Wright writes.....

[Anglian]

23 hours ago, Headstock said:

 

Mmm, let me see.

 

Black hole

Black pudding

Black head

Black Coffee

Black n' Decker

Black death

Black Betty bam-a-lam

 

and so on and so forth.

 

 

 

Black Treacle

Black Witch

Black Sheep
Black Velvet

Black and Tan
Black Maria
Black and Blue

Black Pennell

Black Beauty (that's about on a par with Pretty Polly)
Blackbird
Black Heart

Blackbeard

Black Pearl

Black Widow
Black Country
Blackburn

Black Adder

Black Watch

 

but none beat your epic Black Pudding! How many Black Fives did they build, hundreds wasn't it?

 

 

Edited May 20, 2019 by Anglian

[2750Papyrus]

On ‎17‎/‎05‎/‎2019 at 21:50, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Tim,

 

I'm making up for lost time - about two years out of doing things in this great hobby some little time ago because of mental illness. 

 

Speaking with Steve Flint the other day, it would appear nobody has taken offence at what I've just written in the RM. Perhaps that's what my 'retirement' means.

 

Anyway, I need the money. Returning at dusk from Stamford last evening, some bl**dy little munchjack deer decided it wanted exactly the same bit of road as me. The result - probably its death and my car needing £1,300.00 to fix it. New radiator, new air conditioning unit, new bumper, new trim, some expensive engine-management system wrecked and all by a small deer! I hate killing things (though the species is not indigenous) and they're rather attractive little creatures. What can one do, though? Yes, I'm surrounded by lanes, but they're good roads - good enough to travel with ease at 50 mph. Negotiate a curve, and a couple of them are in the road. Brake, congratulate myself on avoiding them, and another just bolts out from the hedgerow, right in front of the car! 

 

The perils of country living I suppose.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

I hit one some 35 years ago (in my Ford Zephyr V4 estate!).  I quickly backed up to determine the state of its injuries but it was very dead.  Driving home, I became aware of a banging or knocking sound and thought at first it was front end damage.  However, investigation revealed that the rapid reverse had in fact caused the disintegration of a prop shaft UJ.  An unusual way for the animal kingdom to get its revenge and not the easiest of jobs on the front drive. 

[Steamport Southport]

35 minutes ago, Anglian said:

 

but none beat your epic Black Pudding! How many Black Fives did they build, hundreds wasn't it?

 

 

 

842.

 

 

 

Jason

[Joseph_Pestell]

3 hours ago, timbowilts said:

Herr duck, I would question your description of Watersmeet as a settlement, consisting solely of a single dwelling, the fishing lodge? I’m very familiar with it, having walked up from Lynmouth several times over the last 30+ years of married life. In fact it is where my wife wants her ashes scattered.

Tim T

 

Is it that Watersmeet?

[Headstock]

3 hours ago, Anglian said:

 

Black Treacle

Black Witch

Black Sheep
Black Velvet

Black and Tan
Black Maria
Black and Blue

Black Pennell

Black Beauty (that's about on a par with Pretty Polly)
Blackbird
Black Heart

Blackbeard

Black Pearl

Black Widow
Black Country
Blackburn

Black Adder

Black Watch

 

but none beat your epic Black Pudding! How many Black Fives did they build, hundreds wasn't it?

 

 

 

Yum

 

[timbowilts]

8 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

Is it that Watersmeet?

That is the only “Watersmeet” that Google and Wikipedia give you?

Tim T

[Bucoops]

10 hours ago, Anglian said:

 

Black Treacle

Black Witch

Black Sheep

Black Adder
Black Velvet

Black and Tan
Black Maria
Black and Blue

Black Pennell

Black Beauty (that's about on a par with Pretty Polly)
Blackbird
Black Heart

Blackbeard

Black Pearl

Black Widow
Black Country
Blackburn

 

Black Watch

 

but none beat your epic Black Pudding! How many Black Fives did they build, hundreds wasn't it?

 

 

 

Fixed that for you - Black Adder goes Fourth

[Tony Wright]

11 hours ago, robertcwp said:

87s were built for 110 mph from the outset. They didn't officially run at that speed until the 1980s but did so regularly long before it became official. 

 

Deltics had a top speed of 105 mph but one was taken down Stoke Bank at 120 mph I believe.

I've timed a Deltic at 105 mph, Robert, in 1976.

