Old Gringo

Thanks 92912 for your answer. I had spent an hour or so yesterday looking for any photographs of changes in colour to the nameplate during 'Britannia's brief 15 years in service. And as luck would have it, whilst looking for any with the background colour of 'Britannia's nameplate in focus, I discovered a photograph of No. 70000 at Neasden, which was made at the time of the naming ceremony by Alfred Barnes, at Marylebone station, in 1951. This picture of No. 70000 complete with red-backed nameplate is at the top of page 16, in 'B.R. Standard Pacifics in Colour', by Peter Swinger, Ian Allan, 1994. Below is another colour photograph of 'Britannia', taken by R.C. Riley on 12th September 1964 at Willesden shed. The caption says, "Still in clean BR Brunswick green . . . with detail differences, etc" - and it still has a red-backed, brass nameplate. Given that No.70000 was withdrawn just eighteen months later, I would suggest that this picture shows the colour of the nameplate upon removal in June 1966. Hope this is useful, All the very best, John

With so much negativity in the stormy January air, some RMwebbers might enjoy a different take on the news of the end of the Warley National model railway exhibition held at the NEC. I began the following notes a week ago, after I'd started thinking back over the last three decades and they are just a few of my personal comments on the show. Warley National Model Railway Exhibition - A Personal Reflection. Like many others, I was saddened by the news of the cancellation. Although, having been a 'country' (careful now it's just another word for associate) member of Warley MRC for many years, it somehow didn't come as quite such a shock. I first met Paul (Jones) while I was helping to operate a super little layout called Carradon Junction*, at the small model railway exhibition held at the National Children's Home in Sutton Coldfield. Paul had been told that I was involved in communications and design and asked me if I could produce a logo to be used for a brand new, 'National' Model Railway Exhibition, that the Warley club were going to hold at the vast NEC complex. Although I don't believe that there is anything really special about the artwork, which combined the Warley MRC 'screw-link motif' into an industrial-style, oval railway works-plate; it was an undated design that has been used over and over again the brand advertising. And it's been a real pleasure to see it used continuously for longer than any of the liveries or motifs used by the 'Big Four' railway companies! I went to that first Warley NEC show in 1993 as a demonstrator ('how to build and ballast track - made using C & L components'), working on a section of a projected East-Lancashire terminus layout, with a small display of Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway locomotives, carriages and wagons. The engines were built by my late friend and long serving Warley member, Barrie Stevenson, from etched-brass kits and they ran for several years on the 'nearly-finished' layout. The ballasting demonstration introduced me to some members of the Stafford club and I ended up designing and ballasting several exhibition layouts with them. Later helping with the planning and staging of the local exhibition, when it moved up to the Stafford County Showground. And as Mick (@Newbryford) has said in an earlier post, "the hardest shows were those attended as a layout exhibitor, wanting to make sure that it all worked just as it should, but with that added pressure at the NEC of the 'National' label". I'd like to add that it's just as true as a demonstrator, hoping that you managed to answer all the questions! And I hope that everyone I've spoken to over the years was satisfied with the explanations I gave and also were encouraged to have a go. In those intervening three decades, I have only missed a couple of NEC exhibitions; attending many times as a demonstrator, or layout operator, on club layouts, Group-builds and my own projects. Regular RMwebbers might remember a few of the layouts: Black Country Blues (The BRM Competition layout), Diesels in the Duchy (Damian Ross's large cameo, inspired by St. Blazey), Stafford Railway Circle's, Littleton Junction and New Haden Colliery layouts: and finally last November, helping to operate Camel Quay (Terry Robinson's layout based upon a mini-Padstow). Probably my favourite NEC experience was taking a layout based upon another section of the Southern's 'Withered Arm' in North Cornwall, Treneglos, which was built by Chris Tooth, Damian Ross and myself. "Could it really be that this coach came from Waterloo?" was a line of Sir John Betjeman's poetry, which was included in the verses on the lighting canopy and the layout was a lot of fun to play trains on too! In complete contrast, the hardest weekend was taking my U.S. project, 'Once upon a time . . . in the West'. Based upon a junction at Whitewater, New Mexico and set in 1919, it was displayed as an exhibition layout under construction, which in retrospect was a great idea that probably should have stayed on the sketchbook! (PS: Anybody interested in a 32 foot section of model desert, complete with display canopy, please PM me). But, here's one of the things that IMO was so special about the Warley NEC show - the camaraderie of fellow modelling enthusiasts. On the Friday night, I was really struggling to set up the US layout, when two chaps suddenly appeared from nowhere and helped me put up the not so 'light-weight' steel canopy (from which the 30 foot photo-back-scene was hung). Thanks again Richard and Ray, I shall never forget your help that night with a 'Once upon a time' nightmare! However, it was Simon's (@Not Jeremy) earlier comment (page 5/ post 6), that perfectly summed up for me the Warley NEC exhibition: "I loved going to Warley, in whatever capacity, it was so spectacularly and terrifyingly large, and was always an ambitious celebration and exposition of a great hobby. What I really loved about it all was the excitement and pleasure it gave to so many people, seeing the enjoyment on the faces of so many people gathered in one place. It gave you a great feeling of being part of a fantastic hobby". I've also been to the NEC just as a visitor and have felt that buzz and enjoyed every show. So, what are the things I'll miss most about the Warley club's National show? There was always something new to see - something new to learn - and someone new to meet. Finally, I'd just like to add a big thank you to all those people who have helped to make the show the success it has been over those three decades. Thanks especially to Paul and all the Warley club members for creating a show full of those special memories. All the very best, John PS: What's next then? PPS: Oh brilliant, a friend wants some ballasting and I've had this sketchy idea for . . . * Carradon Junction was featured on the cover of the last edition of Model Railway Constructor.

