I'm probably biased but from what I've seen of Rails Custom Weathering, I'm not impressed at all.

£30 for a quick spray of thick brown along the chassis, not even being bothered to get an even covering on wheels under the valve gear etc.. No variation in colour, not even real coal added.

Apologies to Hailstone for nicking your pic from the V2 page



Not even cleaning the locos after weathering is just plain lazy. Of course weathering is very subjective and what might look fine to one can be overdone to another. In my opinion, people are better paying a bit extra for splendid jobs by Tom Foster, GC Weathering or Weathering Works, or even myself who only charges £25 per loco.

This thread has prompted me to ponder more about diverted trains and how relatively infrequent they are nowadays compared with the days of British Railways. Today the instant reaction to a blocked route is nearly always "Rail Replacement" buses whereas 'in the olden days' an alternative route would be the preferred option. My first memory of this was as a child of, maybe 7 or 8, going on a day excursion with my family from Bristol to Weymouth. A derailment occurred just outside Bath just as we departed which blocked the lines so the train was sent back to Bristol (pulled by our castle class engine then running tender first). After a brief wait we set off again via the North Somerset line through Radstock to Frome where the train eventually regained its original route. (I lost 2 hours beach time at Weymouth because of that!).
Nowadays there are few alternative routes available and even when there is one often the train crews aren't signed off for them. Look at the length of preparation Avanti is having to make for the West Coast line closure.
It's good that there are occasional instances where alternatives are used. I mentioned in my previous post how a Cross Country service from Bristol to Birmingham was easily diverted via the Severn Tunnel. The crew must have already had clearance for the Cross Country route to Cardiff. Yesterday the line between Stockport and Stoke was flooded and trains were able to divert via Crewe and Alsager instead. If you're not in a rush the diversion can add interest!

  

School colours, unfortunately!

Congratualtions... although why the Arsenal "Away" kit?     

I have hummed and hahhed for days over whether to post this because of the content.

But there are a heap of AI posts spreading false information and images of the tragic Bondi Beach massacre last Sunday.

Definitely the dark side.

Which is a worrying place at the best of times 

Quote from: Wrinkly1 on December 18, 2025, 11:47:53 PMI honestly cannot imagine a regular service from York to Cornwall using Oxford although my girlfriend (now wife of 55 years) did get diverted that way on one occasion following a crash.

(Seizes on this as perfect justification )
Please folks, the clue is in the title of the thread - 'Imaginary'
Just as there are no such places as 'Kimbolted' or 'Bletchford' except for in my bonce

GrandBealette finished her first year of school today. Here she is with her teacher.



A long road ahead, but a great start.

Quote from: Newportnobby on December 18, 2025, 10:35:28 PMJust in the interest of fairness/balance RM did deliver exactly as they said they would this week
Strangely, they got it right but never requested feedback

Me too. Also haven't requested feedback yet.

I used to travel from Bristol to Crewe during my college days. In 1966 and 1967 the 'recommended' route was via Newport and Shrewsbury but around 1968 this changed to using the NE/SW trains via B'ham NS. The motive power via Newport was almost always a Western hydraulic loco but via B'ham it was almost always a Peak (although I can remember a Class 31 being used from Birmingham to Gloucester on one occasion - possibly a failure substitute).
I honestly cannot imagine a regular service from York to Cornwall using Oxford although my girlfriend (now wife of 55 years) did get diverted that way on one occasion following a crash.
Earlier this year my train from Bristol was diverted through the Severn Tunnel and Chepstow following a bridge strike. Even that short diversion added 75 minutes to the journey!