7016 'Chester Castle' South Wales Pullman (1958)

[unclebobkt]

 
If you want your tender coaling, you could just post it to me. I've got a sack full of coal, and there's a particularly nice lump that's just asking to be dropped in an unsuspecting tender. They did use awfully BIG lumps on GWR/Western Region; or, I guess there might be some smaller bits knocking around in my 'washed and graded' coal tins...  ;-)
 
  Is this in fact so?

  I had been given to understand that the GWR. did NOT use the Coaling Towers that one sees elsewhere but prefered to use tubs loading from an height just above the tender so as to obviate the coal from breaking-up into different sized lumps - I gathered,too,  that the prefered size for GWR. lumps of coal was approx. clenched fist sized - easier for the fireman and gave better combustion in the firebox.

  However as I was not a fireman on the GWR. any corrections would be welcomed!      :-) 

[70021 Morning Star]

Hello Uncle Bob,

Like you, I've never been a fireman, and certainly not on the Western Region in 1950-1960s era. So I am going on photographic evidence.

 

From the pictures I have, locomotive tenders are often seen with many coal lumps the size of a man's chest. Indeed, photographs of tenders with uniform 'fist size' loads are comparatively rare. My evidence suggests that the more prestigious the train - i.e. where it was on a named passenger express - the more likely it was to have huge great lumps making up the bulk of its coaling.

 

As you say, that's the exact opposite of what we might expect, and must have meant a great deal of work for the fireman. But, as they say, the camera doesn't lie.

 

Rick

 

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PICTURES

1. Ginormous lumps of coal in the tender of Canton based 70021 Morning Star, after running up to Paddington, 1952.
2. And look at the size of these lumps atop Britannia class 70004's tender, circa 1961.

You can certainly see why they carried 'lump hammers' and all those fire irons. Which reminds me, during WW2, my dad's family used to get regular deliveries of enormous lumps of Welsh coal, and my gran would break it up with an ancient Land Transport Regiment bronze handled sword ! My dad still has it, kept by his front door, in case of unwelcome visitors...

[70021 Morning Star]

.

SOUTH WALES PULLMAN COACH NAMEBOARDS

 

As I'm getting closer to work on that Pullman coach formation, the question arises concerning what was written on the coach nameboards, on the carriage rooves?

 

The photograph of 7016 Chester Castle heading the down 8.50 a.m. South Wales Pullman, in October 1958, shows a roof type coachboard on Car No.55 but, as ever with these things, what's written on it (or them*) is too grainy to be legible. *Can't tell of it's one board, or two boards closely butted together.

 

On other trains (not Pullmans) a board might show the particular carriage's destination, as in [ PADDINGTON - CARDIFF SWANSEA NEYLAND ] on the Capitals United Express. Or the board might give the name of the train, e.g. the aforementioned [ CAPITALS UNITED EXPRESS  ]. But, on a Pullman we wouldn't have various parts of the formation being formed of carriages from different origins, would we?    

 

Forester, who has travelled on the South Wales Pullman, says that the train's name "seems to have gone from 'The South Wales Pullman' to 'South Wales Pullman' when new boards were made for it. I don't know the date for this but my guess is around the [October 1958] period you are interested in. By 1960 they seemed to have stopped cleaning the boards - and by 1961 they were often missing altogether".

 

     ==> Can anyone assist with more information on what coachboards the Pullmans displayed - as in what was said on them - please?

             Particularly in the autumn of 1958.

 

     ==> Anyone know whether it's still be 'THE South Wales Pullman' in autumn 1958?

            My suspicion being the new boards were made for the Blue Pullman. 

 

     ==> Also, did the South Wales Pullman have a locomotive headboard? I have read, somewhere, that Pullmans didn't carry them;

            which makes a kind of sense.

 

Thanks,

Rick

[Forester]

.

