leslie10646

Yep, back on line in every way, thanks. The electrician fixed it in about 2 minutes - very embarrassing - but top marks to him. I know for another time!

"Don't mention the War" Well, not in Torquay, anyway .......

Hey, JB, none of these remarks about the Knights of the Stop Watch - a massive percentage of the RPSI founders were timers! All praise to the Society, who usually manage to get us on the right side for the mileposts! The other method is to hunt in groups of EIGHT - four Timers on one side, four non-timer mates on the other, so a table for table swap is possible when the mileposts change sides! Of course none of this is necessary in the GPS world - you start the GPS at Zero miles, glue your eyes to it, noting the speed every quarter mile and never look out of the window - gone are the days of coming home face black, shirt in need of laundering from a day of squinting into the darkness for near-invisible mileposts. If the Lads had modelled the early diners, we could have the smell of frying steak as Galteemore's revered Dad provided a steak dinner with wine to the particpiants on a ECS run!

Very kind of you to say that Alan! I'm sorry that I won't be seeing all my Irish pals! Now, the Website - this is VERY boring! (I could bore you longer if I told you about blowing every socket in the house yesterday when using my Proxon Drill!). I can send this thanks to a 15 metre extension cable from one of the working sockets (in the kitchen) to the BT router - I lost even my landline as without power "Digital Voice" doesn't work! My old phone worked fine! Progress - don't make me laugh! The website was costing me a lot of money for little return (as I say, it's a hobby). I tried a "pure" Wordpress site but realised I would have to re-enter everything, so- I tried to convert to Wordpress while still on the 1&1 "system" which was a tenth of the cost of my Website Builder one - 1&1 said they would keep my old site up while I converted - they didn't. Hence the reduced website which you can see, but it proved less than intuitive (on 1&1 anyway). This bit is less boring ...... I tried to access the site myself a moment ago by putting "Provincial Wagons' into the browser and got up a page - http://provincialwagons.com/welcome-to-provincial-wagons That tells you everything you need to know - my e-mail address! It came up first on my browser - the other one People know me pretty well. All they have to do is send me an e-mail and I'll send lists of available kits, invoices, pictures, even kits themselves (!) and for one lucky gent on here recently two RTR GSWR brake vans! So, guys, drop me a line and I'll do what I can. Regards Leslie

Hi Alan Yes, I love the name. Regrettably Brexit / Covid has put paid to Bangor where I'm concerned. People can buy from me direct at any time. My / our usual route was via Holyhead - Dublin so that we could drop stuff off for the IRRS Archives, etc etc. After Brexit, that's a non-starter when you're carrying "goods" - yes, I know hundreds of others do it, but PW is a hobby, and it is probably all too much aggro for a relatively small return! We considered Cairnryan, but as well as the £300 cost of taking the car over is 425 miles EACH way just to get there. At least Holyhead was just 5 hours most of the time! I even considered Sail Rail, via Cairnryan (and post the stock over beforehand) but the timetables are all over the place. In a month's time, that could change, but who knows? Sorry to be missing it and the craic!

Yes, a very fine looking model. Well done. A certain Drawings Expert has my kit of the loco (and one of his own) - must chase him! The rolling stock looks familiar......... The layout itself, which you are coy about, looks top rate! More, please!

Instagramus et Twitterus sunt labor diaboli. David - nemo te ducere audeat! Steve - Drew Donaldson te maxime laudet. I'll leave Galteemore to reply in Classical Greek! Pax vobiscum. Valete Leslie

Yep, I remember driving towards Farnborough - ONE of my local stations - and, of course, close to the Airshow location. One of these Viggens flew, it seemed, along the road at a few hundred feet and just tipped over and cruised in to land - pretty impressive. As much fun as having the giant Antonov (as in Class 201 delivery vehicle) do a turn over my back garden! Thinking about it, there was probably a model 201 in the attic of my house at the time!

I'm watching Charles Friel's excellent talk on the RPSI's bogie Guinness van. In one of the slides - there was an open wagon being hauled out of the Guinness Yard WITH A STENCILLED SNAIL on the side! In 4mm would you notice?

