Castle Aching

[Compound2632]

Tolkien has been alluded to during the time it has taken to drive to Durham with No. 1 Son and back home without. For a while around the time he started at the King Edward VI Grammar School, Birmingham, he lived at 86 Westfield Road, Kings Heath, with the Midland Railway at the bottom of the garden. His Middle Earth arose out of the need to provide a back-story for his constructed languages; in later life he recalled that these first took their inspiration from his fascination with the Welsh colliery names on wagons at the bottom of his garden. 

 

Really there is no limit to the scope of the Midland Railway's influence - behold whole imaginary worlds arise!

 

I'm not that fond of the music of Herbert Howells. Here I fear the Midland may have had a more malign influence - Howells' Worcester home was close to the Midland Railway yards - the clanking and shrieking of shunted wagons could be heard day and night.

Edited April 27, 2019 by Compound2632

[phil_sutters]

30 minutes ago, Hroth said:

 

Just had a scroll through some of the other S&DJR images.

 

Going by the Ventilated 7 Ton Van No 1203, I get the impression that the railways had problems with graffiti "artists" tagging their vehicles even then! 

 

(  https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/image/77591-sdjr-4wheeled-7ton-ventilated-van-no-1203/ )

 

I don't know what the 'Burnham Box' was used for, but this looks like a chalked on identification for a particular service. What I don't get is which of the 'Burnham Box'  or 'Empty' notes was the most recent that had the current instruction. If it was a regular use for that van, why didn't they just paint it on, as with those 'Return to........' markings.

Edited April 27, 2019 by phil_sutters

[wagonman]

1 hour ago, RedGemAlchemist said:

Indeed. It just looks cute.

 

So do foxes... unless you're its dinner.

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, phil_sutters said:

This one doesn't seem very ferocious - https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/image/77601-sdjr-fox-walker-0-6-0-1874-no-1/

 

Glad to see your gallery back, Phil - with the images higher resolution than before? Certainly usefully bigger.

[Nearholmer]

Well, if you want some nearly-Midland Railway influence on music, here's an obscure fact: much famed 1930s dance band leader Henry Hall began his professional music career working for the LMS, leading dance bands at their hotels, and made it big time by getting the BBC to broadcast a concert from the opening night of a new LMS hotel.

 

More related to 1905 is this rather interesting little film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-zTxEg2rGs

 

Now, tell me, wasn't this made well before Chaplin developed his Little Tramp character, and isn't it possible that it influenced him?

 

[wagonman]

14 hours ago, phil_sutters said:

I don't know what the 'Burnham Box' was used for, but this looks like a chalked on identification for a particular service. What I don't get is which of the 'Burnham Box'  or 'Empty' notes was the most recent that had the current instruction. If it was a regular use for that van, why didn't they just paint it on, as with those 'Return to........' markings.

 

I would assume the Burnham Box would have been a Road Van working – the GWR called them Station Trucks – which ran on fixed routes at fixed times and dealt with 'smalls' traffic (and no, not just underwear, sigh). These workings were not usually painted on though.

 

 

Edited April 28, 2019 by wagonman
spilling

[Compound2632]

8 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

More related to 1905 is this rather interesting little film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-zTxEg2rGs

 

Now, tell me, wasn't this made well before Chaplin developed his Little Tramp character, and isn't it possible that it influenced him?

 

 

Should be compulsory viewing for mobile phone users...

 

Shades of Roger Rabbit too.

[Nearholmer]

Speaking as a man who fell over a kerb and crashed headlong into a set of iron railings outside the Grosvenor Hotel in London, due to reading text messages while crossing the road, I couldn't possibly comment.

[RedGemAlchemist]

23 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

More related to 1905 is this rather interesting little film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-zTxEg2rGs

 

Hmm. Didn't realise avant-garde filmmaking was that old.

[Nearholmer]

How about some top notch Edwardian Sci-Fi then? 

 

 

 

[RedGemAlchemist]

18 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

How about some top notch Edwardian Sci-Fi then? 

 

 

 

I've seen this before actually. It was the first film we watched during my duration as President of the Cinema Club at my high school, which I was between Year 10 and the end of Sixth Form.

Edited April 27, 2019 by RedGemAlchemist
Wrote 11 instead of 10 by accident

[phil_sutters]

1 hour ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Glad to see your gallery back, Phil - with the images higher resolution than before? Certainly usefully bigger.

I lost track of it for a while after the 'great leap forward', as I hadn't realized where to access it. So I don't know how long galleries, in general, were out of action - if indeed they were. I have done nothing to change them, so additional clarity, if that is evident, must be a consequence of the new format. I have yet to find out if one can add new photos or albums to my existing gallery. The new uploading arrangement seems different and, as I have only odds and sods to add, I haven't bothered to fathom it out.

[St Enodoc]

4 hours ago, Martin S-C said:

He had a point; Norsuff and Suffnor both sound b*****ks.

Folkfolk might work but don't say it in a hurry.

