APOLLO

Late as usual, Hornb(l)y updated the above set for Christmas. RMWeb won't let me post picture, so here is the link. Note the Xmas additions, Chris Rea MP3, crackers etc. Finsbury Park, Euston, Kings Cross & Paddington station signs are now included, an "angry crowd" sound chip is another £100. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B529ITtCcAAf7-7.jpg:large Brit15

Mirfield LMS Speed signalling. http://www.signalbox.org/signals/lmsspeed.htm http://www.railsigns.uk/sect6page3/sect6page3.html Complicated to say the least. Brit15

2 buses coupled together !! Brit15

This got stuck down our street last week. I'd only ordered a bag of couplings !!! Brit15

Bit of CO2 (and other shyte) being added to the climate here !!! A few years earlier at "The Yard" - The last of steam. Happy Christmas all. Brit15

The current (ever) cheaper price of oil will do our "climate" little good, and will contribute no doubt to it's "change". Why I can now afford a few trips out in my 1973 Rover V8 (at 18mpg) !!!!!!!!!!!!! Let's face it, we have all lost the plot in this ever so tangled politically correct, "green" world, you, me, our "leaders", our "masters". Having worked over 40 years in the Gas industry (gas distribution & planning) all I can see these days is the fog of propaganda and unknown motives, usually political. I never thought I would read this http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30585538 Speaking to the Middle East Economic Survey, Mr al-Naimi said: "As a policy for Opec - and I convinced Opec of this, even Mr al-Badri [Opec secretary general] is now convinced - it is not in the interest of Opec producers to cut their production, whatever the price is. "Whether it goes down to $20, $40, $50, $60, it is irrelevant," he said. The world might not see the oil price back at $100 a barrel again, he added. Something wrong with that last statement my gut feeling tells me (peak oil). If it's true, and it happens, then look forward to 30 degree summers and London (etc) under the sea next century or so, if the Climate change brigade are correct.. As for Tar sands, Fracking etc, Google EROEI (energy returned over energy invested). We are not being told he truth Brit15

And Goebbles had no balls at all !!! Brit15

Book "Celebration of Steam West Midlands" by J B Bucknall (Ian Allan) Page 56 (top) Photo of a GW Pannier tank loco (6422) hauling one ICI bogie tank + Brake Van on 26 April 1957 at Oxley Branch Jcn working the Saturdays only Courtaulds sidings - Oxley sidings train. Caustic Soda mentioned as load. Page 56 (bottom) Photo of GW 2-8-0 No 2850 on a local freight Oxley to Baggeridge Jcn again at Oxley Branch Jcn. Behind loco is a LMS Guards Van, ICI Bogie Tanker, 2 wood open wagons, 2 more ICI bogie tankers and then various wagons disappearing behind a tree !! No further details This off the web - a blue (Hornby Dublo) one http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/lnwrf2075.htm Hope this is of use. Brit15

Yes Anthony_S, the (green) lunatics are running the asylum these days. Have a read at the Didcot power station thread - more stupidity on a mega scale. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/69666-the-end-of-didcot-power-station-a-look-at-the-trains-that-served-it/page-1 Yes the need for the large marshalling yards died when wagonload freight died, yet more short sightedness from our "leaders". Good news to revive at least part of the yard. At least we (Britain) still have a lot of coal "down there". Whether it will become economically / socially / etc viable to mine it again is anyone's guess. By the way, the cheap oil we are currently "enjoying" may well go cheaper - for a time - but it will rise again to over $100 / barrel (and higher) within time - couple of years or so in my opinion. It's all political. But that is a different story indeed. Enjoy cheap oil while you can. Brit15

Plenty of both sizes in Lidl Pemberton Wigan this afternoon. Brit15

I wasn't going to buy a sentinel, but couldn't resist one for around £35 on Hornby's Black Friday sale. What a cracking little loco it is. I look forward to a rod drive version, perhaps to be redone in the Oxfordshire Ironstone / BSC livery as suggested above. http://www.nvr.org.uk/oxfordshire-ironstone-company Brit15

