South Wales Valleys in the 50s

[The Johnster]

Couple of impulse buys from Lord and Butler yesterday; a Baccy PMV in late Southern Railway livery with white wall tyres (it won't be like that for long!) and a 'Scenix' gentleman's convenience.  The PMV must, obviously, be even dirtier than my filthy crimson one, so I'm really going to go to town on the weathering on this one, and the new loo might mean some re-arrangement of the platform.  It's a 3 staller, probably overkill for Cwmdimbath but the place gets quite busy for the workmen's trains and the regulars on the last up from Bridgend will appreciated it!  

 

It is almost obligatory for me to put a sheep in there, blocking the entrance...

[chesterfield]

I've just wrapped up the first working day of a new timetable designed to allow non auto fitted locos to deputise for 5555, my only auto fitted loco which has to be taken out of service every 10 working days for her boiler washout, for 2 working days. as do all my locos.  it's worked well enough, and involves a slightly different sequence in the morning and evening rush hours.  The first train up is no longer the miner's workman's, but an ordinary passenger from Bridgend, loco hauled with a B set.  The stock is stabled over on the Remploy Estate siding pending it's use on the ROF workman's at 08.20, and the loco sits on the stub road if there is no room for it in Remploy's.  This is followed by the miner's workman's, which no longer returns as empty stock as a new order for the colliery means that there is now a night shift to take home!.  The first coal empties follows, then the first auto which actually starts from Tondu, I've decided, then the ROF runs around and departs.

 

This marks the end of the morning rush and the signalman can have his breakfast in peace.  Then we settle into the morning's freight work, the first colliery clearance, and the occasional auto.  This is repeated in the evening rush, with the ROF getting in at 17.55 and being balanced by an extra loco hauled Bridgend about an hour and a half later, the stock and loco being stabled as before.  This means the box is now open until 20.00, after which the signals are left off for one engine in steam running with the auto, but of course if 5555 is unavailable, overtime is required in the signal box. 

 

Such are the vicissitudes of running a Valleys branch when the shed doesn't have enough auto fitted locos.  If Abergwynfi photos are anything to go by, this was not an unusual state of affairs at Tondu, the Area Loco office fighting a constant battle for more locos while S & T justify the overtime.  Autos are very convenient and an efficient use of resources, but a timetable that depends on them is vulnerable to disruption...  

 

I like this imaginary world of managerial problems for me to solve; it makes the operating more fun and gives an extra layer of psychological realism, if that makes sense!

Perhaps you might post your current timetable for all to se

[The Johnster]

It's based on the real 1960 WTT for Abergwynfi with the addition of a miner's workman's, pickup, and trading estate siding clearance.  I run it as a real time/sequence hybrid, with the quiet periods between trains condensed.  Passenger trains take 10 minutes to clear the section, freight and mineral 15, and this time is extended as required as the colliery is accessed by a ground frame off stage and there are sidings at the junction for a sawmill and cold store which require the section to be 'blocked back' while they are shunted.  In it's current form, which is not set in stone:-

 

05.40: Ordinary Passenger (loco hauled) ex Bridgend arrives, booked to carry newspaper traffic and mails.  Signal box opens. Stock stabled in trading estate siding, loco on 'stub' road if no room with stock.

 

05.55: Miner's workman's ex Tondu ('shortie' clerestories).  Runs around 

 

06.10: Miner's departs

 

06.40: Coal empties, duty U23 ex Tondu.  Loco runs around and departs for colliery 06,45, still within station limits so no token needed and brake van leading.

 

07.05: Ordinary Passenger (auto) ex Bridgend

 

07.15:                "                          to Bridgend

 

07.20: Loco removes stock from estate siding and runs around to form ROF workman's (the real train ran from Abergwynfi to the ordnance factory at Tremains, Bridgend)

 

07.50: U23 arrives from colliery

 

08.05: ROF workman's departs to Tremains.

