there were some in the euston / camden area but looking forward to developments

When was Preston allocated an OHLE train?

My reference books from the late 1980s list Mk1 based OHLE trains allocated to:
Bedford
Bletchley
Crewe Electric
Carlisle Upperby
Manchester Longsight (the one I'm modelling)
Rugby
Stafford
Birmingham Soho
Wigan Springs Branch
Willesden
Hornsey
Carstairs


Steven B.

I don't know. In fact, I don't know that it ever was. The 2006 ICRS combined wagon book lists an entire train's worth of coaches as being located at Preston. There are photos of them (in rail blue and grey) at https://gingespotting.smugmug.com/Departmentals/Q-TOPSCode. I suspect that they were out of use by then: they seem to have been scrapped by about 2010.

Jim

The picture below was taken after my locomotive testing, today. I took a few pictures, but without a tripod the result was not good. You get a glimpse of what I'll be starting with. Six locos in all, with two out of group - a Caledonian and a Southern.

I'm REALLY pleased with the Graham Farish 372-030 Castle Class 6044 'Earl of Dunraven' GWR Lined Green - as I was when I ran it a few weeks ago. It's smooth at all speeds, and runs at a snails pace on the slow end. Virtually noiseless. I can't be as complimentary about the others, though. One or two had some strong points, but all had some glaring weaknesses. Two of them were sold as new, but I'm convinced they had been on the shelf for years. I probably need to pause and take a lesson on lubrication, but that can wait for a while as they're going back into their boxes for a few weeks.

I had my first exposure to something I've read about on the forum. It seems that every locomotive deals with ponts somewhat differently. Even the Earl had his problem. He ran impecably until I reversed over one of the double points. Every time I tried it derailed. The bogie seemed to be the first wheels to derail. There's a long straight before the point, so there must be something in the point snagging the boggie wheels. Maybe something needs to be filed down, but that's something else I'll need to learn about before proceeding. Some of the goods wagons also derailed at the same point, but the coaches passed through without even a wobble.

By the way, the derailment was at the top center of the layout, requiring me to walk around to the back for re-railing. Dont say "I told you so"!

Well, it's been a while since I posted anything in this thread.  Why?  Here's why, the builder chappies came back a few weeks ago!  They have been here again for the last month or so.  Not quite as messy or noisy as the previous l-o-n-g spasm but, you know, it's been hard to give a damn about anything while they were here.  They started to pack up once more on Friday so I went out and asked them if that was finally it...  'No!' they said, 'we'll be back again in September. Then it will be finished.'  Much of the September work is going to be right at the back of my flat.  How nice!!!
Anyhow, I have been working on the layout plan.  It is now on the 17th iteration.  Seriously, I have re-worked it that many times.  The reason is that I have never quite settled in my mind that I would be able to hold out till the work was finished here and I was reluctant to start.  So, I took what they said about September and followed it up by calling everyone in the loop.  I am now convinced that September really is the end of it.
With the above in mind, I have ordered some new furniture for my sitting room.  Next week I will be ordering a new computer desk and setting up the existing one as a work area. (modeling area)  I'll be setting up my plotter/cutter in a more formal way and still have room for assembly of bits and pieces.
The current brain strain is that I have decided to have a look at KATO track.  After all the hassle of the last (feels like) hundred years I just want to get something moving as soon as possible.  I was thinking Peco but..... well, I don't need to go on about that.  The problem I am seeing is that all of my layout plans have featured gentle curves and almost no straight lines.  I don't know if #17 can be done in the KATO system which I understand is a set-track approach.  I have a few things I will be looking into KATOwise.  I think they include built in point motors, so, are they inside the plastic of the rail bed and thus invisible from the top?  What voltage is required to operate them?  Is it simply a matter of reversing a DC current to change aspect?  Do they need a CDU?  I would like someone to comment on how close I could get to #17 before I start in to researching the other questions.

Hi fellas!

Well it's all going on isn't it?

The ASG went into 10! AL won again, but there appeared to be some good play from both sides.

Sale threw a 101.7mph pitch, gotta love that guy.

I think we can officially say that the Orioles are having a rebuilding year with Machado going to the Dodgers. Sorry Weave, I guess you'd rather he went somewhere else. They got five prospects for him! Someone must think he's good.

Aaaand the Orioles are currently NOT the worst team in baseball, lets hope they have a better second half.

I can't believe @Chetcombe was in San Francisco and couldn't make a game, damn bad luck bloke.

I'm still keeping my head down about the RedSox. Lovely though it is, I've been here before and I know how fast you can plummet with injuries, incompetence and complacency!