Model Rail 227 October 2016

[Budgie]

But the underlying point is that a ton of gold weighs the same as a ton of mail bags and a ton of feathers - it was the total load that was relevant, not what comprised it. One presumes that the 'typical' amount of mail was being carried by the vessel for onward fast transfer and that the addition of the gold was within the overall capacity of that regular working.

Really? 1 ton = 2240 pounds. 1 pound of gold = 373 grams, whereas 1 pound of mailbags or feathers = 454 grams.

Edited September 27, 2016 by Budgie

[Pint of Adnams]

Really? 1 ton = 2240 pounds. 1 pound of gold = 373 grams, whereas 1 pound of mailbags or feathers = 454 grams.

But the railways do not use Troy weights when calculating train loads - in those days they stuck with real-world Avoirdupois.

[dibber25]

Too much maths here. I don't do maths. I just thought it might be interesting to know whether there was a huge amount of gold bullion on the train or not. The fact remains that there was 'some' bullion on the train and it therefore seems likely that the GWR would have provided a bullion van to carry it. Why else have bullion vans? (CJL)

[The Stationmaster]

Too much maths here. I don't do maths. I just thought it might be interesting to know whether there was a huge amount of gold bullion on the train or not. The fact remains that there was 'some' bullion on the train and it therefore seems likely that the GWR would have provided a bullion van to carry it. Why else have bullion vans? (CJL)

 

For some obscure, and no doubt long forgotten, reason they were referred to on the western as 'noil' vans (phonetic spelling, I never saw it written down).  Each van had two sets of keys which were kept in the Stationmaster's offices at Paddington and when a van was sent anywhere for loading or unloading one set of keys was sent separately by passenger train as a 'Value' package. The idea of having two sets of keys was partly for security - so there were never any keys travelling on the same train as a bullion van - and also in case one set got lost - which did happen occasionally. 

 

By the mid 1960s the most frequent movement seems to have been between Avonmouth and London and the important trick at Paddington was to make sure the arriving train went into the correct platform (usually No.9 or No.10) but sometimes that didn't happen and some shunting ensued after the passengers had detrained.  

 

Oddly (?) when the decimal coinage was being minted and when 50p pieces were worth stealing they were forwarded to London with virtually no security at all in ordinary passenger brakevans although I doubt many people realised the small oil drums they happened to see being unloaded contained rather a lot of money.

[Pint of Adnams]

The website steamindex.com is a veritable source of sources - i.e. for those wishing to locate an article, book, or material about a railway subject. An entry for Backtrack volume 18 number 4 (April 2004) - Book Reviews - reads as follows:

 

City of Truro – main line centenarian. Michael Rutherford. Friends NRM. MB *****
The return to steam of this iconic GWR locomotive this year to mark the centenary of its epic running gives the opportunity for this well- known Backtrack author not only to pay it a deserved tribute but also to put its origins and its legendary performance into proper historical context. To that end the author reviews the broad gauge legacy and the development of GWR locomotives under the celebrated G.J. Churchward, leading to the company's modernisation plans at the turn of the nineteenth century: the Severn Tunnel, the Badminton line and the long-distance non-stop runs made possible after the abolition of the obligatory Swindon refreshment stop and the laying of water troughs. City of Truro's exploits are bound up with the story of ocean liners and the mail traffic; a valuable chapter is therefore given over to examining the history of this traffic, the competition with the LSWR which ensued and misconceptions which have long endured. One of the myths persistently surrounding the engine's record run of 9th May 1904 was that the Ocean Mails Special was carrying gold bullion from the US government destined for the French government but the author reveals that this was one of a number of errors made by the train timer Charles Rous-Marten; the gold quite logically stayed on the ship to Cherbourg. Rous-Marten's timekeeping methods were certainly suspect. The record for which Truro should justly be credited was for the overall time between Plymouth and Bristol; there is no evidence to support various claims for a speed of 100mph having been attained for the first time and the author maintains that the locomotive would not have been capable of it on the day. Fortunately, those claims, however spurious, ensured that City of Truro survived to be preserved in 1931 and then to make three returns to the stage in steaming order to delight new generations. This is a well- compiled book (a companion to previous works on NRM locos Duchess of Hamilton, Mallard and Green Arrow) with plenty of information and pictures and, most importantly, it sets a number of records straight. And as a bonus(!), readers get a glimpse of both the author and BT's editor — if they should so want!

