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mcowgill

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Posts posted by mcowgill

  1. 17 hours ago, PaulRhB said:


    Well we’ve seen three separate releases of the large Hunslet since introduction and there was at least one quarter with none so I’d put a bet on more fairly soon. Fourdees have also done a load of alternative bodies using the chassis, which accounts for quite a few sales, so there appears to be a decent market for them. 

     

    Interestingly a friend at Porthmadog back in October noticed on release day of the 2-4-0TT green versions of the large Hunslets that the codes on the box suggested that all the variants of the model had come off the production line at the same time and the later versions may have been sitting in the warehouse a long time waiting on the release date.

     

    Martin C

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  2. What a carp system!

     

    Any decently designed system will associate your account with a unique unchanging ID, everything else the system knows about you can change: name, address, email, if the system is designed properly you as the end user don't need to know that unique key.   I look after a number of enterprise level systems and they all work this way, even our old creaking at the knees and soon to be replaced ERP uses this type of structure from over 25 years ago.   That's why government web sites use NI/Social Security numbers as keys, unique values that follow you throughout your life. 

     

    Martin (with the day job Enterprise Database Analyst hat on)

    • Agree 1
  3. It looks like all the remaining locomotives were in traffic at some point in 1910 and they would all have been in red/maroon livery.

     

    Small Englands:

    Princess, Prince & Palmerston

     

    Large Englands:

    Welsh Pony & Little Giant

    Note that the forthcoming Kato models are undersized and have the Small England wheelbase and cab

     

    Single Fairlie:

    Taliesin

     

    Double Fairlies:

    James Spooner, Merddin Emrys & Livingston Thompson

     

    At this time Prince still had a simple arc smokebox handrail like Princess & Palmerston as modelled by Kato on Princess.  The wrap round handrail was acquired in 1913 when the smokebox off Welsh Pony was used.

    Palmerston re-entered service in 1910 after an overhaul started in 1907.  Note that Palmerston's cab is shorter than Princess & Prince, Kato's forthcoming model will be incorrect in this respect.

    Welsh Pony was taken out of service in 1910 and did not return until 1915.

    The James Spooner of this period is of course not the same as the recent new loco.  By 1907 it had been rebuilt to be visually similar to Merddin Emrys & Livingston Thompson but was shorter and had bogies with a smaller wheelbase.

     

    Martin

     

  4. 58 minutes ago, WIMorrison said:

    This is why the rails are cut in the yellow circle on modern turnouts - again, not because of DCC, just to improve reliability of running.

    Agreed that this is improves reliability, it's the way I was taught by my late father to build track over 40 years ago, bond the blades to the running rails and isolate the crossing with a switched supply.   But the impact of not doing this is much greater on DCC than DC.

     

    With DC a turnout with both blades and crossing as one electical unit getting a brief short from a rogue wheel with narrow back to back might not be enough to trip the supply, on DCC that short will stop everything on the entire layout immediately, including lighting, turnout motors and anything else on the same bus/power district.  This is also why it's a good reason to have accessories/turnouts on bus that you can switch independantly from from the track bus.

     

    Martin

  5. 4 hours ago, Ryde-on-time said:

    I wonder if a model of the new Ffestiniog double Fairlie ‘James Spooner’ might be a possibility. It would also be a different livery to previous models

    Not sure about this one. 

     

    I believe that 'David Lloyd George' was released as Collectors Club only rather than a main catalogue model as the double Fairlie tooling is the 1879/1885 Boston Lodge version.  DLG with that tooling is too small and too short and I understand that Bachmann didn't want to put an incorrect livery on a catalogue model.   'James Spooner' is similarly larger, indeed when stood next to it seems even bulkier than DLG.   

     

    On the other hand, the green 'Merddin Emrys' model is very close in appearance to the new JS, if a little undersized, with a representation of the bells/whistles on the forward boiler ring it wouldn't be too far off in appearance.

     

    What I'm sure won't appear as my current project needs one, is a pre-preservation JS, shorter than the existing models 🤨

     

    Martin

    • Like 1
  6. 3 hours ago, ess1uk said:

    So is the route safeguarded?

    who makes good whatever has been started?

    how much in cancellation fees for construction contractors?

    so many questions 

     

    The report says that Phase 2a safeguarding will be lifted in the next few weeks, Phase 2b by summer next year once they have decided what needs to be kept for any NPR proposals.

     

    Goodbye Phase2

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  7. On 11th August 1990 we had 91010 at the head of the SLOA Mk1 Pullman set take us up the ECML to Leeds where it was replaced by 46229.  Unfortunately I wasn't quick enough to get off and get to the east end of the station to photograph it on the stock, I had to make do with it running away light engine towards Neville Hill.

     

    The same loco worked the return back from Leeds to KX, blunt end first.  That journey is memorable for the rather liberal interpretation down Stoke Bank of what speed commonwealth bogied Mk1 stock was permitted to run at, it was a rather lively ride!

     

    1990116.jpg.4fa4107ebd0673f74e1aed27bd1b9e01.jpg1990118.jpg.770ede34ed06b411f78e4dd75f381098.jpg

     

  8. FYI my understanding is that these are not true Large Englands, the difference between these and the earlier releases is disc driving wheels instead of spoked and a different tank moulding with a forward position nameplate.  The wheelbase remains unchanged and the cab will be the current moulding from Princess/Prince rather than one with the larger symmetrical arrangement of front and rear sections of the cab side sheets.

