Great West Road - transfers & I’m not talking football!

[7APT7]

Hi Jamie,

 

Are you going to the Canolfan (near the harbour) on Saturday? 10.30-4.00. Four layouts plus trade according to the add in one of the mags.

 

Thanks again, all.

Polly

 

Hi Polly

 

Thanks for the Information, I didnt know there was a Show on...

Is that this Saturday 8th and where is 'Canolfan', is that near to us...?

 

Jamie

[southern42]

Hi Jamie,

 

Sorry, it's in Porthmadog at the Ffestiniog Railway end. This Saturday (tomorrow).

The railway is running tomorrow so I'm guessing the shop and cafe/bar will be open too.

 

If you want to know when to have your camera ready here are train times off the website:

 

 

Trains will run between Caernarfon and Waunfawr on the Welsh Highland Railway,

and will depart from Caernarfon at

10:30, 12:30 and 14:30

on 8th/9th December.

 

There's a video here:

http://www.festrail....ta_Trains.shtml

 

Polly

Edited December 7, 2012 by southern42

[Castle]

 

 

That's a nice photo of 1466 on the turntable at Didcot. I don't see any reason why the chaps at 81E have to be 100% accurate all of the time. Especially something as small as the colour of thier lamps.

 

How far you go with being prototypical is up to you. However there always seems to be someone at exhibitions who will point out anything that's incorrect.

 

Hi All,

 

While the date for the end of producing red bodied lamps has been quoted, with a system as large as the GWR you can be sure that it would have been a while before the red lamps were completely purged from it. Hence 14XX No. 1466 (or 4866 as she was then - the 14XX number sequence wasn't used until after 1946) could well have carried red lamps for a brief time. We as modellers forget - as do we preservationists - that while there are hard and fast dates for things no longer being produced or painted that colour, it was only after the various things / vehicles / whatever were used up / sent for overhaul / scrapped / whatever that the particular thing or livery ended. Some locos went longer than others without repairs or were deemed as less important so were not repainted. Despite an outbreak of late lined BR passenger green in preservation, No. 1466 never made it out of unlined BR black with ferret and dartboard in service...

 

http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/locos/1466/1466pic_02.html

 

At the end of the day they were running a business and / or a transport network - all of our beloved heritage age machines were nothing more than tools for doing a job.

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[southern42]

Hi all.

 

Thanks Castle for that reassuring info.

It seems somehow obvious that old practice overlaps the new - nothing's changed then.

 

To replicate one photo, my late BR 9F, arriving next week, 'needs' a 14xx (1474) in early BR livery, looking somewhat shabier, to go with it. Since I will have three of the GWR liveries covering 1920s to 1940s, there'll be plenty of opportunity for using red lamps but I'm still tempted to put red ones on 1466 that's unless anyone can rule out the use of red lamps at that time at Southall (SHL).

 

Of course, 1466 will have to be on loan from Newton Abbot.

And Ray says thanks for the link to BR 1466. He's just seen where another bit goes.

 

Polly

[Castle]

Hi Polly,

 

No problem! The full page on No. 1466 is here:

 

http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/locos/1466/1466.html

 

Each of the locos, coaches and wagons in the GWS collection has its own page like this one, some of them - like No. 1466s - is quite detailed, others not so but it is a great source of information that will develop over time and as the website itself develops. Go to the Didcot Railway Centre website and click on the link to Centre Guide and you will end up here:

 

http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/guide/map.html

 

Then click on either Locomotives, Coaches or Wagons in the menu on the left for a full list of the collection. Then click on the number of the vehicle you are interested in for more information and photos. It's a great resource and free for everyone to use.

 

I hope this helps!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[southern42]

Many thanks, Castle.

 

I'm on it.

[southern42]

Hi All,

 

A photo of newly arrived 9f.

 

 

 

I wish to add 7015 Carn Brae Castle and Modified Hall Class 4-6-0 6967 Willesley Hall to complete the trio at 81C as seen in the link below.

 

 

I'm thinking of getting the following locos to be renumbered and renamed. Will they make suitable donors knowing there are all sorts of differences within a Class?

 

 

Donor Castle for 7015?

Hornby R2994XS Class 4073 Castle 4-6-0 7029 Clun Castle Late BR

 

Donor Hall for 6967? When they become available - time to save up!

