phil_sutters

No vehicles on these carflats!

Before the M5 came we used to quite like the A38 in the summer holidays in Highbridge. It meant you could cross the road at virtually any point, as the traffic went through at a snail's pace or stopped dead for lengthy periods.

Look what helped to build it! Highbridge S&DJR station being abused.

This time a model one - and a mystery! I made this model back around 1969 -70. When I found it among my S&DJR stock, having dug it out from the darkest corner of the garage, a few months back, I tried to find a picture of the prototype or a model I could have copied from, but couldn't. If anyone can recognize the prototype from this fairly crude model, built on an Airfix van chassis, I would be interested to see what it really looks like. Have you another model railway mystery item you could do with identifying?

Not much of the carriage, as they get pretty packed - perhaps not quite as badly as Southern in the rush-hour though. More interiors please

The inside view was taken before we realized that there was supplement payable for riding in it. More interior shots please.

I don't think that I have used this one before in this thread. More from the dark side - please

Sometimes local historians cover railways. Paul O'Callaghan's two volumes on East Sussex Coastal Railways covers the main Ashford to Brighton line and volume 2 covers 'Branch lines and other railways. I don't have volume 1, which would cover Eastbourne, but volume 2 has a range of photos, although he seems disinclined to show mainline electrics.He does include Eastbourne trams which ran until 1967 and the Crumbles branch which lasted, in part at least, into the 1960s. As you are modelling in the 60s-70s era Marie Panter's Lost Railways of East Sussex will be too early for you and of course Eastbourne hasn't been 'lost'. While on the subject of Southern books, one of my sisters recently bought me a booklet called 'Want to run a railway?' Produced by BR's Southern Region in October 1962 it challenges the 'I could run this lot a sight better than they do" brigade to 'run Southern better than we do.' It is an entertaining and informative read, with some wry humour and an attractive period design by Royston Cooper. As it is doubtless under copyright I can't reproduce any here, but there are some good photos of areas not usually recorded - e.g. - timetablers - MP foreman & guard regulator & ticket inspectors. Current railway company efforts to explain the pressures and constraints don't seem to come across with the same degree of style and imagination.

Treat yourself to a wild card!

Another taking on water More thirsty locos - please

Looking at this one before uploading, I realised that the front number plate seems huge on such a tiny smokebox door.

Who needs reminding? The driver knows which type of train he is using and now presumably whether it should be in diesel or electric mode and should also know his route. It is only if the signaller has set the wrong route that the driver needs to react to this notice. I assume in this technically advanced age signallers have information on the power details of the trains they control.

Why is this 'no access' sign needed. There are more on other platforms at both ends of Reading station. I can't remember what the ones at the up end say.. Surely the drivers don't choose their routes? That's the signallers job. Are these just in case the signaller doesn't know what motive power is in use? Are there clearance issues if bi-modes run on the lines indicated?

Inset track is very appealing, I agree. Chris Handley's book is my main source and inspiration. Unfortunately a lot of family issues and other projects have kept me away from model making, but I hope to get going again when Autumn comes and the garden is less demanding. Best wishes Phil

Of course you could have saved yourself all this aggro by basing the trackwork on that used at Highbridge Wharf - a proper rail served wharf, with very little concession made for road traffic. Despite the large timber imports needing to cross the sidings to Bland's saw mill and timber yard, I cannot even see evidence of timber walkways, for use by deal porters, who, as in the Surrey Docks in London, used to carry long lengths of timber on their backs. The cattle dock had road access. Indeed it appears that cattle destined for the adjacent market may have been driven from the cattle dock out onto the main road and round into the market, although the railway had a bridge over the River Brue's original course carrying the COOP coal yard siding, which could have allowed a less circuitous route. Having said that I haven't got any further than the ships and the immediate quayside crane track with my highly condensed version, Old Brue Quay. Even when I do I shall not achieve your excellent standards. This is the only one of Dad's photos I have showing the Highbridge Wharf trackwork.

A few more of the good people of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Taken on our first trip to Wooton that day. The second time was to catch a bus back to Ryde as there was a fire at Ashey.

Dad's photos of 50s are among the last he took - more at http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/album/4281-western-region-in-the-1980s-90s/

Bogof

I suppose you could go any which way from here - but the 31 XXXs seem to be going alright.