bagnall

Have just checked my model and it is displaying a 71D shed code, all l can think is it should be 70D Eastleigh for he condition the locos modelled in.

Although this photo appears in the 1959 ABC l think you will find that it is pre March 1956 as there are various photos of 30863 Lord Rodney in the Irwell book, the one dated March 1956 shows it with the original tender emblem, smaller cab side numbers, 7P power classification above the number and nothing below, if it had a water treatment symbol at that time it would have been a yellow spot. It seems that it never carried a water treatment symbols as there is a photo of it on its last working to Tonbridge on an engineers train that it worked from Hither Green to get it to Ashford for scrapping in February 1962. It was in the same condition as in March 1956 except it had the later emblem on the tender. The water treatment symbols weather the spot or triangle were lower down the cab side than the photo from the ABC, so l think it is the A power classification.

As some one else pointed out 30853 Sir Richard Grenville lasted until December 1957 in original condition before having new cylinders and smoke box fitted, 30851 Sir Francis Drake lasted until withdrawal in December 1961 with the piano front and short smoke box although it had the later smoke deflectors with out the steam pipe bulge over the cylinders, this was due to a mix up when it had new cylinders fitted in 1949 with 8” piston valves instead of 10” so depending your modelling time scale two more locos in BR livery from renumbering 30863. One thing that Hornby have got wrong on 30863 is the yellow triangle under the number, this should be a letter A the same colour as the numbers, it looks like they have used a photo of the loco in the Irwell book taken ex works at Eastleigh in 1949. The letters on LSWR and Southern Railway locos built and overhauled at Eastleigh referred to the locos power classification, Ryde works on the IOW also used it and it was usually displayed on the running plate behind the front buffer, in BR days it was applied under the number and lasted into the early 50’s when it was superseded by the BR standard code above the number, Ashford and Brighton didn’t seem to use this system. The yellow triangle under the number denoted that the loco had water treatment fitted, this was used in the early sixty’s when it replaced a yellow dot under the number that had been introduced in the mid 50’s, it changed to the triangle so the yellow dot would not get confused with the Western Regions coulerd dots that where displayed on there loco cabs for route and power classification.

I preordered my loco from Rails of Sheffield in January when Hornby first announced it with a picture of it with the correct 5500 gallon tender, Hornbys web site shows it with the correct tender, the picture on the box shows it with the correct tender, there for instead of trying to source a new tender or tender top l think Hornby should just exchange the tender/ tender tops for the correct one. I have emailed Hornby about this as of yet l have had no reply. I will phone Hornby tomorrow to see what they intend to do about resolving this. I think there will be a lot of dealers left with these unsold the more people find out about this, maybe some bargains for renumberig.

I received my model yesterday to find that Hornby had supplied the wrong tender with this loco, it should be the one displayed on the box art a 5500 gallon one instead of the 4500 gallon one supplied. I have emailed Hornby for an exchange tender let’s see what they suggest. As to the yellow dot / triangle this loco carried both types, they denoted that the loco was fitted with the TIA water treatment system. The yellow dot was changed to a triangle to save the Western Region confusing it with their system of coulerd dots for route availability. The dot or triangle should be under the 3 on both sides but Hornby have put it under the 0 on the r/h side.

Also in SOUTHERN green.

I see that Hornby have chosen the two BR lined black members of the class 31518 and 31551 to have the later BR emblems with the forward facing lion on the r/h side tank with overhead warning flashes, this being correct for these locos. A quick look through some books also finds 31308 in the same condition and 31162 with the lion facing forward but no flashes, the photo of 31162 appears to show the yellow spot below the number denoting it being fitted to take the water softening briquettes. One H that intrigues me is 31542, this loco was at Stewarts Lane in 1961/62 and was withdrawn in November 1962, occasionally used on the “Kenny Belle” the train that ran two round trips morning and evening between Clapham Junction and Kensington Olympia. Photos taken at this time show it running with the later BR emblem on the l/h side tank and the old original cycling lion on the r/h side tank, l have tried to find out on other forums if any one knows how this came about but to no avail. l can only think that it’s original tank either leaked or was damaged and one from a withdrawn sister loco replaced it, this was one that was not PP fitted. I hope this information is of some use to those who are going to renumber.

Hi Mike, l am inclined to agree with John, Russels book on Southern Locomotives mentions that 30583 had 3'0" radial wheels the same size as the bogie wheels, were as the other two's were 3'6", there is even a nice broadside photo of 30583 to show it. A quick Google of Adams Radials has enough photos to show the difference in size, l think Hornby have got this spot on. It's a shame they got the lamp irons on 30582 wrong, they were like that when it had the early emblem but not the way Hornby have modeled it with the late emblem. Regards Alan

Hi Mike, what is the problem with the wheels on the radial truck ? Regards Alan