dibber25

The question of single cars or MBS/DTS combinations seems to have been as much down to date as anything else. Apart from GWR railcars (brought in because of a shortage of steam crews in the London area) the first DMUs were the Gloucester MBS - Class 122 (in 1958). Photos show them on the Staines branch either singly or in pairs of two MBS. The Gloucesters left circa 1960 once the Pressed Steel (121) cars were available. There are pictures of these running as MBS+DTS on the Staines branch and I certainly remember seeing them. However, they probably didn't last long as pairs because apart from the morning and afternoon runs that served the trading estate halts, that much accommodation was seldom needed. There was something very special about the ride across Staines Moor in the rain with the wet willow leaves slapping against the windscreen and the gentle rolling from side-to-side on track that was generally well maintained up to the end. It is impossible to imagine it now as gravel raising, the M25 and Heathrow airport have ruined the area. (CJL) Having said that, the first picture I find is a Gloucester MBS+DTS entering Staines West when the signal box was still staffed! The second is a Pressed Steel DTS+MBS at Staines West (Keith Jaggers picture). Now here's a teaser for you. Why did Staines West have Great EASTERN Railway canopy ironwork and valancing?

There was certainly a weekday through 'commuter' train during my time (early 1960s) up in the morning and down in the pm. Looks like the afternoon return working went to Southall which is logical as that's where the DMUs lived. One of the oddities of the dieselisation was that some units had roller blinds with Staines West and other just had Staines. This was because around 1960 there was a plan to refurbish the wartime spur that linked the Staines branch to the SR Windsor lines and to run branch trains into Staines Central. The closure of the last half mile into Staines West would have eliminated the need for a bridge to carry the A30 Staines by-pass. However the SR reckoned they couldn't accommodate the trains at Central, so the scheme foundered but DMUs delivered during that time had blinds that hedged their bets. I think I've posted this elsewhere in the past but its a favourite picture and a rare one. (CJL)

There is a book in preparation. It has been in preparation for a very long time but is now getting near to publication, I believe. I was involved with it initially but have been 'in and out' over the years, depending on other commitments. If you have specific queries, I can almost certainly answer them, as it was my local branchline from 1962 until it disappeared under the M25 some 25 years later. You'll find references above to my friend Keith Jaggers' website. Keith knew Staines West a year or two before I did. I've modelled Staines west in various scales over the years. This is the current version - in 'N' gauge. (CJL)

It reminds me very much of my 1960 Hillman Minx - the rounded lower edges of the body are much like the sills on cars of that generation and have ended up being much the same - more holes, less metal. The Stationmaster speaks of rust but it's not so much the rust that's the problem as the holes where there is no rust, metal or anything else. It must be around 2-3 years since I went to Didcot to examine and photograph it before I commented on the first CADs that I'd been shown. I'd seen it previously at Crewe and Barrow Hill and been alarmed at its poor state back then. Sadly, although it is a very evocative shell, without its gas turbine 'innards' it is of little museum significance and is always likely to be a low priority for any serious restoration work. I hope I'm proved wrong. (CJL)

The normal reason for 'non-standard' size is to get greater prominence on newsagents' shelves. (CJL)

Didn't the UIC use it for some specific type of testing? Hence the changed bogie and suspension carve-up on one end. I'm afraid that the loco is in very poor condition - the body work is rusted into holes through most of its length, on the complex curved areas at the bottom of the sides. It is completely empty inside. As far as I'm aware it is not part of the GWS own collection, merely given a home by them, so it seems unlikely time or money will be spent on it. (CJL)

Just wondered if any of the Canadian readers of RM web knows the current status of the equipment that was at Woss Camp on the Englewood Railway - the former Canadian Forest Products logging railway? The railway closed following a horrific accident when a cut of log cars ran away and five men were killed. Last I heard, the track was being removed and the trackbed turned into a logging road. The railway had three SW1200RS locomotives, two of which were recently re-engined. Has any of that equipment been preserved or sold, or has it all been scrapped? It was a very long drive beyond habitation to reach Woss Camp but I did it twice, most recently in 2014 when the railway was still operating. (CJL)

A friend who is a VIA engineer said it was among the new fleet illustrations in a staff briefing. She didn't know what the significance of the different colour scheme was, either. (CJL)

Not quite sure why you think I imagined it. (CJL)

Certainly, my VIA friend refers always to turning on a 'Y'. The only balloon loop I've ever seen is at Bennett on the White Pass & Yukon but I'm not that well travelled in the USA. (CJL)

It is highly likely that 18000 had standard GWR whistles. Quite a lot of fittings were supplied by Swindon - the details are in the files at the NRM. Of course, that's not to say that the whistle would have sounded the same as it did on a steam loco. Remember, too, that Swindon had fitted much better horns to its railcars after complaints that plate layers couldn't hear them coming. I'm guessing that when Swindon heard the whistles on 18000 they replaced them with the railcar horns (which were said to be EXCEPTIONALLY LOUD!) (CJL)

