big jim

I've got to really tidy up the track on the layout, the inclines are all well and good but certain locos don't like them on the transition between the flat and incline, there is also a dip I've discovered on the plain line of the removable section too which the Dapol wagons don't like as they sometimes uncouple on the move when they ride over also the Bachmann 66 just loses electrical contact for a split second when it gets to it and glides to a stop then restarts without having to touch it, Almost like the driver has missed the vigilance! I've still got to re-solder the track on the end of the removable section so I can use both roads, I was planning on doing it today but my modelling mojo has gone at the mo, got so much I want to carry on with but in the end I just fancied a videoing session in the end (I'm impressed with the result from my new go-pro camera) Once I fit the extra set of points in the station area for the line between the bay and mainline then that will ready to start putting ballast down etc and continue with the station area detailing, finish the fuel tanks etc Also discovered earlier that my lenz handset has stopped working too, had nothing but trouble with it for ages with loose wires, it's been back to a+H for repair under warrentee 3 times, last time I had the cable swapped for a curly one but that's gone now too after only a couple of years (if that) I can still control the layout with touchcab but I can't change cv's etc so can't reset the zimo 37 chip or adjust the accelleration and braking on the 70 yet Of course work is really getting in the way at the mo too

That's lovely, I think I can live without the heater vent though The Bachmann detail pack has the ETH cables in there but they need a dab of orange on them (there is also brake pipes etc)

had a running session earlier and managed to get a vid of the leggomanbiffo class 70 in action, needs the cv's fine tuning as i couldnt get it to stop where i wanted, seems a long time from hitting 0 on the controller and stopping! loving the dynamic brake sound which is what sold it to me over my old howes 3.5 chip the zimo chip i fitted to my Bachmann 37 has gone haywire though, cant control it at all for some reason the horn keeps blowing every 30 seconds despite it not being selected as a function on the handset, so far my first experience wth zimo has been a very poor one, to my ear it really has no real descernable difference between it and a lok-sound (unless im missing something important) and its no more drivable than any other chips ive got to be honest i think its been a complete waste of money as with a decent speaker it was only a few quid shy of what a lok-sound V4 costs therefore i will be sticking with lok-sound in the future, i like to plug and play not plug and spend hours programming

im gonna sell the LMS one to fund this one! ive added interior lights and people to it so hopefully it may go ok on ebay

Picked up this today, had it on pre order at trident trains and it arrived yesterday Lovely little model, compared to my LMS one it has a different roof vent towards the centre and twin horns at both ends I may well do as I have with my other one and add people to it and put bigger buffers on

some from today, nice little loco swap job in crewe, involved lots of crawling between vehicles and swinging buckeyes! these were the locos going on the train independance day pendolino and after the swap, these were the locos coming off conducted them to stafford as the driver hasnt seen the new formation at norton bridge and that was that for the day, ballast job tomorrow to banbury

0S25

Hmmm, I think I'll give it a miss, too much like hard work for me!

it caught a few people out today, there were some guys on the bridge at hest bank who couldnt get their cameras out quick enough when they spotted me, not one of them got a pic! anyway, i did derby then other than waiting for the single line between crewe and alsager it was right away to wigan, did an unusual move there, under the mainline at springs branch and along the goods to the station then into the back platform loop then it was right away to tebay for 10 mins and away to carlisle where i left it in the middle goods road for the onward driver and i came home in all a good day really

quick question, what vehicle would be an ideal donor to do one of the UTU coaches (i.e the simplest one to convert) although looking at the real thing there doesnt look a simple option!

