West Kirby Town: narrow gauge may be coming to town.

[Dmudriver]

On 31/03/2020 at 15:30, Hroth said:

But I can't read its number...

 

Hi Hroth.     Thanks for that.  I'd seen that page before - and that picture and, like you, was frustrated you can't see the number.  I've also got the book on the LNWR/GWR Joint Line between Chester and Birkenhead but there's no pics of this class of 0-4-2Ts: older ones, yes, but no 14xx!!  

 

I was on Facebook earlier and on the Llangollen Railway Unofficial web page appeared this pic from some years ago.  I thought "that's what I want eventually" but then realised it's a pannier that's the motive power!!  Nevertheless, with those liveried autocoaches, that would make a nice preserved train for WKT, alternating on weekends and Bank Holidays with "The Welsh Dragon" set and the 14xx replacing the pannier.

 

I also had a look on Ebay to see if there were any autocoaches on offer: plenty of 00 but no 0!!  I also noticed, though, that there were Dapol 14xx/58xx for sale at £225 and £255 with postage on top.  Do they sell at that price when you've got Hattons, Tower, Rail of Sheffield  all at around £191, including postage?

 

 

More soon...

 

Rod

[Hroth]

I was just flicking through a picture book called Merseyside and District Railway Stations (Pub Bluecoat Books 1994). which attempts to illustrate with at least ONE picture all stations in the area.  Finding the sequence of pics for "The Joint", there was the same one of the 14xx taking water, again too small to see the number.  However the caption was more helpful; "Looking south from West Kirby in 1954 as 14xx 0-4-2T No 1457 replenishes its tanks at the water tower ( RM Casserley)".  Thought I'd seen it identified somewhere!

 

Its a fascinating book, and there's even one available on ebay!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Railway-Stations-of-Merseyside-and-District-by-Bolger-Paul-Paperback-Book-The/392166304252?epid=91673591&hash=item5b4eeee9fc:g:HAEAAOSw~qVea~3a

 

 

Addendum 04/04: I also found my copy of "Railway Stations of Wirral" yesterday which also has the 14xx at WK "Joint" pictures, but reproduced rather larger.  In the one of the 14xx at the water crane, you can actually read the number on the smokebox door.  This book is the one with the photo of the Reliant Regal in the parking bays on "the concourse" of the Wirral line station!

Edited April 4, 2020 by Hroth

[Hal Nail]

7 hours ago, Dmudriver said:

Do they sell at that price when you've got Hattons, Tower, Rail of Sheffield  all at around £191, including postage?

Based on how much longer the original 08s have stuck around on Ebay than in shops, no!

 

The autocoach has only just been rerun so new ones on there arent cheap (see above!) but 2nd hand do come up from £150ish 

 

Will be loads of 14xx and coaches in about a year when all the impulse buys get sold off again but I cracked early!

Edited April 2, 2020 by Hal Nail

[Marshall5]

There is a photo of 1457 on Birkenhead shed, dated 1954, in Paul Bolger's LMR sheds book.  It is recorded as still being shedded there until at least 4/57.

Ray.

[daifly]

I posted a photo of 1457 at Birkenhead shed in 1956 here. The link will probably only work if you're a G0G member.

Dave

Edited April 2, 2020 by daifly

[Dmudriver]

2 hours ago, daifly said:

I posted a photo of 1457 at Birkenhead shed in 1956 here. The link will probably only work if you're a G0G member.

Dave

 

Thanks, Dave.  I am and it did!!

 

It's now copied into my collection!!

 

 

Rod

[pwr]

Tower Models have autocoaches at £170 if that's of any help

 

Paul R

[Dmudriver]

13 hours ago, pwr said:

Tower Models have autocoaches at £170 if that's of any help

 

Hi Paul.

 

Rails of Sheffield have them for £160!!  But then there's postage on top .......!!

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

On 01/04/2020 at 23:25, Hroth said:

I was just flicking through a picture book called Merseyside and District Railway Stations (Pub Bluecoat Books 1994). which attempts to illustrate with at least ONE picture all stations in the area.  Finding the sequence of pics for "The Joint", there was the same one of the 14xx taking water, again too small to see the number.  However the caption was more helpful; "Looking south from West Kirby in 1954 as 14xx 0-4-2T No 1457 replenishes its tanks at the water tower ( RM Casserley)".  Thought I'd seen it identified somewhere!

