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A resource for finding what ran where and when?


DK123GWR
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Hello everybody. I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place since it isn't strictly a question about prototypes, but a question about where to find more information. I was wondering if anybody knew of a resource which had information on what locomotives (and possibly other rolling stock) ran on which routes and during what periods of time. I appreciate that this is a very broad area, and that not all of the information would be available. I'm also not especially hopeful since if such a useful resource did exist then I'd imagine that everybody would know about it and use it. However, it may be that there are some sources which, while far from comprehensive, provide such information for a specific region, route, or time period. I don't have any specific queries about particular points, hence my desire for a broader overview which may help me to discover information of this nature.

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3 minutes ago, DK123GWR said:

Hello everybody. I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place since it isn't strictly a question about prototypes, but a question about where to find more information. I was wondering if anybody knew of a resource which had information on what locomotives (and possibly other rolling stock) ran on which routes and during what periods of time. I appreciate that this is a very broad area, and that not all of the information would be available. I'm also not especially hopeful since if such a useful resource did exist then I'd imagine that everybody would know about it and use it. However, it may be that there are some sources which, while far from comprehensive, provide such information for a specific region, route, or time period. I don't have any specific queries about particular points, hence my desire for a broader overview which may help me to discover information of this nature.

 

I'm afraid that your 'resource' doesn't exist in the form that you were hoping for.

 

However, if you were to specify an area - quite closely specified - and period, the chances are that someone may be able to assist you to some extent.

 

In a way, it's just as well that the 'resource' does not exist; it would negate the enjoyment of research.

 

John Isherwood.

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Try Wiki. Tons of information on there, and don't believe the idea that everything is wrong on Wikipedia. It isn't. that may have been true when it was new, but most of the information is now verified and usually you need to add a reliable source.

 

Look for websites dedicated to the railways you have interest in. For example.

 

LNER

 

https://www.lner.info/

 

GWR

 

http://www.gwr.org.uk/

 

http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/

 

SR

 

http://www.semgonline.com/

 

Unfortunately there isn't a LMS version.

 

 

 

 

Jason

 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, gordon s said:

Shed history of loco’s are available in this resource. Doesn’t give the depth on information you need, but it could be a good starting point.

 

http://www.brdatabase.info

This is a great start. Rough information on the distribution of locomotives should be a valuable starting point for any more detailed research required later.

1 hour ago, Paul Cram said:

NERA have information on carriage workings and train make up.

What is NERA? I'm sorry if that's a stupid question.

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11 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

Try Wiki. Tons of information on there, and don't believe the idea that everything is wrong on Wikipedia. It isn't. that may have been true when it was new, but most of the information is now verified and usually you need to add a reliable source.

 

Look for websites dedicated to the railways you have interest in. For example.

 

LNER

 

https://www.lner.info/

 

GWR

 

http://www.gwr.org.uk/

 

http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/

 

SR

 

http://www.semgonline.com/

 

Unfortunately there isn't a LMS version.

 

 

 

 

Jason

 

 

 

 

Here,here for Wikipedia. Whilst I wouldn't trust it for a DIY lobotomy on the cat, it has proved pretty accurate for everything else. 

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Now I know I may get my knuckles rapped for this but there is a self confessed operations guru (? for the want of a better expression?) by the name of Tristan Bradshaw (? Xpress Publications?) that crops up on a few facebook railway groups ( either you like 'em, or hate 'em ?). My somewhat fuzzy memory is thinking that it was someone who cropped up on this forum a few years ago, and ruffled a few feathers - or I could be wrong???? But he is a good source of info on train operations.

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As others have said, there's no one resource and there's a lot of information out there! When you start your research be clear about what you want to achieve.  Are you interested in a particular location, a region, a particular era? Is the real question what RTR stuff can I run together and have it look reasonable?  Railways are a constantly changing beast. Books can give a misleading view - focussing on the late 1950s - early 1960s for example or disproportionately focussing on express passenger trains. The shed bash uk site  http://shedbashuk.blogspot.com/?m=1 is interesting as it gives (mostly Sunday) snapshots (mostly British Railways era) of what was on shed in particular locations.  That's still only the locos though!

 

Be careful what you wish for though, I was given the relevant pages from a signalbox register just down the line from where I'm modelling.  One of the signalmen continued the Midland Railway habit of recording loco numbers in the register. I therefore had the numbers of about half the locos that went through on the day I chose to use for determining what condition I model my locos in. The only problem being that list didn't include many of the locos I'd already modelled/picked despite them all being representative of that era and location! You can have too much information!

 

Simon

 

 

 

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  • 1 year later...
On 07/04/2020 at 12:41, bike2steam said:

Now I know I may get my knuckles rapped for this but there is a self confessed operations guru (? for the want of a better expression?) by the name of Tristan Bradshaw (? Xpress Publications?) that crops up on a few facebook railway groups ( either you like 'em, or hate 'em ?). My somewhat fuzzy memory is thinking that it was someone who cropped up on this forum a few years ago, and ruffled a few feathers - or I could be wrong???? But he is a good source of info on train operations.

I'd be careful with this guy. His real name is William Becket. He makes a lot of claims but when pressed about sources gets angry and defensive. He likes to give the impression he was high up in BR but when challenged will provide no details. Railwaymen, on the whole, are happy to talk about their careers so this attitude seems odd.

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On 09/07/2021 at 10:08, pdsteveo said:

I'd be careful with this guy. His real name is William Becket. He makes a lot of claims but when pressed about sources gets angry and defensive. He likes to give the impression he was high up in BR but when challenged will provide no details. Railwaymen, on the whole, are happy to talk about their careers so this attitude seems odd.

Thanks, that's the name, I use to deal with him as 'Xpress Publications', when I had a model railway, transport, and military book shop.:sungum:

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