Downendian

Well these are the anhydrous ammonia tanks I mean - rather selfishly because they were regular traffic through Bristol. See video below from 2min 10 sec onwards My how Bristol Parkway has changed. This train used to be a regular diagram Avonmouth to Immingham and vice versa. Neil

As it's almost certainly D821 I've just realised I hadn't seen her since she was languishing at Reading gas works open to the elements in the mid 1970s in tatty banger blue! Neil

It was there when I returned from Heathrow on 31st July, so over a week, and yes it was also coupled to a shunter too. Neil

Agreed, but Wagons would shift many more units of course. I would buy a rake of 21T hoppers or bogie anhydrous ammonia tanks in a heartbeat for example. My stocklist is very loco-centric but there's absolutely masses of prototypes still to be done with wagonry. Dave is wise to hold fire until his announcements come to fruition, but I'd be very supportive of further ventures to include wagonload RTR. Bachmann has very successfully exploited this area, and DJM could readily make this part of their 5 year business plan if they haven't done so already. I'll mention a Swindon class 120 again just in case Neil

I've just been emailed by Hattons stating my preordered blue-grey version has been charged for - so they're in stock in Liverpool. Preorder price was £42.50. Looking forward to getting this model on my layout, will get a trip out first behind one of my Bath Road class 25/1s. Neil

Returning to earlier discussion on Freightliner prototype trains from the 1970s From 1979 Bristol WTT 2100 SSuMX Mossend- Bristol West Depot 4V10 (Parkway 0524) 0210 MX Stratford-Danygraig 4V66 (Parkway 0531) 1855 FO West Depot-Coatbridge 4S38 (Parkway 1918) 1835 SSuFX West depot-Sighthill 4S38 (Parkway 1854) 1610 Danygraig-Stratford 4E70 (Parkway 1955) 2055 SSuX Swindon-Pengam 4C03 (Parkway 2203) (from 2/7) Neil

This photo from Facebook proves two important warnings when uploading photos to that social media (1) Careful where you put your feet (2) check carefully with your friends before uploading. . Neil

Not "quite" a prototype shot, but of sorts. I've collected a small number of wagon D plates for my back garden pub, one of which is FFA B602120. I've always wanted to put models of these prototypes on my layout. I've readjusted my preorder to Hattons for 6xFFA and 2xFGA twin packs. When first announced the FFAs were erroneously advertised as twin packs, but in fact will be single wagons at around £25 each. Neil

A duck waddles in a bar and asks for the landlord. "Do you have any bread?" He quacks. "No we don't serve bread" says the landlord. At the same time the next day the duck, comes in and asks "do you have any bread?" The landlord responds "look I told you yesterday we don't serve bread" On the third day the duck asks again, "do you have any bread?" . The landlord fumes "look I've told you three times now, we don't serve bread. If you come in here again asking for it, I'll nail your beak to the bar". On the fourth day the duck waddles in "do you have any nails?", "no" retorts the angry landlord. "do you have any bread" asks the duck. Neil

I followed the Bromsgrove models guide and a TS2SAX decoder from DCC concepts http://www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/helcl14dccinstr.htm Neil

Oh - a potential for a class 74? I'd certainly be interested in a class 74, 71s were gone by the mid-1970s I only ever saw them derelict at Hither Green. Class 74s - a bit longer lifespan, and a common sight at Waterloo and Clapham junction, regular 1970s spotting venues. Would a similar scenario for a 74 operate Dave? You know it makes sense - I know there's no scanning option available here but not being armed with prototype details, what were the differences between a 71 and a 74 (the latter was without the pantograph for starters). Surely not that significant? Class 74s 74 005/010 at Waterloo, 9th September 1977. Neil

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/64295-wright-writes/?p=1525776 Looks very nice indeed blue and grey for me. Neil

I'll check my Bristol mid 1970s WTT Phil - we have a lot in common many of the services I'm looking to model passed through both Bristol and Abbotswood - we need to compare notes!Neil

This is seriously good news - preorder placed to support these models. I've always wanted to model the Danygraig-Stratford service, 4E70 which was always a service we waited for in the mid 1970s (mid evening) as it was often assisted by a 37 up the haul from the Severn tunnel. Indeed two of my Westerns have this reporting code added already. I'd looked at purchasing models of the flats (I can't recall off the top of my head who produces them) or even reworking old Hornby models, but the prices these were commanding were prohibitive. The return working was mid-morning, but I also recall the Glasgow service to which Phil refers, which passed through Bristol Parkway heading North. I will be looking at this thread and researching exactly what containers were used on these services circa 1974/5. Neil

