Miss Prism

4694 at Eastleigh:

Definitely looks the part.

I think it varied, and depended on the state of the ducket. If it was bit rotten, it was removed and plated, if it was still structurally sound, there wasn't any urgency to change it. I think most duckets had gone by the mid-30s, but that is a generalisation. The vehicle is a diagram K4 I think.

I think it was definitely a two-stage process for the 3111/5100 classes, with steel roofs being fitted from 1921 (as you note) keeping the original high roof profile, i.e.. like this, and the lower roof, i.e. like this, was apparently fitted to most of the class between 1931 and 1939. It may even have been a three-stage process if you count the blanking off of the cabfront portholes. I don't know why the lower roofs were fitted - I'm not aware of any loading gauge issues. Or maybe it was easier to use standard Collett-shaped parts?

I think they kept their 1st class annotations.

The test build looks good to me. Here's 3152 at Newton, 15 September 1933.

Numbers 1 (F14) and 4 (F16).

Thanks Jim. It seems likely that the footplate height of an 1860 engine (especially with 5' wheels) was probably a bit lower than it was in later days. Often the buffer axis setting on the bufferbeam is a telltale clue.

I'm not convinced the running plate needed to rise to clear the cranks.

This is very sad news. I had many conversations with Len over the years, and his knowledge of die-sinking and plastic moulding was comprehensive. In recent times, he was in the long process of resurrecting some of the Exactoscale designs, and some 7mm products can be seen on the Precision Paints site. He did become depressed because dementia struck his partner, who went into a care home. Len's failing eyesight prevented him from driving, and he became housebound to an extent, which frustrated him enormously. Nevertheless, he remained very enthusiastic about future projects and products. The worlds of 4mm and 7mm finescale owe him an enormous debt - he was a true pioneer.

Some location details I think some of the film sequences appeared in one of John Huntley's Steam on 35mm series. On the reelstreets site, the 'unknown station' in capture 17 is Ealing Broadway I think.

If they were London Plane they would probably be double that height.

Yes, that is vaguely coming back to me now. Thanks for that, what was confusing me was the single outside diagonal, which seems very odd to me, and it is unlike the Gloucesters in that respect.

I'm still not clear whether diagonals on the inside should be fitted on the Gloucester 5/7 plankers, and I find Stephen's D0267 diagram confusing.

Yes, some survived into the '60s, and some would have been repainted in lined maroon.

Different doors, wheelbase, brakes, slats in lower sides, axleguards, buffers.

Ah yes, thanks Brian, the mini-poll on freight vehicles, but it wasn't specifically on opens. I note the post-1930 opens got a few more votes than the pre-1930 ones.

Has there been a mini-poll on opens? (Maybe it was one of the ones I missed when in hospital.)

I guess the W after C&W means 'Western'. (And denotes a sort of 'hands off' to other regions?)

I think it is approaching Friars Junction on the up main. The down main is obscured by the vegetation on the parapet wall.

That's what the carriage trucks were for. Here's a posh one.

Sorry - I missed the bit about temporary placement.

The 517 chimney looks to be leaning forward a bit.

I still can't decide whether Concertinas are beautiful or ugly. I'll vote for No 1.

3'7" disc