Corbs' Cobbling - Is it electric?

[Corbs]

Ahh thanks for the info! I wanted to add some compartment identifying numbers to the doors so that is very helpful. Coaches are a bit of a blind spot for me, I've not really looked into them much before. What year would these have been built in?

If I need to move their arrival date earlier I suppose I could use the 'requisitioned by the WD during construction' ruse that managed to get an LBSC tank to the North West

Interesting to see the roof furniture, too. Makes a big difference.

[Compound2632]

These carriages were built in 1908/9 for the Midland's Birmingham area suburban services, i.e. to Walsall and Wolverhampton via Water Orton, down the Gloucester loop line to Redditch, Evesham and Ashchurch, and to Kings Norton via the Birmingham West Suburban or Camp Hill lines, with some doing a circle via Lifford. The sets with the composites, D551, and four-compartment third brakes, D552, seem to have been used almost entirely on the Gloucester loop line - presumably the larger luggage/parcels/milk space and lower proportion of first class compartments reflected the more rural traffic.

 

Two of the composites and one of the third brakes had been motor fitted (LMS-speak for push-pull) "by 1931", and many coaches of the other diagrams (the six-compartment third brakes, thirds, and firsts) were transferred away from Birmingham to the LT&S section in 1933. This probably reflects the date at which new stock was provided for the Birmingham suburban area. They were all withdrawn in the late 40s and early 50s. I note you've left the footboards off the bogies, which is correct for 30s condition.

 

I think you could safely assume that another composite + third brake pair was transferred to the north-west in the early 30s, possibly to supplement the ex-Midland electric stock around Morecambe or maybe for branch workings on the Furness section, and the then hired or sold to the NWR. What was the relationship between the NWR and its mainland neighbour? Evidently it remained independent at Grouping, though we know that it became a rather independent-minded region of British Railways. In pre-grouping days, it clearly had strong Furness and Midland links - when Gordon goes to London, he's dismayed at not going to Kings Cross but St. Pancras.

 

Presumably CBL and ABL speak in ladylike Worcestershire/Gloucestershire tones (think Archers) rather than Brummie.

 

Refs:

R.E. Lacy and George Dow, Midland Railway Carriages, Vol. 2 (Wild Swan, 1986).

Midland Railway Passenger Train Marshalling Arrangements from October 2nd, 1922 (Midland Railway Study Centre, item no. 00625).

Edited January 14, 2018 by Compound2632

[Corbs]

Thanks again! Lots of food for thought.

In this alternate take on Awdry's universe I've changed quite a few things, for example:

-Much of the development of the island has been backdated, so more railway expansion in the Victorian period

-The 2 constituent companies of the NWR are the Sodor and Mainland Railway (which doesn't fail in this version but operates trains using hired FR motive power and has a ferry service from Vicarstown-Barrow) and the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway (which by 1915 runs Brendam-Tidmouth)

-The TK&F (instead of the TK&E) stays independent until the 1923 grouping, when it is absorbed by its big blue neighbour

-Because of the cordial links between the S&MR and the FR, the FR remain friendly with the NWR but the MR/LMS see it as a competitor and they do not get on. The LMS contests the decision for the NWR to retain running powers to Lakeside and Carnforth at the grouping, which sours things a bit.

-The NWR doesn't get absorbed into BR in 1947, much like the IoMR did not, due to the interesting politics of the island which I won't go in to here (blatant hand waving but it suits me)

 

Your explanation of how these two had navigated their way North suits me just fine! Perhaps the LMS was happy enough to offload some tired stock to it's little neighbour.

 

Going on from your post I found some interesting info on Motor-Fitted stock here

http://glostransporthistory.visit-gloucestershire.co.uk/Push%20Pull%20YTT.html

[LNWR18901910]

Another Restored Ratio coach, ABL joins CBL fresh out of the paintshop. I do like the red side quite a lot and may do the mainline stock to match.

 

The roof hasn't been fixed down, my plan is to add some suggestion of an interior.

fullsizeoutput_2791.jpeg

 

fullsizeoutput_2790.jpeg

 

Mikkel - Here is a rushed close up of the window on the new coach, I didn't use as much glue on this one but you can see a bit around the edges.