Bachmann 31-780 Class 6959 Modified Hall 6988 'Swithland Hall' BR Lined Green Late BR c/w Collett tender

 

Or will I need the Hawksworth tender version?

Bachmann 31-781 Class 6959 Modified Hall 7903 'Foremarke Hall' BR Lined Black Early BR c/w Hawksworth tender (and change to Late crest)

 

Your thoughts on this most welcome.

[The Stationmaster]

Polly the tenders on 'Halls' swapped around so you might strike lucky if you can establish which type it had at particular dates.

 

7029 is basically correct for 7015 although I'm not sure about the lubricator position (on either the real 7029 or the Hornby one) - on 7015 the lubricator is on the rearward side of the steam pipe.

[southern42]

Thanks for you helpful comments, Mike.

 

Is Willesley Hall sporting a Collett or Hawksworth in the photo below? I did look up the difference but they look different again in a photo. I'll 'get it' one day.

 

http://www.flickr.co...els/7561615802/

 

 

I'm guessing it's the Hawsworth (flat sided).

 

I don't know whether you can tell in the photo with the 9F in my previous post and Swithiland Hall would be the easier of the two Bachmann Halls to convert.

Edited December 11, 2012 by southern42

[Castle]

Hi Polly and Mike,

 

Yes, that is a Hawksworth tender on No. 6967 Polly. The flat sides and frame cut outs are the give away so well spotted! The other two common types you are likely to see on the GWR 4-6-0s are 3,500 gallon Churchward style (these have shorter sides, short flares around the top of the sides and have a couple of different flavours of frame designs). The other is the Collett 4,000 gallon as being pulled by No. 7015 in your first picture. These have the flares around the top as per the Churchward ones but they are higher up on when measured against the cab sides when compared to the 3,500s and the flare goes further along the top edge of the tender front to back. There are, of course, many exceptions to these basic rules (the Hawksworth tenders on the 10XX Counties were special ones being 6" wider than the stock version for example) but this will get you started on that most geeky of pursuits - GWR tender spotting!

 

On No. 7015 (double chimney and mod cons fitted 28/5/59) the mechanical lubricator was fitted aft of the steam pipes on the driver's side running plate. In a shot of No. 7029 that is probably from when she had the mod cons fitted in 1959, the lubricator is in the forward position. Not a big deal to fix at all though and the rest of the loco will be a match. It is probably worth looking to see if there is a double chimney, Collett tender Castle with the lubricator in the rearward position in the Hornby releases before buying just to save a bit of work though and as the release of No. 7029 you quote is sound fitted it is therefore more expensive. I don't know if you want sound at all but if not then there is a saving to be had.

 

If it helps at all Polly, the 'easy' way to tell the difference between Halls and Modified Halls (other than the number - No. 4900 to 6958 = Hall, No. 6959 onwards = Modified Hall) is that the bogie on the older Halls is the De Glen open or bar frame style and the Modified Halls & Counties have solid plate frame bogies. Again, lots of other subtleties besides but this will get you started!

 

I hope this helps!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[southern42]

Castle.

Thanks for the info and suggestions.

I've checked model Castles and came up with Ince as a possible donor for 7015 instead of Clun.

 

Hornby late BR 7034 Ince Castle. I wonder how this fares.

On the link below there are several views of the model.

http://www.bandhmodels.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_2_30&products_id=7905

 

7015 Carn Brae for comparison

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/7015-carn-brea-castle-shrewsbury-62-82479714.htm#pic

 

Comments most welcome.

 

Late posting as work's Christmas dinner earlier. Conversation? Model railways.

[The Stationmaster]

Polly,

The Hornby 7034 matches 7015 in double chimney form apart from the position of the lubricator which is ahead of the steam pipe on the Hornby loco.

 

(BTW the linked pic of 7015 appears to show it with a single chimney - which the Hornby loco definitely does not match of course.

[southern42]

Thanks, Mike.

At Southall (1963) it definitely had a double chimney

http://www.flickr.co...els/7561615192/

 

Now, it's decision time.

Sound or no sound?

Whichever one I get, the lubricator will need to be moved to match the prototype.

 

Thanks all for your help on this.

 

Time to get cracking on the layout plan.....but not right now - beddybyes time

[southern42]

Hi All,

 

Popped into Modelzone today on a day out to Chester with the girls.

