HPMRS Raildate Roundabout

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RAILDATE ROUNDABOUT

More things culled from RAILDATE up to 31/10/04, plus anything else that's come my way.

Locomotives

A website detailing withdrawn and stored locomotives: http://www.wnxx.com/

Various locomotive allocations: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/britishrailways/

Locomotive performance online periodical published on the first Sunday every month: http://www.locoperformance.co.uk/

Franco-Crosti Locos: http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/francocrosti/francocrosti.ht m

American HP Locos: http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/USAhp/USAhp.htm

Uniflow Locos: http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/uniflowloco/uniflowloco.htm

12-coupled Locos: http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/12/12.htm

Nick Wheat spotted these interesting "might have beens" - you can even vote for your favourites: http://www.adamsphotos.fotopic.net/c250573.html

Steam

Various steam databases at: http://www.britishsteam.com

Various steam topics: http://www.firedragon.com/~kap/SteamTopics/

To be taken with a pinch of salt! http://www.willys-mb.co.uk/strategic-reserve.htm

Diesel

The Thrash Page - who says diesels all sound the same...? http://www.6lda28b.freeserve.co.uk/thrash/

Special website for Railcar 50 event at the Severn Valley Railway this coming weekend: http://www.railcar50.co.uk

Bonkers... http://www.dieselairhorns.com

Class 40

"Western Whistler" railtour from Crewe to Plymouth on 22nd May 2004: http://mysite.freeserve.com/nedchester/220504engine.htm

A website has been launched to for the appeal to save former Class 48 - 47114 (D1702). This loco when built as D1702 in 1965 was the original of five prototype class 48 locomotives installed with the French built Sulzer V12 engine (the forerunner of the Sulzer 16LVA24 as fitted to Kestrel). D1702 was re-engined with a standard twin bank Sulzer engine in 1969. As we have lost in the past Lion, Kestrel, DP2 and Falcon, it would be a pity to see this locomotive currentlly for sale scrapped.

We would like to appeal for anyone who would be interested in saving this loco, with a long term view of obtaining a Sulzer 12LVA24 engine from France and restoring it as a class 48. This would be a mammoth undertaking, but it would also result in a unique locomotive which is already in a better state than some of the Barry steam wrecks! This is a project in its very early stages and anyone interested or has similar aims should email us.

We would also like to appeal for anyone who has information on the conversion of D1702-06, that was undertaken in Crewe works between 1968-71, and also on the SNCF 68000's, and SNCF 468000's class of locomotives, which had the same engine. We would also be interested in any information of D1702-06 in traffic as class 48's and how they performed.

More details can be found on our website:

http://www.alextrack.co.uk/D1702/

Information on Class 47s (and the class 48s):

http://www.class47.com

The 12LVA is still in use on the SNCF - there is some info up on the 68000 series at:

http://www.derbysulzers.com/sncf68000.html

APT

---

Those who fondly recall the exciting days of APT-E being on trial from Derby Technical Centre might enjoy the newly repainted vehicles being moved from the NRM, York to its new outreach at Shildon: http://www.apt-e.org/onthemove/tc2.htm

APT preservation: http://www.apt-p.com/

Rolling Stock

The following lists are a little out of date, especially regarding current location, but they attempt to list all surviving GWR coach and freight stock vehicles: Coaches: http://www.uksteam.info/gwr/coachs.htm Wagons: http://www.uksteam.info/gwr/wagons.htm The site owner would be grateful for any additions or corrections.

Carriages

A list of 4mm and 7mm Midland carriage kits has been placed on the S&DJR website: http://www.sdrt.org/modelling/index.htm

The Toplight Coach Group: http://link-rail.com/tcg/

There is a new website for the Bewdley-based Great Western (SVR) Association. There is a good deal of info on the GW stock under their care, which is the majority of GWR carriages on the SVR. Also some news reports on the current restoration projects: http://www.gw-svr-a.org.uk

The Vintage Carriages Trust Museum of Rail Travel and Relics Shop, based at Ingrow Station on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway: http://www.vintagecarriagestrust.org

Wagons

For various reasons, Howard's discussion group about ready-to-run British Private Owner Wagon models has moved from Topica to Yahoo. It covers all scales and gauges, all areas of the British Isles, all manufacturers (such as Bachmann, Hornby, Dapol and their antecedents), and both limited edition and main ranges. Discussion on kit-built and scratch-built wagons is not banned, nor is wider discussion of protoype Private Owner Wagons. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/powagonmodels

Paul Bartlett's fotopic updates...

