from Nick Tozers stand, winter reading !! It's a pity the Wigan exhibition has gone, the nearby Leigh one is now my local go-to. Use it or loose it as they say. But boy, it's evident most of us enthusiasts getting old - I really noticed it today. Brit15

As discussed many posts earlier. Castlefield corridor is a problem which will take many years and many £millions to address. No spare capacity exists (except for the multi million £ Castlefield curve white elephant round to Man Victoria, currently one train per hour (Airport to Redcar). The Manchester / Bolton / Preston lines are very busy, local stopping trains also so no use for fast long distance expresses. Also the newly (soon) electrified route via Wigan NW joins via one platform at Wigan on the wrong side, again no use for fast trains. Real bottleneck going north (Wigan NW to Euxton), much discussed on here a while ago. Liverpool to Man Airport via Bank Quay Low Level, Won't happen, the area floods, its very curvy hemmed in by existing housing (much new) and the river. Many, many £millions that nobody has (Pensioners maybe ?). High Legh to Man Airport etc fine, but from there to and through Warrington and to provide a suitable fast connection to the WCML northbound (south of Bank Quay High Level) will not be not easy or cheap. This line will also need to cross the Manchester Ship canal (therefore high up) cross the Mersey then dive down to meet the Bank Quay Low Level lines at some point in this very built up area. I know this area well having worked in the area for over 20 years (Gas distribution), it ain't easy. Lets see some plans, detailed ones. Brit15

Yes we need to see an outline plan that does not have "Capstan Full Strength" printed on the back !! Brit15

From the above link, High Legh is in the middle of nowhere, just to the east of the M6 / M56 junction. Neither the WCML (over 7 miles) or the Crewe-Manchester line (10 miles around Wilmslow) are anywhere near it, also 7 miles from the airport. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.349528,-2.4697517,13.09z?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDkxMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D Is High Legh where Boris's "back of fag packet" Liverpool, Warrington, Man Airport, Yorkshire "Northern Powerhouse" line is planned (BTW I've never seen a decent plan for this, has anyone got a link to one ?). And it will be of no use for the important WCML trains to Scotland either, unless the Golborne spur is brought back. A very posh and expensive area is High Legh, so it won't be cheap. Perhaps another cull of pensioners will be required. Brit15

He has said nothing, but it will be interesting to see what, if anything, he says about HS2 in the coming months. Brit15

Oh! Mr Starmer, what shall I do? I want to go further than Birmingham Now they're not taking me on to Crewe, Take me back to Wormwood Scrubs , as quickly as you can, Oh! Mr Starmer, what a silly girl I am. Brit15

Like or dislike HS2, whatever your politics are etc there is a lot of very impressive and excellent cutting edge civil engineering going on at the moment keeping many people in employment in both the construction and supply side. I am impressed with these videos on this thread but it is a shame so much of HS2 has been postponed or cancelled. Brit15

These sites may be of interest. https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/24050651.looking-back-memories-bradford-forster-square-station/ https://davidheyscollection.myshopblocks.com/pages/david-heys-steam-diesel-photo-collection-51-aire-valley-line-3 http://lostrailwayswestyorkshire.co.uk/Bradford.htm As to loft / garage layouts I have both. Pros & cons for each but generally mid summer I'm in the garage, mid winter in the loft !! Brit15

Look on ebay etc for a suitable railway cast iron bridge numberplate. Brit15

I agree entirely. A couple of weeks ago I had a 4 day in 8 "Freedom of the North West" rover ticket, great value for a railcard holder at £63.95 (£16 / day). The Settle & Carlisle, Cumbrian Coast, Bentham line (Leeds - Lancaster) are still very scenic, but as you say you are trapped in a (sometimes) full DMU with everyone farting around with their mobiles etc. Yap Yap Yap !!! The lines across to and around Leeds / West Yorkshire seem particularly overgrown, little to see nowadays, no sidings, signal boxes and other railway paraphernalia (The LMS speed signalling at Mirfield is much missed !!). And the trains, some old, some new, some good, some bad. (TPE - Trans Pennine Express 802's on Liverpool-Newcastle with goddam awful iron board seats). I found the class 158 DMU about the best, along with the TPE units on the Man Airport Huddersfield stopper and the Redcar services. The new northern DMUs on Barrow to Man Airport services are also well designed and nice, but the yap yap tap tap brigade were there also. I was lucky, most trains ran on time and I just about made all my sometimes tight connections, (but with a rover I always had a plan B for any missed trains !!). I must say that I found all staff of Avanti, TPE & Northern were helpful and friendly. Most interesting station - Carlisle Nicest stations - All from Carlisle down to Skipton Busiest Station - Leeds City virtually constant movement Worst Station, Manchester Victoria wrong trains indicated, yap&tappers confused, and a constant smell of very unhealthy diesel fumes. 10 minutes is too long there. Shortest station stay, Lockerbie, 3 minutes !!! Lancaster - Lockerbie, Lockerbie - Bolton on TPE. There are some handy long distance trains around these days. As to when did the traditional railway become the modern railway, I would suggest 1968, end of steam. Brit15

The Yanks do it bigger and better, with FIVE locos, and the shunter doesn't bat an eyelid !! Watch the loco frames flex. Brit15

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And don't forget to add Vat on the increased fuel duty - a double whammy !! I'm glad my high mileage days are over, there is definitely a current WW3 against the cash cows motorists. Brit15

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