montyburns56

On the topic of Ciba Geigy do you ever remember their sidings being used as when I photographed the area about ten years ago they were still in situ which suggested that they were still being used until fairly recently.

Yeah, but there's the embedded track on the Containerbase to get them started and it wouldn't be too difficult to relay the track as it was only lifted a few years ago. As for the Kellogg's crossing, I was thinking that they could just use it for access to the engine shed and not actually have the passenger carrying trains crossing it. Also the roundabout crossing (Village Circle) was on the TPE network which was separate from the MSC owned Containerbase line.

To be honest there's so little traffic and heavy industry on and around the canal, that's it seems to be fairly clean these days. Although you may need sunglasses if you go on one of the trips and not for the reason you'll be thinking... http://www.shipsofthemersey.me.uk/picture?/16135/category/130-manchester_ship_canal_runcorn_manchester

I was watching a Youtube video about the BT mascot Buzby and it showed all the merchandise, publicity material etc, but the author also mentioned the Buzby Special train. It seems to have been made to promote and showcase BT technology and used one of the Exhibition trains in a special Buzby livery. Does anyone actually remember seeing, visiting, photographing it or has it ever been modelled does anyone know? I've only found one picture of it at Chester in 1978 and that doesn't really show it that clearly. https://www.2d53.co.uk/chester/Specials.htm And this picture of a pamphlet about it. http://www.lightstraw.co.uk/ate/tao/sales/buzby/special1.html

I didn't realise that Containerbase itself was now gone as the Google Street View still shows views from 2017. It got me thinking that perhaps a preservation society could take over the track down Barton Dock Road and run brake van rides up and down it as they would have a ready market with all of the visitors to The Trafford Centre. They could even reuse the old engine shed near Kelloggs.

There's a company that still runs tourist cruises from Liverpool to Manchester if you want take a trip down memory lane. https://www.merseyferries.co.uk/mobile/manchester-ship-canal-cruise/Pages/default.aspx

Others mentioning the vapourware V2 reminded me of a Lima catalogue that I once had that featured all of those forthcoming models that never arrived. And considering that a lot of the Lima models that are still being produced such as the 47 and 73, are now over 30 years old, they still look pretty good. Does anyone remember what years the 67 was released as I believe it was their last new model and was only a few years before they went bust in 2004.

I've just been watching Sam's Trains Youtube channel where he recently reviewed the Hornby re-release of the Lima 101 dmu. He was commenting about how the detail standards weren't as good as modern models or even that great for when Hornby released it (2007 I think) and I was struggling to remember exactly what year Lima first released it. It got me curious as to exactly what year each of their models were released, especially those that are still in the Hornby range so can anyone remember the years?

There's a tiny bit of embedded track around the Mode Wheel Lock area which still exists, but that's just about it. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mode+Wheel+Locks/@53.4715347,-2.3055446,141m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x487bae67d2c97a9f:0x6c0973c596fcba05!8m2!3d53.4737243!4d-2.304343

There's cement to the Weaste terminal which is why railway traffic to it has virtually disappeared, grain ships to Cargill (used to be Cerestar which was rail served until fairly recently) scrap metal from the EMR site, container ships to Irlam & LPG ships to Carrington power station. This site list all the traffic that goes to Manchester. http://www.shipsofthemersey.me.uk/index?/page/manchester_ship_canal_2017_2018

Do 00 modellers have the patience to wait seven years for one?

Yes, the Heywood Works also did the conversion for the POA's RLS 5214-5233 in 1987 & RLS 4560-4579 in 1989.

They were built by the Standard Railway Wagon Co at Heywood and one of guys who worked there has written an excellent book which shows all of the wagons that they built. It only has one picture of the Tip Air, but it is a rare one of it actually in the tipping position, but there aren't any detailed drawings. The book is Standard Railway Wagon Co Heywood Works by David W Tandy.

Does anyone know why there is a pipe/cable going through the driving cab door window from the barrier coach?

There's an official photo of one on the HMRS site. https://hmrs.org.uk/photographs/standard-pulverised-fuel-wc2-20t-covered-hopper-1002.html And a RMWEB member has actually made models of them.

I was looking at some old maps and it seems that originally the line went across the road, but was truncated at some point.

There's a great picture of the Brook Lane section on this site which just screams out to be modelled. https://www.search.staffspasttrack.org.uk/Details.aspx?&ResourceID=4474&PageIndex=25&SearchType=2&ThemeID=272

On your marks, get set, go...

Yeah, I was just making a Highlander joke.

I thought that there could be only one?

Well at least now the wagons match the loco.

I recently ordered some items from them late on Friday evening and I was surprised that they arrived on Monday, as I had presumed that they wouldn't be despatched until the following Monday.

I've heard that Bachmann had them flown in...

Wow, that backscene is realistic. It actually looks as if the layout is set in an untidy office room.

And is edgemd@aol.com the email address for your Paypal account?