Downendian

I had an enjoyable time in the company of Phil Bullock today and yesterday evening - we share the same profession (we are both Biomedical Scientists). Phil was in Plymouth at the same conference and stayed at my cottage. So we tried a spot of fishing last night (the tide defeated us), went for dinner and ended the evening with some fine Dalwhinnie and a fair few railway anecdotes. As a present Phil bought me this little gem that was on eBay and ended last night. Thanks Phil for this lovely shot of 1200 (complete with Bachmann engine shed!) we must do it again soon, but we need to wet the lines next time! Spent the last hour prepping the class 44 bodyshell, filler setting and grille apertures now done. Pete Harvey etches released from their fret, pips removed, and ready to be stuck to the model tomorrow. Neil

Motorway traffic cam fail. I always check before leaving to head for South Devon for the weekend.

It's strange how reading 39 year old note books in what memory is retained or can be reinvigorated. There was a train from the North that was always 50 hauled early evening in 1976, and a rather grumpy man (also into railways) travelled home on it after walking to parkway from nearby Rolls-Royce. He always window hung immediately behind the 50, and always snarled at us young spotters on his arrival. I wonder where he is now? Perhaps he was a "basher" - I took no interest in 50s then, they were the Bête Noire, gradually replacing our beloved Westerns. This working was often the first move by a newly arrived 50 coming from Crewe. 45071 - it may well have been the first time I saw it after coming off Derby works to have all headcode gear removed and (at the time) quite shocking sealed beam headlights. We thought it was a class 40 approaching at first. Happy days. Neil

Some records from the start of summer 1976, both at Bristol Parkway (on coffee break from marking, so some light relief!). 11/5/76 25 323 on 3S14 Bristol-Sighthill parcels. 37 299, 45 017/028/032/071 (one of my first sightings of a sealed headlight peak); 46 005/048/049, 47 024/082/094/149/477/493/504/533, 50 032, D1068 Western Reliance and class 101 51582-59285-51573, class 121 W55035. 12/5/76 46 024 on 3S14, 50 011 on 3B01 Worcester-Bristol (a single GUV, Kay's parcels), 37 159/295 on Amey road stone PGAs to or from Tytherington, 37 186 banking 47 233 on Danygraig-Stratford freightliner service the 37 being detached at Stoke Gifford, 45 001, 46 010/029, 47 013/076/136/182/493/504/533, 50 009 on a service to W-S-M, D1022 Western Sentinel and D1041 Western Prince. Class 120 50700-59882-50659. The cessation of headcodes in early 1976 made train identification difficult, but I noted those trains whose consists I recognised. Unfortunately I did not note what service trains the Westerns were on. No HSTs yet, and the 47/4s still ruled the rails on South Wales-London services. Neil

Thanks Mike, Indeed a number of images are on Flickr of D7010 at Swindon, and I've never seen them before (Brushveteran's how did I miss them?), e.g. https://www.flickr.com/photos/59835095@N02/6266051922/in/set-72157627818516287 so I'll amend the master list. I've searched many times before for graveyard shots of D7010 to no avail so puzzled how I missed them. Neil

Just for tasters from last July A Ringlet 14 July 2014 And an absolutely pristine example of a Red Admiral, probably hatched within the last day or so. Neil

Beautiful photos Chaz. Hope to capture (edit: on camera)!) some of the South Devon beauties in the forthcoming weeks. Neil

Spurred on by Pete's interest, I spent a couple of hours on 44009 this afternoon, plenty of filing and Dremel action removing the existing grille work - probably about 95% of the grille work now done - just need to get the surrounds flush to the bodywork and the grilles can be attached. Copious amounts of filing and holding the etch against the model (the one in the photo is an old A1 etch, I'll be fitting Pete's excellent new etch to this model). Some filling and fettling is still required to the grafted headcode box end but happy with progress towards the paint shops. Some long-term residents on the work bench have been a batch of Bachmann peaks that I started before Bachmann released the split box version. I used the method of George Dent described in volume 100 of Model Rail, using thinned down Craftsman class 37/40 headcode boxes. These are still very oversize despite this work, totally apparent when the model in the photo is compared to the new Bachmann tooling. I've recently acquired some Genesis headcode boxes in pewter, which are much more subtle - and designed for the peak. So off will come these Craftsman boxes and on with the Genesis ones. This will be the fourth splitter to join my peak roster. I've just acquired a couple more Genesis brake tender kits - put off by the first model I tried, I will persevere with them - I suspect filler use will be necessary. I have bought both long and short frame tenders - getting impatient waiting for the Hornby magazine ones. Neil

