APOLLO

Good question. I am not knowledgeable regarding Steel, but I doubt specialist steels can be made from recycled steel of many grades, contamination and former purpose. For instance new nuclear submarines are under construction at Barrow. No doubt special steel needed for the hulls which I doubt would be a recycled product. And steel from China is very questionable regarding quality, especially construction steel. https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/yorkshire-industrialist-sir-andrew-cook-calls-for-wholesale-ban-on-unsafe-chinese-steel-imports-3250370 https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/steel-producers-warn-on-chinese-rebar Recycle yes, but quality steel (which we currently manufacture) is THE problem when we soon cease production. Brit15

I see it as another nail in the coffin of British industry. We will all be living in caves soon (that we will not own) but we WILL be happy !!!!!! Brit15

With two wars going on right now with no end in sight, and one of those seriously affecting trade through the Suez canal etc I think it is lunacy to even think about ending UK steel production. Brit15

Send that message to India, China, USA, Russia and Australia who supply both India and China with many millions of tons of Iron Ore & Coal (Russia and the USA have ample supplies of both, AND intend to use it). I agree re recycling though I would not like to be on a HS2 train riding at 225mph on rails made by recycled Heinz bean tins though. Ever warming world ? - Minus 6 this morning here in Wigan. I'm getting thoroughly sick of the green agenda being thrust down my throat while the rest of the world do next to nothing AND take all our industry etc with it's inherant CO2 etc emissions. We in the UK will be industrially impotent very soon, and financially insolvent very soon after. Think carefully. Brit15

This carbon footprint milarkey will reduce us all to cave dwellers without a wood fire at the entrance !!!!!!!!!!! I wonder where HS2 rails will be made, or will HS2 be paved over and used as a busway to save yet more money ? Brit15

In the gas industry we were always busy Feb & March with mains diversions / mains renewals prior to road resurfacing etc for various local authorities who had to spend money (or loose it) before the start of the next financial year, usually April. Brit15

The whole HS2 project is now a fiasco. In fact all of our railways are now a fiasco. So very sad and humilitating. It could have been so very different. Brit15

Brit15

My late father was a press photographer for the Wigan Observer, a local newspaper. I still have a few of his beloved cameras, Rolleiflex, Mamiya, and other lesser known makes. Most are 8 or 12 on 120 roll film. He disliked 35mm but acknowledged it's usefulness. I wonder what he would have thought of todays digital cameras. I'm sure he would have got used to it. Dad and his Rolleiflex, an image created by his apprentice. The Wigan Observer weekly paper he worked for had a half page photo every week featuring an aspect of Wigan Life. The photo below is my favourite. Rylands Sidings on the WCML, this spot is about 100 yards from where I type. Lots more of Dad's (and my) photos on my Flikr site below. Brit15

Anyone spot the mouse ? Superb little video, thanks for posting. Brit15

You got to ac-cent-tchu-ate the positive E-lim-i-nate the negative And latch on to the affirmative Don't mess with Mr. In-between You got to spread joy up to the maximum Bring gloom down to the minimum And have faith, or pandemonium Liable to walk upon the scene Brit15

Explained here, £25 or so more expensive than cheapest fare. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/lner-flexible-ticket-70-minutes-london-kings-cross-edinburgh-b1132588.html#:~:text=LNER launches 70-minute flexible ticket for passengers who miss their train&text=Passengers who miss their train or want to travel earlier,in ticketing launched on Tuesday. Do LNER laugh at their customers (and the Government) like Avanti ? https://novaramedia.com/2024/01/15/free-money-executives-at-failing-train-company-joke-about-making-money-at-the-taxpayers-expense/ Slides from the Avanti West Coast presentation Rip off Britain, AKA Treasure Island. Brit15

Interesting but look at the route, not many if any "politically safe & secure" countries. The local "bad uns" will still hold the west hostage. Brit15

The future ? Who knows but well worth a watch. This is real, AI next ? (God help us). Brit15

This would be an interesting time machine day out, only a couple of miles away. I would need a tin hat, gas mask, clogs, flat cap, knotted scarf and next doors Whippet !!!!!! I could visit my Grandma for a cup of tea, she lived 3 doors up from Belle Green Lane level crossing. Grandad was over in France back then in the Army. Wonder what she would think of my digital phone / camera !! Then again, perhaps not as my Mum was not yet born !!! Brit15

“This exciting new pilot is the next step in our plans to overhaul complicated and outdated ticketing options and we look forward to hearing feedback from our customers" Exciting ? Brit15

Similar to the Leigh exhibition I mentioned some posts back, a hot sunny sunday when I visited, 10 Sept 23. But there was worse, far, far worse. The enemy of Wigan Warriors Rugby League club, Leigh Leopards had won the RL Challenge Cup at Wembley (Leigh 17, Hull KR 16). a couple of weeks earlier and were celebrating and parading the cup at their stadium alongside the exhibition venue. A happy day for the Lobby Gobblers (Leighers) and they were rightly happy & proud. Grrrrrrrr !!!! (I'm a Wiganer) Looking forward to this years Leigh exhibition, September 14/15th at Leigh Sports Village. Come on Wigan, Digitus Extractum !!!!! Brit15

