Our web-site is back!

After some technical difficulties this web-site is back. My apologises for not paying the bill in time. It is a very interesting exercise in setting up a re-tag. I had no problems with the two year renewal at Nominet, but then my difficulties began with the service provider. For three weeks their system that automatically sets up the re-tracker system failed me. After some very expensive phone calls and many e-mails we came back on the air last week.. Incidentally how would you spell miniature?  (a) miniature  (b) miniature no prizes for the answer.
I was hoping to complete the revised history pages, but time always seemed to run out. It has been all on to keep the web-site up to date for the Thorne Memorial Park Miniature Railway. (Click here if you wish to visit it). I ventured out to a computer store the other day to purchase a new website programme. I have had a quick look through it, there are some templates that might be useful, some are more ideal for today's pop scene. Just for the time being I will keep using my Microsoft Publisher programme, but watch this space.
Finally after trudging on using the old "Dog and Bone" , telephone line which operated at speed of about 28kbps, if I was lucky occasionally it would even reach the dizzy heights 111kbs,  I finally took the plunge and set up a broadband connection via Tiscali. Now 2.3Mbps are achieved this makes down loading the websites much easier for example on average down loading the Thorne railway site on the old dial up connection it could take up to 25 minutes to reload the site, now it takes about 7 minutes. I will be interested to find out how long it takes now using the broadband connection.

The electric locomotive Reg has now been repainted for the second time between 2004 and 2005. The locomotive was purchased by myself and my brother in-law Ron in 1996. In 1998, Ron sold his share of the locomotive to Martin who then in turn sold his share to me making me the sole owner until its transfer to Thorne. In 2003 Stuart purchased the locomotive and completely refurbished the electric wiring and gave it a new coat of paint. The locomotive was originally painted in Humbrol maroon, Stuart then repainted it using Japlac Red. In 2005 a complete change saw it go into Japlac Racing Green, plus the black and yellow stripes back and front. Stuart has also added ventilation grills on both sides.  All of the locomotives that operated on the SMR and now at Thorne Park have been hand-built by their original owners, giving them a certain uniqueness and individuality.

The slide show  "The History of the Sandtoft Miniature Railway Group" that was completed in February 2005 has now received two showings in Doncaster, already there are two more bookings for this presentation one being in 2006 an another for 2007. The presentation like the "100 years of  Public Transport In Doncaster" will no doubt be revised yet again. Already I am on to the fourth arrangement and fifth will be underway later in 2008.