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Well done Jeff, it's nice to see a picture of progress on here! Being completely unaware of DCC (Except that it would cost me a fortune in chips!) is there any reason that the bus wires are going a foot apart? It seems a good idea to have the bus in the main frame, but aren't the droppers going to be a bit exposed to damage if they just drop striaght down from the track? Personally I would lace a group of them together and run them down to the bus as a group, which would get rid of the fishing net of wires, and would give a better mechanical strength. Had a bit of a day here. Was sanding down a bashed (read cut into small pieces and then glued back together in a different order!) MR 54' Clayton Clerestory and ended up taking bits apart and re-gluing them. One end has been off and on twice in the last three hours! Now I think its better, so I'm letting it harden off before putting it away. I might start cutting another ratio kit for the next one, although tomorrow I have 8 hours of no trains, so might start the MR diner. The snow has also started to fall again, but its so small I can hardly see it. Andy G (No idea way google thinks my cats are S&C related!)

Well I'll let the cats know, will they be purrfectly happy about it though? Andy G

Did you know Jeff that you are now in googles radar? I did a search for S&C 1960's steam in google images, and there were the photos of your pair of viaducts! Didn't find what i was looking for, train formations....:-{ Andy G (more of a pink colour now)

Well the gas man has just left and I was right, a gas leak on the operating floor! So the door is now shut and the ellecy heaters are now on full, 8*C here at the minute! Still no modelling going on, but I can now go to Ally Pally as my day off has been approved. Who will i see there on the Saturday? A blue Andy G

At least you are warm... I think I've got a gas leak near/in the box. No gas heater and have been told to turn off anything that creates arcs, so that the eleccy heaters off too then! I've also got to have the doors open....it's 13*C at the mo, after half an hour of openness! Hoping they turn up soon and say it's either a leak or not. Thank God I've got gloves with me! Was going to do some painting/sanding, but I can't grip anything, and the paint wont dry either. humph. Andy g

Chris, I did a bit of reading up (Oh how I like reading about coaches!) and discovered that the Midland were the first company to introduce bogies on coaches in the mid 1870's. With regards to your coaching stock when you move, the good old Ratio kits are good for GWR 4 wheelers. For LNWR 6 wheelers you could look out for the old K's kits, or you could bash the Ratio LNWR bogies. For the underframe I'd go with either a Slaters or branchline clemenson with scratchbuilt sideframes. Keep an eye on ebay, both the GWR and LNWR ratios come up cheaply, I quite often get them built up for about £3 and then strip them down to cut the sides up. The LNWR had some nice 40 ft ex radial non corridors that you can make easily out of pairs of LNWR corridor 3rds. (I can email a photo of a half built one to you if you want). Not sure what the roxey plastic kits are like, but I'm sure they will be useful too. I've done a couple of etched carriages now, they go together quite easily, and I use normal eleccy soldier on them too! You're future daughter in law is very sensible for leaving Littleport! Andy G

You are correct in saying that the leading four numbers are years and as the Pullmans were always on trucks (Bogies to us!) (except for Balmoral and it's twin) I would say that even some of the 1876 trains <could> of had MR bogies on them, but I don't think they did. I'll look up at home tonight and report tomorrow when the first bogie appeared on the MR. Sadly without looking up the accident report (which I can do if you want and see if the railway archive website has it) I don't know. Theres also a chance that the report won't tell you. Reminds me that i must letter up my MR 6wheeler and put some couplings on it..... Andy G

Indeed it is, and then you stick it on here, and we all come up with another 100 ways of doing the same thing... ;-} Are we all looking forward to the snow? I know I am, the more the better! Andy G

