MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL SENDING LOVE AND HAPPINESS IN A DIFFICULT YEAR

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas for this year, I hope you enjoying a break from work and get to spend time with friends and family. Spare a thought for those still working as they are doing an awesome job. It's also been a very difficult year for many with the lockdowns, Coronavirus and lack of entertainment for most of the time. So I also send out a lot of love to all with thoughts for anyone missing this year, think of them, raise a glass and salute their memory remember to "Eat, Drink and be Merry" and then let's go play trains!! 😊 

Missing you so much Dad.

You always fulfilled my wishes, giving me whatever I wanted. Your presence in my life I had taken for granted. After your death my whole world has gone into a frightening void. When I had you, I had it all, now everything is destroyed. This is my repentance, my regret, I know you cannot hear me, but I still want to say, Dad I miss you and I'm sorry ... We had so much still to do together and despite the years that have passed I find it so hard to carry on without your love and influence. 💔

I always think that this time is a moment for reflection and while I hope it's been wonderful for you it may well be that together we have lost a lot of friends and legends so it's time to remember and never forget. Let us also move forwards to the new year, life is only as good as you make it and you have to let yourself live too, although this is something I don't allow myself and it is now time to do more, stop making excuses and make some changes for the better this year. 

Miss you Dad, miss you Mum xx

INTER-CITY "ROYAL SCOT" RAILTOUR [EUSTON - GLASGOW - CARLISLE] - 12th DECEMBER 2020

INTER CITY CLASS 90 'ROYAL SCOT'
Inter City rail tour from London Euston to Glasgow, scenic return via Carlisle.

Saturday 12th December 2020

Departing From: London Euston, Milton Keynes, Rugby, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston

Travel from London to Glasgow in First Class comfort on refurbished air conditioned inter-city train, hauled by celebrity Class 90 electric locomotive 90001 ‘Royal Scot’ as it whisks us north for a journey up the West Coast Main line, over the Cumbrian fells with magnificent views of the Lakeland Mountains and across the border, thence through the Scottish Lowlands and the stunning climb to Beattock Summit.

The tour is due to arrive in Glasgow Central around 12.30 for a 30 minute leg stretch, owing to the restrictions in place north of the border the tour will only have a short stop here before running to Carlisle.  At 13.00 we will depart for the journey south returning over Beattock Summit in daylight to Carlisle with an arrival around 14.15 and the opportunity to discover the border city in an afternoon sightseeing break.

In Carlisle expect to have at least 2 hours available for some pre-Christmas retail therapy or perhaps visit the Castle and Cathedral, prior to a departure around 17.00 for our homeward journey south over Shap Summit and a fast run through historic Lancaster.

The whole tour has been planned out with meticulous detail to the current Covid-19 guidelines and details of seat allocation, social distancing and more can be found here. https://inter-city.co.uk/covid-19/ 

Royal Scot (Inter-City)

90001 London Euston (pu) - Milton Keynes (pu) - Rugby (pu) - Nuneaton (pu) - Crewe (pu) - Preston (pu) - Glasgow Central (short-break) - Carlisle

90001 Carlisle - Shap - Preston - Crewe - Rugby - London Euston

INTER CITY CLASS 90 'ROYAL SCOT'The origins of the Class 90 can be traced back to various schemes performed by British Rail during the 1970s and 1980s. Several events, including the electrification of the East Coast Main Line (ECML) and the cancelled procurement of the Advanced Passenger Train (APT), which was at one point intended for the APT to be the next major intercity express train, had led to a significant nationwide shortage of electric traction. 

Following withdrawal by Greater Anglia in 2020, 90001 and 90002 were acquired by Locomotive Services Limited to operate their excursion trains. Their use varies between working electrically operated excursions along the West Coast Main Line between London and Glasgow, using an identically painted set of coaches or working part of a tour which would be operated by modern traction before being worked by a steam locomotive. After purchase by LSL, the two locomotives were repainted into their original InterCity Swallow livery; 90001 was named Royal Scot.

