Shamouti Ben Yafo

Raw chocolate originally went to Cadbury's by canal. Liquid chocolate tankers did/do exist - for transport from chocolatiers to bakers, for example, but the only vehicles I've seen were lorries. There was one in Vintage Roadscene (IIRC) not long ago.

Having checked my library, I see that the washery served all three of the Valley collieries - I don't know about Bryn; before my time! The washery, BTW, was built on the site of Maesteg Deep, and originally seems to have had coke ovens - that from Maesteg coal being well regarded. The internal system was part PTR, part North's Navigation's own network - or what remained of it. Various structures which I remember (without track) turned out to have been infrastructure at one time - the valley was full of it. It's all gone now. First to go in my lifetime (and the rationalisation process was ongoing for decades before) was either a redundant bridge - identity unknown, it had nothing to do with the PTR - or the retaining wall where the PTR entered Nantyffyllon on its way to its own bridge. This went after the mines closed. The bridge over the LlVR/GWR line was still there when I looked last (1990-ish) and the old Celtic Cottages Accommodation Tunnel is also gone. We're doing poorly in some parts of Wales at keeping our industrial heritage. A bridge just before Llynfi Junction (Nantyffyllon again) was missing in the 80s, to the delight and surprise of myself and an old school friend - no, we didn't fall in, but while trying to cross the River Llynfi we were persued by an Alsation dog - not such a problem - and about half a dozen geese; run! Run for your lives!

The cutting board comes in when you want to model the MoD variant because the MoD specified fully fitted vs piped, but on the SR van there was nowhere to put the cylinders. So the SR fitted a pair on deck in a (satisfyingly) hefty plate steel mount. I'm part way through altering the Cambrian kit - but if anyone's doing the MoD van or even just the equipment I really want to know about it, before I commit.

I have seen shots of footboard-free TOADs elsewhere - always the diagram (AA21) with cylinders; any other diagram with VB was piped only and therefore useless as fitted head. First wagon I converted (with footboards), before finding out that they were all officially out of use by 1969. I read somewhere that some were used over short distances for a short time after general withdrawal, so I'm working on the assumption that this is true... But yes, BR they were. This MoD brake: 4mm kit available? Where? Or is that the basic SR 25 ton brake? (In which case, back to the cutting board...) My memories of the Maesteg system are (sadly) fading even as we speak, but I'm sure I would have noticed a Brake van on the end of those boring COAL 16s, nor do I recall seeing one at the Forge sidings - so the TOAD must have been stored at one of the three collieries in the Llynfi Valley: St John's in Maesteg (known locally as Cwmdu, after an older, long closed colliery nearby), Coegnant in Nantyffyllon, and Caerau (in... Caerau!). The MSC van at Gloucester has been repainted since its last use, with (IIRC) the electricians at Ellesmere Port; it was, again IIRC, brown before that.

A whole new meaning to 'Club Night'...

I was really impressed until the ice-skating started!

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Suggestion: construct a hollow box in a waterproof material with a hole in the lid of the appropriate size for your bottle (or cut a hole in the local 'Ware del Tupper'). Better yet, add a tubular metal insert to fit the bottle. Fill with crushed ice and add bottle - this ought to help with evaporation rate and add stability. You could even make two - fill with water (allowing for expansion) or even fill with those reusable ice-cube thingies; then put the whole unit in the freezer. Keep one as back up so that there's always one at the ready to swap. Having just had this bout of 'pulsing brain', I'll be doing this myself when I come to build my track

Eep! Speechless in admiration.

Bho's dad, den? (Ay hab a gold, doo...)

Heh heh; I like that. Something about that has found a mental tickley spot. The first time I cycled up the road to work in Gloucester I had to compensate as well; it still sometimes makes me nervous.

Wheels - I think I said before that, in my period of interest (1969) many older drivers were ex-servicemen and many young drivers had been taught by them - so straight wheels were most common. My father always did this. Road camber varies; at home (S Wales Valleys) I didn't even notice it. Here (Gloucester) it's easily visible. And when I cycled on it for the first time it felt a bit uncomfortable.

Brilliant marketing. Now; I have a £10 note with an unique number - Free! Free! FREE!! P&P £19.37 - no discounts... Anyone? No?

Two snare drums and a cymbal fall off a cliff... Budubum - tish!

Well, since some of this reads like Zen, here follows an homage to the 1970s series 'Kung Fu': "Grasshopper." "Yes... Master." "Grasshopper; you will have learned... When you can cross the rice paper without leaving a mark." "Yes, master." "Master?" "Yes, Grasshopper?" "When I can cross the rice paper without leaving a mark... I will have learned what?" "You will have learned, Grasshopper, to wash your great, plodding Gweilo feet before entering my clean chamber."

I have a cameo in mind myself - except that I have but one Dalek! I think it was made by Citadel for a Dr Who RPG, but their license expired. It seems they turn up on a well-known auction site from time to time. Some of the new ones would be nice - I like the more heavily armoured look, as well as the bronze alloy colour.