Where have I been?

Ok so you might have noticed that I have been noticeably (or otherwise) absent from posting.
Why such a hiatus? Perhaps I am a show done by Mr. Moffat…

Well no, the answer is simply that I have basically not done any railway work since last summer, when I finished my station building and this is just how it’s always been, except of course that in place of whatever I used to do between the summer holidays I have been instead doing my car.

Either that or driving my car. Anyway the long and short of it is that I have decided it’s about time that I started being blog-active again and so hopefully I’ll start making posts about what I’ve been doing with the car, other models or whatever just to keep you entertained.

Anyway, thankyou for not unfollowing me and hopefully you’ll see a new post before too long. Don’t hold me to that though, I might forget.

The Royal Wessex – 5th July 2014

Loco Yard

  

On Saturday evening I had the rare chance to catch some mainline steam in the Portsmouth area. It was the perfect opportunity to use a new location I have been wanting to try. The train was called the “Royal Wessex” which recalls the days of named steam trains from the 1950’s on the former Southern Region of British Railways. Originally the express was going to be hauled by Tangmere on the first leg and Braunton on the return leg but unfortunately both had to be replaced and Black 5 44932 had to do both legs. 44932 has become a real Thunderbird on the south coast hauling the majority of the mainline specials due to other locomotives failing.

My new location was a quiet bridge on Mill Lane in Bedhampton which is on the Portsmouth main line, to the west of Havant where the line is joined by the coastal route…

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Trespassing

Loco Yard

TRESPASSING

 IT IS AN OFFENCE TO TRESPASS ON ANY RAILWAY LAND.

THIS INCLUDES:

• PAST  ‘NO PASSENGERS PAST THIS POINT’ SIGNS
• LEVEL AND FOOT CROSSINGS WHEN THE GATES ARE CLOSED OR A TRAIN IS COMING
• ANY LAND WITHIN THE BOUNDARY FENCE

IF YOU TRESPASS ON ANY RAILWAY LAND, YOU ARE NOT ONLY PUTTING YOURSELF AT RISK, BUT THE LIVES OF OTHER AROUND YOU

 WHEN A TRESPASS INCIDENT IS REPORTED, IT HAS TO BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE TRAINS CAN BE ALLOWED TO RUN AT FULL SPEED. THIS MEANS PUTTING OTHERS IN DANGER WHEN TRYING TO FIND THE CULPRIT.

RISKS TO YOU INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

• WEILS DISEASE FROM RAT URINE
• HUMAN WASTE
• OVERHEAD LINES AND 3RD RAIL (ELECTRICITY CAN JUMP IN THE RIGHT CONDITIONS)
• TRIPPING HAZARDS
• HYPERDERMIC NEEDLES (THROWN FROM OVERBRIDGES)
• MOVING PARTS ON POINTWORK
• TRAINS THEMSELVES

A HUMAN LIFE IS NOT WORTH A PICTURE

DON’T RUN THE RISK

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Twenty Twenty Vision

Albion Yard

This week there’s been quite a kerfuffle about Bachmann’s 20% price rise, most noticeably on assorted forums and meejah. Basically rising costs have meant that Bachmann have passed on elements of that rising cost to the end user, the man on the Clapham Omnibus. It would appear that this is going to be the end of the hobby, the thin end of the wedge driving people out of a ‘rich mans’ hobby. One even mentioning that they knew of the coming increases at Warley last year. Well cynical old me, but I doubt that very much. The hobby started out as a rich mans plaything certainly, and the high quality end of the hobby has, and always will be expensive, but that’s no different to any leisure past time. The hobby is cheaper now than it has ever been, in my experience of about 40 years or so. The contemporary Ready to…

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Wagons of Portsmouth Dockyard

I agree – I’ll have to find these wagons next time I visit!

Loco Yard

Good evening

Whilst on a trip to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard (somewhere you to have visit at least once) I was taking a photo of M33, which is one of only two British warships to survive from World War 1 (with HMS Illustrious in the background), when I noticed 3 old wagons hidden in the corner of HMS Victory’s carpark.

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Not The Last Thump!

This gallery contains 22 photos.

Originally posted on Loco Yard:
Today marked the first of a series of celebrations at various preserved railways around the country marking ten years since the withdrawal of Class 201-207’s, affectionately known as “Thumpers”.  Ten years ago the last of this type on still working on the mainline ran “The Last Thump”, so fittingly these…

Departing Soon!

I’m going to miss this loco so much!

Loco Yard

It was announced at the Mid-Hants Railway’s Spring steam gala 2014 that it would be the last such event attended by U class 31806, as the locomotive is due to leave the railway.  The hire agreement between the locomotive’s owner with the railway is due to expire in September.  A number of other locomotives also owned by the same individual will also be leaving, though no others are in working condition.  It hasn’t been announced where 31806 is going to, but I’m sure there are many railways that could make use of this solid locomotive.  In the meantime, I’ll do my best to take plenty of pictures of 31806 whilst it is based in Hampshire!

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Think Big!

This gallery contains 16 photos.

Originally posted on Loco Yard:
If a railway enthusiast claimed to have seen a streamlined coronation pacific, a parallel boiler Royal Scot and an unrebuilt Merchant Navy class in steam in 2014, you would be forgiven for thinking that they had gone a little crazy, or perhaps that this is an April Fools Day prank! …

Reverend Wilbert Awdry and Me; A Tribute

Loco Yard

Today, 17 years ago, the Reverend Awdry passed away and people who have read his books, the Railway Series, will know how he inspired children to get into railways, and my story is no exception. As I mentioned in a previous post, I still have all of the books in my attic and my passion for railways as a whole is because of him.

The stories of Thomas the Tank Engine were first conceived in 1943 when his son, Christopher, was ill with measles and he wanted stories about trains. However; when Awdry was a young boy he lived very close to the Great Western Railway, with him hearing Box tunnel from his bedroom window at night. As a banking engine was required for freight trains, he later explained “There was no doubt in my mind that steam engines all had definite personalities. I would hear them snorting up the…

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Dapol announce add an ex LSWR Adams B4 tank to range

Southern Railway, Fisherton Sarum, Canute Road Quay & Westhill Road

Today Dapol has unveiled its new catalogue for 2014. Whilst primarily a year of consolidation, new model highlights include the LSWR Adams ‘B4’ 0-4-0T in ‘OO’ gauge and LNER ‘J72’ 0-6-0T in ‘N’ gauge.

Both models will be DCC ready and incorporate new mechanisms which are currently under development. The ‘OO’ gauge LSWR Adams ‘B4’ will also feature two cab designs and a DCC sound-fitted option will be available.

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