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Henley-on-Thames - GWR in the 1930's


Neal Ball
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This will probably add nothing to your knowledge, but I thought you might be amused to see that railway modellers were interested inHenley 90 years ago.

 

(The photos are no more legible in the original!)

 

That is absolutely fascinating - Bert Hitchman was a gents hairdresser in Henley in the 1950s so I wonder if he was R. A. Hitchman or a relative of him.

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Neal,

Finally caught up.  I seldom venture outside the Pre-grouping and Wales corners of RMWeb but I stumbled across your thread and had to follow.  Two reasons, set in the 30s so further back than most, and I know Henley station as it is now, which is just a shadow of its former self. I take the grandchildren to the River and Rowing Museum in Henley and when it is just the lad one of the things we do is catch a train from Henley to Twyford to watch a few more trains.

 

It has been an interesting journey watching how you have progressed, esome excellent modelling and it certainly looks the part.  If you go for a full timetable then the coaching stock could become interesting.  Would it be modern stock or would they drag in some old clerestories?  I doubt they would have to go for 6 wheelers but you could get an interesting mix.  (I will have a timetable but the Cambrian in 1895 is a bit more easy.  I will need about 22 coaches plus maybe up to a dozen through coaches.)  Would there have been through coaches for the Regatta, LNER stock from Cambridge?

 

 

Thanks Chris,

 

Actual stock come timetable time will be whatever is available at the moment... Thanks for your comments.

This will probably add nothing to your knowledge, but I thought you might be amused to see that railway modellers were interested inHenley 90 years ago.

 

(The photos are no more legible in the original!)

 

 

fascinating thank you. I also blew up that turntable shot, which was taken from an unusual angle. Not seen a photo taken from behind the table towards the water tower, thank you.

Edited by Neal Ball
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It's a week of new stock on the railway:

 

The Bristolian is in town! - These carriages have been split from the Bristolian set by Rails of Sheffield for £90 - set of three in the shirt button livery - ahead of the main shirt button delivery later this summer. The roofboards will be changed to shew "Henley-on-Thames Twford Paddington

 

King-Bristolianrr.jpg.5d9a1956294ee2da8d62b41ca639e403.jpg

 

 

Seen on the direct Paddington service - this will run to four or five carriages.

 

Also new this week is the lovely Hornby Pecket 0-4-0ST - seen here during its running in. I was hoping to get the decoder this afternoon from Gaugemaster, but apparently the four pin can only be ordered from Hornby. 

Huntleypalmersloco.jpg.83f05db99ea1096fda6654e727b2ced1.jpg

 

 

Then seen here with the Bachmann / Model Zone wagons from a few years ago.

 

HuntleyPalmerslocoarriving.jpg.b52b7bb72df768c479fe78dcc073f946.jpg

 

Edited by Neal Ball
2023 missing photos updated
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Also new this week is the lovely Hornby Pecket 0-4-0ST - seen here during its running in. I was hoping to get the decoder this afternoon from Gaugemaster, but apparently the four pin can only be ordered from Hornby. 

 

attachicon.gifHuntley & palmers loco.jpg

 

Then seen here with the Bachmann / Model Zone wagons from a few years ago.

 

attachicon.gifHuntley & Palmers bw rr.jpg

 

I got decoders for the Hornby Pecket from here.

http://sawyermodels.co.uk/?product=x9659-4-pin-decoder

(usual disclaimer)

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Spoiler alert - new photos coming this evening....

 

Sorry about the sporadic updates, its all been a bit slow at Henley of late, but there are is an update, plus some photos... I am about to take :-)

 

Plus I am off to the Tonbridge show tomorrow (After Parkrun of course!)

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Spoiler alert - new photos coming this evening....

 

Sorry about the sporadic updates, its all been a bit slow at Henley of late, but there are is an update, plus some photos... I am about to take :-)

 

Have we got a Hattons 48xx to show us then?

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Still love my H & P 0-4-0ST

 

 

17-2-17a.jpg.443b1dcbd9b6f237f6579437cbf2b0e5.jpg

 

It had a nice little run this evening and successfully hauled 4 GWR Collet carriages up the rear incline.

Edited by Neal Ball
2023 missing photos updated
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On 17/02/2017 at 23:13, Coppercap said:

Can we have 4825 in focus next time please?

 

 

Something like this?

48250-4-2TBrr.jpg.4a85f600efb856c002b0e2b987df1394.jpg

 

Edited by Neal Ball
2023 missing photos updated
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Both 'photos have been adjusted in Photoshop - mainly because I thought the platform brickwork didn't look right. There are a few creases in the paper which I wanted to get rid of!

