BMacdermott

Hello LNER4479 Fully agree with you there! Bachmann produced the Mk1 RFO in 2001 but hasn't 'followed through' with the RSO and RK. Hornby has the GWR Collett Restaurant Car dating from 1978 and the LMS 12-wheel Car emanating from Dapol in 1985. On the plus side, Hornby has produced the Maunsell RF - with some other catering stock in the pipeline - and the LMS Coronation Scot trains have the Full Monty...so, perhaps there is hope for the LNER/ER yet! Brian

Hello everyone Here are my choices…1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8. The Gresley Steel Panel 5-sets GN & GC are a vital component of the rolling stock we are discussing. It is interesting to note that – if the GE Section Stock noted in Mini-Poll No.1 was ever made - the CK in the first sets for the GN were 52ft 6in also. In BR days, they were replaced by Thompson or BR Mk1s and, as time went on, the sets tended to be split up. A lone Twin of Diags.194/195 was noted on the S&D in Maroon in 1958. Lone Twins of Diag.304 in Crimson & Cream were noted on that line in 1955 and 1958. A Crimson & Cream BTK+TK Twin was even photographed on the Southern Region’s North Cornwall line and Twin Diag.304 BSK+SK Nos.E16841/2E were photographed at Bournemouth Central c.1960 in a Poole-Bradford train. Although Hornby makes a Gresley Diag.167 Buffet Car in ‘as built’ condition, many were modernised in 1958/59 drastically changing the external appearance on the kitchen side. Going by the GN Carriage Working Book for 1958, the Gresley Restaurant First & Open Third would be useful for the 1.20pm and 6.26pm from King’s Cross (although I stand to be corrected as they could be Thompson types, I suppose! Can anyone say?). Although the Gresley Triplet Articulated Restaurant Sets only just lasted into the 1960s, they are ‘distinctive’ and offer plenty of liveries from 1924. The Thompson RF & TO ran in ersatz Teak, Red & Cream and Maroon liveries. Although classified as ‘Restaurant First’, they were later downgraded to ‘Restaurant Unclassed’, and one was used in the formation of The Fair Maid. They lasted until the mid-1960s. The Thompson FO/Kitchen Car/TO are highly distinctive vehicles, the Kitchen Car being readily identified by the fact that all but one of the windows and droplights are white opaque. They lasted until the mid-1960s. Brian

00 Rolling Stock Poll No.2: Gresley Steel Panel 5-sets plus Gresley & Thompson Catering Hello everyone Welcome to the second of our series of seven 00 Rolling Stock Mini-Polls. This Mini-Poll concerns the Gresley Steel Panel 5-sets which were inadvertently omitted from Mini-Poll No:1 together with catering stock that has at least some connection with Peterborough North. You can submit your wishes here, on the thread, as usual, or PM me direct if you prefer the ‘secret ballot’ method. If you vote on the thread, please feel free to explain why you have chosen your selection – hopefully, that will promote some interesting debates – but please do not take it as an excuse to start up the old chestnut of ‘kits vs RTR’! Here’s what to do… 1. You may choose the Gresley Steel Panel 5-sets, then a maximum of three Gresley catering items and two Thompson catering. 2. You cannot ‘transfer votes’ to have five Gresley and no Thompson etc. although you can vote for just the Steel Panel 5-sets, just Gresley catering or just Thompson catering. 3. They must be items you would realistically wish to buy if made RTR. 4. Submit your entries on this thread simply as (for example): 1, 2, 4, 7, 9 – with comments and explanations following. If you vote by PM, please only list your selection of numbers without explanations. 1. Gresley Steel Panel 5-sets GN & GC (1935 & 1939-1942) 2. Gresley Buffet Car (Diag.167, as rebuilt 1958/9) 3. Gresley Cafeteria Car (RCAF, rebuilt from Diag.95 Third Sleeper 1954) 4. Gresley Restaurant Pantry Third (eg Diags.15, 112, 151 & 321 of 1925-1943) 5. Gresley Restaurant First & Open Third (eg Diag.10C RF & Diag.27A, 27C TO, 1928/9) 6. Gresley Triplet Articulated Restaurant Set (eg Diags.12, 13, 14, 1924) 7. Thompson FO/Kitchen Car/TO (eg Diags.351, 353, 350, 1947 & 1948) 8. Thompson Restaurant First & Open Third (eg Diag.354 & Diag. 350, 1949 & 1947) 9. Thompson Pressure Ventilated Stock Buffet Lounge Car (1947) Get your thinking caps on and get voting! I will give you a ‘Thx tick’ to acknowledge receipt of your vote. You have until 17.00 on Thursday 27 May. However, I will stop earlier and advise if votes reach 50. I will present the results during the day on Friday 28 May. I look forward to your selections and comments! Brian (Note: These are ‘informal Polls for fun’ on Gilbert’s thread only and neither The 00 Wishlist Poll Team nor RMweb are specifically involved, apart from me in my ‘personal capacity’.)

