Wright writes.....

[grahame]

And here's the other side (front, although the side that won't be easily seen) of the building and how it fits in with the others:

 

 

 

 

Edited March 24, 2020 by grahame
I've swapped the pic for a similar one taken in natural sunlight (without artificial light) this morning as the sun was streaming through the windows,

[Headstock]

11 hours ago, mullie said:

Animal for a P2?

 

Nah, too small and energetic. Something big and useless would be more appropriate. Big Bird?

[grahame]

47 minutes ago, Headstock said:

 

Nah, too small and energetic. Something big and useless would be more appropriate. Big Bird?

 

Fozzie?

 

 

[Tony Wright]

8 hours ago, grahame said:

And here's the other side (front, although the side that won't be easily seen) of the building and how it fits in with the others:

 

 

 

Once more, beautifully-creative work Grahame,

 

Thanks for showing us.

 

Putting the time to good creative use is one way of dealing with these dreadful times.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Chamby]

12 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks for that, Simon,

 

It is and I agree entirely.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Sounds like the book has its merits as well as its faults.  Maybe you could deliver what we used to call a ‘praise sandwich’... compliment, criticism, compliment.   Being truthful, but balanced.

[Engineer]

While the discussion of loco names remains in sight, here's an appealing name - Thomas Lord - one of an interesting small fleet.

 

Sorry, image may not appear directly.

 

Image notes

 

Thomas Lord could be seen often in good company with Sherlock Holmes, Michael Faraday, W. E. Gladstone, Sarah Siddons, John Lyon, etc

 

 

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, Chamby said:

 

Sounds like the book has its merits as well as its faults.  Maybe you could deliver what we used to call a ‘praise sandwich’... compliment, criticism, compliment.   Being truthful, but balanced.

I think it used to be called a 'Poo' sandwich, Phil.

 

The book does have some merit, but I wonder how many errors are in it which I didn't spot? 'Garrett', in particular is a bit of a howler, particularly for a Mancunian, when Beyer, Peacock's Works were in the city. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, Engineer said:

While the discussion of loco names remains in sight, here's an appealing name - Thomas Lord - one of an interesting small fleet.

 

Sorry, image may not appear directly.

 

Image notes

 

Thomas Lord could be seen often in good company with Sherlock Holmes, Michael Faraday, W. E. Gladstone, Sarah Siddons, John Lyon, etc

 

 

What a lovely shot; thanks for posting.

 

Wasn't Sherlock Holmes once described as 'The greatest Englishman who never lived'? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[St Enodoc]

20 hours ago, t-b-g said:

 

I am not so sure. In our modern times when the term "diversity" plays such a big part in our culture.

 

 

"Gay" would probably be OK. Not so sure about "Crusader" though.

[Northmoor]

1 minute ago, St Enodoc said:

"Gay" would probably be OK. Not so sure about "Crusader" though.

I've said on here before: "Gay Crusader" would now be "Peter Tatchell".

[St Enodoc]

19 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Which leads me to ponder if the 'Elizabethan' were running today, how would the rake be configured?

 

One third of the single FK was set aside for 'Ladies Only'.

 

What about the rest?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

I have in my possession a BR label stating "Reserved for School Girls". I thought it was quite funny when it was stuck to the wall above my bed over 45 years ago...

[St Enodoc]

18 hours ago, The Johnster said:

I remember the others, but not anything other than the name from picture book.  Was Muffin on picture book?

https://televisionheaven.co.uk/reviews/watch-with-mother

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picture_Book_(TV_series)

[Tony Wright]

With the picture of the Metropolitan Bo-Bo appearing on the last page, Heljan did a very nice RTR rendition in OO some little time ago........

 

 

 

 

 

I featured a shot of an O Gauge one on Kensington Addison Road some time ago on here, but I can't locate the disc right now. 

[landscapes]

3 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

With the picture of the Metropolitan Bo-Bo appearing on the last page, Heljan did a very nice RTR rendition in OO some little time ago........

 

 

 

 

 

I featured a shot of an O Gauge one on Kensington Addison Road some time ago on here, but I can't locate the disc right now. 

Hi Tony

 

What an incredible looking model, I always had a bit of a fascination for these locomotives, I never actually saw any in service but have taken photos of one of the two in preservation.

 

Regards

 

David  

[drmditch]

Re: Locomotive Naming.

 

1. Why were none of the A4s named 'Eider Duck'?

These magnificent birds are, I believe, the fastest-flying duck resident around the British Isles. 

Such a locomotive could have been very suitable for sleeper trains, especially in the northbound direction.

(No groans please!)

