class26

14 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

Just buy/lease them through “your” company........and let your accountant sort it out 

Doesn`t work, as I said the tax is eye watering on high end company cars. Cheaper to just buy as a private individual so you DO pay the VAT

3 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

In the scheme of the overall project, tis but a drop in the ocean.

 

But before you write them off as a bunch of idiots, some of them will be experts.

 

If it wasn't for people like the ladies of Greenham Common, the Greta Thunbergs, the Civil Rights marchers then no-one would ever challenge a Government, help to educate those who just blindly accept what they are told or hold up a mirror to bigots and racists sometimes high in office.

 

Protestors may be a nuisance and sometimes they may take it too far, but you need them to advance democracy.

Protest should be within the law. I suspect this lot were trespassing at the very least to say nothing about violating Covid regs. You cannot break the law just because you think you have a just cause. The law applies to all in a democracy

56 minutes ago, melmerby said:

They are defying a High Court order for not leaving the site so they can be removed by force, if necesssary.

The sanctions could be quite severe but I doubt it. Smack hand and telling off probably.

 

Can't fine them, it'll come out of their benefits

Problem is, this stupidity increases the costs of construction but it will not stop it. These idiots need teaching a lesson for all time. They talk about the government not listening. So THEY (the idiots) are the experts and the elected government should bow down to them I suppose !

No country can be run like this and the sooner they accept it the better. 

.  

8 minutes ago, corneliuslundie said:

As the project was approved by an Act of Parliament does trying to prevent it happening amount to treason? If so off with their heads.

Seriously (you thought I was), what about damage done to neighbouring properties by undermining them?

I am sorry, but while I have a great level of agreement with those who want to see us living in a more environmental manner, this is just a group who do not have even a basic grasp of the facts. Throw the book at them. But don't put them in jail, that costs the taxpayer money. Perhaps make them work unpaid for HS2 digging holes where they are needed, instead of an expensive boring machine?

Jonathan

Very good idea to make them do unpaid "community service" on HS2 just to rub their noses in it.

7 minutes ago, melmerby said:

Claimed on expenses............

You need to look up tax laws. It really isn`t worth it claiming company cars, especially high enders through the tax system , you get clobbered these days. I tried it !

1 hour ago, melmerby said:

Unless you are very rich

Just think of the VAT on a Roller !

Everyone DOES pay tax in one way or another

11 hours ago, Dunmar said:

Hi,

In my efforts to formulate a working track plan based on the drawing so kindly supplied to me I have cunningly joined the two together , correctly I hope. Modelling skills I have in abundance, alas, understanding railway practices, eh! No!

As my stock is primarily  70's to late 80's corporate blue and L/Logo it looks as though I may have to lay most of 

the pointwork which is shown in the drawing. I probably will have to include the North box, incidentally when was this taken out of use ?

Which brings to the subject of track.

Although I haven't made a final decision, I have a surplus of Code 75 Peco  streamline track and curved points which would do nicely and would blend in with the flowing curves required on the south approach and the exit north.

However, I could also use the Code 75 pointwork  with the new bullhead rail, thats if one can get a hold of it ! Has  anyone on here tried this combination?

Baseboards!!! Yes! Apparently there is an acute shortage of wood! Covid!!

Bill.

As Jools 1959 says I have just started a Far North layout based a little further up the line than Helmsdale using Forsinard as the passing station and Thurso as the terminus.

Regarding track my previous layouts have all been code 75 with electro frog points but this new one is using the new Bullhead rail with the new unifrog points. My experience with the unifrog points is that they are a revelation. They have been installed for over 6 months now and I haven`t had one single stall. They also look so much better. I would say if it fits your budget (and your stock) make the move to bullhead  completely. You will not regret it.  I am waiting for more points for the Thurso section but the wait is worth it for the running. Once you have used the unifrog points you will never go back.

