The Bigbee Line

My honeymoon is nearly over. Flying home tomorrow. Jersey is a great place. We had no idea what we'd do for a week. Not much railway. However the coastline has been the best attraction. Car hire is essential. That's the review over. Not looking forward to work. Looking forward to some modelling. Keep well. Have a nice weekend.

We've had a great day. Thanks for all the support.

Good morning. Like Pete, miss a couple of episodes of ERs and so much has happened. Like long running soaps, you soon catch up. A little snow in Watton. Hope it's not too much as I'm making my new lady an honest woman today. A civil ceremony then afternoon tea. I wanted to go to Dobbies, but it's a bit too far (if your in Kings Lynn the afternoon tea is A1, next to Tesco). Actually glued some baseboards yesterday. Have a good weekend.

I have loads of 66 pictures from my days with EWS. Here is something unusual (prototype for everything department) It is 66702 a GBRF 66 hauling loaded MGR wagons. All is not as it seems. The train engine had failed and the helpful 66 coupled to the rear and pulled it back into the sidings at Toton.

Good morning. Just having a look at what's going on. Usualy RM web, then Angliagen (real trains) then BBC news if I'm feeling masochistic. Sounds quiet outside. I'll have another short sleep before the alarm

No problem. In the early 90s I was getting a layout ready to show the next day. I was showing a neighbour my method of attaching scatter material to a layer of gloss green paint. I knocked the tin over......,,,,,,,,,,,, straight onto a set of points. I can't remember what I did, but it was ok the next day. Maybe the defibrillator helped.

Pete, in this situation it's easy to panic, I do! I would start from scratch. Remove motor, does the tiebar move easily? Double check the clearance in the baseboard hole. Make it bigger on the effected side. If you pass that stage mount the motor the other way round. Then try and see what happens. In these cases cool logic is your friend. Good luck

Old railway lines are a hobby of their own. The last two holidays away have had their spotting days. My good lady can spot railway structures at a considerable distance. What's even better is the "would you like to stop". The subsequent research is usualy interesting as well. Cheaper than model trains. Just the occasional OS map and book to purchase.

A day at home today. The mild weather is a blessing. I need to get into the garage/workshop and put my ruthless head on. I need to make space. As it never sees a car I'm putting a "shelf" at the door end for work tools that need to have a home when the back of the Xtrail needs to be empty. Wish me luck.

It was probably a train from the previous week. i.e. the wagons this side of the loco were last weeks train. Probably loaded before the trains arrival. So the aim of the shunt is to get the one of the in bound flasks under the crane and off loaded, then place the second one. The loco could then couple to the train and leave.

Old cars are OK, probably got a charm of their own. Alright for nice days. A few years ago we were offered an M reg Fiesta 1300 with Fuel Injection, only 17000 miles and one genuine lady owner, only driven to the shops and back, never been into 5th gear (seriously) The lady only gave up driving due to age. It had a few scrapes, but was fully serviced etc. I was thinking 'almost a new car'. It drove well, but showed what new cars were like then. Noisey, un-refined etc. Today we're cosseted with all the mod cons etc. Don't get me wrong, it was fun to drive etc. But cars like that get 'old' quickly as you rack up a few miles. To keep them tip top, they need lots of TLC. The best 'old car'I had was a Mark 1 escort 1973, 1300 with 13" wheels and disc brakes on the front. Always reliable, only met its maker when the front suspension became un-repairable.

The "flash" problem was drawing an arc when the trailing ED entered a gap. In normal loco leading mode, the driver would run the controller back and not keep drawing amps. With the GLV leading the driver was unaware of the gapping situation at the rear. The solution was to alter the way the ED took power. Also to fit fibreglass shields to stop the arc jumping to the bogie frame. On diesel, double heading would be necessary to keep time.

A blast from even further into the past. This time a 73 on the stops of the 'middle road' under the canopy in Brighton. It was around the time that the Railway Works were being demolished. I hadn't noticed but the CIG next door is green with all yellow ends.

Another blast from the past. A Class 73 at Dungeness. Its a shunt to sort out the sidings at Lydd CEGB. The train has arrived with two flasks and there is one flask to go (at least) The formation is: BR Brake Van Barrier ex BR Ferry Flask Carrier Barrier OAA Class 73 Barrier ex BR Ferry Flask Carrier (older type) Flask Carrier Barrier VAA Not sure BR Brake Van The shunt move was complicated by the fact that the run round (two nearest tracks) would only hold a flask, two barriers and a brake. You had the puzzle of getting the Loco to the Ashford end ready for departure. Thank goodness for the siding formed by the former New Romney Branch. The sidings were revised to the present layout to give the longer run round as seen at the terminal today.

On a Sunday afternoon in 1982 I was at Dover Town Yard to work a train to Willesden. In the yard was the 'Car train'. Coupled up ready for the first leg to Southall was 73110: Also in the yard was 73131: Twenty years later 73108 stood silent in the headshunt at Toton:

I'm looking forward to at least one. In the 80s I used a Sir Dinadam body on a Hornby Fowler 2-6-4 chassis. It was paired with an Airfix Shools tender. The top of the sides had been straightened. Nice looking, but wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding. Sold to a colleague and was destroyed in a house fire. I've a Kitmaster schools kit at the ready.

Stuart, Looks very smart. What are your thoughts on the setting? Are you doing a 'how to' guide on regauging your locomotives? Looking forward to the next episode,

My roster of Maunsell coaches has grown somewhat. Mainly due to making up what I had into meaningful sets. I was thinking of some Bill Bedford sides on Hornby bodies to make restriction O stock, but I think the rooves would be too wide. Getting back to the point of this post. Maybe a carriage sidings would be the ideal model, with a carriage works adjacent.

I like East Anglian prototypes, green diesels a bonus. Looking forward to the pictures and track plan.

In the 1980s I had to go to Folkeston East and secure the chains on a number of the newer WARFLATS. Not sure what vehicles had been delivered. The chains were laid across the deck and secured by nails bent over. What a job, the wood was like hard rubber.... No pictures though, shame.

The family tree, it can be quite humbling. My roots are very agricultural. However a surprising number of railway connections. Mainly LBSCR. On Holiday in not so sunny Sussex. Nice to be not working. Miss the modelling though.

Have fun while your away. Just a thought, there's some spare space on your fiddle yard side, how about these as suggestions: Some kickback sidings: A turntable and holding sidings:

It's 06h07, just waiting in this cosy bed for the alarm. Time for a quick cuddle and a cup of tea. Will be heading to Norwich today - real trains. Have a safe day.

I like the mock ups. A curve is always good. On a small layout, being built by members of the Norwich club, we have a very gentle curve. Makes an enourmous difference. Keep up the excellent work.