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Thanks, @Rivercider . This sounds good, and an excuse to have a rare brake-van. There is a picture in one of Paul Shannon's books, I think, perhaps of this branch, with the shunter and guard leaning indolently on the back of the brake-van's verandah, 'watching the world go by'. Their poses looked perfect for whether arriving or departing. Look forward to seeing how the speed controls work/look. Best wishes.

Just a quick note to say, for those of us who have not seen every episode of The Sweeney, it is starting again on I.T.V. 4, Monday, 22d April: https://www.radiotimes.com/programme/b-fyec17/the-sweeney/ Queenstown Road Battersea station makes an appearance, I believe... This is part of the 'eternal loop' alternating with The Professionals.

Just one thought: won't it look a little strange the Freights being propelled such a long way out 'off stage' upon departure? Ditto, any loco-hauled peak-time service E.C.S.

Sorry to ask a daft question, but please could there be a way of storing P.D.F.s in one's 'Gallery' (or another suitable tool)? It would be useful - I thought - to save scans of old documents thus, which takes less space than photos I assume. Thanks.

Put me down for that one, please!!

Just for completeness's sake, the number is 01182302227, and is cited, e.g., thus: https://who-called.co.uk/Number/01182302227 I have discovered my Panasonic KX-TGB610EB 'phone has a call-blocking function, if I can work out how to use it...

<Sharp intake of breath.> Note you have only half the no. of platforms now. Might a relocation of the station be called for, or a 'change in time' to a more run-down era of B.R. (S)?

Gosh, was it really three years ago we had the discussions about this?! So sorry for your changing circumstances, but glad to see you are using the opportunity to make something new. Your example inspired me to type up a couple of Working Time Table pages eventually for my layout (still unfinished). Any chance you could post the missing photos on this thread as a record, if it would not be too emotionally taxing, please? I always liked your 'split station' layout, and was envious of the idea.

Having rummaged through the copies I could find of the B.R.B.’s Annual Report and Accounts, the total tonnage (MT) per year is as follows: 1972 168.842 1973 195.82 1974 176.3 1975 174.729 1976 176.209 1977 170.355 1978 170.507 [Gap in reports.] 1984/85 96.8 1985/86 139.7 1986/87 138.4 For those whose eyes are not yet bleeding from boredom, I thought I would try to describe the figures cited under ‘Statistics [col.] 5B’ of each report (figs are thousand-tonnes): 1973. Train-load and wagon-load: i) Coal & Coke 99,415 ii) Iron & Steel 34,950 iii) Other train-/wagon-load 52,155 Sub-total 186,520 [(iv)] +Other (estimated) 7,400 [(v)] TOTAL 193,920 However, in 1974’s report, 1973’s total is ‘revised’, listed for comparison as 195,820 KT. Item (iv) (my appellation) appears to be an annual ‘corrected estimate’, but ceased after a few years (perhaps a reflection of the efficiency of TOPS). (iii) lumps together COY block-trains and wagon-load/Speedlink, alas. It would have been interesting to have figures for each sector, presumably unavailable till ‘Sectorization’ in the late ’80’s. Anyway, this has decided me on the W.T.T.s for Oct. ’73–May ’74 and Oct. ’85–May ’86. Thank you all for your contributions and interest; it is much appreciated.

Many thanks for this, @ejstubbs . I had wondered about the details of these things. Strangely, our cheapo telephone hand-set used to display the incoming line nos., but now says (usually) only "Incoming call", even if the person is in the programmed 'directory' on the 'phone. (Yet it did display that 'silent call'!) Keep meaning to 'surf the web' with the model no. (I think it is a Binatone) and see if this is a reecognised fault, or just B.T. trying to get more money from us by increasing our sub. to a 'call blocker' rate.

Had one of these calls Saturday, which was dead and then rang off when I answered. The Bristol number (I do not have it with me, alas) is listed as a fraud site on the www. I enjoy repeating, "From where did you get this number?" repeatedly until "Jo" terminates the call in despair. What a way to earn a living...

@Covkid Memoirs, please! 😀 If I remember correctly, the Coal Network came about not only owing to the bean-counters' demand for greater control of costs (instead of sharing!), but because the Speedlink routes were less convenient to the domestic coal depots. Hence centering on Didcot Yard for the south-east. But an accountant can make anything appear 'un-economic' if desired...

