APOLLO

I loved the grot of the 50's, 60's and 70's. Born and bred in south Wigan just behind the right hand "coolie" in this photo urban grot was absolutely everywhere. It was part and parcel of life. Everything back then was powered by coal & steam, the railways, said gas and electricity works, the countless cotton mills, iron works, again countless engineering works, coal mines etc, even my primary school was heated by a huge coke fired boiler. Yes we had pea soup thick smog in winter, no central heating, ice on the inside of windows etc. Along with the rapidly vanishing steam locomotives I also liked the new diesels back then because they were clean and new. Little did I know my world of grot was rapidly disappearing. It took time to "get clean" and the clean air act helped. Starting work in 1969 at "The Gas Board" I saw the end of coal gas production at Wigan, the introduction of clean natural gas and in my apprenticeship helped to fit countless gas fires, replacing coal fires. Happy years. Would I like to return to that era - Hell No ! - but I fondly remember - and try to model it. Difficult to model is such "atmosphere" Cough, cough, Brit15

Allan have you seen these sites re the interesting area you write about (interesting for me as a "regular" Finsbury Park 34G visitor in the late 60's early 70's. A rough area but full of railway interest back then - Deltics and semaphore signals !!. http://www.abandonedstations.org.uk/Northern_Heights_1.html Wibbles fantastic "Hornsey broadway" layout http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/7989-hornsey-broadway/ The EM site featuring the above http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/layout_hornsey.html There are some links at the bottom of the above site that may be of interest. Brit15

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Alan does this help ?. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fiy6kiLyE-k Brit15

In 1963 aged 11 I started travelling around by rail with my train mad elder brother. That year we holidayed at Ilfracombe, and traveled down to Halwill Jcn & Padstow via Torrington. Also went to Dulverton / Tiverton & Hemyock - all by steam (well, an occasional diesel). As I was young, the shiny green new diesels where the bees knees to me, I remember being at Chester on the day of the last castle hauled Birkenhead - Paddington train. A brand new shiny, humming Brush 4 (Cl 47) in a bay platform was the star for me, even got invited into the cab. All the old GWR farts were on the other platform crowded round the Castle !!. Later we trawled the last of steam in Lancs & Yorks, with the occasional holiday special (The S&D Bath-Evercreech Jcn in 1966). We were on one of the last Jubilee hauled Leeds Glasgow trains in August 1967 - "Alberta" - pity she was not preserved. Not all were glamour trips though, I'll never forget an Xmas relief train Manchester - Leeds with a knackered black 5 & dirty worn out coaches - no steam heat & hardly any lighting, 50 min late at Leeds, return connection home missed, cold, wet, hungry, dark. Well the end of steam for me started with the closure of my "home" shed, 8F Springs Branch (Wigan) - not the end of raiway interest for me, as we had a state of the art brand new diesel depot built there. The WCML was being improved (double headed hoovers thundering through Wigan), and was shortly to be electrified in 1973. No, the end of steam was not the end for me, sad as it was. THAT came slowly, in the 1980-90's - it was called SECTORISATION / PRIVATISATION. My loft layout is loosely dated around 1966/7 - Steam, green & blue diesels, a mix of maroon & Blue & grey coaches. Tons of infrastructure, a mix of semaphore & colour light signals, signal boxes galore, a tatty old gasworks, scrapyards, canals with dead dogs floating around , etc. ATMOSPHERE - that's what is missing today. There is even a wonderfil thread on this site about this very "unloved" era. I have some photos on it both prototype & my model railway. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/52572-why-is-this-so-rarely-modelled/page-1 Each to their own though, I find something of interest in every layout I view, whatever it's theme. Brit15

It's more "Nature Watch" than "Train Watch" these days when on a train journey. I never fail to notice the ever abundant and rampant vegetation. I too think of the past when on a train, yes some stations are brighter, cleaner and so are many trains - but for me the magic somehow ain't there (mostly) anymore. Incidentally Network Rail did quite a lot of tree and vegetation removal around Wigan last year, especially around Springs Branch, the depot being made viewable again from Taylors Lane bridge just to the south. I took a visit there the other day (just passing - no camera) - the vegetation is back and seemingly with a vengeance. We need the Yanks to straf our railways with their B52 bombers loaded with "Agent Orange" (a strong herbicide & defoliant) !!. Anyway, the modern image modeler will help keep "Woodland Scenics" in business I suppose !!! Brit15

I did New York to Washington on a "Day return" back in 1991. We went down on "The Montrealer" if I remember correctly. Not very scenic, but it was my first trip on an American train. To me the large Yank stations are lousy, glam glitter & shops "up top" but cramped and dingy train side. Anyhow our few hours in Washington was superb. We walked from the station (which had back then a nice model railroad store !!) to the state Capital Grant Memorial, then down to the Lincoln Memorial. Lots too see along the way, Washington Monument, Constitution gardens, Several museums (we visited the Smithsonian National Space & Air museum). etc. Also The White House is just alongside. Walking round outside we saw a uniformed guard with an Alsatian dog, the dog wore a coat emblazoned "Secret Police" - I remember saying "You've blown your cover Fido" - the guard was not amused !!! I liked New York & Washington - but it's San Francisco for me any day !!! Brit15