 

U23 runs around and shunts brake van

 

08.25: Ord. Pass (auto) ex Bridgend

 

08,30: U23 departs to Tondu

 

08.55: Estate siding clearance ex Bridgend including NPCCS, runs as class C.

 

09.00: Ord. Pass (auto) to Bridgend

 

09.05 - 09.55 Estate clearance shunts.

 

10.00: Pickup ex Tondu

 

10.05; Estate clearance to Bridgend

 

10;06 - 11.30 Pickup shunts, including as required 'trip' to colliery (pitprops etc)

 

11.35; Ord. Pass (auto) as above.

 

11.40: Pickup departs to Tondu

 

12;10: U23 coal empties as above

 

12:15: Ord. Pass (Auto) to Bridgend.

 

12.20: U23 to colliery

 

12.35: Ord Pass (ROF workman's) ex Tremains.

 

Runs around

 

12.50: U23 ex colliery

 

13.15: ROF to Tremains

 

U23 runs around and shunts van

 

13.40: U25 ex Tondu coal empties (an empty and a loaded coal train cross at Cwmdimbath at this time).

 

13.45: U23 departs with loaded to Tondu,

 

U25 runs around.

 

14.10: Ord Pass (auto) ex Bridgend.

 

14.15: U25 departs to colliery with empties

 

14.25: Ord Pass (auto) to Bridgend.

 

14.45: Ord Pass (auto) ex Porthcawl (different stock).  Usually non auto loco and needs to run around.

 

15.00: Pickup ex Tondu. As required by Control.

 

15.10: Ord Pass (auto) to Porthcawl.

 

PIckup shunts.

 

15.40: U25 with loaded ex colliery.

 

15:45; Pickup departs to Tondu

 

U25 runs around and shunts brake van.

 

16.05: Ord Pass (auto) ex Bridgend.

 

16.10: U25 departs to Tondu.

 

16.55: Ord Pass (auto) to Bridgend.

 

17. 20: U25 arr ex Tondu.

 

Runs around.

 

17. 35: Ord Pass ex ROF Tremains.  

 

Shunts to estate siding and loco to 'stub' as per morning working.

 

17.45: U25 to colliery

 

18.05: Miner's workman's ex Tondu.

 

Runs around.

 

18.15 Miner's workman's to Tondu.

 

Loco and stock from ROF form train and run around.

 

18.30: Estate siding clearance ex Bridgend.

 

18.35 Ord Pass to Bridgend (ROF loco and stock).

 

Estate clearance shunts.

 

18.55: U25 with loaded ex colliery, final clearance of day.

 

19.00: Estate clearance to Bridgend.

 

U25 runs around and shunts brake van.

 

19.20: Ord Pass (auto) ex Bridgend.

 

19.25: U25 to Tondu.

 

19.35: Ord pass (auto) to Bridgend.

 

23.55: Ord pass (auto) ex Bridgend.

 

23.59; ecs (auto) to Tondu.

 

The signal box opens at 05.40 and closes at 19.45, after which the branch works one engine in steam, unless overtime is authorised for a pigeon special or running around with a non auto fitted loco.  This can lead to staffing issues as signalmen are required to have at least 12 hours rest between duties.  The station is staffed for passenger and goods work between 05.40 and 19.00, but general merchandise for collection or mileage is required to be cleared by 18.00 from the goods depot.  Deliveries do not take place after 17.00.

 

A shunter is on duty between 05.40 and 18.30.

 

Staff are a signalman, booking clerk, goods clerk, 2 porters and the shunter, overseen by a leading railman who acts as foreman.  Stationmaster Tondu is responsible for the station's management.  

[The Johnster]

A real timetabler could probably poke more holes in it than Bonnie and Clyde after the shootout, but it does for me.  Having a proper structure to the operation gives it a sense of purpose and discipline, and when you have to finish the shunting in order to leave room for the loco of the next passenger to run around, you have to think about how you are going to put what where much like a real railwayman has to.  A timetable is a framework to work to, not an exact blueprint, and does not restrict what you can do, it actually frees it up.

