GoingUnderground

What makes you say that the power supply and distribution network is in such a poor state? In case you hadn't noticed that is all privately owned now. I really can't see the relevance of your point here.

The same argument could be advanced for not building the Settle to Carlisle line on the grounds that the Ribblehead Viaduct ruined the view of the Ribble Valley. Provided appropriate landscaping and tunelling is carried out on the most environmentally sensitive parts there is no reason for not pressing ahead. The Chilterns already has the WCML, the former GCR route, (HS0 as Watkin wanted a Manchester to Paris high speed route), and the remains of the GWR Birmingham route, not to mention the M40. Beautiful the Chilterns definitely are, we used to go on picnics near Great Missenden in the 1950s and '60s when I was a Kid and the GCR was open the whole way, but the proportion that will be affected by HS2 is minuscule.

I have three vested interests in HS2. First I grew up in NW London in the Ruislip area. Second I lived next to the WCML in Harrow for 10 years. Thirdly, I have use the SNCF TGV services at least 4 times a year over the past 5 years or so. I am all in favour of HS2. The WCML with its 6 tracks generates much more traffic than the 2 tracks of HS2 will. The ruining of the countryside is not and is never a valid reason for not doing these projects. If that was true, we wouldn't have a single road, canal, railway line or airport anywhere in the UK. I do feel sympathy for people who already live on the proposed route because the value of their properties will go down. So there does need to be an adequte compensation scheme. But I cannot help thinking that the objections would be much less if there were stations in the areas of greatest objections as history shows that improved communications always increases property values. No I am not advocating additional stations. The objectors are forgetting that the noise is not continuous, unlike motorways. I did laugh when I saw on Channel 4 News on Tuesday a whole load of protesters standing outside Ruislip Metropolitan Line Station. The route will pass throught the Ruislip area, but it goes through West Ruislip Central Line station. Wrong station, guys! Many of them have probably forgotten, or more likely never knew that the route through West Ruislip was the GWR main line route to Birmingham Snow Hill as sweel as heign the GC fast route. Putting HS2 through that alignment is simply a restoration of main line services not a new line. I don't expect the level of traffic on the WCML, or the noise it generates to reduce much. I am extremely pleased that the Government didn't "bottle out! in the face of objection s from the "Tory Shires", and look forward to travelling on the line from the Midlands direct to the Continent.

Some more layouts. Horn Lane which I believe is owned and operated by Jeff Pitt.. I saw it at the LT In Miniature Depot Open Day a couple of years ago, and there have been photos of it in Underground News. At one point it mimics the flat Junction east of Aldgate. Also the Tube station is well done. As you will have gathered it has both Tube and Sub-Surface stock. Tanglewood Common by Epping Railway Circle. It is part LT tube stock and part BR.

For a minute, i thought you meant the Museum Depot, then realised the link was to Acton Miniature Railway. I enjoyed looking at the picture, especially Sarah Siddons and Michael Faraday together. The Met A class was running well at the March Open Day IIRC.

Yes, it was up for sale but I heard that there were no takers. It was being dismantled for the components, particularly the point motors so I was told. What condition it is in nowadatys I don't know. A great shame, but nothing's forever. Very sincere apologies to Tim Steven if I have done him a grave injustice and been misinformed. Kingsway and Dog Kennel Hill are I believe John Howe's layouts.

For a geographically small system, there are quite a few kits and publications available about the LT system, but there are relatively few layouts, at least that I know of. I thought it would be good to have a layouts thread, something we could aspire to, as well as a place for Exhibition Managers to find layouts that were just that bit different by being based on LT or having a significant LT content, not tokenism. So once again, I'll start the ball rolling. City Road by Tim Steven. OO This was one of the three layouts that really pulled me back into modelling with a vengeance, Beautifully modelled, wonderful mix of Sub-Surface and Tube stock in a realistic setting. Sadly it is no more. Mill Ridge by John Polley. OO The second layout that got me into modelling. For many years the standard bearer of LT modelling. John has sold it, but it was followed by... Abbey Road by John Polley. OO Very atmospheric wit hshades of Farringdon widened lines.in the two levels There are pictures of the layout on John's Metromodels web site. Roger Tuke is one ofthe operators and runs his beautifully modelled Service Stock on the layout. London Road by Steve Smith. OO I think Steve has every LT model ever made in 4mm on his layout, except for the Ever Ready Tube lookalike from the 1950s. .. Highly detailed and accurately modelled. Can you spot the 1960s Triang items? They took me by surprise. Scrubs Lane by the late Ron Curling. OO This featured in the May 2006 Rai;way Modeller. Another inspirational layout. Kings Park by Kevin Goodsell. N Whilst its mai nattraction is the WCML, it centres on a renamed Queens Park, and with '38 Stock in 2mm.. All of the above have been exhibition layouts, and apart from Scrubs Lane i have seen them all. What otehr layouts do you know of?

