Lapford station in N gauge.

[Peter C]

Well if anyone wants to read 7(!) pages of Lapford stuff with some superb photos it’s on the shelves today (never thought I’d be saying that).
I must say that I’m really pleased with it.

View attachment 109983

Congratulations Mr @Cowley! I shall endeavour to purchase a copy of this most finest of magazines at the appropriate juncture.
(Although, in all seriousness - good work, it's great to see your hard work getting such recognition )

I knew the day was looking up when I saw the NMT this morning.

And I saw a funky thing outside a fire station so I assume it was meant to be, etc. etc.?

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

Congratulations Mr @Cowley! I shall endeavour to purchase a copy of this most finest of magazines at the appropriate juncture.
(Although, in all seriousness - good work, it's great to see your hard work getting such recognition )

Thanks Peter. It’s actually a very good edition this month anyway so well worth getting.

And I saw a funky thing outside a fire station so I assume it was meant to be, etc. etc.?

Is that a line from a song?

 

[Peter C]

Thanks Peter. It’s actually a very good edition this month anyway so well worth getting.


Is that a line from a song?

So sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you - it's this magazine; it's so good, I've been reading it for the past ten days
I don't think it is a line from a song, but maybe there's something in it - RailForums Modelling Section's Christmas Album, 2022?

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

So sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you - it's this magazine; it's so good, I've been reading it for the past ten days
I don't think it is a line from a song, but maybe there's something in it - RailForums Modelling Section's Christmas Album, 2022?

-Peter

I missed this but thanks Peter. Maybe all the staff could sing a different song for the album.
I’ll pick something by Slayer…

I bought me a couple of new mail vans this week. I need to stop buying mail vans now because it’s starting to get a bit silly!





I was so moved by my new found parcel and newspaper carrying ability that I made a short video about it:

 

[hexagon789]

I missed this but thanks Peter. Maybe all the staff could sing a different song for the album.
I’ll pick something by Slayer…

I bought me a couple of new mail vans this week. I need to stop buying mail vans now because it’s starting to get a bit silly!

View attachment 111223

View attachment 111222

I was so moved by my new found parcel and newspaper carrying ability that I made a short video about it:

News travels much faster in Devon these days...

(Worthy and very nice additions.)

 

[Gloster]

I bought me a couple of new mail vans this week. I need to stop buying mail vans now because it’s starting to get a bit silly!

Why not get a couple of the Dapol blue Fruit D, dirty them up and represent the situation in the second half of the seventies? (I have been whiling away a day spent inside (my house due to a fever/cold, not Parkhurst) looking into the history of the Fruit D.)

 

[GusB]

I bought me a couple of new mail vans this week. I need to stop buying mail vans now because it’s starting to get a bit silly!

You could always pretend it's Christmas...

 

[Ashley Hill]

Now you just need some post office vans outside the station to meet it.

 

[Cowley]

News travels much faster in Devon these days...

It certainly does. Express Parcels doncha know.

Why not get a couple of the Dapol blue Fruit D, dirty them up and represent the situation in the second half of the seventies? (I have been whiling away a day spent inside (my house due to a fever/cold, not Parkhurst) looking into the history of the Fruit D.)

I have considered that but then I’d have to get a 25 and they seem to be quite hard to get hold of at the moment (just had a look on eBay and there is one blue one for sale which I’m watching).

You could always pretend it's Christmas...

I’d have to de-leaf all my trees!

Now you just need some post office vans outside the station to meet it.
View attachment 111228

Mmm, that’s tempting…

 

[hexagon789]

I have considered that but then I’d have to get a 25 and they seem to be quite hard to get hold of at the moment (just had a look on eBay and there is one blue one for sale which I’m watching).

Did 33s not haul them?

 

[Cowley]

Did 33s not haul them?

I think the Fruit D’s might have been a bit earlier. 31s and 33s took over from the 25s in the early 1980s.

 

[hexagon789]

I think the Fruit D’s might have been a bit earlier. 31s and 33s took over from the 25s in the early 1980s.

As you can tell, my expertise ain't BR Devonshire.

Maybe you need an Hymek?

 

[Cowley]

As you can tell, my expertise ain't BR Devonshire.

Maybe you need an Hymek?

I think so too. I’m waiting for Paul to buy a 22 and then I’ll get one.
We can then do an in between era at shows.

 

[hexagon789]

I think so too. I’m waiting for Paul to buy a 22 and then I’ll get one.
We can then do an in between era at shows.

Sounds good to me

Edit: speaking of which - which show?

 

[Peter C]

I missed this but thanks Peter. Maybe all the staff could sing a different song for the album.
I’ll pick something by Slayer…

And I'll do something by Max Bygraves? Good - sorted

I bought me a couple of new mail vans this week. I need to stop buying mail vans now because it’s starting to get a bit silly!

View attachment 111223

View attachment 111222

I was so moved by my new found parcel and newspaper carrying ability that I made a short video about it:

That does look rather nice, I must say. There's something about parcel and newspaper vans I quite like; something a bit different, and not something you see all that often now.

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

Sounds good to me

Edit: speaking of which - which show?

It’s the Exeter show towards the end of June and it’ll be our first show for three years (for obvious reasons).
It’ll also be the first time Moors View will have had an outing…

And I'll do something by Max Bygraves? Good - sorted


That does look rather nice, I must say. There's something about parcel and newspaper vans I quite like; something a bit different, and not something you see all that often now.