 

As you might realise from my manning arrangements and opening times, the timetable is part of a larger thing, much of which only exists in my febrile but sometimes fertile imagination.  My attitude is that Cwmdimbath is not a model railway, but a real one serving a real imaginary coal mining village in a real and actual, not imaginary, location, but at 1/76ths of the usual size and in the 1950s.  It is operated by real imaginary people, and used by real imaginary colliery, local businesses, tradesmen, farmers, and a regular travelling clientele who have to be taken to work, the shops in Bridgend or Cardiff, or the seaside at Porthcawl.  They have real imaginary lives inside my head, and I probably need to get out more...

 

This extends to another recently successfully introduced aspect of operation, boiler washouts, which force the use of different locomotives on different duties in a fairly realistic way, and allow time for minor maintenance and cleaning to be done.  As I write, 5555 and 9681 are approaching the end of their washouts and their boilers are about to be hydraulically tested by Tondu's boilersmith.  They'll be back in service for tomorrow's timetable, much to the signalman's relief as he will have less running round work to do with an auto fitted loco at work.  The boys on the pickup'll be pleased as well, as they've had 2761 for 2 days and are tired of the rough running and big end knock, though she's steamed ok.  It's cold in that half cab running bunker first back down the valley.  

[tomparryharry]

Your Carriage & wagon boys are next in line.

[The Johnster]

C & W man on duty 9 to 5, dividing time between Cwmdimbath and colliery. Ian.  Shunter is responsible for wagon number checking and informing Control, also outgoing labels. but not for colliery traffic; colliery weighbridge does that.  Stationmaster Tondu is theoretically in charge of organising pigeon specials, but in practice he relies on the leading railman on site to organise stock and locomotives; he has other things to worry about...

 

C & W have a lock up in the goods yard next to the shunter's cabin (it's just been put there after the provision of the Gents facilities on the platform).  Lamp huts are provided in the goods yard and on the platform next to the signalbox, but are the remit of traffic and S & T respectively.

 

It all looks a bit haphazard but it in fact the result of nearly 80 years of refining the operation; everything has a purpose and a reason to be there.  Most real stations developed very much like this.

 

The basic problem at Cwmdimbath is that the signalbox, positioned in the days of Tyer's block instruments but now using electric train tokens, is not in the best position for that sort of operation, and would be must better placed at the station throat, but nobody is prepared to authorise the expense of moving it and the staff make it work anyway; again, this was not an uncommon situation!  

 

(The real reason the signalbox is so badly positioned is that it was on the platform at Abergwynfi, which has a very profound influence on Cwmdimbath).

[chesterfield]

It's based on the real 1960 WTT for Abergwynfi with the addition of a miner's workman's, pickup, and trading estate siding clearance.  I run it as a real time/sequence hybrid, with the quiet periods between trains condensed.  Passenger trains take 10 minutes to clear the section, freight and mineral 15, and this time is extended as required as the colliery is accessed by a ground frame off stage and there are sidings at the junction for a sawmill and cold store which require the section to be 'blocked back' while they are shunted.  In it's current form, which is not set in stone:-

 

05.40: Ordinary Passenger (loco hauled) ex Bridgend arrives, booked to carry newspaper traffic and mails.  Signal box opens. Stock stabled in trading estate siding, loco on 'stub' road if no room with stock.

 

05.55: Miner's workman's ex Tondu ('shortie' clerestories).  Runs around 

 

06.10: Miner's departs

 

06.40: Coal empties, duty U23 ex Tondu.  Loco runs around and departs for colliery 06,45, still within station limits so no token needed and brake van leading.