Hello cypherman All suitably re-lubricated and all pick-ups exactly in the right place. The loco was running with no problem when it was put away just a few weeks ago (probably less than 6 weeks) but had ''the problem' as soon as it was back on the layout. She moves very smoothly in any direction. Brian

Hello Johnster Many thanks for your comprehensive reply - I have tried most of what you say, but, sadly, to no avail. The loco is DC but has a DCC harness (I think that's what they are called). DCC-ready. The gearbox etc has been thoroughly flushed out with spay can switch cleaner (IPA). The body was already off and nothing is binding (brake blocks, track pins stuck in the works, keeper plate adjusted or off). When I put my Xuron track cutters near the motor, the pull was so strong it took me by surprise! In fact, I can lift the loco off the track with cutters firmly attached to the motor with no chance of it falling off! I have tried a different controller and swapped the tender - no difference. There is not even the faintest rise in temperature of the motor as it 'fails' nor is there any smell of burning. As noted earlier, it is like someone has fitted a speed limiter and only permitted maximum distance running of about five feet before failing! Brian

Hello cypherman I haven't detected any overheating. When the loco is running, it is as smooth as silk - although it feels that it has had a 'speed limiter' fitted. Brian

Hello everyone I have three Hornby Granges from the original release which hadn't been used for some weeks (although not months). Two run fine and are perfectly in 'performance context' with other locos - however, one has simply 'gone slow'. It will run for maybe 10 seconds at 'freight train speed', then slowly stop and not respond to the controller. If I leave it for five seconds, it will run exactly as previously. All wires etc have been checked. Any ideas? Suggestions? Brian

Hello again Iain Just had a memory of Camden pop up in my mind. I'll mention it here although it won't actually help your model! My two pals and I had 'bunked the shed' one day and had somehow got talking to what I recall as being 'an old boy' - although, at our early teenage years then, anyone over 25 might have been considered old! We somehow ended up in his flat very near the shed - just talking about railways and having a cup of tea. All these years later, I still wonder if I 'narrowly escaped something sinister' - or just had a chat with 'an old boy' who liked talking about trains. I like to think we were 'street-wise kids' and would have spotted anything 'dodgy' - but the thought still goes through my head from time-to-time! Brian

Hello Iain It is amazing how the 'backscene boards' overpower the layout in that shot. On my own layout, the backscenes are only about 4" high as I need to be able to see trains in 'the hidden sections'. When I am actually running trains in the 'visible parts', the brain switches off to what's beyond. Comes under the heading: Willing suspension of disbelief. Brian

That was me. Brian

Hello phil-b259 It was Joseph who asked for comments so I will await any queries he may have with me. Brian

Hello phil-b259 Joseph's first question was: Should the standard be budget, detailed or super-detailed. My reply was: Detailed. Not sure what you find unclear about that. And it all depends on one's interpretation of what 'detailed' or 'super-detailed' includes. Brian

