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


Neal Ball
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Other than the mogul, there hasn’t been much progress at Henley over the last week. 
 

What with my birthday celebrations and painting our Ballastrades, I’ve been a bit busy.

 

Given the time of year, I need to put up the Henley  on Thames Station Christmas tree. Hopefully I can do that today and will post the usual photo.

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On Facebook yesterday the GWS posted that in December 1911 Saint class loco 4-6-0 no 2940 Dorney Court was out shopped from Swindon.

 

There followed a poem by T Roach from the 1960’s

 

I wonder if we might see a new Saint loco announced by Hornby on 5th January.

 

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On the recent advent calendar announcement, Hornby started there are going to be 350 new items. I wonder how many will be new toolings. It would be nice to see our much requested Collett full brakes and restaurant carriages.

 

In the meantime I think the photo above is terrific. Lovely and sharp, oozing atmosphere, lovely loco.

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Hi Neil,

 

Belated birthday wishes to you.

 

I sincerely hope the replacement Mogul lives up to expectations and regains your confidence in it.

 

What's not to like about the Saint too and hopefully a new correct release for one as well.

I have three of them and had similar problems to you with my first one which didn't run well, eventually corrected but it took a few words from me in the ears of the then CEO who I took to one side at the Warley Exhibition many years ago, it got sorted out within the following week I'm pleased to say.

 

Having moved up to BIG BOYS stuff I'm in the process of making a bigger version as a Lady, here she is during the build posed with an Armstrong Goods....

 

1215949568_Shinythings2.jpg.e51441cf775a2be6749f19c1f91971ef.jpg

 

Always an impressive loco in my opinion.

 

Take care,

 

G

 

 

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A square frame Saint would certainly be mighty tempting, though any Saint release ought to give me the kick in the backside to finish my kit.   2 out of 3 builds are now running, although my Mitchell 43xx sounds like it will give your Dapol one a run for its money in the poor running stakes.   At least its issues are of my own making I suppose...

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3 hours ago, bgman said:

Hi Neil,

 

Belated birthday wishes to you.

 

I sincerely hope the replacement Mogul lives up to expectations and regains your confidence in it.

 

What's not to like about the Saint too and hopefully a new correct release for one as well.

I have three of them and had similar problems to you with my first one which didn't run well, eventually corrected but it took a few words from me in the ears of the then CEO who I took to one side at the Warley Exhibition many years ago, it got sorted out within the following week I'm pleased to say.

 

Having moved up to BIG BOYS stuff I'm in the process of making a bigger version as a Lady, here she is during the build posed with an Armstrong Goods....

 

1215949568_Shinythings2.jpg.e51441cf775a2be6749f19c1f91971ef.jpg

 

Always an impressive loco in my opinion.

 

Take care,

 

G

 

 

 

Thanks for the birthday greetings - I had a very unusual birthday - socially distanced; 6 at a table; bar closed at 11pm; curfew at 12 midnight! But at least we could go out and celebrate. My other half 's birthday was March, we couldn't even go out!.

 

That Saint looks very good, although so does the Armstrong Goods loco.

 

2 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

A square frame Saint would certainly be mighty tempting, though any Saint release ought to give me the kick in the backside to finish my kit.   2 out of 3 builds are now running, although my Mitchell 43xx sounds like it will give your Dapol one a run for its money in the poor running stakes.   At least its issues are of my own making I suppose...

 

I would have thought a new Saint is probably over-due, with the new build Saint at Didcot now complete, I would have thought Hornby would have done it already. Although of course, it would be good to have some new smaller locos.... I'm telling myself, I don't need another 61xx :-)

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58 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

I'm telling myself, I don't need another 61xx :-)

I’ve impressed myself in being able to resist buying one, though no doubt it helped that I failed to sell my old one earlier in the year.

 

I am trying to only buy kits at the moment, (the logic being what’s the point of buying RTR if the layout isn’t finished)

 

but when there is money from sales burning a whole in your pocket the 61xx and 43xx both feel so tempting, even if the latter runs as bad as my kit!

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7 minutes ago, The Fatadder said:

I’ve impressed myself in being able to resist buying one, though no doubt it helped that I failed to sell my old one earlier in the year.

 

I am trying to only buy kits at the moment, (the logic being what’s the point of buying RTR if the layout isn’t finished)

 

but when there is money from sales burning a whole in your pocket the 61xx and 43xx both feel so tempting, even if the latter runs as bad as my kit!

