Potpourri #1079

Posted on August 20, 2023 by snitchthebudgie

Today’s selection is of Southern EMU’s mainly around the Redhill area.  Most photos are by John Atkinson, and have been reposted from the Southern Electric Facebook site.

Hastings DEMU’s at Coulsdon, Redhill, and Sevenoaks.

And the preserved unit recently passing through Earlswood.

earlswooddemu

‘Tadpole’ DEMU’s at Redhill…

4VEP’s at Redhill and Holmthorpe..

And a 4VEG (whatever that is – I lost track of more modern EMU’s!! – maybe a Gatwick conversion?)

4VEGmersthamJohnAtkinson

Finally, a personal favourite.  An MLV at Redhill.  The short lived red livery – I preferred the slightly earlier ‘Jaffa Cake’ version.

MLV9004redhillJohnAtkinson

And now for something completely different….  Indonesia had some fascinating steam locos!

indonesian

Posted in Inspiration, Out and about, Prototype | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

ESNG meeting – 16 August 2023

Posted on August 18, 2023 by snitchthebudgie

A busy Wednesday evening.  Eight members, one small son, and two visitors from the West Sussex group.  The West Sussex lads came to continue our Stuttgart planning.  I think that was successful, and the planned layout might even work!  We spent too long talking about the trip, so photos are a bit limited.  Still, the usual suspects captured….

The DCC track was busy with Martin’s trains, including this very noisy Deltic…

20230816_20091720230816_203918

Containers…..

20230816_200715

And Neil’s sound 4F…

20230816_212412

Keeping the recent bus theme, here are three shots of ‘real’ buses in Redhill and Reigate.  I like the 430 pictures, as that’s my local route – although currently run by Metrobus with blue single deckers that rattle far more than these RT’s – but they do have air conditioning and internet!

As a bonus, Martin Stace posted this childhood picture on Facebook.  A real train set!  I started with one like this, but it was all British Railways, rather than LMS.  I must have been a bit younger…

martinstace

Posted in ESNG, ESNG meetings | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Tenterden bus rally

Posted on August 16, 2023 by snitchthebudgie

Just a photo-dump today, with photos received from Ron of the bus rally at Tenterden station.

Posted in Inspiration, Out and about | Tagged , | Leave a comment

ESNG meeting – 13 August 2023

Posted on August 14, 2023 by snitchthebudgie

A good turn out of seven members, plus a couple of visitors (one a fascinated three-year old) dropping in to see the trains.  And a very pleasant afternoon with the usual high standard of trains and low standard of conversation…..

20230813_145044

The long and the short of it from Allan.  Looks like the PW gang have left some odds and ends in the camp site….

20230813_14511420230813_155131

Richard’s old Swiss stock….

20230813_145451

A work in progress by Derek, plus another train…

20230813_14505320230813_151525

European trains from Brian….

20230813_14510120230813_15144820230813_153054

Dave was testing a whole range of locos – from the ridiculously large to the improbably small!

20230813_14512720230813_153408

My J50 on an unfitted goods. 

20230813_15584220230813_155953

Of course, we finished with an excellent curry.  And thank you Brian for the video!

Posted in ESNG, ESNG meetings | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Potpourri #1078

Posted on August 12, 2023 by snitchthebudgie

Been a few weeks since I did one of these – all those Isle of Man holiday snaps have provided plenty of superior blogging material – thanks, Allan & Ron.

Let’s start with another typical ESNG running session at 1:1 scale.  Watch till the end…..

I’m not sure this would work in N gauge, but it’s a fun way to have a beer!

I would love to be able to work wood like this.  Though I’m not sure how this joint would work on a baseboard….

This would make a fun model!

The north and south of the Southern region.  Victoria Station as I remember it in the 1960’s.  A bit dark in places, but some great early EMU’s on show.

And some delightful Isle of Wight footage.

To finish, another long video of an Australian model railway show – some excellent modelling.

Posted in Inspiration, Out and about, Prototype | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Shoeburyness Model Railway Club exhibition 2023

Posted on August 10, 2023 by snitchthebudgie

Messrs Dawes and Atfield attended.  I had a theoretically quiet day that turned out busy!