 

Hi Hroth.

 

Yes, I've got that book and I'd seen the pic but it hadn't really registered that it refers to 1457.  Thanks for pointing that out.

 

On 02/04/2020 at 11:29, Marshall5 said:

There is a photo of 1457 on Birkenhead shed, dated 1954, in Paul Bolger's LMR sheds book.

 

Hi Ray.

 

That book I haven't seen.  I have got a book of LMS sheds, by Hawkins and Reeve, but it's specifically ex-LNWR sheds.  The article on Birkenhead has no photos of 14xxs there but the write up does say, referring to after the amalgamation of the 2 sheds, that there were a couple of 14xx 0-4-2Ts at the shed.   Unfortunately it gives no numbers.  

 

Whichever, I am more than happy that 1457 was, at least for part of its life, in use on the Joint line to West Kirby and is, therefore, a suitable loco for the preservation society to run.   Whilst it never had lined green livery, preservationists do often use liveries that specific locos never actually carried in service so I can live with that.

 

The thought of an autocoach is becoming ever more appealing!!

 

Talking of which, in the photo of the pannier and 2 autocoaches I put in a previous post (at the top of the page), it looks like the blood and custard one has no buffers!!!  This intrigued me rather - in fact it bothered  me that the pic didn't look right but I couldn't put my finger on it at first.  I've blown it up and on the pic below, you can just about make them out - they're hidden by the steam from the loco - or maybe out of the heating pipes!!  

 

 

And there was me wondering what the Llangollen Railway were playing at!!!!  I apologise, lads and lasses!!!

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

Edited April 3, 2020 by Dmudriver

[wessy]

Rod,

There are two photos of 1457 on an auto train at West Kirkby in 1954 (taken by Casserley) in the book 'Railway stations of Wirral'. This was published by the Merseyside Railway History Group in about 1990. If you have not got this paperback it is worth tracking down as it is full of lovely photos of all the lines on the Wirral. ISBN 1899241 1 02 7.

 

Also, I have looked in my reprint of the 1948-50 ABC and another 14xx is listed at 6C Birkenhead - 1417.

 

Stay safe and best wishes,

Tim Birch

[Hal Nail]

Ah now theres a photo of 1417 in lined green (i think - although looks like  the old great western or british railways outline is showing through the paint) with no topfeed on geoffpages.co.uk (or just google "1417 gwr " and its the first image)

 

According to my allocations book it is listed as 6c all through the 50s, withdrawn Feb 59 (same with 1457)

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2020 by Hal Nail

[Dmudriver]

3 hours ago, wessy said:

There are two photos of 1457 on an auto train at West Kirby in 1954 (taken by Casserley) in the book 'Railway stations of Wirral'.

 

Thanks, wessy.  I have got that book, it turns out, but I'd forgotten about the pics of the Joint station.  I've tended to refer to it mainly for LNWR engines as I did have thoughts of a preserved Coal Tank or 2-4-0T at one stage (in fact, I even built a Coal Tank but it has since moved on to pastures new.)   Plus, of course, any pics of West Kirby WR station I could get my hands on!!

 

Rod

[Hroth]

3 hours ago, wessy said:

There are two photos of 1457 on an auto train at West Kirkby in 1954 (taken by Casserley) in the book 'Railway stations of Wirral'.

 

They're much bigger photos and you can see the number on the smokebox door!

 

(I'd annotated my earlier post to that effect on the 4th...  )

 

Looking at the "Large Praries" photographed on the "Joint", its easy to identify 4120 at Thurstaston, but the one at Kirby Park isn't.  Do you think its probably the same loco?

[Marshall5]

Of the large prairies ISTR that 4120/2-9 were allocated to Birkenhead from new.  Paul Bolger, in B.R. MPD's LMR, records all these except 4129 being still there in 1950 (along with 5176) and I think they remained there until returned to the W.R. in 1957.

Ray.

[Dmudriver]

In "Railway Stations of Wirral" there are pictures of ex-LMS 2-6-2Ts  on the Hooton - West Kirby line -sometimes  hauling ex-GWR stock..

 

Did they replace the ex-GWR Prairies or were they there at the same time?  I assume they were also shedded at Birkenhead?