 

However.... as well as sending back the duff Mogul.... I have done some trade-ins with Hattons....

 

To install more sounds.... I can already hear some new YouChoos sounds ready for 2021.

 

So in fact the phrase on 5th January "Nothing here for me" suits me this year :-)

 

Although I was in correspondence with Simon Kohler about 6 months ago for the new carriages, its only 4 weeks to wait and then we will know.

 

But of course at some point in February(?) Bachmann will announce their next quarter offerings... which I think might include the new Manor.... These locos are slightly too late for me, so I will save some money there.

 

Of course I still need to place the order for the Centenary project. Thats a case of finding the time more than anything else.

 

Good luck with the kits, I've always been in awe of people building masterpieces out of brass.

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9 hours ago, Mikkel said:

Very nice Neal, that almost gets me into a bit of christmas spirit. Great interior views too.

 

Feliz Navidad!

Thanks Mikkel, Feliz Navidad to you as well.

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The story of a 28xx:

 

A few years ago I dropped my Hornby 28xx 2-8-0 no 2812.... not my best hour!

 

Its been in the “need to fix” box for quite a while... that is until today.

 

Recently my father has been getting rid of his model railway stuff and I got my hands on his 28xx which wasn’t working. 
 

Today I’ve spent time putting the two locos together, with the aim of having another 28xx (I already have another 28xx numbered 2803). Having established which was the better loco (mine!), I had to replace the plug and socket as the plastic had started to deteriorate- replacing it with a DCC concepts plug and socket, fitting it in the place of the Hornby one. In doing so, both the capacitors have been removed and the loco completely rewired.

 

I have also changed the decoder for a Gaugemaster one with stay alive. In doing so, I have cut out the coal space and everything is hidden under the coal load, which will be covered with real coal.


This photo shews the change in the connectors:


49D838E1-C96E-49CD-9A78-DC5F34132A0E.jpeg.ae61a8ca6ad5804e9d2afc04fe559609.jpeg
 

D738987D-B7F4-4A4A-91EF-4924AB93D599.jpeg.8b9ec20e119eac770508f4d0c4fb0054.jpeg


Nearly done! The decoder is packed into the tender with the stay alive on the top. It’s all fixed in such a way to use the Hornby plastic coal load, which I will put the coal onto.

 

4296E2E9-BA33-4AC4-9278-9D1BC0BF24A5.jpeg.b4ce2f9a91bb813588946b83e5c88796.jpeg

 

The loco was tested on the rolling road and everything seemed ok. There was a stiff point, which seemed to get better after some light oiling.

 

But then with the body back on, it refused to move. I had hoped to shew some photos on here after some weathering of the new loco to join the Henley fleet.... hopefully soon! I’m sure it’s straight forward.

 

With the other 28xx being 2803 I need to find a Southall or Reading loco to change the number to..... to be continued....

 

3F8D4865-4F7C-4796-8EF0-C71B5FD1A008.jpeg.728db6aba3aeaed62b1a80ac71a313ce.jpeg

 

Its tempting to remove the shirt button logo with the 1920’s Great Western, to differentiate the two locos.

 

Another on-going project is my various Modelu characters. It’s been a slow job, but the results are looking good.

 

0C78609C-7AE7-4252-957E-A324F1AA1A23.jpeg.8b0c9112f3586a40b76b5e1300f484fe.jpeg

 

I also have some Langley horses and bottled beer crates in the photo.

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A bit of indulgence!

 

I’ve recently been reading the new book on the Blue Pullman  By Mike Smith and Kevin Robertson - not quite an update, it’s more a new book. (I have two of the original three books). I’ve long been fascinated with the Blue Pullmans. 
 

Sadly they were ahead of their times / maybe even a bit of a misguided project - all 1st class, apart from the WR ones; but mirror image carriages in each set.  Not forgetting the poor running, mainly due to the bogies with which BR had no experience, also the motors hung on bogies in the passenger carriages. 
 

They should have been a separate 1st class / restaurant carriage and then 2nd class... a few years later of course that’s what we had, in the shape of the iconic HST.  Clearly the one huge win the HST had was keeping the engines / motors separate to the passenger carriage.
 

If you haven’t seen the book yet, I certainly recommend it. 