In the rapidly moving world of RMweb, another discussion has appeared which includes several comments with regard to why and how this event has ended. "Accentuate the Negative" (begun by Andy Y) is in the Modelling Musings & Miscellany section: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/183840-accentuate-the-negative-whos-trying-to-kill-the-hobby/ A comment Jamie Warne posted somewhere a couple of days ago struck me as the most positive I've read just lately. "There will be highs, there will be lows, but the love for the hobby will never die. . . . . . .and that's why I feel its everyone's duty to share and promote the hobby as the positive, constructive, joyful escape it is".

Hi Kevin, Here's a (recent - May 2018) picture of the W.H.S Kiosk on Kidderminster Station, which is in the dark green. Hopefully, it is as close to the original colour as they could manage. Shame they couldn't manage the gold lettering, or perhaps that was only used at important main line termini? All the very best, John

Have you watched the video in the opening post all the way through? And read the book quoted in DenysW's post? Do you accept the figure quoted by the German locomotive (05.002) under test on level track?

DenysW, Thanks for your interesting comment, which mentions one of the most informative books on the design and development of the steam locomotive between 1880 - 1960 ever produced - on either side of the Atlantic. However, for those interested in searching out a copy, the author is William L. Withuhn (1941 - 2017) and the 452 page book is copyright Gail Withuhn, 2019, ISBN 978-0-253-039020. After reading the book, there's so many more questions regarding "so, who's faster?"

Kidderminster Railway Museum. The Railway Photograph Fair will be held on Saturday January 6th, in the adjacent (ex-Nursery) building alongside the entrance drive to the SVR car park at the rear of the museum. Opening hours 10am to 4.30pm. Thousands of photographs for sale from 20 tables of dealers, plus Kidderminster Railway Museum's own photograph archive will also be available. The Railway and Transport Book Fair will also be open on the upper floor of the Museum, on both January 6th and 7th. Over a thousand rare and out of print railway books, most in mint condition, and extremely hard to find. In addition, on the ground floor there are thousands of other railway books for sale, all at half the labelled price, plus many new books from publishers Lightmoor Press and Kidderminster Railway Museum. Opening hours will be 10am to 5.00pm. Kidderminster Railway Museum Station Approach Comberton Hill Kidderminster DY10 1QX Tei: 01562 825316 www.krm.org.uk

Kidderminster Railway Museum. From December 27th, daily to January 2nd, plus January 6th and January 7th. Railway and Transport Book Fair will be held on the upper floor of the Museum. Over a thousand rare and out of print railway books, most in mint condition, and extremely hard to find. In addition, on the ground floor there are thousands of other railway books for sale, all at half the labelled price, plus many new books from publishers Lightmoor Press and Kidderminster Railway Museum. Opening hours will be 10am to 5.00pm. On the following weekend: December 6th - The Railway Photograph Fair will be held in the adjacent (ex-Nursery) building, on the entrance drive to the SVR car park at the rear of the museum. Thousands of photographs for sale from 20 tables of dealers, plus Kidderminster Railway Museum's own photograph archive will also be available. Opening hours 10am to 4.30pm. Kidderminster Railway Museum Station Approach Comberton Hill Kidderminster DY10 1QX Tei: 01562 825316 www.krm.org.uk

Looking great, Paul. Your careful application of that W.S. Fine ballast and the weathering has made a superb job of this section. Waiting to see how you tackle those turnouts next. All the very best, John

Yes.

