Strathyre

Here's a 40 which actually shows up what I mean even more clearly http://www.flickr.com/photos/51794147@N04/5132793696/in/photolist-8PyUK3-bqYMKJ-bWuKqo-bZL3R1-8PvQot-9xCfLB-9ACZUY-8Y2jgn-cf84C7-d4RhXd-iy1s6c-cYTziU-c4yt3h-aodn1a-gZehPs-9uR29g-h2rRwW-8gC9pr-8gFpQG-7K36KB-e3tEA9-cXZYwj-dpExcg-e1sXfd-9ADy86-9rMt8L-dDqPkk-9iZgjY-dhhLWy-9TGGdu-9iZei3-dcFimQ-d6msJC-bGmuoV-fuP1fp-diGgWx-dxjcWJ-da8wSc-9xYoLC-8fYycx-8ZoBWk-8PvQip-d5LoiS-aoGSys-j1LwYV-d7oAkf-d7r4Yj-d7qShU-damMow-d6knGj-d7oE79 Paul

Nice work but you might want to just use the whole etching as it comes without the separate mounting as the real locos have an 'etching-shaped' surround to the windows, as have the 40s, as per the loco in the attached link...(it's more visible on some than on others, some of the locos have the surround so well blended in as to be invisible). http://www.flickr.com/photos/17309879@N08/6963575547/in/photolist-bBm9pn-9rjP95-briyMo-cWene3-cWenRf-atuPii-9jpSDv-bXZq81-9jsYaG-dLhZ4E-7FfKKP-atZg47-8dDLC4-dfcCjh-8gFqdq-8EbAAM-bBm9re-8fYxZB-7G96q1-7NCNSY-7G59Yv-7G4Vhk-eenkwo-dbZd2r-91ksHz-cfJpYJ-9uNSY1-drdZtx-e7J8Lz-dre33a-di893n-86Lmnw-7LPFGH-eZDBeB-9WuaAL-fUtAJA-aDaNrv-dhUy13-a692ds-d6Xceu-7G5act-9uNT2G-ehijD2-9uPrZg-e8pGif-8ES3om-db9Eoz-aHwCj8-aY8JBk-9S3EEX-7XLkpN Nice work especially as it must have been an absolute nightmare filing the edges smooth without distorting the frames! Paul

They regularly made it to York, singly or in multiple, on the Cliffe-Uddingston (by Glasgow) cement trains in the 1960s, being replaced there by, very often, a 40 Paul

No, not banned although there are weight restrictions that apply to the slurry-type traffic that GBRf moves to Aberdeen that prohibits that particular train from crossing either the Forth or Tay bridge. http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imagesearch.php?textfield1=tay+bridge&exactfield1=&location1=location1&textfield2=&exactfield2=&location2=location2&textfield3=&exactfield3=&location3=location3&alloptions=&photographer=&daterange=ignore&sd=01&sm=01&sy=2014&ed=01&em=01&ey=2014&d=01&m=01&y=2014&d=01&m=01&orderby=publicon+desc%2C+recno+desc&Search=Search Click on the link below and you'll find images of freights on the bridge, including a class 47 hauled fish train. There may have been restrictions on certain classes of freight (for example unfitted class 9 trains) but I have not heard personally of this. Paul

Dave, I reckon many would like you to do the NBL 21/29 that you were working on when with Dapol (I know I'd prefer you to do it!) but it's probably (hopefully?) well under development by them by now so perhaps not. In any case, good luck with whatever you do produce, individuality and entrepreneurism are to be greatly admired. Paul

A brake vehicle is fitted with a manual brake that applies to some, or all, of the wheels - it is manually applied and manually released. The reason for these being included is because air, or vacuum, brakes will eventually leak off when standing for some time, effectively releasing the brakes - hence the need for a manual backup. Brake tests are, on coaching or wagon stock, carried out by the driver creating air (or vacuum) in the train pipe and, for want of a better way to describe it, 'sealing' the system so that no more air or vacuum is created, leaving only what is in the train pipe keeping the brakes off (the train being held by the locomotive's own brake, which is separate). Someone then goes to the back of the train and opens the air valve/removes the vacuum pipe from its seal and thus applies the brakes. This proves the integrity of the system from front to back. The valve is then closed/vacuum bag put back on with the driver's valve still sealed (which prevents the system from being charged again) and, if it doesn't charge up, this shows that there is no other source of air/vacuum that would bring the brakes off unintentionally (such as by the brake valve in another cab being accidentally left in the on position. It is necessary to do this as accidents have been caused by people forgetting to connect air/vacuum pipes through the train and, without carrying out a basic brake test, no=one finds out until they try to stop.... Hope this help explain why we still need manual brake systems. Paul

