DavidLong

An excellent idea if I may say so and also on the choice of gauge. I've been to a number of shows in Ireland and they are sea of Peco in either 4mm or N. So depressing! I've toyed with some Irish work myself but haven't spent much time on it recently but a couple of examples are here: The loco is the beginnings of a MGWR J26 0-6-0, the open is from the Cork,Bandon & South Coast Railway, the van is a post-war (sorry, post-Emergency!) CIE vehicle and the tank is Peco. On the loco the frames are a little wider apart, 7.5mm I think and I just moved the back-to-back out to 9.6mm. This may not be absolutely correct for pointwork but I haven't built any to try it!* The difficulty with the rolling stock is that you really need some 13mm axles. This used to be the Association standard and both axleguards and some basic chassis' were produced to use these axles but are, sadly, no longer available. It may be obvious that with a 1mm increase on the b-to-b that the pinpoints would disappear with 12.25mm axles! It would be possible to cut the 2-312 RCH W-irons down the middle and rejoin them further apart and this may also be possible with some etched underframes. For axles you could use the 13.7mm version from Shop 2, file down one end and then restore the pinpoint at 13mm. For the track I would suggest using pcb sleepers and soldering the rail directly to them to give the best impression of the lightweight permanent way. The rail to use is a matter of choice, 40thou strip, bullhead or FB. Ideally you could try the 30thou strip but it's a pig to use and would require a lot of persistence and bad language to complete the layout. If you really get bitten then I would suggest a modest subscription to New Irish Lines: https://newirishlines.org/ Alan O'Rourke is very helpful and may be able to point you in the direction of useful information. I hope that you succeed as Irish railways are the great unexplored part of railway modelling and deserve a wider exposure. With the correct gauge, of course David * The correct standards for 2FS are here: http://www.2mm.org.uk/standards/basicstd.htm

Looking much better, Mike, but don't forget my comment that " rear of arms are white with black stripe for home signal and white with black chevron for distant signal". David

Still waiting for that track plan! Fine layout by the way from another fan of Ting Tong Yard. David

Mike, The problem with signalling is that the type used very much defines the area of the country in which the layout is set. If on the lines of the GWR then it will be lower quadrant signals with square wooden posts giving way to steel tubular posts over the years. On ex-LMS and LNER lines upper quadrant signals with steel posts became the standard from at least the 1930s. In some cases older signals merely had the arms replaced by the upper quadrant variety while retaining all other original fittings. I would suggest that you have a look here: https://www.track-shack.com/cgi-bin/ss000001.pl?page=search&SS=ratio+signals&ACTION=Go!&PR=-1&TB=A (other suppliers are available!) and decide which items would suit you best. David

Hi Mike, Photo 1 (HST) All arms should point away from the track to which they are adjacent i.e. towards the trees! Photo 4 (DMU) Arm is pointing the correct way but rear of arms are white with black stripe for home signal and white with black chevron for distant signal. Photo 5 (HST) Both arms should point away from the adjacent track as bracket by DMU. In all cases the lamps will have to be moved to align with the spectacles on the moved arms. Hope this helps. David Edit: the signals have an LNWR look about them. This would be unusual in the HST era as they would most likely have been replaced by standard LMS or BR upper-quadrant signals.

Yes,I'm glad they survived as well since we're looking forward to a visit to the Bower Fold next season with Atherton Collieries. Not sure how Colls will get on next year in the higher league as it's a big step from where they've been playing until recently. Not been to the Bower Fold for some years, I think it was when Southport and Celtic were in the Conference as was. A delightful ground with an equally delightful name. David

Hi Mike, Some more very nice modelling as usual. Just one point, are some of the signals the wrong way around? David

Interesting information about the removal of the periscopes. Were the actual projections on the roof removed as well as the associated equipment in the guard's compartment? If so, would there be any sign of removal on the roof such as patching? David

May I offer the Pool Dam branch which ran from Knutton Junction on the Stoke to Market Drayton line to a canal wharf at Brook Lane via Pool Dam on the south east side of Newcastle-under-Lyme. It can seen on this map from NLS: https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=14&lat=53.0127&lon=-2.2321&layers=168&right=BingHyb The book 'Newcastle-under-Lyme Its Railway and Canal History by Baker and Fell and published by Irwell Press has copious details. Pool Dam was basically a coal depot and there was a gas works just before the wharf on the western side of Brook Lane. In later years a structural steel contractor had workshops at the wharf who received steel sections from Corby. These houses on Brook Lane can be seen on the map on the corner of Stubbs Gate: The site of the gas works is now a Morrison's supermarket. Photo is looking north from the trackbed just west of where the railway crossed Brook Lane: The wharf opened out on the other side of Brook Lane but, sadly, nothing much to be seen today: By the way, in 1958 a SPD warehouse was opened by Lever Brothers on the site of Knutton Forge, just on the branch, and provided extra traffic but only lasted six years. The whole branch closed in October 1967. David

A constant problem for regionalised leagues. A few years ago Lowestoft Town won promotion via the play-offs from the Isthmian Premier and, much to their disappointment and protests, were placed in the National League North. It isn't just that the teams at the edge of the country like Lowestoft and Truro have long distances to travel but it isn't too popular with their opponents who have to make the journeys to play them. Nice problem coming up for the National League in that all four teams being relegated are very firmly from the South, none of them is even North of the Thames! I foresee a bit of shuffling going on between National League North and South. David

Some snaps taken today at Hag Fold station in Atherton while out to photograph the Wilton to Knowsley binliner* 142034 at 13.54 on the 13.15 Kirkby to Manchester Victoria Then 142066 and 142014 at 14.08 on the 13.36 Manchester Victoria to Wigan Wallgate David * https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/106139-a-working-from-knowsley-freight-terminal-to-wilton-flt-on-real-time-trains/page/2/

