APOLLO

Sometimes as far as back scenes are concerned, less is more (and easier to do). I'm not a great fan of the near perfect photo print diorama type - but I have seen some excellent ones. I suppose it's horses for courses and personal opinion. This one off this site And this off the web - an interesting City scene, winter as no leaves on the trees. I like the winter sky. Brit15

I arranged one of those fish pedicures for the wife as a Christmas present. The results were fantastic. Those Piranhas certainly don't mess around !!. Brit15

Didn't a brand new class 800 did the same the other week on the GW main line ? Brit15

I remember Shipley MRS's layout "Leicester South GC" layout has a very atmospheric backscene, anyone any photos ? Brit15

Black coffee !! Brit15

Tony - Year 1957 Location Little Bytham Brit 15 - Year 1900 Location Springs Branch Wigan. What's your settings ? Brit15

A nice drink, better tasting than Jagermeister. £10 / bottle at Asda a few weeks ago. CHEERS !!! Brit15

I remember back in the late 80's the coal trains from Parkside Colliery to Fiddlers Ferry had 2 reversals at Warrington (Walton & Arpley). Trains from Bickershaw had 3 reversals (Springs Branch & the other two) Usually 2 x 20 hauled, a (successful) experiment was performed by putting a Class 20 at each end of the MGR train, "talking" to each other via radio control - only one train crew required. I remember seeing this train at Walton. Don't know the numbers of the locomotives. Very versatile locos and much missed around the North West. (as is the traffic they hauled). Brit15

As well as your wonderful "Little Bytham" book Tony, I got a set of secondhand bound volumes of "Railway Modeller" magazines from 1959 to 1970 (to replace the incomplete and tatty selection I had) from Ebay. What wonderful reads they are. Back in the 60's (my TT days), Proprietary Modeller and Railway of the Month were always my favourite articles. I suppose I still am a good case of a modern proprietary modeller, especially my loft layout. Many of the "Railway of the Month" articles back then (as you write) display a lot of scratch / kit built items of varying standards. To me David Jenkinsons "Marthwaite" and his subsequent layouts set the ball rolling back around 1964 for detailed layouts. We have never looked back from then as far as both detailed layouts and proprietary equipment goes (along with healthy mixes of the two). I wonder what folks back then would think of your "Little Bytham" layout ? As to pet hates, I agree with your list, mine are few. What I find particularly annoying, and spoils many a good layout is the often un-disguised "hole in the back scene" entrance / exit to the fiddle yard etc. In many cases a few trees etc would help disguise it. I find modern tension locks are rubbish, as are hauling capabilities of many RTR locos, mainly due to lack of weight, but these two problems I reckon are not present with your fine kit built locos. As to driving, never forget the Queens Highway is for all to use, Pedestrians (crossing), Horses, Steam Tractors, Cyclists, Caravans, cars, HGV's etc etc. If we all drove with respect to others than all would be fine. Finally a Happy, Peaceful and Prosperous New Year to all. Brit15

One of these. Brit15

Want HST performance where there are no wires ? Easy, bolt a couple of Jet engines on top !!!! Brit15

Long reach screwdrivers are VERY handy. I use my phillips head one quite a lot. Brit15

Ohh my God --- It's full of Stars !!!!!!!!!! Brit15

When You're A Marine I was standing at the bar at the VFW one night minding my own business. This FAT ugly chick came up behind me, grabbed my behind and said, "You're kinda cute. You gotta phone number?" I said, "Yeah, you gotta pen?"... She said, "Yeah, I got a pen". I said, "You better get back in it before the farmer misses you." Cost me 6 stitches . . . but when you’re a Marine--- who cares? ********** I went to the drug store and told the clerk "Give me 3 packets of condoms, please." Lady Clerk: "Do you need a paper bag with that, sir?” I said "Nah -- She's pretty good lookin' . . . . . . " When you’re a Marine -- who cares? *********** I was talking to a young woman in the VFW last night. She said, "If you lost a few pounds, had a shave and got your hair cut, you'd look all right.” I said, “If I did that, I'd be talking to your friends over there instead of you.” Cost me a fat lip, but when you’re a Marine -- who cares? ********** I was telling a woman in the Club about my ability to guess what day a woman was born just by feeling her breasts. "Really" she said, "Go on then . . . try." After about thirty seconds of fondling she began to lose patience and said, "Come on, what day was I born?" I said, "Yesterday." Cost me a kick in the nuts, but when you’re a Marine -- who cares? ********* I got caught taking a pee in the swimming pool today. The lifeguard shouted at me so loud, I nearly fell in. When you’re a Marine -- who cares? ********** I went to our NAAFI disco last night and saw a BIG woman dancing on a table. I said, "Good legs." The girl giggled and said, "Do you really think so?" I said, "Definitely! Most tables would have collapsed by now." Cost me 6 more stitches, but when you’re a Marine-- who cares? Brit15