 

BALLYMOSS was the steed, and she (he, actually) was the only spare motive power on Bottom Loco at Kings Cross when the Class 31 scheduled for the next service to Cleethorpes failed. The train was made-up of about six cars, a mix of Mk.1 and earlier Mk. 2 stock, and the leading brake was the 'wrong way round' so to speak. Standing at the end of Platform 10, I enquired as to why a Deltic was on such a menial duty, and the Class 31's failure was explained. I quickly bought a day return to Grantham, and boarded the train, having the whole BSO at the front to myself! 

 

We were late departing, and were further delayed by the electrification work taking place for the outer suburban services. Frequent stops along the way, meant little opportunity to make up time, until we got to Peterborough, where the drivers changed. After that, Wow! By Lolham (still on the flat) we were doing 100 mph, and passing the site of MALLARD's record (no sign in those days), my timings record 105 mph (going uphill!) This was kept up through Carlby and Little Bytham, and we were still over the 100 at Stoke. It didn't stop there, because there were still 'flames' coming from the exhausts as the great thoroughbred went through Stoke Tunnel. I shook the driver's hand at Grantham, and returned on the Up Flying Scotsman, behind ST PADDY, dead on time. I believe it was the first occasion when a Deltic ran to Cleethorpes. I've mention the run (with pictures) in my bookazine on the Deltics by Irwell.

 

One might glean from this (correctly) that I consider the Deltics to be the finest locomotives ever built in this country - steam included! They're certainly my favourites, and I have no trouble in applying 'Rule 1' as they dash through my Little Bytham, two years after the station was demolished! 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited May 21, 2019 by Tony Wright
typo error

[Joseph_Pestell]

31 minutes ago, timbowilts said:

That is the only “Watersmeet” that Google and Wikipedia give you?

Tim T

I seem to recall one near Horrabridge.

[Mallard60022]

16 hours ago, timbowilts said:

Herr duck, I would question your description of Watersmeet as a settlement, consisting solely of a single dwelling, the fishing lodge? I’m very familiar with it, having walked up from Lynmouth several times over the last 30+ years of married life. In fact it is where my wife wants her ashes scattered.

 

Tim T

Well, who am I to question that, but the Hotel is just about a settlement and holds more people than some actual hamlets! That's my excuse anyway

 

14 hours ago, robertcwp said:

Some Light Pacifics ran on the Great Eastern in early BR days.

 

Here is Bude at Stratford. No idea why it was there or what the date was: 

34006_Stratford by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

There was some talk of using them on the Norwich routes I think but the GE men didn't like them much and the Brits got the gig IIRC? However this could just be a footy special or similar?

 

16 hours ago, mattingleycustom said:

 

Is Watersmeet not another (Rough Tor also, although it soon became Whimple) ... I stand by to be corrected.

 

Glenn

You can sit down, but only on a stool. Rough Tor my ####; that isn't in my 1959 Combined Volume

[Mallard60022]

13 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

842.

 

 

 

Jason

Always thought this was the most numerous class on BR but it was actually the 57XX range of Panniers I believe?

[Mallard60022]

4 hours ago, timbowilts said:

That is the only “Watersmeet” that Google and Wikipedia give you?

Tim T

and my road map.

[Tony Wright]

4 minutes ago, Mallard60022 said:

Always thought this was the most numerous class on BR but it was actually the 57XX range of Panniers I believe?

My 1955/'56 Ian Allan abc Combined Volume lists 863 57XX Panniers. Astonishing, Phil! I'd never have thought it. 

 

However, by 1960, the number was down to 723, at which time all the Black Fives were still extant. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Mallard60022]

Have we had Black Bess? Black Pig? Blackbird? Black Swan? Black Tern? Black Hole (or was that too recent a discovery?)

Blackpool?

Black Mountains? 

OK here we go...Black:

Bourton

Bridge

Callerton

Carr

Cross...…... and so on in the Collins Essential Road Atlas up to 

Blackwood Hill.

I'm going to get a life now.

P

[Mallard60022]

Back again....but have no fear. One of the great things about RMW and this thread in particular, is the way in which something sparks off a need to 'go and have a look at'  whatever. May that be books or maps or just 'stuff'. Tolerance in such matters is wonderful and the laughs it can bring to some of us is so refreshing. Long may it continue without being too far off the wall.

Phil

[Mallard60022]

On ‎19‎/‎05‎/‎2019 at 23:12, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

'Crawley'.

That has me stumped I am afraid.

Phil

[cctransuk]

30 minutes ago, Mallard60022 said:

Rough Tor my #### .....

 

Pronounced, by the locals, 'Router', my 'ansome!

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[Mallard60022]

30 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

My 1955/'56 Ian Allan abc Combined Volume lists 863 57XX Panniers. Astonishing, Phil! I'd never have thought it. 

