The Night Mail

[Erichill16]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

A live steam version in that scale would be sublime.

I agree but I ve always thought about live steam but I’ve always thought  twice as in effect you’re taking a match(or lighter) and setting fire to a £2000 model!

 I’m also considering the peco bullhead rail for my oo project but waiting for a larger range of points. They seem to be taking an age to appear. I’m not sure how common the shorting issue is over the crossing v, I think it’s more common on certain locos. I’m intending build a shunting plank type layout, with short wheelbase locos but some are kit built and I’m not sure how fine the wheels are.

Robert

Edited September 6, 2020 by Erichill16

[Northroader]

I think about the last steam passenger turn in South Wales was 7029 Clun Castle, early 1965, which used to come down early morning from Gloucester, where it was shedded, and returning just after nine. I used to watch it out of the office window (Marland House) while we were doing the callover.

[tomparryharry]

3 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

I think it was Nat King Cole who sang "Unforgettable".

 

"Unforgettable, that's what..............

[tomparryharry]

I think the last locomotives would be a 76xxx going down Forest Hill bank. The loco was coasting, and clanking a bit. The other 'last one' was a Bulleid having a 'blow-up whilst going on the Down, also on Forest Hill bank. Being on the Down, it was going uphill.... That would be 1966-ish.

 

Forest Hill bank is south-east London.  I guess most will know that already.

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, Erichill16 said:

I agree but I ve always thought about live steam but I’ve always thought  twice as in effect you’re taking a match(or lighter) and setting fire to a £2000 model!

But at least they're designed to be set on fire. 

[Oldddudders]

3 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

Simply running as 99 234 the last time I saw it in Wernigerode 2018. Looks a lovely model. 

[New Haven Neil]

Not a 2-10-2t, but an 0-10-0t...

 

https://www.accucraft.de/body_produkte/1_20_3/Dampflokomotiven_1_20_3__Live_/body_sachsische_vik__live_stea/body_sachsische_vik__live_stea.html

[Oldddudders]

1 minute ago, New Haven Neil said:

Not a 2-10-2t, but an 0-10-0t...

 

https://www.accucraft.de/body_produkte/1_20_3/Dampflokomotiven_1_20_3__Live_/body_sachsische_vik__live_stea/body_sachsische_vik__live_stea.html

Another Ian Pearse product?

[New Haven Neil]

4 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

Another Ian Pearse product?

 

No, Accu Germany aren't part of Ian's domain, as far as I know.

[AndrewC]

Howdy. More muddling. Another 8 points and about 30’ of track reclaimed. one last module to go. Need it stripped by the end of the week so the old tops and waste can go to the tip. 
 

Brownie points earned by respraying our bin store. 
 

No live steam but loads of lump wood charcoal stoked and smoked. 
 

[Oldddudders]

1 minute ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

No, Accu Germany aren't part of Ian's domain, as far as I know.

Anyway he must be old enough to retire soon?

[Happy Hippo]

3 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

Another Ian Pearse product?

I'm not sure as to Ian's involvement with Accucraft's range outside of the UK.

 

I suspect the basic mechanical aspects might be down to Ian, but Accucraft also get others involved with their US and continental locos.  

 

Sometimes I think they get it wrong as evidenced by the slight debacle over the  US generated 7/8ths scale Decauville loco.  It took Accucraft UK to get the issues sorted.  (Well a mutual friend of Neil and myself was the principle for the redesign so everything finally worked as it should.)

[Happy Hippo]

2 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

Anyway he must be old enough to retire soon?

I'll ask him when I next see him

[Oldddudders]

1 minute ago, Happy Hippo said:

I'll ask him when I next see him

Please pass on my best. 

 

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, AndrewC said:

Another 8 points

I thought it was the Eurovision Song Contest as I read the beginning of the pos

[Happy Hippo]

Spur Null Points.................Sorry Bill!

[Erichill16]

2 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

Simply running as 99 234 the last time I saw it in Wernigerode 2018. Looks a lovely model. 

It does look nice but really it could do with a bit of light weathering but at the price it’s a bit daunting . I lightly weather the chassis of the HF 130 that was in a picture I posted a couple of weeks ago. 

For my 50th birthday I went to the Harz mountains and stopped in Wernigerode and got  some great pics.

Robert

[New Haven Neil]

Ian Pearse has effectively been retired for sometime, he stepped right back from the day to day running of Accucraft, which is run by Graham Langer.  Ian 'dabbles' with design behind the scenes, which is what he really enjoys, I don't know how much influence he has on the non-UK models, there's a very clever girl in the Chinese factory that does a lot of the CAD work, our Sea Lion being one of the results!  

 

[bbishop]

Two days coming up at Waterloo, so plenty of gossip please.

 

If it is quiet, I shall be researching WW1 memorials on the LSWR!

 

Bill

[Erichill16]

Couldnt resist posting a picture.

[pH]

12 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

I think it all came to a grinding halt in 1965.  Something in the back of my mind says August for the whole of the Western Region. 

I photographed ex-GWR engines in steam on Severn Tunnel Junction shed on September 18 1965.

[Happy Hippo]

5 hours ago, pH said:

I photographed ex-GWR engines in steam on Severn Tunnel Junction shed on September 18 1965.

I wasn't sure what the exact date was.

 

Further internet searches, (Google etc is not always your friend) have revealed that probably the last day was 03 Jan 66!

 

'A locomotive from Worcester shed was used to bank freight trains up the formidable 1-100 gradient of Chipping Campden bank. This engine which was often a Collett 0-6-0 tender engine, until that class was withdrawn in 1964, also operated local services. Chris Smith, who was the regular fireman at Honeybourne in 1965 advises that the last steam locomotive used at Honeybourne was BR Standard class 4 No.75022 on 30th December 1965. Class 37 diesel locomotive No.D6943 was used at Honeybourne on 31st December and 1st January 1966 after which all steam working over Campden bank ceased. The BR (Western Region) Working Time Table for the period from 14th June 1965 until the end of steam working on 3rd January 1966' (WTT removed)

 

5605 and 6697 soldiered on at Croes Newydd until 05/66.

 

Yet another trawl show that Tysleley had two of the 46xx locos. 4646 and 4696 which are recorded as withdrawn in 11/66, so there is some creep in the dates. I expect if I dig around I'll find more.

 

I suspect that the date of withdrawal from service and the final day of operation probably don't coincide in all cases, although 75022 exploits on Campden Bank on 30 Dec 65  was officially withdrawn the following day.  She did not escape her appointment with the gas axe just a few months later. (04/66)

 

 

Edited September 7, 2020 by Happy Hippo

[Oldddudders]

11 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

Couldnt resist posting a picture.

Exactly what the Harz system is about. Very powerful locos pulling rather old-fashioned-looking coaches full of happy punters, through mountain and valley. 

[tomparryharry]

A lot of locomotives would be withdrawn at their expiry of the boiler certificate. Once an indicated cost point arrives, then something as safety critical exams will prevail.

[SD85]

I think WR steam was abolished in January 1966, with the exception of the S&D line which remained steam worked until the end in March of that year.

Edited September 7, 2020 by SD85