How realistic are your models? Photo challenge.

[PMP]

 

A late 64xx trying out a display diorama built for a client.

[Tom F]

21 hours ago, The Johnster said:

Nice job removing the top feed and associated plumbing, Tom.

Cheers @The Johnster
I've another one I'd like to do, an 8750 with the larger cab.

[The Johnster]

It would be so much easier if Baccy provided these locos without topfeeds, giving us the option to retrofit them!  

 

Nice 64xx, PMP; is it a Bachmann with an 8750 cab or a Westward kit?

[PMP]

On 16/07/2020 at 13:10, The Johnster said:

It would be so much easier if Baccy provided these locos without topfeeds, giving us the option to retrofit them!  

 

Nice 64xx, PMP; is it a Bachmann with an 8750 cab or a Westward kit?

It’s neither. It’s a Bachmann 64xx with modified cab. I don’t follow why you’d put an 8750 cab on a 64xx.

 

Top feeds are far easier to remove and make good than fitting one, particularly blending the top feed to boiler diameter and getting the pipe runs symmetrical. In very (very!)  general terms,  top feed fitted versions of GW types are more suitable for later liveries, therefore giving far more production run potential to a manufacturer. 

[PMP]

 

A late 74xx, using @James Hilton front  tank supports. I keep forgetting to order the correct number for it, 7442 is correct for the variant, but I should  have ordered 7444 doh! 
 

https://shop.narrowplanet.co.uk/products/gw-001

Edited July 17, 2020 by PMP
Moby issu

[The Johnster]

2 hours ago, PMP said:

It’s neither. It’s a Bachmann 64xx with modified cab.

Which I'd have spotted if I'd examined the spectacle plate windows; there is much more metal between the tops of them and the roof corner than on an 8750!  

 

The presence or otherwise of topfeeds on panniers is related to the boiler fitted at the most recent overhaul, which was not the one it came into works with because boiler overhauls took about 2 weeks longer than the rest of the loco and the next available boiler that fitted was used, to free the bay and get the loco back into traffic earning money.  It may be able to confirm that very late production 96xx and 6750 series locos built by BR retained their original boiler until withdrawal (some had very short working lives), and we know that some early Collett locos were built without topfeed boilers, but by the time these were going through their first overhauls topfeeds had been introduced and from that point it is impossible to determine whether the next boiler out of the boilershop or in the stores lineup had a topfeed or not.  

 

Classes affected are 57xx (none with topfeeds until at least 1st overhaul), 67xx (ditto), 8750, 97xx, 6750, 54xx, 64xx, 74xx, 48/14xx and 58xx.  It is possible that some pre-Collett locos including 517, Metro, 1854, 2021, and 2721 could have beed given topfeed boilers at what would have been their last overhauls.

 

I model the Bridgend valleys in the 1948-58 period, so do not have much of a photographic database to work from; Tondu is not a particularly glamorous shed that attracted photographers' attention or was easily photographed from a vantage point.  I have been able to confirm that 5756 had a topfeed boiler during 'my' period in 'my' livery, and that 6762, 9642, and 9681 were allox new to Tondu, so perforce had topfeeds in the liveries modelled by circumstantial evidence.  2761 does not have a topfeed, as shown by a photo of her on the reception roads at Swindon works post withdrawal from Tondu, 1950, but a work in progress is 1854 class 1740, also withdrawn from Tondu in 1948, and I have no idea what the topfeed status of this loco was at withdrawal.

 

There is another Baccy 57xx, 5707, which is the one I have removed the topfeed from.  She is in early BR 'uncycling lion with red backed number plates' livery and I do not know if a) she ever carried this livery or b) had a boiler without a topfeed at this time; I have taken a punt pending evidence which will either confirm my punt or lead to a renumbering.  I am also looking for an earlier 8750 example from Tondu at this period to remove the top feed from.  This could be a loco built with a topfeed boiler and subsequently provided with a 'plain' boiler, but who knows!

