Sheffield Exchange, Toy trains, music and fun!

[richard i]

1 hour ago, cheesysmith said:

must admit, my ambivalence to todays Hornby announcement did meet with my expectations. The only thing of real interest was the bogie bolster A, if it is different tooling to the old model. Looks like we will have to wait longer before we get a RTR EMU, even then, would we be able to afford one?  must admit, was expecting a electrostar along the lines of the 2BIL/HAL that Hornby have already done, especially as they are now in the gWr livery that Hornby love (and no monies to the swear box, i was not referring to the copper topped railway).

 

Back to chopping up replica Mk1 suburban's for now.

You could be the other way. Pregrouping modelers said it might be nice to have coaches so there are a one size fits no one offering of a standard design in a coat of many colours. They might as well say ,” here is a mk1 but it also represents an LMS one and a mk4 too. Thank heavens for building. Multi coloured sides or just plain white.

Prichard 

[Clive Mortimore]

36 minutes ago, Satan's Goldfish said:

Wasn't something I was really fussed about, but had a look out of curiosity. Main thing it got me wondering about (and I have asked the question elsewhere, but it fits nicely in here too!) Is what were mk1 bck used for?!

Let me start at the beginning,

 

Carrying passengers of both of the nobility and the peasant classes, there was room for our betters to have their luggage for the shooting week in the highlands to be carried. The peasants didn't own enough to need additional room for their meager belongings. Some of the luggage space would contain mail. There was also a little cabin for the guard to travel in.

 

Now where did they carry those passengers. Well when first ordered by the railways many long distant trains use to stop on route and a couple of carriages would be detached and meander down the many branch lines where the nobility had their grouse moors. The BCK being the smallest possible train containing both upper class and the untouchables as well as a guard, luggage and mail.  Many times the masters would require many servants to go with them so a second coach like a Third Class one would form a small train.

 

In simple terms, BCKs were intended for trains that dropped off portions on route for the reasons above. On Sheff Ex I have started to take the BCKs off trains and replacing them with BSKs or BSOs. My standard sets are BSK/SK/SK/CK/CK/BSK, but if the train is say a Leeds and Bradford one the formation is changed to BSK/SK/CK/BSK for Leeds and SK/BCK for Bradford. 

 

When dividing trains stopped being a thing as branch lines closed down and the Tofts had to lower themselves to travel in DMUs were branches remained, BCKs could be found in all sorts of formations. 

 

Will I buy one, I have the Bachy ones, a Replica one, some converted Tri-ang ones and even a Lima convert. Don't know as yet.

[great northern]

1 hour ago, Satan's Goldfish said:

Wasn't something I was really fussed about, but had a look out of curiosity. Main thing it got me wondering about (and I have asked the question elsewhere, but it fits nicely in here too!) Is what were mk1 bck used for?!

Very useful on portions of ECML expresses, they were. but almost exclusively on West Riding and Hull services.

[Clive Mortimore]

Not done anything train set wise tonight, it was a thinking night. As to not hurt myself I listened to a Mary Timony live performance, it was lovely and very long so tonight's song is one of those which I have enjoyed for many years

 

 

[jazzer]

16 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Let me start at the beginning,

 

Carrying passengers of both of the nobility and the peasant classes, there was room for our betters to have their luggage for the shooting week in the highlands to be carried. The peasants didn't own enough to need additional room for their meager belongings. Some of the luggage space would contain mail. There was also a little cabin for the guard to travel in.

 

Now where did they carry those passengers. Well when first ordered by the railways many long distant trains use to stop on route and a couple of carriages would be detached and meander down the many branch lines where the nobility had their grouse moors. The BCK being the smallest possible train containing both upper class and the untouchables as well as a guard, luggage and mail.  Many times the masters would require many servants to go with them so a second coach like a Third Class one would form a small train.

 

In simple terms, BCKs were intended for trains that dropped off portions on route for the reasons above. On Sheff Ex I have started to take the BCKs off trains and replacing them with BSKs or BSOs. My standard sets are BSK/SK/SK/CK/CK/BSK, but if the train is say a Leeds and Bradford one the formation is changed to BSK/SK/CK/BSK for Leeds and SK/BCK for Bradford. 

 

When dividing trains stopped being a thing as branch lines closed down and the Tofts had to lower themselves to travel in DMUs were branches remained, BCKs could be found in all sorts of formations. 

 

Will I buy one, I have the Bachy ones, a Replica one, some converted Tri-ang ones and even a Lima convert. Don't know as yet.

Of course , the most famous use of BCKs was on the Atlantic Coast Express, which on Summer Saturdays was often run in several sections and each section consisted of one of more through coaches to branching destinations. For example in Summer 1960 the main train, the 11.00 ex- Waterloo included through coaches for Ilfracombe, Torrington, Padstow, Bude , Plymouth , Exeter, Exmouth and Sidmouth . That  meant it’s 12 coach formation had to include 8BCK’s and one BSK.  At that time the Southerns Bullied Pacific’s were still whisking the ACE down to Exeter quicker the the Western Regions diesels so the first thing the Western’s jobsworths did when they got their hands on the route was to downgrade it.

 

However SG’s query was specifically about Mk1 BCKs, and I have to confess I wonder why they were built. The Southern used  Bulleid stock almost to the end as these were deemed to be more comfortable, better riding and had better capacity. The Eastern didn’t split that many trains apart from Hull / West Riding but had plenty of Gresley stock . The only line I can think that made serious use of them was probably the Western which regularly dropped three coaches on the Torbay branch and in Wales ie Cambrian Coast Express

[5BarVT]

Can’t be sure, but I think West Highland was still using BCKs in late 88 up until sprinterisation.