We try our best.. We are the ones that keep the railway working you know! DJ's layouts were quite big, I whish I had seen the little long drag! (It must have been a big old building that one!) My brother 'plays trains' on a 7mm layout somewhere near Shropshire that is in a barn and is huge! If only i had some money, I'd buy something big for my toys! Andy G

some more modern ones, sorry they are a bit patchy in places! 1930 6th March 08.5am Hellifield to Carlisle. Claughton 5971 + 4 bogie coaches with a 6 wheel brake van as 2nd in the formation. 1931 3rd Jan 12 noon LNER Edinburgh to St Pan. Shire 4-4-0 2758 + brake 3rd 3370 * + brake compo 32525 * + comp restaurant car 12wheeled 32282 + open 3rd 3181 + brake 3rd 3463 + 3rd 128 + comp 76 (* denotes fitted with pullman gangway, all other with british standard ones.) 1937 11th Jul 1244pm carlisle to St Pan. Compound 1010 + LNER 6 wheel yeast van 727605 + LMS corridor brake 3rd 5192 + LMS corr 3rd 1381 + LMS vestibule 3rd 7713 + MR 1st diner 91 + LNWR corr compo 9110 + LMS corr brake 3rd 5450 1952 18th Apr 4p 4-4-0 + 7p 2-6-0 + 10 coaches, 1,2,3,8 & 9 are Mk1's 1955 22nd Dec 9.5pm st pan to edinburgh. loco + 7vans and 5 coaches. 2nd vehicle bogie brake, 3rd vehicle 6wh parcels van, then from rear two bogie brake vans then two sleepers. 1955 22nd dec 9.15pm st pan to glas. 7P 4-6-0 + 10 bogies, including 4 ordinary and 3 sleepers. 1960 21st jan St Enoch to St pan. Brit 70052 + BTK + 2nd + 2nd + comp + 2nd sleeper + 1st Sleeper + 1st sleeper+ brake van All mk 1's. Sadly thats all I've got at the minute..... Andy G

Jeff, don't worry those scans were stored on the hard disc (must copy them to DVD's mind). Not having much luck with more train formations, the reports seem to be a bit hit and miss! Need a book with photos of the period so I can work them out.. Andy G

Jeff, Have you ever asked yourself why so many railway people drive around in their job???? We know better! I'll have a look and see what I can dig up for the later period for you... I'm off to the railways archive as I type (in another window). Andy G

Ian, go for it! It looks like an arrangement that would have a lot of operating scope. I'm quite tempted by all this Midland stuff, but then I've sold my soul to the HR! Andy g

Don't you just love drivers? Down here they refuse to shut crossing gates, which we have to ask them to do at least once a week (once a day at least in harvest time!) I'm not sure they realise that if you ask them and they refuse, the delays then go to the TOC! Getting cold here now, can't wait for the snow tommorrow! Andy G

Can't wait to see your 'industrial' landscape then! As to S&C train formation from the book, a bit disappionted as I can only give details of MR formations from the book, the laters are just mentioned as trains..... anyway, seems I've found them you lot can have them too.... 1876 Bradford to leeds. Tank engine + 6 off compo's +2 off 1st + brake 3rd + luggage van 12.08am Carlisle to St Pan express. Engine and tender + Brakevan + Pullman +3 off Compo's +brakevan 1878 Up Scotch Express. Engine 901 + 2 off guards vans + Pullman (Enterprise) + 5 carriages + guards van 1882 9.15pm Sunday Oct 29th Down Scotch express. Engine and tender horsebox + guards van +NBR 3rd + bogie comp + 2 off Pullman sleepers (Enterprise + Excelsior) + 2 off bogie compo + GSWR 3rd + MR CCT + Guards van. 1910 24th Dec Down Scotch Express. 2-4-0 pilot no 48+ 4-4-0 no 549 +(all on bogies unless said) M&GSW brake 3rd no 237 (brake end leading) M&GSW 3rd no 225 + 2 off MR 12wheel sleepers nos 2765 and 2767 + M&GSW comp no 227 + M&GSW 3rd no 203 + M&GSW brake van no 208 + MR 6 wheel brake van no 337. 1913 2nd sept Ex Glasgow/Stranraer. 4-4-0 no 993 + (all bogies again) M&GSW comp no 254 + 2 off MR sleepers nos 2770 and 2777 + M&GSW 3rd no 237 + M&GSW 6 wheel brake van no 204 + M&GSW comp brake no 250 + MR 3rd no 79 + MR sleeper no 2785 + M*GSW 3rd no 227 + M&GSW brake no 208 (349 tons) 1913 2nd sept Ex Edinburgh. 4-4-0 no 446 + (all bogie M&NB) 3rd no 123 + comp sleeper no 155 + comp brake no 143 + sleeper no 171 + comp brake no 142 + comp no 122 (245 tons). As most of these details came from accident reports I'll have to see what I can find in later reports! Hopefully they are of some interest to someone out there! Andy G