STEAM RAILTOUR - SOUTHEND TO OXFORD AT CHRISTMAS - Thursday 10th December 2020

TRIP:
SOUTHEND TO OXFORD AT CHRISTMAS

DEPARTS:
THURSDAY 10TH DECEMBER 2020

FROM:
SOUTHEND EAST , UPMINSTER , BARKING

*UPDATE - Unfortunately, the train company have emailed that due to continuing uncertainty, we have no choice but to postpone our trip from Southend East to Oxford on Thursday 10 December* Sad another good tour has been denied.

This trip will start out, steam hauled, from Southend and head along the Thames Estuary towards London, picking up passengers at Upminster and Barking on the way. We skirt the Capital and join the Great Western Main Line, crossing the Thames several times before reaching Didcot. From here we join the Cherwell Valley Line to Oxford. On the return journey, this trip will be be diesel-hauled between West London and Southend East. The carriages stay the same.

OXFORD AT CHRISTMAS

Although the Oxford Christmas Market has been cancelled this year, the city is still welcoming guests and many of the attractions, including Oxford Castle, The Ashmolean Museum, Bodelian Library and Oxford Walking Tours have taken the necessary steps to welcome visitors back safely.

TRAVELLING SAFELY

We fully expect to operate this trip with our usual level of service. Please rest assured we are committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment on board, whilst adhering to Public Health regulations. We will be in touch with all customers prior to your trip, with further information about what to expect on board and what to bring with you.

LOCOMOTIVE [61306 Mayflower]

Built for the London & North Eastern Railway, 61306 Mayflower is one of two surviving B1 Class locomotives.

The B1's were designed as mixed traffic locomotives capable of hauling express passenger trains as well as freight traffic. As powerful, go anywhere engines, the B1's worked across most of the UK rail network from East Anglia to Scotland.

Mayflower was built in 1948 by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow but was delivered post-nationalisation and acquired the number 61306 by British Railways. She was first allocated to Hull Botanic Gardens Depot followed by a spell at Hull Dairycotes Depot before being finally transferred to Low Moor Depot, Bradford. She was the last B1 in service, her final trip was hauling the 'Yorkshire Pullman' from Leeds in September 1967.

Mayflower was immediately purchased for preservation and was initially based at Steamtown in Carnforth. She was fully restored for mainline operation and worked a number of rail tours in the 1970's. Acquired by Steam Dreams owner David Buck in 2014, she returned to the mainline in 2015 before being withdrawn for an extensive overhaul. Resplendent in the early British Railways apple green livery as she was originally given when delivered in 1948 she returned to full mainline operation in early 2019.

Estimated Timings Outward     Return

Southend East         0905             2150

Upminster                 0940             2100

Barking                 1000             2045

Oxford                 1440             1700

WARLEY MODEL RAILWAY CLUB - VIRTUAL OPEN DAY - 28th / 29th NOVEMBER

The organisers of the Warley National Model Railway Exhibition regretfully announce that following an extensive and detailed consultation period, it has been agreed to postpone this year’s show until 2021, with concern for public safety and the well-being of all exhibitors and supporters being central to the decision, Exhibition Manager Nigel Smith said that the Warley National Model Railway Exhibition is all about showing the model railway hobby at its best and most diverse, and personal interaction, often on a one-to-one basis is part of the experience, especially so for the younger visitors. Adding that running the event to comply with social distancing requirements, restricted entry, and the enforcement of strict and regimented movement of people around the hall, would all have had a negative impact on the experience.

The first Warley MRC Virtual Event will therefore take place on 28th and 29th November . Combining club life and elements of the exhibition all from the comfort of your home.
OPENING TIMES:  10:00 - 18:30

#warleyvirtualevent will feature club and members layouts, how-to demonstrations, competitions, announcements and lots more. Keep an eye on our website www.thewarleyshow.co.uk and our social media, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram for updates of the two day event . The majority of the content will be streamed via Warley YouTube but we will also be streaming bonus footage on these pages. 

The dates for Warley National Model Railway Show 2021 have been confirmed as on 27th and 28th November, hopefully next year will be a lot more 'normal' than this year.

SURPRISED FIND DURING LOCK-DOWN 2020!! MEMORIES OF YESTERYEAR, ENAMEL RAILWAY PIN BADGES

Having a bit of a clear up, as so many of us must have done, during the lockdown I found a pleasant surprise in a small box tucked far away with my old N Gauge items. These enamel pin badges were collected over many years during my childhood, might have been lucky to get one or two a year. They would have been picked up as a child from the many model railway exhibitions attended with my late father.