 

07.05: Ordinary Passenger (auto) ex Bridgend

 

07.15:                "                          to Bridgend

 

07.20: Loco removes stock from estate siding and runs around to form ROF workman's (the real train ran from Abergwynfi to the ordnance factory at Tremains, Bridgend)

 

07.50: U23 arrives from colliery

 

08.05: ROF workman's departs to Tremains.

 

U23 runs around and shunts brake van

 

08.25: Ord. Pass (auto) ex Bridgend

 

08,30: U23 departs to Tondu

 

08.55: Estate siding clearance ex Bridgend including NPCCS, runs as class C.

 

09.00: Ord. Pass (auto) to Bridgend

 

09.05 - 09.55 Estate clearance shunts.

 

10.00: Pickup ex Tondu

 

10.05; Estate clearance to Bridgend

 

10;06 - 11.30 Pickup shunts, including as required 'trip' to colliery (pitprops etc)

 

11.35; Ord. Pass (auto) as above.

 

11.40: Pickup departs to Tondu

 

12;10: U23 coal empties as above

 

12:15: Ord. Pass (Auto) to Bridgend.

 

12.20: U23 to colliery

 

12.35: Ord Pass (ROF workman's) ex Tremains.

 

Runs around

 

12.50: U23 ex colliery

 

13.15: ROF to Tremains

 

U23 runs around and shunts van

 

13.40: U25 ex Tondu coal empties (an empty and a loaded coal train cross at Cwmdimbath at this time).

 

13.45: U23 departs with loaded to Tondu,

 

U25 runs around.

 

14.10: Ord Pass (auto) ex Bridgend.

 

14.15: U25 departs to colliery with empties

 

14.25: Ord Pass (auto) to Bridgend.

 

14.45: Ord Pass (auto) ex Porthcawl (different stock).  Usually non auto loco and needs to run around.

 

15.00: Pickup ex Tondu. As required by Control.

 

15.10: Ord Pass (auto) to Porthcawl.

 

PIckup shunts.

 

15.40: U25 with loaded ex colliery.

 

15:45; Pickup departs to Tondu

 

U25 runs around and shunts brake van.

 

16.05: Ord Pass (auto) ex Bridgend.

 

16.10: U25 departs to Tondu.

 

16.55: Ord Pass (auto) to Bridgend.

 

17. 20: U25 arr ex Tondu.

 

Runs around.

 

17. 35: Ord Pass ex ROF Tremains.  

 

Shunts to estate siding and loco to 'stub' as per morning working.

 

17.45: U25 to colliery

 

18.05: Miner's workman's ex Tondu.

 

Runs around.

 

18.15 Miner's workman's to Tondu.

 

Loco and stock from ROF form train and run around.

 

18.30: Estate siding clearance ex Bridgend.

 

18.35 Ord Pass to Bridgend (ROF loco and stock).

 

Estate clearance shunts.

 

18.55: U25 with loaded ex colliery, final clearance of day.

 

19.00: Estate clearance to Bridgend.

 

U25 runs around and shunts brake van.

 

19.20: Ord Pass (auto) ex Bridgend.

 

19.25: U25 to Tondu.

 

19.35: Ord pass (auto) to Bridgend.

 

23.55: Ord pass (auto) ex Bridgend.

 

23.59; ecs (auto) to Tondu.

 

The signal box opens at 05.40 and closes at 19.45, after which the branch works one engine in steam, unless overtime is authorised for a pigeon special or running around with a non auto fitted loco.  This can lead to staffing issues as signalmen are required to have at least 12 hours rest between duties.  The station is staffed for passenger and goods work between 05.40 and 19.00, but general merchandise for collection or mileage is required to be cleared by 18.00 from the goods depot.  Deliveries do not take place after 17.00.

 

A shunter is on duty between 05.40 and 18.30.

 

Staff are a signalman, booking clerk, goods clerk, 2 porters and the shunter, overseen by a leading railman who acts as foreman.  Stationmaster Tondu is responsible for the station's management.  