Many thanks Phil - appreciated! Below is a clip from my original posting last Friday - there will no doubt be something for you in that lot! All the best Brian Extract... Rolling Stock Mini-Polls (being run on behalf of Gilbert by Brian Macdermott) Hello everyone Recently, Gilbert asked for suggestions for his series of informal and highly enjoyable polls. I submitted an idea for a series of seven weekly polls – each of no more than 10 items per week – concerning rolling stock not yet (or not fully yet) available in RTR form and which have at least some relevance to Peterborough North traffic. These Polls will be for items that you would like to see made RTR and would realistically wish to buy. I make the assumption that any item would be produced in a full range of liveries from LNER to BR. The Polls will be: No.1: Gresley & Thompson Gangwayed No.2: Gresley & Thompson Catering No.3: Non-passenger – 4- & 6-wheel No.4: Non-passenger – 8-wheel No.5: Freight Stock – 4-wheel (Pre-1951) No.6: Freight Stock – 4-wheel (Post-1950) No.7: Freight Stock – 8-wheel

Hello Joseph Some food for thought for you. Qu1) Let's assume a constant standard of budget/detail across the range. What should that be: budget, detailed, super-detailed? Detailed. Qu2) Diesel era / steam era / a mix? Mix. Qu3) Which 15 locos (inc DMU) would you include? (Note: Don't worry about replicating an item in another manufacturer's catalogue). GWR Hawksworth County 4-6-0 GWR 22xx 0-6-0 SR U/U1 Class 2-6-0 SR Z 0-8-0T LMS Stanier Black 5 Caprotti (High & Low Running Plate) LMS Stanier 3P 2-6-2T (40071-40209) LMS Fowler 3P 2-6-2T (40001-40070) LMS Fowler 4F 0-6-0 (44027-44606) GNR J6 0-6-0 BR Standard Class 5 4-6-0 Caprotti BR (Class 42) Swindon Warship B-B - 3-character headcode box (D800-D812) BR Class 120 Swindon Cross-Country 3-car DMU GWR Angular Style Twin Units (Nos.35/36 & 37/38) SR Class 404 4-Cor, 4-Buf, 4-Res (Note: I believe only six tools are needed to produce all 12 vehicles) SR/BR 4-Sub Qu4) Which 10 items of coaching stock would you include? (Note: All liveries include GWR Collett Composite Dining Car 57ft (Diag.H25) SR Bulleid Tavern Car Sets SR Bulleid Bournemouth Line 6-sets LMS Stanier Period III Gangwayed Coaches (eg 57ft Open Third, 60ft Composite, as per original Airfix) LNER Gresley Quad-Art Sets (Note: ran as two sets of four slightly different types) LNER Gresley Quint-Art Sets (to go with Oxford N7) LNER Gresley Triplet Articulated Restaurant Set (to go with below) LNER Gresley End Door Stock (to 'round out' the stock one needs for A4s, A3s etc on the GN/ECML) LNER Gresley General Service Stock 61ft 6in (to totally replace - and enlarge upon - the range by Hornby, which many say has a 'wrong shape'.) LNER GE Section Stock 52ft 6in (to go with the many GER/LNER locos now available). Hope that helps. Brian

