HillsideDepot

Not sure what the timetable will look like, but part of the new High Speed fleet will be bi-modal, so it would be perfectly possible to run electrically to Bristol and then in diesel mode on to Weston.

I'm slowly working my way through the Working Time Table for the Bristol area for 5 May 1969 to 3 may 1970 (so right at the start of the era the OP asked about) and I have found the following trains: 6F20 1200 MWFO Westbury APCM to Magor 6B30 1200 TThO Westbury APCM to Bristol (St Philips) train runs via Pyle Hill where the loco runs-round 6B30 1205 SO Westbury APCM to Keynsham & Somerdale (at least that's the last timing shown, and there is no foot note) 6C48 1605 TThO Magor to Westbury APCM 6C46 1800 MWFO Bristol TM to Westbury APCM (BTM is first timing point shown, no foot notes shown) I am obviously mis-understanding some of the layout of the working timetable, but I hope the above is of interest. Edit: pressed 'post' too soon!

That'll be for SPV's then.

Although outside my present modelling period, these trucks are bit of a fascination, perhaps due to having the very inaccurate 1970s Hornby version on my layout in my train-set days. I found this useful list of allocations http://www.gwr.org.uk/noshunters.html (doc download at bottom of page) which shows the sorts of places they were used. Generalising somewhat I know, but basically they were at locations where there was a full time Pilot loco (or several!) so if the loco wasn't going anywhere other than working within the confines of the yard, neither was the shunter's truck. When the loco needed to go for coal, chances are it would be swapped as the Pilot duty would need to continue using the fresh engine. The shunter's truck would be coupled to the fresh engine as the job had to go on. And it's hardly an issue to uncouple the shunter's truck from the loco, it was used by the very people who did the job! I still think that when the TOPS implementation people come to my sleepy yard recording what is there and what the flows are they might be surprised to find a shunters truck languishing, unused and forgotten, at the end of the far siding....

I know that as a blue diesel modeller my options for one of these interesting little vehicles are very limited, but I hope that a run down one abandoned and forgotten at the end of a siding might not be pushing reality too far (at least not when my pre-TOPS locos are running). However, I am curious what the 'Loco Dept.' one would have been used for. If it was allocated to a large MPD to assist in shunting the loco coal wagons, wouldn't have carried the name of the shed? Or if it was for use at A Shop, wouldn't it have carried 'Swindon Works'? Or is it simply a 'spare' which would roam nomadically covering trucks away for overhaul, or assisting when extra capacity was needed?

Photos of the actual set on the Kernow and Hattons sites show it as 08839, a pair of bauxite liveried hoods and a BR standard 20t brake van rather than the mix in the photos on here which look to be the catalogue image rather than of the actual product. Bachmann have just also released a DMU trainset which turned out to be a class 105, but I did see a note on the Hattons site to the effect that they were unsure which DMU would be included until stock actually arrived. It seems that catalogue illustrations can vary from actual items.

I've had several electrification related road closure notices at work in the last week for bridge reconstruction work in Wiltshire. On the list so far are School Hill, Brinkworth (South Wales Line), B4069 Daunstey Lock and Noton Lane just west of Thingley Junction (Main Line) all starting in March 2014. Two of these will be "fun" as they are essential links in my school transport network.

Have Hornby entered the novelty birthday cake market? That footbridge looks very good for something make out of sponge cake and covered in icing with the decoration piped on. Does it come with candles, or does the purchaser have to supply his own?

or a class 13.

I have a number of layouts which share a Lenz unit, so I have fitted the base station with a simple plug arrangement which I then connect into the socket on which ever layout is set up at the time. Then, on a shelf above my workbench there is a rolling road set-up and with a similar socket arrangement so I can connect the DCC unit to the rolling road. I can also connect a DC supply to the rollers, so a new loco can be run in first on DC, then I swap to the DCC controller (I can only plug in one or the other at a time) and having fitted the chip I can programme the loco, either on the rollers or the adjacent length of track. Slightly more complex, but it works for me.

