Deliberately Old-Fashioned 0 Scale - Chapter 1

[Edwardian]

7 minutes ago, Annie said:

Narrow convertible carriages.  A distasteful mockery.  As bad a sin as showing a dying man his shroud.

 

Otherwise a glorious picture and thank you for that James.  It did make me smile and that is always a good thing. 

 

There was a whole discussion elsewhere about how the 1880s and before were significantly less-photographed than the 1890s.  It might also be the case that people were motivated to capture Broad Gauge once it was perceived to be on the way out.  

 

Whatever the reason, the majority of pictures show dual gauge tracks and convertible carriages with narrow gauge bodies (negating, of course, much of the benefit of Broad Gauge).  Clearly for many years before conversion, all the capital expenditure had been dedicated to the inevitable abolition of the Broad Gauge in due course. The old Rovers, however updated, looked increasingly like dinosaurs from a lost age.

 

Here, though, we have a nice shot because only the lead vehicle appears to be a convertible, so it captures nicely the contrast with full-width-bodied stock. 

 

 

[Edwardian]

7 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Norton Fitzwarren, May 1892. Better?

 

 

The leading brake looks to be convertible but with the duckets sticking out far enough for the guard to see along the train.

 

Ah, snap!

 

Our posts evidently crossed, we both having had much the same idea  well, Fools seldom differ. 

[Annie]

33 minutes ago, Edwardian said:

The old Rovers, however updated, looked increasingly like dinosaurs from a lost age.

With no money being spent on any further development of the Broad Gauge Rovers were churned out with only minor upgrades to keep them current with worn out Rovers being replaced with new engines that looked almost the same as the old ones they replaced.  I have always wondered what the Broad Gauge would have become if it had lasted longer.  What would have Broad Gauge engines looked like if they had been developed in the same way that the SG engines were.

[Metropolitan H]

Who mentioned a "O" gauge Coarse Scale "Blue Pullman"? I would definitely have one - it would remind me of the OO gauge 4 car motorised Kitmaster version I had as a kid - but that was also a plastic model, yet I still regret no longer having it! 

 

There are some other interesting coarse scale "O" gauge 3-rail model trains about, but the HAG loco of this train dates from the early 1950s!

 

Regards

Chris H

Edited April 7, 2020 by Metropolitan H
Attribution & widow / orphan sort-out!

[Metropolitan H]

2 hours ago, Annie said:

....  What would have Broad Gauge engines looked like if they had been developed in the same way that the SG engines were.

 

Simple answer is very big, but not necessarily over long. The Broad Gauge loading gauge would give a lot more room for bigger diameter boilers and wide grates - but in 1890 you would still only be looking at a 4-4-0as the biggest. But think what the GER Decapod might have looked like if the BG lasted longer and in other areas?

 

Regards

Chris H

 

[sncf231e]

7 hours ago, Metropolitan H said:

Who mentioned a "O" gauge Coarse Scale "Blue Pullman"? 

 

There are some other interesting coarse scale "O" gauge 3-rail model trains about, but the HAG loco of this train dates from the early 1950s!

 

Regards

Chris H

Here is a similar HAG locomotive with a "Blue (and creme) Pullman":

 

 

Regards

Fred

[Simond]

An interesting diversion, had Brunel prevailed, what would our railways look like a few years back, or even today?  
 

Not a question that can be answered with any pretence of certainty, but certainly a diversion worthy of discussion.
 

Straighter lines for sure, corners not being a particular benefit of broader gauges, so more gradients.  Fast for sure.  70’ broad gauge dreadnaughts hauled by prodigious locos.  4-8-0’s perhaps.  Twin boilers maybe, to generate enough steam for massive trains, but also to keep the CoG, and the necessary heights of bridges, down.

 

Would the rise of the private motor vehicle taken the same toll on the railways?  Would domestic flights ever have taken off?  (Sorry about that one),
 

ooooh, what fun,

 

keep well!

Simon

[TT-Pete]

34 minutes ago, Simond said:

An interesting diversion, had Brunel prevailed, what would our railways look like a few years back, or even today?  
 

Not a question that can be answered with any pretence of certainty, but certainly a diversion worthy of discussion.

 

A certain Austrian chappie with a funny mustache had thoughts in that direction...

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breitspurbahn

[F-UnitMad]

Really, the question amounts to what would the Americans have done with Broad Gauge, when they could do this with Standard....

 

And today can do this...

[Nearholmer]

Crikey! Look away for a minute, and all sorts of interesting things are being discussed.

 

Well, back to Ye Olde Big Four (should really add LT, to make five, but the Met is confined to depot due to, well, you know what), and the final one has to be Ye Olde L&NER.

 

All Bassett Lowke, and using clockwork power alone to achieve speeds that would make Mallard look pedestrian.

 

 

 

If anyone still smoked, it might be possible to issue these photos as fag cards. What do you think?

 

 

[Simond]

8 hours ago, TT-Pete said:

 

A certain Austrian chappie with a funny mustache had thoughts in that direction...

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breitspurbahn

I had never heard of that, so thanks for the link.  
 

