Trevellan

And to close, here's a close up of the street sign near the level crossing - one of the little bits of detail that keeps me amused!

That sign looks like Guardian typo...

Go on, give us a clue. Printed on an inkjet or colour laser from a photograph?

Er, true. Perhaps it was a mistake not to include a "wink" smiley after my post...

Looks pretty good, although the sound-fitted version could be challenging...

You know as well as I that it wouldn't fit any of my modelling plans...

That's a shame. I was waiting for the link to photographic evidence that a 4VEP had been seen in Hawick .

After years and years of despair and frustration something is actually running.

I feel as though we should be cutting a ribbon or opening some bubbly!

Great stuff Gordon. Looking forward to further progress.

Seeing Colin's image of 40 101 reminded me of one in my collection, taken in August 1981. The old girl was on an Aberdeen service and was hooked up early enough for me to grab this shot before I and my companion boarded the train. I can't recall the exact working, but it was a morning departure, probably around 10am, and we rode behind her all the way. Our return service that evening was equally enjoyable, being hauled by a pair of 26s, but that's another story!

I'm sure he can. If it helps, I know at least three have been ordered...

I'm sure that many of us will be following your plans with interest Dave. Perhaps we could impose on you to provide pictorial updates to illustrate the changes as they occur.

Interesting. I worked alongside said gentleman from 1990 to 2000, occasionally deputising for him on rail matters. It's a small world.

I hope I will be forgiven for reproducing the image below, dating from February 1991, for it shows the maestro at work and using the techniques described above. On this occasion the subject was Saffron Walden station building and Geraint was one of several members of the S4 Cambridge Area Group present, as well as the Pampisford layout.

One unfortunate aspect of this image is that I neglected to tell Geraint I was about to shoot and his concentration was such that he jumped as the flash fired. I don't think any permanent damage was caused to Geraint or the building, nor did I receive any injuries from flying scalpels, although ISTR that aspersions were cast on my IQ and parentage...

.... so what is the next collaborative loco from Dapol?

Neal, if you start another wishlist you'll be sent to the naughty step.

Frankly, with all the debate about Hornby around Christmas and now Bachmann I'm totally wishlisted and frothed out for a few months .

In the course of my career I've met a few celebs, as well as some prominent female politicians. In almost every case the individuals were far from being stuffy or arrogant. The two that come readily to mind are Gwenan Edwards and Gillian Merron. I worked on a promotional video with Gwenan in the mid-90s (when she was presenting regularly on the BBC) and I would describe her as a consummate professional. The weather was generally cold and damp during filming and we used multiple locations over a few hours, yet she remained cheerful, friendly and focussed throughout. I first met Gillian when she was in the ministerial team at DfT and again, there was no hint of arrogance or condescension. Subsequently, she has proved to be an excellent ambassador for the bus industry in her role as Chair of Bus Users UK.

How do you know if you've made it as a modeller? Simple. You're allowed to call yourself Stubby47.

Are Hornby still manufacturing these 31s, if so where are the chassis coming from for these?

Yes. One of the more recent examples was the RR-liveried version. And don't forget the long-awaited green with syp is due to return shortly.

Thanks for the update Dave. I can certainly understand how frustrated you must feel going from a superb working layout to zero. From the various shots on this thread it seems that many a pleasant interlude could be spent just playing with different combinations of stock and lighting for the camera, even if a full operating session wasn't possible.

Only you can know what's best for you and your circumstances in the short term, but I would think that finding a way of being able to operate at least part of WW would be my priority.

Whatever you decide, I wish you all the best.

(Edit for typo).

I hope I will be forgiven for tarnishing what has proved to be a very interesting thread with one of my happy snaps, dating from May 1991 and shot on Kodachrome 200 in fairly dull conditions.

I used to think that Kodachrome was the bees knees in terms of transparency film, but these days my 6 megapixel digital compact can match or even beat it on quality.

I confess that Alice Roberts has been near the top of my list for some years. An attractive, highly intelligent lady with, I would surmise, a fairly strong character.

However, I recently discovered that I should be meeting Carol Kirkwood next month, which I admit sent me into a tizz for a while .

Well I thought the Fell was quite a good looking loco and think a working replica should be made.

Presumably now with one connecting rod made out of Boris...

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...

No nylon suits near the DCC layouts please. It could put decoders at risk of being fried...

Or did you mean in adjacent platforms, but with the Peak in mono and ghosted out? That would be more like the "ghosts of trains past" idea.

You put it so well...

Excellent idea - I've also tidied up some of the overlaps, and smudged some of the hard edges.

Pity the source material wasn't better, but it survived 20-odd years in someone else's loft, so I should be grateful I've still got them...

I can understand the rationale behind the shot, but I think it would have worked better with the old train alongside the new. As you say, you're probably limited by your source material. Nice try though!

A couple or geezers on the door with long black overcoats and bow ties asking "where's your tie, son?". "Your name's not on the list, sushine. Jog on".

No problem. I'd just tell them that I'd be reporting the matter to Andy Y and the Mods. Enough to scare the most belligerent of doormen...

Here's one from 1974, known as The Ghost of Newton Abbott.

My mate and I were down in the West Country chasing Westerns and had decided to spend a chilly evening on Newton Abbott station. While there I experimented with some long exposures, including this one, with my mate in the frame for half the exposure as the "ghost" perpetually waiting for his train. Well, we thought it was funny at the time...

It was always a talking point in the days when I used to give slide shows to local clubs.

I am sincerely hoping Dapol doesn't put high-intensity style LEDs in the Western headcode boxes. While the latest Bachmann Warship is yet another superb runner the brilliant white headcode illumination is so powerful as to require both staining of the "glass" and blocking of light bleed when running in dim to dark conditions if one is not game to replace the entire LED unit with something more akin to an incandescent bulb.

I think I'll ask Dapol for this version of the headcode box :

(A late afternoon shot at Exeter St Davids in April 1974 - loco not identifed.)

In the spirit of the OP, what happens if someone decides to convert all their Hornby Dublo to P4? It sort of defeats the second half of the brand name...