BMacdermott

Hello 7802 Thanks for that. Although I am 'the voice' on these Mini-Polls, my friends John, Chris and Ian work just as hard in the background to bring you as good a Poll as is possible. Many go through at least three drafts before we settle them. Much has to be balanced with the content of the others we have planned for you, and that sometimes means we have to change the running order. Brian

Hello Gilbert and everyone A picture on page 84 of Peter Coster's book, The Great British Railway Station - King's Cross, shows a long line of Containers. The difficulty is that, although I can see the roofs, the 'identifying sides' are mostly obscured by the wagons in the next road! Frustrating! From what I can tell, the Containers are on one of the tracks that had a roadway alongside; some Fish Vans are on the track opposite. So, could this be where 'the perishable stuff' was unloaded? Or just coincidence? The subject of Containers seems to have beaten some of you, and turn out - so far - is fairly low. Brian

Hello everyone Passenger Brake Vans offer a wide variety of types and with the possibility of ‘branding’ for certain routes or trains. Perhaps of note is the fact that the Collett K38s ‘match’ the bow ended passenger stock which Hornby makes. My own layout is based on the late 1950s/early 1960 and I could well use any of the Colletts as well as both the BR-built Monster and Siphon G. So… My choices are: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 & 12 My focused choices of PBV are: 3, 5 & 6. I feel that if the K41 was made, the K42 would ‘spin off’, so haven’t actually voted for it although I would buy it. My focused choice of Monster is: 10 BR-built Inside Framed Brian

GWR 00 Rolling Stock Mini-Poll No.2: Passenger Brake Vans, Monsters, Bullion & BR-built Siphon G Hello everyone Welcome to the second in our series of GWR 00 Rolling Stock Mini-Polls. I am running them here with my friends, John Lewis, Chris Knowles-Thomas and Ian Taylor on Rob’s behalf. You will find ‘an indication’ of what we are looking at via the suggested example diagrams in parentheses. We simply cannot list every incarnation! The makers are tending to ‘tool up’ to cover as many variants as are commercially viable. For us, the mantra is: If it looks like a Passenger Brake Van, it probably is a Passenger Brake Van, or a member of the same family. In order to generate some debate – and some ‘learning opportunities’ – please feel free to explain why you have chosen your selections. I copy all ‘Comments Received’ in order of receipt – but with names removed – and post them as a PDF with the Results. Please note that we do not welcome comments that act as an excuse to start up the old chestnut of ‘kits vs RTR’! The Collett K41 was one inch wider than the K42 – barely perceptible in 00. However, the ‘lights’ (windows) of K42 are about 20% deeper. Of the two diagrams, the K41 offers more livery variations, but they were withdrawn earlier; most went between 1965 and 1968. The K42s were mainly withdrawn in 1976 and 1977. Hence, we have listed them separately. We appreciate that – technically – Monsters were classified as Bogie Covered Carriage Trucks, but it seems that they were more often used in the mode of scenery and parcels vehicles. Hence, we have them here rather than in our later Mini-Polls covering Road Vehicle Carriers and/or NPCCS. Here’s what to do… 1. You may vote for any or all of the items listed plus the two ‘focused choice’ options (13 &14). 2. They must be items you would realistically wish to buy if made RTR at ‘affordable prices’. 3. Submit your entries on this thread simply as (for example): 2, 4, 7 – with comments and explanations following. My posting which follows should serve as an example. 4. If you vote by PM, please only list your selection of numbers without explanations. Passenger Brake Vans 1 Passenger Brake Van. Dean. 40ft, four double doors per side (Diags.K14, K15 & K16) 2 Passenger Brake Van. Churchward. 57ft Steel-panelled Toplight. (Diag.K22) 3 Passenger Brake Van. Collett. 57ft Flat Ended, high waist style (Diag.K41) 4 Passenger Brake Van. Collett. 57ft Flat Ended, low waist style (Diag.K42) 5 Passenger Brake Van. Collett. 58ft 4½in Bow Ended ‘Ocean Mails’ (Diag.K38) 6 Passenger Brake Van. Collett. 59ft 10in Flat Ended, low waist style (Diag.K44) 7 Passenger Brake Van. Collett. 61ft 4½in Bow Ended, general service (Diag.K40) Monsters 8 Scenery & Parcels Van. Monster. Outside framed (Diag. P16) 9 Scenery & Parcels Van. Monster. Inside framed (Diag.P18 and P21 Giant rebuilds) 10 Scenery & Parcels Van. Monster. Inside framed. BR-built (Diags.P23 & P24 of 1953) Bullion Van 11 Bullion Van (eg Diags.M16 & M17) BR-built Siphon G 12 Siphon G – BR-built (Diag.O62 of 1951) 13 Your Focused Choice of Passenger Brake Van If there was only enough plastic available in the world to make just three of the Passenger Brake Vans, which would you choose? Please answer (such as): My focused choices of PBV are: 4, 5 & 6. 14 Your Focused Choice of Monster If there was only enough plastic available in the world to make just one of the Monsters, which would you choose? Please answer (such as): My focused choice of Monster is: 10 Get your thinking caps on and get voting! I will acknowledge receipt of your vote via the ‘Thx’ tick box. You have until 17.00 on Saturday 19 June. However, I will stop earlier and advise if votes reach 50. I will present the results during the day on Sunday 20 June. I look forward to your selections and comments! Brian (Note: These are ‘informal Polls for fun’ on Rob’s thread only and neither RMweb nor The 00 Wishlist Poll Team are specifically involved, apart from me, John, Chris and Ian in our ‘personal capacities’.)