Thank you for that. I am sorry I have not replied sooner , however some silly person ( politically correct to say " person" downunder)managed to cut a main internet cable mid morning Friday and it was not repaired  until early Sunday with a somewhat depleted service available even then.

Now I begin to appreciate what you are doing.

[chesterfield]

Thank you for that. I am sorry I have not replied sooner , however some silly person ( politically correct to say " person" downunder)managed to cut a main internet cable mid morning Friday and it was not repaired  until early Sunday with a somewhat depleted service available even then.

Now I begin to appreciate what you are doing.

PS just found the discussion on tail lamps so will have to follow that as well

Cheers

[The Johnster]

No worries, Chesterfield! I cannot claim that this timetable would have worked in any reality that included a branch line to Cwmdimbath. as train would have also had to fit in with the single line traffic on the Gilfach Goch branch that it would have made a junction with, not to mention the further paths that have to be found at Blackmill and Tondu, which I have not considered as I am responsible for the interior decoration of my flat and don't want my head exploding all over it...

 

Timetabling is not like other railway disciplines, which depend on engineering, mathematics, and the rational laws of physics, carried out by chaps in glasses and white coats with clipboards and serious expressions.  Timetabling takes place in eldritch gothic crypts, to the accompaniment of chanting and ritual, with black candles and the background screaming of the sacrificial victims (at least you hope that's what's making the noise, not some ghastly apparition summoned from the nethermost pits), by sinister hooded figures whose faces you cannot see, and don't really want to, because once seen, they can't be unseen.  

[The Johnster]

Time for some photos as promised.

 

First two show 5555 on an auto from Bridgend at the stops, but feature the new gentlemen's convenience conveniently located on the platform, and the various stove pipes from the station building.  There are 3 rooms here, an office which double as a staff mess, waiting room, and ladies waiting room which of course includes their facilities.  The tickets are issued, and collected from the little hut, originally a fogman's hut, by the gate.  The fuel oil tank has been left on the goods siding by the loco that cleared the Remploy estate siding last night; it had delivered to a small factory there but needs to be picked up, um, by the, er. pickup, later this morning.

 

The 3rd has the new small prairie, 4557, arriving in the loop with the pick up it is rostered to today, with an out of focus 9681 in the platform road with an incorrect bow ended B set for the ROF workman's.  The photo cruelly shows up the need for touching up 4557's old number plate, which is showing behind it's shiny new Modelmaster Jackson Evans brass offering.  It doesn't have a crew yet, and I want more sheep so some retail therapy is due!

 

More to come when I dig the tripod out; these are done with the proper camera not the iPhone and I want to play around a bit.  

Edited December 19, 2018 by The Johnster

[The Johnster]

Sum moor foe toes wot i tuk.

 

4557 sets back through the engine release on to the loop in a running around move that will place it at the head of it's pickup working ready to return to Tondu/

 

Coupled to the train, it sets the stock back so that the water column can be accessed; the shunting has depleted the tanks a little and the driver want's to take no chances.  The lamp is correctly placed for the working, and we are ready for the off once the branch is cleared.  It is currently occupied by the approaching class C Remploy Trading Estate clearance, NPCCS.

 

And for the third shot, the parcels runs in to the loop behind 6642, and it is the lamp that is wonky not the bracket!  The lamps are BR standard and should be GW/WR.  The loco is caught just about to draw level with 4557, and out of sight the fireman is dropping off the cab steps on the other side to deliver the electric train token to the signalbox to clear the block.

 

I think a bit of telephoto suits a front ¾ of a 56xx, emphasising the powerful purposeful look of these engines.  They always made me think of terriers straining at the leash, head down a*se up, working hard on the coal empties that I saw as a child going up the Rhymney main line from the lane on Monthermer Road bridge.  Empties were always in demand and in a hurry!

 

The photos have loaded in reverse order, and this is because time stands still and sometimes goes backwards at Cwmdimbath...

