A Nod To Brent - a friendly thread, filled with frivolity, cream teas and pasties. Longing for the happy days in the South Hams 1947.

[Mallard60022]

In case you are bored, there is a Manor working on the West Somerset today.

Cheers

Phil

[gwrrob]

A couple of hours spent in leafy Warwickshire at the Gaydon show this morning and it was great to bump into one of this thread's doyens @Ian Hargrave along the way. An O gauge rendition of Tetbury in BR days by David Beighton was the star imo. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ian Hargrave]

5 minutes ago, gwrrob said:

A couple of hours spent in leafy Warwickshire at the Gaydon show this morning and it was great to bump into one of this thread's doyens @Ian Hargrave along the way. An O gauge rendition of Tetbury in BR days by David Beighton was the star imo. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers Rob.Good to talk….over a WR.layout.

[BMacdermott]

Hello everyone

 

Phil (Mallard) posted a query as to why an SR Light Pacific could be seen at Newton Abbot shed. I don't have the full story, but can quote from the Summer 1957 WTT...

 

Booked for SR Engines Up were:

2.15pm Plymouth-Exeter. Worked straight through, arriving 4.50pm.

4.32pm Plymouth-Paignton. Worked as far as Newton Abbot (arrive 5.45pm) and changed locos with 5.20pm Paignton-Exeter, departing 5.53pm and arriving Exeter 6.33pm.

 

Booked for SR Engines Down were:

11.35am Exeter-Kingswear. Worked as far as Newton Abbot, arrive 12.25pm.

12.30pm Newton-Abbot-Plymouth. (Was it possible to use the engine arriving 12.25pm?? Unlikely?)

4.30pm Taunton-Newton Abbot. Worked between Exeter and Newton Abbot, arrive 6.34pm

7.40pm Newton Abbot-Plymouth

 

I'll dig further and report back if I find anything.

 

Brian

 

[Ian Hargrave]

53 minutes ago, BMacdermott said:

Hello everyone

 

Phil (Mallard) posted a query as to why an SR Light Pacific could be seen at Newton Abbot shed. I don't have the full story, but can quote from the Summer 1957 WTT...

 

Booked for SR Engines Up were:

2.15pm Plymouth-Exeter. Worked straight through, arriving 4.50pm.

4.32pm Plymouth-Paignton. Worked as far as Newton Abbot (arrive 5.45pm) and changed locos with 5.20pm Paignton-Exeter, departing 5.53pm and arriving Exeter 6.33pm.

 

Booked for SR Engines Down were:

11.35am Exeter-Kingswear. Worked as far as Newton Abbot, arrive 12.25pm.

12.30pm Newton-Abbot-Plymouth. (Was it possible to use the engine arriving 12.25pm?? Unlikely?)

4.30pm Taunton-Newton Abbot. Worked between Exeter and Newton Abbot, arrive 6.34pm

7.40pm Newton Abbot-Plymouth

 

I'll dig further and report back if I find anything.

 

Brian

 

A copy of the late Peter W Gray’s colour Ian Allan “ Steam on West of England Main Lines “ gives the details for 1959.Page 41 is a view of the west end of NA station and in the yard is 34081 described as being between turns on an exchange  working.   It is facing in the Plymouth direction. On the following page,there is a lovely shot of 34063 on an 8 coach train of mixed LM & WR stock approaching Aller Junction .He gives details of the workings as follows:

4:35 pm Plymouth to Paignton as far as NA.Loco turned to await return working on 7:20 pm Goodrington Sands Halt to Plymouth . I hope this helps Phil & Brian.

[Mallard60022]

1 hour ago, BMacdermott said:

Hello everyone

 

Phil (Mallard) posted a query as to why an SR Light Pacific could be seen at Newton Abbot shed. I don't have the full story, but can quote from the Summer 1957 WTT...

 

Booked for SR Engines Up were:

2.15pm Plymouth-Exeter. Worked straight through, arriving 4.50pm.

4.32pm Plymouth-Paignton. Worked as far as Newton Abbot (arrive 5.45pm) and changed locos with 5.20pm Paignton-Exeter, departing 5.53pm and arriving Exeter 6.33pm.

 

Booked for SR Engines Down were:

11.35am Exeter-Kingswear. Worked as far as Newton Abbot, arrive 12.25pm.

12.30pm Newton-Abbot-Plymouth. (Was it possible to use the engine arriving 12.25pm?? Unlikely?)

4.30pm Taunton-Newton Abbot. Worked between Exeter and Newton Abbot, arrive 6.34pm

7.40pm Newton Abbot-Plymouth

 

I'll dig further and report back if I find anything.

