George Woodcock

Hello I am now carrying building the signal box which is a Wills kit and perfect for the line as the kit is based on the one at Wisbech East. The only alteration for this one is to put brickwork in the right rear corner which supported the chimney. I am fitting out the interior at the moment which is fairly time consuming but worth it in the end. I have used the new Ration plastic interior kit which has replaced the old Wills white metal version. About time as the castings were well past their sell by date. After this is done I will paint and weather the platforms and paint the track now that the power feed are all soldered in place. There are another three boards to build but these first two contain all the pointwork and most of the structures so by doing these first we shall break the back of the work. As for bookings Andy we have eight for it at the momen stretching up to 2019, the first one being Glasgow next February so we have a target to aim for. All I have to do is live long enough to do the shows. Cheers George

Hello Just a little reminder that the small but lovely 'Towcester' will be at Doncaster in just over a weeks time. See you there. Cheers George

Hello I am watching this with interest. Cheers George

Hello A little update. While my colleague Mr Nobby is off sunning himself in the US of A over the Christmas period I have been busying myself, filling my empty days, by laying the track on the first two boards. All the point work is on these boards which makes life a bit easier. One of the reason for the change of name is that I put a rail served grain terminal into goods yard area. Middle Drove only had a single siding and a goods shed and I wanted to add something for operational interest both for the viewer but also the operators. The three main buildings for this are now complete but still have to be painted and weathered. They are based on a mix of the sites at North Elmham on the Dereham to Fakenham line which were demolished in 1990 and the still extant but no longer rail connected location at Kennett between Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds. These buildings have been scratch-built in low relief and will fit against the backscene. Also there will be three grain bins as well. These are Walthers kits which though American are identical to the ones scattered across East Anglia. I will provide a few pictures and a plan in a week or so when I return from my holiday in the sun. Cheers George

Hello I can now confirm that Wrec-rail will be held on June 6th 2015. Full details of layouts, trade etc will be announced ASAP. With the demise of RM Web live we shall have to step into the breach as a small, friendly event which is a little bit different. So come along, all are welcome, even you Clive. Your chair by the door awaits you. Cheers George

Hello The first two base boards have now been built which will enable us to lay the track on them over the Christmas period. Also a start has been made on some of the buildings on the layout ready for installation at a later date. The other boards will be done in the new year when the master carpenter returns from his winter holiday. Cheers George

Hello Once again The Wrecking Crew are proud, nay astonished, to announce that we will be holding Wrec-rail 111 at St Nicholas Church Hall, Rectory Lane, Little Bowden, Mkt Harborough, Leics. LE16 8AS. For those of you who have been before this is the same the same venue as in past years. For those of you who haven't been before it is still the same venue as before. We will post further details of who will be appearing in due course. Remember that this is a slightly different event to the normal exhibition and is as much a social event as anything. Look forward to seeing you in June when I hope the weather is a bit warmer. Cheers George

Hello Well done. Not only a great detective story but also an outstanding piece of English Literature. As far as I was concerned it was a no-brainer as a name for the layout. On the sketch of the fictitious area in the book the two locations are not very far apart. I hope the layout turns out as good. Cheers George

Hello Well spotted by the man from Bakewell. Bonus point if you know the name of the book. The size by the way is 23ft by 2ft end to end with sector plates in the fiddle yard. 15 feet scenically. Cheers George

Hello Andrew, flattery will get you every-where. It should be at Warley in the same year and Stafford the next. I will attempt a crude track plan sometime but it is not one of my strong points on a PC. Cheers Geprge

Hello Work has now commenced on the new layout being built by John, Richard and myself. The layout is set in East Anglia in 1967 and is based on the station at Middle Drove on the line from Wisbech to Kings Lynn via Magdelan Road. The reason for the name change is simply because we have played about with the geography and also the track layout. The layout features green locos and DMUs with a mix of fitted and unfitted stock. The plan has been drawn out full size and construction has started on the buildings. All being well work will start next weekend on the first two baseboards with the first track laid over the Christmas period. The layout will be DCC operated with sound, also working semaphores and hopefully a working level crossing. It is due to debut at Glasgow in February 2016 so we had better get a move on. Cheers George

Hello Because you know you really want to Mick Cheers George

Hello Kernow seem to have announced an update on remaining models. Due for delivery in third quarter of 2015 at a price of £199.99. They will be contacting pre-order customers in due course. Also one of the green versions is no longer going to be produced due to a perceived lack of demand due to cost. Cheers George

Hello My weathered one is on it's way. Also as regards removing the numbers and changing them, you can get them off just by using your thumbnail gently. Not even a mark on it. Also works on the blue/grey Inspection saloon. Cheers George

Hello As long as it is only tulips he brings back from Amsterjam it'll be OK. Cheers George

Hello Sadly Mark we don't share the top of the bill spot with any-one. Our adoring fans just wouldn't accept it. Sorry only a bit of old mans fantasy, we would be happy to be next to you. Not sure about Dis-appeared of Market Handjob but if we have to slum it we will. See you in the New Year. Cheers George

Hello Towcester now has a completely sound chipped fleet on it. We have also acquired a blue Bachmann Cl40, a blue Bachmann Class 101 and a Blue/grey inspection saloon. All of these have been renumbered, weathered, (in the case of the Class 40 a total respray as well), plus a lot of detail added. The inspection saloon needs the interior doing as well but it will have to wait a little while. The layout recently travelled to Rail-ex North East where it seemed to be well received. Its next outing will be in February at the Warners show at Doncaster followed later that month by Model Rail Glasgow.. We look forward to seeing any of you there. Cheers George

Hello I'm not certain this is correct but I think these were Freightliner containers that worked to Ireland at that time. There are pictures on Paul Bartlett's web-site that lead me to think this. Hope this helps. I like the picture very much as it gives me justification for a similar train on one of my layouts. Cheers George

Hello Still got copies in my local newsagents but hurry as they are going fast. Hope you are all having a good time. Cheers George

Hello Alex, it is at Railex NE at North Shields in August and at Model Rail Scotland in Glasgow next February so not too far from you then. Look forward to seeing you. Cheers George

Hello Rail Express Modeller is now in the shops with the Towcester article in it. Photographs by Dennis Taylor are very good. Cheers George

Hello Towcester, the layout, is now safely ensconced in Towcester, the town, at the home of Mr Norton, this is to make room at my place for the next project starting in July. Also the layout will feature in the next edition of Rail Express Modeller, out next Thursday. It's next public appearance will be at Railex North-East in August. Cheers George

Hello Thanks to every-one who came to look at the layout and for the nice comments on here. It all went very well with only a couple of minor hiccups, all now sorted. Next time out will be at Railex North East in August. See you then. Cheers George

Hello This is almost the last time that I shall post on this thread as Towcester is now to all intents and purposes finished. Today the layout was completely set up in exhibition mode and for the first time ever was operated as it will appear in public. This time next week we shall be on our way home from Stafford where hopefully we will have had a successful weekend. It's next two shows after Stafford will be at North Shields in August 2014 and Glasgow in February 2015 with many more to follow. Thanks to every-one who has had a look at our work in progress and taken and interest in it. A bit of a break now before John and I start work on our next project later this year. Please say hello if you come to Stafford. Thank-you and goodbye for now. Cheers George