Tiphook - Murco TDA and shunting locos - 10 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c141446.html

VTG 4 wheel tank wagons for Middlesborough - 12 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c140334.html

MoD Open US built WW2 - 8 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c138566.html

MoD Ramp wagon - 25 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c137681.html

BR HBA domestic coal hopper - 20 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c131050.html

Procor Bulk Salt - 18 photographs http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c165433.html

Clay open merchandise wagons, BR origin - 19 photographs http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c163789.html

http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c163031.html

BR Standard van with plywood door - 26 photographs http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c154241.html

Berry Wiggins tank wagons on BR - 6 photographs http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c153041.html

BR Flatrol WX - 17 photographs http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c152339.html

BR Boplate as Conflat ISO for Coil - 8 photographs http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c151690.html

GWR and BR Passenger Fruit D - 26 photographs http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c151188.html

Overhead line maintenance - varied - 11 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c188880.html

LMS coaches for Overhead line maintenance - 35 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c188844.html

GWR Taunton Concrete sleeper wagons - 9 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c187817.html

Motorail wagons and coaches - 1818 total photographsL: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c56845.html

LMS Haddock - Sleeper wagon - 17 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c186971.html

British Steel Limestone Covhop - 8 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c186291.html

Tullis Russell PAA China clay covhop - 10 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c185634.html

LNER Tube wagons - 36 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c182370.html

BR Prawn, Departmental bogie bolster C - 21 photographs http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c180727.html

Nitric and Sulphuric acid MoS Tanks TOPS - 47 Photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c221272.html

Hydrogen peroxide ex Germany TOPS - 22 Photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c219863.html

The large ICI works at Folly Lane in Runcorn was remarkably open to photography and a comment about the traffic prompted these collections.

ICI Mond Chlorine tanks - 16 Photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c215778.html

ICI Mond Solvent tanks - 10 Photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c210233.html

ICI Mond Caustic soda tanks - 40 Photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c210225.html

Its summer so what more obvious than to include some snowploughs including the unusual Grampus mounted snow blower.

DR69001 Wagon mounted snow blower 11 - Photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c215360.html

ADB952506 snow plough details - 7 Photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c215285.html

Independent snowploughs on Britains railways - 35 Photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c214495.html

VEA Vanwide munitions vans - 28 http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c240684.html

Slope sided mineral wagon - 12 http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c239886.html

Algeco lagged chemical tank wagons - 11 http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c229890.html

STS lagged chemical tank wagons - 34 http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c228781.html

Lowmac MS/WP/ISO diagram 2/253 - 18 http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c228657.html

BR Walrus bogie ballast hopper - 9 photographs http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c227940.html

BR medium (glass cradle) shock open merchandise - 1 addition: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c31438.html

BR Palvans for Airbrake Network - 13 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c278045.html

BR standard vans for Air Brake Network - 21 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c277422.html

OCA, OTA, Bass and Seahorse - 36 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c276358.html

Coil S - open merchandise conversion - 18 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c273468.html

Aggregate hoppers of Diag. PG016E - 13 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c272332.html

Ermefer Wine etc. French tank wagons - 12 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c271533.html

LNER CCT (C) - 8 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c270682.html

TRL Clay covhops TRL16xxx - 8 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c270358.html

BR (LNER) steel open merchandise upto 1980-1 - 70 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c246338.html

BR Doorand ballast wagon - 10 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c300533.html

BR Carfit C - 29 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c298611.html

Hawthorn Colliery, NCB, wagons, locos - 41 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c296167.html

French registered Curtain sided van IUA - 12 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c295773.html

BR Research Dept. Cyclops ex Trestrol EC - 8 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c294548.html

BR Lowliner for road vehicles - 14 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c291920.html

Lowmac EP/SC diagram 2/242 - 31 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c291057.html

LMS Stanier Brake van - 57 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c321599.html

LMS brake vans - pre Stanier standard - 24 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c320905.html

German Cargowaggon - Eva Bogie flat - 27 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c319224.html

