Sunday Variety

Now fbb in his elderly naivety, always thought that a “shunting tractor” was a tractor used for shunting, as above or in model form below.

It is true that such vehicles were often used at industrial premises where the occasional movement of wagons did not justify a “proper” rail mounted locomotive.

But in full sized railway parlance, a “shunting tractor” can be a small rail mounted diesel,  performing the same function as the road-wheeled item already illustrated.

But, until recently, fbb had never come across one like this.

It is, fbb assures his readers, a powered locomotive and, on some Eurpoean railway systems in this case Germany, it was used to shunt single wagons. Or perhaps a few empty wagons.

And the equally weirdo enthusiast news is that it is available from Italian firm Rivarossi (a Hornby company) as a working HO model. 

As you would expect, it is very small.

fbb really means VERY small indeed.

It is ludicrously small …

… and it comes with directional headlights – which are also small.

Were fbb thinking of buying one to lose in the piles of junk under his layout or perhaps to be crushed under foot …

… Frome Model Centre has on in stock. How much?

How much?

It wuld take a finiancial Miracle for fbb to have enough dosh to justify even thinking about buying one!

The fbbs’monthly fellowship meetings come round again, surely moreoften than once a month – it does seem like itat times.

In Setember we are looking at the Miracles in Mark’s Gospel chapters 4 and 5.

A lot of rubbish is talked about the Miracles as recorded in the Bible. IF there is a God, an entity outside of human space and time and not restricted by human science and technology (that’s what it says on the God-tin) then of course Miracles are both possible and real.

Trying to explain them is a pointless, almost a fatuous task!

The first part of the fbbs’ leaflet is far less contentious; a series of examples (?) of what would have been “Miracles” only a few decades ago.

Route One magazine has just completed its annual (?) awards for best liverry.

The big bus winner is Brighton and Hove …

… for its Coaster livery applied to buses running etween Brighton and Eastbourne.

Edwards Coaches gets a prize for its terrifying Welsh Dragon.

You had better cover the eyes of young children, capable of tears of fear in response to this monster.

Best small bus is this …

… from Star coaches.

Livery is such a personal matter with a whole range of opinions. fbb. for example, is not in love with any of these winners.

Any blog readers want to offer fbb their “best livery”? Email pictures to

All pictures will be acknowledged.

Oxford Diecast (based in Swansea) offers a wide range of 1:43 models suitable for the growing range of “O” gauge model railways. A Recent offer is for six of their rollers.

And the price? Less than £10 a car. That might seem a lot in the mind of an old codger like fbb, but it is really good value.

The models are simpy superb!

What started as a mini information blog has grown somewhat and will be published in full omorrow. In the meantime a bit of fbb nostalgia. In his youth, a teenage fbb would wait excitedly for the tinkling loudspeaker sound from Gallone’s weekly visit to the vilage of little Billing.

The ice cream was very different from Walls or Lyons as it tasted fresh and wholesome, not sweet and plastic. A “99” (cone with flake) was a real treat.

But families like Gallone, Colpi, Nardini, Jaconelli, Capaldi (etc.) have their heriage locations throughout the Uk but especially in Scotland.

Tomorrow the name is …

… Rossi!

Not only has fbb unglued his misplaced sliding doors and repainted the light oak panelling, but he has bought some packs of very thin plastic strip. Expect further enhancements to the new corridor “wall”!

A more “normal” bus blog will follow tomorrow; with an ice cream topping??

 Next Ice Cream Bus blog : Monday 19th Aug.