Hello Miss Prism All the very best from me, personally, and I'm sure I can speak on behalf of my friends in The 00 Wishlist Poll Team, too. Get well soon! Brian

Many thanks Steve! I had seen some pictures of those, but couldn't find a supplier. I'll get some on order now. Brian

Hello all I have been looking through my ECML books - plenty of containers but many photos are almost head-on, so the actual container types cannot be seen. Brian

Hello Sandhole I agree fully with you there...but one partial problem if one is looking for accuracy is that the currently available Class 28 is the type re-built with flat windows. See notes below from The Guide to The 00 Wishlist Poll (with Conflat P following - see my note about possible 'spin off' from the TMC models). Brian Class 28 – 1958 as built, wrap round windows (originally D5700-D5719) These 20 locos were introduced in 1958 and 1959 with the unique Co-Bo wheel arrangement. The ‘as built’ version is the one primarily associated with double-heading the London-Glasgow ‘Condor’ service (although it should be noted that model versions of that service require Conflat P wagons as opposed to ‘ordinary’ Conflats). We are given to understand that when running on the ‘Condor’, the locos were coupled with the No.1 ends inner-most so that drivers always had ‘the quieter end’. The cab windows were altered from a wrap-round style to a flat style from 1961, and that is the version sold by Hattons (made by Heljan). BR Conflat P Wagon – ‘Condor’ (Diag.1/060 of 1959) These longer than usual Conflats were converted from Plate Wagons to carry a BD and an A container for the 'Condor' service. The November 1959 issue of Railway Observer reported that the train had been running for some while with just one D57xx loco (as opposed to the original pairs) and just 13 wagons. See page 28 of David Larkin’s book, Wagons of the Middle British Railways Era (1955-1961). Some Conflat Ps were later converted to Timber P Wagons and used on trains to a paper mill near Fort William. TMC released its Plate Wagon in 2018 – perhaps this could ‘spin off’?

Hello Phil Not available RTR yet as far as I know. But they ought to be! Brian

Hello Phil It is a BM type. Fresh Meat. Brian

Hello Andy A picture on page 47 of Don Rowland’s book, Twilight of the Goods, shows a BM sitting on a BR Conflat A. I posted a PDF about Containers a few posts back. If you want to look at that and - possibly - revise your votes, I will be happy to take them. Brian

Hello again Coach Bogie Many thanks for removing the post above mine and for your understanding and co-operation which is appreciated. The Mini-Poll Team will present 'a full case' at the time of the Poll. Brian

Hello Gilbert Just checking...You voted for No.6, the Condor Conflat P - is that correct for you? Brian

Hello Bloodnok I'm putting that in the Comments Received for you. Brian

Hello Coach Bogie Many thanks for the above, but can I remind readers of what I said earlier (now repeated below): Rather than have any 'increased traffic' on the the thread can I ask: 2. If you would like us to consider any specific GWR TPO vehicles, please send me a PM (not a note on this thread). Brian

Hello everyone I'm pleased to say that my TPO posting on the previous page has attained 14 likes and 1 agree, so I am happy that we will run a TPO Mini-Poll as part of the series. Many thanks to all who 'ticked the box'. Brian

Hello Alistair Not wishing to 'influence' voters, but someone else wanted a list of containers with details - see PDF attached iif you so wish. Brian Containers.pdf

Hello drmditch Thanks for the votes. Forgive my ignorance of LNER matters but - and this is part of the 'learning opportunities' that these Mini-Polls present - is your 9 Type BL the same as the BLP shown on page 74 of LNER Wagons by Peter Tatlow? Brian

Hello again John Your revised vote has been logged. Keep me on my toes, don't you! Brian

Hello John Indeed, Bachmann have made those types. I started at A etc to 'give an indication' of what we are looking for in replies. Replica has a B of some description - but I'm not sure how accurate that is. Can anyone comment? While writing, I forgot to say that I am aware of the later Bulkrane types, but omitted them to keep matters more in context for Peterborough North. Brian

