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A couple from Edale, Sep 1981. I was walking on the Mam Tor-Lose Hill ridge. Graham

Cadley Hill colliery, Feb 1976 And a loco that was plinthed near Daventry town centre for a few years. I think it eventually moved to a preservation site. This photo was in Nov 1978. Graham

Another one, Worcester Apr 1980. Graham

I have a few old ones. This first one was on a cold and gloomy December day in 1978 at Northfield. I should think the Ektachrome 400 was pushed to 1600 ASA on a day like this. March 1980 at New St next for 50046 And on to Harbury, May 1980. Graham

I bought a #6 point today and everything I've tried so far has run through it without any problems. The mechanism feels a little more positive too, so I think this is the answer. Thanks everyone for your assistance. Graham

Thanks, I did know about the different radius, but is the mechanism similar? I think that the two main problems are the fit of the switch blade against the running rail which can be improved with the mod in the videos, but also the sloppy mechanism where you don't have a positive switching action to keep the switch blade firmly in place. Graham

So what differences are there between the #4 and #6 points? Graham

Thank you for the replies. After watching the videos I decided to try the modification and it does work. However, one of the points now derailed both the Clayton and the 66 when running straight on, the switch blade was not returning flush to the running rail. So I took off the base plate to have a look and the reason the mechanism is so sloppy is that it relies on a long thin wire to move the switch blades - using the wire to move side-to-side as a spring. This does not look like a robust mechanism. I gave the wire a tweak, reassembled and tried it again - everything now works OK in all directions with repeated switching back and forth. But my confidence that these points will be reliable in the long term is rather low and so I'm reluctant to use them on a permanent layout. This is all disappointing in that the trackwork is designed to be used repeatedly with frequent dismantling, yet the one part of the system that moves seems to be the flimsiest. Another thought - I've been operating the points using the manual switch. Does the point motor act similarly to the manual switch or can it perhaps give the blades a bit more of a push? Thanks again Graham

Hi, I'm making tentative steps towards an N gauge layout and last month bought some plain Kato track and an EFE Clayton, which ran fine. This week I bought a couple of Kato #4 points and the Clayton derails when running over them. It only happens when the loco enters the point from the toe end and is switched to take the curved track - it's fine if it is switched to go straight on. The derailing occurs when the leading bogie meets the switch blade; when running very slowly you can see the wheel lift up. Looking at the Kato points, the switch blades are pretty sloppy and come to rest above the rail level. I suspect that when the Clayton meets the switch blades, it is not heavy enough to force them down so it rides up and derails. I bought a s/h Farish class 66 today, a much heavier beast and this has no problems at all. Can anyone suggest a way of adding extra weight to the Clayton? I don't want to do anything too scary, but are there any easily accessible voids where weight could be added? Thanks in advance. Graham

But the more general language is being lost to hyperbole. 'yes' is now 'absolutely' 'very' is now 'incredible' 'good', 'very good', 'nice', 'super', brilliant' are all now 'fantastic' 'before' is 'pre' 'after' is 'post' I know there is a plain English society. Are they still active? Graham

Sorry, no. I didn't take very many train photos as I was slightly concerned about the security aspect in 1980. On one journey, me and my mate were fiddling with cameras and a chap sitting opposite pointed at our cameras, waggled his fingers, shook his head and said 'Russkies'. A minute later, we passed a Russian army camp. I was a little nervous taking the shots at Balatonszentgyorgy as there was a Hungarian soldier across the aisle, but he didn't bat an eyelid. I do have four rather average shots taken inside Budapest Keleti (I think) station. Graham

I did a Interail holiday in 1980, one country visited was Hungary where I saw the occasional steam loco at work. I don't remember where these first four shots were taken. This next loco though was at Balatonszentgyorgy, it was pottering around the yard while our train was awaiting departure. And one diesel, location unknown. Graham

A holiday in the Bernese Oberland in Aug/Sep 1982 saw me take an overnight train from Calais to Lucerne and then a train over the Brunig pass to Meiringen where I stayed for a few days before moving on to the Interlaken area. It was mainly a walking holiday but I took a few pictures of trains. Of the photo locations, I think the first two are at the Brunig pass summit, and the final four are at Interlaken but I stand to be corrected. I've no idea where the rest were taken though I suspect they were in the Meiringen area. Graham

Blimey, thanks for that. I don't remember it at all. I've been going through some other old slides recently and found places I don't remember visiting. It's a bit unnerving. Graham

Thanks for this. I certainly don't remember walking to Grindlewald. I've checked through my other holiday pics and there is nothing to indicate otherwise. Given the weather conditions though, I perhaps didn't take other photos. Hmmm. I haven't been back since, I was hoping to take SWMBO there later this year but Covid has scuppered that. A friend was working at Trummelbach at the time I was there and he went back last year. He said it was so much busier nowadays, the streets of Lauterbrunnen were crammed and all trains were now 8 coaches long, even Grutschalp to Murren. Graham

Three photos of the Grutschalp to Murren line. I have photos of the line to Meiringen over the Brunig pass and some other shots from Interlaken but I'll put them in the general Swiss forum. Graham

These photos I can't place, I did walk up to KS a couple of times so I assume they are taken on the way there. Graham

I was on holiday in the Lauterbrunnen valley in Aug/Sep 1982 , camping at Stechelberg. It was mainly a walking holiday but I took a few train photos when I could. These first shots are identifiable as Kleine Sheidegg. More to follow Graham

Eddie, No other pictures I'm afraid. Neither myself nor my friend have any recollection of it. Good job we take photos (and keep them) eh? Graham

post edited, will try again later

Brilliant. Thanks Eddie.

I can now say that I was in Runcorn for one weekend in June 80 (I didn't go there very often) and that the photos were probably taken Sunday 22nd June 1980. But where? My friends diary mentions a visit to Greenhouse Farm but that might be a red herring. Graham

I've found some more info, it has wandered around a bit since being in the Manchester museum and is now at the Lincs wolds railway. No mention of Runcorn in 1980 though so I'm still wondering. Graham

Thanks for that. The scenery in the background suggests a river/estuary, which fits with my records that suggest I took pictures of a loco at a Runcorn museum in June 1980. Is there a source that can give me a history of such a loco. The MOSI website is not helpful. Graham

I've been looking through some old slides and my filing system has not been as accurate as I'd like. I have two shots of a loco that I think may have been at a museum site in Runcorn, June 1980. Can anyone confirm please? Thanks Graham