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Totally agree, all is welcomed onto this thread and are treated with much help and advice. I generally agree that the rebuilt Bullied Pacifics were the last example of the type. You do some great work, the pictures are very evocative of, for me, Eastleigh shed, which I knew fairly well. Keep up the good work. Kind regards, Richard B

Oh come on! That really is out of order but then again one does usually find Great Western types somewhat insular. Relax a bit Steaming Wales..... Kind regards, Richard B

I have made a start on Jack Benson's Roxey ex SECR Push-Pull Driving Trailer kit, coach kits just as fiddly as locomotives! The Roxey kit is though, very good. I have been working on the shed interior. I can't recall in detail how the interior of 70D was laid out but from the few images I have, and a bit of informed imagination (I was a fitting apprentice on BR in the 1960s) I have installed the following bits and pieces: The fitters bay. The fitter seems to have repainted his bike in a very trendy orange. More to add eventually. Brake blocks making a mess. I once re-blocked an 08 shunter, the chassis of which was built like a steam locomotive. The block's were B heavy for a skinny 18 year old apprentice and the old assistant fitter assigned to me by the Foreman was not much use... The Foremans bike is not so swish being a standard black. In this image it looks as if Basingstoke shed is ready to fall down before it is pushed... Kind regards, Richard B

You are right Phil. Firstly I should correct my error, I think a decent County would be a great idea, as I suggested, a much maligned loco. Regarding the Urie H15, firstly you can never have enough H15s and secondly, I like to share my enthusiasm, more modellers should have access to the "Chonker" experience. I admit, I have a bit of an obsession with these massive looking loco's with that giant smokebox. In many ways a bit ugly which perhaps explains my liking for Mr Thompson's A2's rebuilds and new builds (although I would have preferred the P2's to survive.) great ugly brutish loco's. Sorry to interrupt things Great Western! Pray continue with 78XX discussions. Kind regards, Richard B

I don't think a really decent County would be good. Hawkworth's 4-6-0s often get a bad press but seemed to be the right loco for the times. I would prefer though an SR H15 in original Urie guise and in time, the many variations of same. Always thought that with some smart tooling, the H15 presents a great opportunity to sell the same investment many times over given that there are five variations on a theme. In its way, a fairly important step in loco design. Kind regards, Richard B

On April 11th 1922, Gresley's first pacific "Great Northern" was rolled out from Doncaster works and into railway history. I thought it might be interesting to reconsider this event and how Gresley's first A1 influenced steam locomotive design over the century since its birth. In Darlington people are building another locomotive, a 2-8-2, with an ancestory that can be traced directly back to that event of 1922. Many hundreds of locomotives were built by the LNER that followed the "Great Northern" template including all those Thompson and Peppercorn pacifics. Indeed, it is possible to argue that Bullied, Gresley's Technical Assistant, developed the template further with his pacific designs although much diluted. The surviving images of "Great Northern" in its GNR livery also show us what a truly beautiful creation in steel and copper had been created over the months leading up to 22nd April. A tribute to its designer, his team and the people that built her. Sadly I do not have a model of "Great Northern" in GNR livery but I do have one of the locomotive in A1/1 form. Perhaps someone does have an original A1 and can add a picture of this to the thread? Kind regards, Richard B

A quick update today. When I lived down in Wiltshire I did a few jobs for Jack Benson on his layout, primarily building a SEF G6 0-6-0T kit for him. We have kept in touch and Jack has very generously given me his really super rake of 6 ex SR Wulrus' and the ex LBSC brake van that was attached to these trains. In return, I will build a Roxey Mouldings coach kit and part construct some Comet coach etches. Whilst I have built a number of two axle vans, I have never built a coach so this will be a first. I intend to continue with layout work and fit in the coach work when I can. I am very grateful to Jack - a few pictures. My Little Engines Q1 trundles past the shed yard with a load of Meldon Quarry produce. The quality of the work done by Jack to the Wulrus' (accurate bogies and operational gear) is first class as is the weathering. Kind regards, Richard B

