Ballast Motor Cars

[Broadway Clive]

The original standard tube stock conversions to ballast motor cars included the panelling over of some windows, whilst on later conversions they were all left intact, and only panelled over years later if broken. After finding some confusion with Phil Radley's ballast motor car kits it was obvious that a definitive list was needed. Brian Hardy has provided the most information but even here his books show two contradictory pictures of L74, so that with L67,  L70 and L73 remain to be identified.

 

Some words of explanation are needed here. I believe all even numbers are 'A' end cars, and all odd numbers are 'D' end cars. By listing here in the order of delivery shows the original pairings, and also how the body changes evolved.

 

L66 was the first and had the double doors and central pillar completely removed. Two windows were left just forward of where the doors had been and all the rest was panelled over, save the guards door at the rear. This version is now listed as Radley's L75, though he use to list it as L65! It remained unique as the double doors were left intact on all the rest. The second one, L71 also had the two windows forward of the doors left in place, but we dont know yet about L73, and it was later damaged and replaced by L77 in 1967. With L74 it was either altered later in life or one of Brian's captions is wrong. But certainly L63 had just the two windows to the rear of the double doors left in place, and I suspect all others did too until 1964 when L72 was damaged and replaced by another bearing the same number. From then onwards all the windows were left in place (so better to buy a passenger car for those). The Radley kit of the most common type of Ballast Motor (2 windows to the rear) is listed now as L65, though he use to list it as L75! I was tempted to risk more confusion by telling Phil, but thought it might be better to get the definitive list completed first if possible. In the meantime be aware if you are purchasing!

 

[Lord of Narnia]

I have been carrying out a bit of research on the Standard stock recently although alas not much on the conversion of pilot cars as it post dates my layout for the majority.

 

However, I have been looking at this with interest...

 

L66 does appear to have had the central doors removed however the model is incorrect as the car concerned was a Cammel Laird car and that modelled is closer to a MCCW so it would need modification- especially the front beading.

 

The other car appears more akin to the rest of the batch.

 

With all historic models however one should try and find as many photos of the subject as possible. It has been stated that cars went through modification throughout their lives and these could be quite dramatic, especially after the main fleet of pre 1938 stock was withdrawn and the spares pool was gone. The replacement of broken windows with blanks may have changed.

 

Good luck with this project....