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Although by now - 24 hours later - it is old news, I was on the Nene Valley Railway yesterday (Easter Monday) on a train being hauled by 34081, 92 Squadron. As we arrived at Orton Mere station 66735 was in the opposite platform with a partially covered nameplate visible. By the time our...

The H&M duette is ideal, and there are plenty available. I have found that some controllers (at clubs I've visited) won't supply sufficient current (or at least a high enough output voltage to make up for the voltage drops on the larger layouts caused by the current required for some Dublo...

Although the fastest Sheffield (Midland) to Manchester trains are now around 51 minutes (single stop at Stockport) as compared to the 1969 timetable from Sheffield (Victoria) to Manchester of around 58 minutes (two stops - Penistone and Guide Bridge), getting from Penistone to Manchester is now...

I still have some Hornby Dublo 3 rail and A3 and A2 controllers, though the locos rarely get used unless I take them to a club or other organisation which has a layout. When I went 2 rail I bought Hornby Dublo locos (identical to the 3 rail ones apart from different numbers, 80033 instead of...

What make of track are you using and what type of points (live frog or plastic)? The Jinty (47606) was made by Triang from 1960 to 1965. The early Triang ones had very coarse wheels and the first ones were solid between the spokes so you could not see through them. These wheels won't usually go...

Back in the 1980's a friend's home had what was, at that time, a double track freight line at the bottom of his short garden. It was mainly coal traffic and, as loaded trains approached, the house did sometimes noticeably shake. He got used to it and it wasn't a problem although I found it a...

I have been to a fair number of steam galas and often found the trains overcrowded to the point of it being unpleasant on the popular lines on a weekend. Most were 3 or 4 day events and although more comfortable on a Thursday or Friday it was still busy. Getting a meal on the train at the...

Looking at the records of Clun Castle 7029 it can be seen that it had 6 different boilers between 1950 and 1962, and one particular boiler had been on as many different locos. It had 9 different tenders, 4 Hawksworth, and 5 Collett, and again one of those tenders was associated with 9 different...

The sheer variety and quantity of steam locos even into the 1960's when I started train spotting makes the relatively few classes of diesels and electrics, especially those now in service, rather sad by comparison. It's only the variety of liveries since the 70's which has given some level of...

Of the local lines I missed the Coalville to Leicester section of the Burton-Leicester line though I was on a special from Derby to Coalville for the Coalville open days. I don't suppose it will ever reopen to passengers but there is still the chance of a special I guess. Woodhead line I only...

I don't think anyone has mentioned the fact that the Nottingham to Rugby Central service continued to run from Victoria for another year after the line closed south of Rugby in Sep 66. Indeed, the Mon-Sat trains from Nottingham to Grantham also continued to run from Victoria until July 1967...

Steam engines, steam sheds, coaling stages, water cranes on platforms with coal braziers to stop them freezing in winter. Trains cancelled due to an inch of snow or leaves. Train spotters at the end of every major station platform. Spotters with cine cameras and tape recorders. Semaphore signal...

I happened to spot this thread on April 1st! I couldn't believe it was actually for real. When anyone in a non-railway environment asks in casual conversation what I've been doing at the weekend I'd say I've been to a preserved railway or model railways exhibition without a second thought. Most...

Scheduled STEAM LOCO LINE UP for the GCR AUTUMN GALA Loughborough-Leicester North (Thu-Sun) 4th-7th October 2012 2 locos in steam Th, 3 on F (3rd still tba), all 8 on Sat/Sun 9466 Th/F (30)777 “Sir Lamiel” (30)925 “Cheltenham” Th/F 46521 47406 48624...

I've checked the ATOC website which has no mention of active/retired staff travel restrictions due to the olympics and nothing I've spotted in the "Staff Travel Restrictions Summer 2012 (May-Dec 12)" document. Has anyone else found anything which might need to be taken account of when...