Metropolitan Bo-Bo EP sample

[RJS1977]

However, given that Heljan models seem to have only very short production runs, I wonder if the Radley models will reappear at some stage in the future.... 

[Horsetan]

However, given that Heljan models seem to have only very short production runs, I wonder if the Radley models will reappear at some stage in the future....

The spares situation can be similarly unhelpful, as anyone needing Heljan Western spares will have found out.

[Jenny Emily]

Whilst reading information on  http://citytransport.info/Sarah-Siddons.htmI notice four were transferred to British Rail. Did these get repainted, or did they retain their London Transport livery? Did they last long in BR ownership?

[Natalie]

Hi Jenny,

 

Whilst reading information on  http://citytransport.info/Sarah-Siddons.htmI notice four were transferred to British Rail. Did these get repainted, or did they retain their London Transport livery? Did they last long in BR ownership?

 

The four locos concerned were 2, 7, 16 and 18 and were transferred from Neasden to Mitre Brisge Car Sheds on 8th March 1962. Ken Benest in 'Metropolitan Electrc Locomotives' (2nd Ed 1984, LURS) writes that "it is understood that they were taken over for experimental work by the Electrical Engineer's section for work connected with ac traction and were moved to Rugby MPD on 1st March 1965. It is believed that they were cut up there in July 1966."

So to answer your other question:

No they did not get repainted and retained- minus nameplates- LT lined maroon. As far as I know they were not renumbered at all by BR or taken into any sort of stock nor do any sort of work requiring moving on sidings or main lines. Their shoegear was also removed prior to transfer to Mitre Bridge.

As a final aside, on withdrawal from LT use at the end of passenger use, the Southern Region obtained the motor bogies ( assume this didn't include the 4 locos above which means 9 sets of motor bogies) for their traction motors which had roller bearing armatures.Each motor bogie had 2 MV339 motors (rated at 300 hp each) which were identical to those fitted to hundreds of 4SUB units- although with differing gearing ratios. I am not sure whether the motor bogies from the 4 locos obtained by BR then went to the Southern when the Electrical Engineers had finished with them- if they indeed retained their traction motors on leaving LT.

 

Hope the above is of interest.

Edited October 12, 2015 by Natalie

[Engineer_London]

Useful picture suggesting removal of steps, too:

 

http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/lnwr/rugby/shed/lnwrrm2497.jpg

[Metr0Land]

Edit:  Engineer-London beat me to it though the pic is Barking Bill's

 

 

 

18 (and part of 7) can be seen on Barking Bill's excellent Flickr site
 

Hi-Res R0067 by Bill Wright, on Flickr

Edited October 12, 2015 by Metr0Land

[The_Laird]

Nicely weathered version of No 20 if you're willing to stump up another forty quid or so.

 

http://www.themodelcentre.com/HEL9000TMC/

Edited October 14, 2015 by The_Laird

[Ian Hargrave]

Nicely weathered version of No 20 if you're willing to stump up another forty quid or so.

 

http://www.themodelcentre.com/HEL9000TMC/

Actually....for them,that's not bad at all.

[Duchy Wheeler]

Happened across this on the web.... http://www.easyballoons.co.uk/2013/12/15/electric-locos-the-wendover-barrow-in-furness-baker-street-connection/

[10800]

Unfortunately I've just had to return my Sherlock Holmes to Hattons after it developed a tendency to slip a gear somewhere when being first run after a period in storage - it would just move very slowly under high revs, but later run perfectly again.  I'm hoping they will be able to fix it if they've run out of that version.

[10800]

Unfortunately I've just had to return my Sherlock Holmes to Hattons after it developed a tendency to slip a gear somewhere when being first run after a period in storage - it would just move very slowly under high revs, but later run perfectly again.  I'm hoping they will be able to fix it if they've run out of that version.

 

Attended to very quickly by Hattons.  It was missing a drive-shaft so presumably running on one bogie only!  They are kindly putting my Sherlock Holmes body on a replacement John Hampden chassis since the former is now out of stock, so good to them for that.  

Edited November 10, 2015 by 10800

[PhilJ W]

Another interesting train hauled by these locomotives was a rake of warwells loaded with Sherman tanks. This was during wartime of course and the locomotive was in the grey livery. I have the photograph in a book somewhere but I can't locate it. This was outside one of the London Transport workshops turned over to war work.

[Jeff Smith]

I've never liked the grey scheme and don't understand the rationale. I know the bronze nameplates were removed for the 'war effort' but why paint them battleship grey?

