Wright writes.....

[46256]

But two "LMS" employees were honoured by being named on Patriots,  Private Sykes VC and Private Wood VC.  A far greater honour in my opinion.

Unkown Warrior is, and on completion, will be a magnificent memorial to all those who "gave their tomorrow's for our today's "

[jrg1]

Unkown Warrior is, and on completion, will be a magnificent memorial to all those who "gave their tomorrow's for our today's "

All the locomotives-Patriot, Remembrance and Valour were great memorials.  It was quite appropriate to see reproduction Valour nameplates fitted to a class 66. 

[LNER4479]

No lights are flashing, no cars are crashing, no buildings are ablaze, the pub is not witnessing a scrap and, even though The Cottesmore meets there, it's summer, so there's no hunt; neither is there an aeroplane plummeting from the skies or a funeral cortege crawling past. What else have I missed out?

No bus on a bridge? (edit - apologies, can now see someone else has already said that. The perils of trying to view RMWeb on a iPhone...)

 

Lovely pictures by the way.

Edited June 23, 2017 by LNER4479

[Tony Wright]

No bus on a bridge? (edit - apologies, can now see someone else has already said that. The perils of trying to view RMWeb on a iPhone...)

 

Lovely pictures by the way.

Many thanks for the comment on the pictures, Graham.

 

I know model photography has been discussed before, but I think I've reached a stage now where I have no wish to 'develop' my techniques and approaches any further. Chatting to another model railway photographer at Quorn last weekend, he's now embracing stacking and told me he can't believe how he got by without it. 

 

Andy York (very kindly) explained stacking to me and he might just have well spoken in a language I couldn't comprehend. Though I knew the words, none of them made sense. Recalling my teaching days, an assessment would have gone along the lines of 'dim'! 

 

All the above said, do I need stacking? The pictures you cite were taken with a digital camera but with an ancient micro (not macro) lens on the front from my Nikon F days. Everything about it was 'seat of the pants', the only electronics being the camera's shutter firing. I set everything. With an aperture of F32 (and a bit) everything is in focus, and five seconds of exposure with pulses of fill-in flash seem to have done the trick. 

 

When I look at the current model press, I'm most impressed with the standard of photography (where the pictures have been taken by photographers - those who know what they're doing). The clarity is exceptional, and much of this is achieved with 'pocket' cameras. It's way beyond me. Yet, in all this excellence of imagery, has some of the modelling depicted kept pace? Across the board, there are still prominent shots of unaltered RTR locos, not displaying lamps, not detailed, not weathered and still (yes still!) with those obese tension-locks prominent on the front. They haul out-of-the-box stock, past easily-identified RTP structures or just as-built cardboard/plastic kits. Road vehicles (far too many in some cases) show no more than an ability to open a plastic box and plonk the things down. Signals remain dismally non-working, and many are sited where they make no sense. 

 

Of course, among all this there are some absolute gems, but these aren't usually mainstream. They're often not in OO, are the work of self-reliant and inventive modellers and, thankfully, are keeping the craft of actually making things (and observation) alive. 

 

Or, am I just becoming more cynical in older age? Probably. 

Edited June 23, 2017 by Tony Wright

[Jol Wilkinson]

But two "LMS" employees were honoured by being named on Patriots,  Private Sykes VC and Private Wood VC.  A far greater honour in my opinion.

They were employees of the LNWR when awarded the VC and two LNWR Claughtons were named after them. The LMS reused the nameplates on two of the Patriots as Sykes and Wood were still employees at the time.

 

A third LNWR employee, John "Jock" Christie, was awarded the VC and a Claughton also named after him, but the name/plates apparently weren't transferred to a Patriot by he LMS as he had left the employ of the LNWR/LMS by then. 

 

Another Claughton was named Patriot and carried a special plaque "In memory of the fallen LNWR employees 1914 -1918".

[jacko]

 

When I look at the current model press, I'm most impressed with the standard of photography (where the pictures have been taken by photographers - those who know what they're doing). The clarity is exceptional, and much of this is achieved with 'pocket' cameras. It's way beyond me. Yet, in all this excellence of imagery, has some of the modelling depicted kept pace? Across the board, there are still prominent shots of unaltered RTR locos, not displaying lamps, not detailed, not weathered and still (yes still!) with those obese tension-locks prominent on the front. They haul out-of-the-box stock, past easily-identified RTP structures or just as-built cardboard/plastic kits. Road vehicles (far too many in some cases) show no more than an ability to open a plastic box and plonk the things down. Signals remain dismally non-working, and many are sited where they make no sense. 