The annual model railway exhibition held at Central Hall, Westminster back in the 70s would have been my highlight of the year for us as a child. Plus some of the heritage railways we also visited during the school holidays, the narrow gauge steam railways in Wales was always a big favourite of mine, along with trips to the museum in York, heritage railways at Swanage, Bluebell Railway and many others.

One of the early ones I remember annoying my father for was the GWR Railcar one, when you hear as a child that there is a railway locomotive called a 'Flying Banana' it quickly becomes something you want to see. As a model I know have four of them in different liveries so the memories must have stuck with me.

Even found Dads BBC Society badge in there too. Though I might have only found a small box, tucked away with other items, but like the Tardis there is a greater volume of memories stored within here. 

The full list;

• GWR Diesel Railcar
• GWR Auto Train
• Brighton Belle SR Electric
• 0-6-0 No.323 'Bluebell' [Bluebell Railway]
• Stepney [Bluebell Railway]
• Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0 No.37 'Invincible'
• Linda [Ffestiniog Railway]
• Merddin Emrys [Ffestiniog Railway]
• Mountaineer [Ffestiniog Railway]
• SR King Arthur 4-6-0
• SR Battle of Britain class 21C151 'Winston Churchill'
• SR West Country class 21C123 'Blackmore Value'
• LMS Jubilee 'Leander'
• LNER B1 4-6-0 'Mayflower'
• LNER A4 Pacific 4-6-2 4468 'Mallard'
• LNER V2 2-6-2 4771 'Green Arrow'
• Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway 2-8-0
• Hercules (Romney Hythe and Dymchurch)
• Metropolitan Railway 4-6-0
• Metropolitan Railway Electric No.5 'John Hampden'
• London Transport Tram HR2
• Golden Arrow
• Stephenson's Rocket
• BR Hymek Diesel Type 3
• BR Western Diesel Type 4
• BR Deltic Diesel Type 5 'St Paddy'

THE MIDLAND PULLMAN -- Inaugural Working -- SATURDAY 14th NOVEMBER 2020 [Postponed till 12 December now]

Locomotive Services Ltd (LSL), under their Statesman Rail trading name, will be running a brand new railtour on Saturday the 14th November 2020, featuring their Class 43 (High-Speed Train (HST). Statesman Rail is recreating a lost high-speed luxury train first launched in the 1960s, running between London St Pancras and Manchester Piccadilly. Hauling passengers on this fantastic tour will be LSL’s Class 43 HST set carrying the Nanking blue livery.

Departing From
LONDON ST PANCRAS - ST ALBANS - LUTON - BEDFORD

* Due to the recent Government announcement that a short lockdown is about to be enforced from 5th November 2020,  this service has unfortunately been postponed by the Tour Operator until 12th December 2020 *

The Midland Pullman was Britain’s first luxury high speed diesel-electric train running in the early 1960’s between Manchester Central and London St Pancras, offering the best possible at seat deluxe service and is remembered for the trains striking Nanking blue livery, white jacketed stewards, and impeccable customer service – To celebrate the 60th anniversary of this iconic train we are honoured to present our own refurbished high speed train as a faithful revival.

This inaugural train will offer a circular tour running between London St Pancras and Crewe following as closely as possible the original route to Leicester and along the Midland Main Line and the Erewash Valley. At Chesterfield we join the Hope Valley through the stunningly beautiful Derbyshire Peak District National Park offering amazing views of Mam Tor and Kinder Scout.

 

We continue through Stockport and rural Cheshire to Crewe and then travel across the Midlands via the Potteries, Stoke-on-Trent, Tamworth and Nuneaton to Leicester where we join the seldom used line through Rutland passing Melton Mowbray, Oakham, Corby and Kettering.

Blue Pullman, A brief history.

In July 1960 the Midland Pullman was relaunched as a luxury all-first-class service using two new Blue Pullman six-car diesel-electric units. The Blue Pullmans were luxury trains used from 1960 to 1973 by British Rail. They were the first Pullman diesel-electric multiple units, incorporating several novel features.

Named after their original Nanking blue livery, the trains were conceived under the 1955 Modernisation Plan to create luxury diesel express trains aimed at competing with the motor car and the emerging domestic air travel market. Although not entirely successful – they were seen as underpowered, and ultimately not economically viable – they demonstrated the possibility of fixed-formation multiple-unit inter-city train services, that a decade later was developed as the InterCity 125, which resembled them in having an integral power car at each end of the train.

The sets were an advanced and luxurious design, befitting a Pullman train, although they did suffer some criticism particularly over a persistent ride quality problem. Over time it became costly to maintain such a small fleet of trains. By 1972, with the development of first-class accommodation in Mark 2 coaching stock, the surcharge for Blue Pullmans seemed uneconomical and unreliable to passengers and BR managers, and in 1973 the trains were withdrawn. None of them were preserved .

NOVEMBER UPDATE AND STILL LOOKS VERY BLEAK FOR 2020/21 :(

Sadly as expected there are still no actual exhibition events, nor open / runnings days to enjoy for us. Looking at the calendar for November and December everything is cancelled bar a couple of 'virtual' events being run via social media and YouTube....well done to them for at least trying to keep things going. With Boris announcing a month long 'lockdown' for England and the Welsh/Scots also having their own break I think we can say that 2020 is a right off generally and maybe 2021 can offer something.

Big shame as was going to promote the opening of the 'Famous Trains' model railway in Derby (above) "http://www.famoustrains.org.uk/ who were opening their doors on the weekends to raise money for the Royal British Legion during November, sadly the lockdown looks like it will bring that to a close for the time being. They were planning on running a variety of trains to cover many different era's including military trains. 

Until now all we've had to enjoy were a few 'virtual' shows being held on You Tube and we've another one of these later this month from the Warley Model Railway Club who usually host one of the largest shows of the year at the NEC Birmingham (above pic from 2019). We will update a post about that later in the month, but will be taking place via Facebook pages and You Tube towards the end of November.

The Heritage Railway scene had been doing it's best to return to a Covid secure operation and while most would have closed for Winter about now, they would have been preparing for the annual 'Santa Specials' during December. Hopefully this can still happen and is a very popular time of year also allows for some revenue to be earned by these heritage concerns which helps to get essential work completed before the usual reopening the following spring.

We sincerely hope that life will begin to return to some sort of normal in 2021, certainly have missed being out and about to shows and open days this year. Although from what I read recently there has been a resurgence in modelling overall during the lock down process. And I think having been 'starved' of live events this year, when they do finally reopen again I believe they will be busier than ever.

THE PENDLE DALESMAN RAILTOUR - Thursday 29th October

Thursday 29th October
The Pendle Dalesman Railtour

This tour will run from Chesterfield to Carlisle and back again, initially hauled by heritage diesels it will be handed over to it's designated Steam Locomotive from Carnforth which will continue the journey over the famous Settle to Carlisle route which would include the outstanding Ribblehead Viaduct. . 

Departing Stations: Chesterfield, Sheffield, Swinton, Wakefield Kirkgate, Brighouse, Blackburn

Enjoy a nostalgic day to remember, travelling behind our splendid vintage steam engine along England's most famous railway. From our earlier pick up points we head north behind a vintage diesel engine to Hellifield/Carnforth where one of the oldest steam engines in service today will take over, this alone is a sight to behold as the engine builds up sufficient steam for the highlight of your journey on the famous Settle to Carlisle line.

The Settle-Carlisle Railway on which we will travel needs no introduction; this breath-taking journey will take you over 20 viaducts, through 14 tunnels and countless beautiful vistas. The climb over Blea Moor and the crossing of the world renowned Ribblehead Viaduct are arguably the highlights of England´s most scenic Railway.

We anticipate an afternoon arrival time offering a couple of hours or so break. This great border city dominates the borderlands between England and Scotland, sitting within the vale between the Cumbrian Mountains and Scottish Southern Uplands. In Carlisle you’ll find yourself at the centre of a stirring past and a vibrant present. Many of the city’s eateries and licensed premises are just a few minutes’ walk from the station entrance and if you visit www.discovercarlisle.co.uk you will find information to help you plan ahead. And for those who would prefer to use their short break to wander around in the beautiful and historic heart of the city you may choose to visit the Castle, cathedral or indeed the Tullie House Museum.