 

What a cracking loco. The track was a bit dirty, so it was out with the track rubber and off it went... hauling 4 carriages up the incline. But clearly it was at home with my old Airfix autocoach. I think this needs replacing now as my attempt at painting isn't too clever.

 

Back to the loco. It runs really well, but could do with a stay-alive; loco lamps and clearly crew. It was a bit of a worst to get the driver and fireman into the Pecket, it will be very tricky in the confines of the 48xx but clearly I have to try.

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Doing what they were supposed to do - although I don't think a 48xx was a regular on the Henley branch, never mind with an Autocoach

 

4825autocoach.jpg.b411544960f99d507b2aa64a71a4db54.jpg

 

 

David - aka Clearwater - the brick edging is from the Scalescenes range. For some reason some of the platforms at Henley had brick edging.

Edited by Neal Ball
2023 missing photos updated
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I haven't seen this yet... the same model, but some 30+ years apart - just look at the difference, apologies for my paint job on the Airfix model.

 

 

comparison48xx2.jpg.64715050baa5f8d1e747730c8642c31d.jpg

 

 

And to think we were happy with the Airfix loco. This is the Hornby version bought a few years ago, but essentially the same as the Airfix loco.

Edited by Neal Ball
2023 missing photos updated
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Having just brought 4 Collet carriages into the station 4825 is pausing for breath. For me, it reminds me how much I have to do on the railway:

 

1. Straighten platform lamps;

2. Finish water cranes.

3. Finish Goods yard. 

etc.

 

Last one tonight. 

 

17-2-17drr.jpg.af3a032cc78454aba1cd95f873e1ccbf.jpg

 

Edited by Neal Ball
2023 missing photos updated
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Nice. But you'll need to get the re-railing gang to attend to the Airfix 48xx! (Also the police, to track down the numberplate collectors!)

Actually, you Airfix one doesn't look that bad really - your mods have certainly improved it the from original, but it has to be said it was streets ahead of the competition when it came out (1978?).

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Nice. But you'll need to get the re-railing gang to attend to the Airfix 48xx! (Also the police, to track down the numberplate collectors!)

Actually, you Airfix one doesn't look that bad really - your mods have certainly improved it the from original, but it has to be said it was streets ahead of the competition when it came out (1978?).

Clearly that is where the crew have gone - abondond over those points! To hold both locos, the Airfix one is very clunky, but it's now destined for the second hand market. I would like a shirtbutton 48xx but don't want a weathered one.

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I am very envious Neal.......I have to wait until the end of March for mine.....and that is into Liverpool prior to its journey across the Atlantic! I am beginning to regret ordering the weathered options.

 

The number plate looks fine in your photo ........it is beginning to look as though numberplategate was vintage froth? On the other hand your photo does rather highlight the fresh air where the ashpan should be. Fortunately that seems to be an easy fix with plasticard.

 

Some people have mentioned stay alive......do you have any running problems....over points for example?

 

Kind regards

 

John

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I am very envious Neal.......I have to wait until the end of March for mine.....and that is into Liverpool prior to its journey across the Atlantic! I am beginning to regret ordering the weathered options.

The number plate looks fine in your photo ........it is beginning to look as though numberplategate was vintage froth? On the other hand your photo does rather highlight the fresh air where the ashpan should be. Fortunately that seems to be an easy fix with plasticard.

Some people have mentioned stay alive......do you have any running problems....over points for example?

Kind regards

John

Not yet John, No. as you would expect, it didn't like the dirty track, but that was not an issue. However the King didn't worry about the dirty track! And some people have commented about it being a difficult runner.

 

I agree about the number plate, you wouldn't know it's in a recess.

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Doing what they were supposed to do - although I don't think a 48xx was a regular on the Henley branch, never mind with an Autocoach

 

attachicon.gif4825 & autocoach rr.jpg

 

David - aka Clearwater - the brick edging is from the Scalescenes range. For some reason some of the platforms at Henley had brick edging.

 

They were certainly regular at one time when wearing 14XX plates as they used to stand in for the (GW) diesel car when it was either being maintained or needing to be mended.  Whether they arrived in time (when new) to work the through Reading - Henley trains I don't know but there were still plenty of auto-trains on the branch itself in the Summer 1938 service.  In the 1947 service the auto-trains had gone and there were instead quite a number of diesel car workings at least one of which was through from Reading.

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