ChrisH-UK

To get the answer that best suits your needs you should probably be more specific about your detailing plans. For example some people replace the bodyside grilles entirely, others are happy to compromise, will you be fitting ETS cables, what couplings will you be using, does your prototype have the RCH/TDM cable holders in the original position or had they moved elsewhere?

Thanks everyone. Paul, sadly I wasn't planning on it being ex-works condition, my inspiration is this photo https://rcts.zenfolio.com/rolling-stock/br/ea880c0c0 Should make a nice unusual train (waits for the thread to fill up with pics of people also doing the same) I'm hoping to go to the Ribble Steam Railway in the next few weeks to get some photos of the crane chassis and a few other bits which means the model might actually get finished by 2025. Chris H

I need to find a match for https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/singlebolster/e2bfb0132 to complete a Civil Engineer's crane train. As the caption says it's a 10ft underframe to Dia 1/402. I've searched Parkside, Cambrian and others for anything 10ft but I'm just not sure how suitable the options are. This seems to be the closest match https://peco-uk.com/collections/metcalfe/products/br-10-foot-wagon-chassis-kit-vacuum-fitted-morton-brake but on the prototype the axleboxes appear closer to the ends. (check where the brake levers end on prototype and on model) So do I need to cut a few mm off each end or should I be looking for something else entirely? Thanks Chris H

Fair point in the general history of the Mk1s but in the case of the Cobblers the takeover wasn't really gradual, Thames Valley services were more gradual and saw Mk1 running alongside Mk2 until there were enough 166 units available but that wasn't until at least late 1991 Most of the coaches from the cobbler sets were sent to Old Oak and most of Old Oak's corridor second coaches went to Edge Hill.

According to wikipedia "A major change came in May 1983 when prefix and suffix letters was abandoned, and any carriage that had the same number as another carriage or a locomotive was renumbered." While I don't blindly trust wikipedia entries it does makes sense.

My initial response was "Parcels depot?" which suggests it was wall. Admittedly I spent most of my time on that side of the station looking at the trains rather than the structure but I would have thought I'd recall any kind of opening that was larger than say a garage door. Edit: FWIW I didn't mention the gate that Simon mentioned below as it was outside the red area and went straight onto Eversholt Street (I looked through the gaps at the time)

I've found that a bit of persuasion is all that's needed to get the HAA body off, I don't even remember there being a specific technique. Once or maybe twice it was enough of a fight that I shaved a little off the lug to make things easier.

Going back to the gutter cleaners/road sweepers I remember ones with Ford D cabs, Ford Cargo, and possibly something LDVishk. The ones you've found look like they are based on smaller prototypes. I know some London boroughs had smaller ones in the 90s but not sure the sames was true in the 80s Edit: Just found a pic of what might be a Terrier cab http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4830501506_09c07210e2.jpg

Remove the spoiler from the XR3 and disguise the alloys and you have a passable model of the standard 3-door escort

Do you mean the ones converted in the late 70s or their predecessors which would have been in use during the 70s? The ones Roy H linked to are the former, pictures are on Paul Bartlett's site and departmentals.com, the latter would have been mostly former LNER and LMS coaches, pictures do exist on the afore mentioned sites but are rarer. Here's a youtube vid with grainy pics from 15 or so years earlier

Yep, those were one of the other combinations I described as less likely. There was a Manchester - Brighton train that was booked to arrive in Slough just after the northbound Sussex Scot departed, I went to Poly close to the station so often hung about for this pair of trains. Early on it was mostly BFK & RBR but as more of the 2nd batch of RFBs were released that combination became less common.

At that time the formation could have had either a BSO or a BG as its brake vehicle, other combinations were also possible but the two you described were the most likely. It's possible that 92/93/94 is when they stopped using BGs, I can't say for certain, but some BSOs were available to cross country trains before 1991. There could well be two sleepers in Polmadie at that time, IIRC the Edinburgh sleeper was serviced and maintained there too. Its formation in the winter timetable may have been BG, 5SLE(P), RLO, 2SLE(P) and no seated accomodation because the Fort William portion maxed out the length. The Glasgow sleeper was usually 5 or 6 SLE(P), RLO, 2SLE(P) and a TSO and BSO. I also have records of 2TSO & BSO The trains may have been split and re-marshalled as required but most of the time passing Polmadie they looked to be complete trains.

I'm assuming that's for a locomotive, wouldn't you need to specify what it connects to first? Or do you just want to extrude a flat "flange" and when you figure out what it's connecting to just get it to conform to that shape?

It was 1990 before I got the chance to travel around the country, I know 628 had been repainted by then but I did see 484 and 500 still in green. 484 was kept in good condition by Old Oak Common, 500 started to look a little shabby before its repaint in another livery, I think it lasted close to 10 years in green. Check Western Aviator's suggestions for confirmation.

Have you considered low-relief building backs? Terraces backing on to railways is a pretty common thing, I don't know what the market would be, but it seems like something worth looking into.

Godwin's Law?

Check 3rd pic down in this post http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/85326-dave-fs-photos-ongoing-more-added-13th-may/?p=2246968 The afore mentioned 37 at Thornaby and the right style of plough Also in a youtube video from Oct 89 there is a likely shape of a plough Nothing conclusive but adds to the picture.

Even though Adobe license it royalty free PDF is a proprietary format. It is also very easy to make a filesize larger than it needs to be which is less than idea for phones or tablets with low bandwidth caps or in areas with poor connectivity.

Yeah, otherwise I wouldn't remember the tagline "Happiness is a cigar called Hamlet" with accompanying music. This article jumps around a bit but still fills in a few gaps and suggest how the screw was tightened https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/tobaccos-finest-blend-ban-advertising-tobacco-force/169025

Like the thing we can see in Paul's photo behind the axle or something else?

Whereabouts are they on the Plasser units? I've noticed something under the cabs of some, but not all. Maybe it stands out more on the Geismar machine.

One of my big interests is On-track Plant. I've been planning a model of the Geismar unit for more than 20 years but one thing that has always perplexed me has been the outriggers under it. Under the non-driving end it appears that some kind of rail handling device swings out. Originally I thought it was some kind of stabiliser for the crane but if you look at the white part closest to the buffer and jumper on the right hand side it looks like the wheel goes one side of the rail, the rail fits in the slot behind it and out of sight is a second wheel. Under the cab end I have no clue what it is or how it works, I can't even figure out how it unfolds (does any part pass under the bottom of the ladder at any point?) Can anyone shed any light on it? Both images are used with permission of Martyn Read, larger versions can be found here https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/Allinthedetails/Wagons-and-OTP/ZWA-Geismar-GP-TRAMM-DR98303/i-sjVV36J/O and here https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/Allinthedetails/Wagons-and-OTP/ZWA-Geismar-GP-TRAMM-DR98303/i-QnhkLwm/O Thanks Chris H

No, that's what I thought too until I started seeing them at Carlisle on a regular basis.

It was usually pairs of 37/5s or a single 37/9. I don't remember whether it was singles or pairs when 37/7s were used.

Yes, this happened multiple times. I think it was the kind of thing that happened once a fortnight or maybe less often. I think there is a video of one occasion on Youtube