Our Hobbies, New & Old.

Hello Helen, I did enjoy breaky with you a while back, but not fish & chips.

Hello, Model railway activity (playing trains) is subdued at present. The railway room has three sides exposed to the outside elements, facing north, which makes it an expensive room to heat. But on sunny mornings it's quite bearable with about two hours direct sunlight through the front, south east facing window. Also, when the main central heating is on like it has been this evening, I make use of that. Anyway, I will load a picture from this morning. Eye level view.

Hello, Thank you. You are most welcome to come. It's better in the pictures as I can hide the room. Yes, you can come to Holbrooks & not have to pay the visitors tax to be set by the mayor. Have a wonderful day. I'm popping out for a breaky treat this morning at Cassilex cafe in Roland Ave before sorting chapel bins. I was best in school at doing rubbish. That's no joke. The headmaster had my mum at the school to explain. The railway is fun, it's a toy. I'm increasingly using easy stuff too. EG. Our wild trees are a form of sea foam weed. They takes a lot of making up, several stages of construction. I've just ordered a pack of ready made trees from China via eBay. A bit of a cop-out.

Hello, I've been rumbling with Diesels, & chuffing with choo-choos, this morning. Not a good day for pictures. It's all rumbling & chuffing very nicely. Our Gosford Green freight only loop line, has two Diesels class 31s, a class 22 diesel hydraulic plus a well worn & weathered eastern region J39 0-6-0 tender loco operating the branch. The J39, is a Bachmann split chassis loco from the 1990s. I added detail to it, as well as an upgrading to the mechanics many years ago. It just keeps going like a gem. Well, that's it folks. Toot-toot!

Hello, Over the decades, I've seen model railways that make mine look very puny, but this one by my friend in Yorkshire, for me has never been excelled. That's just me. Mouldy Raspberry

Hello, I had an outbreak of saddle tanks last evening.

I'm always in awe at the detail in model railways, no matter how big or small the layout is. The work and attention to detail, getting the period setting just right (and that is just for starters) is just incredible.

Hello, Whilst waiting for my lift to chapel this morning, I couldn't resist a couple of sunshine quick pictures. The tree board at the back I've straightened. I lifted to dust the base. The phone camera angle wasn't straight either.

I like that you've erected a fence to stop people dropping off the front edge

Hello peeps, Yes. We've needed to improve security & elf&Safeway everywhere. The line to Longford Park is now security gated, because Barley & oat bread, along with eggs, cheddar cheese, chicken, blue berries, Kavenahs jumbo oat porridge was all going missing. The last straw was every jacket potato was stolen. Police & old Scotland yard are looking for a very healthy, aged male. They've got quite a bit to go on, especially at 7.30am. Anyone who has any information on such an individual, please call Whitehall 1212. A forum breaky is offered as a reward for a successful prosecution. Now, over to our weather office.

Hello, Mondays were traditionally the loco exchange day for steam depots. Here, Eastern region B17 being prepared to take over from Midland region class 5 mogul, on our through service from Burrow Hill to Gt Yarmouth. Tippers Hill shed was too busy so Grove has been deputised. Ok, ok. I only write this stuff.

Hello, A picture of Hancox Mill. Still in use, producing Barley wheat. That view is over five feet away from my phone, which is held on a sturdy tripod.

Hello, I hear so many asking the same question. O yes I am! This isn't a Ronnie Corbett joke! Why is my active interest rising for our model railway when the sun is shining in lovely Spring time weather. The lighting is so important. Any art colouring needs good natural daylight. The picture of Hancox's mill is taken in good daylight. The picture of our B17 loco taken in artificial light has been edited to remove all of the over-yellowing. Our railway room where window position is West to East, needs equinoxes periods for good colour balance. The equinox was yesterday at around 2pm, not today, today being the 21st. You might also be asking why am I up at this unearthly hour. It's to issue the fog warning. Ok, ok. I'm going. In this picture, we have a B17, waiting to return to Leicester via Nuneaton, but held at Bramble Lane inner home, whilst the Friday evening parcels to Coventry is loading. The B17 locos were well liked by their eastern region crews. Free steaming is very economical, their three cylinder layout making them a smooth ride. I never saw a B17 in Coventry, but often in Nuneaton. Regular eastern locos were B1. Slightly bigger. They were an early design dating from 1928, all gone by the late fifties. Their scrapped parts were used too in the continuing building of the more powerful B1 locos.