IMG_4269.JPG

 

Here's the older one with more spillage.

IMG_4270.JPG

Actually, that's a good project! Besides, they look better in the books than on the TV screen.

[Compound2632]

Actually, that's a good project! Besides, they look better in the books than on the TV screen.

 

In Dalby's illustrations, they are clearly bogie coaches, though conforming to his rather standardised view of what a coach looks like - no panelling and an elliptical roof, also end-lights to brake compartments a la LNWR. I'm intrigued by the orangey colour he gives them - is that a non-technical artist's record of the appearance of faded BR crimson carriages?

[Corbs]

Yeah that's why I went for the browniest bright red that I could find on the shelf at Halfords, and a more subdued brown for the other side> I feared the lurid orange may have been too much of a contrast!

[HonestTom]

In Dalby's illustrations, they are clearly bogie coaches, though conforming to his rather standardised view of what a coach looks like - no panelling and an elliptical roof, also end-lights to brake compartments a la LNWR. I'm intrigued by the orangey colour he gives them - is that a non-technical artist's record of the appearance of faded BR crimson carriages?

 

I wondered if it was meant to be teak, or the closest he could get while working to the constraints of such small pictures.

[Compound2632]

I wondered if it was meant to be teak, or the closest he could get while working to the constraints of such small pictures.

 

Or, it did occur to me, LNER brown.

[Corbs]

Trying to get back into doing some modelling. The FR K2 is on hold until I can remember to pick up the phone during daylight hours and order some gibson wheels (unless anyone knows of somewhere I can order them and just click a button to do it without having to talk to another human?).

 

The Ratio coaches need some seats making.

 

So... time to rip something apart.

 

The long-suffering Pugbash, TK&F No.5, has been a guinea pig for lots of experiments, but has never really run well, partly due to being bodged over and over again, partly the shortcomings of the pug chassis.

I'd been mulling about changing the chassis. A while ago, I panic-bought several Electrotren shunters purely for the chassis. The other 2 TK&F locos both use them and I like them, they are quite no-nonsense, robust things.

This means changing the loco from a 2-4-0T to an 0-6-0T, the original was meant to be something like a stretched version of the Dübs 'General Don' or 'Clevedon' as used on the WC&PR, the three coupled axle version is more akin to some other locos, like the Lambourn Valley Railway 'Earlswith', built by Chapman and Furneaux:

 

or the Hunslets on the Padarn Railway

 

or this thing

 

 

It may remain a Dübs though, not yet made up my mind!

 

A significant amount of material needed to be removed from the underside, including a large amount of lead some genius decided to stick in the boiler.

 

 

The old haggard chassis on the left. The Rx will be reused.

 

Posed on the new chassis.

 

Some more fettling to get it to sit right is needed, then I can relocate the couplings, add frame extensions, yadda yadda yadda.

[Corbs]

Right, the electrotren chassis replacement has been superb. No.5 now runs better than ever. I may recycle some bits from the old chassis to try and get my little 'Par' style Bagnall up and running. Just waiting on some extra long Kadee NEM couplings to see how much I need to modify the rear socket.

 

For my main NWR project, one of the favourity characters of the books was Duck (or Montague), a GWR 57xx pannier tank.

He'll get his own history write-up at some point, but I decided I could not have him in his home colours once he had been purchased. So a colour change was called for!

Waiting for the paint to harden before I plunge into lining and lettering but I quite like it so far.

 

 

I think he deserves a copper cap like the other NWR locos, though...

[Dave John]

A couple of pannier tanks even ended up in Scotland. 

 

I notice that you have "Revell contacta " on the bench. So thats two of us that use it a lot. Odd stuff, but smells of lemons and tastes sweet. Which leads me to think its a limonene compound in a gel. I really like it as a plastic glue, it is slow and gives enough time to adjust stuff. Unlike the liquid solvents it stays put, MEK like things just flow all over and set too fast.  

 

Anyway, enough of glue tasting, good to see you chopping stuff up Corbs.