Apart from a few Christmas presents between us, I picked up Revell acrylic paints Fiery Red and Carmine to finish off the buffer beam on the 14xx. I'll check colour match in daylight unless someone knows different (shade of red, that is). Please speak up asap if you do.

 

Two more GWR books for reference have come my way this week:

GWR Handbook and Odd corners of the GWR. I've already got a weedkiller train (as at Southall) in mind...opens up some shunting or maybe some branchline possibilities....???? Imagination in overdrive - that's the trouble with reading on the train (on the way home).

 

If anyone knows either of these books, I would welcome any suggestions as to what I would find helpful for building my layout.

 

One question as to build. Space permitting, I would like to put in an iron bridge (based on the one further up the line) at the shed approach with road under. Is this acceptable / objectionable from the perspective of a possible exhibition layout? Whether it will physically fit is another matter which I'll cross later.

 

I would like to have signal box and branch line platform on the down side of the footbridge but it looks like I'd need quite a few extra feet on the baseboard which I haven't got room for, though I'm still trying different things in AnyRail.

 

Having just stayed up to watch the end of a TV programme it's just popped up with 'TO BE CONTINUED'. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

 

Ah well, Another day tomorrow.

Thanks for reading and comments always appreciated.

Edited December 15, 2012 by southern42

[southern42]

I looked at the two reds this morning and the red on the buffer beam of 1466 is certainly paler than on the models in the Modelzone cabinet I used as a guide line, so Carmine it is. If there is any colour discrepancy after that, a touch of weathering with soft pastels should sort it out.

 

Now back to layout planning for a bit.

 

Polly

[Neal Ball]

I looked at the two reds this morning and the red on the buffer beam of 1466 is certainly paler than on the models in the Modelzone cabinet I used as a guide line, so Carmine it is. If there is any colour discrepancy after that, a touch of weathering with soft pastels should sort it out.

 

Now back to layout planning for a bit.

 

Polly

 

Not sure the Carmine Red is strictly correct, although as I use signal red it's probably a case of splitting hairs!

[southern42]

Not sure the Carmine Red is strictly correct, although as I use signal red it's probably a case of splitting hairs!

 

Thanks for your interest and comment, Neal.

That was my response, too. I had a 'discussion' with Ray on the topic when we were buying the paints and he won the argument.

The red on the Dapol model is decidedly paler than I'd expected. This is quite possibly due to its age - natural fading with no need to replicate at the weathering stage(?) - but it's just a couple of newly added detailing parts that need painting so it's more of a match in job.

Hopefully, it'll all be ready for some photo shoots before Christmas.

Edited December 18, 2012 by southern42

[southern42]

Hi 81C

 

The AEC is quite familiar - dad worked there before it closed. I even remember Santa paying us kids a visit in the canteen at the works Christmas party. Yes, and I would like to model the AEC 4 wheel diesel which did some test runs up the branchline, so if anyone has already made a model in 00 I'd be delighted to hear about it. I've been on the AEC websites already.

.

I am as impatient as you are to get some track down but I'm still playing about with different ways to fit it into 10ft x 2ft.

 

The girder bridge carried the mainline. I was thinking of using the Dapol brigde (x 2) to carry the line into the shed and the branchline - not prototype but just a suggestion of the familiar landmark with AEC factory sign leading into the fiddleyard.

The problem with that is that I would have to extend my board to add the fiddle yard, shorten the track to the shed or possibly lose the turntable at the opposite end.

 

Otherwise I'm thinking fiddleyard beyond the footbridge but then the question of a backscene crops up.

One option is to have a short branchline platform with fiddleyard behind but then branchline goods would have to go behind the platform to go offscene - not prototype either.

 

I'm also undecided on which will be the viewing side.

But, whichever way I go about it, it will require a degree of modeller's license.

 

Views, comments and other ideas on this are most welcome.

 

As the Christmas cards are done now, I'll see what I can come up with this evening.

[southern42]

Hijacked shunter. Love it.

Now that's a scene to model, 81C.

I would need to squeeze in a road to the factory below the turntable.

Everything looks more squashed up than it did when trying it out on the baseboard and I'm not too impressed with the fiddle yard end at the moment. The coaling loop looks a bit short for my liking and there isn't enough room there to get a headshunt in as per GWR 1920's.

There would be room to have small tanks on display stabled behind the shed.

