All the best from me too. I liked your review of your hospital experience.

I wish you a speedy recovery and that you will be as fit as a fiddle soon .
Regards
Bob

Vinyls would be rubbish on a Dapol mk3 anyway, too much relief on the body side. Paint it and apply Railtec decals, IIRC they do new and old NMT logos.

Having trouble sourcing realistic vinyl overlays since the demise of Electra Graphics, of both ilks.

Can anyone recommend a suitable supplier for NMT graphics to apply to Dapol Mk3 pantograph car?

GE

The Tale of the Lost Railway (Part – Fifteen)

Continuing Colin Penn's exploration of the lost railway......

I retraced my steps from the previous  day easily finding the lane which led down to where the railway crossed it. I was half expecting the key to the gate to be missing, safely stowed away to prevent someone like me from finding it, but no, it was still there.

I made my way up towards the track bed but instead of turning right, I walked away to my left. The trackside vegetation appeared to be thicker in this direction but the track itself was in good, if nor excellent, condition. After around half a mile I came across a rail over bridge with a lane running below it and a set of steps leading from the road up to the railway tracks. This is where I decided to eat my packed lunch.

After around forty minutes I set off again in the direction of Moretonhampstead. There appeared to be no one around, but then again  I didn't expect to meet anyone However I heard, or thought I heard, what sounded like footsteps coming up the steps from the lane below.  I stopped but could hear or see nothing.Then  after walking for another fifteen minutes I heard the sound of a creature, perhaps a dog, rustling in the bushes to my right.

Again, I turned but could see nothing so I carried on. I assumed the sounds were just my imagination running wild. In another twenty minutes I came across two heavy wooden gates ahead of me. Those gates were firmly locked and bolted. Was this the tunnel just beyond the station at Moretonhampstead? I presumed it was.

As I approached the gates I heard what sounded like a horn from a diesel locomotive. Two short blasts from, it seemed, deep within the tunnel. I looked at my watch, 12-30 exactly. What on earth was going on?

Then I heard a shout from behind me which made me jump, "Hey, you there stop. Stand still. Don't move a muscle"

Around a hundred yards away was a tall, swarthy man with a large, black German Shepherd dog by his side. The man was aiming what looked like a double barrelled shotgun in my direction.

The dog, at the man's command, wandered slowly up to me dropping a brace of pheasant at my feet before he returned, obediently, to his master,

A little earlier.......

The special train made its way slowly from Moretonhampstead to Newton Abbot where it must have looked somewhat incongruous parked at Platform 1. The little diesel was uncoupled then ran around the Pullman carriage in preparation  for the return trip.

The party enjoyed a very pleasant canal side stop for coffee and cakes just beyond  the delightful little village  station  at  Lustleigh before completing the journey to Moretonhampstead where the train  came to a halt just before the gated tunnel mouth.
Giles Forsythe climbed down from the Pullman then unlocked and unbolted the massive gates so that the train could enter the tunnel.


Those aboard the Special Train enjoyed coffee with cakes at the pretty little canal side village of Lustleigh

The diesel moved slowly forward in virtual darkness about fifty yards whiles the gates were firmly closed behind.

It was then that Archie, head out of the carriage window, called to Giles "Right ho, flick the switch Giles".

The tunnel was suddenly flooded  with light followed by astonished gasps from aboard the train.

There, to the left of the carriage were two beautifully polished steam locomotives, an ex GW small prairie tank and a pannier tank both in beautiful green livery.

"Well", said a beaming Archie, "What do you think?".

Everyone was astonished but before anyone could reply  the little diesel moved very gently forward. Just as it reached the gates at the other end of the tunnel the driver gave two short blasts on his horn.

Giles climbed down once again and proceeded to unlock the massive gates. He was just a  trifle concerned to hear what appeared to be someone shouting on the other side.

To be continued..........


 

Welcome home Mick

A nice catch up here in this parish, cup of coffee / tea and railway modeller me thinks

@Papyrus Trouble is, Ctr-Alt-Del might have deleted me, Chris 

@Newportnobby , with all those electronic devices inside you couldn't the quacks just have pressed Ctrl-Alt-Del?

Anyway, it's great to hear you are back amongst us again even though it must have been a pretty scary time. Just keep looking after yourself.

All the best,

Chris

Quote from: Moonglum on Yesterday at 12:49:39 PMFor those who didn't see the Prom.

One of the best bits...

And one of the worst bits...

Tim

I think I'm glad I didn't watch.

About to be hours of aeroplanes   

Think I'll go hide in the cellar with the trains and ignore the air show.