[Corbs]

A couple of pannier tanks even ended up in Scotland. 

 

I notice that you have "Revell contacta " on the bench. So thats two of us that use it a lot. Odd stuff, but smells of lemons and tastes sweet. Which leads me to think its a limonene compound in a gel. I really like it as a plastic glue, it is slow and gives enough time to adjust stuff. Unlike the liquid solvents it stays put, MEK like things just flow all over and set too fast.  

 

Anyway, enough of glue tasting, good to see you chopping stuff up Corbs.

Yes it's brilliant stuff, definitely one of the better plastic glues. I had a eureka moment a while back when I had managed to let the glue solidify in the metal part of the applicator. Previously I had tried to trim it down with mixed results, but in this instance I just held the soldering iron to the metal tip for a few seconds - hey presto! Clear again!

Much nicer than some of the cyanoacrylate stuff which makes my eyes sting and sticks everything to my fingers.

[Corbs]

The heresies continue on the workbench this evening....

 

 

Fiddly lining on the 'peacetime' side done. Just letting it dry before doing the 'austerity' side and refitting the handrails.

[Budgie]

Shouldn't the safety valve cover be brass, rather than copper?

[Mikkel]

The foundations of Paddington are trembling, and the moans of a thousand painters can be heard in the streets of Swindon.

 

I rather like the blue though. And as long as there's a copper cap...

[Corbs]

Shouldn't the safety valve cover be brass, rather than copper?

Yes.... I should get some brass paint

[Sandhole]

Yes it's brilliant stuff, definitely one of the better plastic glues. I had a eureka moment a while back when I had managed to let the glue solidify in the metal part of the applicator. Previously I had tried to trim it down with mixed results, but in this instance I just held the soldering iron to the metal tip for a few seconds - hey presto! Clear again!

Much nicer than some of the cyanoacrylate stuff which makes my eyes sting and sticks everything to my fingers.

Thanks for that tip. I had the same problem with the spout.

[timbowilts]

Right, the electrotren chassis replacement has been superb. No.5 now runs better than ever. I may recycle some bits from the old chassis to try and get my little 'Par' style Bagnall up and running. Just waiting on some extra long Kadee NEM couplings to see how much I need to modify the rear socket.

IMG_4648.JPG

 

For my main NWR project, one of the favourity characters of the books was Duck (or Montague), a GWR 57xx pannier tank.

He'll get his own history write-up at some point, but I decided I could not have him in his home colours once he had been purchased. So a colour change was called for!

Waiting for the paint to harden before I plunge into lining and lettering but I quite like it so far.

 

IMG_4647.JPG

 

I think he deserves a copper cap like the other NWR locos, though...

I have to say that that pannier looks very nice in blue, even though I’m a dedicated follower of Wiltshire Wizardry

 

Tim T

[LNWR18901910]

The heresies continue on the workbench this evening....

 

IMG_4694.JPG

IMG_4696.JPG

 

Fiddly lining on the 'peacetime' side done. Just letting it dry before doing the 'austerity' side and refitting the handrails.

Very interesting. It is reminiscent of the NCB locomotives.

[Compound2632]

I'm not so sure about blue but I'm glad to find I'm not alone in believing that the smartest pannier livery is red, lined yellow and black. 

[LNWR18901910]

I'm not so sure about blue but I'm glad to find I'm not alone in believing that the smartest pannier livery is red, lined yellow and black. 

Seen one Pannier, seen them all - still, there are some nice models of it.

[Compound2632]

Seen one Pannier, seen them all - still, there are some nice models of it.

 

Is LNWR livey any better?

 

Edited February 9, 2018 by Compound2632

[LNWR18901910]

Is LNWR livey any better?

 

Hugh_llewelyn_9600_(6116280147).jpg

Now that is reminiscent of the old company itself! I like it, I really do.

[Corbs]

Nearly done on this side!

Edited February 10, 2018 by Corbs

[LNWR18901910]

IMG_4730.JPG

 

Nearly done on this side!

Well I never! You did some good work, there. I hope it runs well.