Croxton & Garry 50t GLW TUA on BR - 7 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c316712.html

WR Monster W599 - 6 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c315699.html

German VTG 3 door ferry van diag E471 - 16 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c315262.html

German Cargowaggon 3 door ferry van diag E476 -18 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c313803.html

BR Salmons fitted with rail lifting cranes - 21 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c313102.html

Procor Molasses tanks - ex Caustic Soda - 12 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c302498.html

I have also added a Mogo to the GWR mixed wagon collection: http://images.fotopic.net/y52iy9.jpg

Heritage Railways

http://www.heritage-rail.co.uk Is a site aimed for all railway fans and is hopefully going to be a big community run by rail fans for rail fans. The owner is looking for members for the site to help it get on its feet and help him build on the content, so register and give him a hand...

The Railway Hotel Company is pleased to announce the launch of a new website service aimed at both the railway enthusiast and the general public. http://www.preserved-railway.co.uk is an advertising medium for hotels, guest houses, pubs and restaurants within the locality of preserved railways and railway centres in the UK. The database is searchable by selecting the desired railway, and local establishments will be listed, together with distances from the railway. These establishments are very keen to receive the support of railway enthusiasts, and we hope you will use the website when you next look to stay overnight, or eat and drink near a heritage railway. The website can also be used as a source of information on each preserved railway or railway centre. http://www.preserved-railway.co.uk

Barrow Hill Roundhouse

http://daviddudley.fotopic.net

Cheshire Lines Committee

http://lenpentin.20fr.com/

Cumbria

Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway: http://www.ckp-railways2.freeserve.co.uk

Steam, Coal and Steel - photographs of industrial steam from West Cumbria: http://www.geocities.com/johnharkness2002/index.html

Tom Jenkins of Workington has uploaded some photos of Harrington Viaduct one day before track possesion ended http://www.tomjenkins.hv.5u.com/HV6/viaduct_6.html

Nigel Wright has started a page with older pictures on it: http://www.penrith-keswick.wanadoo.co.uk

There is also a new website with few pictures and short video clips of Penrith station. Note: the video files are 4 and 8 megabytes long so be prepared for a long download time if you are not on Broadband. http://www.penrith-keswick4.wanadoo.co.uk/penrith.htm

Just to prove that stations can still look like stations ought to look, Nigel Wright took his camera to Haltwhistle: http://www.penrith-keswick.wanadoo.co.uk/haltwhistle.htm

And later along the trackbed near Stainton where after 32 years of closure the line is still 90% intact: http://www.penrith-keswick.wanadoo.co.uk/stainton.htm

Bowes (SD&LUR) has not been so lucky. In 2000 and took a few snaps around the station there: http://www.ckp-railways2.freeserve.co.uk/bowes2000.htm He went back a couple of years later and the station was a little worse. A local claimed that some people had wanted to reopen the station building but the local council prevaricated so much that in the meantime it just fell apart and had beams stolen from it.

Nigel Wright recently took the 4 mile walk along the Threlkeld-Keswick railway footpath and got a few pictures: http://www.penrith-keswick.wanadoo.co.uk/krf.htm

He also took photographs around Wetheral station. It is an impressive little station situated next to a very high viaduct over the river Eden: http://www.penrith-keswick4.wanadoo.co.uk/wetheral.htm

Nigel Wright has photgraphs of the Smardale Railway walk where the Midland Railway passed over the NER. Click on "Smardale Railway Walk": http://www.penrith-keswick4.wanadoo.co.uk/

Nigel Wright has pictures of the Smardale railway walk starting from the southern end: http://www.penrith-keswick5.wanadoo.co.uk

Also available on the same site, pictures of the Eden Valley Railway running trains west of Warcop recently for the first time for years. See also: http://www.evr.org.uk

Nigel also spent an hour at Carnforth: http://www.penrith-keswick5.wanadoo.co.uk/carn.htm

Dean Forest Railway

http://www.deanforestrailway.co.uk/

Glen Woods has placed a number of photographs from Charity Gala Day on the Dean Forest Railway here: http://glenwoods.fotopic.net/

Devon

Recent pictures - many from Devon, but other areas as well: http://www.geocities.com/djade80/aller.html

And another site that concentrates mainly on Devon: http://trainsferriesbuses.co.uk/index.htm