Probably Far North too.

Paul.

[5BarVT]

Can’t be sure, but I think West Highland was still using BCKs in late 88 up until sprinterisation.

Probably Far North too.

Paul.

But having looked up Train Marshalling from early 80s I’m wrong: BFK on West Highland, BSK on Far North.  Fort William Sleeper (from Euston) still had 1 BSK though.

Edited January 7, 2021 by 5BarVT
Facts supersede dodgy memory!

[St Enodoc]

11 minutes ago, 5BarVT said:

Can’t be sure, but I think West Highland was still using BCKs in late 88 up until sprinterisation.

Probably Far North too.

Paul.

But having looked up Train Marshalling from early 80s I’m wrong: BFK on West Highland, BSK on Far North.  Fort William Sleeper (from Euston) still had 1 BSK though.

Paul, the Summer 1983 workings on @robertcwp Robert Carroll's site https://brcoachingstock.groups.io/g/main, confirm my memory that some BCKs were in use on the West Highland and Oban lines, albeit with the First Class declassified.

[5BarVT]

7 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Paul, the Summer 1983 workings on @robertcwp Robert Carroll's site

My ‘random’ choice was one line up from that: Winter 82/83!

[woodenhead]

On 05/01/2021 at 22:41, Clive Mortimore said:

Not done anything train set wise tonight, it was a thinking night. As to not hurt myself I listened to a Mary Timony live performance, it was lovely and very long so tonight's song is one of those which I have enjoyed for many years

 

 

I've always loved this song - this line resonates after last night 'Adolf builds a bonfire, Enrico plays with it'

Edited January 7, 2021 by woodenhead

[Signaller69]

16 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

Can’t be sure, but I think West Highland was still using BCKs in late 88 up until sprinterisation.

Probably Far North too.

Paul.

Far North used them in the early 70s for sure - the Wick portion regularly seemed to be BCK, RMB (& BG as often as not). Some photos show the Thurso portion between the BCK/RMB and the BG on arrival at Georgemas Jct, which led to extra moves there; I have no idea why. (Other photos show the BG in the centre of the train, presumably to avoid this).

The West Highland Steam service certainly used a BCK in the green/cream colours and many 60s, 70s and early 80s photos show BCK's in regular train formations on the WHL. I think when the Mk.2s came in there was a tendency to run a BFK with TSO's.

[cheesysmith]

Question, does anyone know when the 302 on the LTS were repainted from blue into blue/grey? Want to model 244 with the different battery driving trailer coach, but the only photos i`ve seen are it only in blue. It was reformed in 84, with the odd man out coach withdrawn then, but did it get repainted brfore then?

[Clive Mortimore]

1 hour ago, cheesysmith said:

Question, does anyone know when the 302 on the LTS were repainted from blue into blue/grey? Want to model 244 with the different battery driving trailer coach, but the only photos i`ve seen are it only in blue. It was reformed in 84, with the odd man out coach withdrawn then, but did it get repainted brfore then?

I have only ever seen it in blue with the Bury driving car.

[Clive Mortimore]

I mentioned Mary Timony the other night. Here she is with Laura and Betsy.

 

 

[cheesysmith]

 

This should be a link to a photo on flickr by Gordon Edgar of withdrawn driving car off 244 in blue/grey.

 

Result.

 

Also, must say a great big thanks to those people who actually went out and took photos of the old MUs in the pre digital age.

 

And taken at attercliffe, so my home town lol

Edited January 8, 2021 by cheesysmith
add link

[MJI]

7 hours ago, cheesysmith said:

 

This should be a link to a photo on flickr by Gordon Edgar of withdrawn driving car off 244 in blue/grey.

 

Result.

 

Also, must say a great big thanks to those people who actually went out and took photos of the old MUs in the pre digital age.

 

And taken at attercliffe, so my home town lol

 

 

The first thing I noticed was the SK with Single Bolster bogies.

 

 

[Clive Mortimore]

46 minutes ago, MJI said:

 

 

The first thing I noticed was the SK with Single Bolster bogies.

 

 

The bogie looks like one just for moving it, it has roller bearings. Mk1 single bolster bogies with roller bearings are only seen on 4 CEP/BEPs, DEMUs, North London BR stock and GE Southend Stock in service.

[Clive Mortimore]

Three years ago these were the first photos of Sheffield Exchange.

 

 

Isn't Anyrail great if you are going to use that nice Mr Peco's points?

 

I think I might be on course for finishing it in January 2028.

[woodenhead]

I'd never be allowed to use that much paper and ink from our printer!!

[Clive Mortimore]

24 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

I'd never be allowed to use that much paper and ink from our printer!!

My paper and my ink, but I did get moaned at for wasting my own money.

[cheesysmith]

So, not much different scenically since then?

[bgman]

7 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

My paper and my ink, but I did get moaned at for wasting my own money.

 

You can always ruffle it up, cut it into squares and hang it on a piece of string for recycling so not such a "waste" in the end ! 

[manna]

G'Day Folks

 

Love the paper track...........................No wiring.

 

manna

[Ray H]

I'm a bit worried about the bumps in the track though.   

[Clive Mortimore]

3 hours ago, bgman said:

 

You can always ruffle it up, cut it into squares and hang it on a piece of string for recycling so not such a "waste" in the end ! 

The ink left behind was a bu88er to wash off afterwards.