I had a quadruple by pass back in 2011. The cause of my blocked arteries was purely cholesterol build up caused by bad diet over the years (before i got married). In on Sunday, Op Monday, out of intensive care Thursday, home Sunday. I have nothing but praise for the NHS & Wythenshawe Hospital South Manchester - BUT all main meals had to be chosen day before as they were cooked in South Wales & trucked up - the menu was not healthy - chips, pies, sponge pudding custard etc - the stuff my surgeon said had caused my problem in the first place !! - Then around twice a day came the cart selling crisps, chocolate and all the other shyte. Yes I remarked to the staff / surgeon and was told "This is what everybody wants" !!!. Unbelievable. I stuck with Hospital porridge for breakfast (and have kept with that ever since), soup and whatever for the meal. Actually the food was quite good - though "wrong". I now subscribe to the "Harry Secombe" diet, and it's quite simple. Rule 1 Eat whatever you want - BUT eat far less of it, and always leave yourself a little hungry at the end of every meal. Rule 2 If you are not hungry - don't eat & wait till you are - but then always apply rule 1. Simple, and it works (for me). Blo*dy difficult this time of year though !!!!. Brit15

Bought from the Nevada State railroad museum in Carson City, well worth a visit if you are ever nearby. Brit15

Nuquam magna occidens mechanicus constanta perforatai rectum. Brit15

Supping a bottle of Adnams Ghost Ship pale ale.. Bottle says "has a good assertive, pithy bitterness with a malty backbone and a lemon and lime aroma" who writes this stuff !!! Anyway, A it's bit perfumey for me, but not too bad.a taste. 6 / 10. Brit15

One of my Christmas presents was Tony's book "Modelling the East Coast Main Line". Whilst barred out of the kitchen this afternoon whilst cooking was in progress (I can burn water !!) I sat down with a glass and had a quick read. What a lovely, well illustrated and informative book this is. A credit to Tony and his layout. Another book I got, a must for GN / Yorkshire fans is Great Northern Outpost Volume 2 - The Halifax, Thornton & Keighley Railway. All colour, the photos are mostly dated towards the end of these lines in the late 50's / mid 60's when they were in a bit of a sad state, one line only in use, heavily overgrown etc, none the less this is a book (like Tony's) that is hard to put down once you pick it up. There are some quite stunning photos in it. Achievements this year are difficult to show. Mainly maintenance, clearing up, sorting boxes and boxes of stuff - discovering things I bought years ago that I had forgotten about etc. I revised some track work to make operations more realistic, added long awaited point motors to a couple of hard to reach points and a few other such jobs we all keep putting off. Now all that is done I have some stock building to do in 2018, mainly wagons & Kirk LNER coach kits - (A quad art & a twin). On the Loco front - that's about it - I have more than enough (but I have said that before !!), Oh, and detailing, loco lamps, some light weathering etc etc. Never ending isn't it !! Anyway, thanks Tony and all others who make this thread (to me) a real source of inspiration in many matters railway. Have a Happy Christmas all. Brit15

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Wasn't like that back in Jan 1969 on the WCML at Springs Branch - The D400'ers thundered on !! Happy Christmas all. Brit15

Did I spy a diesel ? - Don't forget the graffiti !!! Brit15

Wigan Gas Works 1973. Newly electrified WCML & Wigan NW station top left, Library Street & Town Centre top right. The high level square boxes are the "Oxide Boxes" which cleaned the town gas made here, passed through iron oxide they had to be regularily emptied & oxide changed - a very smelly & polluting job, just a couple of hundred yards from the town centre !! Back then as an apprentice there we were fitting gas fires to replace coal fires domestically in huge numbers - I think a subsidy was available due to the newly amended clean air act. Wigan Gas Works was demolished soon after this photo was taken as we now had "Clean" North Sea Gas. Yes we had pea soup fog back in the 50's & 60's - but they had mostly gone by the early 70's. I suppose getting rid of steam on the railways helped, but as the coal burning mills & factories closed / converted to burn gas, oil or electricity, most homes went over to gas, the towns air quality improved vastly. Brit15

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Happy Christmas and New year to One and All Brit15