ChrisN

Nick, Actually, I, er, have one of the old Manors. There might be a few pictures taken of the Manor at the head of a rake of Collett coaches, bringing some young ladies to the barracks in Traeth Mawr. The barracks was repurposed as a training base for the ATS. The GWR painted the station in Cambrian colours just to confuse everyone, 'There is a war on you know!' It will not be permanent. I know nothing about the GWR, but having something of a right time frame that I can run is nice. Glad, you have not felt unwell, I would have expected your treatment to make you feel tired, but it was a while ago now.

Mikkel, Having turned the axleboxes around, the holes in them are not central, and the springs are now pushed up. (That is probably why I did it wrong in the first place. It would therefore seem that if when building these you can get the paper springs to work, probably by fitting them first, or at the same time as the W irons, that would be better. Pictures to follow.

Tony. Thank you. I am feeling better now. I have been working on the siphons slowly, but I thought that it might be helpful if I finished them off quickly. The four wheel one is not far behind. What I have not said, although I may have said it earlier, is that I calculated how many milk churns it would take to have a line of them next to the edge on either side. I then ordered in bulk from Dart Castings and have used copious amounts of PVA to stick them in place. They are just visible, but it does give them a bit of weight.

Mikkel, Thank you. Yes, I am feeling better now. Having spent ages looking at the axleboxes, all I can say is that when it is on its roof they are the right way up! 🙂 Thank you, I shall sort them.

I have been doing a little modelling. I am supposed to be making windows for Mr Price's house, but I have not been too well recently and when I had some time to do some modelling I wanted something where I did not have to think too much. Added to that, Tony, @brumtb, has just got a book on Siphons, and although I am progressing the two I have, very slowly, I thought I would try and finish them. This is the last image I have shown with the roof on, and painted with shellac. I have not been very diligent about taking pictures, but I do not think I have missed too much out. These are the springs that came with the kit, and in the top left is a Dart Castings' spring. Notice the size difference. I had laminated them all, but as you see there are only five. This is because they were too flimsy to put in after I had put the W irons in place. If I made one again I might just try and put them in at the same time as the W irons. The view from Underneath. You can see that the whitemetal springs do not really fit, so the paper ones would have been flat, but would have to go in at the same time as there is no room between the W irons and the edge of the MDF base. I had to cut the whitemetal springs to fit over the edge and around the W irons. I have also trimmed, at @Mikkel's suggestion the brakes, and have only broken one of them. This was carefully put aside in a container with useful bits to be firmly fixed at the next modelling session. Before the modelling session I was asked to tidy my modelling desk as we had visitors and yes, it has been put somewhere safe. When I find it, I will fix it in place. I have also put in a vacuum brake cylinder. I drilled a hole and pushed the Dart Castings cylinder into it, fixing it, like the springs, with superglue. All the springs in place. I have used my patent six wheel system which is a variant of the MJT six wheel wagon system. It might have been better, to remove the W irons for the central wheel from its holder as it raises the central wheel up a fraction. When I got this far I tried it on the layout and found that on the point leaving the fiddle yard when the point was set at the smallest radius. it derailed. I checked and the siphon rocked with the central wheel as pivot. The W iron support, I noticed was higher in the centre, and was raising the wire that keeps the central axis in place. I filed down the central part and now it seems to be fine. If it is not, then I shall have to take more drastic action, but probably behind closed doors. Next time, the central axis will just have W irons. Finally, I have fitted the top stepboards, I think that is what they are called. 10 x 125 thou Evergreen strips, firstly stuck in place with PVA, then superglued when the PVA was dry. The lower stepboards next, for, perhaps, the next time. If you have been, thanks for looking.

Firstly, I have to say that I have ordered a 517, just the one. The red framed version, 832 I think the number is. I have wanted a 517, so this is an easy way to get one. Unfortunately, 832 is a London engine at the end of the 19th century, and the make things worse, the only 517 in North Wales at the time was based at Bala. However, it will appear late in the day instead of the 645, or even, If I m as quick doing locos as everything else, it may be in charge of at least some of the Dolgelley trains that do not run through to Ruabon.

I may see you on Sunday afternoon then.

Will you be there yourself?

Your wish is my command: Didcot Railway Centre (websds.net)

Great Western Railway Journal Nos 74, Spring 2010, and 75 Summer 2010 has all you ever wanted to know about 517s. That is until you have read them, then there is lots more you want to know.