Not sure about STENCILLED Snails - but presumably not this? https://railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=767

Yes, they do - have a look at their website - lots of useful stuff! I think this is where you should start - https://railtec-models.com/scale-model-transfers.php?region=2&type=5&gauge=4mm

Well that's not hard to get - buy one of my 1953 van kits (with same source of transfers as John M) and paint it whatever colour you like. If Patrick can paint my GNR vans WHITE - anything goes. By the way, and probably tempting fate - my two brake vans from John came to me in GB in just over a week, via his DPD service - well worth paying for.

A fact-let I came across while playing around with one of Henry Casserley's photos. Despite the antiquity, I think the plate says LMS NCC, wagon 580. Actually, the BNCR ones had strapped corners, rather than a plate like here - perhaps it's a rebuild. I have a Lance King slide which shows a two plank of great antiquity and I'll post it when I find it. This is a corner of the plate (which shows a 4-4-0 at Portrush. If one keeps one's eyes open there are masses of little clues like this in photos of "other things". Must get to bed - the day has been too exciting - I still have a business!

So - guess what's next! I think that one is in the School Certificate bracket? Mind you, my PhD guess was wrong, but I HAD noticed the inter-usability of this chassis some while ago

Wow, retirement put off for another day! Very nice wagon, lads. Good luck with it. Leslie

Sleep? I didn't! What am I going to do now? Ah, logs to write up; talks to give; trains to travel on....... And then getting some of my recalcitrant brass-built model steam locos to behalf and run normally!

Well done Enda. Aidan must be beaming down on you! He can now really Rest in Peace. Leslie

Nice wagons, JB - why do they look familiar? By the way, I have two RTR GSWR brake vans for sale, following a cancelled order (see 8588 above). PM me if interested.

Thanks for highlighting this. Some interesting snatches. I hope cover some of the 1961 Grand Tour in my next Lance King show (in 2023, DV).

I thought I was about to catch another Class 37 (it was on a Derby RTC to Eastleigh trip) when this came instead! 2022 2 2 Class 153.mov I assume it's off to the Works at Eastleigh for some kind of refurb? It's all Go at Goring!

Let's hope I'm not otherwise engaged, like 1pm today! 2022 2 2 Calss 37 456s.mov Cephesus hauling three SWT Class 456 units off to storage at Long Marsden. Needless to say, they are a lot younger than 37.884! Note my well-trained Gricerine busily noting the details! More free advertising for Accurasale (are you doing this one, lads?)

Horse MUST be a working one and a MARE!

Well, Sir, a lot of it has been published by the IRRS. It's no secret, you only had to go to a Model Railway Exhibition at Bangor, Raheny or Blackrock to see (AND buy) the digitised books of Russell's NCC track diagrams and NCC Signalling diagrams. Still available - I'll provide you with the details! As for NCR3 - that is MY FAULT. The manuscript is an arm's length from me. It hasn't been finished because when I asked (on a RPSI e-mail) about two years ago - less than twenty people stated an interest. Not the response you want when you're contemplating a £5-10,000 plus up front cost. Russell covered the technical aspects of the railway at a fairly high level - as was typical in a David and Charles Railway History of the period when it was written. Since then, some of the material HAS been covered at very high level by experts in their respective fields. However, I am exploring ways of getting the "book" out there and the "Signal Cabin" above has given me another idea ....... That said, it won't help you with this particular subject - the goods rolling stock chapter is just ten, double-spaced, pages and includes no lists of wagon numbers - merely how many of each type the railway had at various times. I have been through Russell's material in the Archive and I don't remember seeing greater detail on wagon info - I may be wrong! By the way, I agree with the Man from Seagoe that given two / three lifetimes a "volunteer" could go through Big Bob's diaries and make something of them - so in case there is reincarnation, maybe one of you would volunteer, assuming that The Almighty agrees! Thinking about it, there can't be reincarnation, as otherwise bob would have done it himself! They are fascinating, but like NCC wagon lists - of interest to maybe a hundred people on the planet. Dinner's ready, I'll go before someone sends a hit squad to do away with me! Leslie

A few of you may know that I was trying to find a new home for "Pettigo" as Aidan was concerned that his works would be binned. However, having had dealings with his wife, Barbara, I know that he needn't have worried! A new home in a model railway cub came to naught - just before Christmas. Barbara has just told me that it has been removed to Co Wexford by a friend of the family, who hopefully will cherish it! Happy Candlemass! Oh - and Happy Year of the Tiger. Leslie