Results - 00 Rolling Stock Mini-Poll No.1: Gresley & Thompson Gangwayed Hello everyone Many thanks to the 23 voters who took part. The number of votes per item is shown in the left hand column. Please note that the results reflect the views of those who voted here and may not necessarily reflect those of the wider modelling community. I might be able to show you more on that another day, so I have split them up as High, Middle and Low Polling to be in context with 00 Wishlist Polls of the past. I have appended a full set of comments received - in order of receipt but slightly edited for consistency. You will have already read these, but I felt it useful to have them all in one place in context with the results. You will be able to vote for Gresley Steel Panel 5-sets on Monday. High Polling 20 Gresley General Service Stock 61ft 6in (eg Diags.1, 114, 115, 130, 174, 175 of 1920s-1939) 17 Gresley ‘End Door’ Stock 61ft 6in (eg Diags.155, 211, 212, of 1932 & 1936) 14 Thompson Round Corner Window Stock (eg Diags.328, 330, 345, 346 of c.1948) Middle Polling 8 Gresley GE section Stock 52ft 6in (eg Diags.9, 141, 146, 216 of 1926-1936) 7 Gresley Streamlined Stock (of 1935 & 1937) inc Beaver Tail Observation Cars (as built and rebuilt) 5 Gresley Tourist Green & Cream Stock (eg 61ft 6in BTO & Buffet, 52ft Artic Twin TO of 1933) Low Polling 4 Gresley Tourist Teak Stock (eg 61ft 6in Diag.186 TO & Diags.191/196 BTO of 1934 & 1935) 4 Thompson Pressure Ventilated Stock (eg Diags.328, 329, 346, 348, 349, 351, 352, 353 of 1947) 2 Gresley Sleeping Cars 61ft 6in (eg Diags.17, 20, 109 of 1924 & 1929) 2 Thompson Sleeping Cars 66ft 6in (eg Diags. 347, 359, 368, 369 of 1947-1952) Brian (Note: These are ‘informal Polls for fun’ on Gilbert’s thread only and neither The 00 Wishlist Poll Team nor RMweb are specifically involved, apart from me in my ‘personal capacity’.) Comments Received: 1. I believe the GE Section 52ft 6in Stock is vital to go with the wide range of GER/LNER locos now available. They travelled far and wide and are clearly 'distinctive' with the shorter length. The existing range of Gresley 61ft 6in General Service Stock could be enhanced by Hornby - bearing in mind that some (many?) feel the profile is wrong on the current models. Plenty of scope there! And the same goes for the End Door Stock - vital for ECML services. I have only voted for Thompson Round Corner Window Stock - again, a vital component of trains passing through Peterborough North. I haven't voted for either of the Sleepers. I can't see a lot of market for such stock with all its complexities. 2. We need improved profile Gresley General Service Stock and I think the Teak Open Tourist Stock would also be helpful for holiday traffic to the East Coast in later periods. A Coronation set would be useful and could be badged as Coronation, West Riding and unbadged, plus some would suit the BR period. 3. My views on the current Hornby Gresleys are well known, and the absence of a correct model of the Diag.115 Seconds, as they were in 1958, is the biggest problem on PN. They were, after all, the most numerous of all Gresley designs. End Door Stock, particularly Diag.155, was also very common, as were the Round Corner Window Thompsons. The GE Stock is very nice, and did get around away from the GE section, but not as essential as the other three. 4. As I am trying to show the full daytime sequence of trains in the summer of 1958, at least some of the sleeping car trains are highly desirable. I take Brian's point as to whether they would be commercially viable. I do wonder why the 66ft 6ins Gresley sleepers are not included. I find them to be most impressive, and they would be on my list if I could vote for them. 5. My plea with respect to the current Thompson coaches is please can we have maroon versions! Square windowed versions did exist in maroon. 6. For myself, it’s 2, 3, 5, 8, and 9. It’s time we had some very accurate RTR models of all these carriages. The Hornby models are simply not good enough and need replacing. So a good mix of Gresley all door corridor stock as well as End Door Stock would be so welcome along with the Green & Cream Tourist Stock. The Round Corner Window Thompson Stock is a glaring omission which needs to be plugged, along with the Pressure Ventilated Stock. 7. GE Section Stock much needed and well-travelled. Something different as well. Full Gresley Streamline Stock would look stunning. Thompson Round Corner Window Stock, like others have mentioned, provides additional variation. 8. I’d also go for 66ft Gresley Sleepers if they’re allowed. 9. I come at this from a somewhat different angle. I'm actually a BR (LMR) 1950s modeller and what comes across in study of photographs is how much the Gresley coaches in particular wandered around the regions, particularly as the decade wore on and into the 1960s as the former LNER front line stock was displaced by the mass influx of Mk1s from the mid-1950s onwards. Many an LMR secondary rake in the maroon era had a Gresley vehicle or two in there, brake vehicles in particular. My interest therefore is to purchase such vehicles RTR for this type of use so it's worth thinking far beyond the borders of 'just' the ECML(!) A couple of low-res (copyright) pics to illustrate the point (the second is from the famous 26.9.64 Duchess 46256 farewell railtour, which ironically saw a Gresley 6-compartment BSK as the vehicle next to the locomotive). (Photos deleted by Brian.) 10. One thought here - we talk 'Gresley stock’. I think one statistic of interest is that at the outbreak of WWII approx 50% of front line passenger stock at that date was still ex-GNR Gresley stock - similar, but different. Some of that stock lasted certainly until early 1950s Blood & Custard era. Yes, a bewildering array of Gresley GNR types but I'm sure there would be one or two of the more archetypal BTK or TK diagrams worthy of consideration for an enterprising manufacturer to add variety? To 90% of purchasers, it would still just be a 'Gresley coach'. 11. I would be interested in the 66ft Sleepers, 1st and 3rd Class. Also the pre-grouping types mentioned (GNR, NER, ECJS) would be of interest. They are similar, but different, to the LNER types and would really help to capture the look of a 1930s train. 12. Just a thought from a duffer who knows nowt about Sleepers. If enough folk are interested to make it viable, why not ask Andrew (Wizard) if he would get the side etches done? 13. Thinking about the coaches poll, whilst I have the Harris books, I cannot get too excited about the differences between one gangwayed teak coach and another, as long as I can run 8 or 9 coaches round my layout behind an Apple Green A3 (I do have a Triplet Dining Set). 14. To my mind, amongst the most iconic of coaches and the biggest RTR gap are the streamlined Silver Jubilee/Coronation/West Riding sets to go with the various A4s. Wonderful style and unique liveries and they lived on in more general use in BR days. The recent restoration of a Beavertail Observation Coach has added to their profile and, as suggested elsewhere, Locomotion could market a record-breaking set of Mallard, Coronation coaches and the Dynamometer Car.