After a break of around two hours in Carlisle, we head south across some of the finest countryside Great Britain has to offer, where we head to your home stations via the famous Settle to Carlisle line in the comfort of our beautifully restored heritage rolling stock. Return journey from Carlisle leaves around 15:30 and gets into Chesterfield around 21:30 so that's a long old day on the trains, wonderful scenery and company, I hope all about thoroughly enjoy yourselves.

Approximate Departure Times
Chesterfield                 06:31
Sheffield                      06:51
Swinton                       07:07
Wakefield Kirkgate      07:52 
Brighouse                    08:40
Blackburn                    10:07

Arrival at Carlisle is expected around 13:18

Info provided by realtime trains 

CLASSIC LAYOUTS -- CHILTERN GREEN N GAUGE (MRC)

This blog post is an opportunity for me reminiscing about a fine layout called 'Chiltern Green and Luton Hoo' which for me was one of the classic N Gauge layouts that I remember from my youth of the late 70s and early 80s. My late father was involved in a number of model railway clubs including the BBC, and the MRC itself as well as a few local ones so it had many a happy summer visiting many locations during the weeks as well as a lot of the bigger exhibitions. Central Hall, Westminster at the time (1970/80s) was the big show of the year, I think that is now the Warley Show held at the NEC. And it was here one summer that I was fortunate enough to join Dad and the likes of (MRC President) Tim Watson and other members of the Model Railway Club to show off this outstanding layout. 

I think it was also a big feature in the Railway Modeller magazine or more than one occasion, I have a copy of the April 1980 edition and I know was proud to have been associated with this club, while at the time was also a long standing member of the BBC Railway club too, which like many things has sadly ceased to function. As a young child, taking to my late father to one show I think was at Royston during the summer I had the great pleasure of operating the small branch seen here on the cover of the magazine, the single railcar running under the mail lines back and forth was enough for me, never mind the extensive four track main line, this branch shuttle would eventually become the extension to the layout called Luton Hoo, and would feature again in the Railway Modeller some years later ! 

The layout was rescued by the Devon Railway Centre, further information can be found on their own site, but also managed to find this information about how they came to save this famous layout (thankfully).
Quote from the then manager of the Devon Railway Centre "I am glad to see so much interest in Chiltern Green.  It really was ground breaking when built as it was the first layout to show the railway running through the landscape and to show the merits of N gauge.  When it finished on the Exhibition circuit it went to Walter Harper's Oakhill manor and when that closed to the public in 1986/7 it was just covered up and left in a barn!!  Fast forward 15 years and Walter contacted me and said come and get it if we wanted it but that the barn was due to be demolished next week. Two days later we rescued the layout and carried it out across all the rubble which was around as the roof and most of the top floor of the barn had been removed that day - the builders were ahead of schedule. The layout was repaired over the next winter and placed on display. Since then further work has been done on scenic, wiring and track." 

There is an excellent reminder of the work and sheer quality for this layout found here on You Tube (link below);

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiMa1cUexGE

The whole thing is a decent watch however if you want to skip through to approx 8m 20s there is a decent piece with the MRC President, Tim Watson about the layout. 

With great thanks to everyone at the Model Railway Club, Kings Cross, London. 

OXFORD AND DISTRICT MODEL RAILWAY CLUB - OXRAIL 2020 [Live on-line]

With all planned Exhibitions and open days remaining cancelled throughout October 2020 we have found at least one Society seeking to keep things rolling with an online event. The Oxford and District MRC are hosting their annual Exhibition Live On line this year. Not the same as the real thing of course but good to see people making an effort to get the word out and share their expertise. 

Saturday 24th - Sunday 25th October 2020
OPENING TIMES:  10am - 10pm
Oxford & District Model Railway Club are proud to present our free International on-line model rail show. With totally new and exclusive videos of O, OO, N, OO9 and Z scale layouts. And including some unusual and surprise guest appearances. This Show will appeal to model railway and model railroad followers from across the world. Browse the exhibits. Participate in and watch the live events. Watch the specially made short documentaries.

