chris45lsw

The Ironclads originated on the L&SWR but most were built by the SR including 2 car sets 381-385 for through services to Lymington and Swanage as well as the West Country. They were converted to Push-Pull sets by BR in 1949-1952. If you're being pernickety M7s came in short and long frame versions and only long frame locos were converted for PP. So far, at least, Dapol have only made short frame engines so strictly not suitable for PP duties! Chris KT

421 and 348 were L&SWR corridor sets. They were the last such corridor 3-sets in service. Chris KT

Yes, paradoxically, while the 57ft 'Thanets' were 1ft (=4mm) shorter than the 58ft (over body corners) shorty Bulleids and Maunsells the bogie centres were 41ft (=164mm) while the longer coaches had 40ft centres (=160mm). Chris KT

The SECR vans were 17ft over headstocks with a 9ft 6in wheelbase. The SR development was to the 1923 RCH length of 17ft 6in, at first 9ft wb, later 10ft. The Bachman Sr van is the correct length. Another difference is that the SECR van has a single end vent while the SR ones have two. Chris KT

If you you let me know which particular restaurant car it is I'll send you the instructions plus the bogie instructions. But I'd need your address as I can't scan at the moment and would have to snail mail. Chris KT

W69121 in the livery as portrayed by Rapido was photographed at Huntingdon North on 29/9/1951.

Incidentally the SR Gangwayed Bogie Luggage Vans ('GBL') had, at the time, new BS gangways as their second hand LSWR underframes came from non-gangwayed stock whose bodies were used to create suburban EMUs on new underframes. Chris KT

I'm away so haven't got my books to hand to check but I think a few Maunsell brakes had BS gangways both ends but the majority, as you say, only had them at the brake end. Chris KT

A minor and simple improvement, Tony, would be to add a third class number '3' to each passenger door of the brake thirds. Chris KT

I tested 5 of my T9s a couple of days ago and 2 have succumbed, including 30119 which is the model Chris Leigh had to remedy. I have 4 more somewhere which I need to find and check. I also have a Schools, 925, which I think has gone the same way. I gather this is model is notorious for Mazak rot. I was astonished and shocked when I first learnt that this was a problem with some modern models. As Mr Wolf says I had thought this was something confined to pre-War Dinky toys. Chris KT

Two Ambulance Cars, S7920 & 7923S, converted from SR Maunsell unclassed open brakes in 1959 carried blue and grey. Chris KT

To say Southern stuff all looks the same is a bit rich coming from a GWR fan when the GWR perfected 'all looking the same' to a much greater degree than more than the other companies! :-) Chris KT

As a fitted wagon surely this one should have been painted bauxite? Seems to show there were exceptions to the normal 'rule'. Chris KT

I have 5 only pairs of Phoenix Dean 8ft 6in bogies available at £8 per pair. They would normally be £8.50 but they lack pin point bearings which are usually included and which you would have to supply yourself. They comprise an etched brass truck plus cast side frames, bolster and rubbing plate. ChrisKT (chriskthomas@waitrose.com)

The first one is a LSWR corridor third, SR/BR 673 withdrawn in 1953 after which it became camping coach 39. The third, 320, was built as a 48ft third but was lengthened to 58ft by the SR in 1935 and put on a Maunsell underframe, becoming a lavatory third. As has been said done by Hornby. The second one, 1520, was SR/BR 2975 and was one end of 3-LAV/cross-country set 146 though this one didn't last long under BR as it was withdrawn August 1948. A lavatory composite from a cross country set does survive, though in need of restoration, and that's 5065 on the K&ESR. It was in set 134 withdrawn March 1953 after which 5065 became camping coach 31. Chris KT

The usual branch train seems to have been a Corridor Brake Composite and 4568 in this pic and one of the same engine on the 'Old Princeton' site is coupled to a 61ft E159 1938 'Sunshine' BCK as modelled by Bachmann. I imagine other diagrams could appear from time to time as well. I think an additional coach might have been added on market days, probably an all third. Chris KT

Per the RCTS at the Grouping (1923) 129 and 898 were allocated to Darlington North Road Works. Chris KT

I suspect your 10 tonner is 9ft wheelbase and if already fitted (which I doubt) would be painted bauxite by BR but would not have 'XP' markings. If unfitted it would either be unpainted except for the metalwork or painted grey above the solebars; black below. That said I have a nice photo of a pair of unfitted GWR opens ex works at Swindon, possibly Diagram O11, very neatly painted grey - W1136 and W5022. Incidentally from 1955, under the Modernisation Plan, BR fitted vacuum brakes to a lot of company wagons if they had steel underframes, were at least 10ft wheelbase and, I think, there was an age limit (1930 something?). Chris KT

The East Kent Railway had one of these - their number 4. It lasted long enough to be acquired by BR and was allocated No. 30948 although it was scrapped in 1949 without ever carrying it. Chris KT

Vol 1 1838 - 1900 was published by Wild Swan and encompasses the 48ft carriages rebuilt on 58ft frames by the SR, including 320 on the Bluebell and Hornby's offerings. 'In the 20th Century' was published by OPC which was why they didn't want to call it Vol 2! This covers the 'cross country' sets, inter alia. Vol 3 Non-Passenger Carriage Stock, and Volume 4 Goods, Departmental Stock and Miscellany were published by Kestrel. Chris KT

Yes, Diagram 2406 No. 6715, which, as has been said, should have been W6715S! The location is Bere Alston. Chris KT

Two of the Cafeteria Cars, S9211E & S9213E, which were converted from Sleepers (at Eastleigh by the way) remained on the SR. Initially they were crimson & cream, later green. They were withdrawn in Dec 1962. The Gresley Buffets transferred to the SR in the run up to the Bournemouth electrification remained in maroon. Chris KT

True, Ian. I was having a senior moment! But it does remind me that I've seen a photo of a LSWR 3-LAV set behind a Prairie tank at Tavistock South (WR), presumably 'borrowed' by the WR. Chris KT

I have seen a photo from April 1949 of an all stations (bar one) stopper from Plymouth to Salisbury using one of these sets, a journey of 6 hours if you did it from end to end! And the SR CWN for Summer 1949 shows a few workings west of Exeter. And it's conceivable that the SR would send one round the GWR coast road on one of their route familiarisation turns. Chris KT

BR Gill Sans numbering was applied from around April (?) 1949 either on the existing malachite or on a new coat of crimson. Yes there was no suffix but the number was at the left hand end of the coach (as in Bachmann's new crimson and cream Bulleid set 847). From early 1951 numbers were relocated to the right hand end of coaches and, a little later, I believe, suffixes were adopted. So there was only a small window when a right hand number without a suffix was likely to be applied. I've looked through my photos of LSWR coaches and have only found one such - S625, a TL - with right hand number but no suffix. I've not found such a photo of a 3-LAV set. Incidentally there is a well known photo of EFE's set 130 in crimson taken in 1953 which has suffixes. Chris KT