Ian Hargrave

To traffic 1951…the Festival Of Britain…a time of celebration of life beginning to return to normal post war. I copped Oliver at Liverpool Street at the same time as Alfred the Great at Waterloo. There was no reaction and why would there be.Most of the population of the UK was historically and politically unaware.The Britannias were a symbol of the regeneration of the nation after the war and consequent austerity. No mass media and patchy TV coverage. It is difficult now to have any concept of life in the early 1950’s.

Great shot of the Crewe roof garden.Monty Don would be pleased

I’ve recently had two return trips Crewe-Chester and regret I’m unimpressed with the rough ride sadly.

And here lurks an honest man…

I’ll pass on that possibility as eyes & fingers ain’t what they used to be. As currently my operations are confined to a tabletop in a room with somewhat restricted natural light,I welcome this little additional brightness.

So no place for bling on your rails then ?

Ah,so that’s where and how Hornby sourced the “finish”. Basically a cosmetic photo shoot ex-works. Pretty I’m sure but in terms of subsequent authenticity of an in traffic loco a bit like glamour on the red carpet for an Oscar. So then,would anyone be tempted to weather this ? It would seem a bit of a shame really.The paint job & lining seem rather well done. Some nice images and I much appreciate that.

Indeed it does.But it needs bigger stuff than this…..

Thank you for highlighting that. The front end is the area that indeed is in need of improvement. I shall now know what to look for.

Thanks for the above positive comments.My first observation….and this admittedly from online images…..is that apart from the white paint ( Why ? ) on the smokebox hinges and those much debated lamps,I cannot observe much difference. This having removed from its box one of the later release originals R3453 BR l/c 45274, lightly weathered. This being a model of the loco wrecked in the Sutton Coldfield disaster & subsequently rebuilt at Crewe and returned to traffic….something that Hornby seemed blissfully unaware of when they released it. It’s a nice model which performs sweetly. For now,apart from a pre ordered Caprotti,I’ll keep my powder dry and wait until I can get up close & personal for any stimulus to reach for the plastic to consider the new release

As a sickly child recovering from one of the many infections I seemed to suffer,I remember being given one of the then scarce bananas….my first… as a special treat. I promptly rejected it as inedible. If there are any Giles cartoon fans on the forum,there was one featuring the redoubtable Grandma celebrating the return of the banana.

Wartime bananas. Were there any ? I know it’s a long while back but given the “difficulty “ of crossing the North Atlantic at this time,I seem to recall that bananas,a luxury in those times of rationing and shortages of foodstuffs didn’t reappear in the shops until the mid to late 1940’s. We needed Sherman Tanks& GI’s more than we needed bananas I believe. Yours etc. born 1942.and we billeted two of those GI’s prior to D-Day whose generosity with foodstuffs helped sustain a flagging dietary national economy. Wonder what became of them …

Yes,agreed. But the question still remains…..how to find a way out of this impasse in that feathers and egos are unruffled ,the legal requirements are fulfilled and the Black 5’s are on their way to Mallaig. Bon voyage with that one.

And WCRC have returned The Jacobite Mk 1 stock to FW ,still without CDL,to FW. Seen on Leslie Gilpin’s YouTube channel northbound at Carlisle yesterday.Is this some kind of Highland standoff,reminiscent of 1745….or what ?

No but I’m getting there. Enjoy 😊