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Steve et al I can understand your decision, long days carting stuff about and standing take their toll on us older folk (& I haven't reached 70 yet!!😁🤣). I have not had the pleasure of seeing your wonderful layout in "the flesh"; living on the south coast means travelling North of the Watford Gap is becoming less desirable than is used be. Keep up the good works and I am looking forward to the videos to enjoy.

Thanks for the video Andy, nicely explains what is happening in the POD.👍 Shame you had to let Tonleigh Bridge go before completing everything you planned to do.😟😪 Please let us know the the thread for the new layout when you get around to starting it. 👍😁

Iain Your project is phenomenal, the scale is mind-blowing, I'm in awe of your skill and ability. Keep up the good work I look forward to the updates to see how it is going. 😁👍

I have no problem with my 48DS running alone, but I do have handmade track with GaugeMaster AutoFrog devices. Another option (if using DCC) is to fit a "keep alive" to the loco, a friend of mine has one thus fitted and it will run for about 9" when power is removed from the track.

Thing is that the artistry has moved from the cutting mat and hand tools to the computer screen and digital tools. No lesser an achievement, in fact I think it takes more brain power designing the solution than simply cutting some material and gluing it together. Fabulous work, I have looked at 3D printing and I do not have the technical know-how to produce the 3D designs on the computer. The method for creating the windows is genius.

Quite amazed that DJH haven't remodelled/redesigned their frames for the modern motor/gearboxes they supply, the Class L I'm building had the same problem.

Sadly Phil the 5 hour drive is a bit of a restriction. It has been over 30 years since I have been to the NRM! 😟 🤣🤣

Richard You owe me nothing, on the one hand I love to do things to help if I can and it gave me an excuse to crawl over the wee beasty myself. Not much going on at the Railway in January other than the Winter-warm-up on the 6th & 7th; then we start running again during the Feb schools half-term holiday. Let me know when you are going to be coming down and we can sort something out.

The tender is really looking good Richard. I do like the V2, I was really lucky to get up close and personal with Green Arrow when she was at Didcot in 1999. Sadly not currently planned to steam again.

I think the general consensus is that a locomotives identity stayed with the frames, because as you say nearly everything left the loco at the start of a heavy general overhaul which generally left the frames and cylinders. Which is why what was known for so long at Tyseley as Albert Hall became Rood Ashton Hall when it was restored once the restorers discovered the real identity. Like you Richard I really appreciate the look of a Stanier ten-wheeler. 😁

Hi 30368 The T9 is very similar, haven't had the pleasure of a trip on the T3 yet, but when firing the T9 you had to be careful not to hit the drivers legs if you got too much of a swing on the shovel; a very cosy cab. I forgot to mention about the cab, the Eureka lubricator on the fireman's side is an addition from this overhaul, originally there were two displacement lubricators, one on each the side of the smokebox, under the handrail around the centre line of the smokebox. They can be seen in photos taken before the loco went to the Flour Mill. Also the steam brake valve on the drivers side cab sheet was not originally there, it was somewhere on the backhead, but I cannot find a reference photo at the moment.

Hi Jim I always look forward to your posts, interesting to see how the modern railway works in real life. I noticed on the photos of the MPV that the different lights were on at different times, at Birmingham International the left-hand light is lit, at Coventry it is the right & at Bescot neither of the outer lights are lit. Is this something that the driver controls or is it decided by the control gear?

Hi Richard The build is looking good, having the bogie in position seems to have cured the balance of the loco. What type of pick-ups are you going with? I have noticed another interesting difference between the different locos in the T6 class, some seem to have two bar motion (as in your model) and some single bar motion. A trawl through images on the Internet shows this although it is difficult to see which loco the change took place. Also on the T3 the big end is nearest the wheel and a couple of the Images on the internet appear that some of the T6's were the same, although as with the slide bars, this could be different on some of the members of the class. Here is a close-up of the T3's left hand big end: - Hope this is useful.

Richard I have spotted something else which wasn't on 563 when I took the photos for you, they have fitted the safety valve shroud, I grabbed this from The Southerners video of the T3 launch day: -

Hope you don't mind Jim, but I have a couple of photos of an MPV in an unusual location to share: - Stable mates with a T9?

Hi Richard, Not sure about the T6, but the T3 was built with tail rods on the pistons, they were removed by Drummond from 1900; I guess because it was decided they were not required. The restoration in 1960/1 it was decided to reinstate these (I have seen one video where you can see them, link below), the idea is that the piston head is supported both ends of the cylinder. From my point of view is that there are another set of glands that require oil and maintenance, so not sure they are useful. Here's the video, it should start at 3:12 where as the loco passes you can see the tail rod at the front of the cylinder: - https://youtu.be/feTU6UJq2DU?si=kgH66V4aUOhbNJSy&t=192 BTW the T3 was also built with a compensated suspension system which was removed around 1906 and replaced in the 1960/1 restoration. Hope this is useful (and not a problem!!). 😁

For anyone following this thread I have had a major milestone with the thread, I have spent number of hours looking through and reattaching all my photos. I discovered that when you edit a post it has the original uploaded filename, it was therefore a simple case of searching my photograph backup looking for the names reposting them. I have taken the opportunity of creating a separate folder and copied them all in so that I can find them again without searching. Hope everybody is keeping well and I promise that I will try and get back to modelling, reading all my posts in this topic has certainly helped a bit with the mojo. 😁

Richard Do I take it from this that you were an apprentice on the Southern Region somewhere? Sadly never been on an S15, although the guys at Swanage who experienced 828 tell me they are good engines. I will see what I can do, I am planning a trip Sunday morning to help with the shed work. If you are a FaceBook user there are quite a few photos & videos of the loco taken during this weeks test runs.

Hi 30368 Locomotives from the 19th century are a completely different beast from locomotives built after around 1910, I have been lucky enough to crew both 30120 and 30053 at Swanage and they are an acquired taste. (I know 30053 was built 1905, but the design is 19th century). I have access to 563 if any photos would be helpful (although I realise details may be different between the two classes).

Steve/John This is truly incredible that the collection stayed together, amazing that they found their way home. Such a boost for the group that the weeks/months hoping has been rewarded. I would go out and buy a lottery ticket before the luck runs out! 😁👍

Platform 3 at Banbury was the place to take water on steam railtours when I was part of the service crew for the GWS, stopped there many times using the fire hydrant that used to be just on the left of this photo. Later on when the platform hydrant had been removed we used one out in the car park.

Kevin If you are going to have a Grange that is definitely the one to have! 😁

Good to see you back Andy, still haven't found mine!! 😪😉😁🤣

As Jim posted a photo of D1645 above, here she is at Swanage during the weekend of the diesel gala. She left last night on her way back to Eastleigh to spend some time "down south".

Hopefully D1645 will be heading south next week as she is featuring in the Swanage Railway Diesel Gala between 12-14 May.