steamy

I recall an couple of articles in the 1980s, one by Howard Geddes and one by Peter Tatlow about the Lms northern division, ex Highland but the information applies throughout the UK. From a photo or two of Inverness, in Lms days the proportion of wagons were Lms - 5, L er - 4, GWR -3 and Southern - 2. From photos of Blair Atholl and Kilwinning ex g&SWR). When I was looking at a similar era at Basingstoke it was proportionally the same - Southern - 5, GWR 4, Lms 3 and lner 2. There would be some variations locally, especially if another railway was nearby. Private owners wagons- think what local businesses would do - the Highland railway got coal from collieries in Fife, so don't have lots of south Wales colliery wagons if you want to be strictly accurate. Remember too that in the 1950s and after, private owner wagons were absorbed into British railways and lost their liveries.

Platform models in Poole. No other shops in Bournemouth or Poole.

Let me start by saying this is not a "why are models now so expensive now?" moan, but I would be interested to know if anyone can say why the current high speed train power cars are the price they are? One powered unit and one unpowered, in contemporary livery, well made, accurate and far better than the ones that used to be the bane of second hand traders. Im not unhappy, and hope to add a ScotRail one to Tweeniehills.

Did they ever run in green? Im presuming they started off in GNR grey.

Don't forget that even if the model shops are shut in England, there are still model shops open in Scotland (at the moment). It's unlikely the Staatzpoleitzei will be setting up a border patrol, tazering delivery vans and stomping on models....

We also tend to forget that there were a lot more first class seats (or coaches) in the years leading up to the 1950s. Even in the 1970s on a Scottish suburban line there were first class compartments on disele multiple units and they were used by first class ticket holders. (and small boys trying it on, usually to get a look out the front window into the drivers cab!)

I believe they were used on the Clachnaharry swing bridge on the Highland Railway prior to WW1 and removed sometime bfore 1930. I recall attending a lecture on "The Caledonian Railway's bread and butter " on the Caley's branches in Lanarkshire around Lesmahagow/ Brocketsbrae and Douglasdale where the speaker showed photos of the gauntleting and I think the dates were later than the 1930s. I can sort of understand their use on a bridge, but callot see any advantage in them over single track. Apart from the shared running line and use in rope hauled wagonways as per LC&DR above. Good luck researching!

Many thanks. So, I should find out the current of the motor, and the current of the sound chip decoder. Presumably from what I understand with a basic dcc controller the loc woudl run (albelit possibly a slower max speed than with one witha higher current) and it is possible taht the sound woudl not work, if the current of the sound chip was higher. Sorry if I sound like a dunderheid!

I'm working on a layout on Po and contemplating Hornby DCC before it's too late. I have a small weakness in that I am keen to have an a O gauge inglenook or loco shed. Would Hornby DCC be good for O gauge? The ampage sounds good, it would only be for one or max two locos, and mainly for the sound. (Drive the neighbours wild with a heljan class 26 brewing up teacup, teacup,teacup!

The rotating seasonal layout was based on the Wisbech and upwell tramway. Each season represented a stage in the railways life - Spring - GER, summer LNER 1940s, Autumn early BR steam, Winter - BR diesel. I think the trackplan was a simple run round loop or terminus with run round. It wa sfeatured in BRM on one of tehir dvds I think. Very effective and effective.

It's such a shame so many model shops have closed. It's so frustrating when model maazines exhort us to use them or lose them and believ you me we would if we could if there were any nearby. Of course when you move to a town that has a large well advertised model centre and it turns out to be owned and run by a grumpy, chain smoking person who does not belive in giving refunds or even labelling stock it is frustrating. However I was lucky and a fantastic new place opened up on Alder Hills Road in Poole.

Hi, New poster here. I'm lucky enough to have an 18 foot by 2.5 foot series of boards in the loft and am planning some ideas for a continuous running layout. I am fitting overlaps to allow a dog-bone layout and with enough space will make it double track. I'm tempted to bring the tracks together to form a four track section which will take up about 10 - 12 feet (with the return curves under tunnels. My question, or request for your thoughts are should locos / trains run in opposite directions or in the same direction? I suppose same direction is ike the Great Northern set up out of Kings Cross (slow up, fast up, fast down, slow down) , and the opposite direction like the Midland out of St Pancras (up fast down fast, up slow down slow? I'd like to hear pros and cons for both ideas - Yes I know its my railway and I can do what I want, and no, its not based on any where in particular, GWR castles will run next to LNER P2s next to High speed trains - Because They Can! Stew