Hi Pete Been very busy work wise - no time for modelling unfortunately, breathing space in sight though! Neil

To join Gareth's Teddy bear fest, another recent eBay purchase, and how I remember the class 14s best in the 1970s/1980s as ex BR industrials. NCB no 38 (D9513) at Ashington colliery in May 1980, I won one of these which were a batch of 4 on eBay yesterday. Neil

Many thanks Gareth- your class 14 photos are an undiscovered treasure. The best collection I've seen of this class- many thanks for posting. Neil

Astonished to win this one. A little over a fiver for a copyright class 43 slide. D847 Strongbow on a LCGB rail tour - edit 20th April 1969, Bulmers Woodpecker rail tour. I don't know why this was so cheap they normally go for £30+, I was lucky I suppose. A slide of D7053 the same evening went for £28! Neil

No I believe this to be genuine. I don't think I was there, I was definitely there - it was the date of the Western Tribute rail tour. Further the 46 has sealed beam headlights, this wasn't done on this loco until late 1976. I'm a natural sceptic too, but the weather is identical to 26/2/77 as well. I'd bet a lot of cash that the slide and date are genuine. Neil

03 121 and 382 are on my to do list as well, fond memories of the Bath road duo from childhood. The bell on 121 is news to me and I must have seen it weekly in the 1970s, you're never too old to learn. Laira had a few 03s in the early 70s too, i remember them being parked up on Bath road on their final trip to Swindon. Edit these were 03 128 and 134, ending their days in BR green. Neil

Sorry Phil, saw a Holly blue in my back garden here in Devon Monday nightPhil 1 Neil 1

Yes but it's now on Flickr instead https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8610/16310903282_b916845962_b.jpg Neil

A freshly hatched and beautiful Orange tip paid a visit to my garden flowers earlier this evening to feed. A desperate lunge with my iPad camera in hand frightened it away, so alas no photographic evidence to present here. Neil

Thanks John - I was at Eastfield that day, arrived on a Bristol-Edinburgh Adex and travelled by push-pull 27s, and we did rapid visits to Eastfield and Haymarket.Neil

Hmm The BRdatabase site states that the Swindon running shed closed the end of 1964, but when was it demolished? Phil's link to the Worcester 1968 shot tends to suggest post 1968 as D7003 has a data panel, and has lost its red dot route restriction mark. It's also got the lower door handle modification so must be 1968-1971.Neil

Keeping this thread ticking over - an eBay win from last night, D7003 at Swindon shed, mid 1960s I would hazard a guess. Can anyone narrow this date a bit further? D7003 had her yellow panels added in 1962, and when was the shed in the background demolished? D7003 carried this livery until scrapped. Neil

Can I lay claim to the first RMweb Orange tip sighting of 2015? Spotted whilst leaving work, the John Bull building at Derriford, Plymouth this afternoon. Sorry no photos - caught just a fleeting glance, but Orange tip it certainly was. Neil

Comment made to photographer and legend duly amended - highly efficient Rail-Online, it's an excellent resource. Neil

I've found your probable source for this Stovepipe http://www.rail-online.co.uk/p870200504/h290BA4C4#h121386f I'm certain this photo has been mislabelled, it's almost certainly D7051 with blue window surrounds. As far as I know D7041 never had BSYP livery. Neil

I've updated my livery list earlier in this thread. Two months ago a lovely image of D7094 in green full yellow livery at Cardiff was uploaded to Pinterest - it can be seen by googling Hymek D7094. First image I've seen in this livery, and Mr Stovepipe was right. Neil