APOLLO

Watch from 33.08. A bit gruesome but this is what rail staff have always had to put up with. The incident and passenger evacuation was seemingly well managed in this case. The whole film is worth watching. in many ways the modern railway has improved, but perhaps not in every area. I'm sure most railway staff on the front line these days do there very best. The world has indeed changed. Brit15

Oliver's last mainline run yesterday. Brit15

In Japan they built a new major two runway airport in the sea. I'm sure that an adequate sea wall can be built at Dawlish. Brit15

I've just received the latest "Forward" magazine No 195 March 2018 (The journal of the great central Railway society). There is an excellent article "A railway modeller looks at the BR O4's" by Keith Parkin, which describes the details of the sub classes, along with photos of his O4 models, which are superb. Of interest to Tony in the same issue is an article "Memories of Kiveton Park station" describing daily B pilot goods traffic workings in 1964 /5. Another interesting subject. Brit15

Goole ? - Trains for "The Northern Powerhouse" lines hopefully !!!!!! Brit15

I model the "rareley modelled era" 1965 - 1968, You CAN have (nearly) it all, Steam, green & blue diesels, maroon, green & blue grey coaches, air braked 100 ton wagons and 4 wheeled unbraked minerals etc etc. I was a young lad back then and that era was definitely NOT boring. Tons of infrastructure was still around also, everywhere, ancient, old, recent and brand new, mostly all intermingling. There is even a whole thread here on RMweb about it. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/52572-why-is-this-so-rarely-modelled/ As to magazines splitting, perhaps not. The above "era" would probably cross any era divide. I like to see "modern image" layouts, which can be from the 60's to the present. Not that I model them, my cut off date is 1968 - and there was quite alot of blue around 65 - 68 as a trawl through the above thread will reveal. Don't forget blue / grey kicked off in 1964 with D1733 & the XP64 stock - a hell of a long time ago !! Model this and you'll get some comments !!!! Brit15

Yes I remember the article. It was a 47. Bob had difficulty finding suitable motors and if I remember correctly he found Strombecker motors used in model racing cars worked as they had a freewheel facility when current was off. A full article is in one of the old 1970 mags. This is interesting about Bob. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Symes I have the mag somewhere, I'll try to dig it out. Brit15

Tomorrow is a pile of 1970's "Model Railroader" mags, several cups of coffee also !!! Brit15

Snow ? - Been sat at home all day, feet up, several cups of tea and a stack of old 1950's "Railway Modellers" !! Brit15

I shall miss them thundering up and flying down Boars Head bank, Wigan in the wee small hours. (That's the hours when I get up for a small wee !!!). Brit15

Found this on Google, scroll down a bit http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/raf-binbrook-history-a-documented-visit-photographs Such a waste. Brit15

Ahh !! Meccano and cranes. Only thing I ever built was cranes - but never had anything like enough bits to make one of those. My dad also used to pinch bits to repair things - his old Mk 7 Jag had more Meccano in it than my set !! Brit15

I can't help with the Q6 but early emblems lasted well into the 60's, and some loco's were withdrawn with them. Here is a photo of a 2-6-4 tank with the early emblem hauling Blue / Grey coaches out of Bradford in August 1967. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/52572-why-is-this-so-rarely-modelled/page-11&do=findComment&comment=683432 Brit15

Boeing 777 ? Brit15

You can buy an "Uncle Joes Mintball" flavoured vodka in Bar revolution King St Wigan (backs onto the L&Y line) - tastes really nice but you can't buy it anywhere else so I am told. Keep up the good work Kev, Take care of yourself and be well soon. Brit15

I still have my old Tri-ang TT yellow lapel badge as in your train sets. Long time ago since I opened my Jinty + 2 suburban coach set - 1959 I think. Still have them but the box long gone. Nice to see them and good luck with the R.O.D. - looks a nice loco. Brit15