Bemo make HOm Abt system rack track, and BVZ, FO and MGB rack locos to go with it. Their newly released BVZ HGe 4/4 'Krokodil', which has rack drive, is a lovely model. On the subject of Swiss Kroks, I think I'm correct in saying that with the VZ Krok being released by BEMO at some time or another they have all been avaialble as RTR models. If you haven't come across it before, you might find this website of interest. .

I've just re-read through this thread after coming back from Bourg St Maurice on the Eurostar Ski Train last weekend. For those of you that don't know where Bourg is, it's in the Alps south of Lake Geneva and relatively close to the French/Italian border. The comments about missing out London and starting from a point other than London are easily dealt with as the Ski Train amply demonstrates how easy that is as it misses out Paris completely. The platforms are fenced ott at Bourg and you go through the same baggage scanning as you do at St Pancras, Gare Du Nord, Brussels or Lille, but there is no UK passport inspection. The same arrangements apply at Moutiers. Admittedly, boarding is slower at Bourg, but there are only 2 Eurostar trains per week, Saturday morning and Saturday evening leaving Bourg, so bag scanning facilities are limited. UK Customs board the train at Lille and pass through the train inspecting passports between there and Ashford. So all that needs to happen is to apply those self same procedures at Birmingham, or Manchester or Nottingham, or Leeds or wherever else you want to start on an HS2-HS1-Chunnel route to Europe and you have a viable system. If loadings are sufficient on services starting north of London, then there is no reason why Stratford, Ebbsfleet, Ashford or even Lille shouldn't be the point where connection is made between HS2 trains from North of London and HS1 trains from St Pancras, the same way that Quantas use Singapore as an interchange for their flights to Australia from different starting points in Europe. I now live north of London and the idea of catching a Eurostar on the ECML and going through to Paris without stopping in London is very appealing! The bag scanning is a complication and I suppose it is justified because the Eurostars go below sea level, but so do the Bakerloo, Jubilee, Northern and Victoria Lines in London. There is no similar luggage scanning for the Lotschberg base tunnel nor the Simplon tunnel, and as far a I know there won't be any on the Gotthard Base Tunnel either when that opens. A bomb going off in one of those tunnels wit hthe risk of fire would be as lethal as one in the Chunnel. I hesitate to say that securty checks are unnecessary, especially after 7/7 and the Madrid train bombings, but if that requirement were removed it would simplify check in and boarding significantly. if we also joined the Schengen agreement it would make it as easy as boarding any internal service. The line looks like it follows much of the old GWR/GC alignment through WNW London which is where I grew up, conjuring up a line with Central Line Tube trains running alongside the successors to Eurostar out to West Ruislip. Now there's a modelling thought! I do feel sorry for the folks who will be affected by HS2, but I do not agree with their objections. HS2 must be built. Lots of folks rave over the Ribblehead Viaduct, but just think of the outcry if it didn't exist and was proposed now as part of an HS2 Extension to Glasgow! Folks soon get used to new infrastructure, and money will buy off most of the remaining objections. Using the GC route beyond Brackley still seems the most sensible option to me even though some of the alignment has been lost to housing and industry as it would allow connections to the WCML at Rugby, with the option of building additional High Speed tracks from there into Birmingham at a later date where capacity is already an issue, and to the Midland Line at Leicester, I think too much has been lost to join at Loughborough. The French TGV system is excellent and shows how to do it - build a High Speed spine with exit points along it to existing lines as necessary. At least the previous and current Government seem to have grasped that point. However, I'm not convinced that the politicians won't bottle out over HS2 before the next election - all those Tory shires votes for them to worry about. So I'm not convinced that HS2 will be finished in my lifetime.

Turn It On - Genesis

Tonight, Tonight - Phil Collins

Love To Love You Baby - Donna Summer

Radio Waves - Roger Waters

Spirit In The Sky - Norman Greenbaum

I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) - Genesis

You Don't Have To Be In The Army To Fight In The War - Mungo Jerry

Games Without Frontiers - Peter Gabriel

The World Became The World - PFM (a.k.a. Premiata Forneria Marconi)

California Girls - Beach Boys

Driving Home For Christmas - Chris Rea.

Hanging Around - The Stranglers

Ice In The Sun - Status Quo

Day in the Life - The Beatles, which was the last 45 played on the old Pirate Radio London - Big L - Happy memories.

Look Through Any Window - The Hollies