[The Johnster]

Still pouring with rain, but our intrepid photographer has forsaken his pie and pint in the non-political for a study of what was once a MOY private owner 7 planker with coke rails.  The wagon has not been considered worthy of a full repaint, and the BR XPO number has simply been applied on top of the filth.  This Bachmann wagon is one of my favourites, 'double weathered' with a factory finish and my own dark coal dust weathering on top.  It oozes character, as well as slurry and rotten wood when it's raining...

 

Later, with our shutterbug locked in to an afternoon session in the club, a photographically trained buzzard gets a shot of 5633 nosing it's way into focus with U25's second trip of the day up the valley with the empties, running on to the loop and passing 5756 with the 'as required' afternoon pickup, required today.  Not bad shot for a bird...  

 

Luckily the photographer arrived by train and his liquid lunch will have no effect on his getting home so long as he doesn't wake up in the carriage sidings at Tondu...

 

Sheep intrude where they shouldn't be in both photos; this is the valleys after all!

[Nick Gough]

I hope that buzzard doesn't fly too close to Gatwick!

Edited December 23, 2018 by Nick Gough

[The Johnster]

As it's crimbeve, season's wossnims to you all and many thanks for the encouragement and support this thread has attracted.  Your interest in the railway life of this small Valleys 1950s outpost of civilisation as we know it is very validating and important to me.  

[The Johnster]

Phase 2 has officially begun; I have sent an order off to Wizard for a Comet C65/C75 all-third flat end non-gangwayed, the beginning of my 'upgrade the coaching stock to decent standards' programme.  Plan is to cheat a bit with it and finish one side numbered as an intermediate auto trailer under the authority of Rule 1.  it will initially run as a strengthener to the B set or an auto trailer (some were converted to run with the A44 trailers in 1954, but could and did run with any type of GW trailer) depending on which way around it is, but will eventually have friends in the form of a brake composite, possibly bowended, and an A44 'cyclops' driving trailer. Next job will to be to replace the old Airfix B set with a Comet flat ended D117 set, correct for Tondu in my period.  Liveries will be plain crimson for all of them; the Airfix B set will be retained as a Rule 1 spare and possibly done in 1942-5 austerity brown.

 

This is quite a bit of work and outlay for the likes of me, and I intend to proceed one-by-one to spread the cost over time and maintain the interest (the thought of doing all those door handles at once is too much for me!), so it could take some time before the 'project' is completed, and I've promised myself a Hornby Southern Van B as well, which will come in at about the same price as one of these kits!  If the Baccy 94xx turns up in the middle of all this, the financial cat will be certainly loose among the financial pigeons, and the squeeze'll have to wait for her next new frock...

 

Watch this space for occasional updates.  I have built Comet coach kits before, so I know they are within my capabilities, but it was a long time ago and there will be a relearning curve!

Edited December 25, 2018 by The Johnster

[The Johnster]

Looking holistically at the stock, passenger provision is by far the weakest link.  It is currently the aforementioned Airfix B set, repainted into crimson from the original rather weird Airfix colour, worked up a bit with interior painting and 'first' and 'no smoking' notices, and 3 auto trailers, one Bachmann A38 in unlined maroon and a pair of Hornby Airfix clone A28/30s, similarly worked up.  Only the A38 is really up to scratch, and I've no photographic evidence of one at Tondu before 1958, and even then only on the Porthcawl branch.  All the others have inferior bogies with brake blocks that do not align with the wheels, and I am not content with them...

 

Locos are pretty much sorted; all are Tondu residents, and all are in correct liveries for the period TTBOMK, NPCCS likewise, general merchandise pretty good but we probably need more opens to maintain the ratios, and minerals are probably a bit heavily skewed towards grey BR liveries and steel 16tonners, but we're splitting hairs and I'm overall happy with them.  Brake vans need renumbering and branding for Tondu.  The passenger stock modernisation and Tondification will dispose of the last non NEM couplings as well except for the ones on 2761 and an old Mainline Stanier BG.  I'll work on the former and replace the bogies eventually on the latter.

