Phil Bullock

Just imagine the operating sequence to make this train up at Worcester - lets use this photo as reference. The line the Peak is on is the up platform road, then towards us we have up through, down through, down platform road. http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=map+of+shrub+hill+station&view=detailv2&&id=2F81AB253F81FD11347A44C0685299B82B427E5A&selectedIndex=27&ccid=gQ%2bqWIa3&simid=607989043275366896&thid=OIP.M810faa5886b72e81c20b3aee31fa3c44H0&ajaxhist=0 So...station pilot (57xx) brings BSO and restaurant from Midland Rd carriage sidings and deposits them on up through road. Train loco (Castle) comes off shed, runs through station on down through road, crosses over and back on to stock standing in up through road. Kidderminster portion arrives behind a Kidder loco (usually a 45xx or 51xx IIRC) in up platform road. Stops past scissors crossover which is half way along up platform, loco hooks off, runs forwards and then reverses over to down side and on to shed. Hereford portion arrives behind a 4-6-0 (Castle or Hall IIRC), stops short of scissors crossover in up through road, loco hooks off, crosses over to up through road via scissors crossover, and then reverses over trailing crossover to down through road and on to shed. So we now have loco plus 2 coaches stood on up through road, 4 coach Kidderminster portion stood past scissors crossover towards up end of up platform and 3 coach Hereford portion behind this with a gap where scissors crossover is. Loco plus 2 coaches now pulls forward from up through on to up main and reverses in to up platform line, shunting all 3 portions together. Shunter couples up, brake test and we are ready for the right away.... What are the chances of that lot going smoothly every day? Must have been spectacular to watch - and still happened in late 60s with Warships and Hymeks although only the Hereford portion to add to stock from carriage sidings.... Proper railway operations! Phil

Just back from Estonia which included trip to Seaplane museum...many naval exhibits So given the tortuous path taken by this thread I can only add further deviation until corrective measures in the shape of said delivery arrive. So.... Snorkers? Good-oh! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBZcE69_5a8 Phil

There must be something worth living for....

Bogie Bolster A ????? Oh yes please...... Phil

We just take the steps off the tail end vehicles.... Cracking set of photos Robert - looking at those you might think BSOs are an ECML special but IIRC that one in the Cathedrals is there as additional catering accommodation next to that restaurant - and cracking shot of 1964 between Chelt and Glos too..... Phil

Also something Bachmann fail to acknowledge - so out with the craft knife! Phil

Woo hoo again..... Something else ticked off the list! And there is no duplication - that's a Diagram 73 FO unless I am mistaken (EDIT...missed Robert Carroll's post above, apologies but thanks for confirmation) not the rebranded RFO Bachmann have given us as a diagram 71 - there were only 3 of those IIRC, can do excursion rakes now with the proper stock... And the BSO....and in blue/grey too! Only one problem - who is going to tell Rob Owst (37114?) Just BFK left then - need that for Motorail trains please Phil

More excellent shots Dave And look at that lovely weathering on the BG corridor door in C1336 - horizontal streaking where door has been opened. Phil

Yes, you would think the owner would have invested in signs of the correct scale.... Phil

Cracking shot of 46 hauled freight! Invacars and blue minis were used and transported on lowfits like that Phil

Yup Time to stop gronk gate rumbling on any further - before someone gets a shifted crank... Phil

And they used to run light from Gloucester up to Worcester ... you always knew when one was coming because you were waiting so long for it to appear! So heres my attempt to lay the discussion to bed with a Bacchy gronk and 3 tube wagons... Awful light I know but its pretty plain which one is in the train and which one isn't... Just look at the alignment of the wagons - as has already been said, a gronk doesn't hide a tube wagon...and with the loco in the train the visibility of the end stanchions on the wagon behind the loco is exactly as in Daves photo... To paraphrase Sir Robert Mark...I am convinced this represents...well, probably as near as we will get! Phil

Let me solve that one for you Rob 75005 finished up as an 85A engine and was withdrawn in September 1965 following an accident at Leamington The end of steam at Worcester is pretty well documented...see http://www.miac.org.uk/worcs1965.html Kind regards Phil

OK - its too late to get things out for photos tonight.....who will be first with a recreation tomorrow? Phil

Thanks Dave....I think its the fact that the end of the tube wagon in front of the 08 aligns perfectly with the front of the 08 that causes the perspective issues. But the buffer of the tube in front of the 08 is much more clear in this scan and seems to appear in front of the buffer beam of the 08....which would seem to agree with your caption ....thanks for sorting! Phil

That was what prompted me to look critically at the picture. Goes to show how tricky the aspect is if several of us have looked at it and cant agree Phil

My train of thought entirely Clive! Phil

I went through the same train of thought Russ! But on enlarging the photo I convinced myself it is in the train... Phil

Excellent stuff Dave - I guess we should not be surprised is raining at Devil's Bridge.... And C2873 - unusual to see a gronk dead in tow with rods on.... Phil

Cheers Brian - MBT road transport used to be Antars in the early 70s....was let loose in a tractor unit around the parade ground at Bielefeld in 1971....great experience! Phil

So at the moment we occasionally trundle a Grammodels FV432 APC around on a lowmac Suspected it was overweight for a lowmac but googling suggests a weight of 15 tons against Lowmac tare of 25 tons so OK... A good load for a warwell though.... Scimitar tank only 7.8 tons but probably also needed warwell or lowmac to be within gauge ... what other armoured vehicles were around in the 60s/70s ? Seems to be a bit of a quiet period.... Phil

Was going to post this picture in response to Phil's query But on a closer look I reckon those are Lowmacs not Warwells carrying Ashchurch vehicles northbound through Worcester Shrub Hill However am sure warwells and warflats appeared in trains with other wagons on this traffic Phil

With D5098 selling out quickly does that suggest that a production series GSYP Derby built loco would be a very popular option? Phil

Don't wait too long if you fancy any of the current ones ....they seem to be rightly popular! Phil

Tractors on Carflats .....another marketing opportunity for Oxford Models? Phil