CovDriver

That's typical I'm rest day again and you come to my parish I was offered a Rest day worked and it would have been prepping those units on platform 4 at Coventry and some cross city work but I declined the offer over time.

Sorry Peter for the confusion this is another Kings Heath this one is in Northampton. Its named after the area in Northampton in which the depot was built. Cheers Colin

Again just a couple from today and yesterday. The first one is 350119 waiting to work 2C99 0545 Coventry to Birmingham New Street this morning this is a treat for me as I've been used to running double sets everywhere to assist with the social distancing. The second pic was taken yesterday showing a pair of GBRF class 47's 47727 & 47749 just departing Northampton as 0z48 Kings Heath EMD to Chaddesden sidings after they had brought up a class 360 to Kings Heath for 110mph modifications before it transfers to EMR.

Just a couple from yesterday as I was spare but was asked to do a Coventry - Northampton and up to New st pass back to Coventry.

Now I'm back in work after 18days off with my summer block leave and a long weekend on the end of it it's pretty mundane for the last two days a en ECS trip from Coventry to New St and a return trip to Lichfield City also a New St to Northampton return not much to see apart from these three pics

As promised a couple of pics to show the progress of the now unnamed layout

Well now my Summer leave is almost at an end I've managed to get a few jobs done on the layout firstly the most important has been the removal of the 3rd rail. As I was never really happy with it I was basically out of my comfort zone so there maybe a couple of items coming up for sale very soon suitable for southern region 3rd rail. I've also built a new baseboard for another small fiddleyard at the signal box end of the layout. I'm awaiting the return of some peco code 75 track as there is a national shortage. I've also started adding some of the smaller details and a couple of scale model scenery low relief building. And the lighting has been fitted but not yet powered up for the wIting shelter and signal box. I'll post a few pics later today of the work done so far. Cheers Colin

I missed out on 66756 again as I've been on annual leave since the 18th of June but on the positive side I've managed to get a load of work done on my small layout. I'll hopefully update that thread today if I get a spare 5mins.

There was no plates included as it was the Bachmann special offer from Rails.

That helps very much indeed Steve, the representation of the crest that was supplied I would say is passable just so I may use the crests only. As I've used your transfer style nameplates for 37558 before which was so easy I must add. I did look on your website yesterday but couldn't see anything as it was only a very quick browse. Would you be able to do a set of plates for 37422 ? Cheers Colin

This is exactly my question I cant find photographic evidence to show that 37422 carried two different size plates. I'm reluctant to apply these plates I may have a look at another supplier such as model master or railtec as I cant seem to work out how to order from Shawplan.

I thought exactly that at first but the size difference seems to much. Here's a photo to show the difference in sizes.

Just a quick question as my daughter bought me a Bachmann 37/4 37422 in the regional railways livery I was wondering the size of the nameplates (Robert F Fairlie) as the printed version on the bodyside seems to be a bit small compared to the etched ones. But I've purchased an etched set of plates and crests from Fox transfers that have the blue background and the length of them they're looking very odd as compared to the printed ones on the bodyside they appear to long. Before I commit to applying the etched plates which would be nearer the correct size? I've looked on sites such as Flickr etc.. to see if 37422 had two versions of the same nameplates fitted during its spell in Regionsl railways livery. Colin

That's just for Aston to Walsall and we dont sign Soho Bank and most of us dont sign Aston-Stechford either we only have one job that's on a Saturday morning and as I'm permanent a.m. turns. I was hoping to catch the 66's parked up at Bescot as I'm after a decent pic of 66756 as it's named after my old regiment. Cheers Colin

Here's a couple of pics from the past couple of days. Firstly 350263 awaiting a slot to pass through Rugby on the Down Coventry whilst I was asked to take a 12car formation from Coventry to Northampton ECS as it was declared a failure shortly after it was prepped early on Friday morning and I had to split 350263 from the rear of the 12car set and return it back to Coventry Yard as the standby unit. Then on Saturday it was a trip to Wolverhsmpton and Walsall for a change it had to be done as it was exactly 12 weeks since I had last been there if it was any longer I would have been out of competency. Then I managed to snap a passing freightliner working through Walsall the pic quality is awful as all the pics are mobile phone ones as I forgot to take my proper camera. That's all the work pics for now as I'm Annual leave for the next 18days I might be able to get some modelling done. And as an added bonus seen as its Fathers day I recieved a Bachmann 37 (37421 in regional railways livery) Cheers Colin

Just a couple from last Thursday before long weekend as it's been a busy weekend home schooling and doing the garden. The first pic is 350401 already to go at Coventry waiting time to work the 0538 Coventry to Euston service I took it as far as Northampton. And the second pic is 350110 with a new Destination on the side in Coventry North yard again all prepped and ready for service.

I'm only going on the email I received stating it was a code red bridge and that BSE must visit before any train movements go across the bridge as some of the metalwork underneath the bridge deck had been twisted The line is open again now but I thought Jim might be having another detour on his trip tonight hence I put the original comment up. Cheers Colin

The Cov - Nuneaton branch is currently blocked due to a lorry carrying an excavator has become wedged underneath a bridge and it looks like it's got to be cut out as it's proper wedged in the bridge metalwork. The bridge in question is the one just after Coundon Road level crossing where the line speed is 20mph and before the viaduct. As it's a Code Red bridge this may go on for sometime. Cheers Colin

Same job as last Saturday this time it was 350116's turn to be stabled on Soho. Plus a couple of 323's stabled for the weekend. Also 86259 which must have rusted to the rails now in the old carriage sidings at Rugby has had a banner applied to the bodyside.

As I was allocated a new turn for a Saturday AM shift instead of the usual double New St - Redditch shuttles I was given this little job of preparing a 350 unit in Coventry Yard using if it for the 0611 service to New St then ECS onto Soho LMD followed by a taxi back to New St then taking an 8 car set to Northampton at 0814 then bring the 0937 from Northampton to Coventry and that was enough for today. 323218 undergoing some maintenance inside the shed on Soho LMD 350258 stabled on road 3 at Soho not very often we get to drive a 350 onto the depot. 350258 all prepped for its short day in service in Coventry North Yard.

Was that the 350 that had a rainbow covered along the complete bodyside at Wolverhampton.

As I was on a spare turn yesterday with a 0504 book on time I was asked to go and prep the standby unit in Coventry North Yard. It turned out to be 350254 with the pan down it was effectively a dead unit. But as I approached the unit I noticed it had been tagged I believe I had disturbed the vandals as the paint was still wet in places. After a call to control to report the incident and they asked if I could take the unit to Northampton so it could go onto Kings Heath for paint removal. I happily agreed as it's been nearly 7 weeks since I last went to Northampton. Anyway here's a pic of the poor unit shortly after its brief attempt at a repaint.

Well I thought I should get this thread back up and running so here's a couple of pics from the last week or so. The first pic shows 3x 350's stabled in Coventry North yard on a glorious Sunday morning. The second pic shows the addition of a huge depot sticker on the side of the middle vehicle on 323203 I believe only 203 and 211 have been done so far. The next pic shows 323211 waiting at Redditch also adorned with VE Day stickers also added to the fleet now are Soho depot stickers on the cab doors. Soho =SI Is the allocation code for anyone interested.

There are loads more people travelling around Birmingham the canal towpath between Five ways and Bournville is busier than the M6.

I did the same for a Bachmann Blue class 25 that was going for £93. Just hope it's not a glitch in there system and it's actually in stock as you can never have to many class 25's in a collection as this will be my fifth one.