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Mick's Drivel


mick
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9 hours ago, Riddles said:

I'm guessing that wasn't Sir Nigel Gresley! 😀

😂🤣 Sadly not on that occasion Dave but it would have been a wonderful sight seeing SNG heading into the landfill site at Welbeck with a load of MGRs coupled behind the tender.

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  • 2 months later...

I hope everyone has had a great Christmas.

As you've probably gathered I haven't been around that much these past couple of weeks - made more noticeable to myself by the fact that it's the first time I have updated my weather station records for 14 days and that's very unusual because it was once a daily routine of mine! There's nothing amiss but we have been spending some time away though unfortunately the weather has prevented us doing as much as we would have liked.

I tend not to keep up to date with what's happening on the model railway scene lately but noticed that some of the model railway items I had previously pre-ordered had now been released. As I mentioned a while ago, I decided to cancel the majority of my pre-orders due in part to becoming disillusioned with the quality and apparent value for money, leaving just two items to be delivered (both of them wagons) which are now apparently in the country and on their way. At this present time I have no plans to purchase anything else.

Do I regret cancelling and of my pre-orders having seen some of the products released? No, not at all, especially after reading about some of the faults and damage that people have been reporting with their deliveries.

So, what have I been up to? Well nothing really exciting I don't suppose, especially if you're here for model railway content! We've been out walking in the snow, fog, mist, wind and rain, looking for that bit of sunshine that has so far just about eluded us.

I went out one morning with a glorious sunrise at the edge of an expanse of water and within minutes was enveloped in a shroud of fog that descended from nowhere and remained for the duration of the day. It's been a week or so just like that.

My only highlight was being able to take a photo of a Kingfisher - not a brilliant one but my best to date. We've been walking the towpath all year and throughout summer we never caught a glimpse of a Kingfisher at all, and then during Autumn they began appearing. Now we see at least one very time we go out and if we're lucky we get the chance to take a photo before they take off again. 

A few days ago a Kingfisher landed on the bow of a moored narrowboat. It was a dull, drizzly, misty day and so rather than taking out my expensive camera I just took along the bridge camera with its greater zoom or reach which is easier to protect from the elements. Unfortunately, having zoomed in on the bird as it returned to the bow of the boat having dived and caught a fish, I pressed what I thought was the record button to video it only to discover afterwards that I'd pressed the wrong button. forgetting that I was using the different camera and that the record buttons are in different places. That shows my level of expertise I guess - embarrasingly pathetic!

On another occasion, again a day not suitable for taking out the camera, we were walking along a narrow lane with raised fields on either side. I've been trying to get a good photo of Fieldfares for some time and here they were, a field full of them at eye level, and I had no camera with me! I even went back the following day hoping against hope that they would be there again but unfortunately not.

Anyway, I'll probably add some photos later once I've sorted things out but for now, if you don't hear from me beforehand, I hope everyone has a Happy New Year and I look forward to sharing my exploits, whatever they may be, with you all during 2022.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Oh dear me! I know I've said there'll be no more new models for me but I never expected Hornby to release a set of LNER Coronation coaches as part of their 2022 range.

Many years ago I purchased a set of Mailcoach plastic kits to construct the Coronation coaches but never got round to doing so and eventually sold them on at a time when funds were very tight. In those days my early interests were purely LNER based with 4902 'Seagull' being my first purchase from a local 'G.T. Smith' supermarket of all places. It cost me a little over £20, £22 if I remember correctly. Sadly 4902 was sold too but ironically it's one of only three A4 locomotives that I now do not have in my collection. I note the current RRP of an A4 for 2022 is to be £217.99. 

It's going to be very difficult for me to refuse to order the Coronation coaches despite the total cost of the full 9 coach rake being close to £500! But I suppose that's only £10 per week for a year and when I consider I was once a smoker getting through at least 20 cigarettes per day at a cost of £6-£7 per packet then it doesn't seem too bad. And I will probably live that little bit longer for giving up the cigarettes so I can get more use from them. They're beginning to seem like a bargain!

