Steadfast

Absolutely right on both counts. Several times this year and last there's been comments about cockpit visibility. As for unfit penalties, don't start me... Jo

Well, quite, however as cars get wider and heavier and visibility ever poorer, are we now at a point where track width needs to be considered in relation to the width of the cars, so they can be driven hard and put on the spectacle of being the supposed pinnacle of world motorsport? Driving at 11 tenths will lead to mistakes, passing opportunities, and inevitably action, whereas slowing down to stay on the track because the car's too fat removes that edge. I can't see much changing for next year sadly, especially as Red Bull have just signed the ring up to host the Austrian GP until 2030, so there's no leverage on the behalf of FIA or the promoters to encourage Red Bull to splash the cash and fix it. Jo

The paint is similar ages. 701 repainted 2014, 776 delivered 2015. It's the Eastleigh repaints where the orange tends to turn to desert sand, plus a handful of others like the HNRC 20s. The blue also varies across the GB locos, it isn't just fading. Jo

The JIAs are newer than the CDAs, built 2001. They replaced the earlier 'Clay Tigers'. Word is get the CDAs while you can. Jo

Here's a thought I've just had, if the "desire line" of a flat out car is 6ft or whatever wider, make the track that much wider between 9 and 10. No gravel, and still two wheel mosquito MotoGP friendly and cars shouldn't be racking up 1200 disallowed laps a race. Is this issue with so many cars pushing wider partly a symptom of the cars getting bigger and bigger? Since the whole area is tarmac already, all you're actually doing is moving the painted line out a few feet. Alternatively, fit bollards made of a material that deflects or similar but doesn't damage the cars. Hit one, and you're penalised. They use them in truck racing to prevent corner cutting etc. Alternatively, if they did cause punctures, people would be more inclined to not run wide! Jo

That unbelievable progress. When I last drove through there (admittedly beginning of June) the works being undertaken looked like they were initial clearance works and it'd be months or years before construction commenced. When the block was on the Relief lines I managed to photograph stuff force to use the Mains, as well as the compound near Horfield Jn where they loaded the RRVs with platform sections. Photos and captions linked from my Flickr, from 7th June. The final summer of Cross Country HST operation and the sun shining made it worth sticking around for this one. 43304 leads 43301 on 1E67 Plymouth - Leeds, seen approaching Horfield Junction. The road rail machine is stabled in the possession for the construction of Ashley Down station. This site in Horfield is the location of the compound where the sections to make up the new platforms are loaded up and tripped down to the site, which is between here and Narroways Hill Junction. The Filton Relief Lines were under possession for the construction of Ashley Down station. This site in Horfield is the location of the compound where the sections to make up the new platforms are loaded up and tripped down to the site, which is between here and Narroways Hill Junction 66136 digs into the 1:75 slog up Filton Bank with 4C90 Acton - Tytherington. It looks almost flat in photos, but the gradient doesn't ease until the approach to Filton Abbey Wood. The stop boards on the Reliefs are the Possession Limit Boards for the Possession to allow construction work on the new Ashley Down station to take place. Plus a few other gratuitous "recent Bristol" shots: 165133 sits in the Up platform at Stapleton Road, waiting to allow 165135 coming off the Severn Beach line to cross over in front of it. The guard is about to reboard 165133, as the signal has just cleared, routed up the bank towards Filton. 33029 leads 33025 past Stapleton Road as the pair drop down Filton Bank a few minutes late, working 1Z25 Burton on Trent - Paignton, 'The Crompton Torbay Venturer' It's 66s galore at Stoke Gifford. Freightliner's 66509, 66542, 66547 and 66567 sit in the yard awaiting their next turn of duty, while 66107 sits in the Down Loop at Bristol Parkway with 6A12 Tytherington - Quainton Railhead, a train that runs most Saturdays. Maritime blue 66005 'Maritime Intermodal One' waits time in East Depot with 4C90 from Acton to Tytherington. From there, the train would return to Quainton Railhead, via Acton, with another load of stone for HS2 construction. Blue sky and a blue engine, but surprisingly few photographers out today for this one. Finally, from what used to be ICI Severnside, a scene that's changed rather a lot: Seen shortly after arrival with 6C03 from Northolt, 66115 sits quietly as unloading begins at Severnside. The energy from waste centre here incinerates the refuse to generate electricity. Jo

Prototypes and first builds often differ from the later vehicles in details - 66001 has tail lights wired the reverse of the other 66s, the first MXA Lobster had a red underframe. Perhaps the fibreglass ends didn't let as much light in as hoped so got painted over on the rest, or the type of fibreglass got changed to something stronger and less transparent, or maybe it was... who knows! Without being there, or a written record of a change, we'll probably never know! Jo

The origin will be Grange Sidings, its one of the loading points for the Tarmac contract. Edit, just had a dig on RTT. Here it is, think it went on to Radlett today https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:H04030/2023-06-25/detailed Jo

Thanks for sharing these Bryn, your work and linking the previous video on the thread led to me buying a set of oils to play with. Practice needed, more so, time to practice but my first attempts were a positive start. Jo

It's been a busy few months away from the world of little trains, but a few new products have slipped out recently. First up, the BBA and BAA decals are available from stock. These take a slightly different approach and need cutting out individually from the sheet, but this different print process has given a nice crisp white for the numbering, stencilling etc. 6 packs for the BBAs (3 brown, 3 Railfreight) plus another for brown BAAs. BBA £5 per pack, BAA £7.50. £1.50 UK P&P More info at https://steadfastmodels.wordpress.com/n-1148-baa-bba-wagon-decals/ A new line I've introduced as a trial, self adhesive vinyl layout stickers. Trying to keep prying fingers at bay at exhibitions? Approximately 125 x 80 mm. Sticker shown applied to Wheal Imogen by @The_fatadder £2 per sticker, £1.50 UK P&P per order. Not yet on the website as they made their debut at yesterday's DEMU Showcase show. Orders for both items to steadfastmodels@outlook.com please. The 4mm HYAs aren't far behind, I'll stick a bigger post up once they're packaged for sale. All the best Jo

