WR ‘15XX’ 0-6-0PT - 00 Gauge

[JSpencer]

On 07/09/2023 at 16:24, The Stationmaster said:

Is anyone actually worrying about It I wonder?  It's just like all of these things - they'll be here when they get here and not before then.

 

"A model train is never late, nor is it early. It arrives precisely when it means to." 

[JSpencer]

54 minutes ago, MoonM said:

Anyone able to advise whether 1501 in br early crest (marked as 'as preserved') has any differences in markings or livery vs its 1950s condition? Ie, would anything mark it out of place on a 1950s layout? I appreciate I could order 1505 in br early crest but I prefer the history of 1501 and also the black (and not red) background on the running number. Thanks 

 

My understanding is that it would not have had lining in the 1950s. But that ain't stopp'n me from buying it and running it in a 1950s senario! T'is about time we 'ad a propa Pannier with Walschaerts on the outside! 

[Ian Hargrave]

42 minutes ago, JSpencer said:

 

My understanding is that it would not have had lining in the 1950s. But that ain't stopp'n me from buying it and running it in a 1950s senario! T'is about time we 'ad a propa Pannier with Walschaerts on the outside! 

To reassure you,I have currently in front of me a photo of 1505 taken at OOC  c1955 in lined black condition 

[MoonM]

1 hour ago, JSpencer said:

 

My understanding is that it would not have had lining in the 1950s. But that ain't stopp'n me from buying it and running it in a 1950s senario! T'is about time we 'ad a propa Pannier with Walschaerts on the outside! 

Gotcha, so 1501 did not run lined black in 1950s but, if it had, would have looked just like in its preserved condition. I was wondering whether the preserved 1501 had markings such as current day warning flashes (or similar), which would be a turn off. But sounds like not...? 

[Captain Kernow]

1 hour ago, Oldddudders said:

I had that book many years ago. Was it Abercynon? 

Yes, it was! I remember the photo (and still have the book), but had forgotten the location.

 

[Welchester]

2 hours ago, Captain Kernow said:

Today, to quote from the old Ian Allan 'Branch Line Album' - 'heat but little work'

 

2 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

I had that book many years ago. Was it Abercynon? 

 

22 minutes ago, Captain Kernow said:

Yes, it was! I remember the photo (and still have the book), but had forgotten the location.

 

 

I have the book too; it was a skool prize in 1973.

[Captain Kernow]

Despite all the new and wonderful publications that we now have, I still find the older photo albums interesting and relevant, even if the printing quality isn't always up to 'modern standards'.

 

But I think that photo may have been taken by Ben Ashworth? A good photographer by anyone's standards.

 

[46444]

14 hours ago, Captain Kernow said:

But I think that photo may have been taken by Ben Ashworth? A good photographer by anyone's standards.

 

 

Especially the infamous snaps taken from climbing a tree.

[The Stationmaster]

18 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

I had that book many years ago. Was it Abercynon? 

I was quite sure that it wasn't Abercynon but couldn't remember where it was.  So I have duly consulted said book - I actually remembered which shelf it is on! - and the location was in fact Treharris.  But you weren't far off the mark as the photo titled 'Work and heat' on the opposite page is at Abercynon  - and very obviously so.

 

PS Both images were Ben Ashworth photos

 

 

Edited September 10, 2023 by The Stationmaster

[The Stationmaster]

58 minutes ago, 46444 said:

 

Especially the infamous snaps taken from climbing a tree.

A tree from which he had removed various branches with the aid of a saw in order to get a perfectly composed image.  An action which got a rather mixed reception from certain other well known railway photographers of the period according to what one of them told me many years later.

[Rugd1022]

On 09/09/2023 at 11:48, AY Mod said:

No problems starting a train of 17 Mk1s around a curve...

 

Much like the real thing then Andy - the sharper curves out of platforms 1 and 2 at Padd were easy work for the 15xxs with sometimes fourteen or fifteen on. I think fifteen bogies was the limit in 1 and 2 before they gradually started moving the stop blocks closer to Bristol. One of the 81A old hands told me that the 15xxs were rocky steady coming out of Padd with a load on but started waddling when they went under Lord Hills Bridge and up the bank towards Westbourne Park, even more so if they had to cross from the down to the up side ECS lines towards Kensal Rise. If they were going via the flyover they'd waddle going up but not going down the other side into the carriage sidings.

 

I shall now retire to the back of detention class and write out the following line two hundred times :

 

''I do not need any Rapido 15xxs and must concentrate on 0 Gauge Dapol Panniers and Heljan Warships....''

 

 

Edited September 10, 2023 by Rugd1022

[Captain Kernow]

4 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

A tree from which he had removed various branches with the aid of a saw in order to get a perfectly composed image.  An action which got a rather mixed reception from certain other well known railway photographers of the period according to what one of them told me many years later.

Possibly a case of 'not invented here' syndrome?

 

The branches can grow back, but we would be the poorer if he hadn't obtained the images that he did.

