'CHARD

august adj formal: having great importance and especially of the highest social class the society's august patron, the Duke of Norfolk I'm glad we established that, thanks are due to Jamie for bringing it to our attention and to the Cambridge Online Learning Dictionary for its erudite definition. Back onto the Route, and not only have I never seen a photo of the last passenger day, but neither of that aspect of Kelso before - is the line to the right some headshunt associated with the Jedburgh branch by any chance? The expansive sidings speak of busier times past, and are reminiscent of Fenland grain handling yards with that grey structure adjacent. '64 does seem late on for a raft of grey vans, one assumes these will work back to St Boswells, as that ended up the rump freight service. I had to remind myself yesterday that this was the last freight branch to close, in '68 (earlier photo links refer). EDIT: I'm hopeful that Pennine, or his ilk, can help us out with the unfitted nature of those vans. I want to ask if Scottish fish traffic ended at the May T/T change in '68 too

The 2001 census return indicated that 5,200,000 people actually model Scottish prototypes. Source; 2001 Census (HMSO 2001)

That's been given a sister thread, here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/topic/10810-its-official-apparently/page__pid__94712__st__0&?do=findComment&comment=94712 but as it's not immediately apparent what it's about, I've asked the OP to amend the title. But great news, no doubt about that. Gonna make a pilgrimage later this month, it's a given

The Baby Sulzer is likely to be D5307 (or possibly 5317) Bruce, don't ask by what witchcraft I know this to be the case. Okay, it's the oval buffers and primary suspension (leaf not coil). That particular working seems to have been a popular subject from that vantage point, and the lower numbers seemed to make their home on the line for a year or two. The blue centre-panel Peak on Carflats is a contender for the most exciting picture I've seen this year. It combines so many elusive subjects in one image: the loco, a southbound empty car train AND Lochpark into the bargain, where a new chain-link fence looks to have gone in. Incredible. I wonder if any of our Peak livery afficianados see this, can anyone hazard a guess to her identity...? And there was I persuading myself that I could restrict my Peak fleet - oh, and keep the Carflat programme down to half a dozen. No, I think is the answer to that. I love the anecdote about the guy rooming at Kershopefoot, the train his landlady saw must've been 30+ bogies long at 4 cars per wagon. That would have been some sight! The Black 5 and A4 are at Hassendean aren't they, I've never been to Belses but that station they're running through looks like the former to me, landscape-wise.

Just found this on Derby Sulzers, should be of interest to 64B-Boy, it certainly is to me, as both locos are already on the roster: "1967 On March 24th the 20.05 Luton - Bathgate car carrier, normally a Type 4 diagram found D7508 & D5233 working the trip throughout, returning south the next day on the 06.40 Millerhill - Carlisle freight." That's 7508 of 64B and 5233 of D16. By this time, I seem to recall 5233 is wearing BFYE too. Awesome.

Short of shattering the illusion here, I think the 'lead' was aspirational not past tense (led) (grammar Ed)

I knew it was technically 'live,' but had no idea the Brunthill target was so frequent, that's great! The run-round at Stainton is still as long as I can make out from the published plans of the time it was opened, or so it appears. One thing I never sussed, is how the outgoing '60s inter-yard freights were dispatched. One assumes the train engine(s) tailed the consist to Stainton, and the pilot then returned back into Kingmoor after 4Sxx set out on the down main. I assume the reason for brake vans at both ends of the Class 4s was also in connection with the dispatching routine at Kingmoor.

I'll happily go with that; the pylon, industrial unit, wagons and passing speed made me uneasy about Longtown. The traction is 65A's in all likelihood. By odd coincidence I was looking at Google satellite of Stainton Jct earlier, and the Caley chord can be clearly be made out, overgrown and cut back at the Kingmoor PB end, but largely extant nonetheless.

Try these Galashiels stills at 0:27, 1:16, 1:39 and 2:46. The remainder is classic local newspaper footage, and particularly good if you're a fan of municipal fountains 027 An A3? seen entering Gala from the north, taken from the island platform - a view I've not seen. 116 A crash of some description, not previously heard of. 139 The Ladhope cutting collapse, I assume. 246 Main line near Selkirk Jct? or north of the town?

Some time last year, we discussed Class 25s on The Route. Someone on YouTube claims the first part of this sequence, a mere 14 seconds, is of the Waverley. What's not in doubt is that there's a pair of GSYP late body style 25s at the head of this train. What's certainly untrue is their initial premise that it's Heriot, so much so that I discarded it as being some other part of the world entirely. However, in the comments someone mentions Longtown. I'm not too sure about any of this; the layout looks plausibly like the Mossband chord - as though it were shot from across the Esk - but the train looks like sheeted anhydrate hoppers, or something else unfamiliar. Anyone else like to take a punt?* * not out on the Esk, that would be ludicrous

The reason is down to our moving away from a mixed-traffic railway towards specialised bespoke forms of traction, including particularly, fixed formation self-contained passenger units. As train failure (in theory at least) represents only a small percentage of the operating experience (to paraphrase my ex-colleague Ian Walmsley), the need to couple units of different types together is the exception rather than the rule, usually confined to rescue, which tends to be undertaken at low speed with only the basic functions active being those related to safety, not pass-comm, selective door opening, etc. Freight diesels normally spend their time hauling enormous payloads around in wagons without any of the smart systems of DMUs and EMUs. Therefore their couplers need to be compatible with the more agricultural end of the T&RS spectrum. A 66 for example, whilst able to haul LHCS, can't provide train heat or other electrical supply (67s can, having been designed to do so). The rescue of multiple units with their designed-for-purpose Dellner/ BSI/ Tightlock couplers (others are available) therefore has to be effected with coupling adaptors. The 57s were procured with the rescue of Pendolinos specifically in mind, because of the very demanding performance contract VT signed up to, and the need to protect its ambitious revenue growth targets.