There's a very nice high-definition version of the film available on Amazon Prime. Way better than the DVD version that I've enjoyed up to now. (CJL)

Thanks again everyone. I have quite a few more, printed off when I had access to a batch of negs with no info whatsoever with them. I have a couple of 70ft auto coaches (W200W is one) in the most appalling state but what their story is, who knows. (CJL)

I think the single-cab look is part of the tradition of North American railways. They don't view it as a single locomotive. In the heyday of passenger diesels they had lash-ups of four locos, one with a cab, two without and one with a cab facing the other way. Or two with a cab lashed-up back to back. Even with a single loco and one cab, it didn't matter because their usual practice was to turn the whole train on a 'Y', not to run-round with a loop in the way that was usual in the UK. The former Nightstar coaches that VIA used on the Ocean are being withdrawn because VIA can no longer turn the train at Halifax and Canadians don't travel 'back to the engine'. The Nightstar stock has seats all facing one way. The new trains with their push-pull cars are - at last - a move towards more economical operating practices with trains that will no longer need to be turned. How they'll deal with reversing the seats is not clear. Maybe a return to the old-style pivoted seat units. With regard to the photo, VIA is also showing pictures of a train with largely white/pale grey stock with a giant maple leaf. It is not clear whether that's an alternative livery. It looks to be a computer-generated re-livery rather than a train that has actually been painted. (CJL)

Many thanks, everyone. I would never have sorted that out. Im now looking for info on W 9961 W. Obviously GWR origin (possibly ex-tri-composite judging from compartment spacings) a clerestory on 7ft Dean bogies and appears to be black)

No.2200 first liveried example. A complete set is to be delivered later in the year so that it can be subjected to tests in a Canadian winter.

I'm curious to find the origin and purpose of this coach W1065W which appears to be in BR carmine and is marked STAFF. I'm guessing it originated with one of the South Wales companies but what staff would it be reserved for? I had for years been under the impression it was an ex-LSWR vehicle but I don't now know why I thought that. I'm guessing there's someone who will know exactly what and when? (CJL)

Maybe that it was up for a major overhaul or a boiler replacement just at the wrong time and consequent earlier withdrawal contributed to lower mileage. Any sort of comparatively minor failure could result in withdrawal during that time. (CJL)

Stratton station (Chris Leigh) 1658 at Highworth (R.C. Riley/CJL collection)

I actually said 'will come off best' = receive the greatest amount of positive comment. 'Best' otherwise = top in whatever ranking system is employed. If there was a 'most expensive is best mantra' there would be no point in a comparison review - or any other kind of review - a price comparison exercise is all that would be needed. (CJL)

Peter Marriott, who sometimes posts hereabouts, has done loads of comparison reviews of things which DO stand comparison, from ballast-fixing glues to static grass applicators. I think the OP is, however, aimed purely at locomotives, where there are duplications of the same few diesel classes. However, in my view a comparison review of, say, Class 66s, is a waste of precious pages. The most recent model is almost certain to come off best, simply because it will be up to date in terms of electronics, sound provision etc. i can't see the point of a review to just state the obvious. There are a few cases where the issue of a new state-of-the-art model prompts an uplift in the demand for the cheaper, older Railroad version but reviewers will usually point out if a new model supersedes an earlier one. (CJL)

Looks good. I've just finished the Dornoch station building. Whether it ends up on a layout depends on a number of factors - mostly related to time and space. (CJL)

A long time since I watched it (I'll have to re-watch half the boxed set to find it!) but I seem to recall that Private Godfrey got out, 'paid a visit', and got back in again without the train stopping! The outside shot was an alternative 'cricket match' shot. Now I'll watch it and find I've remembered it all wrong! (CJL)

Some out-takes from Titfield Thunderbolt were used in a fairly early episode of Dad's Army. I suspect anything else would have found its way into John Huntley's archive. (CJL)

I certainly have. It has been exhibited at Model Rail Live in Barrow Hill and at Newark but it is big and difficult to transport, so it won't go to club shows as it would be unfair to charge them the transport costs. It was due to go to the KWVR last year but Covid put paid to that. Contrary to the comment further back, it has been very well received at the shows it attended. Most viewers are not interested in seeing half an hour's shunting. They just watch a couple of trains go by. With specially made figures of the children, Perks and Daddy and Mr. Mitchell the guard, there's plenty to look at without seeing lots of different trains. Dave Lowery has done a great job of creating the 'green dragon' 0-6-0 for me, and I now have the Old Gentleman's carriage, too. I'm considering a Titfield layout in 'OO' but I don't really have the space. However, if Oakworth goes elsewhere in due course, who knows? (CJL)