A Metro tank has been mentioned. Well, in Pre-Grouping days the Metro and 517, were in different parts of the country, well nearly. This of course means that if a Metro were produced, in early Pre-Group guise, it could well attract another batch of modellers. Just saying. Of course what is really needed is a Sharp Stewart 2-4-0, and a Sharp Stewart 0-6-0. 🙂 Shame that saddle tanks did not last longer.

Paul, All gone by Nationalisation. What sheds would they have been in for the GW&GC?

Really pleased to hear this announcement, although I think my wallet has gone and hidden somewhere As I model 1895 Cambrian, I really have no need of one, except. well, they were only up the branch from my station. Red frames seems great, but wrong buffers and wrong livery, and wrong tanks? Still cannot have everything. (Any applied Armstrong livery, as far as I can make out will be wrong, as I am not sure there is agreement on exactly what it was.)

The 10:02am that left Paddington on 21st March 1895 had three vans, one six wheeler bound for Wolverhampton, and two eight wheelers, probably 40 footers, for Birkenhead, topping and tailing the northern part of the train. This is the train that sends the through coach to Traeth Mawr, so I have a particular interest in it. I also have a number of diagrams of the vans. The only thing stopping me from making a cutting file for my Silhouette of them are the six wheel replacements for the Tri-composite. I maust make windows, I must make windows, I must make windows, (or finish the siphons).

I can only say what I know about the Cambrian Coast line in 1895. There were a couple of freights either way from Machynthlleth to Pwllheli, plus two from either end that only went half way. They each had an extended time at the stations. I have assumed, on evidence that I do not remember, that one that went the full distance was a pick up freight, and the other was unloading of vans/ wagons. (This I have assumed as they were mixed trains with passengers as well.) They did take a long time. The morning one from Machynthlleth left at 6:25am and got to Phwllheli at 2:05pm, passenger train, 8:40 am to 11:30am, and from Pwllheli, 1:20pm to 6:20pm. I assume, with no real basis, that the Cambrian would not do lodging turns, so the crews would work one way on a passenger train, and the other on a goods. I think every branch and company might be different, so as it is your company, I would read what others did and then make up something believable.

Tony, The siphon kits I had, I think are quite good, although as with all things there could be improvements. The link is on my thread or if you like I could post it here. (Usual disclaimers.)

Tony, Very interesting. Ooh, I feel a pull. 'Must not get into 40ft vans, I must not get ...........' I am still very slowly finishing off my siphons and will post when I have advanced a bit.

Thank you, they are nearly the same size as the big ones that I have. Perhaps I ought to get some just to compare the size.

Thank you both. Would the Brewery really want to move coal on their dray that carried the barrels? I remember a discussion on I think Edwardians thread about barrels, and I have a Preiser set of various sizes. The largest I thought was the one I wanted so I checked its volume and is around 77 gallons, or about the size of a butt. I had bought some Dapol ones and they were just a shade smaller. There were some in the pack that were about the right size, 36 gallons. I am not sure they deliver that size anymore but if Youngs still do their 'every pub' challenge then that is the size you win.

I assume that he would bag it up and take it like that as then there would be no argument on how much he had delivered?

I think I am right in saying that one of the uses of anthracite was in brewing. Before I go on a trawl of the internet, does anyone know how much anthracite a small brewery would use? (Yes, I know it is like asking how long is a piece of string, which does of course have an answer?) Now Thomas Edwards, of Edwards Brewery, purveyors of fine Welsh Beer, does not have its own siding, so could he be supplied by R. Parry Coal Merchants, or would that be too much? Mr Parry at the moment has exclusive use of the coal yard at Traeth Mawr.

I do like your layout, and the way you run your trains right to the edge. I have to do the same and will shortly be installing a protection barrier like yours, although mine will be a bit higher as it has to be grandchild proof.

Especially like the third picture, I think there is something special about two steam locomotives together like that.

Thank you both. Jonathan, there is a lot of useful information there. If there are no pictures then who can tell me if I wagon I use is wrong? Probably the early type axleboxes are correct for when I am modelling. I will make notes, as I am not really onto wagons yet, As for dumb buffered ones, I have some, three, from 5 &9, but if I need to make some more I shall trawl through your thread Stephen

Alan, Thank you. I may have know that at some time, but of course I had forgotten it. It also means I can put the right wagons on the right trains. I assume that 'Evans and Bevan', (lovely name), and Hedleys both Collieries in Neath would have supplied anthracite?