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Ian Hargrave

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Posts posted by Ian Hargrave

    Hornby Star Class

    in Hornby

    Posted

    The down 'Dragon' was late afternoon ex-Paddington....I think(?) 4:55 pm .

    Photo taken c.1954-56 Reporting number 169 ,I know was the1:55 pm....another Canton 'Brit.' Turn.70025-29.Memories of hours spent at the Newport end of platform3 at Cardiff General...Paddington departures were then scheduled at55 minutes past the hour for South and West Wales.

    I now have to amend the timings of the down Dragon.....it has been bugging me for the last couple of hours.BUT it has reacquainted me with a book I've had for a few years which brings tears of nostalgia to me every time I leaf through its pages. ...'The Red Dragon .........and other old friends' ..LDR Publications(2006).a compilation of the work of the late Huw Daniel by his son Ieuan and others. This is a seminal work for ALL of you who love the GW/WR. and for those who remember,like me ,Swansea High Street and Landore and its Castles with their white-painted buffer beams. Importantly it contains photos of Stars and Saints...in particular Lode Star (2) which  spent its days as a Landore loco from 12th July 1934 until withdrawal on 18th July1950,having run 2,005,898 miles..a working life of 44 years and 5 months...introduced to traffic Feb 1907.

      Now ..the Dragon: as a named express from 5th June 1950. UP: Carmarthen dept :7:30 Paddington  Arrive  1:00 pm  Down Paddington Dept 5:55 pm (not 4:55) Carmarthen Arrive11:50pm.Sorry for the errors...glad to put it right and share this with you. Doing it has helped me focus.

    Hornby Star Class

    in Hornby

    Posted

    The down 'Dragon' was late afternoon ex-Paddington....I think(?) 4:55 pm .

    Photo taken c.1954-56 Reporting number 169 ,I know was the1:55 pm....another Canton 'Brit.' Turn.70025-29.Memories of hours spent at the Newport end of platform3 at Cardiff General...Paddington departures were then scheduled at55 minutes past the hour for South and West Wales.

    Hornby Star Class

    in Hornby

    Posted

    I believe that Andy Y is in contact with Geoff Davies at Steam,Swindon.Lets see what he has to say on 4003 because I'll bet he's as disappointed as the rest of us with this.

    I'm glad someone has been pro-active on the matter of 4003,because things have become ominously quiet since the first reported delivery yesterday.I hope this is not an omen of unwelcome news.Like everyone else,I want this one to be right.Only when I receive the blessing of a positive review from this forum will I be prepared to pay the premium for it

    • Like 2

    Hornby Star Class

    in Hornby

    Posted

    One other point-a small one,perhaps-but significant to me,as I remember both the Stars and Saints of the late 40's and ealy 50's,does Lode Star come with a set of etched brass/metal plates ? Western D1000 came from Steam with them...and most of the bits fitted.

     If not,that means a small further outlay on the purchase of a set.I simply could not live with the ghastly print I see on 4018.It simply ISN'T a GWR...or even BR(W) loco without proper plates. Oh for the sight of burnished brass !

    Hornby Star Class

    in Hornby

    Posted · Edited by Ian Hargrave

    I sincerely hope that 'Steam's' Lode Star fulfils the expectations that those of you who have ordered one have of it.Steam needs the cash it generates,heaven only knows.Hopefully,the model will not demonstrate the baleful distortions seen in the above image. None of us needs an expensive disappointment.....least of all 'Steam'

    I must say that I had been contemplating an order,because it does appear to be a far more attractive offering than 4018 recently viewed on Hattons website....I have seen the pre-prod.samples anyway...and I am far from convinced by that.It will be interesting when members receive their long-awaited orders of 4003 to hear their responses.As they say,turkeys are for Christmas.If it's positive,then I'll be more than happy to give my support to Swindon.

    What Next?

    in Modelling musings & miscellany

    Posted · Edited by Ian Hargrave

     

     

    I think the previous 'system' has now gone slightly adrift as presumably this year's offering is the L&Y tank (which may well precede the Bachmann in-house versions onto the market?). I know the NRM were concerned about development costs at one time and it makes me wonder if they;re now taking a sort of joint or 'cost-sharing approach with Bachmann so they continue to get something out of issuing a model of 'museum condition' loco while Bachmann produce the everyday variety as happened with the 'Director'

     

    However on the other hand for this year they ran a wishlist and all the prototypes on it would have used what are Bachmann basic toolings apart from the prototype 'Deltic' - so it could just be they have changed their approach anyway?

    There are precedents with C-o-T, and Midland Compound 1000 of NRM Limited Editions appearing well in advance of the mainstream Bachmann versions....and they both appeared,as it were,'out of the blue' with great surprise on our parts. Certainly,the L& Y tank is highly likely to precede its sisters onto the market very shortly.Locomotion Models have been prolifically pro-active within the last few months and are springing surprises on us.I am confident that there are more to come.

