keysan

Interesting, I have always been the opposite way! My surname is Sankey and that is what everyone calls me in a social setting or at work. Everyone else calls me Ian. Many years ago, during an interview I was introduced to a man who shook my hand and introduced himself as Lawernce, I assumed that was his first name and called him Lawernce throughout the interview. I did not get the job. Many years later, I met Lawernce again and that was the reason I did not get the job. I assumed and did not show attention to detail according to Lawernce.

Very true! I started as an apprentice for BNFL in 1985 and got told exactly the same thing in my induction week. Free energy would also give us a low cost base to restart our engineering and manufacturing industries. Fast forward 40 years and we are back to walking the dog collecting coal from the old spoil heaps.

That clears that one up then for prosperity. Another question if I may. I believe Onslaught was acquired to test the tilt pack which I am assuming would have been out of gauge. Hence the acquisition of the Hastings coach Lab 4 for further tests/development work. I have often wondered why Glory 818 survived so long at Swindon works. Was it a pet / apprentice / training loco or a source of spares for Onslaught and the project? any thoughts? Ian

Looking at Hornbys recent track record then I will go for a hatrtick of new models to hit the competition for 6 .....Classes 31, 56 and 142

I do believe it to be true, straight out of my old school friends father's mouth Arthur Williams, unfortunately, now passed away. He worked in the CME? department in Manchester and worked on the proposal. We all lived in NLW at the time. I thought it was worth getting it out into the open for discussion. However, the GEC alternators were replaced with Brush. May be for the proposed class 38? Let's see if anyone can contribute anything concrete.

Something that I never read about is that BR looked to reinstate a rail connection into the Vulcan Foundry, Newton-Le-Willows in the mid 80's with a view to having the 37's refurnished back at their place of birth. Just wondering if anyone can add any further details on this. Looking forward to any information that can be provided.

Thank you for your reply Kit, I really think you should change your name to Sir Tilt! I watched your two videos on YouTube last night, excellent. Would you mind answering this for me. What's always puzzled my is why the APT-E was gas turbine and not straight electric. I have read this was due to the oil crisis but then you had the HST. However, I have always thought it was for testing purposes to keep it local to Derby? How much of the 22,000 was accumulated on the test tracks? Kind regards Ian

Very true. However, the headline does refer to a new loco not a new class. Which probably rules out D2860. Is a shunter classed as a loco?

Hi can any advice if the sound works through both speakers on DC?

D2860?

Can anyone help to jog my memory on the two books onb the development of the APT? I have found "APT A promise unfilled" what was the other one by Ian Allen? I have tried to find it online but no joy. Kind regards Ian

Thank you for that, only so much you can read in your lunch break! there was mention of somebody remodelling Butley Mills in N on this forum many moons ago and Sir Rice being p!ssed off which was shot down immediately. Anyone know any truth in a N gauge reincarnation?

