Castle Aching

[Northroader]

I came across a quaint term the other day, a “Cyprian”. Maybe there’s a few of those in the convertible bunks.

[Edwardian]

If that's so, ole' George look a bit glum about it - world-weariness I expect.

 

I think in fact the other fellow is the other George, Westinghouse, and they're mutually grumbling about their dealings with the perfidious Midland Railway of England - "they darn gone an used mi' air for that there sanding system o' their's". (Apologies for the dreadful attempt at a southern drawl - what does a Pittsburgh accent look like written down?)

 

Don't get me started on Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh is a place that its inhabitants cannot pronounce properly.  Clearly, as it was named after a British Prime Minster by a Scottish soldier, it should be pronounced the same way as Edinburgh. 

 

 

I came across a quaint term the other day, a “Cyprian”. Maybe there’s a few of those in the convertible bunks.

 

From what I have read of the Orient Express, certainly.  The Pullman sleepers were initially condemned as immoral by some British commentators, I believe.

Edited October 26, 2018 by Edwardian

[Compound2632]

I came across a quaint term the other day, a “Cyprian”. Maybe there’s a few of those in the convertible bunks.

 

I know exactly what you mean and I blame Mrs Compound for passing me her Georgette Heyers for light reading.

 

Cyprus was where Venus / Aphrodite washed up on her seashell, according to some versions of the myth.

 

Do not confuse cyprians with Cypriots, or, indeed, with St Cyprian or the various Greek and Russian clerics named for him.

[Compound2632]

The Pullman sleepers were initially condemned as immoral by some British commentators, I believe.

 

Bally immoral -> Balmoral?

[Talltim]

This video of the Westinghouse works in 1904 is one of my inspirations for my last great project

[Edwardian]

This video of the Westinghouse works in 1904 is one of my inspirations for my last great project

 

Fascinating film.

 

Basis for a great project indeed.  Tell us more! 

[RedGemAlchemist]

This video of the Westinghouse works in 1904 is one of my inspirations for my last great project

https://youtu.be/vI1Htf-1m5A

Very impressive, especially considering how old the footage is. Definitely plenty of inspiration there. Edited October 27, 2018 by RedGemAlchemist

[Edwardian]

Inspired by some of Sem's cross musical styles postings, particularly the brass band version of 'Orange Juice', I thought about what might have happened had a well-known Italian opera composer heard someone sing a well-known Yorkshire song.

 

Well, Eric Fenby thought he knew ...

 

 

Whatever next?

 

T' Barber of Dewsbury?

[sem34090]

Different, but I like it!

However, being of a brass band persuasion (I was introduced to the piece you mention because of a certain film) I prefer the more traditional version! Here we have the Midland Railway version, at the end:

[sem34090]

Oh dear... that clip set me thinking...

 

Down to mighty Brighton

Came a Westerner one day.

As the streets are paved with gold

Sure, everyone was gay,

Singing songs of Stroudley,

Marsh and Craven too,

Till Westie got excited,

Then he shouted to them there:

 

Chorus

It's a long way to drive a prairie,

It's a long way to go.

It's a long way to drive a prairie,

To the sweetest girl I know!

Goodbye, Swindon A Shop,

Farewell, Paddington!

It's a long long way to drive a prairie,

But my heart's right there.

 

Westie wrote a letter

To his Swindon Mogul,

Saying, "Should you not receive it,

Write and let me know!"

"If I make mistakes in spelling,

Mogul, dear," said he,

"Remember, it's the pen that's bad,

Don't lay the blame on me!"

 

Chorus

It's a long way to drive a prairie,

It's a long way to go.

It's a long way to drive a prairie,

To the sweetest girl I know!

Goodbye, Swindon A Shop,

Farewell, Paddington!

It's a long long way to drive a prairie,

But my heart's right there.

Edited October 27, 2018 by sem34090

[Hroth]

Inspired by some of Sem's cross musical styles postings, particularly the brass band version of 'Orange Juice', I thought about what might have happened had a well-known Italian opera composer heard someone sing a well-known Yorkshire song.

 

Well, Eric Fenby thought he knew ...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZkeciSdLuU

 

Whatever next?

 

T' Barber of Dewsbury?

Most odd!

 

But a serendipitous offering popped up in the r/h clip list, of the Leek and Manifold Railway.  Enjoy!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWZbZGGnE6E

[sem34090]

Delightful!

[Edwardian]

Stephen Middleton has some Great Eastern coaches - so quite close to topic (!).

 

One is a Inspection Saloon, purpose-built as such, and air-braked throughout its life (the LNER used it as the Woodhead Tunnel inspection vehicle, but it was apparently always attached to a brake-van).

 

I wonder if it was ever used by the GER to inspect the Bishop's Lynn Tramway?

 

It yielded some interesting details.  In style it is just like revenue earning stock.  The body is typical, though I have not seen door vents like that before.

 

I noted the characteristic GE grab handles and the use of 'J' Hangers on the centre springs only.  

[sem34090]

Lovely, but do you worry, sir, that it is dangerously on topic?

Edited October 27, 2018 by sem34090

[Edwardian]

Stephen Middleton has some Great Eastern coaches - so quite close to topic (!).

 

One is a Inspection Saloon, purpose-built as such, and air-braked throughout its life (the LNER used it as the Woodhead Tunnel inspection vehicle, but it was apparently always attached to a brake-van).

 

I wonder if it was ever used by the GER to inspect the Bishop's Lynn Tramway?