The clean and dirty 27s will probably be the 1044 Queen St-Dundee which was often used to test run an engine just out of the workshops at St Rollox, and that clean one looks to fit that bill. One thing is however unusual in that the test (clean) engine was normally in front, the other engine being provided in case the test engine failed, which happened a lot. Paul

Hi Mike I started mine to EM but got stuck (brake blocks etc an removing the bits to do the job) and had to leave it to return to Africa for work - you couldn't advise on how you did it could you? Thanks - it's my first conversion to EM so trying to get it right.... Paul

Dave, check your PMs Cheers Paul

My blue one arrived this morning having been posted yesterday evening - it's a beaut! just what a Scottish based modeller of the Callander & Oban in 1962 needs really............should get bespoke plates made up for 'Western Extravagance' or 'Western Indulgence' I suppose............ Well done Dave & team, and the replacement wheels for EM are already ordered too so well done Gear Services too! Paul

Hi Michael, sorry - sent them south yesterday, should've arrived today. Paul

Not me on Friday Dave, been out in South Sudan for the last 5 weeks and only returned this morning - perhaps it was Daniel Craig you met, I'm frequently mistaken for him and he's fair scunnered getting mistaken for me apparently.......

You should know Bob, the big ugly magpie that I am...........bunch of running-in boards actually, don't know how the ceilings stand it but thankfully my wife doesn't make a habit of looking up there............

OK, now returned from Africa (and the 39 degree temperature difference is just marvellous) and have found the plans. They have been in my possession for longer than I thought - a chap called William Thorburn of Barclay's sent them, an ex-NBL employee. I was unfortunate never to meet him in person, only conversing with him by 'phone, but a nicer and more helpful guy you couldn't have wished to meet. He happened to be the man who answered the 'phone when I rang looking for info on the NBLs and he didn't disappoint. They appear to be large scale engineer's drawings, most likely copies of the blueprints, showing the dimensions of the locomotive and the component layout for the whole locomotive and an additional page showing the bulkhead details throughout the loco and the front ends. As I say they appear to be engineer's scale drawings and also show the dotted outline positions of the external features such as grilles, windows etc. The bogies and roof are also well shown, the former showing clearly the springing and traction motor arrangements and even details such as the drivers and secondman's seats are shown so clearly that they could be modelled accurately from the plans. The control desk and cab layout are also clearly shown right down to the individual shapes of the controls. The scale is 1 inch to 1 foot, drawn by J L Burns of NBL, NBL diagram A24/56. No date shown on the plans but they look like the pilot scheme locos. I'm no expert but I believe that a large scale replica of the locomotive could be built using these plans and, to cap it all, they are drawn to scale.... They are pretty delicate but not to the extent of falling apart and would be easily copyable, I just hope they would be of some use. I recall offering them to the project to build a full size new build replica of the class and as far as I recall didn't as they didn't get back to me. Since the project seems to have sadly disappeared without trace the plans would most likely have gone the same way had I sent them. Perhaps fate was stirring things even way back then.....? Dave, if you want them please PM me with the address that they should be sent to. The drawings are around four feet in length, perhaps more. Paul Edited to correct the apollung spelin.......

I got some drawings from Hunslet Barclay in Kilmarnock several years ago(must be going on 20), I think they were GA drawings but not sure of the detail so don't quote me on them yet. I'm in Africa (work) at present but will search the loft on my return and PM Dave if they look up to any use. The chap at Barclay's that sent me them was very helpful and used to work for NBL before they folded so knew where to put his hands on things. My understanding from speaking to him was that the NBL archive that they had was going to the Mitchell. There was also an organisation formed several years ago to do a new build of a 21 so they would be likely to have some plans (you would hope so anyway, otherwise what would that end up looking like!) Paul

Brian is absolutely right - the working arrangements for the E&G push-pulls stipulated that, unlike normal traffic which required a red light to the rear (to confirm the completeness of the train), they must display two. The 27s (and most other Eastfield allocated diesels for that matter) had individual switches for each lamp, enabling the two reds to be switched on together. This instruction caused an unexpected issue when the 47/7s arrived as they, like all 47s at the time, had one three-position toggle switch which allowed for only one red light to be switched on - the middle position was off, forward or backward switched on only one lamp. The (temporary) fix was to have an oil lamp placed on the bracket opposite the illuminated tail lamp on the loco when propelling, a practice which continued until the switches were altered to illuminate both lamps. It did look a bit odd for a time, the (then) premier and modern sets on the ScR running with an electric and oil lamp at the same time......must admit I preferred the 27s on the job (or any other job for that matter) but it wrecked them, poor wee engines!