P.C.M

Thanks Pete, Yes the old girl is doing ok, Hope she doesn't read this Leanne is quite good at hitting me with her crutches. It's only week two so still along way to go, as it's quite a major op. The nurse and Physio are pretty happy with how she is going though. Cheers Peter.

Hi Doug, Hope you are enjoying the UK, we are going to try and get over next year. I think the hoppers don't get used much these days as Auto ballasters seem to be the go. When are you due back? Will have to catch up at the next BRMA meeting. Cheers Peter.

Hi James, Very nice, that wagon has that well used and faded look, well past it's best. Cheers Peter.

Thanks Mark, Her's another one looking more to the left. Cheers Peter.

Thanks guys pleased you like the pic I have one looking over to the left a bit more, I will post it in the next few days. Like Trev and Alex I look forwards to seeing a few locos on shed, I don't think we will have to twist Dave's arm too much to buy a few more 20s 26 and 27s. Millerhillboy, that would be great I miss the smell of diesel and wet oil . It could be called a smellpeg. Cheers Peter.

Thanks Dave, I will look at getting some of those at some point. Here is another Haymarket pic, might be of some help when you build yours. Cheers Peter.

I have just found this thread, very Interesting, I have a few Trans-Pennine rakes that I run on my North Wales layout, and have always found them an interesting train, helped by the fact that some trains were booked for Peak haulage. Great pics Derek, if you have any more Trans-Pennine train pics that would be great. The BG in your last pic is a Scotrail BG which is great as I quite fancy doing one in that livery. It also seems that MK2D FOs were not that uncommon in the rakes as I have seen a few pics with Inter-City FOs in the train. Regarding the NEAs I think there were a few painted in the Trans-Pennine livery but only one had Trans-Pennine written on the side. My rakes are made up from Hornby MK2s which are tecnically wrong as they are the vac brake ones, I also have a few Lima MK2Cs that I converted from Bs about 15 years ago. I wasn't aware of the lower colour differences which is something I will have to sort out in time, the dark blue seems to vary between manufactures as well, my Hornby Lima and Bachmann are all different. Cheers Peter.

Hi Wayne, I like the look of this, I think your idea with the bridge end works for me. Having the retaining how you have drawn it works for me, the whole area could be a bit run down, with weeds encroaching over the wall and onto the headshunt I think it would look good. Having a crossing might make the area look a bit too busy, if that makes sence. Cheers Peter.

Thanks Mark, Glad to hear you are back on line, must admit I do like the grey liv class 31s,bit out of my time frame though. I have another blue one to do and want to do the raised cowl roof grille on that, I have been trying to get a body or complete loco with the raised cowl so I can do a swap. A 37/5 would be nice I willl keep an eye out for the Bachmann one, I will just have to add it to my list. I had a few of the Lima class 37/5s myself along with some 37/4s and a few blue ones, I was a bit older than 10 when they came out though. Cheers Peter.

A couple of pics taken the other day, I haven't been out to the garage much this week as the wife is in hospilal at the moment having had a new knee fitted on Thursday. 45111 has arrived at platform 1 with the 1M58 from Newcastle. This is the first train into the platform under its own power since I extended the front part of the layout. Due to a shortage of type 4 power a class 25 25109 has been provided to work the train forwards to Bangor. For those interested in the stock, the coaches are Hornby MK2s fitted with flush windows and painted interiors, the last three are a Bachmann MK1 BG and Lima MK2c FO converted from a MK2b about 15 years ago along with a Lima MK2c TSOT converted at the same time. Cheers Peter.

Thanks Alex, I would like a 37/5 or 7 I always thought the ex split box locos look good, hopefully Bachmann will do one oneday. I like your blue split box 37 and wouldn't mind one, though the groove under the cantrail grilles puts me of a bit as does the nose which looks too long, though I am thinking that could be filed/sanded back, it's only a couple of mm. Cheers Peter.

Hi Dave, Glad you and millerhillboy like the Haymarket pic I have a few more I will scan and post on here for you. I have added a pic of a class 26 shunting the Haymarket coal yard which is just along from the depot, if you have room it might be worth trying to fit in, it will give you a bit of a yard to play with. The MK3s look great the windows certainly make a difference, I will have to save up and do my air cons. I noticed along with the destination stickers you have coach letters A, B, C, etc are they transfers? Cheers Peter.

Hi Mark, Looking good, I do like that flask wagon might have to get one of those. 37 and senics around the siding look spot on. Cheers Peter.

Hi Jon, Pleased it all went well, the Deltic looks great. Cheers Peter.

Hi Dave, Great news on the house, I remember seeing the APT once yours looks great, is the power unit the standard Ringfield unit? you can get a five pole one that will work better I have one in an old class 25 and it runs ok. What about looking at a railroad power unit from a 73 or 33, it might fit. Haymarket depot would look great, And thanks for the memories Millerhillboy I remember the smell of hops from the brewery at Haymarket station too. Hope you like the pic. Cheers Peter.

Hi Rob, That makes sense, now you mention it it's obvious that they would test more than just pulling power. Making sure they could work ok in multiple would certainly be something they would be checking. Cheers Peter.

Thanks guys, You could be right Phil, been a while since I paired up a couple of loco's, if they are muli'd up it does sort of defeat the object of testing the 37. Here are a cuople more of the ballast. Cheers Peter.

Hi Damian, I am pretty sure the black was painted over the white, so it's the white showing through the faded black. Cheers Peter.

Hi James, Have to agree that TEA looks superb, must admit I liked them better when yhey were grey. I used to see the Holybourne tanks all the time when I worked at Eastleigh and always thought it would be a great train to model. look forwards to seeing the whole train. Cheers Peter.

Thanks Alan, I have been thinking about that rather large brickwork which appears in my pics. I am thinking of making a removable backscene to go along the front of the layout for when I am taking pics from the back. 45029 has just arived on the 6D03 Ex Tuebrook to Penmaenmawr empty ballast and is about to run round. The pic shows all 6 wagons that I have done so far, the first two behind the loco are Hornby Seacows with the rest being Bachmann, one Seacow and three Sealions. Cheers Peter.

I had two goldfish once, one was called 'Royal Tank Regiment' the other was called '5th Royal inniskilling Dragoon Gaurds'. Both didn't live for too long, and I have never been allowed to name a pet since. Though our dog 'Murphy' gets called 'Concrete Bob" when he is on our bed and wont move no matter how much to try and push out of the way. The sad bit is when I called him 'Concrete Bob' the first time my wife knew it was a name from a class 37/4. Here is your Favourite class 50 at Millbrook, from memory one of the last ones to keep the older NSE livery. Cheers Peter.

HI Jon, Glad it all went ok, and you didn't have too many bits to stick back on. Best of luck with round two I am sure it will be ok this time. The extra work on the chassis is superb I really need to do some sanding pipes on a class 37 and hadn't thought of useing elastic, I have used it on some DMU speedo cables in the past so will still have some laying around. I used elastic from an old bungi cord ( think thats what you call'em). Looking forwards to the next loco what do you think you will do next? Cheers Peter.

Thanks Dave, I have a rake of six now, a couple more and that will do, I have started on a Cambrian Whale to go with them but I think I have lost some bits so it's back in a box at the moment. Test trains are a bit of a bonus but you could always have a class 50 on a railtour, you don't have to have a clean one then. Cheers Peter.

Hi Merf, Thanks for that, There weren't that many 20s with headcode boxes and orange cantrail line so it 's possable that I can narrow done which one it is. Looking forwards to you next lot of pics. Cheers Peter.

No worries, I will sort something out. Cheers Peter.