Voting in 00 Rolling Stock Mini-Poll No.1 closes at 17.00 today. Hello everyone Just a little advance notice that the Polling Station closes at 17.00 today. I have to have an eye test this afternoon - involving eye drops that will blur my vision - so I will not be able to answer queries or sort out 'spoilt voting slips' after about 14.00. I will be collating the results for you in the morning. Many thanks Brian

Final Call for Votes - 00 Mini-Poll No:1 Gresley & Thompson Gangwayed Hello everyone Just a reminder that the Polling Station will be closing at 17.00 tomorrow, Thursday 20 May and the results will be published on Friday 21 May. Brian

Hello manna I'm sorry to say that you have chosen four Gresley types, whereas the maximum is three (as per the introduction announcement). Please feel free to vote again as I have not recorded your wishes here. Thanks. Brian

Hello again LNER4479 I have just had a look through the Hugh Longworth book, Pre-Nationalisation Coaching Stock, Volume 1 (LNER section) but I can't find many GNR types that made it in fair numbers into Gilbert's era. Having said that, if you can come up with a list of - say - half a dozen or so that at least 'got close', then I could submit that to Gilbert as an idea for a future Mini-Poll, perhaps as an 'add-on' to this series. It might mean adding in one or two NER or ECJS types? Hope that helps. Brian Brian

Hello LNER4479 We did, indeed, think 'far beyond the borders of just the ECML' when my colleagues and I were running The 00 Wishlist Poll. Hence, we provided a Guide and went out to modellers around the world. However, as noted in my introduction, the aim of this mini-poll was to focus on what might be seen through Peterborough North in Gilbert's time-frame. Your point is gladly taken - and others could well take note - that what was seen at Peterborough could well be seen far and wide. Brian

Yep! Brian

Nope! Brian

Hello Alistair You are 'forgiven' - but only because you voted for some of my choices! Brian

Thanks Gilbert. We left the 66ft 6in Sleepers out of The 00 Wishlist Poll after due consideration - but I can't recall the reason why! Perhaps if my colleagues, Chris Knowles-Thomas and Robert Carroll, take part they may be able to throw some light on the matter. Whilst writing, a friend has asked me to vote on his behalf as: 1, 2, 3 and 9. Brian

Hello Clive Thanks for mentioning this. Hands up! It was an error in the last 00 Wishlist Poll where the Steel-sided stock was accidentally listed under 'non-gangwayed' ... and I missed it here! I am running Gresley & Thompson Catering next week and there is a 'spare space' in that Poll. I will add this stock with a special note so that readers can vote if they so wish. I have deliberately left out articulated stock - between you, me and all Gilbert's readers, we are looking at running that as a Poll Team exercise with Andy York later in the year for all to see. Brian