    What Next?

    in Modelling musings & miscellany

    Posted

    I think they've announced the Brighton version for a couple of good reasons - firstly it links with the Bluebell so has a potential marketability alongside something which you can  (by 2015?) actually see puffing around.  Secondly they're putting a 'get your mitts off' marker in the sand to tip off and steer away any other manufacturers (you know which one I mean).  The other potential advantage is that someone else can come to them with a commission for another atlantic with a very similar pedigree and they can get it into the market fairly quickly - in fact for all we might know, or not know, that could already have happened and the one we know about is the spin-off instead of the forerunner.  Well you never know.

    .

    You've read the tea leaves........'Midland Compund'. 1000 ?

    What Next?

    in Modelling musings & miscellany

    Posted

    I love the expression 'shortly - I've found that as i get that bit older time begins to fly by so little doubt in my mind that 2015 will indeed arrive 'shortly' but i bet some of them thar young whippersnappers round here will be moaning about how long it's taking by early January 2015 :jester: 

    Thanks for picking up the thread...There's another one on the Ivatt ( naughty duplicator,me ) which I've resurrected....I started it months ago but failed to notice it this morning....you should grumble about the bus-pass era ! So ,then,it's a twin track approach .The word 'shortly' is,of course,a euphemism. I want to air the subject and,trust me ( no,I'm not a doctor ) with good reason .

    I sincerely believe it's a model we'd all welcome.

     

    Ian.

    What Next?

    in Modelling musings & miscellany

    Posted · Edited by Ian Hargrave

    We are 6 months on................we will shortly have our first r-t-r Atlantic,courtesy of Bachmann.Good ! BUT....is it THE Atlantic at the top of our wishlist ? Hmm. The buzzword is Ivatt. The magic number ...251,slumbering forlornly at Barrow Hill.....Could it be...? Can't believe that they wouldn't.........neglect a fabulous window of opportunity,capitalising on recent successes with Prince William , Delticand Yorkie tank .Come on ,NRM National Collection...not if....WHEN ....and SOON !

    Locomotion / NRM L &Y tank

    in Bachmann

    Posted

    I'm 15 so I can't afford to get many locos and there's a lot of other ones I'd like: J11, B1, P2\ and my current layout is only a shunting one so running a L&Y tank on it takes a lot of justifying!

    Sorry...I sincerely hope this silly old dinosaur hasn't put you off ( I'm 71 ) We should cherish and nurture young people like you. You have an impressive shopping list there. I sincerely hope it reaches fulfillment. Meanwhile....more power to your elbow...and may good Gresleys,Thompsons and Aspinalls attend you..As a lad of about your age ,I spotted Thompson's rebuild of theP2 at the buffers at King's Cross and once had a run behind B1 61215 'William Henton Carver'....and that was in 1961....07:35 Birmingham New Street-Newcastle.....she was deputising for a failed 'Peak' ( Class 45 later ) diesel and was a Hull ( 50B ) loco.....an unusual working to say the least. She was still on the train when I left it at Sheffield Midland,anyway. Best wishes,Ian.

    • Like 2

    Hornby Star Class

    in Hornby

    Posted

    It now being the time of year when thoughts turn to its seasonal climax of the celebration of The Nativity,I find a confusion crossing my mind when I rehearse on Monday nights for our choirs 'Carols by Candlelight' concerts.....for instance,was it Sidney Carter or George Jackson Churchward who composed 'Every Star Shall Sing A Carol' ?

    Early Risers.

    in Wheeltappers

    Posted

    If you do Pete avoid the one at Three Cocks Junction (site of) - the food there was abysmal!

    Some good eateries in the vicinity of Three Cocks......why bother with garden centres? Spoiled for choice in Hay-on-Wye but the best in the area is back down the A470 towards Brecon.....The Felinfach Griffin.

     

    Couch potato ATM...gave up on culture evening watching Hamlet. Filthy wet again......besides my wife needed to watch final of The Bake-Off.......from the sublime to the.......Actually--not true,I am a closet Bake Off junkie,too.

    Early Risers.

    in Wheeltappers

    Posted

    There is nothing as satisfying as a bowl of home-made soup for lunch. Specialite de la maison chez nous being courgette. Unusually refreshing to hear of a lawn 'under construction'......mostly being 'hard landscaped' nowadays....try 'Green Thumb' for lawn treatment. A well-manicured lawn sets off a 'traditional' English garden a treat. A scruffy one irritates

    Wet here...as most places,it seems.To local cinema tonight,to see HD screening of NT production of Hamlet.....Rory Kinnear.At £12 a seat,the bargain of the day......one mile...and free parking !

    • Like 1

    Early Risers.

    in Wheeltappers

    Posted

    Despite earlier gloomy predictions,it hasn't rained here since. So....the lawn has echoed once more to the strains of Cwm Honda.Going a bit soft,though,for a roller mower.A surprising amount of grass for October.......no sign of a slowdown yet.

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