5 C

This afternoon I attended the Proclamation at Luton town hall. It wasn't a huge turnout but as a friend who I happened to see there commented, it was "alright for Luton". I had a photo from my father of the Proclamation in Mr. Speaker Hoyle's town of Chorley which they attended and it seems was rather better supported. I haven't heard from my brother but I didn't need to. I've just seen him interviewed by BBC News in Cardiff about the appointment of William as Prince of Wales.

My father, whose background is in the shoe industry, once met the Princess Royal at the opening of a tannery. He was both pleasantly surprised and impressed, remarking that she'd obviously done her homework and came across as very knowledgable about the subject.

It is indeed, very strange to see and hear the term "the King" where we were so used to "the Queen". It's almost like people are talking about a different country. Which I suppose in a way, we now are.

Personally, I can't wait to be able to pay for stuff in groats and florins.

I always preferred the earlier version of the Fishwick's livery with its neat, understated serif lettering. I felt that this version rather cheapened the look with the font looking like it had come from Letraset transfers. Good to see the 109 again, my service of choice. In my day it was normally in the hands of a Fishwick's Leyland National, it was rare to see a double decker on it. The service was a joint one with Ribble with whom they also shared the 111 service, which ran through the same territory but along a different route.

Normally demonstrators remain the property of the manufacturer (they did in my car manufacturer days), with the customer being given the option to purchase at the end of the demo period. If that's not taken up, then it's back to the manufacturer to loan to another potential customer or disposal. I spent many hours on Fishwick's buses in the late 70's and early 80's between Chorley, Leyland and Preston. They also had the contract to run the special buses from my 6th form college in Leyland. Usually these were elderly double deck Atlanteans but a "newer" bus like this could occasionally turn up, so I may have travelled on it at some point.

Were those the Special Tengah European Aircraft Live Training Hub variants developed by the LARPA boffins at RAF Luton? (if you know, you know) 😉

Should you ever decide to turn Aston On Clun into a roundy roundy, may I offer the following as a suitable home? https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/126237650#/?channel=RES_BUY

Best TV theme tune ever.

Modern RTR locos are designed to be assembled quickly and cheaply in large quantities by nimble-fingered piece workers. Any ease of disassembly is purely luck of the draw. Some locos are easier than others and if you have a good range of tools including the correct screwdrivers/nut spinners, fine tweezers and a soldering iron, most steam outline at least can be tackled. Good eyesight and a steady hand are definitely an advantage. Whether you're successful is another matter. I enjoy picking up non-runners or those with knitted valve gear and attempting to resurrect them. My focus is LMS/LMR, so I'm very familiar with RTR offerings (mainly Hornby) and their likely weak points and factor that into the purchase. The biggest challenge is spare parts. Inevitably the most common failures result in the supply of relevant spares drying up. I'll happily straighten out valve gear, cobble together replacements from my stock of salvaged parts and make or modify suitable components if needed. I know at some point there will be a chassis beyond redemption (like the Black 5 mentioned above). When that time comes, I've resolved to attempt a Comet or other replacement chassis, using as much of the original running gear where possible. If I've invested time in modifying and customising the body, it's that I wish to preserve. Yes I could bin it and buy the latest RTR offering (equally fragile with its own set of ticking time bombs), but where's the fun in that?

Modern Hornby valve gear is probably quite close to scale but very delicate as a result. This means it's less resistant to anything other than correct and careful handling. Even a derailment can knock something out of place. I've bought a number of non runners with knitted valve gear and have perfected a technique of straightening out all but the worst examples. That's particularly useful when spares are unavailable or excessively expensive. I keep the unsalvageable parts as they can yield useful individual components. Bachmann gear seems more robust (I don't think I've ever seen an example of bent Bachmann gear) but looks chunkier and maybe overscale. You pays your money....

Several views of Chorley station before rebuilding, starting at 3:20. The images appear to be from the late 70's/early 80's which was when I lived in the town. Many of the now long gone places in the video are very familiar.

This topic has come up elsewhere and I've commented, like you, that the whole chassis is a poor design. The design of the motor/gear retainer is just odd, with the lugs far too thin to withstand the forces exerted or it seems, extensive usage. The method of attaching the motion bracket (a push fit into a moulded slot) is a lazy design, prone to coming loose. Contrast this with say, the Black 5 chassis from the same era which is better thought out and more substantial in its construction. I have a reasonable fleet of Hornby Scots (and Patriots which use the same chassis), which have or will suffer the same fate. Confirmation that recycling the wheel sets and motion is feasible using a Comet chassis and bearings is reassuring, as they are otherwise good models, essential for any WCML setting.