Thanks for all the replies so far. They prompt me to look in a couple of directions that we hadn't previously considered. We shall keep looking, All the very best, John

A friend of mine has been given this brass number-plate. It is one of a pair and although we've both been interested in the railways since we were youngsters, neither of us can decide where this might be from, as it doesn't fit any of the U.K. locomotives that we can think of. The cast brass plate measures 11" square and the number is raised up against the (restored) black background. Before the background to the number was restored, a small area was scraped back to bare metal and it seems that it has always been black. The condition of the rear of the plate suggests that the plate was attached to another metal at some time in the past. Does anyone have any ideas where or what this plate might be from? All suggestions welcome.

Although the Revised edition of 1987 is now almost 40 years old, "Railways of Canada" by Robert F. Legget, (published by David & Charles, Newton Abbot in the U.K. and in Canada by Douglas & McIntyre, Vancouver, ISBN 0-7153-9114-3), is the story of the development of the 40,000 mile network of Canada's railways, from 1836 to 1987. A well researched 255 page book with 30 illustrations and 8 maps. like Christian Wolmar's books it includes suggestions for further reading, appendices and a good index. As far as I can see, there is not much difference in content between the revised edition and the very slightly smaller in size first edition of 1973, excepting in the quality of the illustrations. Both editions have the same number of pages, but the five pages of 'Canadian Railway Statistics are correct to 1969 instead of 1985. However, the photographs in the earlier volume are on gloss paper and IMO it's a better quality reproduction. The books by Pierre Berton, recommended by pH were also produced in a combined volume (512 page 8"x 5.5") paperback by McClelland & Stewart (1974), Toronto, ISBN 0-7110-1332-9, which turns up on second-hand stalls at some of the Preserved Railways. It's an abridged version, but is also well illustrated with many colour photographs by Michael Reichmann of the CBC multi-million dollar, TV series. Have a great trip; it's a fantastic journey. All the very best, John

