Broadway Clive

I keep looking at his website but can't find them! What type of Q are they?

There's a useful Facebook group "Early Surface Stock" which you may find interesting. Member Adam Bailey wrote this on the subject:- 'Most of the under frame equipment was removed except for some of the equipment. The motors, fuses and shoe beams were also removed. The A2 former motor bogies were retained as they were in the Q31/35 conversions. In reality these cars were not destined to last much longer so little extra work was carried out. The headlight shutters probably remained with the guards and drivers doors locked. The guards panels were removed and used on six P stock motors which were known as P1 stock until converted to CP stock. The drivers equipment was also removed. I don't know if the J door was retained nor the handbrake but I support it would have been both or neither!' Others remembered riding in the empty cab so the J door and handbrake must have been removed. Some of the Q23s retained their cab windows whilst others had them paneled over as in these photos.

Not quite so simple if one needs the steady speed control of feedback controllers to allow hands free use through curves and gradients some of which may be out of sight off scene. A model, unlike a real train has much less inertia and the loco speed will otherwise quickly change in an unrealistic way, particularly in relation to its train. One of the big advantages of analogue is the ease of adding automatic and fail safe operating features without adding to the burden of the operator. Its nothing whatsoever to do with money for many of us.

Next batch due in November according to latest update from Hattons.

You really need access to the artwork to enable you to modify things to suit you. When its protected on a PDF maybe a screen grab could copy it to your preferred art programme. Otherwise you can just print more arches to cut strips.

At last, the missing link for those of us interested in the classic postwar period of London Transport's Railways could be filled by Radley Models. The sleet locomotives (ESL100-117) were built between 1938 and 1941 from 1903/4 vintage Central London Railway motor cars and then most lasted another 40 years! They were allocated to most lines with open sections to enable de icing fluid to be applied when freezing temperatures were predicted, and for clearing snow and ice already lying on conductor rails. During the winter months night crews were rostered to take them to the outlying branches when the weather dictated, whilst during the day they might be moved within the depot to be refilled with fluid from a storage tank or be loaded with drums of it. During the rest of the year they rarely moved except for being made available for crew training purposes on Sundays during the autumn, when we would usually move one back and forth from where it was stabled after being shown over and around it.

Just got these flyers in the post today from R Parker. Good to see some new 'old' stuff in 4mm scale at last as OD have got a bit too modern for the poor postwar people who inhabit my layouts!

"Memories of Hull" is a nostalgic book full of photos showing life in Hull during the first two decades after WW2. Apart from some dock scenes, railways dont feature too much, but this charming picture links them with a local cinema and provided inspiration for redecorating a Classix NCB electric van!

Some years ago I bought a cd of over 500 photos of early postwar Hull, and a handful have glimpses of railway - this one actually features a K3 and is one of three showing this particular level crossing from different angles. No doubt someone will know exactly where in Hull it is!

The photo of Esso B tanks at Hessle Haven reminds me to ask about what other rail tanks would be working to and from Saltend prior to 1963. I have a marvellous book on the history of that site, called "Molasses to Acid", part of my collection since the early nineties when Mike's Illustrated History of Hull's Railways convinced me my new loft layout must be based there! The Distillers Company Limited (DCL) is featured in the Saltend book but all I can see with a magnifier from a distant view of rail tanks on their site is 'No.203' on the end of the nearest one. A better rail picture is this one, captioned 'Shell-Mex 'B' site: incoming rail yards', and the presence of silver A tanks here surprised me.

Deluxe Materials Glue 'n' Glaze is quite expensive, and 50ml comes in a flattened bottle 7cms tall (not counting applicator cap). Their R/C Modellers craft glue is much cheaper and comes in a 112g 10cms tall cylindrical bottle. Its stated purpose is for aircraft canopies and windows and being able to withstand take-off and landing shocks. I bought both ten years ago and the only difference I can discern is that the G n G has a narrow spout to poke into places and be linked to some tubing extensions. I bought all that and wasted my money! All I now use is their large R/C Modellers glue - applied with a cocktail stick or pin for both windows and any other parts where I need a PVA glue. Its also possible to make small windows from it as with the Krystal Klear, though I dont like the "thick specs" effect!

