Poor Old Bruce

Thanks for all the 'Likes' folks, it makes it worth the effort of searching and posting. Two of Water Orton East Junction in 1984 showing some of the surrounding dross and paraphenalia. ... and two of another 'box which could be Wembley/Stonebridge Park area or ccould be Wolverton, again from 1984. Edit - Wolverton, thanks go to Beast66606 again.

Banbury South Signal Box. 1984 Leaton Croesnewydd North Fork, 1984 Mauchline, with replaced windows, 3 May 2019 Horbury Junction, 1984

There's always got to be somebody going round looking for something to complain about.

Thanks for that Beasty, as Captain Mainwaring would say, "I was waiting for someone to spot that." Now need your expertise on the un-named one in today's post.

Five from 1984 Navigation Road Hale Altrincham North I need help with this one but it's in the same neck of the woods as the others. Edit, We have to thank Beasy, who tells us it's Deansgate Junction. Skelton Junction

Three for today: Dullingham 1984 Wood Ditton 1984 Kennett 1984 Sorry if some of the colours may be a bit off, some pics are scanned from prints which have faded in some parts of the spectrum.

That's the way things are going these days.

They don't cater for anyone at present Don as the Clubroom is closed for the duration but there were plenty of armchair modellers when we were open any we would be pleased to welcome you when possible. Richard

Quite.

With a repaint to fully lined livery, they'd work a treat. IIRC Alan Gibson made some overlays to convert these to Late Midland coaches and they were later produced by David Geen, I don't know their current availability.

Here's some more Scottish ones, GSWR this time, which I managed to grab while on the Great Britain XII tour last year. All on 2 May 2019 Dunragit Glenwhilly Barrhill

Your prerogative of course, but I still say it's tedious.

Some of my photos: Heighington on a sunnier day, 18 October 2018 Barrow-in Furness 22 July 2016 Valley 18 Sept 2013

I understand that bit but the implication was that they were the OP's photos. I like the subject but cannot understand why someone would start a thread with someone else's photos. Richard

Any chance of posting the actual pictures rather than tedious links please.

Yes but that has a Belpaire firebox.

You could always pick up the 'phone and ask me.

Thanks for the comment H but I have found that most ballast materials are easier to spread when dry. They flow much better, if they are damp they just seem to go into claggy lumps that don't do what you want. Then dampen them with some sort of fine mist of slightly soapy water before applying the glue. If you get big drops on the stuff which disturb the surface while spraying, it's best to sort then out later after the glue is well on the way to drying otherwise you (well, I) make a bigger mess.

I don't think anyone is blaming machines, just commenting that machines may have their limitations, just like people. Also that experience, conscientiousness and intuition are difficult to replace with a machine. Even the best computers are only as good as their programming and can only respond to the information they are given (this is not intended to suggest 'rubbish in = rubbish out' before that gets started, or to start a debate on the efficacy or otherwise of any programming systems). The immediate cause of the derailment is given in the RAIB statement. What led to that situation and how to remedy it will still be under investigation.

It's not easy to replace experience with a machine.

No need to speculate, the statement sums it up as track spread due to faulty/broken rail fastenings. Loaded 50t GLW wagons will create significant curving and track spreading forces, particularly with pedestal suspensions which allow little or no yaw freedom to the wheelsets. The only things you could speculate on are how long the fastening have been broken an why nobody spotted them. In fairness, the static track gauge would probably have been within limits without a train present. Observance of passing trains may have shown deficiencies but these days you try not to have people on the track where lots of trains are moving about if you can help it. Even the track recording car, being lighter axle loads, would have lower curving/spreading forces.

There you go, you learn something new every day

Not quite right. The Caledonian blue model isn't listed either.

Another point to add interest is that a lot of the Hymeks on acceptance tests were in pink primer paint.

AFAIK the practice of re-using old tender frames was a common thing on the LMS. Presumably it made sense to re-use a perfectly viable chassis rather than build a new one when it was just the body which needed replacing. This would apply to 'in house' builds rater than 'contractor' builds although that didn't stop the 4000 gallon tenders of the North British built Jubilees being swapped for the Fowler tenders on the Royal Scots. Several of the longer Deeley tenders were fitted with standard length Fowler style bodies when needed, leaving a flat area at the back, one of these survives with S&DJR 2-8-0 No.88. Preserved 8F 48305's tender was a hybrid of a Stanier 3500 gallon body on a Midland chassis which was cobbled up in preservation days, last time I saw it, it has now got a (new?) welded body but still on the MR chassis.