 

http://www.steamindex.com/backtrak/bt18.htm

 

I have highlighted the highly pertinent text in red.

Edited September 28, 2016 by Pint of Adnams

[dibber25]

......but the 'myth' (if that's what is was) is so much more exciting! (CJL)

[Pint of Adnams]

......but the 'myth' (if that's what is was) is so much more exciting! (CJL)

But having printed what now certainly appears to be terminological inexactitudes, Model Rail is guilty of perverting history even if done in good faith; nothing less than a correction in the next issue is called for. It is not as if the information were not already out there and accessible for the purposes of verification.

[Steamport Southport]

I think the fact that the book quoted in post #30 was written for the NRM speaks volumes.

 

City Of Truro may or may not have achieved 100 MPH on that occasion, but there are plenty of accounts of trains being timed at very close to that speed before 1904. Many of them pulled by locomotives far more antiquated than COT. Midland Spinners and Stirling Singles were timed above 90 MPH. Broad gauge trains were even getting upwards of 80 MPH in the 1850s. Trains were being timed at above 70 MPH average speed during the Races To The North. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_to_the_North

 

So to say that COT was incapable of achieving 100 MPH is revisionist nonsense IMO.

 

 

Jason

[dibber25]

But having printed what now certainly appears to be terminological inexactitudes, Model Rail is guilty of perverting history even if done in good faith; nothing less than a correction in the next issue is called for. It is not as if the information were not already out there and accessible for the purposes of verification.

 

In the words of John McEnroe "You cannot be serious!" (CJL)

[dibber25]

I think the fact that the book quoted in post #30 was written for the NRM speaks volumes.

 

City Of Truro may or may not have achieved 100 MPH on that occasion, but there are plenty of accounts of trains being timed at very close to that speed before 1904. Many of them pulled by locomotives far more antiquated than COT. Midland Spinners and Stirling Singles were timed above 90 MPH. Broad gauge trains were even getting upwards of 80 MPH in the 1850s. Trains were being timed at above 70 MPH average speed during the Races To The North. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_to_the_North

 

So to say that COT was incapable of achieving 100 MPH is revisionist nonsense IMO.

 

 

Jason

If we say CoT did not achieve the ton, we give the first 100mph to the Americans, who will have no such reservations about their equally questionable first 'ton' (1909, I think it was). If we're REALLY keen to debunk CoT's reputation, there's always the story of how the GWR substituted City of Bath as the preserved engine because it was in better condition....... But, for me, there's nothing quite like the sight of City of Truro in full flight and I could easily believe that a dyed-in-the-wool old GWR driver pushed her hard enough to reach that speed. He would, of course, have had no idea what speed he was actually doing. It's a subject that will be argued about as long as there are people interested in trains. (CJL)

[Pete2210]

Shelvington is great, but shame that 1206 was off the road...leading axle

Edited September 28, 2016 by Pete2210

[jjb1970]

Any reservations about the CoT doing 100mph must pale into insignificance next to some of the claims made for the admittedly magnificent looking T1 duplex 4-4-4-4 locomotives of the PRR. The T1 is possibly the only steamer I like as much as the Bulleid pacifics, a wonderful looking design but I do think some of the performance claims are a little OTT.

[Butler Henderson]

Shelvington is great, but shame that 1206 was off the road...leading axle

Not too unusual event with a photoshoot, stock is typically manhandled around rather than being ran.

[dibber25]

Not too unusual event with a photoshoot, stock is typically manhandled around rather than being ran.

Very true. It's the only way to do a shoot within a reasonable amount of time. However, we would normally spot a derailed wheelset and its amazing what you can do in Photoshop! Either that, or we'd choose a different picture, but the problem then is that if its derailed in one shot, it'll be derailed in all of them. (CJL)

[irishmail]

I am still awaiting my subscription copy.  It has been in the shops here in Ireland now for over a week.  I thought that if you were a subscriber you got the issue before it was in the shops.