 

It yielded some interesting details.  In style it is just like revenue earning stock.  The body is typical, though I have not seen door vents like that before.

 

I noted the characteristic GE grab handles and the use of 'J' Hangers on the centre springs only.  

 

Postscript:

 

Apropos the use of Ratio Midland suburbans to convert to GER 6-wheel coaches, note the depth of the waist panels, particularly in comparison to the L&Y coach to the left and the GNoSR coach to the right.

 

This is also evident on the 'Royal' Third Class family saloon (other picture), which we'll come to presently.

[Northroader]

The main problem to me is that the lower corners of the window panels are all square. I think that looks more obvious than the waist panel width?

[Compound2632]

On Midland 6-wheeled carriages, J hangers to the centre axle springs but link hangers to the outer axle springs indicate a vehicle originally built as a 4-wheeler but converted to 6 wheels. Carriages built with 6 wheels had short J-hangers for the outer axles but long ones like these for the centre axle - the extra link gives more flexibility for side-to-side movement. But of course the question is again: id that the underframe this carriage was built with? EDIT: Looking at the website, I see this carriage was "stretched and put on a new underframe ... in 1897" - so possibly the original running gear was kept for the outer axles. From the subsequent history as described, it passed into preservation as a rolling vehicle, so the underframe is presumably authentic.

 

Are the metal ventilator hoods a later replacement for the wooden louvered hoods?

[Compound2632]

The main problem to me is that the lower corners of the window panels are all square. I think that looks more obvious than the waist panel width?

 

That might be fixable with a bit of fine chiselling. However, the radiused corners look to be to a smaller radius than the Ratio suburbans. Bain panelling for Bain carriages - Midland and North Eastern...

Edited October 27, 2018 by Compound2632

[Edwardian]

The main problem to me is that the lower corners of the window panels are all square. I think that looks more obvious than the waist panel width?

 

I agree.  You either have this style, built in the 1880s and up to the mid-'90s, in which case you have two problems with the vertical panels; the square lower corners and the larger radius upper corners. 

 

Or, which is what I was contemplating, you go for the late 1890s style, where all 4 panel corners have a small radius curve.  The problem you have here is that all 4 corners of the windows are now square.  I reckoned squaring off the windows might prove the lesser of two evils!

 

Alternatively, for the later style coaches you can rub your coppers together and hope Danny Pinnock does a re-run.

 

 

On Midland 6-wheeled carriages, J hangers to the centre axle springs but link hangers to the outer axle springs indicate a vehicle originally built as a 4-wheeler but converted to 6 wheels. Carriages built with 6 wheels had short J-hangers for the outer axles but long ones like these for the centre axle - the extra link gives more flexibility for side-to-side movement. But of course the question is again: id that the underframe this carriage was built with? EDIT: Looking at the website, I see this carriage was "stretched and put on a new underframe ... in 1897" - so possibly the original running gear was kept for the outer axles. From the subsequent history as described, it passed into preservation as a rolling vehicle, so the underframe is presumably authentic.

 

 

 

Interesting, but the GER did build them like that!

 

Both the styles of 6-wheelers I mention at the top of this post were built that way - and Guy Rixon does the springs and axleboxes in 3D print in sets of 6.  There was a later (IIRC 1910) NPC that was built with 'J' Hangers on all springs.  Guy does a set for these, too! 

 

 

 

Are the metal ventilator hoods a later replacement for the wooden louvered hoods?

 

That would be my guess. 

 

 

the radiused corners look to be to a smaller radius than the Ratio suburbans. Bain panelling for Bain carriages - Midland and North Eastern...

 

A point to check, certainly.

[Edwardian]

Well, I have self-diagnosed the onset of another bout of Black Dog - the anger is building and will soon turn to .... - so off I go to wrestle with that.

 

Don't worry, I always bounce back; it's my most irritating feature.

[Compound2632]

Change in the weather? Finescale Police being touchy about panelling? End of school half term...

[Hroth]

Well, I have self-diagnosed the onset of another bout of Black Dog - the anger is building and will soon turn to .... - so off I go to wrestle with that.

 

Don't worry, I always bounce back; it's my most irritating feature.

Sorry to hear that.

What can we tempt the Hound away with?  A spam can, some hide window straps?

 

Best wishes!

[Northroader]

You can have fun with a dog:

[Nearholmer]

If I was that dog, all i’d be interested in was the breaking strain of string.

[Edwardian]

Sorry, chaps.

 

And thanks.

 

No, it's just the pressures of life. 

 

The finescale police are quite correct (well, that's the point of them really, isn't it?) and I know that the Ratio sides are not a perfect match.  My point was simply that, in respect of arguably the most noticeable and hard to alter area, the unusually broad waist panel, the GE conversion is probably fine.  But, no, I don't mind the comments at all.

 

When the pressure builds up, I find myself becoming tendentious (poor Sem, why the Hell I should tell him what wagons to buy or not to buy - sorry old chap - and I corrected Stubby's spelling earlier today, honestly!), but I am getting better at spotting the signs and the thing to do then is step away.

 

I am of a generation that shies away from naming a thing lest it somehow becomes more real.  Besides, the Fuzz will use any excuse to stop a chap getting a shot gun licence these days, which is a treat I have promised myself once the house sells. Truth is I am neither a danger to myself nor to others, and I fear that, until I get some practice in, I won't be a very great danger to clays either (though I'll frighten a few).   

Edited October 27, 2018 by Edwardian