Trevellan

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 .

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

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

You put it so well...

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!

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 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...

The 60 wasn't too bad, but those poor 37s - yuk!

Desert sand?

Frankly, I reckon that Loadhaul was probably one of the worst liveries ever, gaudy and unrelated to the lines of the locos it adorned. It always reminded me of crudely printed packaging for biscuits or some other product. Still, life would be boring if we all liked the same things.

Yes, certainly some very interesting interpretations and extremely well edited. I'd often wondered about a Western in large logo blue...

I have no doubt that someone, somewhere will find something else that's half a millimetere out, but to me it looks absolutely spot-on. Could this become the best r-t-r diesel yet produced? Note to self: must start saving for at least three of these.

I received a letter out of the blue yesterday from Hornby's customer care team, apologising for the delay in repairing and returning my blue 31. They themselves do not yet know when replacement parts will arrive in the UK, but I am assured the model will be repaired and returned a.s.a.p. Given the criticism of Hornby's customer care of late, I felt I ought to pass on this information. Okay, it doesn't say anything new, but from my point of view it is a nice gesture of reassurance.

Welcome to RMweb chuck. About time too. At least I now know what the switch on the control panel marked "Scotch" is for. Shame it's not something for the benefit of operators...

It is called HS2 because it is being built to high speed standards, just as HS1 was. And yes, faster journey timnes will be one benefit. I am not denigrating your views Natalie, simply asking that people take all the facts into account rather than concentrate on those which make good soundbites.

Could we please stop fixating on the time savings for passengers as being the sole raison d'etre for HS2? It is the capacity freed up on the classic network that offers some of the greatest benefits. Having served in the public sector (local government and DfT) I am used to hearing arguments against projects which look at issues in a very narrow way. In local government I had Local Transport Plan schemes which attracted DfT funding, yet no matter how many times I explained to politicians and the public that the money could not be used for health or education, the same tired old arguments were trotted out. I concede that is very difficult for people to envisage the benefits of a project which is so many years away, but that is the nature of infrastructure planning. A classic example is Crossrail. The Central line has been horrendously overcrowded for several years now, yet relief in the form of Crossrail is still several years away - and still people complain it is unnecessary. There is something about the British psyche that focuses on the short term and finds it difficult to consider the future needs of the population. That sort of long term planning is not irresponsible - it is essential.

The first shot of D5310 puts me in mind of her current stamping ground: the approach to Carrog on the Llangollen Railway.

Interesting shot, with new blue/grey mk2s in the formation. It's easy to forget that this livery was very much a part of the last years of BR steam.

Well, if the finished model lives up to the design work it's going to be a real beauty. My wallet is aching already...

My brake 3rd arrived from Liverpool this morning and I have to say it's my favourite out of the whole lot. It really exudes character. Close-coupling and light weathering beckons. Although slightly peripheral to my layout planning, I'm glad I gave in to temptation!

I now have news from Hornby. A telephone call this morning revealed that the delay in returning my model is down to lack of chassis spares in stock at Margate. I was informed that fresh supplies will be arriving in the New Year, at which point my model will be repaired and returned. I'm more than happy to wait on that basis. I hope this helps others in a similar position.

It's a personal thing, but I detest them because they pick up dirt more readily than metal tyres, they can degrade over time and can adversely affect running quality. If you're happy with them, fine. However, I'd rather have models with an adequate power/weight ratio so they can shift themselves.