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The Blue Pullman doesn’t fit in the time-line of Henley on Thames, so I will leave you with a photo of the BP in the fiddle yard:

 

CDEE1795-547E-47CB-B439-F986621B9757.jpeg.de11109125bb6d3a681cc16a5d0e1cbc.jpeg

 

My purchase of the BP a few years ago was always an indulgence, but it really is a lovely model.

 

I wonder if the BP (either WR or LMR) ever made it to Henley on Thames.... sadly, I think the answer is NO. In the book repeatedly the comment comes that weekend work in the main was not found for the units.

 

Strange how things work out... now that LSL have launched their HST / Blue Pullman. I quite fancy the Cornish Pullman in May, but at £310 each it’s a lot to pay for a day trip. https://midlandpullman.com/book/ Particularly given we would have to fly in especially for it.

 

Please forgive the indulgence! 
 

Having finished the BP book, I gave just started the book by Barack Abama, I’m only on chapter 2, but it’s a great read.

 

Back to the GWR tomorrow:-)

 

 

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The only time I saw a Blue Pullman was at an Old Oak Common open day in 1972 - not long before they were withdrawn.

 

It was in the later, predominantly grey livery which looked awful compared to the original, as magnificently displayed on the pages of the Triang/Hornby catalogues.

 

Anyway I was more interested in seeing 6000 KGV and 6106 that day!

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15 minutes ago, Nick Gough said:

The only time I saw a Blue Pullman was at an Old Oak Common open day in 1972 - not long before they were withdrawn.

 

It was in the later, predominantly grey livery which looked awful compared to the original, as magnificently displayed on the pages of the Triang/Hornby catalogues.

 

Anyway I was more interested in seeing 6000 KGV and 6106 that day!


I expect I would have been more interested in KGV as well. Plus of course any Westerns around.

 

Happy Christmas Nick.

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13 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

KGV on its return to steam in March 1979... taken from Bulls Bridge, Hayes before being overtaken by a class 31 diesel. Sadly it was failed on the return journey: 

KGV Southall March 1979

 

 

 

I was on that train - in the first coach behind the engine.   It was as we passed through Sonning Cutting approaching Reading that it first became obvious to us passengers that she was running hot - all the windows were open to catch the sounds of the exhaust and an ominous smell became apparent.  A massive disappointment at the time and I didn't bother to take the diesel hauled train back from DID to PDN.

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23 minutes ago, Bulwell Hall said:

 

I was on that train - in the first coach behind the engine.   It was as we passed through Sonning Cutting approaching Reading that it first became obvious to us passengers that she was running hot - all the windows were open to catch the sounds of the exhaust and an ominous smell became apparent.  A massive disappointment at the time and I didn't bother to take the diesel hauled train back from DID to PDN.


Later in the day, I went back to Bulls Bridge and saw the diesel hauled train come back through - I didn’t photograph it!

 

I presume I would have seen KGV at one of the 150 celebrations; but I can’t recall ever riding behind it....

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17 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

KGV on its return to steam in March 1979... taken from Bulls Bridge, Hayes before being overtaken by a class 31 diesel. Sadly it was failed on the return journey: 

KGV Southall March 1979

 

 

I went to a crowded Paddington station, that morning, to film the departure.

 

However, I did get a photo of KGV at Hayes, on a misty morning, in October 1971:Untitled-70a.JPG.0c7ee8ba82180c169481d9db4419458d.JPG

 

The day before KGV was on display at Kensington Olympia:

Image3-1.jpg.a14b603712cdfeede6ebef2b66478d8a.jpg

They were selling tickets for the next day's trip from Kenny O to Swindon for the princely sum of £5 each.

Too much then for an impecunious teenager, unfortunately. 

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On 19/12/2020 at 21:20, Neal Ball said:

As was customary at all major stations at the time, the Christmas tree has now been put up at Henley on Thames.

 

With so much work done on the station during our lockdown Earlier in the year, it has obviously changed the station quite a bit.  So much so, from the normal viewing angles it’s hard to see that the tree is there!

 

The first view opens the station up with the roof removed. Then I shew the view with the roof back on and my iPhone upside down to get the lens as low as possible.

 

Maybe next year the tree won’t be on the concourse!

 

DB8852BA-D74D-459A-BF02-0798A898B95F.jpeg.00d10e8e30a52af16179111842902c65.jpeg
 

91DE3205-FF0F-45B3-8A7B-022FB0194D4F.jpeg.e21e030d276be0e4d895d342a03c4fc8.jpeg
 

1B0DEFB0-8698-4D44-9EAD-3A63E62A8F13.jpeg.62c1cea09650c1622dbc0f8d723ff94f.jpeg

 

It reminds me that I need to get back to work on the station.... a few odd jobs need completing... the bookstall; passengers.... and probably more signs on the back wall, as well as the station clock.

