Steve Taylor

Way back in 1973 I came home from college (Durham) and went for a walk in the local park that I'd been playing in since I was a babe. Saw this in the path:

 

 

With eyes that had become attuned to industrial archaeology up north I realised it was a stone sleeper - in fact there were several set into the path - and on investigation found they were from the Surrey Iron Railway, c1803. There was a huge stack of them for kids to climb on. Near the Stockton and Darlington, which used the same system, they are like hen's teeth.

 

Soon after I enquired at the council the big stack disappeared, no-one knows where to.

Would that have been in South Park perchance? I remember them there as a kid too. They were also set into the sea wall at Saltburn.

err permission to brag - I'm told I got 80mph from a 21/4 ........ making it breath properly certainly made it go. Free flow K&N air filter and a modified 2.5 TD exhaust with an empty mid box with a ported head (you can do this yourself with a bit of care and a die-grinder). My mate's 3.5 Vogue RRc couldn't get past on the hills and couldn't find a gear it was happy with. Once that engine was on a lt77 and the truck on coils it was a bit of a pocket rocket until it ate the air filter mountings...... cleared the valves cleanly but left a nasty mess on the top of two pistons.

Happy days. Can't afford one now though work occasionally gives me chance to play with them.

/me dons anorak.

Definitely series - narrow track axles, no wheel arch extensions a la 90/110/defender/discovery/RR. Nb a lightweight would have different axles again.

               military - radio mounts behind passenger side door, squared off rear cross member for HD chassis

               lwb 109" wheelbase - number of hoops in tilt frame

               pre series 3 - deeper sill panels

Speaking as an ex black & white printer the tone does suggest bronze green. A larger clearer shot would show the rear lights - military ones are different to civvy ones.

/me removes anorak.

Pete, by the sound of it you're after a series station wagon by mention of a tropical roof. A pukka one is not cheap and any example for sale deserves a proper looking over. They're not that common in good nick at sensible money these days - couldn't give them away when i bought my first - and dealers know their worth. I'd start by checking that local legislation where you are will let them in and then look at shipping costs and then source a vehicle. Pm me if you find one in the midlands and I'd be willing to look it over. If you are shipping one in see if you can send it with a spares package? You'll be occupying the container space so may as well fill the car with service spares and things like a gearbox (Ashcroft or AW Transmissions) won't hurt in the long run. Also for the petrol models (I assume the US doesn't like diesel) you may want an assurance that the head is fit for unleaded. If you are lucky you may stumble across a gem.  I passed through a garage in Perth last month that was MOt'ing a swb s2 station wagon for a estate. The vehicle did less than 300miles p/a yet nothing was spared on maintaining it. They are out there but you need to be patient.

In the not to distance past, whilst helping a forum member out with a bit of research into Broomielaw a visit was arranged to a kindly souls home that knew a thing or two about the station. After looking over many plans, diagrams and consuming many cream buns and cups of tea our visit was drawing to a close and aforementioned kindly soul said to RMwebber that he thought he had something he could have... that was stashed away up in the attic.

 

Off he went and after a few minutes (and much clattering) he returned from the attic and presented Rmwebber with the original name board from the signal box.

Not a bad outcome for a days research.

 

Porcy

.... and speaking as said RMWebber the board hangs over the stair reminding me that I must get a move on with the project. Personally speaking I find the view from the signal box

another little tip worth using - go as a group with a purpose. That way you can use the collective number of allowed items to up the total of viewed/photogrpahed documents. Also when i first went we were allowed to move the copy stand onto one of the map tables so we could lower the table and stand and still be able to see through the camera viewfinder. They no longer allow that and won't let you kneel on a stool to look through either. A real pain when trying to make accurate images that are square and scaleable.

A little research turned this one up, hope this helps

aaaargh - rest day on a mornings rota and I woke up at 05:39 typical. Still most of my chores are now done/underway so it frees up some of the day later on for a nap.

Err just a thought. Have you allowed for the combined thickness of the mortar courses? On my prototype I measured the overall dimensions of key sections of brickwork and sampled some individual brick dimensions as well as noting the number of courses, headers, stringers and closers and if the mortar lines (approx 1/8-1/4") weren't factored in then the measurements never tallied, despite it being clearly visible how many bricks were used and  how they were arranged.

THanks for posting those up. Did i see a locking bar in that lot?

with call attention rung from the phone, a faint yellow smudge in the sky and the microwave announcing porridge ready it must be morning again. Another early shift in a big tin shed. Its probably not what I had in mind when going to careers meetings at school many years ago but possibly fits with the careers master's view of my future. Ironically up at seven for lates and i get loads done in the morning, but home at 2.45 after an early and I'm a zombie. Ironic as they pay less for ab early and demolish me in the procccess. Still, musn't grumble an 'aw that.

Have a good day you lot in web-land.

Eugh - early shift. 'nuff said, though I appear to have slept through the effects of a small sea washing round the house.

Howard - any chance of bringing that box to a NAG meeting .I'm impressed with how tidy it all looks even in body-in-white mode.

Steve

I can tell you through experience that coffee grounds certainly do go mouldy but don't know about tea specifically.

one of these days

welcome to the cheap seats

To do the Wall Street Shuffle

I'm intrigued by the process of ascertaining the contours of the surrounding landscape when making the internal "ribs" in the boards.

permission to have room-envy please. Looking forward to reading of your progress and thank you for lifting your head above the parapet to share your story with us

caw blimey, impressive in its own right but what a hint at the layout that should accompany it!

Btw has anyone ever done, or got the information to do Darlington South, Northallerton or S&D Crossing? I have half an inclination to do a standalone model of one of these.

Michnick - how do you did you do the downpipes on "SallyField Jct SB"? I like the way the curve forms round the corner, is it wire?

..... hmmm the laser display board is on the blink and I'm fairly certain that even given a major increase in gravity the tumble dryer trying to mate with the washing machine would not look like that. Former for an external cylinder wrapper seems close.

excellent - I shall extend running to post 1958 just for these ..... and to save building so many bloody gresley things and doing valve gear

Monochrome for the pre-grouping if not all layouts? How do we know there was colour before kodak? (I freely own up to stealing an idea from Calvin & Hobbs)

How about a black-tie event ? DJ's & black ties (or ball gowns, take your pick !) only.

Or..... period dress only. To view a layout you must be appropriately dressed for that layout: 1960's end of steam means brylcream and nylon or beetle suits, pre-grouping means frock coats and high collars and so on. Admission to the hall: free, use of changing facilities + cloakroom(well think of the number of outfits): overpriced (but only announced once the old outfit has been removed/peeled/steamed off). Now please let nobody do a layout based upon a fictional GWR branch next to a naturist beach set in Cumbernauld.

hehe, the whole of Crewe in a Bergen with the fiddle yards as add-ons in the bed roll and worm-bag?