 

2. At present my railway activities are still a bit entangled in wiring, and I feel a bit like Laocoon (which was I think used as a locomotive name by the LNWR.)

If I understand correctly the LNWR had a very comprehensive and sometimes unfortunate naming policy.

Perhaps that's why other more reserved  companies in addition to painting their locomotives green, did not go to such 'experiments'.

(You may groan at that one!)

 

Also, was any locomotive ever named for Pallas Athene (she of the flashing eyes!), ?

(I may have seen some reference to a (slightly downmarket  Roman version)  locomotive named 'Minerva'.)

 

 

[CUTLER2579]

In my time at LT ,I worked on these beasts and they were awesome. Unlike say a 1938 Tube Stock power car where the control voltage was 50 Volts DC on these it was 630 volts DC and that made your fingers tingle,if you were unlucky.

Regards & Keep Safe.

[Ray Flintoft]

On 23/03/2020 at 11:16, Tony Wright said:

Good morning Derek,

 

'interesting to see that 60837  was attached to one of the Flared Tenders.Something I was never aware of. Another new day and something new learnt.'

 

The Book of The V2s, Irwell Press, lower image on P. 87. Whether it retained this type through to withdrawal, I don't know, but it definitely had it in lined black.

 

We are keeping as safe and well as we can, thank you. I hope you're doing the same.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

Hi Tony , hope you & Mo are both well . There is an excellent photo of no. 60837 in "Keith Pirt  Colour Portfolio Grantham "taken in June 1959 with a standard straight sided tender . By then also fitted with separate cylinders & outside steam pipes . It definitely retained the straight tender to withdrawal in 1965 .

   Regarding wiggly smokebox pipework , you are spot on when you say no two engines looked the same . All David can do is work from photographs & get as close as he can . It is well worth doing though , despite being extremely fiddly .

              Regards ,

                             Ray .       

[Engineer]

1 hour ago, CUTLER2579 said:

In my time at LT ,I worked on these beasts and they were awesome. Unlike say a 1938 Tube Stock power car where the control voltage was 50 Volts DC on these it was 630 volts DC and that made your fingers tingle,if you were unlucky.

Great recollection, many thanks.  Sounds like you had an interesting role in LT.

I've had some contact with the locos over the years and a life in LT and now I'm researching and writing a definitive explanation of how the locos came into the world.  For a small fleet of 20, there's a lot of variety similar to all the intricacies of individual steam machines discussed here.  There are some urban myths to be discussed, some information to work from [but never quite enough], and a story to tell.  I'm getting a lot of help from people that worked on the locos, from modellers and from archivists.  I have a couple of pictures to post, when I can sort myself out.

[Chuffer Davies]

Hi Tony et al,

 

I have just had some disappointing but not unexpected news from PPD Ltd, the company in Scotland that I use for all my metal etching.  After yesterday's instructions from the Government they have decided to suspend production.  I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was working on a replacement chassis in EM for the Bachman Atlantic.  I have had a go at building it from my version 1 etch and whilst I am pleased with most of it I made a significant design error around the spring hangers on the trailing axle which means it is impossible (for me at least) to actually build it successfully.  I have made the necessary corrections to the design on CAD and sent the artwork off to PPD for re-etching only yesterday.  Regrettably this project will now go on the back burner until PPD get back to work. 

 

This is as far as I could go without the new etches:

 

 

PPD's closure will also impact my next project for our Clayton layout which is to design etches for a J1.  I have just about finished the design for the frames and will commence work on the superstructure shortly, but if I can't get the metal etched I wont be able to build the model whilst stuck at home.  To make matters worse the Clayton layout itself is also in lockdown because it resides in our clubrooms in the Baildon Recreation Centre which has also been shut down because of the Covid-19 emergency.  

 

I've a couple of kits to build and a couple more models requiring new kits designing so I still have plenty to distract me, and of course there are lots of interesting things to look at every day on Wright Writes.

 

Regards to you all,

 

Frank 

[Tony Wright]

2 hours ago, Ray Flintoft said:

Hi Tony , hope you & Mo are both well . There is an excellent photo of no. 60837 in "Keith Pirt  Colour Portfolio Grantham "taken in June 1959 with a standard straight sided tender . By then also fitted with separate cylinders & outside steam pipes . It definitely retained the straight tender to withdrawal in 1965 .

   Regarding wiggly smokebox pipework , you are spot on when you say no two engines looked the same . All David can do is work from photographs & get as close as he can . It is well worth doing though , despite being extremely fiddly .

              Regards ,

                             Ray .       

Thanks Ray,

 

We're both well, thank you, as I hope you and Hazel are, too.

