Thoroughly Modern Scunthorpe

We managed an hour or so at The Scunthorpe Modern Image Group's first Modern Image Exhibition held just near the railway station in Sunny Scunny. To give Suzi a bit of a break this was the first exhibition Thomas had been to! So three generations of the family made the trip over the water!


There was a small selection of layouts with a pretty good selection of supporting trade plus DEMU were, appropriately, in attendance too. A nice highlight for me was the rebranded Acton Main Line (top) which is a superb piece of modelling! I think it'll be getting on for twenty years since it was started now, yet it can still stand up to some of the hobby's best. Now renamed 'Dragonby' (a name which has local connections in North Lincolnshire) and featuring up to date stock and still with Richard Dockerill, the force behind the layout originally, involved. He also had a couple of very tasty 0 gauge diesels on display too!


Everyone exhibiting at the show was very friendly and this resulted in a wonderfully laid back show which, despite its small size, was a real pleasure to attend. I hope this first show has proved worthwhile for the group and we will certainly try to make a return trip next year.

In Steam and In York

I had to go to York for a safety briefing today. Going to York isn't exactly a hardship, and not just because of the National Railway Museum! Though I'll admit it does have a certain appeal!

I knew 60163 Tornado would be about before its planned test runs but a nice surprise was 71000 Duke of Gloucester was a very nice surprise when I was just on my way home!

Forty Thinking

The Class 40 has been the subject of various manufacturers; Jouef, Lima and Bachmann have all had a crack at it. However, with some mixed result sin the past, so we won't cover old ground... Incidentally the old Lima model has made a reappearance thanks to Hornby's Railroad range, complete with a new motor bogie! But many people await the all new model from Bachmann which should hopefully lay the demons of the original model to rest at last.


There have been various theories have been put forward, combining Bachmann cabs with Lima bodies, rebuilding Lima bodies and making the best of the Bachmann model. However this has lurked in the workshop for a long time now; a Lima body with its nose lowered and Bachmann nose ends grafted on. The nose ends aren't perfect but look better than the rather tall Lima nose ends. The windows will need rebuilding as the outer windscreens should be angled back slightly - it may be slight but it is one of the keys to convincingly modelling the Class 37s and 40s I think. But for now Shawplan windscreen etches have been temporarily attached to aid the impression.


I don't think it looks too bad - if anyone has any opinions feel free to leave comments. I'd like to see it move away from the rather large 'to do' pile which I have amassed! So maybe it should be completed as D282?

High Speed to Hull

The HST, known commonly still as an InterCity 125, still looks impressive - quite something for a design which is over thirty years old now. I think they're a wonderful piece of industrial design and the mark 3 coaches are probably the finest pieces of passenger stock to have run on Britain's railways.

This was the evening East Coast service heading for its destination of Hull recently. Still and impressive sight!

Beverley Tractors

An interesting working occurred yesterday - a private charter from York to York via Hull, Beverley, Malton and Scarborough. It was operated by West Coast Railways in connection with a private function from York. The locomotives were in immaculate condition and positively gleaming and the maroon made a lovely sight amongst all the greenery which lines much of the rail network - though I don't like the small warning panels. I like thirty-sevens either in their original green sans warning panels or with full yellow ends!

No matter how many times you've seen (or heard!) a class 37, it's still a glorious site and, of course, sound. Despite their rather old fashioned noses, which even at their introduction were a slightly dated feature compared with diesels elsewhere, they have a certain charm about them. And the site of them passing beneath Beverley's overall roof makes for an interesting comparision with Pickering's reinstated roof.

With workings like this, I don't know how people can say the modern really has no variety!

Under Cover

The other day, on a rare day off, we popped up to Pickering for lunch. I had genuinely forgotten that it was the start of the NYMR 175 gala - I don't think Suzi believed this but I have lost complete track of days at the moment! The only thing which reminds me of what day it is is the roster being ticked off day by day at work! Anyway, the extra activity was a lovely bonus!


It was the first time I had seen the new roof at Pickering station completed - I had reservations about the roof if I'm honest. I thought it might be rather dark and gloomy but GT Andrews obviously knew his stuff! It's surprisingly light and airy inside. I shouldn't really be surprised as Beverley station is too! The result is very nice indeed.

There is hope for Thomas we discovered - he loved seeing trains coming in and going out! As well as spending much of his time at the station making whistling noises to ape the locos he'd heard!