Fat Controller

Both are stationary train-heating generator vehicles, I believe.

It looks like a Gresley to me; Thompsons didn't have the rounded ends to the roofs.

I don't remember seeing the re-bodied hoppers until about 1972

You would see un-rebodied 21t hoppers. both fitted and unfitted, travelling from South Wales to the Chessington branch from the mid 1960s; Mum's brother had a flat over-looking the branch near Malden Manor station, and I remember: Unfitted hoppers lettered 'Charrington' Unfitted examples in grey Fitted hoppers, both unbranded, and carrying 'House Coal Concetration' markings. It wasn't until the late 1960s that the deep mines (Notably Cynheidre and Abernant) started sending hoppers, as the screens were too low. My dad's firm were involved with the mods, so I spent a lots of time holding one end of the tape for him. I don't remember seeing the re-bodied hoppers until about 1972

The under-frame would do to carry an open -topped box wagon of the type used variously by CAIB, Railtrack from the late 1980s onwards. Many hundreds of these were built on underframes from redundant 15' wb tank wagons.

It's got a flat roof, I believe.

You are correct in assuming that a new loco would be attached at the former rear at Swansea; it would normally (at least during the period 1966 to '73) be a Thousand or a Brush. Hymecs seemed to be reserved for Parcels and Express freights. If the train was booked to continue beyond Carmarthen, there would be a further change of material there. There was a turntable and coaling/ watering facilities at Swansea (High St), on the remains of the North Dock branch, so that locos didn't have to go into Landore

Don't know when you worked there, but I worked clearing out the vehicle spares place directly opposite you in 1977/8. In the space of a few days, I watched a skip lorry remove its 'Gallows', a lorry of fleeces get stripped, and a brand-new Leyland National leave its air-con pod on a car's bonnet.

When my French master met my mother, just before it was time to make the choices of subjects for 0 -Level, he said 'I think Brian should drop French and concentrate on Latin. He's not very likely to meet any Romans, after all..'

We live a few miles from Ashford; until relatively recently, we could take taxi or car to Ashford and connect with a train to Parism in time for luncg. It is galling to have to go to St Pancras and double back, especially since we've both spent 25 years + involved with building and running the fixed-link.

One thing we do notice is that the E* doesn't stop in Kent!

Might it be from stocks at a recently-closed site. I believe Ravenscraig sent its stock to South Wales; perhaps Round Oak or Corby sent theirs to Stanton?

I think the Palbricks carried two major flows:- House bricks from the London Brick sites at Fletton and Calvert mainly to the London area. Refractory bricks from various, widely scattered, specialist manufacturers. These would be for furnace, ladle and other linings.

Presumably, there were some carriage sidings in the vicinity?

There was a working in the early/mid 1990s that ran from Ramsgate to either Lime St or Piccadilly. Down via Folkestone, return via Faversham,

I believe Hydroflouric acid continued to conveyed by rail, in ferry tanks, via the Train Ferry until its demise in 1995.

Wasn't this a factor in the Air France crash of a flight from Brazil?

At that time, I believe there was a train run from Coventry to Linwood on behalf of Rootes Group. Unusually, it was loaded in both directions, carrying Hillman Imps (and derivatives) southbound, and returning with Avengers and Hunters. There was also traffic in components and body pressings in both directions, carried in Rootes' 30' containers.

It could be running on air-brakes; if all the vehicles in the rain were so equipped, then there'd be no need for a brake van. No kits available, I'm afraid.

They sound like SUGE, who are sub-contractors for things like security to SNCF. I've known of them arresting an SNCF driver for 'gross indecency' because he had had a pee against his loco whilst awaiting a route at Lyon Perrache; fair enough, but this was in the middle of the night, and they didn't tell anyone they were taking him. On another occasion, they laid into a member of staff with truncheons on the concourse at Gare du Nord. They're trained by Vogons, I believe...

At last; a prototype for the large wooden packing case that appeared on the Airfix 'Lowmac'. The Grey Funnel Line were very fond of 'Cases, wooden, Large'

When the Metro opened on Tyneside, the local youths used to work a scam on the ticket machines. They would buy the cheapest ticket, using '£1 coins' crudely cast in lead. They would then pocket the change. This was the time when it was fashionable to wear loose-fitting jeans without a belt. The police wouldn't bother to chase them, just wait for the coin-laden jeans to descend to knee-level.....

I recollect reading that he owns at least one (now disused) Northumbrian station.

Alongside the 'Hymac' 360-degree tracked excavator; built not many miles away from Radyr.

I would hope that the tank wagon had been purged, given that it would normally have several barrier vehicles on each side of it.