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3 hours ago, Clay Mills Junction said:

If they announce it now it'll be 2024 by the time it arrives.

Well I've waited almost 25 years already so another one or two wouldn't make much difference. The Hornby website actually states an anticipated delivery during Summer 2022 so they must already be well advanced. 

It's going to be another rake of coaches that have little purpose on either of my layouts but sometimes there are just some things you cannot resist but if they do them properly, and Hornby are pretty good when it comes to coaches in my opinion, then they should look stunning. Fingers crossed.

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Id love a set of the red version to run behind my streamlined Coronation pacific, but this years budget is already spent on O gauge pre orders :oops: - but you are talking about LNER, I was thinking LMS 😂

Edited by ba14eagle
Think Ive got confused about the subject matter!
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On 1/12/2022 at 8:55 PM, mick said:

Well I've waited almost 25 years already so another one or two wouldn't make much difference. The Hornby website actually states an anticipated delivery during Summer 2022 so they must already be well advanced.

I was just going on the Hornby 2020 announcements not being in the shops yet more than two years later. I know there are things that should have been here 3 months ago and in retailers before Christmas but have been stuck in containers due to "reasons."
Bachmann have started trying to get further down the development road before they announce models so they aren't in the pipeline for years, I guess Hornby have made the same decision.

I do see from watching the Hornby magazine video that it is new tooling which should be nice.

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12 hours ago, Clay Mills Junction said:

I was just going on the Hornby 2020 announcements not being in the shops yet more than two years later....

There's a good chance these could see delays too but I think we've all become accustomed to that in this hobby over recent times. Anyway, I've submitted my order and all I can do now is sit back and wait.

As I've mentioned previously, or at least in another thread, I'm awaiting delivery of a rake of log carriers from RevolutioN trains which are in the process of being dispatched and I actually took the decision to pay in full for those approximately 18 months ago! At least with the Coronation coaches there's nothing due until the items are ready to be delivered.

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1 hour ago, ba14eagle said:

Same here with the Accurascale Nova 3 sets

I doubt any of us could have anticipated things turning out as they have done over the past 2 years so delays can be expected and I appreciate that. I'm not too happy with the fact that the log carrier wagons are now available from shops while those who have paid, and paid well in advance, are left waiting for their pre-orders. I suppose that's how things are when you are dealing with cottage industries rather than large manufacturers but I'm sure (at least I hope) they'll be worth waiting for. 

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I would fully expect pre-paid-orders to have been satisfied before the remaining stock was released to shops. Although, I guess the shops could have pre-paid too and maybe would have kicked more of a stink if they'd been delayed. I don't know how their contracts will work.

I think after this round of pre-ordering I'll be waiting and buying. I pre-ordered the 5-car APT set without the black window surrounds, now Hornby have announced that the next batch will have the 5-car with the black window surrounds.

Edited by Clay Mills Junction
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2 hours ago, Clay Mills Junction said:

...I think after this round of pre-ordering I'll be waiting and buying. I pre-ordered the 5-car APT set without the black window surrounds, now Hornby have announced that the next batch will have the 5-car with the black window surrounds.

Well I'm hoping that there'll be nothing else to tempt me into ordering anything. I imagine that come next year the Coronation coaches will probably be released as alternative versions but it doesn't matter to me, I just want the original 1937 set.  Hornby are sure to want to get every little bit out of them so they will eventually do all later liveries. I still don't know what I'm going to do with them - only that I want them!

I think Skew Bridge has all the stock it needs. I know Cavalex Models are releasing a brand new class 56 but when I look at my Hornby models in motion I don't see a lot wrong with them. Likewise my MGRs, they look the part so why would I want to replace them with either the forthcoming Cavalex or Accurascale models? I'm sure that in a display case there'll be noticeable differences but taken as a whole picture I'm certainly happy seeing my MGR trains running as they are.