As this list is open to anyone who is on Facebook (and I know some prefer not to be) I assume it is OK to paste it here - if not Mods, please remove, and accept my apologies. NBED002 Birmingham Bedford Lomas Ambulance 1:148 NBED004 St John Ambulance Bedford Lomas Ambulance 1:148 NFG002 Foden FG Round Tanker Milk Marketing Board 1:148 NFT005 Ford Transit Network Rail 1:148 NFT006 White Transit LWB High 1:148 NPB002 British Rail Commer PB Van 1:148 NSET02 Five Piece Bus Set 1:148 NSCA002 Scania Highline Fridge Eddie Stobart 1:148 NTCAB002 Scania T Cab Curtainside Ian Hayes 1:148 NMH017 Scammell Mechanical Horse Flatbed RASC 1:148 NRAB010 Scammell Scarab Van Trailer Royal Navy 1:148 NRAB011 Scammell Scarab Flatbed Trailer RAF 1:148 NBL004 W Alexander Bristol Lodekka 1:148 NUT003 Belfast Guy Arab Utility Midland Red 1:148 APH002 Austin Hearse White 1:43 ASS001 Austin Seven RN Saloon Fawn 1:43 LE003 Lotus Elan Plus 2 Red_Silver 1:43 ASV001 Austin Seven RN Van Primrose 1:43 FDE011 Ford 400E Van Fordson Tractors 1:43 LAN1109008 Land Rover Series 109 Open Ferguson Tractors 1:43 72AA001 Avro Anson Mk1 500 Squadron RAF Detling 1940 1:72 72DR006 DH Dragon Rapide Railway Air Services 1:72 72HOR002 DH103 Sea Hornet F20 TT193 Royal Navy 1:72 72PM002 RAF Trainer 1941 K1824 Puss Moth 1:72 72TM005 DH82a Tiger Moth K2585 32 Squadron 1:72 SP073 Dragon Rapide Swissair 1:72 AC044 Hs 126A-1 A88 Legion Condor Spain 1938 1:72 AC045 Kawanishi N1K2 343 Kokuta 301 Hikotai 1945 1:72 AC046 Avenger GHW Bush VT51 USS Jacinto 1943 1:72 76ALL002 Flamenco Red Austin Allegro Estate 1:76 76CDS002 Citroen DS19 Coral _ Dove Grey 1:76 76DIS002 Land Rover Discovery 4 Sntorini Black 1:76 76DTYP001 Jaguar D Type 1956 Le Mans 1:76 76FF002 Ford Fiesta MkI Nevada Beige 1:76 76FRE002 Land Rover Freelander Fuji White 1:76 76FTYP002 Jaguar F Type Polaris White 1:76 76LE002 Lotus Elan Plus2 Lagoon Blue Silver 1:76 76LEV002 Lotus Evora Black 1:76 76LRDF002 Land Rover Defender 2013 Tamar Blue 1:76 76LTE002 Lotus Elite Cirrus White 1:76 76MAR003 Morris Marina Black Tulip 1:76 76MC001 Mini Coupe Pepper White and Chilli Red 1:76 76RR002 Range Rover Evoque Indus Silver 1:76 76SET07A Triple Morris Minor 1:76 76VC002 Vauxhall Corsa Royal Military Police 1:76 76XF002 Jaguar XF British Racing Green 1:76 76XJ002 Jaguar XJ Crystal Blue 1:76 76XK002 Jaguar XK Rhodium Silver 1:76 76XKR002 Jaguar XKRS Italian Racing Green 1:76 76BMC002 BMC Mobile Unit BL Special Tuning Department 1:76 76DEF008 Land Rover Defender Network Rail 1:76 76FT010 Ford Transit LWB High Roof Stobart 