 

It's a surreal situation isn't it? Everything so 'normal' outside - birds singing/feeding, a lovely spring day, even trains going by (though fewer), but almost no traffic on the road. 

 

I'm very lucky. I have so many projects to work on (just starting a D16/3 which I'll report on) and numerous photographs to process. I've written all the book reviews for BRM for this month - if nothing else they'll be in the digital edition. I included the Manchester book, with reservations (despite those reservations, there's still much of interest in it). I've even tried operating my railway, though it's not the same as with friends. Still, it's good to know I have so many wonderful friends, who, sensibly are observing the guidelines (a pity some others don't!). 

 

I've got the book you mention regarding 60837. Its acquisition of the more-numerous style of tender might well have been coincidental with its being painted green. 

 

For anyone interested, these are the books I've reviewed........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's some good stuff there.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 24, 2020 by Tony Wright
to clarify a point

[jamie92208]

I see the Manchester book includes the MSW Electrification, if it's anything like one thst I bought about early electrification it will be full of rumours and half truths.

 

Jamie

[Tony Wright]

5 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

I see the Manchester book includes the MSW Electrification, if it's anything like one thst I bought about early electrification it will be full of rumours and half truths.

 

Jamie

I think most of the description of MSW electrification is 'accurate', Jamie (though muddling up the two electric loco types doesn't give great confidence) and, as I've said, there's much of interest (if you can pick through the bloopers). 

 

The book on Gresley is excellent, though what surprised me was how little the likes of Riddles and Cox thought of his locos. I suppose, these both being ex-LMS men, were they prejudiced? It would have been interesting to hear their comments when, right at the end of their lives, the Gresley Pacifics were still at their best, lasting longer than any LMS equivalent, even on lines previously run by the LMS! 

 

The book on transporter bridges is wonderful. I didn't realise how many we have (had) in this realm; a quarter of the number ever built in the world!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Headstock]

52 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Ray,

 

We're both well, thank you, as I hope you and Hazel are, too.

 

It's a surreal situation isn't it? Everything so 'normal' outside - birds singing/feeding, a lovely spring day, even trains going by (though fewer), but almost no traffic on the road. 

 

I'm very lucky. I have so many projects to work on (just starting a D16/3 which I'll report on) and numerous photographs to process. I've written all the book reviews for BRM for this month - if nothing else they'll be in the digital edition. I included the Manchester book, with reservations (despite those reservations, there's still much of interest in it). I've even tried operating my railway, though it's not the same as with friends. Still, it's good to know I have so many wonderful friends, who, sensibly are observing the guidelines (a pity some others don't!). 

 

I've got the book you mention regarding 60837. Its acquisition of the more-numerous style of tender might well have been coincidental with its being painted green. 

 

For anyone interested, these are the books I've reviewed........

 

 

 

 

Good evening Tony,

 

That photograph is almost certainly the 3.50pm Manchester Marylebone express, a train that I have modelled. The Friday and Saturdays only TK, In this case a CK, one with individual step boards to the corridor side doors, is behind the tender. The loco is Leicester sheds BR blue A3 60103 Flying Scotsman.

[APOLLO]

22 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

The book on transporter bridges is wonderful. I didn't realise how many we have (had) in this realm; a quarter of the number ever built in the world!

 

The River Mersey had two, the one at Warrington (for rail transport) still exists, The bridge is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building, and because of its poor condition it is on the Heritage at Risk Register. The bridge is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

 

 

The other one connected Widnes and Runcorn, the previous ferry being made famous by Stanley Holloway's song "Tuppence per person per trip"

 

 

 

 

Brit15

[Manxcat]

Over the past week I have started my newest layout. It is the 19th which I have either built myself or helped build for our club or other individuals.  I attach a few pictures. OK its only bare baseboards at the moment so not terribly exciting but time spent getting them right now will aid good running later. I started with the two at the right hand end then erected the front and back baseboards. At that point I measured the distance between the front and back at the left and then the right. There was only 4mm in it. A gentle nudge in the right direction and a lifting flap for entry into the operating well slipped perfectly into place.

 

You will notice two more baseboards on their side under the front of the layout. Those extend the long sides of the layout by an additional 4 feet front and back and are for use only at exhibitions. I relish the work involved in laying the track and building the scenic side so that the additional boards match at both ends when included but are not missed when not used. 

 

I am lucky enough to have a double garage, one half of which has always been given over to a layout. One of my club colleagues has opined that I am also privileged to be one of the few people to have a massive concrete monolith in front of my layout!  One day I might have it replaced with a sturdy beam.