Recent content by Andy R. A.

The book I have says 71D was Fratton, 71E Newport Isle of Wight, 71F Ryde Isle of Wight.

The latest bit of video from the layout with some 'scenic stills' included, along with the usual non DCC added sound effects.

There are 10 Storage Roads for each of the four Main Lines, and the trains run in sequence through Roads 1 to 10 on each before repeating the sequence again. Although some sets remain captive to either the Up or Down direction several sets like the Postal, Motorail, Manchester and Liverpool...

Here are some photos from some of the latest conversions I have done in the last couple of years, this time using a Dapol 86. The original Dapol mechanisms didn't go to waste, as I used them to replace some of my older Farish Class 87 mechanisms. The replacement for the shortened 86 body are...

The Roarers were mostly made by shortening a Farish 87 body, filling in the original bodyside detail, and inserting new windows and grills. The cab windows were replaced, and a bit of re-profiling of the front ends with a file. The shortened body was then fitted onto a Minitrix class 27...

I only remember one year in the 1970s when BR decided to run a service on the Boxing Day, at least in the London area. It wasn't a particular success, and it was no wonder that it was a number of years later before a limited service was run on a few selected routes on Boxing Day. My notes of a...

The pairing of the 25s are usually both powered models, although I have tried a powered/non-powered pair I found this proved to be a little taxing for a solitary 25 hauling the lengthy freights I run plus pulling the dummy loco. The powered pairs run well together, and I have around twenty 25s...

The latest bit of 'train watching' video added today.

The BOC tankers were made by converting standard TEAs using bits of Plastruct and left over bits of balsa and plasticard, and removing and filling in the standard TEA filling points.

There used to be a BOC tanker working between Widnes and North Wembley. Electric hauled on most of its journey. 6F38 1358 North Wembley to Widnes (empty) 6A50 0116 Widnes to North Wembley (loaded) Not sure when this rail traffic ceased ? I believe that BOC still has a site at North Wembley, but...

The latest edition compilation video from the past week.

There are still a number of the earlier Poole era Graham Farish Models I still run. The ones that had the brass gears or white nylon ones run quite well still, but I have spent some time rooting out various 'split gears' on the later Poole ones. There have been a few 'failures' with the early...

Hmmm... Really hard to say. Some of the things have been reused over the past 40 years or so, along with a steadily accumulated amount of Locos and Rolling Stock. Other things were 'stockpiled' over a few years while waiting for the space to become available, so with increasing prices it would...

Another interesting facet of the railway at the time. The St. Pancras station 'Daily Orders' sheet would show the various reservations on outgoing services. The one time conveyance of a 'Prisoner and Escort' would appear on the reservations section for a compartment which was always marked as...

I think I remember that ? When I first started at St. Pancras I spent a few weeks working in the old Station/Area Manager's Office which was in the corner of the concourse near platform 7. (Don Royce was the head clerical man at the time, and Phil Dunkley was the AM). As you went through the...