 

Onwards and upwards, or at least sideways and somewhere!

[The Johnster]

A minor disaster has been suffered; my Gaugmaster HH has up 'n died, up 'n died, like Mr Bojangles' dawg.  I've checked the 16vAC supply with the multimeter and that's fine, showing 18v, but the controller is completely moribund; no power light comes on and the trains don't work.  Fortunately, the AC supply comes out of the back of my antedlivian (about 1975) but still functional Gaugemaster power controller, which is capable of powering the layout until the HH is replaced.  It feels less smooth and a bit crude in comparison, and of course I have to sit at the position, but I can put up with this for a while; there is in any case little choice.  It is powering exactly the same layout wiring so that is not the problem.

Edited December 27, 2018 by The Johnster

[jcm@gwr]

At least it won't cost you anything (apart from postage),

as all Gaugemaster controllers are guaranteed for life.

[The Johnster]

At least it won't cost you anything (apart from postage),

as all Gaugemaster controllers are guaranteed for life.

 

I know, and this is indeed a relief, as I've already blown the January budgie on a Comet coach kit!  I am very happy with the performance of this little controller, though, and will be glad when it is replaced.  It would be interesting to know what went wrong with it; it became hot at the time of it's demise, but can hardly have been overloaded on a BLT where the longest train is 10 minerals and a van and the knob never goes above 3.  The fact that the old power controller is working perfectly shows there are no shorts, which would have tripped it out anyway.  Obviously I don't want the same thing to happen to the replacement. 

 

The controller was just over a year old.

[The Johnster]

Phase 2 has officially begun; I have sent an order off to Wizard for a Comet C65/C75 all-third flat end non-gangwayed, the beginning of my 'upgrade the coaching stock to decent standards' programme.  Plan is to cheat a bit with it and finish one side numbered as an intermediate auto trailer under the authority of Rule 1.  it will initially run as a strengthener to the B set or an auto trailer (some were converted to run with the A44 trailers in 1954, but could and did run with any type of GW trailer) depending on which way around it is, but will eventually have friends in the form of a brake composite, possibly bowended, and an A44 'cyclops' driving trailer. Next job will to be to replace the old Airfix B set with a Comet flat ended D117 set, correct for Tondu in my period.  Liveries will be plain crimson for all of them; the Airfix B set will be retained as a Rule 1 spare and possibly done in 1942-5 austerity brown.

 

This is quite a bit of work and outlay for the likes of me, and I intend to proceed one-by-one to spread the cost over time and maintain the interest (the thought of doing all those door handles at once is too much for me!), so it could take some time before the 'project' is completed, and I've promised myself a Hornby Southern Van B as well, which will come in at about the same price as one of these kits!  If the Baccy 94xx turns up in the middle of all this, the financial cat will be certainly loose among the financial pigeons, and the squeeze'll have to wait for her next new frock...

 

Watch this space for occasional updates.  I have built Comet coach kits before, so I know they are within my capabilities, but it was a long time ago and there will be a relearning curve!

 

The kit arrived this morning, only 2 days after ordering which is excellent service; well done Wizard!  I've started a topic over on 'Skills and Knowledge Centre/Kitbuilding and Scratchbuilding' which is a bit of a cheek as this is the realm of proper modellers and not bodgers like me...

[The Johnster]

Moor toes of my fotes.

 

In the first two, 5633 is caught running around a coal train, pausing to brim the tanks while there's a few minutes spare in the timetable as she's brought the loadeds up a little early, and then backing out under the bridges, pipe and road, to clear the signal that will call her back on to her train in the loop.