 

Brian

 

Thanks Brian. That blows my one Spam a day out of the water then! Blimey. 

Ian may well be correct then, suggesting there were Spams (plural) at NA. However I can't see 4 Engines doing that Down  batch, BUT two seem quite likely!

It's definitely two Engines on the Ups.

My only excuse is I didn't start spotting until 1958 and never ventured further east (to Exeter) until 1960!

P

[Mallard60022]

2 minutes ago, Ian Hargrave said:

A copy of the late Peter W Gray’s colour Ian Allan “ Steam on West of England Main Lines “ gives the details for 1959.Page 41 is a view of the west end of NA station and in the yard is 34081 described as being between turns on an exchange  working.   It is facing in the Plymouth direction. On the following page,there is a lovely shot of 34063 on an 8 coach train of mixed LM & WR stock approaching Aller Junction .He gives details of the workings as follows:

4:35 pm Plymouth to Paignton as far as NA.Loco turned to await return working on 7:20 pm Goodrington Sands Halt to Plymouth . I hope this helps Phil & Brian.

Oh I've got that Book Ian. Thanks a lot, I'll look ASAP. Such larks.

Phil

[Ian Hargrave]

18 minutes ago, Mallard60022 said:

Oh I've got that Book Ian. Thanks a lot, I'll look ASAP. Such larks.

Phil

Of course,SR excursions also accessed the Torbay line the long way round….just to add variety….via Meldon & Okehampton.

[gwrrob]

2 hours ago, Ian Hargrave said:

Cheers Rob.Good to talk…

 

Talking of Plymouth North Road, of course you're far too modest the fact you are the cover star on this publication.😉

 

[Ian Hargrave]

How kind to boost my aged self with a youthful image 🙄.Yes I bought a copy this morning. Back to the camera is the 17 years old me. Plymouth North Road August 1959. The Warship on the down CRE has detached the dining car portion before continuing its journey to Penzance. IIRC & according to the LocoLog it’s one of D800/802/806/808. Warship activity wasn’t great that first summer of Swindon built ones & the NBL were practically invisible. The Counties were heavily involved and enjoying an Indian summer,as well as 9F’s on holiday extras 

PS they’ve dated it incorrectly but don’t tell

 

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by Ian Hargrave
Adding text

[Mulgabill]

10 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

In case you are bored, there is a Manor working on the West Somerset today.

Cheers

Phil

Keep up Phil, There were 2 on the last up working.

 

Odney then worked an ecs back to MD, whilst Earlystoke remained at BL.

Possibly to facilitate loading for a departure, by road.

 

Cheers TONY

[John Besley]

13 hours ago, Right Away said:

A rather nice job indeed.

Shame though, the driver’ll fail her at Plymouth when he goes round her. EXJ will have to rustle up some RH brake links and send ‘em down on the back of the next tender. Nevertheless, those Maunsells will keep her in check down Hemerdon.

 

In addition when the brake links fell off the front step took a hard knock, must have been something on the line in Dainton tunnel that fell off a Pannier...

[John Besley]

I remember seeing both an original and rebuilt Light Pacific in Paignton carriage sidings in the summer along with Bullied stock - if I knew where it was I could turn up a B&W photo from my Fathers collection... 

 

Also a picture of a 9F on the turntable in Happy Valley (Goodrington carriage sidings)

 

We lived just round the corner from the overbridge at 17 Whitstone Road and could see the Sands Road level crossing from the front room bay window.

 

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by John Besley

[St Enodoc]

7 hours ago, gwrrob said:

 

Please, sir, why is 5805 taking water down its chimbley?????

[MrWolf]

8 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Please, sir, why is 5805 taking water down its chimbley?????

 

Experimental damper?

[Oldddudders]

On 29/10/2023 at 10:05, Right Away said:

A rather nice job indeed.

Shame though, the driver’ll fail her at Plymouth when he goes round her. EXJ will have to rustle up some RH brake links and send ‘em down on the back of the next tender. Nevertheless, those Maunsells will keep her in check down Hemerdon.

Not wrong, but the Hornby rendition of the brake links on the BPs is vexatious. They are known not to respond to several types of adhesive - or even copious quantities of harsh Anglo-Saxon. Finding them deposited in the cess or the 6-foot is a common experience. 

[Dunsignalling]

6 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

Not wrong, but the Hornby rendition of the brake links on the BPs is vexatious. They are known not to respond to several types of adhesive - or even copious quantities of harsh Anglo-Saxon. Finding them deposited in the cess or the 6-foot is a common experience. 

In my experience, an effective solution is to replace them with the etched ones from RT Models.