 

Rod

 

[Marshall5]

There's also a photo of a Stanier 2-6-2T on the branch (dated '50's) on the Disused Stations site,  Although the Birkenhead based 41/51XX prairies also worked the Chester and Helsby trains photos suggest that they continued to use the WK branch right up to closure to passengers so I'd say that both GW and LMS types worked concurrently. It is recorded that 4122 hauled the last passenger train to WK on 15/9/56.

Backtrack (May & July 2017) did a 2 part article on "Great Western in Wirral" which contain several interesting photos - some in colour.

5176 on LMS non-corridors on WK train 8/54

4129 on GW non-corridors at Parkgate 8/54

1417 the "other" 6C 14xx in lined black with B.R. s'box plate but no crest.

I only have a scan of part 2 of the article but I can e-mail it to you if you P.M. me your e-mail address.

Hope this helps.

Ray.

p.s  9 Stanier 2-6-2T's were allocated to 6C in 1950 and 6 were still there in 1959 i.e. after the 41/51xx had left in 1957.

Edited April 7, 2020 by Marshall5
addt'l info

[Hroth]

The book "The Hooton To West Kirby Branch Line And The Wirral Way" another publication by the Merseyside Railway History Group has a photo of a Horwich Crab on the Joint somewhere.  At present I don't have it to hand so I can't say any more...

 

Could it be that in the West Kirby Town universe, the Joint wasn't ripped up in 1964?  It certainly would be an idea route for your 128 to get directly to Chester and the outside world rather than going all around the universe via Bidston!

 

 

 

 

[Joseph_Pestell]

On 29/03/2020 at 19:15, Dmudriver said:

Hi all.

 

Since my last offering last Monday, it's been quite a week!!  The weather's been decent - fairly warm and sunny - so I've taken the opportunity to have a few operating sessions.  That is, after a good track clean and all pick-up wheels on locos and DMUs also cleaned.  However, it's not been operating (playing, if you prefer!!) all week as other events took over.

 

I've been a season ticket holder at Everton's Goodison Park for 24 years and 13 years of that as a Senior.  On Sunday afternoon I get a call from the Supporter Liaison Department about this coronavirus, just checking up how I was doing, if I needed any help, etc.  It was quite a long chat, we had a good laugh and a joke and I felt really good after it.  Monday afternoon, I get a call from the same lad, saying a first team player is going to ring me.  Phone goes later, it's the Club Chairman, Bill Kenwright!!  20 minute chat and I'm feeling really, really good.  Bit later, another call, from Mike Keane, a first team central defender!!  20 minute chat, after which I'm over the moon!!  Wednesday morning, a 7 minute edit of the call with Mike Keane appears on the Club website, it gets onto Facebook, I get a call from a radio station group and part of the interview ends up on Smooth FM on Thursday morning!!  After the radio station call on Wednesday, another from the Club - the BBC want to interview me on BBC Breakfast!!  Quick chat with a researcher and I'm interviewed, live (no rehearsal), at about 8.45 Thursday morning!!!!  After that, I'm getting texts, emails and calls from people I've not spoken to for months - in one case, over 2 years!!

 

By Friday morning, I'm just coming down to earth, so I have another operating session.  Saturday was not too good weatherwise, so I just potter in the shed and start thinking about preserved locos, etc and decide I'm going to get a Dapol 14xx tank.  So one is now bought and paid for!!  It'll have a Zimo chip and speaker of some sort fitted and will get a bit of light weathering so that it looks clean, but used - as it would in preservation.  This is a pic of what I'm getting - except it will have the later emblem:

 

 

It'll be numbered 1457, which was shedded at Birkenhead Mollington Street  for a while.  The shed plate will be changed - to 6C, I think it is.  Whether 1457 had a top feed or not, I don't know - in fact, as I'm not a kettle man, I don't even know what a top feed does!!!  Even if it didn't have one, though, Rule 1 will apply!!  Why didn't I check it more thoroughly?  Well, some retailers seem to be closing down and this was available - so I took the plunge!!!  And this just a week after saying watch this space - above!!!

 

I'll source an autocoach some time (maybe 2!) but I'll check the bank balance first!!   And, in case anyone's wondering - no, I got no appearance fees!!!!

 

And lost in all of what was going on, I got a text on Monday late afternoon from the NHS, saying I'm one of the 1.5m "at high risk" people so I'm now not to leave my house for 12 weeks!!***  It'll give me plenty of modelling/playing time (when it's a bit warmer!!) so the question now is: where to start?  Possibly more scenery, certainly the fire station, in fact, there's plenty to do!!  As well as learning how to use Skype and Zoom!!

