petrox

That's interesting, with the wind in the right direction I can hear trains crossing the viaduct at Welwyn - we must be in the same area. Back in the mid-1950's our house backed onto the ex-GE line between Enfield Lock and Waltham Cross stations - N7 and L1 tanks on locals, B1, B17, Britannia on expresses, WD, K3 and occasionally J39 on freights - once even an E4 2-4-0? Some years later I remember chatting to the driver of an A4 at Kings Cross, just before the loco was to be withdrawn. Not trainspotting, but for my 50th birthday treat, my wife arranged a trip driving Flying Scotsman at the Nene Valley Railway. So with all this LNER background, my layout is inspired by - GWR Kingswear! Pete

Pic of 4628 in R.C. Riley's "Great Western Album" in 1963.

Have only just seen this sad news - I have been a very satisfied customer of Hattons for nearly 20 years, and have always found them to be an excellent organisation to deal with (both buying and selling stock). At least the business is closing down in a structured and organised manner, so hopefully the impact on staff will be lessened. No doubt there will be many opinions as to the possible short and long-term effects of the closure of one of the major model railway retailers - maybe there will be a move towards buying direct from the manufacturer (I have cancelled my Hattons pre-order for the B-set and ordered from Rapido). Pete

Thanks for the info - looks as though I can easily justify a K22, and will I look back at some photos of other diagrams. Thanks again. Pete Answering my own question to some extent, browsing through various books, i have found the following photos of Toplights in trains in the mid-1950's: May 1955 & August 1956 - D56 Brake third, Dainton bank July 1956 - Third, Kingswear carriage sidings Aug. 1954 - D56, Tiverton Junction March 1957 - K22, Paddington August 1957 - D56?, Bittaford May 1958 - D56?, near Leamington Sep. 1957 - Composite?, Uphill Junction Jan. 1955 / April 1958 / Oct. 1958 - 70' Brake third Also surprisingly a couple of Concertina Brake third - May 1955 Dainton / August 1956 Dainton Anyway I feel comfortable to have a coupe of Toplights on my layout - just need Dapol to do their bit now! Pete

Although the Dapol Mainline & City stock looks excellent, I am waiting in hope for the corridor versions - maybe just a couple for my South Devon inspired layout, a K22 full brake and a brake third and/or a third. I have some photo evidence of Toplights still in use in 1955-57 period, but is there any info available for when these coaches were finally withdrawn, or what trains they might have been seen on? (I know Rule 1 could always be invoked, but i would prefer it if history could back me up). Many thanks in advance for any info. Pete

Thanks for the info - Dapol's model of 5330 appears on the list of locos with lined green / late crest, whereas 4358 is not on the early emblem list - so maybe 5330 is the correct way to go. Pete

Dapol have one of their upcoming 43xx Moguls finished in BR lined green / early crest livery. Were many 43xx finished in this livery? Somewhere I think I have seen a photo of a 43xx in lined green on Royal Train duty, but possibly with late emblem. Thanks in advance for any info. Pete

7810 Draycott arrived lunchtime today - DHL were going to leave parcel on the doorstep, but we opened the door and caught the courier taking a pic! Model extremely well packaged, no signs of any problems, but full inspection and some initial trials later after the St. Petrox branch has closed for the night. Loco looks superb, especially next to an old Bachmann version (which must be 25 years old?). Pete

Playing golf with 2 clubs at the same time? I play golf twice a week - I don't have golfers elbow, but golfers hip does not help my swing action (such as it is).

My 7810 on its' way also.

Also still waiting for 7810 Draycott - never mind, soon be Xmas.

According to various books I have (see below), for example the loco for the up Torbay Express worked down to Kingswear on the 9.50 Newton-Kingswear local passenger, before being turned (and watered?) and working out on the 11.25 up Torbay . There is also a pic of a Castle class loco, having taken the down Torbay to Kingswear, working back to Newton Abbott tender-first on a local freight. Another pic shows a Castle working down on the 8.30 Paignton-Kingswear with a 2-coach local, presumably before taking an up express. Stock for various up express workings from Kingswear may have been worked down from NA - another pic shows a Large Prairie tank at the head of 9 corridor coaches, which seems a lot for a local passenger - many local trains seemed to consist of 4 or 5 coaches maximum. Books are Operation Torbay 1957 (W.S. Becket), GW Branch Line Memories (Lewis Reade), Newton Abbott to Kingswear (C.S. Potts). Hope this helps - my layout is inspired by Kingswear but by no means is a close representation! Pete

On the subject of SR locos working Plymouth-Exeter trains with WR stock, I happened to be browsing Dick Blenkinsop's book Echoes of the Great Western, and found this combination: 29th August 1957 - 34061 leaving Bittaford for Plymouth with "very varied coaching stock" - Hawksworth BSK / Centenary CK / Collett SK / Collett BSK / Toplight BSK (apparently in brown livery?). If you replicated that format in model form I wonder how realistic it would look? Pete

Going on a classic car tour in a couple of weeks, going through Piddletrentheid and Piddlehinton - then stopping for a comfort break. Sorry for going off topic - back to the middle of the Muddles. Pete

I spent over 20 years in the I.T. world but at the business systems end rather than the technical side - however I can imagine what must have been involved over the last few weeks. I will add my thanks to all involved for their efforts to get steam up again - well done. Pete