[PhilJ W]

I've never liked the grey scheme and don't understand the rationale. I know the bronze nameplates were removed for the 'war effort' but why paint them battleship grey?

The stated reason was to make them less visible from the air. Having said that photographs of them in the wartime colours appear to show a darker shade of grey. Buses working near or to and from aircraft factories and other 'sensitive' areas were required to be painted grey so the same might have applies to the locomotives. Another reason could have been the neccessary pigments were not available due to wartime conditions. I wasn't attracted to the grey finish at first but seeing the models in the flesh I find it quite attractive.

Edited November 10, 2015 by PhilJ W

[SRman]

In the case of buses, not only did the grey make them less conspicuous, it was also a case of many colours were simply not available; factories and workshops had to make do with what was given to them. London Transport also received many buses painted in various shades of brown. Brown roofs became the order of the day for wartime, rather than the considerably more conspicuous silver that was a part of the livery before the war.

Returning to the railways, wartime exigencies meant that even where colours were used, they were sometimes of inferior quality. The Southern found that some batches of green paint very quickly went 'sour' in daily use, with one at least M7 turning an almost khaki colour (it was green, honest guv!), whereas earlier batches could continue to be revarnished and remain serviceable. Of course, during the later part of the war, many locomotives ended up in black, or in the case of the Merchant Navy class, started life in black.

[RJS1977]

Just realised that had Wycrail not changed venue a few years ago, last Saturday we could have seen "John Hampden"s for sale at John Hampden Grammar School!

[PhilJ W]

Come to think of it, there's quite a few London Transport layouts on the circuit and a few 'Wartime' layouts but I've yet to see a London Transport layout set in wartime. No doubt if there is one someone will tell us of it.

[SRman]

There have been models in wartime liveries - some even with the window anti-splinter mesh printed on. I'm sure I have seen a diorama or layout set in wartime London, but it was a fair while ago. It was possibly one of the Model Bus Federation member's work, but it is too long ago for me to be sure.

[RJS1977]

There have been models in wartime liveries - some even with the window anti-splinter mesh printed on. I'm sure I have seen a diorama or layout set in wartime London, but it was a fair while ago. It was possibly one of the Model Bus Federation member's work, but it is too long ago for me to be sure.

 

I can certainly remember seeing a 'London' layout featuring numerous bombed-out buildings, so either wartime or the years following (if memory serves the station nameboards were blacked out, so that would have been wartime)  but I can't remember if that was/included LT or not.

[SRman]

Yes, there were LT buses - or at least one bus. That might even have been in Model Rail or Hornby Magazine.

[PhilJ W]

There is a 'wartime' layout featuring working London trams but IIRC the railway part of the layout featured the Southern Railway. There is no layout of the Underground in wartime AFAIK. I think EFE may have issued the 1938 tube stock with the anti blast netting on the windows.

[brian777999]

1. I am seeing quite a number of different coaches run with these locos. Which are the correct BR coaches if you are modelling the 1950's ?

 

2. Did these locos ever work freight or parcel trains during the 50's ?

 

3. Which version of the BoBo can be run correctly beside the London Transport panniers ?

Edited November 12, 2015 by brian777999

[PhilJ W]

1. I am seeing quite a number of different coaches run with these locos. Which are the correct BR coaches if you are modelling the 1950's ?

 

2. Did these locos ever work freight or parcel trains ?

 

3. Which version of the BoBo can be run correctly beside the London Transport panniers ?

1. They did not normally haul BR coaches in the 50's, usually they hauled the Metropolitan 'Dreadnought' stock. There is at present no R-T-R models available.

2. Parcels would have been carried on normal passenger services, they were used on freight most commonly on the 'ash train' taking ash from the boiler house of a block of flats for disposal. They may have on occassion operated engineers trains but these were usually the provence of the battery or steam locomotives.

3. They were withdrawn at about the same time as the Metropolitan steam locomotives that were replaced by the panniers (early 60's) so only the later survivors and the first panniers would be seen together and this was quite possible as they shared the same tracks.

[brian777999]

Okay, so not quite the perfect pair to run together (BoBo and LT Pannier). It does seem quite strange that Heljan would produce a loco for which there are no matching coaches ? Still, many people have bought one ...or two

[johnb]

Unfortunately I've just had to return my Sherlock Holmes to Hattons after it developed a tendency to slip a gear somewhere when being first run after a period in storage - it would just move very slowly under high revs, but later run perfectly again.  I'm hoping they will be able to fix it if they've run out of that version.

I had that on one of mine! A return to Hattons got it sorted fast, by a replacement from their second delivery.

 

John