One of my major gripes about quite a few supposed exhibition layouts is the inability of the modeller to make buildings look as if they were actually built 'in-stu' and not simply plonked on top of the scenery. The magazines are full of pictures of layouts with gaps showing around the bottom of the station or signalbox or whatever, despite the technique of extending the foundations having been around for decades.  

 

Graeme

[Tony Wright]

One of my major gripes about quite a few supposed exhibition layouts is the inability of the modeller to make buildings look as if they were actually built 'in-stu' and not simply plonked on top of the scenery. The magazines are full of pictures of layouts with gaps showing around the bottom of the station or signalbox or whatever, despite the technique of extending the foundations having been around for decades.  

 

Graeme

Graeme,

 

The most simple way to 'plant' buildings is to provide a 'footprint' in the form of a rebate in which the building sits. 

 

 

This is the one for the Willoughby Arms on Little Bytham (the footprint for the adjacent office is marked out as well). 

 

These methods are shown in my forthcoming Crowood book. 

 

Oh, and please enjoy the LMS Journals. Many thanks for buying them.

Edited June 23, 2017 by Tony Wright

[Poggy1165]

I believe Mr Wood was attached to Edgeley Shed and was known and respected by local enthusiasts of a somewhat older vintage than my own. There is a pub in Hazel Grove named after him, possibly the only pub named after an engine driver, so he is still remembered in the Stockport area.

 

The stories of the railwaymen who fought in the wars is largely untold, although many served with distinction and many gave their lives. There has been a long series of articles in Forward (GCRS magazine) about the GCR employees killed in WW1. Very sad, but very enlightening reading. 

[chris p bacon]

The stories of the railwaymen who fought in the wars is largely untold, although many served with distinction and many gave their lives. There has been a long series of articles in Forward (GCRS magazine) about the GCR employees killed in WW1. Very sad, but very enlightening reading. 

 

Most of the records of the GN employees were destroyed in a WW2 raid.  In recent years 2 of our members have been painstakingly making a record of those that were lost during WW1 by searching Family history and archives. IIRC they're about 60-70% through the task.

[Anglian]

Tony,

 

I was thinking that just as Cuneo placed his solitary mouse, you should place a lone cat, perhaps somewhere where only the most diligent observer will be able to spot it.

Edited June 23, 2017 by Anglian

[micknich2003]

Is it any wonder that as young teenagers in the early 1950s many of us wanted to be engine drivers when we grew up?  I ended up being a geologist, a long way from childhood dreams.

Paul, I wanted to be like my Dad, a signalman, and I'm proud to say, I achieved it.

[micklner]

More resin and Bachmann A2  bashing A2/1 Duke of Rothesay.

 

 

[Tony Wright]

Tony,

 

I was thinking that just as Cuneo placed his solitary mouse, you should place a lone cat, perhaps somewhere where only the most diligent observer will be able to spot it.

That's an idea, but the place is a bit dangerous for cats (and dogs). Isobel's cat was killed on the railway in the '50s, as was one of ours 50 years later. A mate's cat was killed by a Class 66 just along the line and a local dog was also killed by a train last year. Deer have perished as well, as have several large birds since we've lived here. 

 

Has anyone ever modelled deceased creatures in the four foot? 

[APOLLO]

This would take some modelling - Red Crabs - millions of em (not the LMS variety either) !!

 

 

Brit15

[46256]

The only thing that's died on my four foot is the Garratt made by a certain company....currently being resurrected courtesy of comet markits high level and mashima.....

[Focalplane]

A Cotswold Line Thames Turbo arrived at Moreton-in-Marsh a few years ago with a smashed windshield from hitting a "large animal", it was taken out of service at Oxford, I assume because it would be traveling much faster once past Didcot and the risk of implosion would be greater.