Politically dubious but technically fascinating, and a museum to go on the bucket list, I think, once the current pandemonium is resolved.

 

Of course, said character had a major impact on the auto industry too, the story of Ledwinka, Tatra, Porsche and VW is worth an hour of anyone’s lockdown.

 

keep well!

Simon

 

 

[TT-Pete]

6 hours ago, Simond said:

I had never heard of that, so thanks for the link.  
 

Politically dubious but technically fascinating, and a museum to go on the bucket list, I think, once the current pandemonium is resolved.

 

 

 

[Edwardian]

11 minutes ago, TT-Pete said:

 

 

 

But for the tastefully omitted swastika, it was rather like watching The Man in the High Castle mit trains. 

[TT-Pete]

2 hours ago, Edwardian said:

 

But for the tastefully omitted swastika, it was rather like watching The Man in the High Castle mit trains. 

 

This is a German animation and the use or depiction of the swastika is absolutely verboten by law (Prince Harry and Sid Vicious would have had a very different reception if they had tried their antics over there...)

 

I've read the book but not seen the series, is it worth catching it?

 

[Simond]

The swastika caused no little consternation amongst my Austrian colleagues from Head Office when visiting the office I ran in India, where it is a symbol of fertility, goodness, auspiciousness, etc.  
 

lots of info on Wikipedia if anyone’s interested.

 

atb

Simon

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Pete, thanks for the video link.

 

The series is OK, I enjoyed the first one but have yet to catch up the latest one.

 

Cheers, Ade.

[Nearholmer]

Many RMWebbers appear to be making good use of lockdown to quietly get on and build layouts/locos/wagons etc, but when you have two school-age children, things don’t quite work like that (except that they built a rather good Lego ‘Hogwarts Castle’ yesterday).

 

Todays post-descent-of-peace train-playing session reverted to early BR, all muted colours, except that petrol tanker, which I suspect is out of period anyway.

 

 

 

 

[boxerbayrailway]

Looks like a fun session.  I especially like the shot featuring those vintage signals.  Seeing these photos

almost makes me wish I hadn't gone fine scale   as I have a weakness for Dinky Toys.

Cheers,

Felix

[Ben B]

Quote

Many RMWebbers appear to be making good use of lockdown to quietly get on and build layouts/locos/wagons etc, but when you have two school-age children, things don’t quite work like that (except that they built a rather good Lego ‘Hogwarts Castle’ yesterday).

 

Mine had a go at a Lego Double Fairlie… until it became a spaceship/flying car/science lab.  Still, I suppose that's the point of Lego

 

Is that rather nice 03 an Ace Trains product please?

[Nearholmer]

The 03 is from Seven Mill Models, I think it is a simplified (“coarsened”) version of a DJH kit body and it has an ETS chassis.

 

They were over-priced when first introduced, so I turned my nose up, as it seems did many others, and they hung about with retailers. I eventually got that one when W J Vintage had a January Sale to clear slow-moving stock, at which point the price became sensible!

 

I do like diesel shunters and covet the pre-WW2 Bonds models of the LMS 150hp Hunslet and the SR EE350hp ...... rare beasts, though.

[LNWR18901910]

On 07/04/2020 at 22:42, Nearholmer said:

Crikey! Look away for a minute, and all sorts of interesting things are being discussed.

 

Well, back to Ye Olde Big Four (should really add LT, to make five, but the Met is confined to depot due to, well, you know what), and the final one has to be Ye Olde L&NER.

 

All Bassett Lowke, and using clockwork power alone to achieve speeds that would make Mallard look pedestrian.

 

 

 

If anyone still smoked, it might be possible to issue these photos as fag cards. What do you think?

 

 

Very interesting tank engine! It reminds me of the heritage railways in preservation! I totally like this 0-4-0 tank engine which has a fun and freelance side. Those coaches it hauls are very qauint and charming.

[LNWR18901910]

On 14/04/2020 at 22:45, Nearholmer said:

Many RMWebbers appear to be making good use of lockdown to quietly get on and build layouts/locos/wagons etc, but when you have two school-age children, things don’t quite work like that (except that they built a rather good Lego ‘Hogwarts Castle’ yesterday).

 

Todays post-descent-of-peace train-playing session reverted to early BR, all muted colours, except that petrol tanker, which I suspect is out of period anyway.

 

 

 

 

This outside-cylinder 0-6-0 tank engine has a sort of LNWR/GCR flavour to it, though judging by the BR 60000 numbering scheme, it would be more Great Central origin. Imagine if this model was made in 00 scale on an Electotren 0-6-0 chassis?

 

Had such a locomotive as this existed in real-life, its main purpose is for heavy shunting and local branchline traffic.

[LNWR18901910]

On 17/03/2020 at 20:26, Northroader said:

This should be brought back into the public eye owing much to the Great Pandemic.

[Nearholmer]

I’ve always found that poster faintly disturbing, something to do with the disproportion and surrealism, so I’m no fan of reintroducing it, I’m afraid.

[Simond]

The implication that the firebox somehow engages with a driving axle is somewhat disturbing too....