Useful South-west related model railway information here: http://www.alextrack.co.uk/

Also with links to: http://www.royal-albert-bridge.co.uk/ and: http://www.torre-signal-box.co.uk/

The Devon Railway Centre: http://www.devonrailwaycentre.co.uk

Exminster Signal Box Preservation Society

http://www.exminstersignalbox.org.uk

Fairford Branch

http://www.martin.loader.btinternet.co.uk/Fairford_Branch.htm

Great Central Railway

http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/leopold/mark/gcr/index.html

Great Western Railway

The Broad Gauge Society: http://www.broadgauge.org.uk/

Loads of (mainly) GWR related stuff, including a locomotive photograph finder: http://www.grindham.co.uk/

And more here: http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/

The Great Western Study Group: http://www.gwstudygroup.org.uk/

Helston

http://www.rosewarnejunction.me.uk/Railway.htm

Heart of Wales Line

http://howlta.ruralwales.org/english/home.htm

Kidderminster

Friends of Kidderminster Town Station: http://www.kfriends.org.uk/

Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway

The L&MVLR pages have been updated: http://www.kachuzyn.fsnet.co.uk

Llangollen Railway

As part of their efforts to pay off a huge loan which they took out to rebuild the viaduct at Berwyn, the Llangollen Railway Trust has installed web cameras on the Llangollen Railway. For a small monthly subscription you can watch live activity on Llangollen station and in the loco shed yard in an area which is not accessable to the public. Llangollen is host to over ex British Railways locos, as well as almost 50 coaches and over 100 wagons. You can see the web cameras at:

http://www.railwaycam.com

Lynton and Barnstaple

The Lynton and Barnstaple reopened to passenger traffic on Saturday 17th July, and carried its first fare-paying passengers for almost 69 years!

http://www.lynton-rail.co.uk

Midland Railway

The Midland Railway Study Centre: http://www.midlandrailwaystudycentre.org.uk

Pictures the 2004 diesel gala at the Midland Railway Centre: http://daviddudley.fotopic.net

Some Midland Box pics and others: http://mysite.freeserve.com/Johntilly/Gallery/gallerysig.lwp/odyframe.htm

Photographs of Garsdale Signal Box, and Blea Moor box: http://railwayphotographs.picturebook.org.uk/c78836.html

Photographs and videos of the last Peak-hauled train out of St Pancras on 8th April: http://www.rail-net.co.uk/photo-archive/midland-peak

http://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/features/2004/04/st_pancras/index.shtml

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/3617853.stm

An interesting history of the Ashby & Nuneaton Jt Railway: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ChrisSimmons/HaShortHistory.HTM

North Staffordshire Railway

A list of Signal Box locations has been added to the web pages of the North Staffordshire Railway Study Group at: http://www.lnw1.demon.co.uk/Cabins.htm

Ivan Stewart has posted some shots of Norton Bridge, Madeley and Betley Road on his site: http://ivansphotos.fotopic.net/

The SRA page announcing the proposal to close Etruria station: http://www.sra.gov.uk/news/2004/2/Etruria_release

Peak Rail

Peak Rail's current big project is the rebuilding of Rowsley Engine Shed. Several "Buy a brick" incentive schemes are in operation - for further details see the Peak Rail website:

http://www.peakrail.co.uk

Pembrokeshire

The Railways of Pembrokeshire: http://members.lycos.co.uk/Graham_Davies/index.html

And in particularly the Pembroke & Tenby branch: http://members.lycos.co.uk/Graham_Davies/Railways/LocosPandTR.html

Somerset & Dorset Railway

Latest pictures of Shillingstone: http://www.nevard.com/sdjr/

Work is coming along very well at Midsomer Norton: http://www.nevard.com/sdjr/midsomer.htm

Pictures taken at the Midsomer Norton Open Day last weekend: http://nevardmedia.fotopic.net/c271469.html

Nice Somerset& Dorset site: http://www.gebejay.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/sdintro.html

Southern Railway

The Southern Egroup site just grows and grows with loads of useful information and pictures: http://www.semg.org.uk/index1.html

Weardale Railway

Opening of the Weardale Railway, 17th July 2004:

http://www.penrith-keswick4.wanadoo.co.uk/wdr.htm

West Somerset Railway

West Somerset Express (the WSR newsletter) homepage: http://www.trainsferriesbuses.co.uk/westsomersetexpress.htm

Roger Bailey's pictures of the West Somerset Railway Diesel Gala that were mantioned last week have had to be relocated: http://thebaileygallery.fotopic.net/c182791.html

Weymouth

A virtual ride along the Weymouth Quay tramway: http://www.sbrobinson.co.uk/index2.html

Whitehaven Junction Railway

Tom Jenkins of Workington has taken photos of the progress of the work being done at the old Whitehaven Junction Railway's Harrington viaduct. You can see them in gallery 4 of his Harrington Viaduct web pages: http://tom.jenkins.nu3.net/viaduct.html

Monorails

The Bennie Monorail, near Glasgow: http://www.rampantscotland.com/know/blknow_bennie.htm http://www.gearwheelsmag.co.uk/archive/the_bennie_railplane_feature_13.htm

Narrow Gauge

http://www.narrow-gauge-pleasure.co.uk/index.html

Miniature Railways

Brookside Miniature Railway http://www.brookside-miniature-railway.co.uk/

Eastleigh Lakeside Railway http://www.steamtrain.co.uk

Evesham Vale Light Railway: http://www.evlr.co.uk/

Fairbourne & Barmouth Steam Railway: http://www.fairbournerailway.com

Leighton Buzzard Railway http://www.buzzrail.co.uk

Moors Valley Railway http://www.moorsvalleyrailway.co.uk

Perrygrove Railway http://www.perrygrove.co.uk

Rudyard Lake Steam Railway http://www.rlsr.co.uk

South Downs Light Railway: http://www.cjenglish.demon.co.uk/

The Steeple Grange Light Railway http://www.steeplegrange.org.uk

Signalling

Some lost signalling locations, showing how much has changed: http://freepages.nostalgia.rootsweb.com/~cyberheritage/index.htm

New signalling photographic website: http://stevedaly8238.fotopic.net/c155155.html

For signallers who want to practice their bell codes: http://www.amadis.sytes.net/software/bellcode/ (There's a lot of "interesting" stuff elsewhere on this site, from software to politics via railways!)

Australia

An Abt rack railway in Tasmania for anyone going that way... http://www.federalresorts.com.au/west-coast-wilderness-railway.php

Germany

Pictures and english explanation of German Signals of the Bavarian Railways: http://www.feldbahn.de/vorbild/signale/s-bay.html

Signals and other items from 1959 onwards: http://www.sh1.org/fotos/index.htm

Signal Boxes in Germany - New Photo Site. You can see Views of German Signal Boxes inside from late 1900 until the end of the 1990 of mechanical, electro-mechanical and electric (Relays) Signal Boxes including Russian electric Signal Boxes (EMZG) used in East Germany. http://www.stellwerksfotos.de/

Ireland

The Listowel and Ballybunion Railway and other Lartigue monorail systems: http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/lartigue/lartigue.htm

Japan

The Japanese Railway Society: http://www.japaneserailwaysociety.com/index.htm

Majorca

Satellite pictures of the Majorcan Railways (unfortunately in Mallorcan or Catalan): http://www.trensdemallorca.com/aeri/menu.htm

Barry Emmott has published another of his excellent, but sadly infrequent, Majorca Railways newsletters: http://mysite.freeserve.com/MajorcaRailways/newsletter.htm

USA

---

A website about American Signalling: http://www.du.edu/~jcalvert/railway/railhom.htm

General

Lots of useful information at The RailwayCentre.com: http://www.therailwaycentre.com/index.html

A change of URL for John Law's Railfan.net: http://johnlaw.railfan.net/

A conucopia of varied information about railways - one to bookmark: http://www.rodge.force9.co.uk/faq/index.html

Spencer Jackson's Railway Memories: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/railwaymemories

Societies

The Newcomen Society: http://www.newcomen.com

Discussion Groups

Two good Yahoo Groups if you are interested in railwayana: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Railwayana/ http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/RCN2/

And for details and discusion of BR liveries: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/BRLiveryLibrary/

A new Yahoo discussion group for Derbyshire railways: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/derbyshirerailways/

There is a new discussion group for modelling experts and collectors of Grafar, Farish, and British Minitrix. If you would like to join go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/farish_grafar_trix/