 

However, by 1960, the number was down to 723, at which time all the Black Fives were still extant. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Tiny bit OT here Tony, but despite my being from that west country area and knowing a bit about WR loco's, I still did not realise until quite recent times that there were still some WR Tank engines being built in the mid 50s. More recently I think I read that the aged NER J72 design still produced several examples circa 1951 was it? 

Phil

[Steamport Southport]

3 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

That has me stumped I am afraid.

Phil

 

Where's the groan button....

 

 

 

Jason

[Bucoops]

I see the illustrious Mr Wright has been quoted by the BBC with regards to the show vandals - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-48348512

 

 

 

 

[The Johnster]

3 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

Tiny bit OT here Tony, but despite my being from that west country area and knowing a bit about WR loco's, I still did not realise until quite recent times that there were still some WR Tank engines being built in the mid 50s. More recently I think I read that the aged NER J72 design still produced several examples circa 1951 was it? 

Phil

When the railway was nationalised, the beginning of 1948, orders that had already been made by the previous companies for materials with which to build projected stock and had bee accepted by the suppliers had to be honoured.  There was little to lose by building the projected locos, which had been already paid for and took until the mid 50s at Swindon.  As well as the 'lots' already in progress at nationalisation, new locos were laid down having been fully authorised by BR.  These were the 'production' lower boiler pressure 94xx, 15xx, and 16xx.  The thinking behind the 94xx was a continuation of the policy of replacing pre-grouping South Wales locos with modern GW standard equipment, the 15xx was an adaptation of the USATC 0-6-0s which had proved very useful as dock shunters, and the 16xx was a modern version of the 2021 lightweight panniers being withdrawn then; there were still jobs that needed their route availability.  In the same way, the last lot of 96xx series 8750s were being built until 1950 to replace 2721s.

 

In fact the 15xx found their most well known use as Paddington ecs pilots, which they were not suitable for but 'looked modern' (nobody minded the antediluvian looking M7s over at Waterloo) to the public.  The last panniers produced were the 84xx series of 94xx in 1955.  A loco on my layout, 8448, was built in 1954 and withdrawn in 1959, barely run in.  The 1951 J72s were produced at Darlington, where they'd been originally designed and built, and are often cited as a case of short sighted policy, but there was a perceived need to replace older J71 locos that were life expired and the diesel shunters did not have the speed or stability required for some of the trip and pickup freight work they were to do.  Requested to provide such locos, Darlington built the most suitable they had in the drawing office, J72s; had the order gone to Doncaster, J50s might have resulted, and maybe Stratford would have turned out J69s...

 

Regarding the 57xx as the largest class depends on period and what you define as a class.  The LNWR had over a thousand 'Cauliflower' 0-6-0 goods engines, but they were on their way out as the last 8750s were built in 1950.  The GW regarded the 8750 as a different class to the 57xx because of weight differences, and this does not address the 67xx, 6750, and 97xx variants (steam reverse/no vacuum brake, and condensing locos for the 'widened lines'.  Black 5s had several variations of boilers, fireboxes, valve gears, chimneys, and running plates, all of which affected the weight.  The Cauliflowers were far more 'standard' in this respect.

[Steamport Southport]

The Russians had a class that had 11,000 identical locomotives in it and another class with 9,000.

 

Good luck finding names for those. 

 

 

 

Jason

[Steamport Southport]

9 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

 

In fact the 15xx found their most well known use as Paddington ecs pilots, which they were not suitable for but 'looked modern' (nobody minded the antediluvian looking M7s over at Waterloo) to the public.

 

Wasn't the Leaders going to replace the M7s on that duty? You can't get much more modern looking than them.

 

It's a bit of a myth that they were designed for branchlines. They were too heavy for starters, weighing 130 tons and had a power rating that would have put them in the 5MT bracket.

 

 

Jason

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

5 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

That has me stumped I am afraid.

'Crawley' was one of Stroudley's D1 0-4-2T (and another if the class rejoiced in the splendidly robust 'Effingham').

 

http://www.semgonline.com/steam/d1(lbsc)_class_dat.htmlhttp://www.semgonline.com/steam/d1(lbsc)_class_dat.html

[Steamport Southport]

5 minutes ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

'Crawley' was one of Stroudley's D1 0-4-2T (and another if the class rejoiced in the splendidly robust 'Effingham').

 

http://www.semgonline.com/steam/d1(lbsc)_class_dat.htmlhttp://www.semgonline.com/steam/d1(lbsc)_class_dat.html

 

I think you missed the pun. John Crawley was a cricketer....

 

 

Jason