Castle Aching

[Regularity]

Still pre-grouping, although only by just over nine months!

[Hroth]

To compound matters, the GWR found that they might look impressive

 

 

but simple six coupled bogies were far more efficient...

 

 

[St Enodoc]

...because the sun always shines in Oz?

Ha ha - no, that was all long before I moved South.

[Marly51]

Martyn, thanks for dropping in and enquiring as to the state of play. Things have been at a total standstill for a while because I am so over-burdened with work, a situation that I hope will quieten down before the end of July.

 

I am very frustrated about this, but can do nothing about it. I should not be posting, but working now, in fact.

 

I trust you are making better progress with Upbech St Mary. Is there a topic on that yet, by the way, because if so, I've failed to spot it.

 

What a wonderful subject is Watchet, hitherto unregarded by me. I am still cruelly short of time to follow up all the fascinating content that has been appearing here.

 

There have been some great shots on the South Western, and here are two more.

 

This time the subject is colour perception in black and white photographs.

 

This looks like an Adams locomotive, but is a rebuild by him of a locomotive so dismal when introduced that it apparently cost WG Beattie his job. Despite this unpropitious start, one of this class seems alive and well and living on the duplicate list.

 

Now we can tell what colour this locomotive was, because the lining style shows it to be in Drummond livery. I have seen Drummond green interpreted variously (the M7 at York is in Drummond livery), but it is darker than the Adams "pea" green, yet still a relatively light, mid-green colour.

 

In the portrait shot, we get a sense of a light coloured locomotive. In the train shot, the livery appears much darker. Yet, these are plates of the same locomotive taken on the same day by the same photographer!

 

This really brought home to me the treachery of early black and white pictures when forming an impression of colour, yet, on the lighter picture, you can clearly see the difference in tone between the brown borders, black-edged white lining and the green, as each has a distinct tone in the picture. So why does it all go so dark in the other picture?

 

Edwardian - hope your workload does ease up? I was wondering, when we try and analyse colour from these old black and white/ sepia photographs, to what extent has exposure of light to the prints or negatives affected the subsequent contrast and confuse us further in colour analysis?

 

Marlyn

Edited July 2, 2018 by Marly51

[Nearholmer]

There was a reason why they used 18% grey for works photos ....... I’d suggest painting everything like that, then you’d be sure of 100% colour accuracy. Slightly constrains the range of protypes, though. Some did escape into traffic, notably on the Brighton.

[Regularity]

Peter Totman told me an amusing story about "red oxide", as applied to GWR wagons in the nineteenth century.

The idea was to try different brands and mixes of paints, and to photograph them onto black and white film, using filters to simulate different chemicals etc in use back in the day.

Turned out that the biggest impact was down to the lighting, and controlling for that, you can't really conclude much if anything from the tone/saturation on a monochrome print.

There was a reason why they used 18% grey for works photos ....... I’d suggest painting everything like that, then you’d be sure of 100% colour accuracy. Slightly constrains the range of protypes, though. Some did escape into traffic, notably on the Brighton.

 

Aha.

That's why the GER and SECR adopted grey during WWI - to help future railway modellers!

[Nearholmer]

I think the GSR in Ireland probably wins the dull-livery award: described as ‘unlined battleship grey’. Even if that meant proper ‘dark admiralty’, which is fairly blue, it would be dull, but I get the impression that it wasn’t even that interesting.

Edited July 2, 2018 by Nearholmer

[Edwardian]

Evidently, we need some colour.

 

Today was a Gala Day at Castle Aching, to welcome two very Important Personages.  They brought some very interesting stuff along to show me, and one of them joined the Gala. 

[Donw]

There was a reason why they used 18% grey for works photos ....... I’d suggest painting everything like that, then you’d be sure of 100% colour accuracy. Slightly constrains the range of protypes, though. Some did escape into traffic, notably on the Brighton.

 

The late Peter Korrison had one of his Brighton locos in Grey saying it was in service like that. Peter was usually quite accurate

 

Don

[Edwardian]

The late Peter Korrison had one of his Brighton locos in Grey saying it was in service like that. Peter was usually quite accurate

 

Don

 

Some H2s entered service in grey, some in red undercoat! One entered service in fully lined photographic grey, as, later, did a K Class

[Annie]

That is quite a magnificent line up of pre-grouping locomotives and coaches James.  

[RedGemAlchemist]

Seconded Annie. Hell of a lineup of locos there!

[Nearholmer]

Phenomenal. Whoever these mysterious VIPs were, they have good taste in toy trains.

 

But, the thing I really notice is that the track doesn't look c4ft gauge, it could easily be taken for scale gauge.

[Northroader]

Totally impressive line up, you’ll have to change the name to York.

