Fen End Pit's Blog

David,

 

I would not worry too much about the fitted wagon forming the head of the train, when first introduced the NCB shunters backed by their union refused to couple up the fitted stock so a compromise position was taken and they ran as unfitted anywhere in the train! Not sure when all this occured but I distincly remember reading it and there are loads of photos to back it up.

 

Cheers Tony

David,I would not worry too much about the fitted wagon forming the head of the train, when first introduced the NCB shunters backed by their union refused to couple up the fitted stock so a compromise position was taken and they ran as unfitted anywhere in the train! Not sure when all this occured but I distincly remember reading it and there are loads of photos to back it up.Cheers Tony

I've read a couple of notes that when they did couple them up they tended to leave the instanters in the 'long' position or not do up the screws and break the pipes anyway. Cardiff docks had great big metal beams between the rails too for the coal hoists that happily stripped all of the fittings off the bottom too!

 

 

With the slope sider the sides were actually one piece of bent metal as built and do there wasn't a join between the slope and the upright section, its where the later 'fixed' Bachmann release (not the early one with the odd proportions) scores over Parkside. Some were later plated up to the bend line anyway though.