We have put this show together during Lockdown. Visiting railway modellers and filming their layouts. Asking them the questions you would ask them at a live exhibition. Our featured layouts cover both exhibition layouts and private layouts that have never been seen before. And we will premiere an extraordinary and unique set of short videos made of a long term project to build a highly detailed continental model railway. We will also show you the oldest running model railway in the world. As well as model railways built with the help of youngsters. We will also showcase the best of Oxfordshires historic railways and three of our modelling projects focused on recreating the lost history of Oxfordshires railways.

Show site at www.oxrail2020.com for more information.

RETIMED RAILTOUR - THE EASTERLING - STEAM HAULED TORNADO 60163

The Easterling
Saturday 3rd October 2020
Join us on a journey by steam train to rural Norfolk and Suffolk, a scenic area of undulating farmland, market towns, picturesque villages and waterways.
The Easterling recalls the days of an express train that ran from London to Yarmouth and Lowestoft, taking Londoners to the Norfolk Broads and the famous East Anglian seaside resorts. The train will be hauled by A1 Class Pacific 60163 Tornado.

Our steam train will depart from London King’s Cross station at around 08:00 and immediately begins climbing through tunnels and cuttings as it makes its way up the East Coast Main Line (ECML). There are stops at Potters Bar and Stevenage for more passengers to join the train. At Hitchin, we leave the ECML and head for Cambridge, our final stop for passengers. We continue north to Ely and then take the Breckland Line through Thetford to Norwich. The Breckland area is of considerable interest for its unusual flora and fauna, and is characterised by gorse-covered sandy heath land and Scots Pine trees.

We arrive at Norwich around mid-day and our steam locomotive ‘runs round’ our train as we change direction of travel here. We continue our steam hauled journey taking one of the ‘Wherry Lines’ from Norwich to Lowestoft. The Norfolk Wherry is a type of boat that was widely used in the area. Lowestoft is the most easterly town in the UK and terminus for the East Suffolk Line (ESL). Our train stops here for well over an hour giving passengers time to explore the town and harbour, once a bustling fishing port.

Our return journey is along the 49 mile-long scenic ESL through Beccles, Saxmundham and Woodbridge, famous for having the only working Tide Mill in the UK, dating from 1793. Westerfield Junction is where the branch line from Felixstowe joins the ESL; the branch is heavily used by freight trains to and from Felixstowe Docks. Approaching Ipswich, we take the newly built ‘Bacon Factory Chord’ to join the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML) going northwards from London Liverpool Street to Norwich.

We continue northwards to Stowmarket and leave the GEML at Haughley Junction. We pass through Bury St. Edmunds station, with its distinctive pair of towers. At Snailwell Junction we take the line for Newmarket and Cambridge, where we stop to set down passengers. We make further stops to set down passengers at Stevenage and Potters Bar before journeys end at London King’s Cross.


Steam Hauled by A1 Class Pacific '60163 Tornado'
The original Peppercorn A1 series were ordered by the LNER, but the 49 locomotives were built at Doncaster and Darlington for British Railways (BR) in 1948–49, after the nationalisation of the railways in the United Kingdom. Following the modernisation and dieselisation plans of the 1950s, the A1 Peppercorn class was eventually scrapped at a comparatively early age of just 15 years.

Other famous East Coast Main Line steam locomotives have been preserved, for example, six Gresley LNER Class A4s, one LNER Class A3, 4472 Flying Scotsman, and one LNER A2 60532 Blue Peter but all 49 LNER Peppercorn Class A1 locomotives were scrapped. The last was 60145 St Mungo, which survived until September 1966. An effort was made to preserve 60145, but it failed due to a lack of proper funds. The original Peppercorn A1s were designed to cope with the heaviest regular post-war East Coast trains. The A1 Trust intended Tornado to be built from scratch, designed and built as the next locomotive in the A1 Peppercorn class, not as a replica or restoration project, but an evolution of the class incorporating design improvements that would have occurred had steam motive power continued on the mainline railway.
  
Tornado moved under its own power for the first time on 29th July 2008 at Darlington, and then spent two months at the Great Central Railway in Loughborough, where it was tested up to 60 mph (97 km/h) and operated its first passenger train. Tornado then moved to the National Railway Museum (NRM) in York for three test runs on the main line up to 75 mph (121 km/h). After repainting from works grey into LNER Apple Green, Tornado was approved for mainline passenger operation. On 31st January 2009 Tornado hauled its first passenger trip on the main line, The Peppercorn Pioneer, from York to Newcastle and back. By hauling various A1 Trust railtours, charters and other activities, Tornado will begin to recoup the estimated £800,000 debt from the project, which cost around £3 million.

