Merry Christmas everyone!  I hope you all have a good time and that nobody is having to work. 

...and Merry Christmas to all from Sussex's frozen muddy wastes!

Thank you to @Tank for running the Forum like clockwork, all the mods for keeping us in order, and everybody else for good company, sound advice and fascinating information (with special mention to @Train Waiting and his excellent 'Coarse Guide' which was so brief you may have missed it).

All the best for 2026.

    

Chris

A couple of under rated (IMHO) bands and their tracks

oops!!

It should have said Happy Christmas.

There are more Christmas poems if you are interested

This just manifested itself from my wife's keyboard.

Happy Chrostmas everybody.

Christmas Eve

With the baking and wrapping and preparing all done
I was looking forward to a tomorrow-of-fun.
I poured out a wine and cosied down in my chair
Pulled off my socks and let down my hair.
I glanced at the clock, it was twelve twenty three,
Then, Santa, fell down our parlour chimney.
 I rushed to the hearth, but all I could see

Were two black boots and legs to the knee.
"Help me, I'm stuck," a muffled voice cried,
"I'll do what I can ," I quickly replied.
In a panic I said, "Stay where you are,
I hope you don't suffer from clausphobia."
 
"Hold in your stomach," I yelled up the flue.
"I'll pull and I'll shove on the count of two."
There were rumblings and groanings of the scary kind,
And slitherings and slidings, rude words unrefined,
Then out popped Santa, sooty but fine,
Thus Christmas was saved in the Saint Nick of time.

Gill Reed

Quote from: Steven B on December 12, 2025, 10:59:50 AMTwo coaches:
Coniston 1958: https://flic.kr/p/o3c6J6

The Coniston motor train looked better pre-war, with an Aspinall Radial at one end 

You could, too! 

Good one, Mick.

All the very best of the season to you, and all our members, wherever you are.

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year, everyone!

George

Quote from: Steven B on December 12, 2025, 10:59:50 AMOne coach:
Southwell, 1959: https://flic.kr/p/zF9TZU

Two coaches:
Coniston 1958: https://flic.kr/p/o3c6J6
Northampton 1959: https://flic.kr/p/AtBPpS
Holcombe 1959: https://flic.kr/p/guKk3E

Three coaches:
Deganwy, 1955: https://flic.kr/p/GJY3vB

The Welsh Dragon in the Deganwy photo is the definite for me, 1x DBT+2x Comp doable from the range offered, just need to renumber one of the comps.

[Note the Northampton shot is Period 2 stock.]

Quote from: leachsprite4 on December 12, 2025, 11:04:46 AMAre these the coaches?
https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/lnwrk152.htm

No - the planned Dapol models are Period 3 style coaches.
The pair closed to the Camera are ex-LNWR vehicles, and the far end driving trailer is either a P1 type or ex-LNWR. The intermediate coach at the far end not 100% sure but looks like a period 2 Lav-Composite.