The aforementioned Liverpool Lime Street, which is post-war LMS. Again a coalition of modellers with a superb set of diverse skills. On the subject of LLS, has there been an update on the burglary investigation and the theft of many of the layout's locos?

Bus off a bridge? You want one of these.

Afternoon all. I'm a long time lurker on this thread and elsewhere. Apologies if this has already been posted. I've searched through the last 12 months of posts and can't see anything. I believe this may be the object of the search which was (re)uploaded to YouTube last week:

To be able offer Click & Collect, sellers have to successfully sell a certain number of items in a certain timeframe before eBay will allow them to offer C&C. Even eBay reps aren't aware of this. I'd ticked the box to offer C&C but it was only after completing a number of sales did the facility appear on my listings. As for Evri, readers of this thread may be interested in something I posted on Wright Writes a few months ago:

Long overdue IMHO. Increasingly, buyers want to see a video if you're selling anything online these days and done properly, it can help make a sale and justify a higher asking price. The next time I'm selling a loco, I'll be doing a "walkround" video and demonstrating that it really "runs well in both directions".

Blitz is also the name of the Opel badge - a circle with a horizontal lightning bolt across the diameter. https://images.app.goo.gl/DamfAiQi6JYfvnFb9

Although it's unlikely that the Flatiron would ever have visited Chorley, ironically the Flatiron was the name given to Chorley's long-standing weekly open air market, which attracted shoppers and stallholders from all over the North West. The site was used as a car park on non-market days and is still referred to as the Flatiron locally. The site has now been partially redeveloped and the market stalls brought into the town centre, mixed in with the covered market and shops. Despite the initial outcry, it's widely accepted that the move has benefitted all concerned.

What fantastic picture and not just for the parcels train. Every time you look at it, you spot something new. So many pieces of detail in the one shot.

Wouldn't be this place by any chance? Just come on the market today. Bit of a fixer upper, lots of potential although may still be a bit damp... https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/122073830#/?channel=RES_BUY

I completely agree with @Northmoor 's description of factory weathering. Most (if not all) factory weathered finishes seem to follow this pattern. I find them completely unconvincing when compared to contemporary colour photographs of the real thing - variations caused by film stock, printing processes, computer screens etc. notwithstanding. In their quest for greater realism, it seems odd that manufacturers have such a - dare I say - lazy approach to something that has a more visible effect on a model's appearance than some of the often fragile, separately fitted detail. On the plus side, factory weathered locos seem to be less desirable in the used market place than their non-weathered counterparts. Not so good if you're a seller but great if you're a buyer in search of a cheap source of spares (the weathering on the mechanical parts seems to clean off quite easily) or the basis of a project.

Surprisingly, the walk did actually take me 12 minutes. In fairness, my pace could described as "brisk" and "purposeful" and I was deliberately trying to see whether I could match or beat Google's timings. The walk was made all the more interesting by having to dodge the hordes of Park Runners and MAMILs coming in the opposite direction. My step count for the day, should anyone be interested, was just shy of 14.5k. Don't let anyone tell you this is a sedentary hobby!

A thoroughly enjoyable day yesterday. After fighting with the car park machines at Hitchin station, I made it in time to enjoy at least a few minutes of my advance entry. I'd promised myself no major spending but nevertheless succumbed to a few useful bits and bobs of the kind you can only find by rummaging around trade stands. I eventually took pity on a bargain priced Bachmann Mickey Mouse, looking rather forlorn in one of the baskets on the Ellis Clarke stand. It wasn't until I got it home that I realised its "weathering" pattern looked familiar: only down one side with motion and axle boxes picked out in a distinctive way in a very specific colour. That and the overwhelming nicotine stench and staining, made me think it was from the same collection as a Hornby Duchess I acquired on eBay a couple of weeks ago. The two halls never felt crowded even at peak times, with plenty of space and fresh air, in contrast to my experience of GETS last year at MK, which at times had felt uncomfortably warm and crowded. A high quality selection of layouts to enjoy. In particular Redbridge Wharf, Grindley Brook, Scout Green Crossing and especially Swaynton, with its friendly team of operators, which I returned to several times throughout the day. A bright sunny day outside as I walked back to the station, with a glorious view of London stretched out below. A great day out that even the extended wait at a freezing Welwyn Garden City on the return journey couldn't spoil.