More Pre-Grouping Wagons in 4mm - the D299 appreciation thread.

[JustinDean]

On 11/04/2024 at 17:59, Compound2632 said:

A short Wedding Anniversary holiday in Derbyshire was, for a holiday in the heart of Midland territory, remarkably railway-free: the main objects being Hardwick Hall and Bolsover Castle. We were staying in Middleton, so there was a late afternoon stroll (in LNWR territory) down and up the incline and then along through Hopton Tunnel and back. The Midland D663A wagon posed at Middleton Top is in a rather decrepit condition:

 

 

... which draws attention to the recycling of D299 corner plates.

 

(The less said about the black buffer guides and solebar ironwork the better.)

 

On our return, there was a small parcel from Mousa Models awaiting my attention. Here's the D204 Loco coal wagon - once again illustrating the trickiness of photographing unpainted resin:

 

Ah, my neck of the woods! Both in model form and where I live (Wirksworth). Hope you had an enjoyable break. 
 

Jay

[Compound2632]

25 minutes ago, JustinDean said:

Ah, my neck of the woods! Both in model form and where I live (Wirksworth). Hope you had an enjoyable break. 

 

I was catching up on your layout topic just recently, as with excellent timing a new post had appeared when I first looked after we got home. I see it is starting to get out and about so hope to see it in the flesh at some point! 

[JustinDean]

1 hour ago, Compound2632 said:

 

I was catching up on your layout topic just recently, as with excellent timing a new post had appeared when I first looked after we got home. I see it is starting to get out and about so hope to see it in the flesh at some point! 

So far booked for the  RMWeb SWAG get together in a couple of weeks then RailEx in Taunton towards the end of the year. Would be nice to do some more; closer to home would be great!

 

Jay

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, JustinDean said:

So far booked for the  RMWeb SWAG get together in a couple of weeks then RailEx in Taunton towards the end of the year. Would be nice to do some more; closer to home would be great!

 

Alas Taunton is not many miles or minutes closer to here than is Wirksworth!

[Compound2632]

Connection made:

 

The name of P. Ellis turns up frequently in the Derby C&W Drawing register, as draughtsman of very many drawings from 1873 up to 1900, and a handful more up to 1905. (There is also a C.C. Ellis, prolific from 1898 onwards - a son, perhaps?)

 

HMRS members who are signed up to the Electronic Area Group have access to a pdf scan of Railway Carriages & Wagons: their Design and Construction, by Sidney Stone M.I. Mech. E., published in 1903. Stone was at that time Assistant Locomotive Works Manager at Gorton, GCR, having held similar positions with the Metropolitan and Ashbury carriage & wagon companies; his earlier career had been on the GER and LSWR. The book is dedicated to James Holden, who was, presumably, his first chief.

 

In the chapter "Wheels, Axles, and Axle-boxes", p. 108 (p. 30 of the second half of the scan), Stone writes: "A good type of wagon axle-box, designed by Mr. Peter Ellis, is shown by fig. 216. It is adapted for the use of grease, and is extensively used on the Midland R. and by private owners." 

 

There follows a technical description; the figure does indeed show the familiar 10A axlebox, though without the MR initials cast on the front.

 

So, the Ellis axlebox originated on the Midland; interestingly, at a time - 1888/89 - when, according to the C&W committee minutes, difficulty was being experienced in getting adequate supplies of castings from the trade.

Edited April 16 by Compound2632

[Compound2632]

Happy birthday (?) D299: