Brixton Hill tram depot and its Trams

[coline33]

[coline33]

Tower E/1 kit - part 8 seats.   The above view is of the seat backs in position for the upper saloon.   Once the sprue mark/s, but not the mould lines, have been filed/cut away affixed the back to the rear of the seat block with the face edged with the mould line facing the front.  The part will then set with a slight lean backward.   Do it the other way round and it will lean forward!!!   Best if the edge that had the sprue is alongside the saloon side - the seat looks better for this.   With five of the E/1 family on the go that is 80 seat backs done and realisation of this was fortunately very quickly found!

[coline33]

Tower E/1 kit - parts 9 & 10 Upper and Lower Deck Sides (respectively).   On to the sprue with these saloon sides.   Whilst they are still attached, file away the circular mould marks on the interior sides and any flash/moulding lines on the edges of both parts.   Particular attention is needed to the exterior side of the Lower Deck Side to remove the excess flash from the ventilator/fanlight windows without damaging the window frames.   This is best done from the exterior side.   Also file away the mould lines in the tops of the main windows. 

 

Now to painting.   The interiors of the Upper Deck Ends and the completed Upper Deck Floor/Seats/Partitions can be painted brown/tan as can be the interior of the Upper Deck Side.   However, the interior of the Lower Deck Side has the fanlight window area painted white with the areas below in brown/tan as shown in the attached view.   Remember, the area below the main windows is hidden by the mechs.

 

Alterations to the exteriors of these two parts 9&10 will be detailed under separate heads to follow when the parts can be removed from the sprue.   Then more variants to the E/1 family will become apparent. 

 

 

[wainwright1]

Hi All.

 

I ventured up to the Ian Allan Book Shop this morning.

New on their shelves (from last week) was Robert J. Harley;s latest issue: 'Wires Above South East London' by Heathfield Publishing.

An interesting potpourri  of all things tram and trolleybus in that corner of London. Lots of useful photos and drawings including some rare unseen things like a proposed 6 wheeled horse tram ! I note that Colin has several mentions in the credits especially for his memories of the M Class cars. I particularly liked the picture of Bexleyheath Trolleybus Depot soon after opening, uniquely the only purpose built Trolley Bus depot I think ?

 

All the best

Ray

[Johann Marsbar]

17 minutes ago, wainwright1 said:

Hi All.

 

 I particularly liked the picture of Bexleyheath Trolleybus Depot soon after opening, uniquely the only purpose built Trolley Bus depot I think ?

 

All the best

Ray

 

Might have been in the case of London, but Priory Heath Depot in Ipswich (now the home of the Ipswich Transport Museum) was opened in 1937 as a trolleybus only facility, and lasted as such until the mid 1950's when motorbuses were first based there.

[coline33]

Not so much my memories, Ray, but that Robert wanted to know the actual history of the cascading of the M-class for which I hold the individual car data.   When he wrote his book on Croydon he was able to include the extra car data that I had found since my contribution to the second edition of "Tramways of Croydon".   One of the Class W/1 cars was transferred by LPTB to Bexleyheath and mentioned in the new book as 349.   LPTB took the refurbished body (transverse seating in the saloon) of 19E and placed on the younger truck of 5E, repainting it in LPTB standard livery.   It was a picture of a model of 349 that Adrian Swain used for the box cover of BEC/ABS kit No.6.   The model is safely in my hands and has been a regularly seen in "West Croydon" although the hybrid prototype never ran there in that condition.   (The dummy trolley standard had to be taken off so as not to bring down the wires!)   So  a view of a 'might-have-been' on service 42.   All the best, Colin.

 

 

[coline33]

Tower E/1 kit - Glazing.   Obviously before glazing, the external window areas of the Upper Deck Sides/Ends and Lower Deck sides (including the inner edges of the pillars/frames) should be painted.   Now for my experiences which I trust will help overcome problems.

 

I attach a view of the glazing I use divided to show the kit's glazing bars on the left and on the right the pre-curved transparent sections retrieved from  commercial packaging.   From the kit's glazing I only use the both of the long straight bars for the saloon windows.   In removing the curved piece from the sprue, marks are left which unfortunately show in the windows next to the conductor's.   Hence for the Upper Deck Ends, I cut strips from the retrieved material.   (These can be seen on the separated curved piece shown.)   In cutting strips beware of the strengthening 'rods' inside the waist ends of the Upper Deck Ends.

 

If curved pieces are to be used then the mould circle on the front needs to be hidden behind the large stencil holder for cars 375-399, 1056, 1235-6, 1547, 1578 and 2042-2061.   For all other E/1s then the retrieved material should be used to give clear front windows even under the smaller East Ham stencil/blind holders (from the E/1 Auxiliary sprue) on cars 81-100.

 

[coline33]

Tower E/1 kit - part 3 upper deck ends (continued).   The conductor's window parts having been fitted, with their vertical pillars positioned to complete the 'open' window on each side (so get left and right pieces the correct way round), their ends overlapped the waists.   So the resultant gaps that appeared in a dry run of the upper deck floor, sides and ends will have to be filled.   One can produce two 1mm, x 1mm, square strips to affix to each waist side of the gap and then cut off the overrun.   An alternate is to do this on the side where the stair well door comes and for the other side to cut the platform step part to the waist height making both end of it square cornered.   The effect is as shown in the attached.   The main sprue's platform step part is redundant and the reason will become evident when that part is reached.  Once these gap pieces are affixed then their interiors will require painting to match.   No external action is required at this point.    

[coline33]

Tower E/1 kit - part 3 upper deck ends (continued).   Further to my previous post, further experience in bringing together the Upper Deck parts on a dry run to check has caused me to remove the transformed platform steps shown on the right hand side of the Upper Deck End.   In addition to using 1mm. square strip, I have produced strips from 040 plasticard cutting to a maximum width of 1.5mm. using the 040 side to fill the gap.

The dry run has also shown up a problem with the Upper Deck Floor ends protruding beyond the end curved waists when modelling an open fronted car.   Whether these are cut back to suit or left in position has to be determined but the protrusions are unsightly as the cream painted cant rail on the prototype is set back under the destination boxes.      

[coline33]

Tower E/1 kit - part 4 upper deck floor (continued).   The above mentioned dry run proved that there is a distinct construction problem with the cant rail beneath the upper deck waists whether the platforms are open or enclosed.   Remember the kit is based on the nine E/1s that were built with enclosed platforms and not the other 991 built without windscreens!!!   So even with the nine there is a case to do the following modification if the end exteriors are to be 'flush' from top to bottom!   In the case of the 991 whether open or LPTB standard windscreen fitted, the cut-back of the upper deck floor end sections will allow the destination boxes to protrude from the bodywork instead of appearing to be balanced on top of the windscreen.   This belated change will cause a delay to my construction of cars 1235, 1236 and 1506 for which the upper floor assemblies were completed and will now have to be carefully altered.   So I am proceeding with ex-Croydon E/1 396 in OPEN condition from scratch.   This car was one of two of the 25 Croydon E/1s that did not survive WW2 as it took the blast of the bombing of South Croydon bus garage as it was passing with the tragic death of its conductor.   Although ENCLOSED in 1939 and with fog lamps fitted, the only photos I have of 396 in LPTB service are in the OPEN condition without fog lamps, hence the choice.

 

Now to the recommended modification.   The attached view speaks for itself.   The piece on the left is the original part with the white area being the excess to remove.   At the centre point of the front (mid point of the destination box on the upper deck end) the reduction must not be greater than 1.5mm. inwards.   The right hand piece has been so modified and is the template used for 396's upper deck floor assembly which is now being painted.   Once this is finished then it will allow me to proceed to differences in the upper deck waists and advert styles.   This change will also alter the direction I was thinking about on how to create better looking LPTB wooden standard windscreens.

[Strathwood]

This is very useful material , many thanks for sharing your experiences with us all.

 

Kevin

[coline33]

Thanks, Kevin.   Just to emphasise the fact that the Tower E/1 kit was based entirely upon the final built E/1 batch of nine which embodied all the improvements that could be made from the other 991!   Basically the lower deck length from the dash panel ends of the 991 was longer than the upper deck length between the end waist panels.   The kit mirrors the nine in that these lengths are the same with the windscreens built within these lengths.    Hence LCC, LPTB and us had/have a problem fitting the open fronted 991 with windscreens which also required modification to the brake handle assembly.   Need-less-to-say not all the 991 got windscreens!!!   Colin.

[coline33]

Tower E/1 kit - part 3 upper deck ends (continued).   Now to GLAZING these ends after painting the whole of the interior and the exterior of the window section.   I cut a strip of transparent material 60mm. long and 13mm. wide - must be exact width.   I use sparingly clear Evo-Stik as the adhesive so have to watch that wispy strands of the glue do not get on the strip or the ends.   I put a drab of glue on the inside of the large stencil holder box and on the bottom ledge of the window beneath.   Then on bending the strip ends together to help form the curve, I drab on the top centre of outermost of the strip and put a bead at the bottom of the centre.   Leave momentarily to start curing and then place the bent strip into the centre of the end part ensuring the top of the strip is at the top of the end part.   Then release the now sides of the strip to find the sides checking that the top edges meet and the bottom of the strip is on top of the end parts top mould bar.   I use a peg as seen in the left hand part in the attached, to hold the strip as the glue dries.   Once this is done then I give the end pillars of the conductor's windows a bead of glue and carefully bring the strip's sides into the curve of the end part and peg as shown in the right hand part.   Once that has dried then the excess of the strip beyond the upper deck end can be cut flush with the window pillars.

[coline33]

Tower E/1 kit - part 4 upper deck floor (continued).   There is a correction to the '991 cars' that were built open fronted.   Cars 2042-2053, that were built for Walthamstow, had their lower deck cant rails extended over the ends as per the kit part.   So it is the other '979 cars' that have to have the part altered!!!

[coline33]

Tower E/1 kit - part 2 the roof.   The major problem in confirming roof detail is that extremely few clear photos were taken of the E/1 class roofs and drawings seen are very generic.   So I have refined from further investigation the details previously given based on the Alphagraghix kit.   Apart from one or two trolley poles, their bases, trolley planks and hooks, there are the slatted areas on each roof side of the planks.   Also lighting arrestors are to be found but the other prominent feature is the covers to the upper saloon lamps.   So I attach a view of the kit's roof showing which covers can be removed to give a fair and reasonable representation.   (Sorry about the smudge on one of the '1st's!)   The trolley pole fitting holes and the slight protrusions there should be filed flush.   Single trolley poles had single cant rail hooks at both ends whereas double trolley poles had two such hooks at each end.    Domed roofed E/1s are omitted but rehabilitated ones are not but may be subject of future observations.   The following explanation is given by number batches;

 

Car 81-100 roofs had no covers at all there being the fittings for two trolley poles and the lightning arrestor.

 

Car 375-399 roofs were similar to those above but had lamp covers.   The best cover layout presentation is to file away the covers marked K in the the view.   

 

Car 752-1226 roofs had single trolley poles, lamp covers, etc., so the the covers marked '1st'  should be removed. 

 

Car 1228-1426, 1477-1676 roofs I thought should be the same as 752-1226 but the roof view of 1239 posted on 17th June confirms otherwise so I have assumed the change took place when LCC ordered the batch from 1228 et seq.   Therefore the lamp covers marked '2nd' should be removed.   Beware of those few cars already mentioned as having two trolley poles. 

 

Car 1727-1851 roofs with their two trolley poles did follow the lamp cover layout whereby those marked '2nd' should be removed. 

 

Car 2042-2061 roofs had two trolley poles and the lamp cover layout is best represented by removal of those covers marked K.

 

Over the years came a few individual variations on the above themes so it is important to find photos of the car in the era that it is to be modelled.   Rotten wood cant rails did give way under the upward pressure of the trolley pole springs on the hooks!   Do not hesitate to ask for help to confirm the condition and era of a particular car. 

[coline33]

Tower E/1 kit - upper deck conductor's windows (continued).   Following on from the previous post, even before WW2 LPTB were having to replace some of these windows are the wooden frames rotten.   However, some were replaced by single panes of glass a conversion which continued during and after the war where these parts were not forth coming from scrapped cars.   In the dry runs of the upper deck floor assemblies, closing the vertical gap in the waist under the overhang of the conductor's window has shown the need to extend the roof part with a central addition.   However, if this needs to be avoided then the conductor's window parts can be omitted and be replaced by the single glass pane window.   So which cars were known to be in final condition with all opening conductor's windows replaced - 1092, 1171, 1182, 1211, 1219, 1233, 1250, 1390, 1395, 1406, 1413, 1414, 1419, 1485, 1487, 1494, 1495, 1567, 1570, 1612, 1613, 1617, 1618, 1623, 1640, 1644 and 1663.   But 916 and 1244 only had certain of their four window section so converted so with the existence of the conductor's window part, the problem of the overall length persists.

 

Shown in the first view attached are the methods I suggest using parts from the kit's main sprues.   (Yes, THOD does mean 'method' - sorry I did not see this cut-off when photographing.)   Under 'Method 1' 'a' is the conductor's window from the sprue, 'b' shows the two frames removed to produce the window pillar with a right hand cant rail and 'c' shows that by turning the other way round it can be used for the opposite side of the same upper deck end.   The cut-offs are worth putting in the spares box.   However, 'Method 2' may be preferred.   In 'a' is the stair window panel part from the lower deck windscreen assembly.   It must be reduced in height, as in 'b', to fit leaving an off-cut worth keeping to provide the divider in the bulkhead part's altered saloon door window.   Next are the cuts to provide the vertical window pillar and the cant rail.   In 'c' the cuts have been made to create on the left one full height vertical pillar and then on the right the cant rail cut before it joins the vertical pillar.   This gives a length equal to the waist so avoiding the need to bridge that gap.   In 'd' the cuts still give a full height vertical pillar but on the right the vertical pillar is cut below the cant rail so giving it the full length if required.   Again from the off-cuts can be saved those upright pieces for use in the altered saloon door windows,

 

The second view shows on the left the single pane window created from method 1b where a waistline gap exists and on the right that which overcomes the gap from. the one I would prefer, method 2c.

 

  

[coline33]

Still with some unopened Tower E/1 kits I have decided to add an eight car.  E/1 1406 was in either February or March 1947 photographed working an EX service to Norbury from the Embankment so passing BH depot.   It is because this is one of the cars that had had the conductor's windows replaced by a single pane and that the only other major change was that the advert ribs had been removed from the upper deck waist panels that I have chosen it.   This will I hope produce the best non-Walthamstow version from the Tower E/1 kit with the least amount of alteration!!!.

[Strathwood]

Well done Colin, this is turning into a masterwork on the complexities of London's E1 trams, many thanks keep going.

 

Kevin

[coline33]

Tower E/1 kit - part 2 the roof (continued).   The lamp cover layouts on the roofs are not as straightforward as I had indicated, so there are corrections as follows.

 

Cars 752-1226 as stated above except there may be ones like car 1025 which need the '2nd' to be removed.   1025 is the preserved car at Acton.

 

Cars 1227-1426, 1477-1676 are primarily the same as 752-1226 with the '1st' removed.   However, the following cars are known to require the '2nd' to be removed - 1239, 1565, 1638 and 1651.

 

Even with a photograph of a chosen car it probably will not be possible to confirm the layout unless the covers are clearly seen at least on one side of the roof or the interior lamps themselves appear through the windows.

[coline33]

Tower E/1 kit - Instructions.   Having re-read the instruction sheet, some points  of which to be aware.   Historical Notes - the kit is based only on  Walthamstow's 2nd batch of E/1s built in 1932 and the only E/1s built incorporating windsceeens.   Livery -  the LPTB livery although standard with the red and cream but the bogies/plough carriers/life guards/trays/platform floors and steps were grey, the saloon doors brown.   Then there were variations in the roof colours from white, grey and brown.   The war years found LPTB using what paint stocks they could find with some cars getting brown instead of red and black instead of grey or even untreated wood!   The livery became more standardised with LTE with saloon doors/bogies/plough carriers/platform floors and steps/life guards/trays being black.   It is important to note that Humbrol Ivory 41 is not the full bodied cream used by LPTB/LTE.   I have mixed half a tin of Humbrol Ivory 41 with half a tin of Humbrol Yellow 69 to get an acceptable shade of this cream.   On the transfer sheet the number 2054 is perfect for this car, as per the enclosed platform kit, in LPTB days and early LTE ones.   However, 571 is very far from correct as it is a third series 1929 built E/1 which would take far more kit-bashing than I have shown on the other E/1 classes to give a representation of the 1929 batch!   Also note that the transfer sheet is based on the post-war LTE days but neither LPTB/LTE had large stencils for services 2 and 4 but those for 40 are prefect.  When it comes to assembly I make no comment as method is all part of how one enjoys the hobby.   

[coline33]

With a backlog of upper deck assemblies to complete before I continue with part 9 on the Upper Deck Sides, I will now go to part 10 Lower Deck Sides purely with the details of the E/1 car numbers which require alteration to this part.   Really in deciding which of the variations from the norm, this part should come first!   Photos will come later as I catch-up!   Remember, the Rehabs and the second 1597 are excluded.

 

Tower E/1 kit - part 10 Lower Deck Side (continued).   The interior paint style has already been mentioned and that for the exterior is straight forward red waist panels and cream window frames.   For the non-rehabs there was little change in the LPTB's pre-war period - then 'all hell let loose'!!!   "Make do and mend" actually continued through the LPTB's post-war period into LTE's as minimal maintenance, after government paid war damage repairs, continued in the run-down of the tramway system.   The following variations were very evident in the LTE period making use of photographs essential for which I give some specimen numbers as a guide.

 

1.   Changes to the opening fanlights above the main saloon windows.

1.1   Ashenco scoop ventilators in end windows either at one of both ends - 1013, 1163, 1397, 1527, 1549, 1596, 1602 and 1653.

1.2   Square scoop ventilators at both ends - 981.

1.3   Single panel over all fanlights - 1424 (wartime only).

1.4   One opening fanlight replaced by fixed glazed window on one side - 391, 1378, 1568 and 1595.

1.5   Alternate opening fanlights replaced by fixed glazed windows in differing patterns and on both sides - 90, 95, 1250, 1383, 1409, 1423,  1486, 1646 and 1674.

 

2.   Changes to the waist panel.

2.1   Curved flush wait panels either single or reserved curve - 391, 782, 814, 906, 1250, and 1397 which has beading along the bottom edge.

2.2   Rubbing strip replaced by plain strip - 824, 979, 881/2, 1213 and 1372.

2.3   Body bracing strips with rubbing strip retained - 399.

2.4  Body bracing strip with rubbing strip replaced by plain strip - 387, 390, 961, 1773/7-8, 1781-2/4-5/7, 1791/3-4/6/8-9, 1801-3/5-6/9. 1810-3/5/7-8, 1822-4/6-7, 1830/2-9, 1840-1/4/6-9 and 1850-1.

 

If further assistance required please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

 

Edited August 11, 2020 by coline33
Duplication overcome.

[coline33]

Tower E/1 kit - Cover Boxes.   I attach a view of the original cover boxes produced by Tower Trams of Blackpool.   So if you see these available on a website check the address on the box sides.   The present BEC-KITS production is in similar looking boxes with 'Tower Trams' , etc., in a different typeface but with the current Lancaster address on the box sides.   However, in saying that, provided the contents bag has not been opened there ought to be no difference in quality.   A reminder that BEC-KITS Auxiliary E/1 Sprue is not included in the boxes so should be ordered separately through the BEC-KITS website/email.   I will be producing a separate appraisal of this Sprue in due course.

[thirty2a]

I go away for two weeks! well Done Colin this should keep the London Tram aficionados happy for a while...

tony 

[coline33]

Sorry, I have appeared to have had a break!   Far from it as painting the small parts for 8 E/1s in construction takes time.   But reading of a friend's 'close shave' of riding Feltham 2109 southbound from London on 24.8.1944 (PM) and by 7pm it had been blasted beyond repair with loss of life, has caused me to research this and other wartime incidents further.   There is always a personal aspect from war that does not get recorded so I revised a draft I wrote way back in 1981, illustrated it and submitted it for publication.   However, it has not stopped  drafting further Tower E/1 parts which await assembly to give me something to illustrate them.   Continue watching this space!   

[thirty2a]

Stan Collins book has an interesting part driving a Feltham through an air raid! all very interesting stuff Colin.