Yes that was my first £100+ (just) loco, but worth every penny, still a superb runner. But my later fifty odd pound from dear old Hattons Hornby Railroad 9F's (several) are very good also. Better value ? - Perhaps. At the age of 71 and a lifelong buyer of models, though new releases may tempt, I have decided recently that I have quite enough stuff. Thats more or less it for me on new release models. How many more "Boomers" (old gits !!) like me are cutting back on purchases as they age ? Hardly mentioned in this interesting thread. The cost of living crisis does not help, especially for new / young hobbyists. Model Railways as a hobby will survive and prosper, but perhaps not in ways we might wish or want. Brit15

Brit15

For me, the above post just about sums up in a few words the situation regarding our hobby, exhibitions, manufacturers, retailers etc. We are, and will see, (as always throughout time) change. We all need to support our hobby, when we can, positively through these changes. It's not all bad news. I miss my own local exhibition, Wigan, an always excellent one I have attended for many years. But 8 or so miles from me away is Leigh, and in 2022 (my first visit) and again in 2023 they held a quite excellent exhibition at the Leigh Sports Village, a 2 day event with free parking, around a fiver entry, and a good selection of both interesting layouts and traders, many local(ish). There was a smattering of non railway modelling also, good stuff it was too. The venue seemed just about "the right size". I am looking forward to the next one, around September. Brit15

Interesting Video. Has this chap retired, the one who passed ? Brit15

What a superb model locomotive. Below is a painting by S.G. Hughes, a locomotive of the 'Novelty' type on the St.Helens and Runcorn Gap railway crosses the Liverpool and Manchester Railway over Sutton's two-span Intersection Bridge. This was the first bridge in the world where one railway crossed another railway. The locomotive is hauling coal wagons to the docks at Widnes and beneath it, heading towards Manchester, is a 'Rocket' type locomotive. A nice layout or diorama idea. What a wonderful bridge that is. Hmmmm, shall I ? The St Helens & Runcorn Gap railway, little known as it was mainly a grotty (very) industrial line throughout the years. The Liverpool & Manchester sold some early locomotives to the St Helens & Runcorn Gap railway though Tiger doesn't appear in the list below, "Novelty" does. I wonder what happend to Tiger ? More info. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Liverpool_and_Manchester_Railway_locomotives https://www.suttonbeauty.org.uk/suttonhistory/transport/ https://8dassociation.org/the-st-helens-and-runcorn-gap-railway/ A very interesting book, has lists of all locos used, some were ex L&M etc. Brit15

Who would want to be in (or dare enter) UK retail in 2024 ? Is there a shortage of money ? - Apparently not reading of the current Hattons sale. But most are bargain hunting. But in general, many people have cut back on non essential shopping, and it's the dead period just after Christmas. Is there a shortage of stock ? - Well China (who make most things) are going through a difficult time apparently. But shops I saw today seemed well stocked. W H Smith had a good selection of Railway & Modelling Mags, including USA mags. Is there a shortage of Shoppers ? - My trains and trams today were well patronised with shoppers (travelled off peak both ways). Bank interest rates, Rent, Business Rates, Wage Bills, Tax, Energy and other overheads ? - All expensive these days and increasing. Not good for any business owner. But I agree, On line retaiers (Amazon etc) are taking over. I'm getting fed up of saying to the twins when a van pulls up outside and I hear a knock on the door, "Here's Mr Bezos, the world's (second ?) richest man, invite him in for a cup of tea" !!!!! Yet Hattons are (were) a mainly on line retailer, with a large and seemingly loyal customer base and worldwide customers. Perhaps they saw the writing on the wall (A few years ago, Walton Prison, Liverpool, painted on the wall, Appearing soon, Ken Dodd !!). They have decided to bail out and close the business in an orderly and honourable way. Brit15

Had a trip to The Trafford Centre at Manchester today, a large modern shopping & leisure centre just out of the City. Footfall seemed pretty decent for a January Tuesday, but what WAS noticeable after my last visit early last year was the increased amount of empty and vinyld over shop units, some quite large ones too. A couple of shops had sales "Everything to go" - very sad. I bought a couple of Railway mags from WH Smith (we lost ours in Wigan a while ago), a walk round the boring (to me) other shops, a burger and a pint then the tram back to Manchester Vic & train home. The weather was cold but sunny and bright (hence the day out) - very unusual for Manchester !! Retail (all descriptions, not just model shops) seems to be dying a slow death everywhere. As to my home town Wigan - err, that's why I went to Manchester. The Galleries, Wigan. Built 1988, 60 retail units. Demolition currently in progress, to be replaced with housing and a small leisure facility. A shame it could not have been repurposed, but such is life. Lets all hope for brighter retail news as 2024 progresses. Brit15

Memories. 180 Smithdown Road. Small shop front but seemed to go on forever inside. Second shop just down the road - much bigger. Widnes shop / warehouse This in the Liverpool Echo https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/hattons-model-railways-announces-closure-28411645 Brit15