 

Called Bauer customer services yesterday and was told that it has been sent out and that non UK subscribers copies are sent out 11 days afterwards!!!   This I find strange as UK to Ireland with Royal Mail / Anpost  is normally on average 3 -5 days. 

 

When I took out the subscription, the conformation stated that it would run from issue 227 and I should receive it on or around the 22/9/16.   There is a note that for EU it  will be 3/5 days for delivery.  So counting 5 working days I would have expected it last week.

 

Now considering cancelling my subscription.

[Ruffnut Thorston]

HST "Masterclass" Download....

 

Is it just me?

 

I went through the process to download the "15 pages" (as stated in the boxout with the link in MR).

 

Only thing is, the two downloads I have are only 4 pages worth. (.pdf files)

 

Two douple page spreads.

 

One of detail photos of bits of HST, the other about HST Formations...

 

Where are the other pages hidden?

[walrus]

HST "Masterclass" Download....

 

Is it just me?

 

I went through the process to download the "15 pages" (as stated in the boxout with the link in MR).

 

Only thing is, the two downloads I have are only 4 pages worth. (.pdf files)

 

Two douple page spreads.

 

One of detail photos of bits of HST, the other about HST Formations...

 

Where are the other pages hidden?

 

Sarah

 

There are 4 downloads on the page. The ''HST History... ' is 9 pages. The other three are 2 pages each. Hope this helps.

[Ruffnut Thorston]

Thanks....

 

It was only shewing two downloads when I was there first time.....now shewing the 4 downloads!

[EddieB]

I was prompted to obtain this magazine as a back issue in the light of this thread: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/122580-can-anyone-identify-this-2-2-2-loco-please/?p=2713816 for the article about the 1951 Festival of Britain, and the French locomotive in particular.

 

Was there any following up concerning the Festival of Britain in subsequent issues?  As the author suggests the coverage of this event has been patchy (the same goes for most similar British and International fairs and exhibitions, going back to the Great Exhibition of 1851), and that it is good to see an attempt made to document the showcased displays.  But I have to say that casting a little wider enquiry and research could have left fewer loose ends and added a lot of weight (feathers or gold!) to the piece that was published.

Edited May 17, 2017 by EddieB

[dibber25]

I was prompted to obtain this magazine as a back issue in the light of this thread: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/122580-can-anyone-identify-this-2-2-2-loco-please/?p=2713816 for the article about the 1951 Festival of Britain, and the French locomotive in particular.

 

Was there any following up concerning the Festival of Britain in subsequent issues?  As the author suggests the coverage of this event has been patchy (the same goes for most similar British and International fairs and exhibitions, going back to the Great Exhibition of 1851), and that it is good to see an attempt made to document the showcased displays.  But I have to say that casting a little wider enquiry and research could have left fewer loose ends and added a lot of weight (feathers or gold!) to the piece that was published.

 

There's a finite amount of time that can be spent on researching any article and there's a certain law that says, no matter how much time you spend, something else interesting will come to light after you've gone to press. (CJL)

[EddieB]

There's a finite amount of time that can be spent on researching any article and there's a certain law that says, no matter how much time you spend, something else interesting will come to light after you've gone to press. (CJL)

Yes, I'm sure that happens - but (for example) the "mystery" of the French loco was solved within a day of posting the original question on the linked thread in my post. There is widespread knowledge and resource here and among specialist groups, who would be only too happy to share - rather than come across as "Tommy-know-alls" after an incomplete article has been rushed into print. (See also Rail article on Gas Turbines).

[dibber25]

Yes, I'm sure that happens - but (for example) the "mystery" of the French loco was solved within a day of posting the original question on the linked thread in my post. There is widespread knowledge and resource here and among specialist groups, who would be only too happy to share - rather than come across as "Tommy-know-alls" after an incomplete article has been rushed into print. (See also Rail article on Gas Turbines).

I'm sure you'll appreciate that there are reasons of confidentiality that would preclude seeking to do research through a forum owned by a rival publication. As to RAIL's gas turbine article, it was done by an outside contributor. Had it been done in house I would almost certainly have known about it and been able to provide the author with the research material I sourced for my Trains Illustrated article. (CJL)