Probably the best discusion group for people with an interest in signalling is "The Blower": http://www.signalbox.org/omnibus.htm

However, there is an alternative: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Uk_Signalling/

Art ---

Cuneo Fine Arts - selling prints of Terence Cuneo and his father, Cyrus Cuneo. Signed and unsigned prints and books, also details of the Cuneo Society: http://www.terencecuneo.co.uk

Railway photographs and transport paintings by G.S. Cooper: http://www.cooperline.com/

Photographs

Simon's Strange Photographs (including lots of railway stuff): http://gallery53177.fotopic.net/

World steam pictures by Mavis Ann Till: http://worldsteampictures.photos.gb.com/

John Tilly's website: http://mysite.freeserve.com/Johntilly/Gallery/gallerysig.lwp/odyframe.htm

Andy Williams' railway photographs - mainly modern: http://www.besc.clara.co.uk/index.htm

Peter Skuce has improved his Fotopic website with clearer photos and some technical information added. Comments welcomed: http://peterskuce.fotopic.net

Roger bailey's photographs: http://thebaileygallery.fotopic.net/

Mike Cawood's photographs: http://photos.freeserve.com/album/album.html?c_album=285525

Kendal May's railway photographs: http://kendalmay.fotopic.net

A lot of railway photos here: http://photos.wanadoo.co.uk/album/285525

Interesting stuff at: http://www.sbrobinson.co.uk/

Mike Morant has his images on a Fotopic site: http://gallery62603.fotopic.net/

Film, TV, Video and Radio

Richard Buckby points out a fantastic BBC site where you can download hours of archive film, much of which covers railway and industrial history. Not all regions are covered yet, but the project is ongoing and can only get better: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nationonfilm/location/

The Railway Monthly: Nick Wheat visited the York RailFest last week where samples of a new monthly DVD were being handed out. It looks very good; it's extremely professionally put together, and clearly the producers have invested a considerable amount of money into the venture. The subscription works out at �5 per month, which is excellent value for the quality of the DVD, if the first issue is anything to go by. However, by its nature the contents are very broad, and might be too wide ranging for some. An interesting development, though - more details here: http://www.therailwaymonthly.com

A website dedicated to the locations used in the Ealing comedy, "The Ladykillers": http://fp.martinunderwood.f9.co.uk/Ladykillers/

Neil Worthington's Junction 'X' website is a fascinating look at railways in wartime, that will also interest radio buffs: http://freespace.virgin.net/neil.worthington/jx/cast.htm

Maps ----

The New Adlestrop Railway Atlas is a historical atlas of Britain's railways, currently in progress. It shows lines and stations currently open, together with those that have closed: http://www.systemed.net/atlas/

Magazines

Customisable magazine binders: http://www.modernbookbinders.co.uk/

The October issue of Trains On-line can be found at: http://www.trainsonlinemagzine.co.uk In addition to the latest club and model railway news, the 20-page October issue contains seven pages of reviews, plus a full three-page colour 'Layout of the Month' feature.

Books

Oakwood Press have a new email address: sales@oakwoodpress.co.uk and website address: http://www.oakwoodpress.co.uk

CDs ---

Pullman Publications: Nigel Callaghan of Pullman-Publications has now produced three CDs and is currently working on one to cover 'Bridges & Viaducts'. His latest, 'Midland Memories', is a nostalgic look at St Pancras Station and the Midland Grand Hotel, followed by a 'through-the-carriage-window' journey over the Settle & Carlisle line, ending at Carlisle Station, the 'Gateway to Scotland', with a good look at the station and its surrounds over the years. To find out more, visit the website: http://www.pullman-publications.co.uk

Software

Railway Software from Martin Meyer: http://home.t-online.de/home/MMMeyer/home_e.htm

Railtours

Steam Dreams 'new look' website has been launched at: http://www.steamdreams.co.uk Their latest newsleter can also be downloaded from this site.

RCN2 members who are interested in railtours may be interested in joining the Railtour Network. For details, please visit: http://www.trainweb.org/rtn-uk/index.html

Gricing

Former member, Nick Robson recalls that, ages ago, someone asked the origin of the term "gricers". He has supplied a summary of a reply in a recent "Answers to Correspondents" column in the Daily Mail:

Why are trainspotters known as "gricers"?