1:76 76FTC001 Ford Transit Connect Royal Mail 1:76 76LAN2002 Bronze Green Land Rover Series II Station Wagon 1:76 76MA002 Mercedes Ambulance London 1:76 76MH018 Scammell Mechanical Horse Tanker LNER 1:76 76MJ005 Post Office Telephones Morris J Planning Van 1:76 76PB003 Royal Mail Silver Jubilee Commer PB Van 1:76 76PB004 Commer PB Minibus Crosville 1:76 76WM002 Dimachios Whitby Mondial Ice Cream Van 1:76 76DL4004 Dennis Light Four New World British Railways 1:76 76DN005 Nottinghamshire FB Dennis RS 1:76 76F8004 Dennis F8 Essex Fire Brigade 1:76 76LAN2004 Red Land Rover Series II Fire Appliance 1:76 76LC002 Leyland Cub FK7 City of Canterbury Fire Brigade 1:76 76LRC001 Land Rover FT6 Carmichael Cheshire County Fire Brigade 1:76 76PB005 Commer PB Van London Fire Brigade 1:76 76TIL005 Austin Tilly London Fire Brigade 1:76 76SET18 5 Piece Jaguar Set XJ XKR_S XF XK F 1:76 76SET20 Three Piece Mini Set 1:76 76SET21 Five Piece Mini Set 1:76 76SET24 London Fire Brigade Set _Dennis F106 and Austin Tilly 1:76 76IRZ004 Eddie Stobart Scania Irizar PB 1:76 76TCAB003 Scania T Cab Topline Curtainside J H Yates and Sons Ltd 1:76 76TIP004 AEC Tipper Tarmac 1:76 SHL02TK Scania R Series Tanker W H Malcolm 1:76 SHL03TK Eddie Stobart Scania Highline Tanker 1:76 76BD011 Bedford OX Queen Mary Trailer RAF 108 Repair Salvage Unit Tunisia 1943 1:76 76BF002 Olive Drab 40MM Bofors Gun 1:76 76CMP004 1st Canadian Army _ UK 1944 CMP LAA Tractor 1:76 76COM001 Commer Commando RAF 1:76 76DEF010 Land Rover Defender Station Wagon RAF Northolt 1:76 76DSC002 Dingo Scout Car 10th Mounted Rifles 10th ACB Polish 1:76 76MWD005 Bedford MWD 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards 1:76 76SET23 3 Piece Set - Tilly, David Brown Tractor and Land Rover 1:76 76SET25 Italy 1943 Military Set 1:76 76CMP003 Royal Blue CMP LAA Tractor 1:76 76LRT004 Leyland Royal Tiger Maidstone & District 1:76 76OWB009 Bedford OWB Bournemouth Corporation 1:76 76FSR003 Fowler Road Roller Fippenny Queen_A W Field 1:76 76LAN2003 Billy Smarts Land Rover Series II Hard Top Speakers 1:76 76SST004 Hibble & Mellors Ltd Scammell Showtrac 1:76 87ED58003 Edsel Citation 1958 Chalk Pink_Frost White 1:87 87ED58004 Edsel Citation 1958 Gold Metallic_Frost White 1:87 87LC41003 Lincoln Continental 1941 Pewter Grey 1:87 87LC41004 Lincoln Continental 1941 Rockingham Tan 1:87 87ME49003 Mercury 1949 Pirate Red 1:87 87ME49004 Mercury 1949 Lima Tan_ Haiti Beige 1:87 87TH56003 Ford Thunderbird 1956 Sage Green_Colonial White 1:87 87TH56004 Ford Thunderbird 1956 Fiesta Red_Colonial White 1:87

