Crimson Rambler

I should have explained 83-1890 was drawn in a little known Australian offshoot of Derby Locomotive Drawing Office! Crimson Rambler!

As far as I know there was no GA was issued for the larger 0-4-0 saddle tanks but one was produced (drawing No. 83-1890) for the smaller engines. This was available from OPC so now should be obtainable from the NRM. In the meantime please find two scans from 83-1890 shewing the purpose of the two 'reach rods'. Hopefully they will be of use - I believe both sizes of saddle tanks had the same brake arrangement. Apologies for them being upside down and one being canted. Crimson Rambler

I won a prize (liberal studies I think) in my first year as an apprentice and the book I chose was The Merchant Sailing Ship by Basil Greenhill & Ann Giffard. It caused one or two comments at the time as I was training to be a marine engineer! But as I explained its always useful to have a backup! Crimson Rambler

A steer for @Compound2632 and the cows for that matter, of our native breeds, such as Devon Reds, Herefords, Belted Galloways, Welsh Blacks etc, which were almost universal on farms in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were physically smaller than the present day cattle breeds (mostly foreign) that became popular after the Second World. In this respect HO cattle at approx 7/8ths the size of 4mm cattle might even be a bit overscale! Think Jersey or Guernsey compared to Friesan! Crimson Rambler

At a guess an embryonic sign of some sort - many were painted dark blue with white letters, while signal box name boards were ultramarine blue. Crimson Rambler

A total guess would be that it's in connexion with water treatment, but I'm far from certain. The photo dates from the LMS perhaps the hut is a post-1923 development? Crimson Rambler

I also had one of the Ks Johnson 0-6-0T kits - cost me 30/- if I remember correctly. My second scratch built loco was a Johnson 0-4-4T built like @David Hunt from the Skinley approximation but that along with Roche's efforts, which looked better but were often hardly any more accurate, was largely all that was available. It was built to OO gauge with 1/16in brass frames - very much inspired by John Ahern - so that dates it to the late sixties when I was about fifteen or sixteen. Later engines had thinner frames. Recently, while tidying up I came across it along with one or others I made (well started at least!) over the next few years. Warts and all here's a photo:- You will notice I got round the problem of the missing second Salter balance by not getting so far as to need them! Crimson Rambler

Looking at the photo via the link kindly provided by @Western Star, I think @Regularity is correct. In place of conventional V-hangers there is an iron casting with a vertical rib on the front that melds into a boss to receive the brake shaft. I predict there will be a repeat of this on its rear face thereby supporting a (probably) longer rearward boss to support the shaft as @Compound2632 commented. If this is correct then that leaves the 'round thingy' - my thought is that we could be looking at a removable cap fitted to a tank emptying (or warming) pipe that passes through the solebar - but what are your thoughts? It is though a most excellent model. Crimson Rambler

Excellent David - and an inspiration to all of us who follow the Master! Crimson Rambler

If you visit the 'Other Place' aka Western Thunder and go to the S7 Group you encounter a page or two down a topic entitled 'Midland Railway 0-4-0ST (Burton Tank) posted by Rambler. I understand he is using/modifying an ABS Zero Zephyr kit - don't know anything about the kit I'm afraid but the post is well worth visiting. Crimson Rambler

In addition to providing slop aka 'generous working clearances', the pull rods were usually run as near to the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle as practical since this minimized the degree of bogie turn to be accommodated at the rod ends. In addition the length of the rods compared to their cross-sectional area meant they could flex laterally quite readily, again helping to absorb bogie swing. Crimson Rambler

A very generous act David. Crimson Rambler

Sorry @Compound2632and @jamie92208 are misinformed:- SPQR was a Roman railway Crimson Rambler

Of course @Compound2632 Midland S7 chairs are company marked:- Crimson Rambler

@Compound2632 wrote earlier "As I understand it, this was also the finish for those unlined non-vac-braked goods engines that were about around the turn of the century." Whilst it is true the majority of the recorded examples of unlined goods engines were steam brake only, there are sufficient piccies of vacuum braked engines finished in the same way (or versions on the theme) to suggest to me it was more complicated. Perhaps its only to be expected - after all we are dealing with the Midland! I am tentatively forming a theory that for the earliest instances at least, it was a geographically inspired solution to overcome (a) local shortage(s) of goods engines. Crimson Rambler