will be interesting to see what they are for if indeed the rumour is true! and so to fill some gaps piccie wise starting on sunday, did that neville hill to derby and loughborough to derby job, this is the loughborough end of it then the next day was derby to luton via manton jn and corby, some pics from luton didnt know this was coming so a rushed picture train back to leicester and that was it until yesterday afternoon, peterborough to norwich waiting at Ely for this to clear the single line to soham and then the next lot of shots in norwich the anglia "short set" then today, back from peterborough via derby to collect a coach from etches park with 37608 (Europhoenix owned) nice job tomorrow, 37025 derby to carlisle in readyness for it to work its railtour up in scotland

yeah i was driving some of my iphone pics from today, got more on the proper camera that i'll upload whenever i get home crown point norwich station my train alongside a 68 in the bay the anglia short set stabled in the yard one for the album the crazy thing is after the trip all the way from peterborough to norwich we only recorded wensum curve (in norwich) and diss loop! and into ipswich

ive got to conduct them again on friday from crewe via wcml heading south

Yes, they are on there tonight I think

Just spotted this on a lift in a hotel in Derby, I may have just found my new philosophy in life!! Should get it printed on a T-shirt

Some from today, first up Neville hill to Derby with a PLPR train, conducted part of the way as I don't sign Leeds Into Derby And into the RTC Then once that was put to bed it was down to Loughborough to conduct this back to the RTC, as the driver is an instructor and has signed 73s since the year dot he let me drive it under instruction, first time I've been on a 73, quite enjoyed it, something different And that was that, hotel tonight before a trip to london tomorrow

i think that image (if its from the bing map link futher up) is from about 2005, as looking at the traction around kingmoor there are short EWS log wagons in the wood yard and kingmoor depot has 2 riviera 47s on there which they hired in around august 2005 as well as the short lived 08's which were delivered around the same time (possibly around june 2005), the reason i know is i worked for DRS at the time and drove the 47s a few times with an instructor while getting my handling hours in as for the shed its certainly not there now but now i know where to look, next time i'm on the logs and get an opportunity to grab a pic or 2 of the remains i will try my best

just a few from last night, not a bad little job really, crewe to manchester piccadilly and back to lichfield at a steady 30mph all the way, thankfully i only had the 37 for the first bit between crewe and manchester then had the comfort(ish) of the DBSO all the way back to Derby, i do enjoy driving the DBSO's truth be told crewe LNWR 37254 and Desiro's on Crewe LNWR by jim scott, on Flickr Manchester Piccadilly 37254 on 3Q81 Manchester Piccadilly by jim scott, on Flickr 37254 Manchester Piccadilly by jim scott, on Flickr DBSO 9703 in Manchester Picadilly by jim scott, on Flickr and an op stop in crewe before heading back to derby DBSO 9703 in Crewe by jim scott, on Flickr back in tomorrow conducting a pair of 73's back to derby then a couple of days being conducted around anglia

This made me smile earlier from a local church fete All for the grand total of 80p

just a couple from yesterday, a rare old beast, a coal train! this was running ferrybridge ps to fiddlers ferry so i can only assume they are emptying coal stocks from there and a vid http://youtu.be/ixxriqaxYRg

a few from last night while waiting for my trian to come in to warrington

Some pics from moorswater courtesy of 21Alizard First up Coombe in Moorswater A bit of a tight squeeze And a motley assortment of colas staff (inc 2 forum members)

some from last night, started in birmingham international, the train came in with 37057 leading and after a change ends it was now going to trail to stafford this loco is possibly one of the worst colours to try and photograph at night! the other end had 37254 in intercity mainline livery and away to stafford change ends and back to ridditch via bescot and birmingham new st! and into redditch change ends and away again, this time to washwood heath (remembering to get the pantograph on mentor dropped before we ran out of wires!) after changing ends at washwood heath it was back non stop through new st to soho, across to perry barr and back into new st from the proof house end where we stopped and changed ends again! then this time we went new st to proof house, duddeston perry barr and soho, basically doing the same run as before but in the opposite direction, then it was non stop through new st again and over to aston (again) where we did a right and headed to Litchfield city and ultimately alrewas jn and on to Derby and then walked back to the station and home EMT Meridian and HST in Derby by jim scott, on Flickr and that was that

Had a well deserved weekend off with my works mobile switched off! However one pic from a work collegue, 56302 has made its way back north from minehead and worked a Bescot to sutton brifmdge ballast at the weekend In tonight, recording round Birmingham all night, even a trip to ridditch with a couple of 37s!