Jeff, I'm interested to see how the landscraping part of the railway is going to be done. It's not my forte and the last time i did any it was wire coathanger formers with paper maiche over the top, then some lint as the grass.... Another siggy over in the Welsh Marches does a good line in landscapes, but i don't think we'll find him on here..... Andy g

Ian, I'm glad to say that I still wave to the trains that pass the box. Ok they are the same 365's that pass every day, but hay, it makes me feel that I'm in touch with the world! Going through the 'book' at the minute to see what train formations I can come up with. Andy G

Well S&T have just visited to try and sort out the wicket gates (the level has gone hernia stiff!) and I had my drawings for the MR diner on the table, and one went ont about the model railway he is making at home, listing off the Metcalf, Peco and Ratio kits he had bought and was going to use....while I was glazing over I was thinking that the idea of using off the shelf kits for structures just dosn't quite do it for me anymore. Don't get me wrong, I will use them if I can, (The previous layout had the Airfix MR siggybox at every station, and we were in Scotland!!) and the Metcalf Station kit looks magnificent, and I wouldn't mind having one. The way he described it it seemed a bit toy like, compared with the realism that seems to be where we are heading here.... Anyway, I like the look of those dry stone walls in the RM, sadly I won't have to use them. With regard to the coach, where would be the best forum to put it? scratchbuilt, lms coaches or S&C? Andy G

Jeff, I'll send them across tomorrow then! When you have finished the main building of the railway in about 2 years time (Is that all? Seems a short run for building to me!) you'll be knocking around wondering what to do with yourself, and then you will think 'Ah, I need to get my stock looking more authentic, all these Mk 1 sleepers just don't look right, where are those brass kits?' ;-} Andy Ps Compo sleeper is just waiting for buffers and transfers now! Then onto MR coaches for a bit. Not sure if I should start a blog on the construction of a MR 12wheel clipper sided diner or not. I've not done one before, and will probably have to make most of it (including bogies). What do you lot think? Andy g

Jeff, while I was going through my folders of scans on the puter, I found a couple of articles on train formations, which list the formations of various expresses etc. Did I sand a copy to you? If not i will send it. Also 'The Midland Railway North of Leeds' gives listing of train make ups right through the S&C period, even upto 1966. Do you want me to copy them out for you? Sadly it looks like you are going to have to get some sleepers for your trains.... Both Mk1 and the previous LMS 68' 12 wheel type. Will we get you soldiering up etched kits too?? Andy G

Not wishing to sound like a pain in the arse, and you can always apply rule no1 anyway, but, you need to find out what type of walling is the vanacular (Andy P's dodhy spelling alert!). I would say that the master above is not the type that I would expect to see in Dent. Sadly getting it right will make the difference to some (and you) but will not be noticed by most.... Andy G

Dave, those are not high wire runs.... The HR had runs above rolling stock height, but you are right that they are to avoid snow... Andy G

Jeff, Do you have any definate plans for the look of the station yet? What facilities are you having... The sooner you let on, the longer time we have all got to look out photos of said items for you.... No modelling today either, unless you count trying to put into words how I made the panelling on my coach! Andy

Jeff, I don't know if you are a Railway modeller Subscriber, but mine just dropped through the door today. There is a lovely article on how to make dry stone walls out of DAS. Some of the walls made are based on those at Dent..... ;-} Maybe l'll just have to PM you when I need to find something then! Andy G

Jeff, The index idea is brill! The question is actually how detailed are you going to make it? Could it include the off topic discussions like 'old gold' etc? Indeed could it be like the magazine style indexes (indices?) that you used to get? Andy G