Count Binface And The Toy Trains

I never expected model railways and politics to collide in such a media spotlight, but here we are, and it's happening in, of all places, Clacton.

Many years ago, before anyone beyond private school alumni and city traders had heard of Nigel Farage, I was starting my career in journalism in that corner of Essex.

And like all well-trained reporters I do my research on the candidates in a by-election.

This unscheduled contest looks very much like it will be, in Essex - sorry, essence - a head-to-head between the aforementioned Mr Farage - by now much better known - and what until now has been considered an amusing fringe candidate known as Count Binface.

Except this time the Count would appear to be in with a 50/50 chance of getting elected to the mother of parliaments.

And this has what to do with our own spoof layout feature, a model of former Vale of Rhiedol brake van 2 in BR blue?

Well, my research shows that in previous elections he's stood in one of Count Binface's manifesto pledges as been to 'Nationalise Model Railways (and Adele)'.

And in election after election he insists that he stands by his previous manifestos.

So now that our dear hobby is at the centre of the political debate in the UK the question is what legislation would you like to see brought forward to reform railway modelling?

A legal requirement for all manufacturers to offer a no-frills, low-cost version of every new model?

A maximum RRP for a non-powered model like a carriage or wagon?

In the wake of the KR Models saga perhaps some greater protection around crowdfunding, or pre-orders?

A law to force a return to proper British TT standards?   (I put that in for our Engineering Consultant - it's a bit of a soapbox issue for him....)

Let's be hearing your suggestions!

Dark Side Of The Van

I've hit a snag in my effort to complete the transfers on the WHHR / VofR brake van - I don't know what the other side looks like!

All the pictures of it I've seen in its current BR blue livery are taken from the platform side and they show the stickers for the Midland Region running number on the right hand of the double doors.

The question is, where are they on the other side?

Are they also on the door? Perhaps the left hand one also at the Pen-y-mount end of the carriage? Or is it also on the right hand side of the carriage, in the big panel at the Porthmadog end?

Also, where is the 2 running number at the uphill end? In the top right hand corner of the lower panel as it is at the end with the windows?

Any confirmation from a reader - ideally with photographic evidence - would be much appreciated.

Iconic

It was only a few moments work but it's amazing what a difference one small transfer can make to the appearance of the WHHR van - it really sets it off.

It got me thinking a little about the old 'arrows of indecision' and how it really is quite a remarkable piece of functional art, and perhaps we are beginning to appreciate that again.

When I was young in the 70s and 80s it seemed to symbolise dire standards of service

But perhaps more than half a century after it first appeared there is a growing awareness that it is one of the most effective corporate logos which has ever been created.

Consider how there is still nothing else in this country that so instantly says train or railway.

I've recently been involved in rebranding a local sports club and the process of choosing a new logo gave me a new appreciation of the qualities of the old double arrow.

It is remarkably simple, bold and adaptable, and we've never come close to anything else on the railway that works so well again, it's closest rival perhaps being the Intercity swallow?

All the more remarkable is that it was created towards the end of the 1960's when it was replacing an ultra-traditional logo drawing on the heraldic tradition.

What a brave and far-sighted decision it was to go for that new look.

I think there's a lot of simplistic, idealistic and downright disingenuous nonsense talked by the 'Bring Back British Rail' campaigns sometimes, but we do need to give credit for many of the things that monolithic organisation got right, and did better than any of its successors have so far managed.