 

Hi Neal

 

Just a note to tell you how much I have enjoyed following Henley this year and to wish you a very merry Christmas.

 

I thought these shots of the interior absolutely brilliant........not sure what you did but they are outstanding.....quite different from the normal layout photo

 

Best wishes

 

 

 

 

 

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7 minutes ago, john dew said:

 

Hi Neal

 

Just a note to tell you how much I have enjoyed following Henley this year and to wish you a very merry Christmas.

 

I thought these shots of the interior absolutely brilliant........not sure what you did but they are outstanding.....quite different from the normal layout photo

 

Best wishes

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thats quite something thank you John. I'm glad you have enjoyed Henley in 2020; It's nice to think my little bit of work on the model has brought some cheer in an otherwise bleak year!

 

The photos of the interior were nearly thrown away, they shew the platform to be very bleak, almost like a 1970's shot I have just before the train shed was demolished. The platform was completely empty, there wasn't even a platform bench! 

 

My list for 2021 will include more Modelu figures to populate the platforms... as ever, to be continued....

 

On the flip side @john dewI have thoroughly enjoyed being part of the Granby family and look forward to your updates. Have a great Christmas and let's hope that 2021 is a better year.

 

All the best John and thank you again for the comments.

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1 hour ago, Nick Gough said:

I went to a crowded Paddington station, that morning, to film the departure.

 

However, I did get a photo of KGV at Hayes, on a misty morning, in October 1971:Untitled-70a.JPG.0c7ee8ba82180c169481d9db4419458d.JPG

 

The day before KGV was on display at Kensington Olympia:

Image3-1.jpg.a14b603712cdfeede6ebef2b66478d8a.jpg

They were selling tickets for the next day's trip from Kenny O to Swindon for the princely sum of £5 each.

Too much then for an impecunious teenager, unfortunately. 

 

Lovely shots Nick, thanks for sharing.

 

£5 rail tour tickets - different times eh! I too would not have been able to afford it, although a few years later I started to go on a few LNER rail tours trips. These usually went from Watford (I think), to loads of different places, including the NYMR in its early days.

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After the Blue Pullman yesterday, its back to the GWR today:

 

I managed to get some programming done today; (more decoders added into the SPROG system). Although frustratingly the BP has always worked as loco 3 and wouldn't be re-programmed this afternoon :-(

 

It was an afternoon of carriages.... I'm determined to complete the Slaters Toplights and hope I can get them finished over Christmas / New Year. Out of the two carriages, one runs smoothly, the other doesn't. Theres a bit of work to do yet, it would certainly be good to finally get them running on the layout.

 

Seen here with Prairie tank 2-6-2T no 6132.

 

442924836_6132Toplightsbr.jpg.24bfefe60125be1889326638a2c8a986.jpg

 

621429598_6132Toplightsr.jpg.31836c73eeb37b03c08661ac370bdf66.jpg

 

Although they are difficult carriages to build, it will be good to add a couple more Toplights next year from Slaters. Maybe a couple of their Clerestories as well.

 

This afternoon, I also had a call from Hattons and now have emails from DHL; my new Dapol Mogul is on its way

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5 hours ago, Nick Gough said:

I went to a crowded Paddington station, that morning, to film the departure.

 

However, I did get a photo of KGV at Hayes, on a misty morning, in October 1971:Untitled-70a.JPG.0c7ee8ba82180c169481d9db4419458d.JPG

 

The day before KGV was on display at Kensington Olympia:

Image3-1.jpg.a14b603712cdfeede6ebef2b66478d8a.jpg

They were selling tickets for the next day's trip from Kenny O to Swindon for the princely sum of £5 each.

Too much then for an impecunious teenager, unfortunately. 

I think that was half-term week. I visited the exhibition where I took part in a competition and won a Capital Radio T-shirt - 539m in those happy days!

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1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

I think that was half-term week. I visited the exhibition where I took part in a competition and won a Capital Radio T-shirt - 539m in those happy days!


539 medium wave, that goes back a bit....

 

I remember Capital being 194 FM with the likes of Kenny Everitt, although I guess that’s the early 80’s

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