Worsley Dale also has more than enough stock.

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  • 2 months later...

I'm back with you!

I find it extremely difficult juggling 'home' life with 'away from home' life but after the winter break it's been great to get back out into the countryside with the camera. I'll be honest, at the present time I'm getting more enjoyment from photography than I've been getting from model railways but that's how it often goes with me and no doubt there'll be another completre turnaround in the not too distant future.

We've had some great weather while we've been away and I've managed to get myself another load of (mainly) bird photos to sort through. I even went out one particular day with the specific aim of photographing some Stonechat and actually managed to do so!

Entirely by chance the other day I came across a herd of 10 deer by the side of the lake as well as a completely new bird to me (if my identification is correct), a Common Scoter which I have to admit I'd never previously heard of. The Common Scoter is more typically found around the coast of northern Scotland from what I can make out.

It was at a distance on the far side of the water so I've had to enlarge this photo. Anyone familiar with these birds?

1MN29832.thumb.jpg.56b054efc93c6a8d68579055a1d4d619.jpg

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  • 3 months later...

Today is the 10th anniversary of me starting the construction of Worsley Dale and next month will be 5 years since we lost 'Charlie' our West Highland Terrier. Those 5 years have passed really quickly due in no small part to the pandemic I guess but I'm plesaed to say that we now have 'George' who is approaching 9 weeks old. So although I would like to do some work on the layout to celebrate those 10 years, at the moment we sort of have our hands full....and George really is a handful!

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He's not supposed to be sleeping under that table but he's take a liking to it and within the confines of the caravan there are not too many places he can go until he's allowed out into the big wide world.

 

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I'd forgotten just how much work is involved in raising a puppy, after all, it's almost 20 years since our previous one which means we are that much older than we were back then. But we are both really pleased that we made the decision to get 'George' even though getting up at 3am when he's crying out is something I can only vaguely remember now. However, we've both made it our objective to enjoy the whole experience as we are well aware that it doesn't last forever so there'll be no wishing his time away. George is currently unable to go out and mix with other dogs until 2 weeks after his next injection and he's got endless amounts of energy but it won't be long now before he can begin accompanying us on walks.

It's been a hectic few weeks for us, having chosen and collected George, been blessed with a 6th grandchild, and believe it or not we just got ourselves married! Perhaps that explains why there's been little progress with the layouts and very few wildlife photos recently. But I can assure you I will be back very soon.

 

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On 25/07/2022 at 17:09, chris said:

Congratulations and best wishes.

Thanks Chris.

On 27/07/2022 at 20:08, ba14eagle said:

Congratulations and keep your eye on George - my Wife loves him 🙂

Thanks Iain. It's taken us longer than we anticipated to get another dog but we've always said that when it's meant to happen it will happen and that's just the way it went. We woke up one morning, saw an advert, and decided there and then to go and do it. We went to view that same evening and made the commitment. Of course, they demand a lot of attention when they're young but our home just hasn't felt the same since we lost Charlie in 2017 and George has already reminded us of how it used to be. Less than 2 weeks now until we can take him out.

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  • 1 month later...

The second half of 2022 has been a year of change for myself and Pam, having got married in July after having obtained our new Westie puppy 'George' the week previously, neither of which we had envisaged happening just a few months before. Now, after owning our own static caravan on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales since 2014, we have decided to sell up and let it go.

We have both absolutely loved our time there over the past 8 years but we do feel it's now time to move on and do other things. Travelling back and forth, even though the journey time was only approx 1hr 40mins each way, had started to become a chore. The journey was something we used to enjoy but there's only so many times you can do it and feel that way. Our time at the caravan had also become almost all-consuming meaning we had very little time to do anything at home. So anyway, over the past week or two we've been sorting things out and bringing things home. Because we spent so much of our time there it was like another home for us and so there was an enormous amount of things to bring back with us - and to find room for here!

It's done now so a new chapter begins and hopefully it will allow me much more time to devote to the garden railway among other things.

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