Warbonnet

Not particularly true in the UK. EWS withdrew a couple of hundred locos that where not life expired (56s, 58s, 60s, 90s, 92s) and scrapped many of them or left them to rot in sidings while replacing them with 280 EMD locos. The reason why older locos are being refurbished by the likes of COLAS and DB is that the emission regs that have come into force mean that there is no current off the shelf design that will fit in the restrictive UK loading gauge design. GBRf are going around Europe looking for spare 710 engines to slap into 66s to get round this as much as possible. The 57 programme was partially successful, but have suffered reliability issues (look up the Cornish sleeper diagrams and you can see it's been littered with failures) and the leasing companies together with Freightliner saw that you could have a new 66 for not much more money. Freightliner quickly binned the 57s when production capacity for the 66s were freed up after the EWS order was completed. The HSTS were remotored as a stop gap as the Government faffed around with the new generation Intercity design and tender award. If the plan had've been more advanced (leaser requirements, electrification requirements, tendering process, bio-mode faffing) then the brilliant but tired HST would already have been retired by now.

No problem!

Your arguments like many of your posts, are a bit all over the place. "Air travel run for business class?" Never noticed any class division on Ryanair on routes to the sun, must've missed that. I fail to see why curtains are the be all and end all for business class train travel. I have used laptops on ICRs, with a handy plug socket at every seat (something missing on older coaching stock) without the need for a curtain. Comfort, the Mark IIIs were very good but were tired. Economic decision to get new trains while the money is there over expensive refurbishment made sense (this is where Kieran's point about new seats came into it that you happily dismissed to suit your agenda once again). Coaching stock needed shunting, 201s and 071s thirsty. mark IIs clapped out. I personally find the ICRs very good. Noisier? Of course, but it's not that noticeable to me and it hasn't affected passenger numbers. Most railway companies across the water and beyond have stripped back their catering as much as possible in recent years, including Virgin and my once beloved GNER and its successors. Good food on trains is like that on planes, a thing of the past. The M50 station idea is surreal to me. If you can show me a successful railway station on a motorway I will gladly read up on it. Heustons big problem is that it's too far outside the city centre. So why build something further away that's even more inconvenient? If I was a person travelling to Dublin city centre on business and was turfed out in cherry orchard I'd be livid. The opening of the Phoenix park tunnel next year to southern services to grand canal dock will be fantastic and I'd be happy to bet that it will increase travel numbers on IE. If you want people to switch from cars to the train for such journies it needs to be much faster, affordable and convenient than driving. Hence the calls for better line speeds and the calling at more city centre based stations. This in turn can get many people out of anti social, gas guzzling nonsensical vehicles unsuited to the city centre. IE is also more affordable than British train travel under the private model. Outside profitable commuter and the more established intercity routes, the idea is to provide public service for the good of the citizens of the country. Will these lines make money? No, but that's not necessarily the point Just my two cents.

An opinion that represents one of the most rational and well thought out point of view that I've read in a long time. Well done that man!

Picked up a 201 for a project myself, hopefully I find time to get round to it. And I dont even like 201s that much!

If you want to add in the additions Kieran to your top list I can make it a sticky then and it would be an excellent resource for everyone if you like?

Sounds like someone is still enjoying the bank holiday weekend...

What snapped its front bogie?

That reminds me, must do the euro millions.

There's a good bit of history on the EBay ad about the real thing written by an expert that's worth a read. Basically experimental high pressure steam loco designed by Gresley with a boiler that utilised principles from steam ships. Was a top secret project, hence the nickname 'Hush hush'. Was rebuilt later on and ended up looking like an A4. She was scrapped in 1959. l.H Loveless comission British outline locos made by hand out of brass in South Korea in o gauge and gauge 1. This is gauge 1, 10mm top of the line stuff. Would kill for an O gauge one personally.

About the model or the prototype?

oohhh NCB electrics, I do love coal trains. Must pick one up myself.

I respectfully ask that we do not do such a discussion here. Thanks.

Well done! Must get a copy!

Good to see you're asking about some quality traction!

The only thing threads like this cause is arguments and trouble. You said you knew it was bad for the forum but opened it anyway. Backseat modding contravenes the rules so this thread shall be locked and any similar ones in future shall be deleted. If you have any problems with any members behaviour please contact a moderator. It's what we are here for. We all have day jobs and lives too so we may miss the odd thing so it helps to bring any incidents to our attention. If any members behaviour breaks our rules and code we will deal with them as we have many times in the past. Thanks.

I think so but cant say for certain.

I dont think it is tbh. Let's not revisit ghosts of forum past!

As a lover of O gauge, 60s BR and having lived near and travelled on the north circular on many occasions I'd love to see more!

A belated all the best Jim. Hope you're celebrating as we speak!

Excellent work as always!

If you ask Mr. Murphy nicely at the right time. I know of someone else in this parish who has a pre production MM model...

A true sonnet!

Great shots Eamonn!