 

Then, perhaps the following day since the weather looks a good bit brighter, our trained buzzard gets a shot of 2761 shunting a clearance from Ogmore Forest Frozen Foods which it has picked up form their cold store siding further down the branch and brought up to run around.  Control has ordered the loco up for this ad hoc class C working, taking her off her yard pilot duties at Tondu, and her young crew, passed fireman Tommy (horizontal) Rees and passed cleaner Billy (the kid) Bowen are only to happy to have an unexpected outing with a real train and a chance to show their mettle.  They will work the train through to Bridgend and go home light engine.  This engine is known as 'the old lady' in our house.

 

Some of my signal ladders need looking at!

 

The Cwmdimbath Valley Railway Company's stock committee have held an extraordinary general meeting and drinking session in the Dimbath Hotel (AA/RAC no stars at all, not even an asteroid) and, after about 5 pints, have authorised the acquisition of another NPCCS brake van, as we are a little short and a fitted toad has to be used sometimes.  It is felt that the BR mk 1 BG is too modern because of it's later build and lined maroon livery, and the Hawksworth is discouraged as 64 footers take up a lot of room and are a bit inflexible for the Remploy traffic, so the work has been being shared between an LMS BG and a Southern BY.  The new van is ordered from Hornby and will be another Southern van, a Maunsell non gangwayed B, and ticks another livery box, post 1956 Southern Region green. It will only be lightly weathered as it's use here must take place when the van is fairly recently out of shops in this livery.  The budgie has been well and truly blown again...

 

I will be able to make an impressive train with all Ashford roof profiles; this, the BY, 2 PMVs and no less than 3 Ashford vans in Southern Railway, BR unfitted, and LMS unfitted liveries.  But my name isn't Mr Gunton and I won't be looking for an Adams Radial to pull it, pretty though they are...  I probably now have an excess of Southern vehicles on the stocklist, but 4 of them will be NPCCS which is sort of allowed!  I will try not to buy any more, but there's still the old Triang Utility Van in the bottom of a box waiting for bogies and a new roof.  And I do not have any Ashford goods vans in BR fitted livery or plywood variant.

 

Concentrate, Johnster, pull yourself together lad, get the coaches sorted first!!!

Edited December 30, 2018 by The Johnster

[The Johnster]

Notification email from Hornby earlier to say that my Southern B has been dispatched and should be delivered between 11 and 12 later today.  This is not bad service given the time of year; I only ordered it on Saturday night, so I doubt anything was done about it til Monday and there's been a bank holiday in the interim; well done Hornby.  I've put a coat of weathering on my crimson Hornby BY which has been running ex-works up until now; it will not do to have a vehicle in a pre 1956 livery as clean as one in a post 1956 livery.  The new girl will have to stay clean or only lightly weathered to pull this off.  

[The Johnster]

B has arrived in good order, and been put straight in to service.  Lovely van (should be at that price, mind), good crisp detail, very well printed and finished.  The cross members of the bogies are modelled, which is not something I've ever seen done before; what next, working dynamo belts?  

 

I've been looking forward to this; the prototypes were favourites of mine in the 70s, usually so filthy you couldn't see the livery, but oozing with character as all Ashford vans are.  Much lettering is too small for me to read without the magnifying glass, but crisply done nonetheless.  As I said above, only a very light coat of weathering to take the 'new' off for this one, and a bit of dulling down of the wheels and buffers.  The squeeze has declared a liking for malachite green, but I'm not going Southern, the only big 4 company not to operate in Wales...

[timbowilts]

.  The squeeze has declared a liking for malachite green, but I'm not going Southern, the only big 4 company not to operate in Wales...

Could you justify a two/three coach set of Southern coaches hauled by a venerable Dean Goods on an enthusiasts special?

 

Tim T

Modelling Cwm Cynon in EM

[The Johnster]

Not really.  The only real enthusiasts specials in 'my' area in steam days that I'm aware of are an RCTS one with a Railcar, and a very late steam era one with an odd consist of A38 auto trailer, 64xx, and a class 120 DMS and TS, which featured both the 64xx and the 120 power car hauling the train.