 

All in all, an eventful week!!  Hopefully it'll just be railway modelling from now on!!

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

 

 

***  And wash my hands frequently, etc, etc.   

 

 

 

Nice that "The People's Club" have managed to react better to the current situation than that lot on the other side of Stanley Park.

[Dmudriver]

Not a lot today - but there will be shortly!!

 

I was looking back over the thread yesterday and yesterday was the 8th anniversary of my first post, introducing my proposed layout.       8 years!!  Time passes so quickly!!

 

So, not only was it the 8th anniversary but it was also a beautiful day so I had a good play operating session and I took a fair few videos.  I've uploaded them to YouTube and I just need to edit them, add subtitles and make them into one.  As it's another glorious day today I'll leave that until this evening - I'm going to stock up on my vitamin D!!!!   

 

However, here's a few taster stills:

 

A quiet moment as a 5-car DMU awaits departure for Chester, with the Mark 1 rake stabled in no. 1 siding.

 

 

37429 has stabled overnight and is awaiting starting up and attaching to the first train to Birmingham  - now moved into platform 1..

 

 

Now attached to the train in platform 1 and awaiting departure time.

 

 

Later in the day, the 115 awaits departure for Birkenhead.

 

 

What this videoing has done is to show the glaring problems with leaning lamps on the platform.  That's a job for when the weather gets worse!!!  I did, however, straighten the leaning fuel island canopy - after I'd taken the pics!!

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

 

[Dmudriver]

Just a quick update .....  I'm struggling with Youtube: I can get subtitles on but can't join individual vids into one long one, so I'm going to use Microsoft Photos instead.

 

However, the lovely weather is distracting me - I need to be in the garden - so it might take a while.

 

Keep watching this space!!

 

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

Well, I've done it!!  It took a while and it's been an interesting (and rewarding!) learning experience.  Just one mistake, near the end, and I don't know how that happened - when you get a blue screen at around 22/23 minutes, hold tight - it goes away again pretty quickly.

 

So here is 25 minutes worth of blue diesel era action at West Kirby Town:

 

 

I realise there are 3 locos which don't feature in this video (and the preserved kettle) so I'll make another one soon.  But that will be after I've sorted out the leaning lamp posts and fuelling point canopy!!

 

So, 25 minutes - get a cup of tea (or whatever else you fancy) and settle down.   Alternatively, just dip in - it's up to you!!

 

Any comments will be gratefully received.  Enjoy.

 

 

Rod

 

Edited April 12, 2020 by Dmudriver

[jcarta]

Kept me entertained and hopefully the next one has a bit more diesel (loco's) action......

 

Do like the thumper unit though..... What camera's do you use as they are very clear?

 

Well done Rod

 

Jim

[Hal Nail]

9 hours ago, Dmudriver said:

So, 25 minutes - get a cup of tea (or whatever else you fancy) and settle down.   Alternatively, just dip in - it's up to you!!

 

Any comments will be gratefully received.  Enjoy.

 

 

Rod

 

I'm not sleeping well (not sure if its the current lockdown or concern over 14xx top feeds!) so watched this through bleary eyes at 3am. I'm sure I saw a plume of exhaust at one point!

 

 Nice.

Edited April 12, 2020 by Hal Nail

[Dmudriver]

6 hours ago, jcarta said:

Kept me entertained and hopefully the next one has a bit more diesel (loco's) action......

 

 

Hi Jim.

 

The plan is to feature the 03, 25, 37, 50 and the Ivatt tank in the next one.  However, leaning lineside items need straightening first!!

 

6 hours ago, jcarta said:

Do like the thumper unit though..... What camera's do you use as they are very clear?

 

The camera is one of these:

 

In fact, it's the TZ9.  I've had it a few years now and I'm really pleased with it.**  It suits my needs even though I don't use everything it's capable of.  I use a mini tripod when I'm videoing the railway.

 

Rod

 

 

**  It must be pretty old as the instructions are all in English - no foreign languages at all!!!

[jcarta]

The plan is to feature the 03, 25, 37, 50 and the Ivatt tank in the next one.  However, leaning lineside items need straightening first!!

 

Well hurry up with the straightening things.......

 

Looking forward to the next video now, actually I'm starting to salivate  just at the thought of it

 

Jim