BenL

Thanks for the photos, it is looking the part. Not a huge issue but shouldn't the water filler cap and tank vent pipe be black?

Hornby have done a couple of 28xx in GWR green with curved front ends: https://www.hattons.co.uk/60199/hornby_r3106_class_28xx_2_8_0_2807_in_gwr_green_as_preserved/stockdetail.aspx https://www.hattons.co.uk/60225/hornby_r3210_class_28xx_2_8_0_2811_in_gwr_green/stockdetail.aspx

As seems to be the case with these examples: https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrbsh2494.htm https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrbsh1368.htm The Great Western Way and a couple of other sources also note the absence of numbers, and in same cases any form of branding including the crest, on some wartime repaints.

I think it’s a C15 - originally a composite but converted to an all third later

Thanks John, and a lovely little scene that is too!

Hi John, I've been following your layout topic in awe for a while now - thanks for the latest shots, fantastic as ever. Can I ask the origin of the rather nice platelayers' hut, the one next to the LMS open in the penultimate shot above? Cheers, Ben

Further to the above, p217 of the GWR Journal 5 article on ‘Birmingham Division Suburban Trains’ has 3 very nice 1947 shots of suburban stock resplendent in the final postwar GWR livery, two of which show coach end branding, in one case: Birmingham Division 46 and in the other, Birmingham Division 43

The Hornby SR-liveried Bulleid cattle vans are marked with the small 'N's denoting that they were not common user (NCU) - I'd be interested to know how the SR managed to classify them as NCU when, as I understand it, cattle wagons were pooled by time of the introduction of this type in 1947. Was there some kind of exception for 'new build' vehicles? It would be good to know if I can run my two Bulleid SR cattle vans in my GWR Cornish broccoli specials, or if they will have to remain only on workings to and from SR locations...

Kernow have just posted a pic of the new Bachmann postwar GW Hall - it looks lovely except for what appears to be a BR-fitted 'Improved Draughting' chimney: http://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/p/56716/32-007-Bachmann-Hall-Class-Steam-Locomotive-number-4920

I've also managed to get myself over the general disappointment of the Bachmann announcements with disproportionate excitement at the prospect of the wartime black pannier. I'm thinking that the safest bet might be to renumber it as one of 4615-4699 (built 02/42 - 02/45) - I think these all would have been built with top feed and during the period that wartime black was applied. Also a few of them at Laira in '47. But further slight disappointment that some of the wagons that might be of interest to a 1947 modeller, such as the NE vent van and GW shock van, seem to have the same running numbers as previous recent releases of these wagons - it may be that Bachmann has not updated the artwork as it would seem strange to just reissue previously produced running numbers...

Some of the wagons that might be of interest to 'Big 4' modellers, such as the GW shock van and NE vent van, seem to have the same running numbers as previous recent issues - is this just because the artwork has not been updated or are Bachmann really going to be re-releasing previously produced numbers?

I was interested to read in the latest issue of The Engine Shed that these suburban sets were "dispersed and disbanded" "following World War II" - does anyone know if this happened in GWR days and broadly to where coaches from these sets were sent to? I ask as I'm wondering if I can justify a pair of suburban brake thirds on my 1947-set St Austell - Marsh Mills morning and afternoon return workmen's train...

5101-5110 and 5150-59 had tall safety valve bonnets according to this very helpful page: http://www.gwr.org.uk/no-prairies.html So maybe Hornby are tooling-up to cater for that variation too? I certainly hope so as I think it's what I need for St. Blazey's 5158 in 1947! Although I guess there's a chance bonnets were swapped around so that the aforementioned 5101s might have ended up with short bonnets at some points in their lives?

As someone who's long wanted to model a couple of GWR oil burners I'm very happy to read about your latest plans - are you thinking of doing the tanks for both the 3,500g and 4,000g tenders?

They don't like any oil or dirt on the axles as that's where they pick up power from - worth giving the exposed ends of the axles a wipe to see if that helps.

