numpty

Where can I find photographs / drawings of the 850 pannier class? Thank you.

What are the steam locomotives in the sidings?

What hand held DC controllers are available and what do people recommend? Thanks.

Just "invalid email address" after sending the message. Thanks

Yes and Mike Corp, tried the links,and cut and pasted the links. Thanks.

That's the one I used for the e-mail addresses.

I have tried contacting the 3 mm society and I keep getting invalid email address. I’m interested in building a 3mm layout and would like to attend the Kingsbury show if at all possible? So are there any 3mm society members that could help me out? Thank you.

What track guage would you suggest for a GWR branch line? I’ve not build any track before but feel I’m capable and any advice on building track / points would be helpful. Also what type of coupling would you recommend? Thanks

Thanks Nigel. How does that compare with larger or other locomotives such as a Jinty?

How much does it drink in a day?

It's a pity that more weren't saved.There are still a few around today that do need saving! I wonder how heritage railways are going to manage in the future? Overhauls,coal and insurance are rising and volunteer numbers are falling but are visitor numbers increasing? Are steam locomotive enthusiasts increasing?

Unfortunately I'm irreplaceable! Luckily the Foxfield has two very fine Austerities. For such a small team they are doing a grand job! Even if heritage railways managed to extend their facilities they still seem to need more and everything (in terms of rolling stock) really needs to be under cover to give it some protection from the elements. I'm not sure how revenue is gained for heritage railways other than donation,sponsorship, grants and walk on / walk off freight(which only probably covers the electricity bill) or how the left overs get divided up. It's unfortunate the Foxfield has competition close by and until recent years I was unaware that they both existed.I went to Foxfield the other day but due to their sad loss nothing was running which was understandable.I ended up at the other where I met an American steam buff that was travelling around the UK visiting heritage railways and he didn't know that both the railways existed either! If I lived five minutes down the road I'd become a volunteer! On another note is Bellerophon strictly an Industrial loco with its past history of the annual trek to the seaside? I would have thought that would make it a mainline express loco,well out of place on an industrial line. I must admit it's a gem!

Why does it take so long to overhaul a steam loco? Is it money/man power or lack of skills that results in a long time envelope? It seems to me with most heritage railways that by the time one locomotive gets overhauled there seems two or more waiting. I'll be worm food by the time some of these locomoives get back into steam.

I know they're a bit like a hens tooth but would anyone have an unbuilt Airfix J94/ Austerity kit that they might sell? The real blue one at Foxfield looks as if its been on a diet now the boiler has been removed and the saddle tank is resting on the frame. What are the two locomotives in the yard? One's a 0-6-0 saddle tank (Bagnall?) that has a seroius case of tin work especially the saddle tank and the other is possibly 0-4-0 in fresh shiny black?

I would rather sit and ride in a BR mk 1 or 2!

Earlier this year I came across a black Austerity on the interenet that had just been overhauled for sale,priced at £175,000.So I went out and bought a lottery ticket however I didn't win! I've looked for it since and haven't found it but it may have been removed. With the quantity purchased by the LNER as J94s is there's no evidence that one was ever used on a passenger train or workman's train? Did the the Chemins de Fer Tunisiens or any continental railway that had Austerities used them for hauling passengers/workmen?

Personally I don't think any original steam locomotives should be used as donors for any new builds and the ones that have should be replaced with whatever original parts are left!

I recently came across this thread which didn't surprise me however I would like to add my thoughts.Austerity class locomotives are like other industrial locomotives, are underrated and little respected by the average railway enthusiast because simply they aren't mainline express engines which is a great shame. As said in earlier replies, an industrial steam loco is better than a diesel. Unfortuanatley I grew up after the steam era and as much as I like old blue British Rail diesels such as class 47s, 37s, DMUs and class 20s steam has the edge! I don't think people flock to heritage railways to see old diesel trains, Ok there are diesel locomtive fans but for a heritage railway to survive they need steeam! Unfortunatley there simply aren't enough of them in the country and that's including industrial engines.It takes a long time to build a new one and as long if not longer to rebuild/overhaul an old one. A volunteer at the SVR said to me that the SVR needed ten operational steam locomotives for full strength, how's that determined? Are there any heritage railways running at full strength? When I visit a heritage railway I like to see a variety of locomotives in use and I guess other people do as well? There are some heritage railways that don't have any at all which surely is a disadvantage. My interest in railways is mainly GWR branch lines and Welsh narrow gauge but after visting the Foxfield Railway and Churnet Valley I now can appreciate industrial steam locomotives whatever they look like. I think their looks could be improved with Swindonisation.

Did you finish it Bertiedog?