 

On one occasion while taking a TGV between Lyon and Paris, the train stopped in the middle of nowhere.  The Chef du Train announced that a horse had wandered onto the line.  For our trouble, all passengers were handed a voucher and boxed lunch on arriving over thirty minutes late at Gare de Lyon.

 

Further research showed that there are sensors all along the LGVs to detect any potential obstacles.  One lucky horse, one not so lucky owner.  

[46256]

I was about to recount a couple of experiences from my old profession ( old bill) then I realised this is my escape from such memories...I hope the train crew involved have similiar safety valves from their experiences ..on a lighter note my rechassis ...is that a word...it is now ..English being such an expanding language...of the Garratt is moving forward ...in time it may equal my kitmaster comet portescap version of 15 years ago......I know sorry to keep harping on , on a positive note supporting those key minor producers mentioned earlier, In addition producing something albeit at a considerable cost that will be of great personal if not monetary value

[New Haven Neil]

I was once on a train on the S&C that hit a cow - The Brush 4 had to be hosed down at the next stop (can't recall where, it was 45 years ago!), it wasn't nice.  We were in coach 3 and the ballast was flying past the windows, we thought we were off the road as we stopped.

 

To nicer things - the open-ness of Little Bytham it what makes it so attractive to me, oh to have that sort of space.  That and the consistent standard across the modelling makes it stand out, whoever made the individual items.

[Focalplane]

When I lived in Texas I was involved with the Union Pacific Railroad "Operation Lifesaver" program, educating people on the fact that trains cannot stop on a dime and that grade crossings (level crossings) are where most fatalities occur because people try to out run a train and can't.

 

Such events are just plain stupid.  Unfortunately many were intentional - suicide.  I knew one such victim as an ex-colleague at an oil company.  A more clean cut individual would be hard to find, but he left a safe job to work with those who wanted to make a quick buck.  When the company collapsed, he took his life by parking on a grade crossing.

 

But the other side of the story comes from Union Pacific.  Every suicide is traumatic to the man at the controls of a (say) four locomotive mile long freight train.  Counselling has become a major concern with North American railroads and I understand it is also prevalent in Europe.  I spoke with one British driver (taking a busman's holiday on SNCF between Béziers and Montpellier) who had experienced four suicides.  By the third, he said, he realized it went with the job, but the first two had required personal leave and counselling.

 

Twice in the London area I have been "inconvenienced" by a suicide.  Once at Waterloo many years ago, the second in the late 1990s at Woking.  There the station staff referred to the incident as a "jumper at West Byfleet".  I thought that callous for both victim and the driver of the train.

[The Johnster]

A Cotswold Line Thames Turbo arrived at Moreton-in-Marsh a few years ago with a smashed windshield from hitting a "large animal", it was taken out of service at Oxford, I assume because it would be traveling much faster once past Didcot and the risk of implosion would be greater.

 

On one occasion while taking a TGV between Lyon and Paris, the train stopped in the middle of nowhere.  The Chef du Train announced that a horse had wandered onto the line.  For our trouble, all passengers were handed a voucher and boxed lunch on arriving over thirty minutes late at Gare de Lyon.

 

Further research showed that there are sensors all along the LGVs to detect any potential obstacles.  One lucky horse, one not so lucky owner.  

 

This being France, did you inquire into the provenance of the meat in the boxed lunch...

[The Johnster]

Sadly, there are stretches of line where pets, mostly cats, are often run over, especially in urban areas where steel rails make excellent basking spots on sunny days, just the right size for a cat to drape itself over and stretch out.  If they are not killed by an approaching train, they stand a good chance of running off just in time to go straight under one coming the other way.  It is tragic, especially when you start to think that you might have, however unintentionally, killed some child's beloved pet, or some lonely old lady's only companion.  A part of the job I didn't like.  Dogs were rarer but had to be reported, because they were licensed.

 

Larger animals were more of a problem, of course; while waiting for a train to clear the section on the up Vale of Glamorgan line on one occasion while shunting the Aberthaw Cement trip, we could see it at a stand at Gileston in the distance and eventually it's secondman turned up to report that the loco, a 47 doing about 40mph with a class 7 freight, had hit a herd of cows and killed several of them.  Local vets had been called out to put more of the injured beasts out of their suffering and the 47 was immovable, having had the brake pipes torn off the front of the loco by the impact.  