Hello Mr Duck Lost for words? Brian

Hello everyone Container Wagons (or Chassis) have greater variations on a theme than may at first be imagined. They give the opportunity to run empty, of course – where the chassis or woodwork can be seen – or with a broad range of container loads and, in the case of the SR versions, small cars even. ‘Stylistically’ – and at ‘normal’ layout viewing distance – there’s not much to choose between the GWR, SR 9ft/10ft and the LNER wagons, but the SR 18ft 7in is ‘a bit different’ and enables a small car load – what where then called ‘invalid carriages’. These were small 3-wheeled cars made by AC Cars of Thames Ditton for a long-running government contract. However, they were also used for other new car traffic and labelled as ‘Return to Morris Cowley’ or ‘Bathgate ScR’. Such cars could also be seen on the short versions but, on the long versions, the containers had to be ‘roped on’ as opposed to ‘chained’. The other two that stand out are the LMS ‘chassis’ – where you can see ‘the gubbins’ as opposed to a wooden floor – and the Conflat L with its box-like Containers (a model of which was made back in Tri-ang days). So… My choices are: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 & 10. My ‘focused choices’ of Containers (only) are: BM & FM Fresh & Frozen Meat Containers. (Note that I am fully aware that a kit exists! But this poll is for RTR.) As something of an addendum to that, I would very much like to see someone make ‘affordable’ Container Securing Chains! Brian

00 Rolling Stock Mini-Poll No.6: Container Wagons & Containers Hello everyone Welcome to the sixth in our series of eight Mini-Polls concerning rolling stock that has at least some connection with Peterborough North – although I have to admit that one or two here would almost certainly not have been! I have listed them for ‘completeness’. I am running the Mini-Polls on behalf of Gilbert. You will find ‘an indication’ of what we are looking at via the suggested example diagrams in parentheses as it is often impossible to be ‘deadly precise’ with a 1-line descriptor. We take the view that ‘if it looks like a Container Wagon, it probably is a Container Wagon or a member of the same family’. Recent past experience is showing that makers are ‘tooling up’ to make as many variants as they can for any new model. You can submit your wishes here, on the thread, as usual, or PM me direct if you prefer the ‘secret ballot’ method. If you vote on the thread, please feel free to explain why you have chosen your selection – hopefully, that will promote some interesting debates – but please do not take it as an excuse to start up the old chestnut of ‘kits vs RTR’! Here’s what to do… 1 You may vote for any or all of the 11 items listed plus a response to 12 (if you wish) 2 They must be items you would realistically wish to buy if made RTR at ‘affordable prices’. 3 Submit your entries on this thread simply as (for example): 2, 4, 7, 9, 10 – with comments and explanations following. 4 If you vote by PM, please only list your selection of numbers without explanations. Container Wagons 1 GWR Container Wagon – Conflat A (Diag.H10 of 1944) 2 SR Container Wagon – 9ft & 10ft wheelbase (Diags.1382 & 1399 of 1931/1938) 3 SR Container Wagon – 18ft 7in wheelbase (Diag.1383 of 1931) 4 LMS Container Wagon – Chassis (numerous diagrams) 5 LNER Container Wagon – Conflat S (Diag.104) 6 BR Container Wagon – Conflat P ‘Condor’ (Diag.1/060 of 1959) Container Wagons with ‘Dedicated’ Containers 7 BR Conflat B Wagon & AFP Container (Diag.1/461 & Diag.3/256 of 1958) 8 BR Conflat L Wagon & L Containers (Diag.1/068 of 1951 on) Containers (only) 9 Containers – Big Four types – GWR, SR, LMS & LNER 10 Containers – BR types – A, AF, BM & FM Fresh & Frozen Meat, etc 11 Containers – BR Speedfreight (Diag.3/006 etc from 1961) Your Focused Choices of Containers (only) 12 Looking at Items 9, 10 and 11 above, please specifically mention any of the numerous types within those ranges that you feel are ‘crying out to be made’ (with reasons if possible). Get your thinking caps on and get voting! I will acknowledge receipt of your vote via the ‘Thx’ tick box. You have until 17.00 on Thursday 24 June. However, I will stop earlier and advise if votes reach 50. I will present the results during the day on Friday 25 June. I look forward to your selections and comments! Brian (Note: These are ‘informal Polls for fun’ on Gilbert’s thread only and neither The 00 Wishlist Poll Team nor RMweb are specifically involved, apart from me in my ‘personal capacity’.)

Many thanks mdvle That was pretty much the angle we were aiming to come from. And, hence, my request for readers to not make suggestions on the thread as yet as we would wish to provide a 'full story' upon which voters could vote without any prior 'influence'. Brian (13 'likes' and counting! )

Many thanks for the PM Rich. But may I respectfully request readers that we don't have actual (pardon the pun!) posts for the moment - the reason is that it will 'double-up' on whatever the Mini-Poll Team puts together, and we want that to be as comprehensive as possible. There will be ample opportunity for comments, opinions and photos if we go ahead. Thanks for your understanding. Brian