Hopefully there will be some way of securing to an existing turntable, maybe by drilling holes and bolting. That would enable it to compete with the existing motorising kits. I use the ancient motor and transparent plastic gear box advertised for decades in RM - very noisy and reliant on sight for alignment. I'm wondering if the 8 exit positions are fixed or adjustable, and is this in addition to a complete (reverse) turn? Otherwise just 4 positions might count as 8 exits!

Thanks, great stuff! I've just added a comment to Brian McDermott's 2015 wish list topic suggesting that the poll should combine class 11, 12 and 15101-7 as being based on the same 1944 UK standard design. It should be possible to make all varieties from the same basic tools.

The class 11 was available for a while as a kit from Judith Edge. I contacted them a few months ago and there seems no intention to re-run it at the moment. I would very much like to see a RTR version as they were widespread on Midland, Eastern and North Eastern regions during the 50s/60s, often as the forerunners to the 08s which were being built later. I followed an earlier topic on the subject of converting an 08 to a class 11 and was surprised to discover how it is really not possible, so maybe it would be worth some of us forming a group to promote it as a wish list candidate in the future. For several years it wasn't even on the MREmag list, but with Clive Mortimores inspired observations on the class 12, there could be even more going for a RTR class 11 if only we got the word about so people understood how different and widespread they were.

That looks really splendid, you've done a great job there. Will these replace all of Phil's present range of loco hauled coaches?

I phoned Hattons about a missing shoe today. I didnt mention a nameplate has fallen off too! The plates are only glued to the vertical ribs, so although a nuisance I would follow Matabiau and pull them off gently then refix. Not worth the hassle of packing and posting then waiting for Hattons to get new stock in. Hattons have advised I contact Peters Spares or Howes, who may both have the spare detail I require (I didnt want the returns hassle either).

Following my post yesterday "I made an Excel spreadsheet that worked by producing random numbers and applying them to the frequency figures I wrote in for each possible destination for each wagon type and load. Operations commenced with my recording simple codes for the wagons already in a train, the type in one column and any visible load in the next. For example an open wagon was 'o', and would be taken as empty unless a load was entered, eg. 'cd' for cable drums. Once all wagons in the train were recorded in order, then pressing the 'F9' key would calculate the destinations." I've now added a quick reverse order command, though with the computer on hand the entries can be left till the train has arrived to be sorted and so there wont be any danger of it being turned on the journey. Once set up the only entries to make are those in the white boxes. Individual wagon numbers may not be important after all. Below is part of the spreadsheet. Might give a bit of purpose to the shunting - my imagination for such things is so poor otherwise!

About 15 years ago I bought some floppy discs for a system called Wagonflow that required a complete list of wagons and locations which would then be given destinations according to factors like the day of the week. For many layouts this would be ideal, but as usual mine needed something different. My Springcoates loft layout is based on freight yards in Hull and there are about 250 wagons and mostly they dont actually go to different locations but eventually end up in the same fiddle yards where I cant even read the small wagon numbers, let alone sort them before they're back to Hull again! So I made an Excel spreadsheet that worked by producing random numbers and applying them to the frequency figures I wrote in for each possible destination for each wagon type and load. Operations commenced with my recording simple codes for the wagons already in a train, the type in one column and any visible load in the next. For example an open wagon was 'o', and would be taken as empty unless a load was entered, eg. 'cd' for cable drums. Once all wagons in the train were recorded in order, then pressing the 'F9' key would calculate the destinations. I also put a lot of effort into changing wagon numbers so that the last three digits were unique, and though this was never completed, it meant that in practise those would suffice. But I hoped to avoid having to read the tiny numbers by relying on the order of wagons in a train. Having only a computer downstairs at that time meant that a handwritten train list had to be taken down from the loft for entering, and the impressive printed list with destinations and loads taken back again. Off went the trains from outward yard to the fiddle yards, and next day the first came back into the inward yard for sorting. I readily recognised which one it was from the consist, but half way through shunting the wagons into different sidings according to their destinations, things seemed to be wrong, and then I realised the trip had involved crossing a reverse loop, and so the wagons were in the reverse order! I didnt have enough sidings for all the destinations either, so some had to share, and that might eventually mean reading the tiny numbers - not even possible when obscured behind other trains. So with my passion for shunting diminished, mixed goods became infrequent for the next decade, but now with my old XP PC in the loft maybe I'll try again to do something about those wagons that rarely move. Thanks for reminding me about it !

A very enjoyable thread Clive. A great location for a layout and an interesting subject for which I share your pain! In the mid sixties I once got left behind in Leeds on the first day of a two day shed bashing trip to the North East because I was still writing down DMU numbers in Neville Hill depot. The guy sitting next to me on the coach never reported me missing till later (maybe glad to get rid of me!), but I got a refund afterwards. I really like what you are doing with them. I bought a couple of white metal fronts for 104s from Chris Leigh over 20 years ago but other things intervened and I now have a 4 car on order from Silver Fox. On the subject of drivers, I seem to remember some pulling down blinds when it got dark, much as bus drivers did. On my Hull based layout, passenger trains pass either side of the freight yards and I cant say i've noticed the lack of people, so I think it very much depends on the particular layout. With depot and sidings as the focal point I would find a driver always peering out from a stabled DMU rather eery. I do find train passengers problematic on exhibition layouts as one can often recognise them easier than one could a particular carriage without reading the number (here are those school kids again!), so the illusion of many trains is shattered. Ideally I feel that less direct light, sombre interiors, and platform obstructions are best combined to obscure a clear view of the interior. Details inside like luggage racks will only draw the eye in, and for the same reason passengers might be better to be drab and slightly "weathered" as if in shadow, with no eyes staring out of windows to attract attention. I've recently started a new London Transport layout and am keeping the trains empty as the combination of passengers and doors that dont open at the station would ring alarm bells in my brain!

Is D2512 a typo Paul? Think it should be D2612.

Over 25 years I've built a layout inspired by the goods yards in Hull circa 1960, and have acquired possibly all of the relevant books and magazines in the process. Unfortunately I never visited the area till 1966/7 so my own spotting notes cant help, but I'm keen to learn more about visiting locos during the 1959-62 period. That is so that I can include some on my layout in a realistic way relative to how frequent they were in real life. The idea is be able to add some interest without making every session a red letter day! If anyone does have some notes they can scan or message then I'll be very grateful.

Theres a new 1/43 scale RT bus been released by Hachette in France. Excellant model priced about £20. Pictures on EFE Zone website under "News", then page down to 4th March. Watch Radley Models later in the year for kits of K class London trolleybus, Leyland Cub breakdown tender, box van and coal lorry.

Yes I can see that stretcher bar in particular must be very fiddly. Are they handrail knobs fixed to it? Always wondered, are you able to get parts replicated at this stage so as to ease the completion of the patterns?

Thinking more about it Phil, I would guess it must have been on the opposite side of the track to the live rail and no longer than necessary - say 10 feet? One of my friends reckons to have some old track plans for Leyton stored away so if he digs them out there might be some more information there and if so I'll pass it on.

My old LT friends have reminded me that the protection at Leyton, Leytonstone and Newbury Park was by electfric train detectors, consisting of an isolated piece of current rail that had to be touched by a train's positive shoe before the starter signal could be cleared for the tunnel. (Both v+ shoes are connected on each car so the section of rail when touched by a shoe would become live to trigger the release).