south_tyne

Worrying indeed. A random 'fact'* I always remember is that Southwold is only 80 miles from Belgium...... * happy to be corrected if this is absolute twaddle!!

Martin, I would stick with the tension locks too. As you said, they are reliable and, given the amount of stock you have, the cost of converting to kadees would be astronomical. The modern smaller tensions locks are fairly unobtrusive and to be honest, to my mind are less obvious than a kadee, which I always think look quite incongruous in steam-age British stock. Granted the latter may have operational benefits but the cost aspect would far outweigh these in my opinion. It is always something you could revisit in the future when the layout is up and running, the bulk of the expenditure is commited, and there may be more funds for other things. Just my rambling thoughts and good to see further progress this week! David

Very smart! BoCo was always my favourite of the diesels. My brother on the otherhand prefered Bear! Similarly my overall favourites were Toby and Edward whereas he like James and Percy. Thinking about it, there might be somehing in the fact that the latter two were more cheeky and less well behaved than my favourites........ My 10-month old nephew has now been started on the stories of the Rev Awdry..... best to get them started on the right foot early!

Last night's treat came from the wonderful Durham Brewery.... this time St Cuthbert (a nice strong IPA) and Smoking Blonde (a tasty ale). I had never sampled the latter before but I will be revisiting! They do some other crackers and if you are a fan of stout there are some particular good 'uns available. This includes Black Bishop, then at the stronger end of the scale, the White Stout (7.2%) and the potent Temptation, a 10% Russian Stout. The latter is not for the faint hearted! https://durhambrewery.com/

It will be interesting to see where Dapol pitch this with regard to pricing. RTR coaches in 0 are often as dear as some locomotives. I know these are 4-wheelers but I would be suprised if they come out at less than £100, just based on the price of the Dapol guard's vans. Having said that, the impending Sentinel loco is remarkably cheap, so I would be happy to eat my words!

Cracking work on the station building Michael. The layout is already offering up so much atmosphere

Mike, those industrial buildings ard absolutely superb. Wonderful modelling. The inlaid track also looks very effective. If you don't mind me asking, what materials and techniques have you used?

The weathering of stock and buildings is simply superb. I am in awe of your skills!

This week I've sampled a few beers from the Blaydon Firebrick Brewery.... Stella Spark (a nice blonde), Trade Star (IPA) and Giuseppe (a really interesting gluten-free lager) provided a canny mix! http://www.firebrickbrewery.com/beers.php

Well Phil Jagielka seems like a much more appropriate signing. I know he hasn't played much recently and is in the twilight years of his career, but he is natural leader and will bring some top flight nous and experience to the squad. There's the added aspect of it being a homecoming after 12 years away from Bramall Lane. It's the kind of sensible signing you will need, but you will also need to add some attacking flair and creativity over the coming weeks. Scoring goals is key - hopefully Billy Sharp gets a real chance to show he can cut it at that level.

I would agree, although I don't like Chelsea so........

That's why I was surprised, as Wilder comes across as very savvy. If he does come in on a more permanent basis, let's hope he doesn't rock the boat. In other news, it's great to see Peru reach their first Copa America final since 1975! That red-diagonal-stripe shirt is one of the icons of world football! I really hope they beat Brasil in the final, although the odds are massively stacked against them.

I see that that archetypal bad-boy Ravel Morrison has pitched at Sheffield Utd on trial. On the face of it, I would think he is the antithesis of what they need and of the kind of culture Chris Wilder has been building at the club. Having said that, if he does knuckle down and realises his undoubted potential, then they would certainly have a talented player on their hands. He could provide the 'x factor' that every newly promoted club requires. Sadly, given this track record I would imagine that would be highly unlikely.

It is such a tragedy when anybody gets so low and feels so hopeless that they end up taking their own life. It is devastating for all involved. Clearly when it involves a rail accident, this extends beyond the person and their family, and also involves the driver and other staff. It is just so sad. As Northmoor said, the Samaritans are doing some excellent work and have prominent notices and helpful information around railway stations and lines. We must always remember to talk and share out problems. As a sufferer of mental illness I know that this can be key to trying to move forward. We all had good days and bad days but it is important not to let things exacerbate. My heart goes out to all those directly and indirectly impacted by such tragic events.

Cheers Jason, Yes I managed to track it down on there so I have dropped Simon an email to confirm.

Yes that is a great thing. We would have a cracking Northumbria team wouldn't we if we took in the pre-1974 counties of Durham and Northumberland! Actually, on that note, the most interesting case could be Lucy Bronze (best right-back in the world), who was born in Berwick and actually spent part of her childhood living on Holy Island (Lindisfarne) if I am not mistaken. Now that's a bit different!

Dave/Gordon, Thanks very much for those suggestions, I will follow both those potential leads up. Cheers, David

A sentiment shared by this fellow in the Geordie Nation. S_T (non-England supporter)

Does anyone have a copy of 'The Ruston Class 48DS and 88DS Locomotives' by David R Hall that they me be willing to part with? I've been looking for this book for ages but to no avail. It is a longshot, but hopefully someone may have a unwanted copy kicking around somewhere! Cheers, S_T

I had just started a project and it is certainly not a lifetime layout. It is a tiny micro-layout with the objective of practising my skills and to just to get something up and running. However, it is probably the 'ultimate' layout for me in my current circumstances. I have very little space, temporary living arrangements and very tight finances so it is the best solution at the moment. Am I getting enjoyment out of it? Certainly. Will I finish it? Hopefully! One day will I attempt something bigger and more comprehensive? Maybe. A larger project is a long way in the future though, and a lot would have to change for me to even think about it. So for now, although not ideal, 'something' is better than 'nothing'.

That's a great story and I hope the bloke makes a big success of the venture. Having said that, he must be mad, eccentric or possibly both! It will take a particular type of person, a hardy soul, to live out there by yourself. I cannot imagine the physical and social isolation that living in such an environment presents. Fingers-crossed he gets plenty of trade just from folk visiting from a novelty point of view!

It certainly is a twisty-turny road and one I have driven on a few occasions. The way the road, railway and canal all criss-crossed is fascinating. Sadly my journeys have been long after the closure of the railway but, nevertheless, it is still good to retrace the route of the line and just imagine a steam tram passing alongside you

Thanks Nick, what a fascinating post. Despite bein very interested in light railways, I must admit I wasn't aware of Meyer. Is the book still available? I've always thought Swaledale is perfect for a light railway scheme. Certainly a line from Richmond to Teeth, and potentially beyond. The profitability would have been very questionable, as by the time the line had been built the lead mining industry would be on its last legs, but that never stopped most light railways from limping in into the 1930s!! I would be really interested to find out more about this proposal. Thanks for sharing, David

Just checked in my treasured and dog-eared Football Who's Who from the late '80s and Mr Lawrenson was with his hometown club from 1974 to '77. Given the year of the photo, playing in a reserve game at the start of his professional career would make perfect sense. It's a fascinating set of photos. What is just as interesting az the players are the glimpses of the ground at St James Park in the background. Very evocative. Mind what I love most is the hairstyles, facial hair and sideburns!!

You could be right there. Like his mentor...