ChrisH

The window is smaller on that side because the sloping section of the bunker is higher, if I remember correctly, that is to give space for the handbrake wheel to turn. It's interesting to note that the green area on the bunker rear still forms a symetrical panel dispite the uneven shape of the bunker. I don,'t know if it's been mentioned, but beware of the Lancing pair of locos, they were LH drive! Chris

The standard finish for Eastleigh repaints on all 350hp shunters included a black roof and bonnet top. This was from pre 1960 up to the change to rail blue. Anyone fancy the first of the blue liveried locos, with chocolate frames and buffer beams? Chris

Regarding the RBs used on the Bournemouth line, 1759 used in the 8VAB had the ETH jumpers replaced by EMU power jumpers and a control jumper both fitted at headstock level to match the VEP cars and to allow this, as previously noted, the buffers were removed. High level brake connections were not reguired as brake pipes between cars in a set are also on the headstock. I suspect that the electrical mods caused the demise of this vehicle when the VAB was disbanded. Replacing buffer units would have been a simple operation, 4 bolts per unit, provided that you remembered where you put them when they were removed. 1758 was a much simpler mod , a length of 27way control cable run from one end to the other ,using the route of the removed steam pipe and fixed to the body end at waist high. I don't recall high level air pipes but recall seeing extension hoses used. This vehicle could only be used between units or next to the loco. I recall an incident when a shunter forgot the control jumper when splitting a train resulting in a very long jumper at one end and nowt at the other! The RMB now at Bodmin is used as an exhibition vehicle and is not operational and bears little evidence of it's EMU use. Regarding the livery question, l cannot recall any units in blue with full yellow ends. I think they went straight from blue SYP to blue grey, anyone got evidence of this? Chris

A number of Mk 1s on the Southern gained orange curtains in second after they first appeared on the Bournemouth electrics. Remember, at this time most corridor EMUs also had curtains in second class. The LMS style saloon, 395280, was as I recall a conversion of an existing vehicle, possibly a kitchen car, while the more familiar saloons in the 450XX range were all new builds. Chris

It's just over enthusiastic use of the shunting pole when using the train coupling (yes, I know you should us the loco coupling, but in the real world....) There is not a lot of space between the top of the loco coupling hook and the bottom of the front panel. Chris

Somewhere I have a photo of a working of a W&C car back from Eastleigh. From memory, the load is a single car with a medfit match wagon at each end, a goods brake on the back (these workings were unfitted) and powered by a 33. As these moves tended to be single cars, there would have been no need for a large loco, just something that would have made it to London Chris

Ref the roof conduits, as you say the motor coaches were identical, the conduits crossed over on the trailer with two buffers. The second trailer conduits were a straight through run. It was possible to run as a 3 car providing the crossover trailer was the one remaining in the set. Chris

When the 63ft. suburbans were in use, the brake vehicle was often one of the spare Maunsell BCKs from the disbanded 600 series push pull sets. I believe that by the time the Exmouth branch was dieselised the route had passed to the WR, and the stock would have been disposed of by them. Some green suburbans did stay on the SR however as one set had been moved to the Oxted line. In 1967 the SR still listed 46292/3/5/7 on their books from the original SR batch, and presumably still in green. Chris

The only SR loco hauled vehicles to be repainted into a 'crested' livery were the vehicles for the Royal Wessex train, initially a BR mk1 rake which was replaced in the '60s by a Bulleid set. The BR set was repainted into standard green, but I believe that towards the end of loco hauled services the Bullied set escaped into general use, hence the photo at Brighton. Remember that there were only about a dozen vehicles in this style. At a later date the Southern got a batch of BR BCKs and the early Mk2 FKs that were delivered with crests. Chris

Sorry, the first 33 with SYP was D6530 back in 1962, this was the only one with rounded top corners. Chris

The first small panels appeared in 1962, but only on one or two units/locos of each type, and in various styles. General application was not until about 1966, and was done fairly quickly by sending staff out at weekends to various stabling locations to paint whatever was there. In one of the books in my library there is a shot at Eastleigh of 3 Class 33s, one of each in plain green, green SYP and green FYE. The shot is dated 1967, at which time there would have been the 33/1 convertions being done in the adjacent works, these being the fist blue examples Chris

Following on from Ceptics excellent piece on roof detail, for those looking at renumbering beware of 2116. This unit had individual short curved rainstrips above each door, look at the one above the cab door & repeat above all doors. Just spotted that Alan Williams in Southern Electric Album notes that this unit had a steel roof. Chris

Yes, Barnham 1/8/62. Point moved as train passed over it. Chris

LMS2968 has got it about right, although the loco would probably not pass through the stage. The move would stop when the wagon next to the loco was in position for unloading - why go any further? As I remember it, there were no rails inside the stage for the tubs, the platform was steel plated and tubs were simply skidded into position. There were guides on the drop down flap however. The wagons would probably still been coupled when they were pushed up the ramp, there is no reason I can think of to uncouple them, and the previous move would have been to draw the rake out of the holding sidings. Don't forget the upturned tub on the ground next to the stage, they did sometimes get away! Chris

Yes, all the Southern allocated vans were green, including the ex WR vehicles, until they were repainted into blue/grey. Note that these vans had the grey as a panel on the bodyside, similar to the passenger carrying vehicles, and not carried around the ends as on BR built TPO vans - see Mike Kings book. Chris