Both me and Derek Atfield went to this show yesterday…..

James Street.

First time I could get close to this large layout for a good look. Must have taken a long time to set this up.

Brinklow….

s11s12

s15

Trinity Dock Street Bridge.  A lovely layout, but I’ve always wondered whether it is just a bit too grey and weathered.  I know that industrial Britain used to look this bad in places, but a touch of blue sky here and there, and a spot of colour around the place would seem more realistic?

s19

Finally, A Cold Front.

The light change made a fantastic WW1 layout.

Agreed!  I confess that I don’t much like WW1 narrow gauge layouts – they often seem very cluttered and cliched, trying to pack too much in.  This is simple in concept, and all the better for that – and still has interesting details like the shelled trees.

s20s21

Posted in Exhibitions, Inspiration, Layout design, Out and about | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

I’m walking backwards for Christmas – 12

Posted on August 8, 2023 by snitchthebudgie

The final set of pictures come from the MER Derby Castle shed.  If this object drops off the roof, the staff evacuate the shed.  All from a historic fire at the shed…..

IMG_4011

Restoring underframes….

Restoring bodywork…..

And the impressive end results….

And to finish, some typical (and very nice) IOM goods wagons…

Well, that’s all from somewhere in the Irish Sea.  The more usual boring posts will start again next time! 

Posted in Inspiration, Out and about, Prototype | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

I’m walking backwards for Christmas – 11

Posted on August 7, 2023 by snitchthebudgie

Arriving at MER Laxey shed by Wickham trolley and trains pass on the main line….

Some interesting shunting.  I do like cars converted for other uses like this trailer.  [Correction – this vehicle was built like this as a bogie van, for transport of parcels, milk, and interestingly, coffins.  It has just been restored by the MER supporters and this was its first trip out.]  Note the man holding the trolley pole in place during reverse shunting….

Inside the works, plenty of restoration work needed….

And some excellent restoration completed…..

The unusual double ended engineers motor…

Next post, MER Derby Castle.

Posted in Inspiration, Out and about, Prototype | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

I’m walking backwards for Christmas – 10

Posted on August 6, 2023 by snitchthebudgie

The next few days posts finish off the Isle of Man travels of Allan and Ron, returning to three visits to the car sheds on the island.  Mainly photos, with the odd (sometimes very odd) comment!  

But we’ll first revisit ‘Caledonia’, on their trip to closed lines on the island.

And the beautifully maintained Foxdale station, on the short (and steep) branch to the mines there.

Today’s shed visit is to the Snaefell car shed at Laxey.  There’s some work going on maintaining the car bogies…

Permanent way stock….

Restoring car bodies….

And some odds and ends!

Next time, the electric main line at Laxey.

Posted in Inspiration, Out and about, Prototype | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

ESNG meeting – 2 August 2023

Posted on August 4, 2023 by snitchthebudgie

With the chairman back from overseas (well from the Irish Sea), five members turned up for a working afternoon, and another joined us to run trains later.

We made a degree of progress – we could have done more, I guess, but some socialising also took place.  The good news is that version XXVIII of the corner board trolley is up an running, and can be taken as complete.  Derek also tweaked the wheels on the second corner trolley to make if freer running.

We also started fitting additional droppers to the fiddle yard and the corners.  We only got so far with this before a fish-and-chips supper intervened.  We might be able to finish this job next time.

Just a few photos of the proceedings.  As usual, the usual suspects!

20230802_184644

Derek’s latest creation…

20230802_184634

And Derek’s Austerity’s appear to have been breeding!

20230802_18503220230802_185306

I kept things simple with this little tram….

20230802_184900

Chris’ Southern region multiple units.

20230802_19030020230802_192619

Simon’s super-power….

20230802_190247

And t’ther Derek’s passenger train, slipping a bit with 10-up.

20230802_192623

And for those of you who think that you have finally escaped from the Dawes holiday snaps, Allan passed on his pictures taken in their shed visits.  Coming soon on this channel!

Posted in ESNG, ESNG meetings | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment