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Wickham Trolley


Combe Martin

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Sorry, I was a little unclear. I was refering to normal main line railways, NOT preserved lines. If you model a preserved line then then I suspect the rules for using these things are a bit looser than anything owned by Network Rail or BR.

 

My reasoning is that the trolley would have to occupy a block to avoid it tangling with a normal train. It's slow speed would mess up the timetable. However, I'm no expert and would welcome someone who knows about the trolley use on steam-era railways clarifying the rules.

 

It all depends on service train timings, line capacity and traffic density - factors that don't alter regardless of whether we are talking about 1965 or 2015. Signalmen are not allowed to let it out on the Bluebell if they believe it will hold up service trains and it would have been exactly the same under British Railways when they were first introduced. My point is that Wickham trolleys do not need a official 'engineering possession' to be out on the line - they may be signalled as normal trains under the 1950s rule book (a modified version of which the Bluebell still use) if the local engineering staff request their use and the signalmen / operating department are happy that such a movement will not disrupt the ordinary timetable.

 

As such its easily to imagine say cross country a double track line with say an hourly stopping service, where its quite possible that a Wickham might be allowed to enter the block section between trains for engineering purposes. Thus it would be entirely legitimate in principle (era and geographical location permitting) for a modeller to have one and run it as they would do any other train / loco.

 

Of course there is nothing to prevent Wickham trolleys being used under an engineering possession - but in model terms that is unlikely to be something most modellers wish to create as we have yet to master the nano technology necessary to actually have miniature people undertake, say the replacement of a section if track while we watch.

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They are still in use today, here is a modern equivalent:

 

http://bance.com/4manpetrolalumicart/

 

Yes and no.

 

Today all such plant (ranging from the man rider pictured right up to Road / rail vehicles - including the land rovers used on the West Highland) MUST ONLY be operated from inside an engineers possession (which away from the likes of the RETB West Highland) REQUIRES Detonators, stop boards, etc to be put in place before track access is possible.

 

However the Wickham trolleys, when introduced did not need to be inside a engineers possession for them to be used - signalmen could simply signal them as ordinary trains into and through block sections (timetables permitting) - there were even special bell codes for them.

 

Thus the closet thing you are likely to see, in spirit terms (not physically) to a Wickam trolley are the soon to be introduced "Mobile Maintenance trains". These self contained units loaded with staff and materials, plus featuring 'working bays' (think of a wagon with no floor, extendable sides and internal gantry cranes so workers are completely isolated from the open tracks either side) can drive onto a bit of 'open' railway stop, do their work then head off again afterwards without the need for traditional possession arrangements as the train keeps the workers safe inside it.

Edited by phil-b259
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I do actually remember seeing a Wickham pass through Chesterton Junction, Cambridge, in the early 60's, on a couple of occasions, during the day. Both times it (they?) were on the Up Fast approaching from the Ely direction.

In those days of course, there were loops in various places (such as the approaches to CJ), and there was also a lot more varied traffic about (a lot of freight), running at different speeds.

I also saw one of the early track recording trollies (don't know the name) on the St.Ives  loop a few times.

 

Stewart

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As the Unimog has been mentioned, can we get a motorised one of them please? As well as OHL renewal loads for the Bachmann MPV which are nice and cheap to make a full leccy train from?

The Atlas Unimog isn't out yet so I don't know if its suitable for motorising. Pictures I have seen of it show the rail wheels fore and aft of the bodywork giving a long wheelbase and the rear body is similar to the Bachmann 'trailer' so installing a motor should not be a problem. If you want any ideas look up the 'On track plant' website but you will have to sign up to see anything other than thumbnails.

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  • 2 months later...

I don't think it looks too bad at all and certainly nothing that cannot be put right.

 

As I've said before, there are some incredibly small motors and I will bet a motor can be put in the Wickham itself rather than the trailer. But if not, then a more realistic (scrap) ballast load covering the motor. Apply some weathering, new lamp and thinning down/ replacing the hand rails, better wheels and it will be quite a good little model.

 

Most purchases of RTR will, after all, keep it RTR and will just be happy that Bachmann have built one at all.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Wonder if it will have a DCC socket ? / decoder space ?

IIRC its in the trailer

 

Phil

 

Edit...I stand corrected... Please see subsequent posts

 

Phil

Edited by Phil Bullock
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It is my recollection that the markings on maroon trollies was in cream; not white as it appears the model carries.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

 

I've found what looks like 2 shades of cream.

 

Page 78 of The Somerset & Dorset Remembered Part 1 by Hugh Ballantyne shows one at Shepton Mallet with dark cream markings (and no lozenge) in July 1963, whereas page 20 of the same but Part 2 shows one at Evercreech Junction with what looks like light cream markings including lozenge in Feb 1966. 

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I've found what looks like 2 shades of cream.

 

Page 78 of The Somerset & Dorset Remembered Part 1 by Hugh Ballantyne shows one at Shepton Mallet with dark cream markings (and no lozenge) in July 1963, whereas page 20 of the same but Part 2 shows one at Evercreech Junction with what looks like light cream markings including lozenge in Feb 1966. 

 

Either of those would have been ideal for me, and I ordered the maroon option when the Bachmann model was announced.

 

One look at the first samples, with that ridiculous heavy-duty trailer, dispelled all such hopes and the order was duly rescinded !!

 

Ah well - I'll have to make do with a non-running model, parked off-track on the outskirts of Evercreech Junction station. I gather that a far more delicate etched kit is available from someone.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

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Page 101 of The Somerset & Dorset at Midford by Mike Arlett shows a B&W photo of a maroon B29W just at the edge of Midford viaduct.  The lozenge is at the top of the radiator grill, not above the window, but it is attached to a trailer.

 

The available kit is from N Brass Locos and is etched nickel silver 

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Page 101 of The Somerset & Dorset at Midford by Mike Arlett shows a B&W photo of a maroon B29W just at the edge of Midford viaduct.  The lozenge is at the top of the radiator grill, not above the window, but it is attached to a trailer.

 

The available kit is from N Brass Locos and is etched nickel silver 

 

Thanks - duly ordered with trailer.

 

Now - didn't I see somewhere an account of someone motorising this kit ?

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

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There was lots of discussion in this thread around August/September on the subject of "couldn't Bachmann have done better and motorised the Trolley" with many claims of how easy it would be. 

 

But leaving aside the models with sidescreens down and so hiding a mechanism, I'm not sure anyone has actually produced a good accurate OO motorised model and shown how, and it running well too. 

 

I think they'll be well applauded when they do ! 

 

And don't forget it's got to have room for a decoder too !

Edited by Combe Martin
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I was thinking that there probably would not be room for an 8 or 6 pin socket, but there would hopefully be a couple of wires that could be snipped so that a very tiny decoder (like the ZTC262 or one of those German/Austrian ones (cant remember the name) could be hard wired in.

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