Good luck with your layout. Ben Alder knows far more than I about the Far North but I might be able to assist as I am modelling the blue period so ask away if you wish

Class 26 

FORSINARD AND THE FAR NORTH

Began in summer 2020 this layout seeks to represent Forsinard station in full, a section of Flow Country and end in Thurso. It is built in a newly constructed shed measuring 24 x 12. The layout will operate in two periods, both BR blue using Class 24/1& 26`s and then later with 37`s.

Here are a few photos but the layout is a long way from being even a quarter finished. There is a thread on the layout pages with the same title. 

6 hours ago, martin_wynne said:

 

Of course. Likewise all the HS2 projections. Almost nothing about 50 years time is fact.

 

We can probably be fairly sure about the time of high tide at Swansea. Which is why tidal power is the one predictable source of natural energy.

 

Martin.

All projections are just that but I would wager a large sum that the research done on HS2 goes into thousands and thousands of pages which has to count for something You are dismissing all the experts opinions with what ? Do you have 1000`s and 1000`s of pages to back up your opinions?

Thought not.

You can keep repeating an opinion as many times as you wish but it doesn`t make it right. Evidence is needed to back it up . Can you supply it ? If so, i will bow to you better judgement.

If we are not to do anything because we cannot be sure what will be in 50 years time then why are we so concerned about climate change, afterall it is not us so much that will feel the effects but our children and grandchildren. However, they will curse us if we do not take action NOW. Waiting until the severe effects of climate change is fully on us will be too late. So we HAVE to project into the future. 

I can`t imagine HS2 ever getting off the starting block being built if only a few cranks  thought it a good idea.  There is a huge volume of evidence to support it and even if the nay sayers can find a few flaws the basic idea that the line is required is inescapable. The concept will have been tested to destruction in committee after committee after committee to ensure the money is being spent well and that the project is necessary in the national interest. This isn`t a village bypass , it`s the largest infrastructure project for a century (or more)! 

Just now, martin_wynne said:

 

In 50 years time, why would you need meetings? It will be AI software making the decisions.

 

Martin.

 That is your opinion., it is NOT fact

49 minutes ago, martin_wynne said:

 

That's hardly a ringing endorsement, is it? Are you having doubts too?

 

I am aware of all the data. I'm just no longer sure that I agree with the conclusions. Am I not allowed to say so?

 

Martin.

I think the crucial point re HS2 is that it is a very long term piece of infrastructure. Suppose the Victorians in the 1800`s had the same doubts then the ECML, WCML , MML GWML etc, etc probably would not be here now.

We, in 2020 can have no idea what demand will be in 50, 75 even 100 + years time but it is highly likely that -

Few, if any more motorways will be built

The population will continue grow there roads will become MORE congested

Rail traffic will grow again after C19, even if there is working from home, this will only slow the growth. Zoom will not replace meeting face to face. I speak personally but in my business we have already discounted Zoom going forward for the bulk of our meetings.

I don`t have figures but I suspect that as our existing Victorian rail infrastructure ages it gets more expensive to maintain and a new line would have been needed in the not too distant future. If you accept this then HS2 , as one line it will take vast amount of express traffic OFF existing lines freeing up paths for slower stopping services which will get people out of cars thus saving tons and tons of CO2 

47 minutes ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

 

Sorry I'd forgotten the ATP's being used for a while. Before that they used Sheds (Shorts 330 and 360 - the ugliest passenger aircraft ever and the one least liked by passengers).

I don't recall DC9's being used, at least not normally as opposed to replacing a sick ATP.

Whatever, these services were predominantly used for connecting passengers, routing through Heathrow.

 

.....and yes I was thinking of the Twin Otters (well, it was 35 years ago and more!).

 

 

 

.

In those days I was a spotter down at BHX. The DC9 did 3 rotations a day between BHX and Brussels and in between fitted in a peak BHX - Heathrow service. In reality the distance between BHX and LHR is just too small for this service to be viable these days. Recently BA gave up on Leeds - LHR, a significantly greater distance than between Brum / Heathrow  

8 hours ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

(My Bold)

Its the reverse. There was only a very short period of time from the very the late 70’s or 1980 ‘ish to the mid/late 80’s when LHR-BHX air services were operated, as a feeder service to Heathrow flights. The aircraft were generally small commuter airliners, 19 seater and later on 30 seater. 
There was very low demand and they were never at any point a competitor to rail.