Many thanks, @Rivercider . Michael Rhodes (Illustrated history of Britsh marshalling yards ) quotes Acton Yard closing to Speedlink traffic from 1984 onwards. Also, I must take into account the launch of the Discrete Coal Network (was this an official name?) in 1987, so I think I will bring the year forward to October '86-May '87, to include more trains. It occurred to me to read the B.R. Annual Reports! I hope they will list freight traffic by sector, and I can base my choice on something based on evidence. A bit dull-witted of me not to think of this before...

@stivesnick Many thanks for this gen.; much appreciated. I thought the October-May time tables would be best, as more traffic would run through the autumn-spring, rather than a slacker summer. But I could be wrong. So far I have: OCT '73-MAY '74. Southern = M (Mand.), N (Cond.). London Midland = A & B (Cond.), and also J? T? Eastern = A (Mand.), K (Cond.). Western = PA (Mand.), PF (Cond.). OCT '87-MAY '88. Southern = WE. London Midland = CC? CR, CS, CW? Eastern = LD, YH. Western = PD. I realise I ought to 'define my terms' in listing the inter-regional yards to be plotted. More to post later... Thanks again and all good wishes.

This probably sounds quite daft/pointless, but I am preparing a 'retirement project' for the winter, viz, a diagram illustrating a comparison between 1970's wagon-load freight trains and 1980's Speedlink freight between the London marshalling yards. In the style of a previous exercise, I want to show the services between the regions' yards at two 'peaks', and the differences should show the changes (e.g., Norwood Yard's closure for the Southern Region). I thought the best two years' Working Time Tables to use would be October 1973/May 1974 and October 1987/May 1988, being those before the two national economic recessions. Do most people here think these years would be most useful? If not, which year(s) would be better, please? It appears the H.M.R.S.'s W.T.T. holdings are not as extensive as hoped, but this problem is for the future. I am eager to learn which 'area codes' would be needed for these two years; so far I have only the Southern Region's: October 1973 (Mandatory) : M. October 1973 (Conditional) : N. October 1987: WE. Presumably I need Western Region, London Midland Region, and Eastern Region as well. Does this sound a (relatively) useful graphic exercise? Am I missing anything? Would another area/freight flow be of greater interest? All ideas gratefully received. Many thanks for giving this your consideration. Neil.

I think the SRG is more likely. The tool hut I bought in pairs with the 'regular' Platelayers' hut: https://www.roxeymouldings.co.uk/product/491/4b3-sr-platelayers-hut/ Thanks for taking the interest.

Sorry to 'bump' this, but if someone could identify the purpose of the 'real' one of these, I would be grateful. I thought this was the S.R. concrete Lamp Hut. It is oblong, the blank sides longer than the front/back. I think the kit was Roxey, but it is old. Thanks for any info.

Just wanted to draw attention to what I think is a mis-attributed photo by M. H. C. Baker (p.95) in BR diesels and electrics around Britain, A. W. Hobson (ed.), Truro : D. Bradford Barton, 1976. The caption reads, "Class 33 No.6577 (later renumbered 33.058) approaches Clapham Junction with an up ballast-train from Ardingly on 30th June 1971, passing one of the original Bulleid 1941-built 4-SUB e.m.u's, which were withdrawn from service not long afterwards." Showing a good mix of HKVs and (lower) iron-stone hoppers, I think the load is too 'bright' to be ballast, and is in fact Holmethorpe sand. Can anyone with expertise confirm this, please. It is still a lovely photograph though, taken with a zoom lens. Thanks.

Pondering this over after-noon tea, I assume the escort coaches could be made gas-proof in case of attack by terrorists. Which made me wonder why there were still old Mk. I windows used that had not been replaced. Perhaps I have been watching too many episodes of The Professionals.

The 1930's brick-work text-book I have recommends throughout English bond for its strength, so I would suggest that, but I also prefer it æsthetically, so this is biased.

'"Gun ports" he says, only half-jokingly...'

Can not get the first two links to work, but a photo of it being hauled by a 33 makes my week! Many thanks.

I expect everyone here knows about it, but just in case, may I mention the three(?)-part series in B.R.M. by Dr Michael Rhodes, Short & Sweet. Photos from his collection of short goods trains, in June, October, and December 2014. Rather good, I thought.

Could a few sketches from memory be done, to illustrate the general arrangement and procedure, without breaching secrecy of a now extinct wagon?