Brit15

It's a long time since I flew to the states - first time was with Caledonian, twice with BA - all were good back then (late 80's-90's). We regularly fly to Thailand and have tried quite a few airlines & routes (via various changes in Europe) - no real complaints but I absolutely hate Heathrow and try to avoid at all costs. We now fly Emirates Manchester - Dubai (7 & a half hours) then a 2-3 hour wait and on to Bangkok (6 hours). The mid journey break is most welcome, and Dubai airport is clean, new, well signed and plenty of shops etc to browse. If you are flying on to OZ the second flight (to Sydney) is a nearly 14 hour non stop slog. Emirates fly from Birminghan also to Dubai so there may be a better departure option. I like the A380 - a superb aircraft (even in cattle class). Re Trolleybuses, Wigan did not have any but nearby Hindley did - the old LUT (Lancashire United Transport) and it's predecessor SLT (South Lancashire Transport). They finished in 1958 as everything was time worn, buses replaced the trolleybuses. Quite a large network to Leigh, St Helens Hindley Atherton Walkden and Manchester. http://lths.lutsociety.org.uk/library/PDF-010-1.pdf Just why the Trolleybus fell out of favour I do not know. They would be superb today, especially with today's technology just the main route needs to be wired, batteries taking over in city & town centres. Little infrastructure needed, just string up wires from lamp posts, no digging the street up to lay tracks etc etc. Quiet clean and green(ish !!). Bring back the trolleybus !!!! Brit15

My dad always used Redex in his cars, most garages had a dispenser at the side of the pumps - all this before self serve became the norm. His cars never had engine problems though they just rusted away !! Brit15

Bob, float your track on a bed of reeds like Stephenson did at nearby Chat Moss. The Liverpool Manchester line, recently electrified still floats over the moss today. Perhaps a too heavy / solid foundation on top of a slope isn't the answer. A viaduct perhaps ? Whatever - best wishes. Brit15

Those seats look VERY uncomfortable and uninviting - a virtually straight back, thinly padded, badly recovered with crumples etc. Brit15

Rampant vegetation growth on and around our railways nationwide is an ever increasing nuisance to both rail operators and photographers / observers. To me it has become ever worse and seemingly unmanaged over the last 20 years or so. I often wonder the causes - economic cutbacks, global warming = more CO2 = more rampant growth - reduced effectiveness of weedkiller due to legislation, etc. I don't really know but here alongside the WCML just north of Wigan it certainly is a noticeable problem. We received letters from Network Rail the other year regards tree pruning, and they held a meeting in a local church hall explaining what - where - why. The work was done - just the big trees etc getting close to the overhead wires etc, but the growth will be back, and with a vengence if my back garden is used as a guide !! Nice to see your "virtually" tree-less Little Bytham Tony, just like it used to be. Brit15

Hump (sorting) yards also closing in the USA. More and more unit trains. http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2017/03/22-csx-to-close-down-tilford-hump-yard-in-atlanta Brit15

I recognize the road, It's Wigan Lane just down from where I live. It's changed a bit - and car batteries aren't four quid anymore !! https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.5523446,-2.6276404,3a,75y,149.86h,90.29t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUl3ISTUgJg_fQzNhwTPjxA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 Shame about the Rover, new bonnet wing and bumper she'll be as good as new !!. Brit15

I was in San Francisco the week before the big earthquake in October 1989. We were staying at the Holiday Inn in the centre of town, fairly high up. I noticed and remarked a couple of times that "This building is shaking slightly" during our stay. hardly noticeable, but there seemed to be minute movements now and again. I wasn't over bothered till we came home a week later and the big one occurred. frightening thing was the bridge and freeways that collapsed we were driving over days ago. The Hotel together with most modern structures seemed not to be damaged - I don't really know as this was all pre internet (for me at least). There seems to be trouble brewing around the ring of fire around the pacific, and California (along with many other places) live with the threat of another big one day to day. Perhaps we are very lucky here in the UK with our comparingly minor events. Brit15