Daffodils and Easter wishes

May the angels protect you, may the sadness forget you, may goodness surround you and may your God always bless you. The budding trees, the new flowers, and birds that sing, whisper to me that it's Easter, that and supermarkets full of chocolate of all shapes (many irrelevant), sizes and special offers! Here is wishing … Continue reading Daffodils and Easter wishes

60 years since “The Reshaping British Railways” – the Beeching report

It is sixty years to the day when Dr Richard Beeching's report "The Reshaping of British Railways" was officially published on the 27th March 1963. The report and its effects are still discussed with many opinions to this to this day,  often in connection with the proposed reopening of some lines and the actual reopening … Continue reading 60 years since “The Reshaping British Railways” – the Beeching report

Happiness is the road… Canute Road Quay exhibition appearances the next two weeks

Canute Road Quay is on the road again and appearing at two exhibitions the next two consecutive Saturdays. The first this Saturday 25th March is slightly unusual as it the Guidelines Publications Spring Show.  This is the first of a series of seasonal shows that bring together traders from all the modelling and collecting genres … Continue reading Happiness is the road… Canute Road Quay exhibition appearances the next two weeks

Rapido Trains UK ex GWR V6 ‘Iron Mink’ as SR ‘Cone’ Improvised Gunpowder van arrives

The Rapido Trains UK ‘OO’ gauge GWR V6 'Iron Mink' covered vans have arrived, it might seem unusual for such a wagon to mentioned here you might be thinking... there is a reason, read on... The GWR covered vans of all metal construction, therefore known as 'Iron Minks', appeared between 1888 and 1901 (after which … Continue reading Rapido Trains UK ex GWR V6 ‘Iron Mink’ as SR ‘Cone’ Improvised Gunpowder van arrives

Workbench Wittering#20 Out on the tiles and going potty with chimneys, Westhill Road’s station building continues to take shape

The build of the station building for Westhill Road continues, since my last Workbench Witterings#18 post here work on the hipped roof and the characteristic chimneys of the mirrored inspiration of Alverstone, for this build. Hipped roofs, and the gable windows, can be quite complex to work out the correct angles and lengths to cut roof … Continue reading Workbench Wittering#20 Out on the tiles and going potty with chimneys, Westhill Road’s station building continues to take shape

7mm scale Bulleid coaches under development by Greenwood & Pring

Greenwood & Pring have announced the development of a new 0 Gauge premium finescale carriage programme based on Southern Railway’s Bulleid coaches. These carriages will be manufactured in brass in Korea to a high specification with both skirted and non-skirted coach types. All metal construction Bulleid three coach sets no: 770-793 comprise the non-skirted version … Continue reading 7mm scale Bulleid coaches under development by Greenwood & Pring

Workbench Witterings#19 Building a Maunsell 350HP ‘trip’ locomotive

In my Talking Stock#15 post here I discuss the background to the three Maunsell 350HHp diesel 'trip' locomotives. In 1937 Maunsell ordered three six coupled 350hp diesel electric locos, built by the SR at Ashford with English Electric power units, to compare against the Z class 0-8-0 tanks.  They were numbered 1,2 an d 3. These … Continue reading Workbench Witterings#19 Building a Maunsell 350HP ‘trip’ locomotive