BG John

As they have detailed interiors, do many of the droplights have a notice saying "Do not clean soot off the window"? I seem to remember them on the ones I travelled on from Bracknell to Reading! Although I've always modelled the GWR, it's almost tempting to build a layout to run a few on, as they, and the 2-HALs, were the first trains I travelled on, but those rivets do seem a bit OTT.

The office looks very tidy. Shouldn't there be disorganised piles of paper everywhere?

I'm pretty sure this was painted with an "Indian Red" model paint, or at least what was recommended at the time, thirty or more years ago. It may have been Precision Paints. I've probably still got the tin! Of course that doesn't mean it was accurate!

You need to watch those cuddly toys. I found these two drying out one day By the next day they were getting to know each other And you really don't want to see what they got up to later . I was so shocked, that the photos are blurred! One of my lodgers let them move in without my permission, and they still haven't paid any rent!

Do the books show the normal price, and either have a priced list of other publications, or a link to a list? Buyers of overpriced copies would then only do it once, and may leave negative feedback, and spread the word about this seller.

I've just come across this book (paper and ebook) on Wishford. I don't know if everyone knows about it, or if it's just me being out of touch! http://bretwaldabooks.com/book.php?p=105

How about this for New Zealand driver training? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20614593

A run down smallholding, maybe occupied by a reclusive junk collector, or an elderly owner who can't manage it all any more? The buildings could be on a smaller scale than for a full size farm. This was West Wales in 1967, but kind of what I'm suggesting.

I suspect I was on holiday at Grately on the LSWR with my parents, and we went through Warminster on the way to visiting relatives in Bath, so just quickly stopped off at the station. We must have gone to Salisbury on the same holiday: I've got more of Salisbury from a couple of visits, and apart from that I think I just have a few of Wilton and one or two other stations long after closure. I've still got a lot to scan, and then I need to sort them out and index them properly.

They are all I took unfortunately. For some reason we didn't go on the platform. I think they must have been taken in 1974 or 75. One day I'll dig out my mostly dated index of slides, and get it on the computer!

Any use? I should have the date somewhere, but sometime in the mid seventies. Edit 25/01/13 - Just discovered these were taken in July 1975

A copper just stopped me with a sniffer dog , ...."my dog tells me you're on drugs" he says "ME!"....... I said "you're the one with the talking dog"!

My aunt and uncle had a farm close to the line near Liss around then. It may even have been next to the line, but I'm not sure. I'm not sure if I saw any trains running, as it was before I got interested in railways, but did have a scary walk along the track with my Mum and aunt, that involved crossing a bridge that had gaps between the decking!

Maybe the wheels are a bit loose on the axles! The flanges look quite fine.

It looks like you kept the original driving wheels, but I'll need to convert mine to EM!

One of those isn't entirely suitable for my planned layout, but will fit in much better than Lord of the Isles. It's definitely on my To-Do list!

Maybe the buyer thought it was a real one!

I've got one lying around too, and am tempted. After I've backdated an Airfix 61xx to a 31xx in original early 1900s condition, and finished the Mainline Dean Goods I started backdating to the same date a very very long time ago!

But it includes a parrot, according to the photos, so is probably a bargain!

Brilliant. One thing that will be interesting is to see how long the layout lasts, as it's already showing some signs of problems with the cardboard baseboard in the fiddle yard. If it has a short life, it may not be money well spent. On the other hand, as a first effort in cardboard baseboard building, the lessons learned may lead on to improving techniques that will produce longer lasting boards (if these don't last) for many more cheap layouts. Partly encouraged by this, I'm sitting here getting frustrated by Templot, trying to draw the trackplan for a low cost layout that will use stock I already have that hasn't run for many years, modelling materials that have also been cluttering up the place for years, and as many other materials that I have lying around, or can scrounge, as possible. The aim is to spend far less than £100 if possible! I think the main costs will be rail for the handbuilt track, a controller, and a few Scalescenes kits. Who else fancies the challenge of reducing their mountain of unused modelling materials?

Not just petrol. You need to apportion all costs of running and ownership of the car - petrol, maintenance, tyres, depreciation, interest on any loans etc. etc.. Don't forget to allow for the distance to the model shop compared to other journeys, as your fuel consumption will vary depending on the length of the journey, and traffic conditions. Then there's car park charges, wear and tear on your shoes walking from the car to the shop and back. A Cost Accountant could have hours of fun with this .

I'm intending to build my next layout with baseboards made from an old wardrobe, found in a shed when I bought my house. The bottom had rotted, but the sides were really solid 16mm ply, approx. 5ft x 18". If you don't have one lurking in a shed, try Freecycle or Freegle. I've also got assorted doors and other wardrobe bits that might be suitable too, if I didn't have other uses for them! Not all wardrobes are solid ply, as many are lighter construction, but these may well be more rigid than cardboard. Any big cardboard that turns up here is used for mulching the garden I'm afraid!

I've thought of it before, but at the speed I build layouts, there's not much point actually doing it!

When it's finished you could build another layout underneath, and rotate it so the one you want to operate is on top! Or if you're building a modular layout, build modules back to back and rotate!

Some views of the station building after closure.