John M Upton

My office this evening with the 22:00 last one of the night through from Brighton to Portsmouth Harbour.

What is the date for the 2025 event please?

Worth a read, an embarrassing shambles if ever there was one! https://iwobserver.co.uk/5-trains-have-become-4-and-swr-are-buying-wheels-from-a-scrapyard/?fbclid=IwAR1vry428gKVn5e5B_fLS9Zgih7fOtsEbXcLYgEyPueZe6O9afJifGoRrN8

As for offering six hundred sheets for a rest day working, if I took that (wrong TOC for a starter!) that would put me firmly in then next income bracket and pretty much all of it would in effect go waft past my wallet straight to the taxman so I don't think many will bother.

Top dollar for these used to be about thirty five quid, still is in my opinion but I suppose you could add a tenner for the DCC and light fitment although an analogue dinosaur like me would rip all that out anyway.

I tend to find, any seller who pretenciously uses the word 'collectibles' in their username automatically qualifies for membership of the Society of Golden Chislers...

I haven't won anything by auction bidding for months, too many snipe bidders piling in at the last minute and sending things way way over what they are worth at the moment, more so since Hattons threw in the towel (and I am not convinced some of the overpriced S/H on offer on Ebay came from Hattons in the first place, bought purely to sell on at a hefty profit, too many chiselers and hawkers these days for my taste.)

Fifty Five sheets for this Frankenstein wreck? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/326059162953 I appreciate N scale second hand is going for silly money lately but this is a whole new level!!

Not been fitted as part of the Project Aurora upgrade yet. All the 377/1's and 377/4's have been done, the first 377/2 (377202) is due out any day now and when the other 14 377/2's have been done, the 377/3's are next. Anyone seen 377324 around by the way? It seems to have vanished.

Seems like a lot of teddy tossing and willy waving going on. If they want to play with their trainset, the must do it by the rules the same as everyone else.

I used an undecorated one to recreate the unique BR Black Large Logo version:

I picked up a Dance Hall brake van at Ally Pally as planned: For an N scale model, it's a big old thing! Now, has anyone worked out how to get the body off yet?

Looking at the show guide plan, and the background of that photo, it seems to be in the place occupied by the Double O Gauge Association. Other than that, no details listed.

I wouldn't rule it out!

Took this at Ally Pally this morning: How long did these last? Tempted by one or two as tatty internal users.

Just left after an enjoyable visit. Sunday definitely quieter and far less hassle than my previous year's Saturday visits but the downside was that the second hand stock had been well and truly plundered compared to last year and the train service up from the Sussex coast is pretty abysmal. Lose the bag search nonsense, utterly pointless and quite frankly as any form of anti terrorist measure, completely useless. Do feel the layout of stands and layouts, particularly in the main hall needs a complete refresh, lots feel like that they have been just plonked down and there was no real cohesion between the various stands. Every year it seems notable who isn't there, Dapol no longer attending was a big loss as far as I am concerned (half my shopping list effectively wiped out) but noticeable how those small new entry manufacturers now have big professional stands and a friendly approach which is refreshing. Will I go again next year? Trouble is, most of the traders I used to visit Ally Pally for have gone, Dapol being about the last one of my must visit traders so, somehow I think, after twenty or twenty five years, I have visited my last Ally Pally show.

....and indeed, many never bother. I personally find nagware that pesters me to leave feedback on any site, not just ebay has the effect of me being far less likely to do so. People are suffering from Feedback Pester Fatigue I think.

377314 has been put to bed for the night right at the back of Littlehampton Shed.

I didn't realise this. Dapol's discount sales pile was my main retail reason for going this year. Annoying... Any reason for their no show this year?

That is exactly what I was hoping for!!!

What is the subject for Volume 5?

That's a good one, thanks. suggests black cab windscreen surrounds and nose top there. The trouble with most pictures is that they are so covered in grime it is hard to tell what is what. I wonder what that little black stripe on the old head code box is?

Hello I am having trouble establishing the exact colour scheme carried by WHL Class 37/4's that were repainted into Intercity Mainline colours around about 1989 or 1990. Is everything above the white bodyside stripe Exec Dark Grey or is there some black up there, either on the nose tops or around the cab windows?

Have a watch of the old BBC documentary Old, Dirty and Late which is on YouTube I believe. At least one part filmed peak time at Lewisham and its all NSE and blue/grey liveried EPB's.

I know that the WHL had their green/cream Mk1's but did any of the green/cream Mk2's every sneak down there at any point?