 

Whether plastic or brass, though, its best to reinforce the joint with a pin or a short length of wire.

 

John

 

 

[Mallard60022]

11 hours ago, John Besley said:

 

In addition when the brake links fell off the front step took a hard knock, must have been something on the line in Dainton tunnel that fell off a Pannier...

Panniers were banned from there as they couldn't ascend the slope without failing, even L.E.

Gone, at speed, already.

P

[Mallard60022]

17 hours ago, Ian Hargrave said:

Of course,SR excursions also accessed the Torbay line the long way round….just to add variety….via Meldon & Okehampton.

Yes, I have seen an N returning east on some sort of working in some book or another. 

Back then, the only way of knowing about these things was by looking in Trains Illustrated 2 months later! or being a big boy and being in a Special Club of some sort!

Honestly, this discussion is the first time I've ever heard of this stuff going on at N.A.

A bit sad for Rob as 'he' is west of NA, otherwise in '57 he could have had loads of Spams running through and outnumbering his Panniers. Hey ho!

P

 

 

[Ian Hargrave]

3 minutes ago, Mallard60022 said:

Yes, I have seen an N returning east on some sort of working in some book or another. 

Back then, the only way of knowing about these things was by looking in Trains Illustrated 2 months later! or being a big boy and being in a Special Club of some sort!

Honestly, this discussion is the first time I've ever heard of this stuff going on at N.A.

A bit sad for Rob as 'he' is west of NA, otherwise in '57 he could have had loads of Spams running through and outnumbering his Panniers. Hey ho!

P

 

 

Peter W Gray is the go to source for information.I discovered the exchange activity by passing through NA&North Road by train in 1953 and by subsequent spotting trips to North Road whilst on holiday in 1957&1959.

[Mallard60022]

14 hours ago, Mulgabill said:

Keep up Phil, There were 2 on the last up working.

 

Odney then worked an ecs back to MD, whilst Earlystoke remained at BL.

Possibly to facilitate loading for a departure, by road.

 

Cheers TONY

 

I wasn't watching until later in the afternoon and only saw 9351. Haven't been down there for a decade, sadly.

Was also watching Nigel Gresley at the NYM.

Phil

[BMacdermott]

32 minutes ago, Mallard60022 said:

Yes, I have seen an N returning east on some sort of working in some book or another. 

P

 

Hello Phil

 

Same book, page 33. No.31875 working 1X08 (Bere Alston-Goodrington Sands return).

 

I have looked at the SR loco rosters. The workings are there but not in the same way - perhaps (as was often a case) - they found a way of working things to their convenience?

 

Brian

Edited October 30, 2023 by BMacdermott

[Mallard60022]

17 hours ago, Ian Hargrave said:

How kind to boost my aged self with a youthful image 🙄.Yes I bought a copy this morning. Back to the camera is the 17 years old me. Plymouth North Road August 1959. The Warship on the down CRE has detached the dining car portion before continuing its journey to Penzance. IIRC & according to the LocoLog it’s one of D800/802/806/808. Warship activity wasn’t great that first summer of Swindon built ones & the NBL were practically invisible. The Counties were heavily involved and enjoying an Indian summer,as well as 9F’s on holiday extras 

PS they’ve dated it incorrectly but don’t tell

NO such claim to fame for me. How wonderful for you though.

I saw D800 emerging from Mutley Tunnel on it's first outing. The Cab was full of Bowler Hats but it wasn't a Test Train or the CRE. It was absolutely gleaming. Early 59 or possibly Autumn '58?

In the summer it was fun to see what emerged from that Tunnel on extras and the odd excursion; that include 9Fs as you say, and the occasional 47XX.

I used to spot from a Wall at the end of Sidings, near the Eye Hospital, that was just east of the Road overbridge that itself was just east of North Road East S.B.  That was because Platform Tickets were 1d!

Wonderful.

[gwrrob]

Having seen the latest Hornby Castle in the flesh , the green is much better , I still wouldn't pay the 200 sheets asked for it , even with the fancy big four collection box.

 

[Ian Hargrave]

6 minutes ago, gwrrob said:

Having seen the latest Hornby Castle in the flesh , the green is much better , I still wouldn't pay the 200 sheets asked for it , even with the fancy big four collection box.

 

It’s virtually the same as the one released 5/6 years ago .Yes the livery is an improvement but the price isn’t. With regard to the cost,I believe the best policy atm is to wait until as tbh I imagine they don’t sell and consequently the price is reduced.Time to be hard headed.The “Collection “ is a marketing exercise familiar to Hornby and a way of getting more life out of long existing tooling. I understand the motive for it but I wish they’d be a bit more imaginative than this.Old wine in new bottles.