[Joseph_Pestell]

13 hours ago, Edwardian said:

 

Included in This List

 

1901:  0-6-0T Brighton Works/W Stroudley A1 of 1874 (No. 65), WNR No. 10 - Purchased from LB&SC

 

Sorry! Must pay more attention in future.

[Edwardian]

8 minutes ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

Sorry! Must pay more attention in future.

 

It's a long list!

[Edwardian]

Well, we have our first WNR 4-plank.

 

I cannot say that placing bolts was easy, all that successful or fun, and I've another 3 of these wagons to do, nut at least I've made a start.

 

When I acquire enough Slaters brakes, I may, as has been suggested, replace the Cambrian brakes. 

 

[RedGemAlchemist]

23 minutes ago, Edwardian said:

I cannot say that placing bolts was easy, all that successful or fun, and I've another 3 of these wagons to do, nut at least I've made a start.

Was the pun intentional or not?

[Caley Jim]

28 minutes ago, Edwardian said:

I cannot say that placing bolts was easy, all that successful or fun, and I've another 3 of these wagons to do, nut at least I've made a start.

Bolts look OK to me!  As to the nut, though..........   

 

Jim

[NeilHB]

That’s a very nice looking West Norfolk 4-plank James - a job well done. I’m guessing 9ft wheelbase and 15ft overall length with hints of a Gloucester Carriage and Wagon Company origin? 

 

I have a feeling there might be some through traffic from Castle Aching to Duddon Bridge/Elsbridge (Wharf) in the future (if that’s acceptable of course).

[Edwardian]

10 minutes ago, NeilHB said:

That’s a very nice looking West Norfolk 4-plank James - a job well done. I’m guessing 9ft wheelbase and 15ft overall length with hints of a Gloucester Carriage and Wagon Company origin? 

 

I have a feeling there might be some through traffic from Castle Aching to Duddon Bridge/Elsbridge (Wharf) in the future (if that’s acceptable of course).

 

Thank, Neil.

 

It uses a Cambrian Kits PO underframe, and these are all to Gloucester pattern. 

 

It is, indeed, a 15' wagon with a 9' wheelbase.

 

I have worked out some livery details. 

 

 

[Compound2632]

James has removed the most characteristically Gloucester feature from the Cambrian kit by altering the shape of the V-hanger. The Cambrian kit's Gloucester underframe has the later, square type of axlebox , characteristic of Gloucester-built wagons of the late 1890s - 1900s. The Slaters Gloucester PO wagon kits have the earlier, round-bottomed axleboxes, used in the late 80s - early 90s. If there's a stock of kits in hand, it might be worth mixing and matching, using the Slaters solebars to give a more antique look to the WNR 4-plank wagons. Cambrian top, Slaters bottom:

 

 

 

Plus every Slaters kit yields enough brakegear for two wagons - it is a much crisper, finer molding than the Cambrian effort and comes a good bit closer to the wheel treads!

[NeilHB]

Thanks James, that’s very useful info. I shall have to place an order with those helpful folks at Slaters for the requisite 7mm parts at some point.

[Compound2632]

Actually, I'm curious to know the provenance of the WNR's wagon stock, as it might shed light on the mystery of Eastern & Midlands / M&GN wagons. I'm imagining that in times of affluence, the West Norfolk may have bought wagons to its Engineer's specification but at other times, it may had to buy second-hand or hire from the wagon building trade?

[Edwardian]

4 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

Actually, I'm curious to know the provenance of the WNR's wagon stock, as it might shed light on the mystery of Eastern & Midlands / M&GN wagons. I'm imagining that in times of affluence, the West Norfolk may have bought wagons to its Engineer's specification but at other times, it may had to buy second-hand or hire from the wagon building trade?

 

The West Norfolk commenced building its own general merchandise wagons to standard designs in the 1880s.  These had evolved through 3 distinct phases by the mid-Edwardian period.  Before that, the WN had rather a jumble, some of which survive.

 

These are not supposed to be Gloucester products, and the rectangular oil boxes looked pretty generic to me (if I remember to sand off the Gloucester lettering!).

 

In summary:

 

(1) 1858-1883: A variety of types, 3-4 plank with rounded ends a common, but not universal, feature. None of the original wagons were included in the WNR's 1903 Diagram Book, though a number built from the late 1860s onward remain in service. Those that retained dumb-buffers are now confined to 'internal user'.  

 

(2) 1884-1892: Diagram 1, 4-plank, wooden u/f, 15' over head-stocks - This is what I have just completed; scratch-built sides and ends on a Cambrian Kits u/f

 

(3) 1893-1902: Diagram 2, 5-plank, wooden u/f, 15' over head-stocks - Straight build from Cambrian Kits C44 Gloucester 5-plank, save for the solebar modification and the diamond door bang plate 

 

(4) 1903 - to present; Diagram 3, 5-plank, steel u/f, 15' over head-stocks - Ditto body, but with steel u/f, once I've found a 9' wheelbase u/f to suit. 

[corneliuslundie]

Dumb buffers could have still been in use until almost the First World War. The Nantcwmdu Colliery Company has several, using Five & Nine kits, still running - just - in 1912.

jonathan

Edited April 28, 2019 by corneliuslundie