chris45lsw

The first 22 got round top boilers between Feb 1940 and June 1949. Only three reached BR still with Belpaires and they got RTs very early as follows - 9602 (6/49) / 9609 (8/48) / 9618 (7/48). And they didn't carry BR numbers while Belpaired as they were renumbered at the same time they were re-boilered. So if Oxford are going to get it right the GER and pre-War LNER examples should have Belpaires while any in BR livery, including their announced E9621(sic) alias 69621, should have a RT (which was fitted Feb 1946, by the way). Chris Knowles-Thomas

Yes, the T9 wheelbase is 6ft 6in + 6ft 9in + 10ft 0in while the L1 is 6ft 3in + 11ft 2in + 10ft 0in. I've been thinking of putting my old Triang L1 on a Hornby T9 chassis - thanks for showing it can be done! Chris Knowles-Thomas

I suspect Bachmann's tooling will only cope with the '1532' class by which I take them to mean MR/LMS Nos. 1266-1380 / BR 58039 - 58072 (though some would sub-divide these into the 1532, 1823 & 1833 classes). MR/LMS Nos. 1381-1430 / BR 58073 - 58091 constituted the '2228' class and these had slightly higher side tanks and six inches shorter cabs than the '1532s'. So unless one is prepared to ignore these, admittedly, not glaringly obvious differences renumbering to 'celebrity' late survivors - 58085 (Lincoln for the Southwell branch) and 58086 (Bath) is not on the cards. l do find it a shame that Bachmann have chosen to make their first BR 1P (58072) a condensing loco when the vast majority were non-condensers. 58072 was, of course, on the S&D but they could have picked non-condensing 58046 or 58051 which were also on the S&D in BR days. Chris Knowles-Thomas

Already voted for it before you mentioned it, Gilbert. Honest! ChrisKT

A few MR Bain non-corridors were adapted into PP sets and can be converted from the Ratio kits though the bogies need changing from 10ft wb as in the kits to 8ft wb. Some were still about in BR days. Chris Knowles-Thomas

Yes, as Leander says, the last L&Y diagram 98 third went in Jan 1961 - 32 of them made it into 1958, 17 into 1959, 4 into 1960 and the last one into 1961 (just!). The coach behind the standard 4 is almost certainly an LMS period I 57ft diagram 1695 TK. There's an outside chance it could be a diag. 1747 FK as they had the same corridor side arrangement but the TKs were obviously more common and seem much more likely on this service. The coach behind Compound 41062 is not a L&Y diag. 98 as behind 41095. It's a bog standard LMS 57ft non-corridor, most likely a third but could be a compo (as they both had 9 compartments). The photo is not ever so clear but my best guess would be a Period II diag. 1784 third. But Hornby's Period III diag. 1906/1906A third would be a suitable substitute! ChrisKT

Interesting L&YR coach next the engine. Looking forward to 'spotting' at PN next year. Thanks for sharing, Gilbert, and a Happy New Year to all. ChrisKT

I can supply a scan of the BSL/Phoenix drawing for a D94 (chriskthomas@waitrose.com) but I've just realised that it has an error which is reflected in the sides in the photograph. On the corridor side there should be a quarterlight between the double van doors nearest the end and the end itself. The late Ron Coleman omitted it from his drawing and therefore didn't punch the requisite hole in his sides! Chris Knowles-Thomas

Given how good the Dapol 0 Gauge Terrier is I'm glad I sold my three 7mm Terrier kits before it was announced! It's a shame we don't have an equally good 00 version, rather than the Hornby hybrid which doesn't match any prototype combination of features. Mind you that originated with Dapol yonks ago so shows how they've improved over the years. Chris KT

8 foot wide was typical of many pre-group coaches, including the SECR , LSWR & LBSCR. Chris KT

The Triang clerestories are not a great match for LSWR (although better than SECR). They are a good match for the LBSCR, though. Chris KT

I hadn't intended to get a coal tank either but now I'm on the verge of giving in! The interesting LNWR arc roofed 56ft brake third in the Coalport picture was created in 1920/21 by joining together two 28ft 4 wheelers of 1890/91. Chris Knowles-Thomas

This am Rails are quoting £154.99 for 35023 with sound and £134.50 for the others. ChrisKT