Increased services from BHX to hubs like Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Paris, a vastly improved roster of scheduled direct services to European destinations and the opening of the M40 and M25 to Heathrow killed them off.

 

 

.

For the sake of accuracy it should be pointed out that British Midland operated the BHX - L:HR service with ATP`s with 64 seats. They also used the DC9 on this service with c 90 seats

You are thinking of the Brymon service from BHX to LGW which used Twin Otters which did have c.20 seats 

Whatever , it is true that BHX has services to numerous European hubs.

I lived in brum for 30 years and often hubbed through Frankfurt, Munich , Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Zurich  etc and on these flights I would the bulk of the pax were transiting onwards. Using LHR is a royal pain from brum. 2 hours drive, park up, check in and half a day is lost so the european hub is an attractive alternative if on business. 

1 hour ago, martin_wynne said:

 

That's interesting, thanks for pointing out something that I didn't know about the age of trees. But why spoil it by adding the last bit (my red)? Get in the way of what?

 

Martin.

Ok, I edited my post 

I also love trees and have many in my garden but those protesting need to see the bigger picture. Yes, it is sad that some ancient trees have to be felled but for the greater good of getting many people out of their cars then surely it is worth it ? And, as i said , the young trees being planted will absorb far, far more CO2 as they grow than  those "ancient" trees which everyone is trying to protect. This  ancient tree debate is emotive, designed to appeal to those who don`t want to change anything but the facts say different.   

HS2 has really not explained itself very well but i also suspect there are many who really do not want to hear. 

2 hours ago, martin_wynne said:

 

Of course it does. But you don't need to put them somewhere else. Just take them off, full stop:  https://slowways.uk/

 

Martin.

Which means I, and I would think many others will take my car (very polluting) rather than the slower train. What does this achieve ?

What needs pointing out is that old, mature  trees are not absorbing CO2 any more, it is the young, growing trees that are doing so. HS2 is planting millions of new trees 

1 hour ago, young37215 said:

I am enjoying your thread and looking forward to seeing the layout evolve. I will disagree with you on your point about wiring having no visible effect because I think it has a very visible effect. For the first time in my modelling life on my West Highland layout I have wired each and every piece of track on the scenic sections and the improvment in running is beyond belief. I cannot recall ever having had a loco stall or the sound interrupted which I attribute to the hours of soldering droppers. It might be a ball ache but based upon my experience the dividend it pays is huge.  

I probably didn`t make myself clear. i mean the wiring will have no visible effect on the scenic development so not many new photo in the weeks to come

Droppers are soldered onto MOST , if not every piece of track . maybe I will regret not doing all pieces later ? Only time will tell.  Now I just need to get the bus in and connect the whole lot up. The scenic sections use the new Peco Bullhead unifrog points and I have not had a single stall in over 6 months of running trains over them . The hidden sections use older code 75 electro frog points. I would highly recommend the unifrog points, they are (to me) a big step forward, only wish there was a larger  radius version.

7 hours ago, sulzer27jd said:

 

I love the way you have placed the railway into the landscape and used the width of the baseboards to to build the scene. Others would have jammed that full of track. You are developing a model of a railway rather than a 'model railway' and doing a particularly fine job. I'm looking forward to watching this progress.

 

John

Hi John,

Thank you for your kind  words.