Ahhh, Deltics !! Wigan Grammar School trip to York back in 1966. Did the Cathedral, Railway & Folk museums etc. We were allowed a hour or so on our own, so we decided to bunk York shed, still steam back then, saw a couple of B1's, V2's and K1's, walking up the yard we heard "the noise" - a green (unidentified) Deltic leaving York heading north. What an impression of power. Then back to the minibus and off to Harry Ramsdens chippy !!. In later years I bought an all line 1 week railrover. On Wednesday 25/10/1972 a day trip was Wigan - Euston, The Flying Scotsman 10-00am up to Edinburgh behind 9013 Black Watch. Stood in first coach behind loco all the way - too fast to stick my head out of the window most of the time !! Across to Glasgow (5404 & 5410) and home to Wigan behind 448 to Preston, 1636 to Wigan. Where to tomorrow - back to the Cross of course !!! Deltics - Wonderful machines. Brit15

Time to retire my two Lima J50's to the scrapyard. (at last) !!! Hope they can deliver, in quantity, within their stated time frame. A nice "little dirty black-un" !!! Brit15

I seem to remember that wires on red insulators carried "power" cables, most likely low voltage, for lighting signals etc. Brit15

Red sky at night - Captain Kernow's Delight !! Brit15

I am certainly no expert, but have personally found over the years (and a few digital cameras) that Fuji cameras always render good colours, especially the reds. Canon's reds seem washy, Nikon nearly (but not quite) as good as Fuji. My father was a press photographer, (back in the film days), he swore by Rolleiflex (8 on 120), Mamiya & Canon cameras and Fuji slide colour film. He never saw the digital age, but I often wonder what he would have made of it. Brit15

Interesting railway system. This is a part of the country alas I have never visited. There is reference and a couple of plans / photos of the Lillieshall system, and other nearby industrial / mainlines & branches in the Oakwood Press Book "The Shropshire Union Railway - Stafford to Shrewsbury including the Coalport Branch" by Bob Yate. A really interesting 224 pages for £14.95. This area would make an interesting layout theme. Brit15

That's a very nice GC layout in the making. Are you in the Great Central Railway Society ? Some good info there. http://www.gcrsociety.co.uk/ Brit15

I once got a puncture in a place called Bamfurlong, on the outskirts of Wigan. I pulled into a garage and said, 'Have you got an Airline?' He said, ' off, we've not even got a bus stop'. Brit15

R6615 now £4.99 in Hornbys Black Friday sale - be quick http://www.Hornby.com/shop/black-friday-sale/stewarts-lloyds-27-ton-tippler-wagon.html Brit15

We have been staying in a holiday cottage in Lea (just outside the forest, near Micheldean) every other year for the last 10 or so years, though last year stayed in Goodrich. All our family love the area, the walks, pubs, castles etc in the area and especially the railways (for me). There are also many interesting towns & places nearby to visit also. We have booked again for next July. If you go to Ross on Wye then I recommend the Yaks N Yetis Gurkha restaurant, run by an ex Gurkha and his wife - lovely food & owners- but don't dare run off without paying !!!!!!!!!!!! Brit15

The 5 page article on Bury Thorn Tar Works in December's Railway Modeller is superbly photographed, I can only say that I wish I could model / paint / weather to that standard. It is articles like this that get my modelling mojo back running, with a will to get stuck in and improve my layout / skills. Brit15

A few Brits on freights north of Wigan on my Photo thread here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/67100-apollos-grand-days-out/page-2 Passenger trains with Mk2 Blue / Grey coaches and parcels trains also. Brits were common as muck thru Wigan back in 1966/7 (Wish they still were !!) Brit15

Sing a little song whilst waiting for delivery !! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0degkN3JgTE Brit15

Twelve directors in WH Smith Wigan when I went in today, ten when I left. A nicely painted and lettered loco, with a decent mag and a binder for under £9. The kids have claimed the binders for schoolwork so a saving there. Front bufferbeams on both mine are drooping down abit (see above) - a minor job (I hope). One will adorn my computer unchanged, and the other will be tatified, heavily weathered & live alongside my Kitmaster Garrett in the scrapyard. Brit15