Is that a slag heap or the Scottish islands in the back ground 🤣

I have 5-minute rule! or tolerance

Wow, I go away for a few days and come back to 5 volumes to read. I signed up to the club last week and tried to pre order the 08 . However, no discount was offered. Tried again last night and bingo the discount was duly allocated. May take a day or two? I really hope this works for Hornby. If you look at their profit v turnover there is a good argument to say the money would be better invested elsewhere. I have seen talk of turnover and employees. However, at the end of the day it all comes down to the bottom line. It was only a few months ago when it was discussed on this very forum that they had signed a signed a stock finance deal with Secure Trust Bank, who I have dealt with in a business capacity since their inception. Excellent outfit and one that turn down more business than they sign. What they do, they do very well and all the clients I have with them are very happy. Let's be honest the High streets are dying. How many tobacconists and sweet shops do you see? There used to be one in every town. Similar to magazines, £5.50 with 75% adverts. Printing costs, distribution costs etc. Pay a subscription and have the back catalogue. Like it or lump it, move online or die. Which brings me to model shops, I have lost count of the times I have been stood their willing to spend a few hundred quid when the owner's favourite chin wag comes in for a chat, coffee and a tin of paint and you are stood there like a lemon for 20 minutes. I politely left the boxes on the counter; made my excuses I had a train to catch and walked out. Life too short for impulse purchases you know you are going to need in 20 year's time. Which brings me to TT. The death of Iain Rice and Ebay. Several threads in one post. Aged 17, I was off work with a cold and purchased MJR 0, I think it was issue 5 that featured Butley Wells. What an inspiration that was after building the track plan 5 from the Hornby track plan book on a sheet of 6 x 4. What ever happened to that layout? I knew one day I would build another layout and started scratch building the scenery. Not having the money to buy the models. I got older and over the years satisfied my needs by buying what I thought I would need in 00 then I came up with a great idea. Let's buy the then new retooled Farish 08 with a view to doing a simple box file layout. Following week, I bought the 4road engine shed with the intentions of modelling Springs Branch. In other words I had stopped modelling. Well over the last 3 months I have sold virtually everything I own with a view to starting modelling again in TT. I agree that 00 is too big and N is too fiddly. I am now down to 5 00 Gauge locos and if anyone is interested in an APTE with sound unused let me know because it's never going to get used. Which brings me on to Ebay, apart from one wing nut who left feedback to say I posted a day late due to the Queens funeral what a great bunch of people I have got to know, and we are still in touch bantering away, I don't do social media BTW. What a great pleasure it has been to meet so many genuine people. We now do loco swaps. At the end of the day Hornby PLC exist for their shareholders and ROI and not the armchair modeller, I wish them every success in this venture and a Trade Finance deal to get the good out of China.

I frequented Springers at least twice a week and modelled a depot loosely based on it. I never knew it had a pitched roof. Clearly shows you have a for eye for detail as shown with you superb weathering. I am no expert. I think all the LMR diesel depots are of the same design.

Apparently, the reason we rode and now drive on the left was to keep the right arm free to use the sword to slay the enemy. All down down to Dick Turpin 🤣

I blame Richard Ashcroft

Michael, my grandparents who ran a pub in Golborne (HS2 Link) had a similar story about a customer. Both were ex WW2 Military Army and Navy and staunch Royalists. Would this be the curve between the WCML and the L&M heading East.

That would tie in with my memory of walking back from the Leigh Arms next to Newton-Le Willows station aged 15, we started young! 11pm closing, leave before midnight then a 20 minute walk to Earlestown. From memory a third of one coach was designed for parcels with tip up seats. Would parcels only be transported in these dedicated areas or would the whole train have been used. Always annoyed me it was not a scheduled service and we had to walk. Probably also explains the 5 unit formations.

Thank you, turned out to be a very interesting thread. Was there a maximum number of units that could be coupled together? I mentioned earlier in the thread that when they were new, I regularly used to witness 4 or more units heading around the curve at Earlestown heading in the Chester direction and not stopping (every passenger train stopped) I assumed it was mail. Now thinking it was running in turn (if they existed) or a stock move to Chester etc. Mail is still an option. It would have run through Earlestown just the right side of midnight. Or the left side if look at a clock face 😃

Well, you learn something every day, I did! I am only half through this tread after spending the weekend researching. Wait for my silly question! Fascinating thread . You could write a book on this thread. Wonder if we could present it to BRM for publication?

This made me laugh, I am having a good clear out and many years ago bought two scrap wagons from Alton model shop. Imagine my surprise when I opened up the boxes for the first time after finding them in a long forgotten box after a house move in 2004 and viewed the contents . Anyway I put them on Ebay Item 334552877146 v Item 334552876946 How does that work?

I think you have hit the nail on the head, all little evidence there is out there is later on in life. I remember when they were first introduced and seeing 4 car sets coupled together in different liveries on postal trains to Holyhead I assume. Around Midnight going around the curve at Earlestown. Then the skippers quickly got evicted and ended up in the North West. Thank you

Thank you for that and sorry I did not log on last night. Looks like it was a rare occurrence. I certainly never witnessed it. Probably explains why I could not find much.