-Peter

Me too. Especially one that takes a while to go past.
I made a reference to the Red Bank Parcels services in the video. Those often had a great variety of vans:


(The photo didn’t embed properly but it’s by John Turner circa 1970)

 

[hexagon789]

It’s the Exeter show towards the end of June and it’ll be our first show for three years (for obvious reasons).
It’ll also be the first time Moors View will have had an outing…

Very nice, I was at MRS two weekends previously and it was most enjoyable to be back again. Though that was only a two year hiatus, only the 2021 exhibition was cancelled.

Moors View looks good; I was able to sample a number of similarly high-quality layouts at MRS - including one I last saw 20 years ago there, that was a long wait but worth it!

 

[Cowley]

Very nice, I was at MRS two weekends previously and it was most enjoyable to be back again. Though that was only a two year hiatus, only the 2021 exhibition was cancelled.

Moors View looks good; I was able to sample a number of similarly high-quality layouts at MRS - including one I last saw 20 years ago there, that was a long wait but worth it!

Was the Blair Atholl layout there?

 

[hexagon789]

Was the Blair Atholl layout there?

Yes, that was the one I was alluding to. I believe it was last there in 2002, and I have some photos of myself at the 2002 show - so presumably I would've seen it there.

It is a magnificent layout and plenty of photos were taken!

My friend who went with me was called into action as an emergency rerailer, TWICE! Some slight issues with getting the boards level at the joins I think.

 

[Cowley]

Yes, that was the one I was alluding to. I believe it was last there in 2002, and I have some photos of myself at the 2002 show - so presumably I would've seen it there.

It is a magnificent layout and plenty of photos were taken!

It’s a superb layout and it’s been around for years. I remember looking at it in a magazine when I was young!

My friend who went with me was called into action as an emergency rerailer, TWICE! Some slight issues with getting the boards level at the joins I think.

Why didn’t they ask you..?

 

[hexagon789]

It’s a superb layout and it’s been around for years. I remember looking at it in a magazine when I was young!

I actually was reacquainted with it via a thread on rmweb asking after it a few years ago. It seemed familiar and the backstory led me it's website which in turn led me to video footage of it from MRS '02.

Why didn’t they ask you..?

He was closer to the action

I did offer my expert advice in other ways - telling them which bogie was off!

 

[takno]

It’s the Exeter show towards the end of June and it’ll be our first show for three years (for obvious reasons).

I usually try to get down to my parents around then. Might manage to pop in if the timings work out. This freedom to travel again thing still feels strange...

 

[Iskra]

That is a long mail train! Liking the inclusion of the composite passenger coach in the formation too!

 

[Cowley]

That is a long mail train! Liking the inclusion of the composite passenger coach in the formation too!

Yes that was a bit of an SR thing when you could travel on a mail train in the wee hours of the morning back in the day.

I usually try to get down to my parents around then. Might manage to pop in if the timings work out. This freedom to travel again thing still feels strange...

It’d be great to meet you @takno. I should be able to offer you a cup of tea and a drive of a train if you say hello.

 

[Peter C]

Me too. Especially one that takes a while to go past.
I made a reference to the Red Bank Parcels services in the video. Those often had a great variety of vans:

View attachment 111260
(The photo didn’t embed properly but it’s by John Turner circa 1970)

That certainly does look like a lovely mix of vans. There's probably a thread in there somewhere - "What was the longest/most varied mail train?'
I've only just got round to watching the video, I must admit - my apologies - but it's brilliant to see the whole mail train in action. Especially with all those different angles!

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

That certainly does look like a lovely mix of vans. There's probably a thread in there somewhere - "What was the longest/most varied mail train?'
I've only just got round to watching the video, I must admit - my apologies - but it's brilliant to see the whole mail train in action. Especially with all those different angles!

-Peter

Thanks Peter. I might start that thread at some point actually. I think I know the answer but it’d be interesting to see what comes up…

Erm, I may have had one too many glasses of wine last night and ordered this from Osborns Models in Bideford.



This is what it comes with, I’ll be weathering the life out of the 47 before it goes anywhere near the railway, it’s the first thing I’ve bought with half an eye on modelling the West of England line:



I really need to get a breathalyser attachment for this phone.

 

[Gloster]

Why do we appear to be seeing the back of the signal box? Although it does look as though it may be a GER/LNER design, which would go with the locos if they are Stratford’s finest, as they appear. And yes, Stratford’s finest did reach Devon, if not often.

 

[reddragon]

Thanks Peter. I might start that thread at some point actually. I think I know the answer but it’d be interesting to see what comes up…

Erm, I may have had one too many glasses of wine last night and ordered this from Osborns Models in Bideford.

View attachment 111336

This is what it comes with, I’ll be weathering the life out of the 47 before it goes anywhere near the railway, it’s the first thing I’ve bought with half an eye on modelling the West of England line:

View attachment 111337

I really need to get a breathalyser attachment for this phone.

I've been on that train!

 

[Cowley]

Why do we appear to be seeing the back of the signal box? Although it does look as though it may be a GER/LNER design, which would go with the locos if they are Stratford’s finest, as they appear. And yes, Stratford’s finest did reach Devon, if not often.

I didn’t notice that when I was posting it. Here’s a better photo of the box:


It’s based on Downham Market signalbox.
Yes I had runs behind most of the Network Southeast 47s down here but surprisingly not this one. 47576, 47579 and 47582 were all locos that I travelled behind around Exeter though.

I've been on that train!

I never managed to make it out to Cambridge when it was still loco hauled unfortunately. Although I did manage a run from Liverpool Street to Colchester behind 47580.

 

[John Webb]

For comparison, Downham Market box in 2014:
Downham Market - Signal Box

© Copyright Dave Bevis and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
(Click on photo to go to the larger original.)