 

On another occasion, I worked with a driver who the previous night had run down a herd (is that right; I know flock isn't) of horses on the down main at Ely Bridge, while working the down newspapers; again, the pipes were torn off his Western rendering it immobile.  As we walked down through Canton's maintenance shed to pick up our own loco from the running shed, we paused to inspect the damage and were interrupted by a torrent of invective from the fitter repairing and removing the mess from the loco's underparts.  He had looked up from what he was doing to see a severed horse's head grinning unpleasantly at him, eyes wide open.  My driver thought it unwise to hang around...

 

On another occasion I was in the secondman's seat of a Western running at 60mph with an oil train between Burry Port and Kidwelly when we were hit in the windscreen, driver's side, by a swan coming the other way at about 40mph; it sort of exploded, but the windscreen held.  The bang was very loud.  I was frightened enough by it; the driver, by his own admission and to no adverse comment from me, nearly s*$t himself!   I had to sight the signals and the loco came off at Carmarthen.

 

Strangely, we never felt as sorry for these poor beasts as we did for pets.  Nobody wanted to kill animals, of course, but it was different somehow with farm and wild animals.  Farm animals had to be reported at the first possible opportunity, as they were valuable property and big enough to cause an obstruction to other trains, but nobody was interested in the swan whose day was ruined, and you got the sense that you were an inconvenience to Carmarthen cleaning staff.  Wasn't our fault the swan was running wrong road without a pilotman.  I did later wind the driver up about having committed high treason by not providing the Queen with the carcass, which apparently she is entitled to claim in order to dine on it; this one was in no condition for dining on...

Edited June 23, 2017 by The Johnster

[Jol Wilkinson]

Twice in the London area I have been "inconvenienced" by a suicide.  Once at Waterloo many years ago, the second in the late 1990s at Woking.  There the station staff referred to the incident as a "jumper at West Byfleet".  I thought that callous for both victim and the driver of the train.

 

It may be their way of dealing with what is not an uncommon situation for them. The Samaritans have assisted Network Rail with a program to help staff cope with what is an unpleasant situation for all concerned.

[wagonbasher]

It may be their way of dealing with what is not an uncommon situation for them. The Samaritans have assisted Network Rail with a program to help staff cope with what is an unpleasant situation for all concerned.

People often say I don't know how they can be in such a state to kill themselves...

 

That's good...none of want to be in that state, its good not to know how that feels.

 

Andy

[APOLLO]

Many years ago on standby on a cold Sunday evening I was called out to a smell of gas in a low rise block of flats. A strong gas indication was detected through a neighboring letterbox in a (seemingly) empty flat - so immediate forced entry and police presence requested  - there was a guy with his head in the oven, switched on though unlit - trouble is natural gas is not poisonous (though lack of oxygen will asphixiate). He was very much alive, moaning & groaning, so we dragged him outside to recuperate, made the flat safe and left him to the police - with some strong language re his attitude to his neighbours (and my) safety. 

 

Same night, driving home about 11 pm there's a body in the road. Stop & another guy moaning, groaning, Another car stops and ambulance is called - I try to see whats up & see if I can give first aid - and put my overcoat over him, quickly the ambulance arrives. Well guess what - the ambulance crew know this guy, he's pissed  they say- does this regularly for attention. There am I freezing, my coat over this guy - I grabbed my coat and nearly gave the silly ******** a kick !!. Off home to bed.

 

My humanity took a severe test that night - but it was Sunday & I was on double time - so I forgave them both !!!!

 

Brit15

[manna]

G'day Gents

 

Had a scare one day when working a Bullion train, after being told to stop for nothing, and lots of Police armed with 'big' guns, we hit a pigeon, quite commonplace, but at 90mph it sounded like a bomb going off, both the driver and myself ducked.

 

A driver at KX hit a deer coming out of the tunnel at Bayford, early one morning, after turning around at Hertford North and picking up his passengers, he worked back to Kings Cross, but not before he stopped at the spot where the deer was killed, picked up the deer, carried it to the brake van, where here put it, and then returned to the driving cab and proceeded to Kings Cross, where he retrieved said deer, and walked down the platform with the deer over his shoulder to his car, and not a word was said by anybody.....

 

manna