 

Without photographic evidence, I am using best guess work to some extent.  AFAIK there is no record showing which boiler was attached to which loco, though I may be able to find out when the overhauls were, and if there were such a record I do not know if it would supply me with the information regarding topfeeds.  I would be able to assume/guesstimate that boilers built after a specific date when topfeeds were introduced would have had them, and those built before that date wouldn't have, but this is not the same as confirming topfeed status with a dated photograph of known provenance.

[tomparryharry]

I must confess, I'd much prefer a pannier without topfeed. The books of 64's I have here have a fair distribution of them with both with & without topfeed. Next time i get an old Mainline pannier, I'll give to backdate. The thought of cutting into a brand-new 64 (normally top-dollar) is a bit galling, especially without prior practice.

 

Cheers,

Ian.

[Killybegs]

5771 sits on shed waiting for its next turn.

 

[MAURICE040947]

Straight out of the box painted factory finished Osborns Models N gauge exclusive (temp. riding on unweathered chassis.

[Captain Kernow]

As panniers seem to be a bit of a theme at the moment, here's 7418 in the process of running round in Bethesda yard:

 

[Tom F]

The night's drawing in, onwards to Bala...

 

[KNP]

4820 going around the bend

 

[Giles]

Edited July 20, 2020 by Giles

[Barry Ten]

Mic drop.

[The Johnster]

 

 

6762, only a few months old, draws into Cwmdimbath loop with a delayed pick up, and catches a glint of rare lunchtime sunlight on a weekday in the summer of 1949 or maybe 50 in the process.  The rear of the train is just breasting the top of the 1 in 30 bank and steam has been shut off; the fireman is injecting some water to keep her quiet.  She'll have to wait for an auto to depart before beginning her work, and there's a loaded coal train held on the colliery road waiting for her to finish as it has it's own running around move to make.  The backlog will take several hours to catch up with itself, but we should be back to the booked running by the evening rush hour.  

 

Delay caused by a mechanical failure of a pump unloading a now empty oil tank wagon at Dimbath Oil Distributors down the branch, which meant the train had to lock itself in to this private siding while repairs were made.  On the plus side, an empty van was loaded with oil drums while they were waiting.  This is the sort of (imaginary to me, but huge fun) upset that was grist to the mill of operating a small but busy BLT with not much room or time for errors back in the day; repercussions are not the end of the world but cause complaints and extra work as goods customers wait for their deliveries and beset the depot agent with enquiries.  Can't be helped, not BR or anyone at Cwmdimbath's fault the pump failed, but the coal train will lose it's path and thus the next train of empties will be late.  

 

This can have serious consequences at pits with little space available on the surface.  Coal cannot be hewn at the faces if there are no empties in the washery waiting for it to be wound, screened, graded, and washed; there is a leeway of about 2 and half to 3 hours before production is affected.  We'll be ok today, but everybody has to extract it from this point on; a sense of urgency will pervade Cwmdimbath station for a few hours until everything is caught up.  Quite a bit of my operating takes place in my head, and is, I contend, none the worse for that!

Edited July 20, 2020 by The Johnster

[PMP]

3 hours ago, Giles said:

I think @Giles has just won the Internet today.

[NHY 581]

12 hours ago, Giles said:

 

 

Where's the "bloody hell fire!" button when you need one...........

 

Rob. 

[NHY 581]

Quiet time......

[PMP]

 

Inbound empties.

[NHY 581]

1 hour ago, PMP said:

 

Inbound empties.

 

Yet another need to press the "bloody hell fire!" button....

 

Rob. 

[KNP]

Collett 4820 heads out of Little Muddle station with a short freight train of covered vans.

 

 

Edited July 22, 2020 by KNP

[Aberbrothock]

A pair of Ivatt class 2's going about their duties in Arbroath yard.

 

 

They look suspiciously clean.............

[ian@stenochs]

1 hour ago, Aberbrothock said:

A pair of Ivatt class 2's going about their duties in Arbroath yard.

 

 

They look suspiciously clean.............

and one hell of a jump for the fireman filling his shovel!

 

[Aberbrothock]

So you want me to fit the shorter engine/tender connectors, then?

[gazzaday]

A class 307 pulls into Romford with an early evening train bound for Liverpool Street.