Very nice!

I just did a search on locust swarms and Wiki had this about Albert's swarm in 1875 -

"the greatest concentration of animals ever speculatively guessed, according to Guinness World Records"

Guessed? in the Guiness world record? I can "guess" a much larger number... haha

Have you guys heard of the 17-Year Locusts that come out in the USA? (They are actually Cicadas)

This was a seminal event in my childhood.

I was eight in the Spring of '82 when an eldritch horror visited my neck o' the woods... Army of Darkness...

7PM or 19:00hrs! As listed in the Radio Times.

I noticed this thread

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=40102.0


Pilkington set may need vinyls

Eddie
@eddief83


this train?

Live Game CS
NOT my photo
https://www.facebook.com/share/1cFWPkknrV/

Farish products

Be interested to see who does vinyls since electra disappeared

Quote from: Steven B on Yesterday at 08:40:51 AM

Quote from: eddief83 on July 13, 2026, 02:38:56 PMI have the full SLOA pullman set and want an intercity charter set similar to Mallard pulled in 1988 for the anniversary run.

What is your SLOA rake made up from? From the period photos I've seen the formation changed a little. My interpretation is made up of Mk1 Pullmans plus a RMB and some regular blue/grey or Intercity FO.

I've got the Pilkington set on my to-do list. All over green with light blue and red markings at the ends - possibly the worst livery every painted on a train.

I have 2 Farish Mk1 BCK's Car 355 and 356 from the collectors club (plus a spare 355 I was renumbering if anyone needs a brake) all the correct numbered pullman parlours 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352 and 353 plus kitchen 335 and the Hadrian Bar. Its currently a mixture of White and Grey roofed stock but one day I will repaint them all grey. One day I will add some standard mark 1's to the box to vary it up a bit.

I do want an intercity set as per Mallard on 3rd July 88.

Pilkington stock would be great for modelling charters. I wonder if we can persuade Bachmann to do them as a club exclusive

Quote from: KiwiAlan on Yesterday at 07:54:23 AM

Quote from: eddief83 on July 13, 2026, 02:38:56 PMAs someone who models the 1980's its much easier as support coaches didn't have much if any modifications then 

You raise an interesting point. When did the practice of a dedicated, customised support coach actually start, rather than simply attaching a reasonably standard BSK or BCK behind the locomotive?

In the early preservation era and railtour days, my impression is that the support vehicle was often little more than a convenient brake coach for the crew and equipment. The heavily modified support coaches we see today seem to have evolved gradually as main line operations became more professionalised, locomotives spent longer periods away from base, and support crews started carrying significantly more tools, spares and onboard facilities.

In theory I'm modelling the autumn of 1988, so a fairly standard BR Mk1 would probably be the correct answer. However, occasional bouts of time travel permit the appearance of a visiting locomotive, which is how I've ended up down the support coach rabbit hole!

Looking at stream hauled tours by preserved locos in the 60's (Scotsman and Gresley for example) had nothing like a support coach I can tell, perhaps with staff who had experience it was not deemed necessary.

Looking on https://www.nrmfriends.org.uk/post/the-fnrm-s-support-coach it says the first time the NRM used a support coach December 1979 which was an old LNWR Royal Train coach, they acquired a Mark 1 in 1983 which had a kitchen fitted then by removing one compartment so it seems the mid 80's was the start of the change to provide better facilities

The Tale of the Lost Railway (Part Eight)

I quizzed  Giles about  Sir Archibald trying not to appear over inquisitive but I just had to know if it was the same Archibald Hardcastle that I knew from the sea wall.

It became apparent  from his answers that Sir Archibald was indeed my railway enthusiast friend Archie. I was intrigued and rather confused, I needed to know more.

I next, tentatively, broached the subject of the railway tracks  that I'd discovered whilst taking a walk in the area that very afternoon. Giles was, perhaps unsurprisingly, somewhat  dismissive of the subject which led me to think about my similar conversation with Archie on the sea wall just a few days earlier. Archie had appeared similarly reluctant to discuss any possibility that a railway existed in the area.

Giles and I in The Baskerville Arms

I decided that any further railway talk might sound  suspicious. Indeed,  I sensed that I was beginning to tread  on delicate ground  so I changed the subject towards that good old British discussion point of the weather.

Giles soon announced that he had to go. Perhaps he had become bored with my questioning.

The pub was still quite busy meaning that as  soon as the seat opposite me was vacated  it was taken by an old chap who must  have been well into  his eighties. The elderly man was nursing his pint whilst looking at me with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"I were 'eves droppin' on you an' Giles talkin' about a railway", he suddenly uttered, "You wanna be careful if you go snoopin' around up thur. If Giles' gamekeeper do catch ee, 'e'll 'ave yer  guts fer garters. All I'll say though is thou 'as ta believe it laddie, thou 'as ta believe. Believe it an'  tis there but doubt it an' 'tis all a but dream". With  that the elderly chap downed the last of his pint and he was gone.

I hadn't uttered a word to the man but his words left me completely non plussed. What on earth did he mean?

Despite what appeared to be a slightly veiled warning I vowed to return to the railway tomorrow in order to walk the tracks in the opposite direction back towards Moretonhampstead . I was intrigued and simply had to find out as much as I could.

The pub was, by now, a little quieter so I ordered another pint and settled back in my chair soon lost in my thoughts as I tried to make sense of everything that had occurred today.


Meanwhile.....
Earlier that afternoon, some two or three miles to the north, a  creamy-white Jaguar 100 sports car, with two well healed gentlemen on board, was approaching the grounds of Baskerville Manor, home of Sir Archibald Hardcastle.

The car was soon followed along the lengthy drive by a chauffeur driven Rolls Royce with at least three bowler hatted passengers.

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

Quote from: Newportnobby on Yesterday at 08:50:02 AMFor those like me who had to look up SLOA, it's........
"Steam Locomotive Operator's Association"

Or, in the case of my mishap whilst playing trains in the loft the other day,
"Slipped, Landed On A**e".

PW

The famous(?) "Marlow Donkey" (local to me) had the 14xx and I've just acquired the auto coach this week. A 14xx would be wonderful.

Thanks for the replies