Shed roof smoke stacks now complete. All twelve ready for painting. Starting to look a fair bit like 70D as I remember it. Kind regards, Richard B

Guilty I'm afraid Tony. In my case I found making pick-ups just a bit of a nuisance and a distraction from the enjoyment of building the loco. In addition my loco's never did enough running to make it clear to me just how poor the pick-ups were. Completing my layout is now my main focus and much more loco running is highlighting just how poor some of the pick-up arrangements are. So at the appropriate time, a programme of "layout loco" modifications will be started. Kind regards, Richard B

Welcome back David and, I guess, all of us! Some lovely images, I particularly like that of 501 stopped at the crew accomodation (?). I have not seen that part of your Haymarket before. Kind regards, Richard B

A few more pics. Kind regards, Richard B

Shed building is coming along but still a lot to do, particulaly on the interior. Kind regards, Richard B

Hi, Good that RM Web has recovered thanks to Andy and all the rest, many thanks. I will try to restore pictures eventually but a quick update on 70D's shed building - I have been working on the roof. The back or closed end of the shed roof windows under construction. Originally both ends of the shed had this fairly complex window design looking a bit like the stern of a 17th Century high prowed warship. Then by BR Days the open or working end of the shed had a very different, much simplified window arrangement. Hopefully those that can remember Basingstoke shed will recall this view, or rather, something very like this view. Kind regards, Richard B

Back to her pie shop?

As it is for the big railway. I was to blame for transferring the ex Virgin Mk3 LH trailers and Mk3 driving trailers to East Anglia back in "One" days. Obtaining clearance on the route was tricky to say the least. Still in the end they worked and we ran them on day one of the One Franchise. I don't think we ever hit any infrastructure! Route Clearance on my layout is a lot easier.... I really liked the overhead shot of Sun Castle looks like a Hornby A2/3 but I could be wrong. I have a DJH version of same. Kind regards, Richard B

The area leading down to Chapel Hill is almost finished. The entrance to the shed from the road, as I remember it + images and the footpath that leads into the shed. To the right of this will be the grassy bank that runs down to the turntable and this was sectioned of from the public with a similar spear fence. Kind regards, Richard B

I just want to say how much our hobby relies on dedicated and enduring people such as you ArthurK. Perhaps your determination to keep going (As Churchill would have said KBO) and create more of your kits is part of the explaination for your wonderful long life. May it continue so for many years yet. I have used your brass castings on the G5 I built a year or two back and they were so accurate to prototype! Many thanks. Kind regards, Richard B

The overgrown area behind the shed leading down to Chapel Hill is taking shape. KInd regards, Richard B

Planted some trees today, that is them in the background, just in front of the bookcase. Probably need some suitable backscenes. Kind regards, Richard B

The layout is under construction and is based on a truncated version of Basingstoke - the shed being the main focus of the layout. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/161342-basingstoke-shed-70d-comes-to-buxton/ Kind regards, Richard B

Gentlemen, For those of us, like me, who do not know who these illustrious gentlemen in the picture are could you please enlighten us? I think I know that Gilbert is the gentleman on the right. Kind regards, Richard B

The 0395 looks very, very good. Have followed the build so I am looking forward to you completeting the job when time permits. Perhaps to encourage you a few pics of my effort. My scratch built 0395 represents the version that were fitted with an ex LC&DR boiler and modified cab spec plate. Built a long time ago and very dusty! Kind reagrds, Richard B

Hi Alastair, Lovely image. I really admired your Ladmanlow Sidings at the Doncaster show - I was the bloke from Buxton if you recall - the prototype was just up the road from us both. Kind regards, Richard B

Hi Martin, Thats better than having 30 boxes! Only kidding, good that you are using this newish technology to good effect. Kind regards, Richard B

Good afternoon Tony, Yes a very good point. For less experienced builders of stock and loco's its really important for them to achieve something that they can learn from and then improve on next time. So discouraging if a kit is too difficult for even an "improving" modeller. Kind regards, Richard B