Mark C

Thanks - that's both helpful and timely...I've just redirected my pre-order to Hatton's Trunk as I am just about to go away!!

Maybe stretching 'rails' a bit too far, but here is a shot taken today of a level crossing post where rails once croseed the road: it's located at Works Road, Letchworth - on the ex-GN Hitchin-Cambridge line - where a connection ran between the Up line and the town's industrial area. Long-since dismantled and the area redeveloped, the line served - amongst others - K&L Foundry (known locally as The Kryn) which incorprated Jones Cranes. Annual employees families' works open days were an experience for a young lad, especially the opportunity to cab a new Brush Type 2 (the foundry made castings for the locomotive class) and witness a live noisy hot working steel foundry (no Elf and Safety back then). I suspect there may still be traces of the extensive sidings still within the area even now.

I have a great affinity with these - I have the smokebox numberplate of one (ex-S&D, but very close numerically) which I am trying to work out how to mount on a plasterboard-lined wall!! This is such a natural looking model...

In addition to the previous suggestions it is definitely worth checking out both Lanarkshire Models & Supplies' and H&A Models' websites... (yet another Mark C)

Me too!! This is top rate modelling based on observation... Mark

If you fancy some cross-kitting then you could try either of these... Mark

Tony You can easily replicate the first three wagons (plus the sixth and ninth) in the photo of the 04 using Parkside/Peco's 24.5 ton minerals or, more recently, TMC's (Bachmann) RTR versions - both of which I would recommend. As you can see they will add variety to a string of 16 ton minerals. Here's a couple of mine (still) under construction... Regards Mark

Maybe not...the deer would only come and eat it...!!

Wymondley (without the 's') Road runs between Hitchin and Great Wymondley and is close by, but the location is/was known locally as Hitchin PW sidings (or stock yard), to the south of Benslow Lane, but now, sadly, under a housing estate. A favourite haunt in my teens, particularly from Benslow Lane footbridge (which still exists spanning the ECML to the south of Hitchin station) and which gave a panoramic view of the area. As usual, you didn't take photographs (reel type, not digital/phone!) of something you could see every day!! I imagined it would be there forever... If I remember correctly, a number of Paul Bartlett's photos - and David Larkin's from the Bradford Barton series of paperbacks - were taken there and demonstrate the sheer variety of stock that could appear. On a related note, today I twice passed the site of Connington Tip but found it difficult to spot as nature continues its' relentless take over...

I got to handle one at Milton Keynes last October and it's even better than the photographs!! If you get a chance take a look underneath the loco.... Superb is about right.

There are so many lines from Jesus He Knows Me that can be applied throughout this site...it's scary (as though Messrs. Banks, Rutherford and Collins (a railway modeller, and proud of it!) had a premonition in 1991 when they wrote it)!! Mark C (with a space)

I am definitely not - nor ever will be - in the position to cast the first (or second) stone, but in the same magazine that WD doesn't appear to be running light either...(absolutely required reading every month)... Mark

I very well remember Owlcombe in one of its' original forms - I still have an article from Model Trains(?)(mid-70s?). It was simple (in a good way) in concept but extremely well-observed and effective. Many years later, and just before his passing, I corresponded with John to say that I intended to build a layout based on it, but with some additions, and remember just how helpful and supportive he was. Mark

It worked for me and I got a code for free delivery, however I couldn't find a way to combine this with the concurrent Black Friday extra 5% off promotion and - not being able to decide which to go for within the set time limit - ended up using neither!! It resembles Octopus Energy's Wheel of Fortune, but after several months trying I haven't won anything on there yet. Both are a bit of transient fun!

I had a similar issue with switch blades not closing tightly and derailing stock...caused, in my case, by an incorrect rail being used during assembly which meant that the switch blade's inset was on the other side of the rail (and at the far end of the rail the planing was the wrong way round). It's going back to the retailer for exchange... Otherwise an extremely impressive piece of pointwork. Mark

Hello Darius Many thanks! Regards Mark

Lovely work! What's the source and scale of the Grob Tutor? Regards Mark

Indeed - literally, taking it all in its' stride... Regards Mark (Mark C (with a space))

Whilst I disposed of my Airfix/Simplas BR Mogul (I now wish I had kept it for nostalgia!), I do have one of the Kemilway chassis kits. For its' day it was advanced (forked joints on the motion, for example) and quite different to the solid chassis block approach - perhaps even daunting...which is why I didn't quite get round to it...

The second photo is of Welwyn North station - and the horse is on the Down line of the ECML!!

It's reminiscent of a Wilro Models' Simplas chassis who, I recall (maybe not too accurately though), produced a series of chassis kits to motorise a variety of Airfix loco kits in the 1970s(?). I had one for the BR Mogul but, utilising the kit's plastic motion and a tender drive, wasn't very successful. There's an example currently on eBay for and with a Schools loco kit.

Probably a Stevenage Locomotive Society field trip...!!

There are scenes in the beginning of Get Carter that ooze early 70s ECML nostalgia - definitely worth a look. Regards Mark

...I did stop before Kissing the Machine from OMD's English Electric album... (note to self: - get back on topic...)

Mike and the Mechanics' Silent Running (which a Deltic is anything but) includes the line: - Can you hear me running...whilst anything by Big Big Train has to be worth a listen...