 

(Ps Of course!!! It was folks from the NRM getting your approval of their next release)

Edited July 3, 2018 by Northroader

[corneliuslundie]

There is no definite evidence but my eyes suggest to me that the above line-ups (is there such a plural?) are 7 mm/ft?

Anyway, now up to speed having read two weeks of posts while the plumber tries to sort out our to say the least unusual plumbing.

Are all these posts about Watchet, Minehead, Portland etc intended to divert our host from his CA project/ If so I feel that you are being very unkind. If not, and they have been posted purely with the noble intention of educating the masses, then thank you. I must not be tempted myself. I have manged 8 minutes of modelling since returning to the UK (while the coffee brews). I really must find more time. After all I do not even have the excuse of work to go to.

Back to those posters, I feel that in fact the gentleman wearing a suit and sitting in the deckchair is the only one who has listened to read the weather forecast. The others in the scene are surely dressed for the Algarve rather than the Fylde coast? Except that the Algarve has not yet been invented.

Regarding re-enactions, I used to enjoy, and indeed in a small way take part in, the Victorian re-enactions at Llandrindod Wells, now sadly a shadow of their former selves. But they of course were not linked to Briitain's aggressive Imperialist past (or future?), but to the town's history as an upper class resort. Much more genteel.

And rather belatedly, I am very happy to hear of the resolution of Edwardian's long running problems with access to the former home. I too hope it sells quickly.

Jonathan

[RedGemAlchemist]

Totally impressive line up, you’ll have to change the name to York.

 

(Ps Of course!!! It was folks from the NRM getting your approval of their next release)

What? A box set of every locomotive in their collection?

[Edwardian]

But, the thing I really notice is that the track doesn't look c4ft gauge, it could easily be taken for scale gauge.

 

There is no definite evidence but my eyes suggest to me that the above line-ups (is there such a plural?) are 7 mm/ft?

 

 

That is good to hear.

 

 

Totally impressive line up, you’ll have to change the name to York.

 

 

 

The combination of NE, GN and GE motive power, with an LNW presence, did suggest this to me!

 

 

(Ps Of course!!! It was folks from the NRM getting your approval of their next release)

 

You may think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

Edited July 3, 2018 by Edwardian

[Compound2632]

Evidently, we need some colour.

 

Today was a Gala Day at Castle Aching, to welcome two very Important Personages.  They brought some very interesting stuff along to show me, and one of them joined the Gala. 

 

Getting to look like Epsom Downs on Derby Day.

[Donw]

Partly my fault too as the mention of the Broad Gauge, Watchet and the B&ER all in the same sentence tends to make me go all quivery.

 

The Chris Saunders book turned up today from Lightmoor Press. It has some really good pictures in it of Watchet in Broad Gauge days in fact I must advise you it could pose a serious health risk.

 

I must pass on my complements to Ian.

 

Don

[wagonman]

The Chris Saunders book turned up today from Lightmoor Press. It has some really good pictures in it of Watchet in Broad Gauge days in fact I must advise you it could pose a serious health risk.

 

I must pass on my complements to Ian.

 

Don

 

 

Is that a new edition? Your mention of it jogged my memory – my copy (which I had forgotten about) is dated 2016. It's a wonderful collection of photos.

 

 

 

Richard

[TheQ]

Is that a new edition? Your mention of it jogged my memory – my copy (which I had forgotten about) is dated 2016. It's a wonderful collection of photos.

 

 

 

Richard

I notice the mid Norfolk Railway is accomodating carriages for another larger railway railway nearby, Could perhaps Castle Aching line bid for some of this business?

[sem34090]

Goodness me James - I am as jealous as ever!
 

I notice two further LBSCR specimens have appeared also, and as these are Stroudley designs I am now insanely jealous and will only accept payment for future in the form of both!!!!!! (Joking... Ok... just to clarify that I am not. at. all. jealous. not. in. the. slightest...)

 

I am very glad, and very intrigued to see that my humble CAD for 'Derwent' was on display to your esteemed visitors...

[Northroader]

“Colour” ‘e sez. So here’s five “greens” and a red, plus Routier du Nord kindly throwing in a different green, a black (though with nice red lining out and some brass), and artillery grey, which he insists is a colour.

 

[RedGemAlchemist]

“Colour” ‘e sez. So here’s five “greens” and a red, plus Routier du Nord kindly throwing in a different green, a black (though with nice red lining out and some brass), and artillery grey, which he insists is a colour.

 

F40230A3-30C5-4CE4-9E3F-5A5361D1DB4F.jpeg

Hmm, that's a lot of nice tank engines...

[Northroader]

Well, tank engines are simpler, quicker and cheaper to make, and fit in better on a little line, although I do have some tender types, just restricted to 3 axle types because of the traverser.