This plan assumes I will have a slot-in board between fiddleyard and shed with a girder bridge as mentioned above.

 

I've taken liberties with the turntable and put it behind the shed, rather the more so than the one at Didcot which was offset. Southall was to the rear but completely to the side. BR lengthened the track, of course, and joined it all up to the turntable at the far end.

 

Drawn in AnyRail for Peco Code 75

 

The red lines mark baseboard joins - and I've just noticed the branch line turnout to the railmotor shed has crept over one of them. Soon rememdied on next edit.

 

Comments welcome and suggestions may be tried out.

[Neal Ball]

Sadly I didn't high-jack or get to drive the AEC loco, although saw it on many occasions as a kid.

 

At some point in the 80's I wrote to the Foreman and had a couple of hours being shown around the working BR depot. I remember we drove an 08 and a 121 DMU.

 

Following your thread with interest....

[Coppercap]

Once upon a time when I was a young tearaway we got into the AEC as the security man had left the gate unlock and took the little 4 wheel shunter for a ride up and down the exchange siding where they left the swarf wagons we were having a great time as we thought we could not be see in the cutting it was the Guard in Quaker Oats who phoned the police.

We all got away except for one lad who copped the blame, as there was no damage the police told him off and his dad gave him a good thrashing those were the days.

Regards 81C

 

About what year would that have been?

[Coppercap]

Sadly I didn't high-jack or get to drive the AEC loco,

 

I did, in the early days after it came into the possession of the GWR Preservation Group at Southall. It was pretty knackered by then really. Don't think it's physically in much better condition now, despite the bodywork repairs! We never really mastered on-the-move gear changes in the four-speed box, and it would only ever seem to go into one gear from neutral, and it could be any gear, not just the same one! It would still easily pull away in top with a Toad break van in tow.

[southern42]

I envy and enjoy reading about all your driving exeriences - legit or otherwise.

It all builds up my image of Southall for the layout, too - so please feel free to keep them coming.

 

In the 60s, I got to sit in the cab of a brand new Routemaster still in the factory courtesy of Dad. Wicked. Didn't add Bus Driver to my careers form, though but I'd like to get an AEC bus in somewhere on Great West Road.

 

AEC diesel + Toad. Now there's something to put on my wishlist / retirement plan.

 

Next job - work out the measurements for the shed and repair shop and make some mockups. Plenty of empty cereal boxes at hand. That should keep me busy for a bit.

[Physicsman]

I envy and enjoy reading about all your driving exeriences - legit or otherwise.

 

Next job - work out the measurements for the shed and repair shop and make some mockups. Plenty of empty cereal boxes at hand. That should keep me busy for a bit.

 

Polly - do you ever stop?! If you're not conniving some new scheme on your own thread, you're contributing to a myriad of other threads!!

 

Jeff

[southern42]

Hi All,
 

Polly - do you ever stop?! If you're not conniving some new scheme on your own thread, you're contributing to a myriad of other threads!!

Jeff

That about sums it up, I guess.
Having spent the most difficult year in my whole life - Edit. Equivalent of breaking one of your connecting rods, I imagine     - RMweb threaders have been enormously helpful in getting me through it.
I won't descibe it as annus horribilis because, from the railway point of view, anyway, it's been the best. The only disappointment was not having the strength to climb up (from ground level) into the the cab of the steam railmotor at Didcot - the asymetric alignment of the handrails defeated me. Next time....

I couldn't possibly have a railway without people and their stories.
Southall shed was (contrary to my belief that my early world was flat) cut into the hillside and, as all good layout guides tell you, the layout will be built into the landscape (at least, that's the plan) but what's just as important to me is building it around real experiences - people's lives and stories, and that's what I love about RMweb. You can get the hankies out, now.

  

Hi Polly & Coppercap it was 196? I did'nt get to drive it as the cab was full up with the older lads, I just managed to hang on to the side for a couple of runs up and down the siding till the Rozzers turned up.
I have driven some engines legally at Tyseley 5080 Defiant and 7752 Pannier Had a great day out there.
Jeff your a fine one to say that just look at the number of post's you have done
Merry Xmas all

Hanging on the side - that would get Elf&Safety Officials all steamed up, today, I bet - I bet you didn't tell yer muva ivor...


Thanks for you comments.
Keep tracking...

Edited December 22, 2012 by southern42