The curb rail of the SR liveried Bulleid truck sems to be BR bauxite while that on the BR liveried Maunsell one appears to be in SR brown! Chris Knowles-Thomas

Pre Bluebell 31263 lacked the beading at the transition between the flat side and the flared top - presumably the flare was welded on to the original cut down bunker by (?) BR (?). But the Bluebell did add the bead which improves the appearance greatly. Incidentally I had the pleasure of travelling behind 308, in its BR guise as 31308, when it headed the 'South Eastern Limited' on 11 June 1961 between Tonbridge and Robertsbridge. Allegedly 70mph or so was attained though the fact that 31308 was double heading D1 31749 must have helped! Chris Knowles-Thomas Chris Knowles-Thomas

Actually, although 263 was built with a flat sided bunker (as were 265, 266, 274, 276, 278 & 530 to 533) it received a flared top prior to acquisition by the Bluebell. I don't know when but I suspect it was done under BR. Certainly there are photos of it from 1963 in BR lined black and with the flare. Chris Knowles-Thomas

Interesting! Roughly half way through the build of these sets the design of the first class saloon in the lav'y compo was changed. Earlier coaches had: quarterlight/door/2 x large saloon windows, whereas later vehicles had; quarterlight/door/1 x large saloon window/droplight/quarterlight. When I saw an engineering prototype at Butterley in August the compo matched the earlier type but in these pics it's the later type. So on the face of it Bachmann have essayed both versions. I hope they settle on the later type because, a) I prefer it and b), more importantly, the later type is needed for Pull-Push set 660. Chris Knowles-Thomas

Yes, it may or may not have been a happy coincidence, but in 1959 30583 regained the boiler it had when sold out of service by the LSWR. Chris Knowles-Thomas

A further thought. I don't know whether they're still available but Roxey Mouldings used to make white metal LSWR guards' duckets. They came in 2ft 6in and 3ft wide versions - you need the narrower one for the 45/42ft 2-sets. Chris Knowles-Thomas

The two car 'branch line' sets of 45ft BC and 42ft BT were the typical Lyme Regis branch train until the 58ft sets 42-46 were created in 1936. Chris Knowles-Thomas

Do you mean the BR red or SR green, or both? In the flesh I would say the green is probably 'right' but, to my mind, the red isn't bright enough! Chris Knowles-Thomas

Chopping the brake end off the diag. 99 brake third would also give you a diag. 12 48ft third. Though it's a moot point whether refitting the coach end to that or cutting the middle out of a diag. 31 gives less work overall. Then, of course, you end up with your 48ft diag. 12 thirds and 48ft diag. 263 lav'y compos but no brake thirds to go with them! Chris Knowles-Thomas

To be pedantic motor brake third 8143 (unit 1293) in the NRM is on a 59ft underframe, the new 1925 units for the Western Section being shorter than the standard. And 5546 alias 1050 is actually 62ft 6in. But no doubt the width is consistent? Preserved 2 BIL, 2090, does have 62ft frames though, as well as all the 'modern' 4 SUBS & EPBs. Chris Knowles-Thomas

Yes, I missed the pic on page 541! The leading coach seems to be a lav'y third to diagram 32, Nos. 5-16, though half of them would be uprated to diag. 287 lav'y compos in 1939. The second coach is probably also a 58ft rebuild, I suspect a diag. 31 lav'y third. I've often wondered about the numerous electric rebuilds of pre-group stock not having the triangular fillet. I can't prove it but the logical answer would be that the 62ft electric underframe was narrower than the standard 'steam' 58ft. After all it was specifically designed for EMU use and the SR always intended to make the vast majority of "3 SUBs" utilising 8ft wide pre-Grouping bodies. Chris Knowles-Thomas

The diagram 31 TLs listed as loose in the Appendix to the CWN for Summer 1950 were:- 169/173/187/188/194 208/219/225/253/268/280/291/299 304/313/320/326/353/360/364/373/382/387 403/476 513 320, of course, survives on the Bluebell. 360 was the first non-corridor coach to be painted malachite, 16 June 1940. As Graham said, 219 and 373 became pull-push trailers in 1958. The diag. 98 BTLs, 2625-2629 spent most (all in some cases) of their lives in sets, rather than loose. Chris Knowles-Thomas