Thanks Northmoor, for posting another note with some more thought provoking comments. I'm pleased that you found "Ben Elton's articulation of the issues" interesting and agree that it probably appears as a more 'metro-centric' view of the railway system. As both of us are regular contributors to RMweb, I hope that you like railway transport and also support the weed-strewn network that British Rail passed on to the current 'privatised' operators. In the immediate reply to your comments, Wharf 57 succinctly summed up why current transport plans are aimed in general at those who live in the conurbations on the big island in the 'modern' world. Wharf said: "You have "Metro-centric" planning because that's where most people actually live". and might I add - that they too will all want super-fast broadband and would really like a frequent and reliable train service! Although Ben touched upon several issues from our railway history', in the time-slot available, the programme could not possibly discuss everything that we have lost - which of course began many years before the act of privatisation was imposed on the BR network. Very few people nowadays appreciate or understand the history behind the current railway system and several of the comments in your post are worth considering against that history. For example, "There are large parts of the UK where railways - indeed any form of public transport - does not, never has and never will, be a realistic option for the journeys people make". does not recognise that by 1900, the railway companies were by far the most powerful businesses in the British Isles. By 1914, very few communities (and only a very small percentage of the population) were far from access to a rail-operated-service, which had also both assisted and created the industrial power of Great Britain and Ireland (references include: RCH maps and Handbooks, England & Wales, Ireland & Scotland pre-Grouping, pre-WW1 editions - Railway Year Books, 1900 to 1930 editions, etc.). From 1868, government attitudes towards the railways and railway regulation had begun to change and following the formation of the Railway Companies Association (1870 -1948), a more co-ordinated and co-operative attitude towards necessary reforms, operating practices and safety regulation was engendered. By the outbreak of WW1, the railways and their integrated ancillary services had become the basis of an extremely reliable and cost effective transport network. Note that previously I used the words rail-operated-service, as the railway companies used ships, buses, lorries and eventually even aeroplanes, to provide a comprehensive and co-ordinated transport network for the Isles. Therefore, "our railways could be better. much better, but believing that railways can be made to provide something they were never especially good at" does not equate to the history. [Please see notes below for further references.] However, powerful monopolies make powerful enemies, even when they provide a much-needed public service and keep the country running against all odds throughout two World wars. Plus, in the 20th century, the British government could not/would not settle on a consistent approach to our transport requirements. And as time goes by, they also appear to find it more and more difficult to understand both of the terms 'serving the public' or 'providing quality services for the population' in any number of areas: viz: air quality, water, energy/power, the NHS, etc. ! The constant fiddling with how the railways operated occurred at least four times during the last century; 1923, 1948, 1963 and 1994 and each government reorganisation and the connected policies reduced the railway's competitive edge to provide a comprehensive service. Any real revival of our railway network has often been spoiled - and the first was the missed opportunity of nationalisation following WW1. Although favoured by the first Minister of Transport, Sir Eric Geddes (ex-NER), and the P.M., Lloyd George, it was torpedoed by greedy politics coupled with the realisation of the railway network's complete power to stop everything at a stroke (the memories of the 1911 strike were exacerbated by the 1919 strike). Next, following WW2, we had the desultory re-branding of the (Victorian-infrastructured) railway as 'old-fashioned' and the "poor bag of assets" inherited by British Railways in 1948 from 'the Big Four'. Tag lines regurgitated and promoted throughout the 1950s by the road lobby and later assisted by poor management and confused investment policies. (For a sample of these uncompromising attitudes and ill-considered ideas, please read 'Twilight of the Railways, What Roads they'll make', published in 1957 along with similar drivel). But worse was to come, because from 1960 onwards, a succession of short-sighted, governments (always looking at costs rather than benefits) have further reduced the overall effectiveness of the network to provide the world-class service that other countries receive from their railways. Nowadays, too many people fail to recognise that it was the railway network, which was the driving force behind the industry and beginning of the conurbations, which dictate a 'Metro-centred' approach to today's transport requirements and the "one-sized fits all" solutions by these short-term governments. Over the last 60-plus years, this has resulted in a smaller percentage of the much larger population even registering that the railway is still an effective and reliable mode of transport! But, what a wonderful mode of transport the railway is: The steel wheel running along the steel rail (and preferably driven by electric power) is still the most economic, environmentally efficient and safe method of rapid mass overland transportation, between large settlements in a densely populated country like the U.K. A long time ago, back in those dark days of December 1964, when I read in my brand-new copy of 'Trains Annual' about the new generation railway, 'The Shinkansen', I naively thought that we too might just be on the point of planning and operating our own dedicated high-speed line from the capital city to the North . . . . . . . . . . . . but I'm still waiting. Please keep watching those trains running up and down above our solid Victorian infrastructure. Apologies for the length of this mini-essay, hopefully it's all good therapy Perhaps I should have spent the last 60 years studying British birds and small parrots, instead of wandering along the tracks of those iron-dinosaurs! All the very best, John References: For confirmation of just how good the spread of the network was and how effective the services were by 1914, I recommend the series of books dealing with the 'Victorian Railway' written by Professor Jack Simmons (1978,1986, 1991, 1994). 'Once upon a time', long ago before television and the internet, the railway was referred to as 'the great connector' (and also 'the British gift to the world'). The social changes and economic developments that followed the connections and subsequent developments are part of the reason why both our economy and society could withstand the two world wars, but that's quite a different topic for discussion.

Hi Cheryl, How lucky you are to be given both of the two sets of these super little 1950s booklets and in such wonderful condition. It's taken me over 50 years to finally pick them all up, from dusty second-hand, book-shops and stalls on the preserved railways. Regarding the full set of eight of the Ian Allan series of booklets: If they are all priced at 9d (nine old pence) they are second printings, from about 1956 to 1959/60. If any are priced 6d, they are earlier printings, from 1954 to 1956. And you have all but one of the Brockhampton Press published series by Alan Anderson. There were eight booklets about 'Famous Trains'. However, the advertising strap-line on the rear cover of 'The Thames-Clyde' and 'The Blue Train' booklets (which were both printed in 1955) was changed to 'Famous Journeys' and a ninth booklet was then included in the series. It's title is 'Constellation Flight' (describing the England to Australia air service) and although I've seen a picture of it, I've yet to find a copy. I've often wondered if there were more famous journeys booklets planned, but never produced. Although, I know where to look for them and the price that I believe the little books are worth as single items (around £5 each), it's difficult to suggest where to sell them. But, because your sets appear to be in near perfect condition, I wonder if they would make a colourful exhibit from the 1950s era, at one of the stations on the preserved railways? Your post also alerted me to the fact that my photographs had disappeared (in a server failure that RMweb suffered some time ago) and I've just replaced the pictures in my earlier posts (18 and 19). So thanks very much for joining RMweb and asking your question in this topic. I hope my notes help, All the very best, John