That`s why i choose the FNL or Kyle line, rather difficult to fill with track, at least if you opt to model a stretch of line outside a station. The scenery is what I prefer not being that great at scratch building. I think the real progress  isn`t going to come until the spring when its dryer. I also don`t want to go charging ahead with the scenery until the backscenes are in place for which I need to go to Caithness to take some photos so I am  handicapped somewhat by a certain virus and the lack of daylight at this time of year. It will all happen from Spring onwards    

I also need to finish the track on Thurso for which I am waiting for Peco to deliver some bullhead points.  Will have a go at the train shed over Christmas. Haven`t even started to properly wire things so that is another job for the dark winter months but of course will have no real visible effect.

2 hours ago, David Bell said:

I checked the HRS website this morning. The book is still available.

Cheers

David

Thanks, will order a copy.

7 hours ago, David Bell said:

I remember a fairly recent book devoted entirely to bridges on the Highland section. I will need to go into the loft tomorrow and see if I can find it.

Cheers

David

Would love to know the title of this book when you can find it. 

Many thanks

13 minutes ago, Ben Alder said:

I have somewhere a  picture clearly showing the abutments on a similar bridge and spent about an hour and a half last night looking for it, with the only result being the already obvious  realisation that my collection of HR photos needs some serious collation....

I am going to revise my abutments along the lines of that outside Achnasheen station as in the photo above. There is more than one lattice bridge on the northern section of the FNL and I  guess they all will have different abutments as the topography will be different in each case. As that part of the layout is not based on any specific place but more of a general impression of Flow Country it ought to be acceptable !

Will still be interested to see any photos you may find. 

9 hours ago, SHerr said:

Hi there, this is looking great and loving the wild expanses. One bit of advice (please don't take as criticism) but the bridge abutments should probably extend out beyond the girders and would also probably have a pilaster (upstand) outside of the girder. I don't have any photos of the actual bridge in question so may be wrong but looking at a few long distance aerial photos I think it should have.

 

Line below is the end of the viaduct at Montrose, obviously not the right bridge but a similar arrangement to show what I mean.

 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Montrose_Railway_Viaduct,_south_end.jpg

You are right and I found this photo of a similar bridge on the Kyle line just outside Achnasheen station. All the photos I have of those on the FNL are relatively distant shots or do not show the abutments in sufficient detail. I think it is not too difficult to make the necessary amendments.

5 minutes ago, Clagmeister said:

 

The more I look the better it gets.  Plenty of space and minimal railway modelling.  Think its the only way to capture the essence of railways.  Certainly up there where you have chosen but pretty sure it applies to most locations.  It would have been so tempting to pack a load in that super space.

Thanks. Apart from loving this area my forte is not buildings but the scenery so this is perfect for me and in all my 30 + years modelling I have only either modelled the Kyle or Far North line, previously in less space,  this shed having only arrived in the early summer. Would have loved to have fitted in Georgemas for the operational interest but can`t be greedy ! This is really for solo operating although it could take a second person. i can watch a train for hours on a single meandering line travelling through such scenery.

A few photos from this evening, all of 26029 heading out of Thurso 

7 hours ago, Ben Alder said:

With regard to the backscene, here are a couple of warts and all shots of how I arranged mine - ID Hills and Dales spray mounted on to artists mounting board and held in place with a wooden channel. All very crude but it remains upright and is easily removeable for access behind the scenes, and has been in place for eight years now with no problems. The boards are  44" long and butt together helped by a clip at the top that is never photographed... and due to the curves involved  are of a standard  quality rather than a chalk buffered board that gives a white core but is considerably more stiff. I have a wrinkle or two in places due to my haste in forming the backscene after spraying, and replacement self adhesive  polypropylene ones are waiting for me to get round to it. I now use a cold laminator to fix backscenes rather than the heart in mouth Photomount option, but using mount board makes getting behind the scenes a simple job. I have 1/2" square uprights at each end of a board  and channels every 18" or so and tis has proved sufficient for the job.

Many thanks Richard, as always very helpful

10 hours ago, jools1959 said:

Almost looks like a winter/spring snow scene.  The snow starting to melt and the grass starting to push through.

Appropriately we will have to wait until the spring for the colour to appear unfortunately ! Much to do underneath the base boards in the way of wiring etc first