Liam

I must admit the number twelve springs in mind regarding the age she said he was, but perhaps that was her way of getting someone look for her son more sharpish - they’re less likely to hang around looking for a four year old than an eleven/twelve year old…

I caught the last few minutes as it was being broadcast then decided to watch the whole of the episode on iPlayer. It seems like they used a Transpennine 397 as the basis for the train, which is ideal as they run into Glasgow Central every day. I was also impressed to see Glasgow Central’s famous clock and the almost equally renowned voiceover lady make it in. I think the storyline, while in some way frightening to the viewer who will probably be getting on a train the following morning to go to work, is very good, but the script leaves a lot to be desired. Just seems quite bland and not really mirroring the emotions of the drama. We’re only one episode in so a lot more to come.

Hi all, In a few weeks time I shall have a hectic few days with my uncle’s wedding in Shropshire on Friday 4th October, then staying with parents in Redditch then an event in Whitehall on the evening of Tuesday 8th October, which I’ve booked into a hotel in Bloomsbury for. I live in North Devon, and on previous occasions when I’ve journeyed out of the area I’ve parked at Tiverton Parkway and caught the train from there. I suppose I could do that this time but leaving my car at Tiverton for five days is likely to rack up a high parking fee, and having my car with me could come in handy for a trip to the SVR. So what I’m now looking at is driving down the M40 to a station with a large car park in this rough area, leave the car there overnight then picking it up the next morning to drive back to Devon? Can anyone recommend a suitable station? Thank you very much.

Hicks by St Austell. A lovely drop!

The house my dad lived in as a boy! 🙂

Hi all, I appreciate it’s been a long time since I last posted on this thread. During this time I have substantially revised the plans for this exhibition layout… It will now be called Cricklade Sidings. The amended history is that Charles, Lord Cricklade, a big supporter and financier of the Midland & South Western Junction Railway, made it a condition of his support that a short spur be constructed from the railhead at Blunsdon to his stately home of Cricklade Hall. By the time of the Grouping in 1923, his son Michael had inherited the title of Lord Cricklade. Michael’s interests lay elsewhere away from this patch of Wiltshire, and sensing an opportunity the Great Western Railway wrote to Lord Cricklade asking if they could purchase the line from him to construct a small wagon works which would act as a relief workshop for the main works at Swindon, which now had a substantially larger pool of rolling stock to look after maintain. Lord Cricklade agreed, but he wasn’t totally disinterested in the family seat as he added a stipulation to his agreement - that transport was laid on to convey him and any guests to the estate’s halt whenever it was necessary. Those Cricklades were scheming so and sos! Fortunately for the GWR, Lord Cricklade spent the majority of his time in London and his visits to the estate were on sporadic weekends and from July through to the start of the pheasant shooting season in October, so this didn’t cause such a large operational headache as originally anticipated. The spur was very busy during the war as American troops used the estate for training, but after D-Day all estate traffic, both military and civilian, quietened down. Today the line is regularly used for wagons being taken to and from the overflow works, as well as the sidings for local goods traffic. I already have some of the locos I would run on Cricklade Sidings - an 8750 and a Small Prairie, both Bachmann - but for this neck of the woods one could also have a 43xx and a Southern N Class Mogul, and maybe even push the boat out to an Accurascale Manor. 😀 Below are some track plans I’ve drawn - my current thinking is that no. 4 is the best option. Any feedback and suggestions are most appreciated as always. 🙂

Lovely model, and certainly value for money. Ran very well with my Bachmann Small Prairie and Hornby Hawksworth.

My Bloater has arrived. Will open it up tonight at the club.

I bought mine from Kernow too. I live in North Devon and on Thursday morning I received an email telling me that my order had been passed to the warehouse. Royal Mail tracking shows that it left Kernow’s warehouse yesterday afternoon and as of late last night my Bloater was in Plymouth Mail Centre. It might arrive at my address this morning but more likely Tuesday morning.

But it wasn’t just that, it was what the two operators said afterwards which is the real issue.

Likewise @ianmianmianm, my view is that you’ve witnessed an awful thing and I think you handled the situation extremely diligently and professionally. I think it’s fair to say that there isn’t much diversity in our hobby. My mind is drawn to The Model Railway Club, who have a central London clubroom and their website says that visitors are welcome. I know Warley MRC also host open days occasionally at their clubroom. If clubs who do this sort of stuff were to get the local press to do a press release, perhaps this could be a way of encouraging a more diverse group into the hobby?

That’s a superb layout Rob! I do admire EM gauge layouts, but I don’t believe I have the patience to re-gauge all the necessary rolling stock!

Pre-ordered my E87061 from Kernow the other evening. I’m optimistic that it can be run on a layout centred around a wagon works just outside Swindon, but if that fails then I don’t regret my order as it’s a lovely model at an astonishingly low price.

The Barnstaple and District Model Railway Club will be holding the Barnstaple Model Railway Exhibition on Saturday 27th July in Christ Church, Bear Street, Barnstaple. There will be at least 12 layouts on display, alongside trade stands, demonstrations, society displays and refreshments. For contact details please visit: https://barnstaplemrc.weebly.com