It does so it would be great if they could get the chimney right - as someone else pointed out elsewhere, it does look like they've got a BR-period improved draughting ('ID') chimney on it (distinct in its lack of capuchon): http://www.masterpiecemodels.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/105-hall-and-grange-chimneys

With the kind permission of our dear leader, I'd like to ask if any Nodders have the Pannier Papers and could tell me if they list when individual 57xx had topfeed fitted? If so, I'd be very grateful to know when 3705 was so fitted (I've seen a pic of her in BR early crest livery fitted with topfeed, but did she have it in 1947?) Many thanks in advance for any insight anyone is able to provide, Ben

I know what you mean about Heljan stock not entering the bargain bin. I was also hoping for 1370 to drop in price but ended up biting the bullet using some store credit from a trade-in. I was quite wary given some of the experiences of others and some of the shortcomings that appeared in photos (the shade of green, slightly ridiculous buffers and what looked like a bit of an odd take on the G W R branding) but I was pleasantly surprised when it arrived - the green looks much better in the flesh, the buffers are bearable and the GWR branding nice and clear and not so different from other locos in the end; I think modern cameras can be quite cruel on models and our eyes can be much more forgiving. I was also impressed by the weight and solidity - even the sandpipes seem to be metal and unlikely to easily break off unlike with other manufacturers. Also ran very smoothly and quietly straight out of the box. A bit of black paint on the silver wheel centres and some oily steel paint on the motion and I'll be very happy with it.

Have to agree with you there Robin. The boiler band lining looks a bit garish too. At least it's got the route availability disks unlike one of the earlier releases.

Thanks very much Keith, that's really helpful. Sounds like I can get away with the BR model for GWR 1947 condition. I think the parallel buffers might be wrong, but I can live with them. I only asked about the white X as the Bachmann model comes with one: http://www.hattons.co.uk/34449/Bachmann_Branchline_31_127_Class_30xx_2_8_0_ROD_3023_in_BR_black_with_early_emblem/StockDetail.aspx My understanding was that the GWR added these to some locos during the war that were permitted to exceed their prescribed loadings. BR seems to have extended the practice - for eg some Granges seem to have acquired them in BR days. But maybe it was never applied to RODs - from what one reads, it's hard to imagine them being in a condition to exceed their loadings in late GWR, early BR days.

Thanks very much indeed Keith, that's very helpful. Does it say anything about the introduction of GWR style smokebox doors or when the little white 'x' was added above the number plates - I know that some classes acquired this during the war but I'm wondering if the RODs didn't get this until early BR days as I can't see any evidence of the x on photos of RODs in postwar GWR days. Thanks again, Ben

Attracted by the reduced price Hatton's are offering on the Bachmann BR black 30xx, I added one to a recent order with the intention of getting it put into GWR wartime weathered black for my 1947 layout. However, I did this without doing my research and was alarmed when I read on the Bachmann box that BR fitted them with shorter chimneys and new smoke box doors, implying that these were modifications that occurred post-nationalisation and making the model unsuitable for the GWR in 1947. Delving into the books I've got, I've found that David Maidment's GW Eight-coupled locos book states that GWR pattern chimneys and smoke box doors were fitted from 1935. Looking at the 3 parts on the 30xx in the GWR Journal (issues 90,91 and 92), there is photographic evidence of the GWR pattern chimneys, described as 47xx chimneys, from the mid 1930s. The photos also show GWR style smoke box doors, but from the mid to late 1940s - the earliest dated photo with this kind of door is described as c.1946. Certainly nearly all of the late 40s shots, all be they mainly 1948-49, show the combination of GWR chimney and smoke box door. It's hard to imagination that these modifications were rapidly made in very early BR ownership, especially when some of the class didn't have long left in traffic. So I'm starting to think that I can get away with the GWR style chimney and smoke box door in 1947 but I'd be very grateful if anyone could share any further, more definitive information they may have on this. I suspect that the book most likely to have a clear statement on this is the RCTS volume on GWR absorbed engines - I'm afraid I don't have a copy so if anyone does and would be kind enough to have a look, I'd be very grateful indeed. Many thanks in advance for any insights that can be provided, Ben

indeed it is! Slightly frustrating for us 1947 modellers that the 'GWR' branded mogul is coming with a BR smoke box number plate but hopefully won't be too tricky to be popped or scraped off. If done well, these should sell like hot cakes!

I like the sentiment Robin, and I'd think that if we want to see post-war GWR liveries on future locos from Bachmann and others, it'd be good to show that they sell!

Please tell me this isn't true! Isn't R3535 supposed to a BR livery version or I am living in vain hope that I'll get a postwar GW King?