Summer Hols are here - flight to Paphos later today. I have another week off in August where a bit of modelling is to be done. My target tasks then are to detail and weather my 3 Heljan WR class 47 namers, and some attention to a Crosti 9F which was a recent eBay acquisition. This model is a rather well done Crownline conversion of a tender driven Hornby Evening star, it needs attention to the valve gear and perhaps a re powering, although the model has been adapted to have loco wheel pickups. In the meantime I'd thought I'd mention some recent book acquisitions that I've found fascinating. My Devon neighbour John gave me his collection of Ian Allan ABCs, one of which was a 1958 Diesels volume. Most classes were "to be introduced" and most of our familiar friends were unsurprisingly not even listed (e.g class 45/46 peaks, brush 4, Hymeks, Westerns, Deltics, class 37 etc as they were still on the drawing board, or just a twinkling in the eye of the major diesel builders). There was also an interesting photo of a Swindon Inter city DMU (79XXX series) on a Swansea - Birmingham service, and many of this class wore W prefixes. I had always mistakenly assumed they were always Scottish allocations, working the Edinburgh-Glasgow shuttles. Essentially only pilot scheme classes were listed. What is interesting though is what he'd seen - only a small number of diesels - a couple of Baby Deltics, a few shunters, the first class 15, a Derby type 2 (class 24), a pair of 20s, and 10100 "Fell". He'd also seen quite a large number of the early DMUs too, which were listed in the same volume. Normally the ABCs are considered ruined by underlining numbers, but for me gives a fascinating snapshot of the dawn of the diesel era. I will ask him next time we speak where his spotting took place, he packed up spotting in 1961 the year I was born. Neil

Calculate the volume of an Italian bread based meal of radius=z and height=a. =pizza.

Bristol Mechanised Coal company apparently. Opened in 1965 - one of the "most modern in the country" then. http://bristol-rail.co.uk/wiki/Filton_Coal_Concentration_Depot I used to routinely see 37s parked there in the 1970s. Neil

Yes I think D2123 was a static generator - bright yellow I recall, as per one of the forthcoming Bachmann 4mm releases. Edit : photographic proof http://bristol-rail.co.uk/wiki/File:D2123-1.jpg Nice views of Stoke Gifford yards, most of my teenage spotting years 1974-9 were spent at that vantage point, long since inaccessible for viewing purposes. Neil

Edited for updates - any links to kits welcomed - really good to see North British making an appearance from JLTRT. Neil

My model of 47992 arrived earlier this week, it's a stunning beast to witness in the flesh. However as previous posters have mentioned, the filler cap on the forward tender was missing. Email to Hattons sent requesting a replacement. I'd certainly recommend proud owners of this model check that the filler caps are present, as spares in the future may become limited. Will test run over the next few days. Neil

Not sure on this one, just won on a bid for a Crosti 9F, £55. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=111388913125 It's either a Golden arrow resin mould or a DJH, but still £50 worth just for the body and tender. I suspect it to be a Bachmann chassis, and if I can get it to work then a very good deal. If it were labelled as a Crosti then I'm sure it would have sold for more. Will have to wait and see when it arrives. Neil

Indeed it does^ - will recheck and revise the list. Neil

Yes, I will need to recheck this source - This one of D7021 looks like it's pretty new to service, complete with yellow panel http://www.davidheyscollection.com/userimages/00001-k-roberston-KR9-20.jpg Neil

More photos of Hymeks are appearing all the time on the web D7075 at Reading June 1969, BFYE http://it.ebid.net/for-sale/railway-photo-br-cl-35-d7075-reading-jun-69-126528624.htm#pic And at Landore earlier the same year GSYP http://www.rail-online.co.uk/p870200504/h30FD82A9#h30fd82a9 If it was GFYE it was for only a few months. Neil

http://www.rail-online.co.uk/p870200504/h290BA4C4#h290ba4c4 Quick look D7010 may have blue central windscreen pillars, but the above photo is inconclusive, 1969 at Horton road. Neil