Very well done! It's a significant achievement undoubtedly requiring a lot of hard work. Thank you for running it.

  

All 10,000 should at least consider joining N Gauge Society and/or 2mm Society also.

What an achievement!

Well done,

Quote from: Tank on Yesterday at 03:38:59 PMDear all,

We've recently reached over 10,000 members on the NGF! 

I'm not one for speeches or writing mammoth posts, but I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the forum over the years.  Whilst I know that we don't have anywhere near 10,000 people online regularly, it's still amazing to know that 10,000 of you have joined a website that I put together whilst trying to bring N gauge into the digital age! 

Thanks for all of your contributions.
Chris/Tank.

  
  Very enjoyable thank you Martin
  stay safe regards Derek

The Tale of the Lost Railway (Part – Twenty)

Some three months later things were starting to move forward rather quickly.

Colin Penn, in his role as a journalist, had done a wonderful job in  bringing the railway to the attention of not only the Devon public but also the good folk of British Isles as a whole.


June 12th 1962 would see a very special train working down to Devon from Paddington to commemorate the opening of The Lost Railway. In the months preceding that date, however, many enthusiasts specials were operated from various parts of the country. The train seen here has come down from Birmingham

Bonzo Poppingham completed his business plan which involved working with British Railways, Devon County Council, two local Urban District Councils, The Railway Inspectorate, The Ministry of Transport and local landowners.
Bonzo had presented his plan in such a way that all organisations were entirely enthusiastic by  providing help and advice  in their individual ways. The public at large were, of course, invited to comment.There were no objectors at all. In fact the only comments received were encouraging, positive ones.

Giles Forsythe took on an extra role to co-ordinate the volunteer support scheme that would, largely due to Colin Penn's excellent publicity articles, become a huge success.

Ron Parker had taken up his position as Station Master at Moretonhampsted with additional responsibility for overseeing operations at the intermediate stations most of which were manned and maintained by volunteers.

By December 5th the new station at Baskerville was completed nearly a month ahead of schedule allowing trains to reach there from Newton Abbot for the very first time.

Bertie Poppingham had brought together a team of some of the finest railway engineers and fitters for the SPAM workshop which was lavishly  fitted out with the  latest machinery and equipment.

The very first ex BR locomotive, purchased from BR at a very generous cost to Archie Hardcastle,  had, by mid November,  been refurbished at Newton Abbot works. It  arrived at the SPAM facility at the end of November  for final inspection, to the most exacting standards, and to undergo acceptance trials. A few wagons and two carriages arrived  shortly after.

The new public house adjacent to the station was also opened on December 5th. A competition to name it was won by a local railway enthusiast with the prize being  a footplate ride over the new line.  The name for the new establishment was "The Ghost Railway".

Lofty Levers, who had worked as a signalman at both Perranwell Station in Cornwall and at Teignmouth, was appointed, in his semi retirement, as signalman based at Moretonhampstead but with responsibility for overseeing signalling along the whole line.

Plans were, by early 1962, well advanced. The continuation of the track from Baskerville to Okehampton was well underway.

The grand opening of the entire route from Newton Abbot to Okehampton took place on June 12th 1962. A special train, originating at London Paddington,  was organised to bring various dignitaries, including Prime Minister Harold Macmillan along with the most senior of BR staff, to the official opening event.

Bertie Poppingham, a great friend of the PM, would, naturally, be in attendance along with his brother Bonzo.

Archie Hardcastle had drawn up a list of the great and good, including a number of ordinary local residents, to be aboard that inaugural train.

June 12th 1962 would be a momentous day in mid Devon.

The End...............(for now).

Footnote : The storyline on this thread will end here but some of the characters and events will resurface, occasionally, on my Sea Wall thread.

Thanks Everyone

Managed to pop out the coupling (having taken the bogie off of the coach to make access easier) - fortunately there didn't seem to have been any glue used, just a tight squeeze. Just had to take the plunge and press with some pressure! I can now fit standard couplings and use the coaches.

Hi

To remove the draft pocket (piece where the t shank fits) you need to press down on the top of it probably with the bogie removed.

This then releases the t shank of the Microtains coupling. Be careful not to lose the very tiny spring. The actual coupling can then be rotated through 90 degrees to remove.

This may help

https://www.nicklebyhouse.co.uk/index.php/rolling-stock3/couplings/23-installing-a-micro-trains-coupler-conversion

Cheers

Paul

Quote from: Tank on Today at 11:58:53 AM

Quote from: Firstone18 on Yesterday at 10:20:18 PMOOPS! I'd not remembered it was only 5 years ago, and I did try and list where all the wagons went. I'm somewhat embarrassed to have forgotten.
Cheers.

Don't worry, I forget a lot of things.  Newportnobby often reminds me of that! 

Only when I'm prompted by someone or something

Quote from: Firstone18 on Yesterday at 10:20:18 PMOOPS! I'd not remembered it was only 5 years ago, and I did try and list where all the wagons went. I'm somewhat embarrassed to have forgotten.
Cheers.

Don't worry, I forget a lot of things.  Newportnobby often reminds me of that! 

OK so that is a T-shank pocket on the bogie.  You could try twisting the coupling 90 degrees to see if the shaft will then pull forward out of the front of the pocket.

You'll need T-shank Rapido couplings and springs to fit in place of the buckeyes.  It's a simple job.

https://railsofsheffield.com/products/graham-farish-379-405-graham-farish-379-405-n-couplings-and-springs-x10

Thanks for the info.

This is the underside of one of them - and does look like the original coupling was removed and a new small pocket fitted inside. It does seem to be tightly wedged in (which I guess it has to be to stop it coming out) and just hoping it hasn't been held in with glue. I have tried to gently push it out but it isn't moving. I guess just use more force and cross fingers?