She is resolutely second batch, and as such I commend her to you. D8507 vo 12A

I think I'm correct in recalling that the Heysham - Elsewhere tanks were double-headed by a 9F (inside) topped by a BR-Sulzer Type 2 circa '66. I was six months old at the time, so this is drawn entirely from photographic evidence. The Devon banks often had a 6300 outside a Hall/Castle I reckon, from my long dalliance with cog-boxes.

Hi, the devil in the detail of this is in the locos' control systems. Any can couple and apply power (i.e. as steam/ diesel combos) if driven by separate crews - that is, driven/ controlled in tandem. To control both or all locos in a consist from the cab of the leading loco, all locos in multiple have to share the same coupling code. Diesel-electrics with electro-pneumatic control: Blue Star (Peaks, 40s, 24/25/26/27, 31/1&4, 23, 21, 33, 37, 20, 15, 8588-8616) Diesel-electrics with electro-magnetic control: Red circle (31/0, 28, 29, 16) Diesel-hydraulics 600-4, 6300-5: Orange square Diesel-hydraulics 803-70, 6306-57: White diamond Hymeks: Yellow triangle Claytons up to 8587: Red diamond Someone later invented classes like 56s etc, but they're unknown to me, I think 58s re-used one of the obsolete symbols like green (trom)bone or summat.

Good luck the lads - and enjoy the expo while you're at it! I know the quest is in very good hands.

Shall we start a bidding war over Train 13 then, just in case it's a Tinsley double-gronk! I'm not prepared to run the risk on Train 17, it's undoubtedly got an early chassis. I love the way the listing thanks us for watching! Watching what, exactly - paint dry?

A broadcast presented by Sir William of Oddie, perhaps? Ahem, check this out (while it lasts): http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Train-06_W0QQitemZ230442838818QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Trains_Railway_Models?hash=item35a776ab22

Yeah, I watched that too, with mounting (then plateauing at £155.00!) disbelief. A few sellers seems to be jumping on HardJeff's bandwagon of late, there was a Heljan 27 for sale, so badly weathered it looked like it had been shotcreted with soot, that was sufficiently non-identifiable it was being advertised as a Bachmann 24.

Be my guest - though I fear for the sanity of several of us on here relying on fleet quantities of the type.... 'Hello, is that Carlisle Control? Hello? Hello?' 'Should I take a chance on her: one bullet in the cylinder;' RAMONES 'Glad To See You Go,' and frankly I'd have been glad to have seen several of mine go, in fact when they did, albeit back to the box-shifter, I could've serenaded the village Post Office thus....

The same seller just shifted an early Heljan Clayton chassis on its own, for 48 notes. That's the re-powering equivalent of Russian roulette, but with one empty chamber rather than one occupied.

Well now's the time to sell these, 41s and Baby Deltics, before Dapol and the Danes punt the bottom out of the homebrew market with RTR. That's the way both my 22 and 23 have gone, in fact I'm nearly tempted to get this one, finish, weather and sell on, at least it's already motorised with a decent platform that's worth the SP on its own.... Hmmmmmm....

Here's an unusual Warship I've not come across before. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bachmann-CLASS-24-D5087-CENTAUR-BR-BLUE-DIESEL-LOCO_W0QQitemZ200443411803QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Trains_Railway_Models?hash=item2eab5bbd5b

Some might say that, others 'C'est la vie,' and still more of us 'what in the name of Clayton were those two posts about?' If you peruse this thread, you'll see that there are several of us, Max Stafford and I included, who are basically keeping counsel until resolution is achieved by whatever method, as politely requested by helpful and sensible intervention by the moderation team. I fail to see how ill-constructed contributions like these recent pair, lacking in any specifics, take this thread any further forward. On the premise that it will probably now be locked, I shall communicate by PM with the other interested parties who find themselves in the same boat as I am.

Hereward the Wake and an EE Type 4 at Hawick - incredible, 1965: [/url]http://www.railbrit....te.php?id=23609 Hawick as I remember it, 1975, really sad shot: http://www.railbrit....te.php?id=27416 One line lifted, looks like Flex cutting to me: http://www.railbrit....te.php?id=27623 A classic moment captured from the other side; D5116 at Hawick, road vehicle in shot, this loco will be on my W/B by Friday all being well: http://www.railbrit....te.php?id=27736 Awesome shot of Hawick pilot and the last loco to move on the route before official closure, Heljan Clayton D8606, what a pretty engine, Millerhill '71: http://www.railbrit....te.php?id=27773

Tongue-in-cheek obv., here's a workbench in-progress shot of two noses, mainly because it's a naughty trailer for a forthcoming blog entry when I've finished. Amazing what you actually get cracking on when the interweb's down, hey! Caption: The future Ds 6846 and 6903 (both 64B) make an impromptu appearance on the drying rack annex of 'CHARD's workbench. This thread's the very essence of RMWeb: plenty of essential prototype inspiration for specific modelling projects. Thanks to everyone who's contributed. Livery work and weathering phases will no doubt owe a debt to the photo libraries of Brush Veteran et al by the time my trio of tractors is finished.