Thanks Kevin, that fills in a more few gaps in my knowledge.

I find this thread especially fascinating as it includes internal railway operating documents (as well as being about locations I just about saw working). Inspired by the Chapeltown Loop thread I am now looking at creating TOPS Pre-Implementation Survey type documents for terminals served from the yard on my layout as part of a traffic generation system. However there are a few queries regarding some of the abbreviations. On the Bristol Wapping Wharf document point 5 is headed F.R.S. - what does that stand for, please? The F.R.S. return is complied by the Supervisor, so I take it that it is a report, and it is telephoned to A.M.O and D.M.O. (F.R.S.). Would that be Area Movements Office and Divisional Movements Office? None of this affects the operation of my model, of course, but having all this background adds so much, in my view. These documents, and the Trip Diagrams further up the thread, really open a window into the workings of the 1970's railway. Thank you for treating us, Kevin (Rivercider).

I like the way the font is larger when refering to the larger scale layout.

Now showing "in Stock" at Hattons.

Perhaps they have heard about that Mr Stanier, and are north west bound?

Fascinating! Thank you for taking the time to explain it, there is quite a lot to pick up as I am thinking how to use it on my layout as I read and follow traffic over your system, but it is very much appreciated.

I hope people don't skip through to 10 minutes just for the 63xx, they'll miss so much! Absolutely superb.

St Blazey's changed a bit! When did they put the turntable inside?

The A4 passes close to my house, if I get right up to the window in my model room I can just see the buses and lorries passing along it (cars are generally hidden by a grassy mound).

@Northolland Thank you for your reply, I'm happy to be patient, I need to do my wagon stock list first (and renumber any doubles/triples!) and decide which businesses are where in the context of my fictional city.

The photo in the book is taken, I think, from platform height, with the turntable just off centre of the frame, so it's more elevated than the first CAD, but not as much as the second. As for other photos, there is a 1936 OS extract, a 1897 photo with a Bath stone signal box partially hidden by a 2-4-0, an 1900 photo of an 0-6-0 shunting (the one with the shunting horse stable), a 1921 general view of the platforms with coaches stabled in the centre roads, the turntable shot, a shot taken from the turntable of a Castle in the middle road, a 1959 forecourt shot and then 6 diesel era shots. The turntable shot is credited PB Whitehouse/Millbrook House which Googling suggests could now be held at the NRM. Not sure if that adds much!

I'm really enjoying this "day in the life of", and especially following the card system as I want to develop something similar for my own layout - albeit I only have one set of siding, all the customer's facilities are imaginary. I note on post #10 there is a photo of the car cards at Tower Mills Sidings and I see that the Vanwide has it's card in the side of the holder, I assume that this means it is ready for collection. In the next part of the card holder is a yellow card marked "Flour Mill" which I assume is merely a way of segregating wagons in the different sidings at the location without needing a holder for each siding. On the left are two shelves marked "Dispatching" and "Receiving" which I assume hold the consignment cards, how are these selected? Do you say there are 3 wagons in the yard so select 3 consignment cards, or do you select consignment cards in some other way and then work in wagons accordingly if there aren't sufficient on hand? The top card in the lower tray seems to have a large letter on the lower section, the bit which is hidden when allocated to a wagon. Is this to match the load to wagon type - V as on the Vanwide? Sorry for so many questions, but I really think that this card system has something for me, so I'd like to understand how it works.

The Middleton Press book Swindon to Bristol via Bath in their Western Mainlines series has a shot (plate 69) of a turntable on the down side which might help, if you haven't already seen it. The turntable is similar to the one you have drawn, but doesn't have the plate work at right angles to the rails, rather the strips carry on across the whole table, but have the appearance of being wooden battens just fastened on, rather haphazardly (dare I say that of the Great Western?). The photo is dated July 1949. It's not a great shot, but I guess any little helps. Edit: Just turned back a page to plate 67 which has a photo of part of the "engine shed" for the shunting horse on the up side.

I really enjoyed seeing Pixash Lane at Hucclecote today, every bit as good as the photos on here, and then some. Very nice! Could prove to be an expensive trip for me though, as I'm coming round to the idea that perhaps digital sound has now achieved the realism I seek; that 03 pottering about was sublime. The Gardner engine is quiet and smooth, but the clunks and hisses as it selected gears really set the scene. Less is very definitely more in this case. I hope the day was a good one from the exhibitors point of view, certainly very inspiring for me, and went some way towards covering the disappointment of not going to Penzance today with D1015, which had been "plan A" until she was declared unfit. Thank you.