Ahh - That's why you model the "Late and Never Early Railway" and not "God's Wonderful Railway" then !!! A link to Lewisham Bills videos mentioned above, the Warship at Marylebone is on the London Termini video. .https://vimeo.com/user5981217 Brit15

Yes those videos are quite fantastic. Warship diesels running into Marylebone with Tim Rose's "Morning Dew" blasting in the background - who needs sound chips !!! Brit15

I always fly with Yorkshire Airlines - eeyup !!! Brit15

I just came across this superb site. Over 39 Thousand old railroad photos, many taken of stations / junctions etc from the rear of trains. https://www.flickr.com/people/barrigerlibrary/ Albums listed in Railroad order https://www.flickr.com/photos/barrigerlibrary/albums I could spend the rest of my life on this site !! Brit15

Over the pond "Model Railroaders" do operation very much like the real thing. Many large layouts have a Dispatcher to control train running via a CTC machine. He (she) doesn't run the trains, but decides which train goes where and when. The CTC machine (Centralised Traffic Control) are based on the real thing - and operate the points / signals / routing. This is Bruce Chub (electronics wizard) and his home made "Sunset Valley" railroad CTC machine. The operator talks to the various "engineers" via telephone or walkie talkie (layouts are sometimes huge). They take operation very, very seriously. Freight car waybills, train orders you name it. It's all bit overboard for me though - I just like to run trains, I also hate switching (shunting), just occasionally splitting trains and re-forming them to add variety. I operate very much the same on my OO loft layout. Brit15

Unfortunately it's not an idea - it's reality from next May - see Government report. I will be having a safety check (AKA MOT) - and will rectify any faults found. Cars made prior to 1960 haven't needed MOT for a while now - seems not to have caused too much upset. Brit15

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Cars over 40 years old will be exempt from MOT test after 20 May 2018 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/644412/government-response-to-exempting-vehicles-of-historical-interest-from-roadworthiness.pdf http://www.evo.co.uk/news/20023/cars-over-40-years-old-now-mot-test-exempt-countach-esprit-and-alfasud-sprint-sneak-in So my 1973 Rover P5B (MOT'd till 27th May 2018) will never need an MOT again. However I intend to take her to my local garage for an annual safety check, up on the ramp etc at the very least. What are your views ? Brit15

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Model railways is / has always been mainly an old fart's hobby. I remember going to the Manchester Model Railway exhibition every year just before Christmas in the Corn Exchange, near Victoria station back in the mid / late 60's. Full of old farts, many smoking cigs & pipes !!!. Most of those will have passed on since then. I never remember seeing too many my age around back then. I was young kid back then, an old fart now (official one to at 65 !!). The hobby will continue, change and progress - as will Hornby. Such is life. Hornby though need to take their finger out - Pecketts especially - they'd sell a million in various liveries, but none to be had - even future variants seem to be sold out. No way to run a "Railroad" !!!!! Brit15

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Why not buy a secondhand computer, for photo viewing / file access spec doesn't need to be very high. I would look for Windows 7 as the oldest O.S. Around here I could buy a decent WIN 7 machine for around £50. (with 3 months warranty) Brit15

I doubt there were ever any set sizes, they seemed to vary in height / length / construction type etc. I googled "coal staithes" and images - lots to choose from ! https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=coal+staithes&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwitmsKu9aLWAhVnIMAKHT_xC_UQsAQIJQ&biw=1280&bih=894 Loads of modelling info on this interesting site http://www.igg.org.uk/rail/7-fops/fo-coal.htm Also http://www.igg.org.uk/rail/8-yards/y-coal.htm Hope this is of help, Brit15

Just widen the wheel gauge with a screwdriver just a tad - worked for me with my old Tri-ang locos (on Peco code 100 points). Brit15

Found this mooching around on Youtube Salvage Squad Scammell Scarab 'Mechanical Horse' Brit15

It will be 1 (one) pre owned Hornby Peckett, poor / incorrect box, chimney and one buffer missing, runs with a limp and a clicking noise. BARGAIN at £150 (plus £4 Yodel- aye-eee-ohh chuck it over your gate fee) !!! Brit15

Reasonable ? - Not in my book. I've just purchased TWO Weaver O gauge covered hopper freight cars. These are big even by O scale standards - 15" long, 4" high, like new and just kadee couplers to add and off they roll. Cost for the pair - £45 incl free postage (ebay). OK they're not new - but they are average price for these on ebay. And folk think O gauge is expensive !! Brit15

Wigan gasworks 1970 - awaiting demolition. https://www.flickr.com/photos/136789710@N03/albums/72157679064568760 A dead gasworks by now, no hissing of steam traps, bangs, thuds, roars etc. The site is still there now in 2017 - so contaminated no one dare build on it !!! Brit15