There is now a 10 hour soundtrack of the sleeper train to drift off to or use as background sound for a layout.

Caledonian Sleeper Launches Dreamlike Soundscape for World Sleep Day

Quote from: Newportnobby on Yesterday at 12:34:31 PM

Quote from: madchadbrad on February 09, 2026, 05:45:09 PMThe Stanier non-corridor coaches project is now 90% there, according to Dapol's Facebook account but it hasn't appeared on their website-proper yet . . .

Has anyone seen an update please?

There was a March e-mail newsletter (2nd March) and that update showed the N Gauge LMS suburban project to be at 95% -that is the most recent one I know of. Fingers crossed being that close to the line now the project will find the "legs" to go the rest of the way and reach the quantity needed and go ahead.

I did run a tram around my red hat long ago and it kind of works but not if you wear it. Possibly T scale would because everything is magnetised so the tiny trains can get enough traction

I'm pretty sure I expressed an interest so I hope I will get an email at some point in the future.

Quote from: madchadbrad on February 09, 2026, 05:45:09 PMThe Stanier non-corridor coaches project is now 90% there, according to Dapol's Facebook account but it hasn't appeared on their website-proper yet . . .

Has anyone seen an update please?

Quote from: Southerngooner on Yesterday at 09:16:06 AMI fired this from Swanage to Norden under the careful eye of the real fireman, and only managed to drop one piece of coal. I'm not sure I'd want to do this all day every day though,

I used to fire on the Watercress Line and, although one day at a time was pretty easy most of the time, I wouldn't want to do it every day either.

The worst day I had was on 34016 Bodmin and there was a problem with the smokebox door locking dart - it kept riding up out of its correct location so the door opened slightly, eliminating most of the smokebox vacuum - usually halfway up the 1:60 up from Alton. I had no trainee to help out either so I practically fell off the footplate at the end of the day 

In contrast, another day I was on the Drummond Greyhound, T9 30120 (*), which simply wouldn't stop steaming. The driver and I had a tacit agreement - if I was going to make steam he was darned well going to use it and if he was going to use it I was darned well going to make it 

Due to the gradients (1:80 up one way and 1:60 up the other) we were double headed with 34105 Swanage but the old girl wasn't bothered in the slightest and happily pulled 5 Mk1s and Swanage around - most of the day the Swanage crew had their feet up 

(*) I heard the other day that the Swanage Railway are going to give the T9 a major overhaul, including replacing the cylinder block that was already cracked before we had her and has been patched up at least twice.
That should give the old girl a new lease of life again 

I love this thread and forum with the great variety, humour and expertise that is so freely given.
I remember seeing Eddystone at Sellinge in Kent a decade ago in lots of bits. It's amazing the effort and achievements of often a small dedicated team to bring these wonderful locos back to life for so many of us to enjoy.
Glad you had such a wonderful experience and thank you for your very entertaining and knowledgeable posts.

Now that's what I call a "Hat Trick"!

Tim

(Awful I know...)

What a SuperSpiffing post, Dave. Thank you very much.

It's good to see you are attending to the brakes as I wouldn't want your tea can to fall off the firehole shelf.

I'm glad you had a perfik day out in Purbeck.

With all good wishes.

John