In the mid-1950s, a small party of Manchester railway enthusiasts were tracing the route of a long-abandoned mineral line in the bleak Pennine moorland of County Durham.

They came upon a shooting party and inquired of one another what they were doing.

"Grousing" the shooting party replied in clipped upper-class tones. The railway party replied that they, likewise, were 'gricing', and both went about their ways.

Harvey Saunders begged to differ:

The origin of this term, as I understand it, is rather older than your other correspondent suggested: In the early 1840s, a Mr Gricer wrote a letter to The Times in which he mentioned that he had noticed that the, say, 12:15 from Paddington to Bath, had been pulled by the same locomotive, say 'Excalibur', on every recent occasion on which he had used that train. He asked if this was a coincidence and had other readers noticed similar phenomena. There followed more and more similar letters - concluding with a grumpy one complaining about Gricer's people clogging the correspondence column with trivial observations. So, Mr Gricer was the first train spotter.

Meanwhile - gricing in the 21st Century - with a camera phone! Get information and photographs in real time: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/TWACP/

Model Railways

The Model Electronic Railway Group (MERG)which promotes the application of electronics (including computers) to all aspects of railway modelling: http://www.merg.org.uk

Cambridge Custom Transfers produce transfers for most rolling stock applications in all scales. They can also produce custom transfers by request: http://www.cctrans.freeserve.co.uk/index.htm

Genesis Kits: http://www.waveneycottage.co.uk

Bassett-Lowke: http://www.bassett-lowke.com/

M.A.R.C. Models: http://www.marcmodels.co.uk/home.html

A supplier for our Australian readers: http://home.waterfront.net.au/~sem/index.htm

Photographs of Bachmann's new diesel range (plus some steam): http://www.windmilljunction.co.uk/bachmannopenday13thjuly2004.htm

A veritable mine of useful information and links plus photos from the Dorset area - you should bookmark this site: http://stoneybridgerail.co.uk/

Nick Wheat has sent me the latest rino and ondrives catalogue on CD. This contains thousands of gears and other mechanical drive components, many of which will be useful to modelmakers. The CD is in my office, and further details are at: http://www.rino.co.uk http://www.ondrives.com

The August edition of Model Railways On-Line Magazine is now available to download. Please note that the website address has been changed. The magazine may now be downloaded from: http://www.mrol.gppsoftware.com

DCC (Digital Command Control)

DCC (Digital Command Control) is the big thing at the moment. The following is lifted from Hattons' model shop newsletter. In recognition of the fact that it is nicked, I have left references to their website, but no recommendation of their services is implied!

Digital control has moved on a lot since Hornby's "Zero 1" system from the 1980s. Lenz ( http://www.lenz.com) are the market leader and their �75 "Compact" set at http://www.ehattons.com/stock.asp?SID=10746 is the perfect way to start in this exciting new part of the hobby.

The "Mac-coder" is the cheapest decoder for most models and represents excellent value at �10: http://www.ehattons.com/stock.asp?SID=10748

If you're wondering which loco to "chip" first then the Bachmann Class 24s and Class 25s have a "Plug" which means that a suitable DCC decoder such as the Lenz LE1025E at http://www.ehattons.com/Stock.asp?SID=10750 will fit straight into the loco with no soldering whatsoever. There is an excellent article at http://www.electricnose.co.uk/dcc/dccbachmann25.html which helps any newcomers to DCC get to grips with fitting chips.

Websites:

http://www.electricnose.co.uk. Steve Jones has been using DCC for some time now, and his site has an interesting DCC section where he demonstrates just how simple DCC can be. Also of interest, are his frequent postings to his "On My Work Bench" column. Something here for everyone - but don't expect to find someone that minces their words.

http://www.dyserth-road.co.uk. Nick Gurney's site features photos of his excellent modern image stabling point layout. The site uses DCC throughout.

Newsgroups/Mailing Lists:

DCC UK. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DCCUK/ Discussion of general UK-related DCC problems and topics. 616 members.

Lenz Digital Plus. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalPlusbyLenz/ Lenz-orientated questions from all over the world. 1141 members.

DCC Computer Software:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Model_Trains_DCC_Software/ Discussion related to controlling your locos and layout from your PC. 88 members with a vast range of experience.