SOUTH WALES PULLMAN COACH NAMEBOARDS

 

Forester, who has travelled on the South Wales Pullman, says that the train's name "seems to have gone from 'The South Wales Pullman' to 'South Wales Pullman' when new boards were made for it. I don't know the date for this but my guess is around the [October 1958] period you are interested in. By 1960 they seemed to have stopped cleaning the boards - and by 1961 they were often missing altogether".

  

     ==> Also, did the South Wales Pullman have a locomotive headboard? I have read, somewhere, that Pullmans didn't carry them;

            which makes a kind of sense.

 

Thanks,

Rick

 

My (limited) Pullman travelling was all done on BR(SR) not the SWP so I'm no expert on this train.

 

Steam-hauled Pullman trains all had headboards post WW2 (but not pre-war) although they were sometimes missing towards the end of steam.

 

The headboard for this one was "The South Wales Pullman", initially at least. 

[Penrhos1920]

Precision Labels do the full set of coach roof boards and headboards.

[70021 Morning Star]

.

PULLMAN DAFFODIL BAR

 

I'm currently working on converting a Hornby matchboard type Kitchen car into the flat panelled DIAMOND "DAFFODIL BAR". 

 

Using Holts 'Knifing Putty' to fill in the ribs of the matchboard sides and the unwanted windows. It's ideal for this task, as it 'bonds' in between the plastic ridges and, being applied with a knife, there's no hollows or gaps.

 

CAUTION: Knifing Putty is great to get a fine finish but, you need to let it dry for at least 24 hours, and it attacks the plastic and paintwork. This means it really bonds with the plastic, where other fine fillers tend to fall out. DON'T GET IT ON WINDOWS OR AREAS OF PAINT !!

 

I'll be using the Precision Labels conversion transfers mentioned above, as well as seating a little model of Forester at one of the tables ;-)

 

Rick

 

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PICTURES

1. Golden Age Models' fabulous brass rendering
2. The Hornby version
3. My version ...coming soon

[Forester]

.PULLMAN DAFFODIL BAR

, as well as seating a little model of Forester at one of the tables ;-)

 

Rick

 

 

Wot, not at at the bar?   

[Ian Hargrave]

'The South Wales Pullman' ran from 1955 to 1961,formed from the ex-Devon Belle stock.First down train 27 June 1955,worked by Landore 's 5016 'Montgomery Castle'. Thereafter,the down train was usually an Old Oak turn and the up was the province of Landore's best Castles,latterly with their distinctive silvered buffers,the initiative of Shedmaster Roy White,a legendary figure who transformed the performance of locos and footplate men at 87E.

The last up steam Pullmanran on 8 Sept.1961,hauled by 4090 Dorchester Castle,then allocated to Llanelli as Landore had by then closed for conversion to a diesel depot.

I had one run from Cardiff to Paddington in 1956 on the Pullman,behindAbergavenny Castle.I tasted my first ever melon at our table.In those days it was pure luxury at a modest supplement.Afew years on and the Blue Pullman gave a rougher ride and required skill and patience in negotiating an at seat meal.

 

Sources 'The Red Dragon and Other Old Friends'..LDR Publications.Out of print but worth looking for....and my own recollections growing up in South Wales in the 40's and 50's.

[70021 Morning Star]

Thanks Ian,
That's a great contribution. I've got a copy of "The Red Dragon ...and other old friends". (Could you please edit your post to include the page number and add the "quotation" marks?)
 
'Silvered Buffers', eh? I didn't know that. Would she have retained these at Canton? Hmmm, a bit of research required here...
 
I think I'm correct in saying that 7016 Chester Castle was a Canton shed (86C) engine at the time I'm modelling her (October 1958). "As the Canton express engines, the ex-works Landor 'Castles' would immediately be rostered on the top turns to Paddington. No. 7016 Chester Castle had emerged from Swindon in October 1958 from Heavy General repair, and is seen in that month with the down 8.50 a.m. Paddington to Swansea 'South Wales Pullman' as it approached Canton."  (See page 59 of John Hodge's book, The South Wales Main Line : Part One CARDIFF.)

Is like mention of eating Melon (in Port wine, I trust). ...should we allow Forester some Mellon, as well as moving him to the bar? I'm already modelling his five 'empty' pint glasses. 
 
And, of course, I must ask where shall I seat you, Ian: table or bar, wine or beer? ;-)
 
Rick

[Ian Hargrave]

Er.....I was only 14 at the time.Canton's "pets" were Britannias.The original allocation was 70025 to 29 70015 to 24 went to Old Oak/Laira.but by 1956/7,all were at Canton.

[70021 Morning Star]

.
GWR 'COPPER' CHIMNEY CAP
 
My Chester Castle is a GWR/Western Region locomotive and should have a copper chimney cap. 
 
Of course, you'll recall that Airfix fitted her with a beautiful brass chimney, cunningly disguised as cheap plastic. So, along with acquiring a brass safety-valve 'bonnet', the search was on for a copper chimney ...or was it?
 
Obviously, the two metals look different, so while I might get away with the shiny brass looking like very highly polished copper in isolation, that pale gold-like brass safety-valve 'bonnet' would give the game away. Fortunately, there's a very simple way to make polished brass or steel look like copper. You need an old fashioned permanent Overhead Projector pen, and you can get a result like this:

Compare the more 'gold' looking safety-valve 'bonnet' (only plastic at this stage) with the reddish  copper of the chimney.

 

What you'll need is an
Orange colour, STAEDTLER ‘lumicolour’ OHP permanent marker, with a medium size tip (code 317-4)
 
The procedure is simplicity itself:

• Polish the brass chimney to a nice shine.
• Apply a coating of shellac like Orange using the OHP permanent marker. Don’t worry if the coating isn’t even or it doesn’t smoothly blend. Apply slightly more orange than your desired finished result.
• Using a rotating or twisting action, gently polish the lacquer coating with an old cotton handkerchief, or similar, until you obtain an even coating to your desired degree of ‘coppering’ ( a thick layer looks like tarnished copper, while a thin layer looks like highly-polished copper).
• Finished. …you’ll see it looks exactly like Copper.

The nice thing is that the finish is durable, waterproof, and will actually protect the brass from tarnishing. And, if you ever want to remove it, simply use methylated spirits.

This technique is especially useful where a locomotive requires the contrast between polished brass and polished copper furniture, such as the Castles and Halls. It doesn’t just work on brass, you can also apply to steel wire, or even on top of ‘metalcote’ type paint, to make copper pipework and the like.

A few more pictures of the 'coppered' brass chimney:




And let's do a comparison:

COMPARISON - Left is original 'goldish' brass : right is 'reddish' coppered.

(Colour-cast of tungsten lighting on the photographic media has given the brass a slight orange 'colour-cast', but you can see the idea. If you apply more OHP lacquer, the copper colour will deepen. I only want a contrast with the brass 'bonnet', and my chimney is representing a highly polished Pullman locomotive, so I've not applied much of the orange OHP lacquer. If you want a deeper copper, i.e. a more weathered less polished copper chimney, then apply more lacquer. It really is that simple.) 

I think you'll agree, that's a very nicely polished GWR copper chimney cap appropriate for 7016 Chester Castle rostered on the prestigious South Wales Pullman.

 

...one last thing, if you use a yellow OHP pen on polished white metal, it looks like - you guessed it - Brass. I'm still working on turning lead to gold, but watch this space.

Rick

[70021 Morning Star]

.

Express Locomotives Headcode Lamps

 

Until yesterday, I thought I understood the system of fast passenger expresses trains displaying two white lamps (or two white discs), one on either side of the buffer beam, facing forwards.

 

Looking at pictures of Castles hauling the South Wales Pullman in "The Red Dragon ...and other old friends", there's a picture of 4090 Dorchester Castle (Plate 204, on page 210), with caption saying she's hauling the last ever South Wales Pullman, where she's clearly displaying one white and one red lamp on the front buffer beam. Nearside white and offside red. Not just the filter is red, the whole of the lamp is painted red. 

 

I've also read that (at an earlier date, 1930s maybe), the Western Region used two red lights on the front of passenger express trains.

 

==> Anyone got any information on the BR Western Region's use of white/red lamps on fast passenger express trains, especially, around August 1958 ?

 

Thanks,

Rick

[70021 Morning Star]

.
PROGRESS UPDATE
 
You guys have been great in answering my many questions. But, as there were perhaps too many for one thread - including a few that were perhaps better answered as a subject specific topic, discussion of Locomotive Headlamp Colours, a few technical queries on electrical Resistors for the flickering Smokebox LED and Smoke-Generator, and whether Castles cabs had wood or chequerplate floors, have been split of into separate RMWEB discussion threads.

• http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/95747-red-express-locomotive-headcode-lamps/
• http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/95713-wiring-resistors-for-firebox-led-12v-dc-analogue/
• http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/95844-castle-class-cab-floor-wood-or-chequerplate/

As these side issues are now pretty much resolved, I'll be bringing the answers back to this thread, and continuing to document my feeble efforts to correctly model 7016 Chester Castle and the South Wales Pullman, circa October 1958, right here.

 

Hopefully, you'll continue with your assistance: all comments and suggestions are very much appreciated.

 

Thank you, again,

Rick

[70021 Morning Star]

.
7016 Chester Castle is still a work-in-progress...

Cab detail and flickering Firebox LED


 
Work Completed:

• Boiler 'blackened' in semi-matt (unstirred Humbrol enamel matt black) Boiler Black paint, with prototypical lighter green interior paintwork on inside of cab frame and roof (and various Notices / stencils still to be added) ;
• Copper/brass pipework picked out with a Sharpie 'brass' metallic pen ;
• Instrument dials painted white, edged with metallic pen, and 'glazed' with Humbrol Clear ;
• Floor detailed with etched chequerplate, matchstick wood section, and brass plate/hatch in front of firebox (with a small amount of coal dust spillage*) ; See http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/95844-castle-class-cab-floor-wood-or-chequerplate/page-2
• Firebox doors remodelled and 3V 3mm flickering Firebox LED fitted and wired in (resistors to protect 3V LED in 12V DC through 'overload' 18V for DCC, and Bridge Rectifier so LED always receives the correct current polarity in forward and reverse, as well as an application of Tamiya X-26 Clear Orange glaze to enhance the orange glow of the LED) ;
• Firebox Flap modelled and fitted to the front on the firebox ;
• Crew fitted, with addition of real coal to fireman's shovel ;
• Etched brass Fall-plate fashioned and fitted (using 'silver' Sharpie pen with black acrylic wash, for correct colouration of the coal dusted steel plate).
• [ Additional fireirons, tools, and tea jug, etc.; cab glazing; and remodelled (later Castle production) hand rails, to be added later. ]

*Note: there's too much coal spillage in the photograph, as the picture was taken just after I'd sprinkled dust over small amounts of PVA before brushing away the excess. There will only be a very tiny bit of dust in front of the firebox, and in a few corners, in the finished model.  
 
Rick

[70021 Morning Star]

.

SLIGHT HICCUP, OR THREE...

 

The smoke-generator has melted the chimney (as I half expected) before I managed to pull off the smoke-generator's tiny wires and destroy the thing (oops!) and then, to further delay things, just as I was about to fit the beautifully made brass safety-valve bonnet, from Chris Parrish, I couldn't find it ! So I'm now awaiting new parts, from Chris, ebay, and a few generous friends on RMWEB, before continuing with the Castle project.
 
Details of plans to protect the plastic from the excessive heat of the smoke-generator are being discussed at RMWEB thread http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/95957-smoke-genarator-plastic-heat-proofing/
 
Expected parts delivery and restart is around Thursday, 19 Feb.
 
Rick