66061 on 09.10 Wilton Efw Terminal to Knowsley passing Hag Fold (Atherton) at 13.59 on 16/4/2019. David

Three views today taken from the bridge at the end of Taylor's Lane. Looking towards the depot with large numbers of people in orange working in the distance around the connections to the new depot area. Two views looking south along the headshunt with the Volker Rail crews and plant in action. David

Ian, Following on from Andy's comments I'm attaching some photos that I took on a visit to the Island five years ago when they were in the newly erected stock shed. Never miss an opportunity to take photos of wagons! David

Many thanks for your reply, John. No apology is necessary as 'The Swansea Vale Railway' is a quite splendid publication. I was especially impressed that, in the signalling section, the order of pulling levers to initiate particular movements is given. For a signalling ignoramus such as myself this was most informative and not something that I have seen in other publications. With that in mind, may I ask a couple of supplementary questions? In all the signalling diagrams prior to that for Brynamman, the designated directions seem to follow the usual South Wales principle of 'up' being away from the coast/towards the head of the valley. However, at Brynamman, from the various movement descriptions, it appears to have been reversed. Is this correct or have I misunderstood the descriptions? Also at Brynamman there is mention of signal 10 which is under the control of the West (GWR) signaller. This would seem to be the GWR signal that is adjacent to the line to the West station and is facing the route from the Gurnos direction. However, in the movement descriptions it appears to be used for movements both in and out of the West station. This appears to be unusual; again, have I misunderstood the relevant movement notes? David

Does anyone know when traffic ceased on the Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen to Cwmllynfell section of the Swansea Vale Railway? The recent book from Lightmoor states that the Brynamman to Gurnos section closed in September 1964 but it doesn't seem to have any information of when traffic on the G-C-G branch ended. The track is still in place on the OS 1962 1:2500 map and a photograph in the book from Lens of Sutton looking north through the road bridge seems to show the sidings (or at least the entry to the loop) and signals in place. The photo is, however, noted as 'circa 1965'. I assume that traffic in later years was handled by 57xx panniers tanks as, after the removal of LMS motive power, they seem to be the predominant type. I wondered about the non-appearance of 56xx locomotives in that period. Would it be anything to do with the rather poor engineering standards on the SVR and thus a problem with axle-loads? The Midland seemed to spend as little as possible on the railway; so long as the coal reached the docks they seemed to be content with the situation. Incidentally the 1962 map shows a simplified but nonetheless adequate layout at Cwmllynfell sidings whilst the pre-WW1 versions appear to show exotica in the form of a scissors crossover which gave access for every movement likely to be required: https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=16&lat=51.8052&lon=-3.8319&layers=168&right=BingHyb The 1962 1:2500 is only available on the old-maps website. As is often the way in more rural areas there was no 1:2500 issued between 1919 and 1962. Note on the side-by-side NLS map the huge hole in the ground of the G-C-G opencast workings. David

Thanks, Roy. I had missed that exchange between Jerry and Ben. Pleased to have the clarification. David

Ben, Does the 56xx have the split chassis/brass bearings style like the current Farish steam locos and the coming NGS Hunslet? As usual my question relates to 2FS conversion. This would be the ideal for 2FS people as it is the simplest form of conversion. As with the Hunslet I appreciate that we are not going to be only a small part of the market for the model but it would certainly be a 'nice to have' feature. And we could fit our own balance weights . . . David

Wanderers' HMRC case adjourned to May 8th. That is after the end of the season in the EFL. David

Another one at Redcar. 142017 on 31st March 2015 David

The Bower Fold is one of the most delightful grounds that I have visited, even the name is one of the best. I would hope to visit again next season with Atherton Collieries but things are tight at the top of the West Division with only four points covering the top four teams. It was looking like a straight contest bewteen Colls and Runcorn but then Radcliffe put some results together and now Ramsbottom have barged in. Going to be a close finish! Colls have scored 72 goals in 30 games which has somewhat made up for the lack of goals at BWFC! David

Law of averages. Football is a language spoken throughout the world. It attracts vast numbers of people. Around 150000 attended three Premier League games yesterday. Games such as rugby don't attract anywhere near those numbers. As the number goes up then the chances of attracting a certain number of Darwin Award contenders goes up. And, like many of the players, not all supporters are ladies and gentlemen in the Corinthian tradition. By the way, you could ask Neil Lennon about Alan Shearer and violence in football. Stones and glass houses come to mind. I really don't see the point of fining clubs or deducting points. Clubs have the number of stewards specified by outside bodies such as the local council (this has come up recently at BWFC) and they are required to keep to those standards. An alternative would be stewards completely circling the pitch otherwise there will always be gaps. Anyone up for that. If not, how about fences? That didn't work out well, did it? Ban the offender for life and take the appropriate legal measures against them. Any real violence associated with football is far reduced from its 'halcyon' days of thirty years ago. Luton v Millwall anyone? No need for complacency, just a bit of perspective. David

Thanks for looking into it, Andy. My memory is obviously not as poor as I believed it might be, although I think that my wife would disagree! It did occur to me that the notifications of likes, agrees etc were at lot briefer before, now they include the whole of the post that has been 'liked'. David

Hi Andy, It is the photographs that are causing it. Recently I had a couple of emails from a friend which included photographs and the mails were too wide for the screen so the situation with the mails from RMweb fit in that pattern. Were the photographs included in digests on the previous version of the site? My memory says that they weren't but I'm getting old and my memory isn't what it was! David

Images are displayed exactly as they are on the RMweb topic. The same thing happens with emails "Somebody reacted to a post in a topic". David