w124bob

I was a 2nd man at Coalville in the late 70's through to early '83 so spent a bit of time in there. Always amazed me that we were allowed to propel in off the Hednesford branch and be prepared to stop backing down at signals just based on a banner repeater approximately 36 wagons in advance of the red! One memory is getting an almost new 56036 fresh out of the box on a trip, only time I've been on an engine where you can still smell the paint.

Spotted these two lovely little motors yesterday within about 20 mins of each other, sadly didn't have the camera handy for the A35 van, but found an image on the net. I'm guessing the Seven is a fairly late car.

Anyone having email difficulties, I've done an order for 5 custom loco numbers, replied with the required details to the address shown above but have no response. It's unusual for the guys at Railtec not to respond .

Some of my vehicles on Dewsburys Midland, Ford Anglia is an old Triang model. More on Flickr here https://www.flickr.com/photos/28630680@N06/51944455345/in/album-72177720297417741/

From the Manchester City council archives 1967

Another exhaust port conversion, 7647 carried a unique(?) exhaust mod. When the exhaust ports were modified this loco kept the circular exhaust but in the new position above the engine. I carefully removed the two roof panels, cut the circular exhaust panel down to size and then reused the various cut down bits to represent the modified exhaust and roof panels. An alternative would be to use plasticard and the circular etch from the Brassmasters class24/25 detail set. More pictures once I've filled the joins and repainted the panels.

No the original exhaust was as modelled like this, as built condition. D7647 would originally have had this type of exhaust, however I believe the silencer had a habit catching fire(common to other 6 cylinder Sulzers). The rebuild did away with the silencer, putting a letter box style outlet direct off the exhaust manifold.

Heljan have kindly saved me the bother of a renumber for this unique loco, it was the last class 25 to carry two tone green and a small yellow warning panel. It almost reached the TOPS era in this condition, throw in a (train spotter?) modified number under one drivers window, 7047 and it makes an interesting model. However one feature appears to be really unusual is the modified exhaust. Instead of the usual letterbox exhaust it retained a circular outlet but in the above the engine position, I have never found another like this, has anyone else?

As some have already stated, the guard would be in the back cab on any parcels not conveying passengers(includes postal or newspaper packers). The fully fitted freight position is slightly muddled by two things, dangerous goods, guard in a piped brakevan. The other oddity is regarding class 20's(single or paired) there was a rule requiring a pipe fitted brakevan within the train(anywhere)for the guard to ride in. This changed in the mid 80's as the dual braking programme was finished, the loco's had an emergency brake valve fitted specifically for use by the guard in an emergency situation.

Is anyone aware of any UK based Indian themed exhibition layouts, scale/gauge irrelevant. Exhibition is NW based.

And now for something completely different. Kit built Webb tank and coaches, the owner is ironically our youngest member, but very much an LNWR fan and a good modeller.

According to the Pip Dunn book "British Rail Mainline Specification Guide" Inverness converted the following to twin headlights in 1976, 26015/022/030/032/035/038/041/042/043/045 & 046, cyclops headlight to 26021/024/040/044. Variations did occur particularly with regard to discs. 26015 being the odd one out as it was a lowland machine, oval buffers no plough brackets and the longer cantrail grills.

Certain class 26's had there middle disc's moved to the vertical centre line, this predated the fitting of headlights. it's also worth noting that the headlights were not fitted until the about 75/76 just as the cl 24's were disappearing and some loco's never received them (eg 037)others ran a cyclops headlight (eg 021)

Pilchard on Dewsbury Midland

This RMweb layout thread has featured VIX runner wagons, pretty sure there are some real pictures in there somewhere Paul Bartlett everything VIX https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brferryvan

The two barrier versions now ordered, deposit paid!

Just what I would like for this , posted before on RMweb but I couldn't resist.

This is the joint NRM/Accurascale special edition pair

For those who like to do research, the following groups might be of interest. https://www.flickr.com/groups/1690412@N24/ Pre TOPS no "D" https://www.flickr.com/groups/889529@N24/ Pretty much everything post TOPS https://www.flickr.com/groups/1841265@N22/Everything ETH https://www.flickr.com/groups/2011881@N23/The Norwich Birmingham years https://www.flickr.com/groups/1691087@N24/from new to 1975 https://www.flickr.com/groups/1759674@N25/pool/Banger blue no ETH https://www.flickr.com/groups/1867207@N25/ Plough fitted

Green FYE yes, Blue pre TOPS yes! Wallet emptied. Id just watched "Pick Up Goods" dvd a run down the Dereham branch circa 1970 and this pops up.

There was a regular late night run to Chester from Manchester Victoria which conveyed mail, booked a 142. The unit then sat in the north bay and connected with the Holyhead Euston . It would then return to Manchester Victoria calling at Warrinton BQ only. It was amended to terminate at Piccadilly, pretty sure it conveyed mail on the return as well. There were always punters for station to Leeds, could never understand why it wasn't extended through! The train disappeared from the time table pretty much around the time the mail contract went. The loss of newsprint traffic was a huge blow to my old depot at Manchester Victoria, think it numbered around 30 trains a day(incl return empty vans). Absoluteley no mention of blacking the traffic, ASLEF knew the value of the of the jobs. It wasn't just Wapping, it was Eddie Shah as well with the Today paper.

I agree, Flickr has proved it's worth more than once. I'm still trying to work away around the sandbox variations. I removed the sand boxes from a couple Baccy class 24's but so far have yet to try replacing the Heljan ones. Two future conversions for the Heljan loco are Tablet catcher recess and a boiler fitted. Boiler water tank from a Baccy loco fouls the bogie on even modest curves, but I'm working on that. Roof detail shouldn't be difficult as I'm using the raised vent from a Baccy cl24/1 (converted to a 25/0 see the baccy 24/1 thread)and a possible boiler exhaust etch for one of the cl47 variations. Watch this space.

Here is 25102, a close look at the exhaust panel shows the seam, in blue the smaller panel is visible. A picture paints a thousand words!

Here is my effort at the alternative letter box exhaust and panelling. A very easy conversion of 25252. I spotted whilst doing this conversion that 25102(TMC limited edition) should have the larger panel as seen in two tone green, however there is a seam running across the roof panel. So this only needs an additional pain plasticard piece adding.

Naked pushpull pump, still need to add buffer beam pipes.