ABC Junction

More EMUs! Lovely to see, but the choices from most manufacturers do seem a bit... un-obvious (Electrostars aside). I'm all in favour of it though - this hobby isn't dying, it's reaching a crescendo in terms of the range and quality of models available.

Slightly gutted to find my onward train from Peterborough was booked to be an IC225 but has been swapped out for an Azuma! Bugger.

Still, my first Azuma experience at long last... Well, never mind.

An LNER Azuma heading north through Sandy, away from the camera, in low golden sunlight.

An LNER Azuma heading north through Sandy, towards the camera, in low golden sunlight.

The leading class 91 locomotive (in RAF Lest We Forget livery) of an LNER IC225 set heading north through Sandy in low golden sunlight.

The trailing DVT of an LNER IC225 set heading north through Sandy, away from the camera, in low golden sunlight.

Deliberately left myself with a slightly long wait at Sandy, and it turned out to be gorgeous autumn sunlight.

A good tip is a good tip. #tmrguk #BSMRGUK

Scene on my layout: a class 87 in Intercity Executive livery leads a train out of the tunnel; a rake of coal hoppers is departing the scene to the right; trees with yellow and orange leaves have been added to the scenery.

Decision made: this layout is set in autumn.

(Red dots are where catenary masts will go.)

#BSMRGUK #TMRGUK

GETS done for another year. Good trade stalls (though surprised not to see Rails!), maybe lacking any wow-factor layouts. Plenty of good ones, of course.

A dish of Tesco's breakfast hash: mini hash browns, posh baked beans and a fried egg. Also a latte in cup and saucer.

Pre-GETS breakfast. (Tesco café, Fenny Stratford, if you ever want a food alternative near the show.)

Thanks - I'll pop along :)

Will you have the same discounts at GETS this weekend?

Platform 2 of Pickering station, gloomy under the station roof, with relief provided by warm light from the train and platform lighting.

Currently on the last northbound train of the day at the NYMR gala, with literally about two other people. Baffles me why after-dark running isn't more popular - it's so atmospheric! (I know the SVR do it - sampled it last year and it was great.)

Not about the event, no. But a web search for LNER A4 and its number (clearly visible in the photo) will throw up plenty about the locomotive, I'm sure.

One of many interesting details in this is the image of the A4 at Alexandra Palace - remarkable to think of such a big engine being run up that tiny branch line!

Train now running 13 down. Hoping we tip past the magic 15 now so I can at least claw some money back.

Will be interested to see how GWR's customer services handle this. Meals are charged separately, so I've not technically paid for anything I've not got (although I only booked 1st class to be sure of a meal). A goodwill gesture would be in order... Let's see!

A very thin bag of ready salted crisps, a plastic-wrapped piece of cake, and a cup of coffee.

So this is my Pullman dining experience. Meals cancelled because of an earlier trespass incident that stopped the staff reaching Paddington apparently. Got an email an hour ago but didn't pick it up until I was actually on the train. Honestly, fuming.

A very thin bag of ready salted crisps, a plastic-wrapped piece of cake, and a cup of coffee.

So this is my Pullman dining experience. Meals cancelled because of an earlier trespass incident that stopped the staff reaching Paddington apparently. Got an email an hour ago but didn't pick it up until I was actually on the train. Honestly, fuming.

I always do a boring tweet about GETS being a landmark in the year, but I do always look forward to it. Fun bit of the autumn starts now and runs to GETS, via a couple of trips away, a steam gala, the local beer festival, and some Parkrun tourism. Bring it on! bsky.app/profile/keym...

A part-drunk pint of beer, in my hand, in the foreground; the arched trains he'd of Paddington station in the background.

My (late) summer holiday starts with a pint at Paddington! Will be sampling the Pullman dining experience once I get underway...

60007 Sir Nigel Gresley and A2 Blue Peter parked line astern, both wearing 1950s British Railways blue livery.

And to finish - bit of blue!

37501 in its British steel livery, with shadows from the girders / roof elements from a building running across it.

Possibly my favourite photo from the day - there was a period when the shadows from the adjacent building played across 37501 delightfully.

Class 150 Sprinter unit in original Regional Railways livery.

They've got Sprinters in preservation now. Well, a Sprinter. This was arguably the defining sight on the railways in my area growing up. Sigh. Still, the paint job is fantastic.

Three-quarter view of 2 foot gauge saddle tank locomotive Trangkil.

Builder's plate on Trangkil, dated 1971.

The common narrative is that British steam locomotive manufacture ended with Evening Star, but of course it continued for export for another decade. Took me a while to twig why this particular loco was top-and-tailing with Prince until I realised it was the true final engine off the production line!

An S-stock unit pulls away from the station on the Harefield Road layout, with a model of Locomotion No.1 in the foreground.

Side-view of the new end section of Harefield Road, with an S-stock train passing over a viaduct section, with bus depot below.

Also enjoyed seeing the ever-changing Harefield Road in person, after following it on YouTube for a long time!

The Prideolino pulls into Milton Keynes Central station on the Making Tracks layout.

A slightly unexpected bonus was being able to get a really good look at Making Tracks without the massive crowds that usually jostle around it (though I was there quite early - saw later on that it did indeed get very busy). It's not just the size that's impressive - the detail really is exquisite.

Class 50 locomotive wearing a vinyl wrap livery that says "So. Many. Trains." in large letters along the side.

So - Greatest Gathering yesterday! I'm not going to spam your timeline with loads of pics - let's be honest, we'll all have taken more or less the same photos, right? But here's a few quick personal highlights for me.

If anyone can identify this individual who today at 1501 helped himself to an N Gauge Graham Farish DCC Sound Fitted Strathclyde Class 108 DMU at the Greatest Gathering event please let us know.

This is where I was going! I bet you couldn't guess!

A class 222 train pulling into a platform.

I'm off on an adventure! But where to? It's such a mystery! You'll never guess!

Got an invoice from Revolution for the second half of the money for their WIA car carrier wagons. Hadn't heard a dickie-bird from them about the project for ages - hopefully they'll turn up soon.

Shame my 175's not here yet. The TfL livery was still current back when I ordered it...

Rail chat seems a bit quiet here compared to there, which is very disappointing. Can't contemplate resuming my Twitter account though - it's ethically indefensible and that's the end of it.