I believe that is a European thing, seems to have come in to the UK on the 68s and 88s. As previously mentioned, general standard in the UK is radiator end is no. 1 end, though on 59, 66, 67 and 70 the no. 1 end is the non radiator end. This comes from US locos only having one cab, and this being away from the radiators. Double cab locos run (generally) indiscriminately in each direction so you can make forwards on your model whatever way you want it to be. Jo

Yes likewise Paul, it was great atmosphere on the way up, definitely added to the day! Jo

On the Voyager on the way home from my first Showcase in years. Really enjoyed the show, Cracking layouts and great to catch up and put a few new faces to names. Jo

Now I've got access to the laptop again, here's some pictures to illustrate. Wagons fitted with buffers were renumbered into the 330xxx series, retaining the original three digits, so 310381 became 330381 for example. Most, if not all, buffer fitted HTAs have the bufferbeam painted yellow and shorter air pipes fitted. Most seem to have the bufferbeam at the buckeye end painted yellow too. First up 330381, fitted with rectangular buffers, which I think are the same style as fitted to MOA Swordfish - the standalone extras built with screw couplers both ends. These have the outer body of the buffer move over the inner shank - i.e. the skinny bit is at the wagon end of the buffer. I believe this is the style the original buffer fitted HTA conversions took, it being the later wagons with square ovals. Of note, the MBA (and consequently MCA Swordfish) have similar looking buffers, but these are of a reverse construction, so the buffers move within the out body, i.e. the skinny bit is buffer head end. Next up, the standard Oleo 'square ovals' as fitted to class 59, 60, 66 etc. This sample is 330707. I beleive the 'sqaure oval' fitted wagons were later conversions. Finally, here's a few pictures of 330472. 'Sqaure ovals' again, but a different style of buffer shank body. Hope that's of interest. Jo

I can't help with suppliers (wrong scale for me I'm afraid!) but if you're planning on fitting buffers to HTAs, some had the Oleo made 'square ovals' like 59s, 60s and 66s carry. Other HTAs gained rectangular buffers, worth checking prototype pics when choosing prototypes to model. Jo

Thanks Rob! Al @D6775 if you like the look of Rob's National decals, feel free to drop me an email to steadfastmodels@outlook.com and we can have a chat about what you need. I should be able to modify the artwork easy enough. Emails might take a few days to reply to as I'm on leave at the moment, and we've got a few days away etc. Jo

Ah righto. Top stuff Jo

Looks like the first freight could be 4M65 from Southampton Maritime. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:CUM/2023-06-09/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=freight&order=wtt 4M99 looks like it could be the next one after. Everything else looks cancelled. No loaded Mendips yet! Jo

More stone for HS2, Tytherington last week loading for Quainton. Linked from my Flickr if you want to see it big! Former Euro Cargo Rail 66032, returned to UK spec after its time in France, is seen sat in Tytherington Quarry as the shovel goes off to get one of last load of stone to finish the train off. It is amazing how quickly two of those Liebherr machines can fill a train. The loco has been run round, the train has been brake tested and is ready to roll, running as 6M58, the 01.53 departure for Quainton Railhead. Samsung S10 on Night Mode, still impressing me with its image quality. Jo

Brilliant. Love a bit of Green Day, I'd never heard that before. Thanks for the education! Jo

The other thing to bear in mind is the markers appear to flicker on camera due to the refresh rate of the LEDs not matching the shutter speed. https://flic.kr/p/2owtVb6 https://flic.kr/p/2ogsjhQ This shows how variably these clusters cab photograph in daylight. All 3 markers and both headlights were lit in both photos. I can confirm, because I was driving 66005 on both occasions. Jo

Towards the camera. The lights are lit, but these current spec BMAC clusters don't always look lit when viewed side on. You can see some white in both headlights and the LED markers look lit. Jo

One from about 12 hours ago. Former Euro Cargo Rail 66032, returned to UK spec after its time in France, is seen sat in Tytherington Quarry as the shovel goes off to get one of last load of stone to finish the train off. It is amazing how quickly two of those Liebherr machines can fill a train. The loco has been run round, train brake tested and ready to roll, running as 6M58, the 01.53 departure for Quainton Railhead. Samsung S10 on Night Mode, still impressing me with its image quality. Jo

And get a one arm sun tan 😄 I'm working on evening it up now, right arm tan in the car, left arm tan on the loco. Jo

Ah, but 66509 was actually moving over the points (note crew in cab) and into the depot, so that doesn't really count. To be honest, only two of the locos are "sheds"; two are 59s. But there were two other "sheds" out of shot to the left. There is the typical "random wheelset lying around" visible though... Particularly on a night shift you'll have locos stacked up on shed, potentially fouling pointwork. You'll get 3 locos in clear on each shed road (1.5 locos in the shed), one on the stump and a couple by the wagon shops. If that's all full, I've known locos sat by the bridge too. I think 11 was my maximum when I was down there. I've known a loco on the stump be blocked in by those stabled on the shed road nearest the camera. The curvature onto the shed is so tight, locos have to be split before going on so as to remove the buffer lock risk. If the loco is a dead duck, wind the coupling right out and the fitters assist. Chaos at Whatley, I don't miss it! Many was the time a call was made to loco control to say the booked 59 is blocked in, we're having the one at the front rather than a 2 hour shunt. Jo