vectispete

Hi So you think that this shade of 'red' looks realistic? Pete

Hi Chris You should upload a photo for us. I have purchased 2 5 plank coal wagons and a 10t brake van from Smallbrook but haven't made a start as I need to establish whether the kit can be built to EM gauge standards. Alas I haven't been able to find out this. I think Cambrian kits do a 5 plank which may (?) be slightly better and possible easier to convert to EM gauge. I have a 3 sets currently completed plus a push pull set - what is the 'normal' level of sets that people have for their layout? I have set 495 to complete next. The Worsley kit trio make up 3/4 then I need to find a LBSC 6 compt. brake 3rd kit to complete but am currently searching for one. All will be in Malachite. Is there an exact date when each of the IOW coaches were painted red? I think I remember reading that 2412 was the first in July 1950. Pete

Hi Chris Your colour looks good on your photo. I attach the colour of my SECR 6380 & 2447 , together with my representation of the malachite green version of LBSCR 4165 in EM gauge. It is quite difficult using original colour photos to see the exact shades that these should be. Mine look a little dark but am heartened to read Peter's (IWCR) comments that the paint actually darkened with time. Pete

Many of the goods traffic photos are taken at angles which doesn't show close up detail. I have purchased a few kits from various suppliers but am afraid to build in case the information isn't quite right-just one of the fun things about us choosing IOW based layouts. Most of the better photos are of wagons that didn't appear to ever move from rural sidings! Pete

BR crimson faded very quickly with the wonderful Island sunshine so anybody choosing this colour may be better served dulling the carmine red down, or weather it to look a little jaded. It wasn't popular with BR which is why they reverted back to green. I have one coach painted red but as I am modelling 1950/51 I can probably get away with it looking 'fresh'. Pete

This would have been around the time the this train ceased too. Many thanks for the information Pete, much appreciated. Pete

excellent information - thank you. do you know where I may be able to find any photos of this train? I do have all of the 'usual' IOWBooks and there aren't many photos of the Tourist. I will look through My books for photos of 6375 and sets 495 and 496. Pete

Hi Pete Many thanks for that information. Do you think 6 coaches would still have been used, especially over the Newport to Freshwater section? Kind regards Pete

Hi Chris Yes that is the only coach that I am aware of and have a model in the process of being built in it's 1950 guise. I am just struggling with the other 4 coaches used, whether they were the same coaches used each time or whether 6986 was added to a standard 4 coach set that the Island tended to run. Regards Pete ,

Does any kind soul out there have any late 1940's/early 1950's photos of The Tourist train that ran Ventnor - Newport - Freshwater as, I think, a 5 coach train. I am looking to model Ningwood in EM gauge 4mm and have a varied selection of trains to use but would ideally like to run a realistic named train 'Tourist' so could do with an idea of coach formation. Any help would be gratefully received Pete

the honest answer is I don't know.! I have 6 O2s - 4 Mashima motored and 2 porterscap. They all run very freely on my test track but alas the track is not long enough to add the coaches. They are fantastically constructed by Rodney Cooper at Rocar so pulling 4 coaches shouldn't be a problem.

Signal box just requiring it's true surroundings !!!

what scale are you modelling Ventnor Town in?

Any help with that building will be most appreciated Pete. I am modelling Cowes c1950 in EM gauge. Coaches and locos already built. Signal box done and Fountain Hotel too.. I am modelling Granville road bridge to Cowes high street.. Pete

i have seen most of these pictures before except for the view up the side of the station building. It is interesting to see the door under the bridge open-not seen that before. There was a shop over the bridge (still Cross St I believe) on the corner of Terminus Rd Royal Oak occupied the adjacent corner and The Wheatsheaf public house was over the road (building still exists). Any idea of the shop name/what it sold?

Hi Nick Thank you for uploading the photos - unfortunately I cannot see the arches! I have saved the photos and enlarged them but it all becomes distorted. Pete

I never realised that there were arches along the 'alleyway' between the station building and Fountain garage's building. None of the photos I have show an angle makes this visible. Where did they lead to?

The LBSCR are ex Alan Gibson sides with scratch built ends and roof. The SECR are mainly scratchbuilt.

Hi This is a picture of some of my EM gauge SECR and LBSCR 4mm coaches. I am miles away from getting to Chris's excellent layout.