     

    Please don't take that this as criticism of Kato/Peco, I'm happy to see more models encouraging 009 modelling and most people aren't long time FR rivet counters like me!   

     

    My under construction 1920s WHR layout has large radius scratchbuilt track and needs a Large England.  With disc driving wheels I can probably live with the wheelbase discrepancy and have ideas about extending the cab to the correct size as I don't need much of a gap to the tender to squeeze round tight curves.  

     

    Martin

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  9. 20 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

     

    I have a feeling that is the one with the lights, sound and smoke.

     

    https://uk.Hornby.com/products/br-stanier-5mt-black-5-4-6-0-44726-steam-generator-era-5-r30225ss

     

    I don't think the normal version comes with fitted lamps.

     

     

     

    Jason

     

    The model shown is a Black 5 with 'domeless' boiler, so it's an early 1930s build variant, one of the first 225 built making it either R30224 LMS 5200 or R30226 BR 45157

  10. 4 minutes ago, Trainshed Terry said:

    Closure of ticket office is just another way of increasing the shareholders payments. This idea needs to be stopped going by the lack of investment the TOC have put back into the railway.

     

    Terry

     

    My understanding is that's no longer the case, since Covid the TOC now gets a management fee for running the service, the DfT bears the cost of the operation and therefore takes the benefit of cost savings.   Shareholders won't see any gain from cost cutting.

     

    Martin

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  11. 34 minutes ago, TinTracks said:

    As I recall both the Ffestiniog and the TalyLlyn platform/on train staff used to lock the carriage doors before the train departed. Unlocking them, as required, when stopped at a station.  I may be a bit out of date with this info as I haven't visited since November 2019. This practice would maybe help those unfamiliar with opening slam doors

     Regards, Rich

    The FR have been locking doors since1863, IIRC it was a condition of Captain Tyler's inspection before passanger trains started.  it's due to the minimal clearance between doors and the walls at various points on the line, only outward opening doors are affected, recent carriages with inward opening doors aren't locked.  

     

    I believe the TR started locking doors in response to door catch issues, I believe a new design is being rolled out over time.

     

    Martin 

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  12. I think they're different dimensions.

     

    Measured & Drawn shows 5' 0" over body but note that the ends of that measurement as shown on the drawing are not the overall width, the dimension is shown over the corner posts.    R.E. Tustin's drawings of the van from the 1950s quote 4' 11.75" over body and 5' 4" over doors.

     

    Martin

     

    1419836670_LBVan.jpg.96b0927c9fdff3c75f28115d05028a4d.jpg  

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  13. Just catching up on the last few days photos, C1098 on the Ffestiniog at Penrhyndeudraeth is 'Merddin Emrys'.

     

    Earl of Merioneth was withdrawn in 1971, it was planned to scrap the superstructure and fit a new Hunslet boiler the same as we see on Merddin Emrys in your photo (new boiler 1970) but as it would mean losing the last traditional Fairlie outline loco a successful campaign led to the preservation of the old Earl as a static exhibit (now in the NRM York) and replacement with a new Earl of Merioneth (aka the Square) entering service in 1979. 

     

    This has come full circle, the 1979 loco has been withdrawn and is stored with no plans to return it to service, it's being replaced by new build James Spooner built to the traditional outline.

     

    Martin

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  14. On 17/01/2023 at 21:13, Butler Henderson said:

    According to Festpedia https://www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/Turntables the Boston Lodge one was in use intil at least 1934 and is stated as now being underneath a garage. It would be useful to allow the single locos to face uphill when they work on the WHR to Beddgelert

    No real need for it, the England engines have regularly been turned for events & photo charters.  Separate the loco from it's tender and they can both be turned on the wagon turntables at Boston Lodge.  

    • Like 1
  15. 3 hours ago, Clan Mcadder said:

    In the 1980s when first introduced by Dapol these had an rrp of £19.99 inflation does happen. And whilst I am too definitely of the party of less detailed and cheaper models aka I am very very fond of detailed lima etc , I do wish people would take into account of the value of money sometimes..  

     

    Intoduced in 1984, £20 adjusted by RPI inflation is now £84

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  16. Didn't think I had a photo of 55005 after reallocation to York but just found this post-withdrawal at the Doncaster Open Day on 27/2/82 alongside 19.  It's not very clear on the photo but the York coat of arms is just visible above the number of both locos (as on the photo of 55013 above)

     

    1982_10_38.jpg.cc11ac1def9a732b50fd351ea599cfc9.jpg

     

    And here's some else's photo on the same day on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/60776612@N02/49592160492/in/photolist-2iyhMxS-2nYtyUz-c3vB3L-5BYzDL-8Z7qHQ-2nYeJ9b-KQTyw2-2jNmPxY-zQdFrG-yUjhaL-dR3YYr-seyNuq-zP3rYj-2mWsui4-2iMvvuu-2mcPKFE-2nwwjxH-2nzYHxC-8Z4Fea-a49uds-b3PPUc-t6zr9p-rX9mpS-2nXfpsQ-9xDdtM-24wZG87-2iConbR-o6ZaqB-2ijRgb2-GBTVy9-SKF4bh-nGfnwQ-2ijMFXf-dFjSxH-5H3M48-2nYNyAV-AJzdS4-9Sckqu-bxLCpV-b3PJSt-ajdkwY-bKU4A8-dNfeHJ-SPrRKx-oHsqeC-Drv4tv-2mFBhB5-2nDAXGe-qDz1yU-2mRWkAR

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