mccormackpj

These Mogul proposals are very interesting indeed. What year(s) were they drafted? I'm guessing sometime 1910 - 1922, and possibly post-war. There seems to have been a period of "Mogul Mania" about that time, not only the ARLE, Caley and GCR proposals, the Maunsell locos on the SECR, but also these GNoSR examples. However, so far I've not seen any mention of the Cambrian's effort under GC McDonald's tenure at Oswestry. Does anyone have access to vol 2 of the David & Charles history of the Cambrian by Christiansen & Miller? IIRC, there's an outline of the proposed 2-6-0 in there.

Here's an image of part of the article in the Railway Magazine Mar-Apr 1949 which featured the K2 tank. Perhaps a bit more useful for making that model?

Here you go, from Part 1 of an article "Locomotive Design on the Southern Railway" in The Railway Magazine, March - April 1949. Note from the text that this design was not a straightforward "tanked" K class. The axle-loading would have been higher than a K, so the wheelbase was lengthened in order to give a weight distribution acceptable to the civil engineer. Rather a handsome loco nevertheless, reminiscent of a GSR 850 / P1. I've two questions: would the heavier axle-loading restrict it's usefulness on Brighton lines, and what is the purpose of having two steam domes?

Robin Robin Barnes' illustration on p45 of "Locomotives that never were" shows a Belpaire firebox, tho' he makes no reference to the source of that detail, nor to any uncertainty as to the type of firebox Fowler intended. His illustration of the Horwich 2-10-0 does show a round-topped firebox, however.

For those who are at a loose end, here's a link to the paper ES Cox presented to the Institute of Loco Engineers in 1946, which has been one of the primary sources for all the above delightful speculations and discussions. Cox repeated a fair amount of this in Locomotive Panorama Vol.1, but it's interesting to see the original paper and to read the responses from ILE members, both well-known and not so. Plenty of drawings, diagrams, tables, facts, interpretations and opinions to be chewed on! http://www.lyrs.org.uk/images/uploads/Paper_-_Cox_1946_-_I.Loco.E_-_A_Modern_Loco_History,_LMS_1923_to_1932.pdf

Lovely stuff as ever, Dave! For me it's sort of Aughnacloy meets Tralee in Dorset with a touch of Ballinamore. Looking forward to when I see Charmouth / Bridport Town again. Patrick

Just tuned back into RMWeb after the Motherboard of all Meltdowns. Good to see pics of Charmouth, Dave, thank you! I have always admired your subtle modelling - upstairs there is a well-thumbed copy of the Toddler with your article on the left-hand extension which gives so much more to Charmouth than the few inches it adds in length. As a some-time firebod, the gradients on the W&L are quite demanding. Seeing the water level zoom up and down the gauge glass as the loco goes over Coppice Lane is entertaining (if water is sufficient) or finger-biting (if not). The 1 in 50 off the platform end at Raven Sq is fine, it's the level when you reach Golfa Summit, 2 miles away and 300 ft higher, that's the true test. Rule of thumb with the Beyers is to leave with a full glass, topping up whenever pressure permits on the climb. Some firemen make it look effortless - my efforts were possibly not so accomplished. To me a railway isn't a real railway unless it's got noticeable gradients, and some narrow gauge / light railways had them in spades. The rise to the level crossing on Charmouth is a subtle bit of realism along with lots of other little touches around both Charmouth and Bridport. Keep those pics coming! Patrick

Dave - If you think it useful, by all means! However I don't really think my words can add further to what people can see if they look. Thanks for the Parcel Shed pics - I spent some time inspecting this area when you showed at RailWells this year - a certain Mr GG of W-s-M pointed out the dustbin to me and we admired the way it was placed: not hidden, but almost unnoticed. Do I also detect a hint of the Southwold headshunt? Or possibly even Llanfair in GWR / BR(W) days? Patrick

Many thanks for that last selection of views of Bridport. I particularly like these small corners of the layout, the bits that go together to make it such a pleasing whole without their being cutesy and contrived. These cameos are worthy of being modelled in their own right, and v evocative. The one of the guard's van between the stone building and the transfer shed is my favourite. It makes me think of the limited views of such a railway one might have had as a kid, hinting at the yard, locos and other vehicles that lie just out of view, the long grass suggesting that this is an unused nook, but beyond there are shinier rails, oily ballast and a whiff of steam. I have a dim childhood memory of a Drewry and some vans standing seemingly abandoned in the grass on the Wisbech & Upwell - I had the sense that although looking as if it would never move, any moment the crew would appear and silence would give way to engine noise, rattling of couplings, squeal of flanges and slow movement. And the image of the transfer shed is, in my opinion, quite as fine, hints of Welshpool and Halesworth, and a suggestion of bustle and labour temporarily suspended while tea is brewed somewhere else. As Ohmisterporter says, 'keep em coming'! Patrick