TORBAY RIVIERA STATESMAN - SATURDAY 26th SEPTEMBER 2020

TORBAY RIVIERA STATESMAN
SATURDAY 26th SEPTEMBER 2020
Diesel Hauled, Class 47s including D1935 "Roger Hosking"
Departures from the following Cornish locations;

PENZANCE + ST ERTH + REDRUTH + TRURO + ST AUSTELL
This tour is the first to recreate one of the great holiday trains of the golden age of railway travel - ‘The Torbay Riviera Statesman’ features a luxury train service from stations in Cornwall. Travelling over Brunel’s iconic Royal Albert Bridge, through Devon and onto the preserved Paignton to Dartmouth Railway with time available to discover the many charms of the ‘Torbay Riviera’ with an afternoon break in picturesque Dartmouth.

Shall be travelling through Plymouth and over the steeply graded Devon Banks offering imposing views of Dartmoor and through Totnes to Newton Abbot, where the train reverses and takes the scenic coastal line through Torquay with views across to Brixham and the Jurassic coast. At Paignton we join the preserved heritage line and travel through the woodland estate once owned by Agatha Christie then alongside the beautiful River Dart and into the riverside terminus at Kingswear, where it is a short crossing on the ferry (price included) to the historic and romantic port of Dartmouth for a three hour afternoon break.

There are antique shops, art galleries and cafes to explore – perhaps take a leisurely cruise onboard the last remaining coal fired paddle steamer ‘Kingswear Castle’ or steam hauled journey on the Paignton & Dartmouth Railway. Following time to enjoy the beauty, splendour and tranquillity of this picturesque town our train returns in the late afternoon along the famous sea wall at Dawlish as the sea keeps company with the train past Powderham Castle and Cockwood Harbour with numerous pretty boats in the beautiful Exe Estuary and views over to Exmouth.

Confirmed Travel Timings;

SECOND HAND N GAUGE MODELS #6 -- ANOTHER WARSHIP CLASS 42 D816 "ECLIPSE"

Minitrix Class 42 D823 HERMES

Wasn't too long ago I managed to acquire two non working Minitrix Class 42 'Warships' in N Gauge. Now I know that these are reasonably common models and these were also many years old, but as I managed to pick up the pair of them fairly cheaply as non runners with a view to try and get at least one of them going again. Both were in pretty good condition bearing in mind their age, and even if I could only get one of them going again I would be very happy as I could double head them. Although of course I would have to do something with the numbers and names as both are the same and carry the name HERMES would look odd even on my simple test track unless I could get them changed. Well I did manage to get one of these working which made me happy, and have been looking to pick up another of the class with different name, number and / or colour (latter is not important but they are out there).

Had been on the look out for at least one other in the same class for my collection and in September 2020 I found myself finally taking ownership of another Warship Class but at least with a different number and name this time, we've pickted up D816 ECLIPSE. Boxed Minitrix item and really pleased it's in such great condition too. Everything appears to be in order and no marks or missing items, so the only thing left was to see if it runs. Some oil, some tlc and yes it does! Working lights too in both forward and reverse, so a good purchase and addition to my fairly modest collection, still on the lookout for another sometime in a different livery for variation.
















While I am probably still going to try and get one of the other available models, BR Green livery (D832 Onslaught? D814 Dragon?) and there's also a Maroon colour scheme one (D815 Druid? D829 Magpie?). Onslaught would be my preference as it's currently one of only two preserved locomotives of this class and is running on the East Lancashire Railway. Will be giving this model a good run over the weekend to test it thoroughly then the next stage is to begin work on extending the 'test track'. Hopefully I can continue to create additions to my modest collection and test track at home, would like to make a small diesel depot with my other Westerns, early BR blue models and Mk 1 rolling stock. Pleased with my efforts to get something working again though whatever the quality, some great content on YouTube too helps when you are a novice like myself. Hopefully this experience will help us with the next job at hand as I move into a slightly higher grade, I also have four OO Gauge loco's in need of repair and bringing back into service. On step at a time and small victories are the key...