 

[Dunsignalling]

22 hours ago, MoonM said:

Gotcha, so 1501 did not run lined black in 1950s but, if it had, would have looked just like in its preserved condition. I was wondering whether the preserved 1501 had markings such as current day warning flashes (or similar), which would be a turn off. But sounds like not...? 

Other than to recreate an engine's in-service appearance at a particular time, there's no reason for them on any loco confined to our heritage railways. TTBOMK, 1501 won't be going anywhere near OHLE.

 

Preserved locos (steam and diesel alike) that venture onto the national network must carry the warning flashes, but the current type differ from those applied in the 1950s/60s.  

 

Even if unmodified in any other way in preservation, such a loco modelled "as preserved" would therefore differ from it's BR appearance anyway. 

 

John

 

 

 

 

Edited September 10, 2023 by Dunsignalling

[Jenny Emily]

The new 15xx is a weighty little beast. It handled 15 MkI coaches on the mild gradients of my layout with ease. 
 

I have a full video on the model coming out in the next 24hrs. 
 

 

[Jenny Emily]

The full video review of the new 15xx:

 

 

Edited September 11, 2023 by Jenny Emily

[SRman]

On 08/09/2023 at 00:36, NHY 581 said:

 

 

I think it's more aimed to stop one particular human shaped export rather than hinder any eagerly anticipated  imports of toy trains. 

 

 

 

 

 

Wot? They're smuggling jelly babies???? 😉

 

p.s. I really want to get a 15XX, but at present I have too many other pre-orders all hitting at once.

Edited September 11, 2023 by SRman

[The Stationmaster]

4 hours ago, Jenny Emily said:

The full video review of the new 15xx:

 

 

Quite a nice review and in some depth.  One or two minor things - the use of outside valvegear was not so much an austerity thing but part of a design attempt to to produce a 24 hour shunting engine (but I wonder if the ashpan fitted that theory?).   While I don't know about track damage they did apparently acquire a reputation for demolishing ground signals according to someone I knew who fired on them regularly.

 

Model wise it looks superb and I did wonder at one stage if the smokebox door handles (to use the correct term) even have that slight taper in them which seems so rarely modelled.  I look forward to an early (I hope) visit to Alton to collect mine as I have the excuse that they did work local freight trips in the Newport area, waddle or not plus their ability to tackle smaller radius curves than any other later GWR pannier.

[Edge]

6 hours ago, Jenny Emily said:

The full video review of the new 15xx:

 

 

Great review Jenny. Just a quick question - did you get a chance to try Hornby’s Bluetooth nxt18 decoder for size? I’m getting the loco and I’d be very interested to have to bluetoothed if possible :) 

[Jenny Emily]

51 minutes ago, Edge said:

Great review Jenny. Just a quick question - did you get a chance to try Hornby’s Bluetooth nxt18 decoder for size? I’m getting the loco and I’d be very interested to have to bluetoothed if possible :) 

Thanks!

 

Not tested as yet but will be on my list to try tomorrow - I will report back. 

[GeoffBird]

1 hour ago, Jenny Emily said:

Thanks!

 

Not tested as yet but will be on my list to try tomorrow - I will report back. 

One question Jenny - I could not find a detailed  report of the extras pack - was there a proper GWR-type cabside numberplate there to be fitted as an extra over the one printed on?   

[JSpencer]

27 minutes ago, GeoffBird said:

One question Jenny - I could not find a detailed  report of the extras pack - was there a proper GWR-type cabside numberplate there to be fitted as an extra over the one printed on?   

 

Good question, though their absence on a test model which has passed between so many hands may not truly answer the question.

[Oldddudders]

On 10/09/2023 at 12:05, The Stationmaster said:

I was quite sure that it wasn't Abercynon but couldn't remember where it was.  So I have duly consulted said book - I actually remembered which shelf it is on! - and the location was in fact Treharris.  But you weren't far off the mark as the photo titled 'Work and heat' on the opposite page is at Abercynon  - and very obviously so.

In my defence, I knew they were a pair of related captions, but couldn't recall Treharris. And I passed the book onto a GWR-modelling schoolfriend more than 40 years ago. He died in 2012, and I was hardly going to make demands for return of books upon poor Vanessa - Deb and I had introduced them to each other in 1974. 

[trainman708]

just got an email from hattons advising my preorder for 1501 is due on or after this wednesday, can hardly wait lol 

[G-BOAF]

looking at the above review, the tyres/wheel rims still seem rather thin. I know this was flagged up last year and was supposed to be corrected. Will this be correct on the final production samples now being delivered?

[MikeParkin65]

2 hours ago, G-BOAF said:

looking at the above review, the tyres/wheel rims still seem rather thin. I know this was flagged up last year and was supposed to be corrected. Will this be correct on the final production samples now being delivered?

Good spot - they do seem ‘down to scrapping depth’ compared to a quick google for images of the prototype both as preserved and in mainline and even NCB service.  Wouldn’t stop me buying one though.