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And it also depends where in Scotland you are thinking about... Andy G

And having seen some in the vid, it appears that the knurling isn't always fully removed.... That's why I went down the road of using modern wheel pans, which are also finer all round. Andy G

I don't think that ventilation would have been overly impaired by sheeting (cattle wagons aren't really that weathertight are they?) as during WW1 when the Calvary horses (for the lower orders) were moved they were put in cattle wagons which HAD to be sheeted (to stop the daft things from panicking I presume). Andy G

Look at the coach wheels that Hornby and Bachman do. I found that a Triang EM2 with plastic axles was easy to convert. Basically just remove the insulating bush and with a little bit of reaming, they push fit onto the axle. They also fit Dublo axles too. Not tried the triang steel axles mind, but I'm sure a solution isn't far off using these wheel pans. Andy G

That looks like a fascinating document, is the rest scanned at all please? Andy G

Looking Great Clive.... Which P1's are in your lot list to do sir? I might want to cadge the file off you ... Andy G

I'm no expert, but it might be worth you having a look at my loco bodging thread, it shows how I do things step by step, although you'll note I tend not to finish anything! (and yes I must update things too!) Its not that difficult, but the light bulb moment for me was when Tony Wright recommended to me 9% phosphoric acid for the flux, life is easy knowing that trick! Andy G

When the Lynn Road was electrified back in the '90's, a 317 was routed at Ely North Junction onto the Peterborough road, which is wired for about 150yds. The driver took the route and coasted to rest a fair way off the wires. The rescue consisted of many* 317's being sent from Cambridge to drag it back... * the reports vary from 4 to 12 sets (317's being 4 car units)... Andy G

Those Signal motors are lovely bits of kit, but not for those with no muscles! I've got a selection of bits and pieces of them, enough to make two machines, one 10v the other 110v, both DC. The casing is cast iron, and is impossible to lift on your own, even when empty! The three post mounts I have are for square section posts sadly, as ideally I'd like to put one on a tubular doll, but there are always ways round it. Interestingly they were designed to be able to be mounted at the top of the post with the arm directly on the end of the drive spindle, although I have no idea how you would get the thing up there! Inside they are lovely, lots of gears, all nicely made, and some good sized contacts. I really must get back to finishing off putting them back together! Andy G

LNER-GE of this parish controls one of his trainsets using old Strowger uniselectors and relays, and I have a stack of relays (spares for my exchanges) that might get used at some point... I wish I could get hold of one of those old controllers that had a 3/4 circle of studs, and the handle wiped across them. The studs having resistance wire between them to make it a rheostat. Frank Roomes had three or four of them on Lutton, and they were lovely to use... Andy G

Except in Strowger telephony, where its three wires..... Andy G

Sorry, I meant the leading axle of the tender! It would have to be the middle CO axle of the class 40 to have the speedo drive... Andy G

Is the leading axle off a class 40, thereby allowing the speedo to be fitted to the tender relatively cheaply? It looks like a very sensible and subtle way of doing it. Andy G

Same for the Jidenco/Falcon Brass kits... Although I have to say that the castings generally are very good, and very useful! Andy G

In my bodging threads, I take photos as I go, so that you can see what I'm doing at each stage. I have to say I've not updated them for a couple of years (the black dog has affected my modelling in that time, but I'm beginning to come out of it, and hopefully I'll be able to update things (and probably re-load the photos). The lack of step by step photo teaching is one of the big problems with kit building, if you are a tyro to it, you can easily become stuck when things don't quite work out, but not yet have the skills to work around the issue. I'm no expert, but by photoing each step I hoped it sort of showed how I bodged around things and pushed myself to get better... Andy G

It does make you wonder how many of this kits are still knocking around unmade. I've got a Jamieson kit for a Caley Jumbo in the pile. And then there is the Jidenco/Falcon Brass kits for HR classes in the pile too. Interestingly these are also in boxes that are no use for storing the finished locos in..... When the FB kits were still available, they were still expensive kits for what you got, the best bits being the castings that came with them... Andy G

An interesting photo for a few reasons. Look at the sleepers, mainly 'economy' concrete ones. The point construction is interesting too... who would believe that there were such things as concrete interlaced points? Note that the sleepers that require special chairs are all laid on timber sleepers, and that the economy concretes are far shorter than the timber ones. The rail in the points is very worn, there is a noticeable step in the rail where it forms the check-rail to the crossing (you can see it easier on the flicker photo when you zoom in), and the one in the background looks like it is probably the same. My guess is that these sleepers are ex-MOD, bought secondhand, but interestingly there is a pile of timber sleepers on the right of the photo, had the whole line been re-laid with concretes recently, or was track lifting taking place then? Andy G

Having played around a bit with early colour light heads the doors open out at least 180*, and generally more. I'm sure my MetroVick -GRS 'Hernia'** head has a door that goes much further than 180*. I friend has a couple of early heads with 'pig's ears' on them, and again I'm sure they open further than 180*, so access to change the LAMPs (Remember bulbs grow, lamps glow), wouldn't be that difficult. And I'm guessing that the width of the platform is probably wider than it looks. Andy G ** so called as it weights so bleeding much, its cast iron!

Have you tried Scale link? They seem to have some Markits bits that are in stock that no-one else has. Andy G

I remember being on duty for a wiring degradation inspection here. The bloke was saying how poor the wiring looked, and then clambered behind the frame after I had pulled off (frame but with colour lights) and then started to pull the loom about very roughly. I was surprised that the signals didn't go back! He said that the wiring insulation issue has become more of an issue on installations from the early 80's onwards, as BR suddenly wanted to know what the contractors were specifying for there wire. They then complained that it wasn't the spec that BR had wanted, so they all changed over to the BR wire, and that has been proven to not last very well.... Andy G

Its not uncommon here either.... <cough> Stadler 'Basils' units for GA <cough> Andy G

see https://www.railcar.co.uk/type/class-105/operations-batch-three about the batch three Cravens sets.... Andy G

Which bit of the LMS does the book cover? Does it cover the Highland area at all please? Andy G

No wonder the M&GN was closed... double manning signalboxes! I just wish we still had the front veranda here, it would be a good vantage point. Andy G

Axle now cut through and removed, not having much luck in shifting the grub screw, looks like it might actually be glued in... grrr. Any thoughts on the Markits crank bushes? Ta Andy G