roythebus

I think I've seen a sheet of these in my collection somewhere if that's any help.

Paint is cheap.

More unusual are bridge bashes by trains. there was an incident on the WCML in 1975 where a freightliner brought the wires down in Berko tunnel. The tunnel is single bore, there had been some ballasting and lifting work over the previous weekend. A Rugby man had the pleasure of leaving said tunnel with the wires wrapped round his cab. A lid on one of the boxes had caught the OHLE as the clearance had been reduced by the weekend's work.

I'm certain I saw 56s at Rugby in 1975, they used to work from the Nottingham area. Rugby men at the time had fairly limited route knowledge, London-Liverpool-Manchester via all electrified routes. The only regular diesel jobs were class 25s and the 350s. I don't recall seeing any green 25s at that time. The only diesel line they signed was the Southam branch.

Lots of interesting arguments there. The K&ESR has 5 stations, 3 with passing loops, and 4 signalboxes. It has level crossings at each of the stations. all level crossings are capable of being operated by train crew. This is done when 'boxes are switched out at Wittersham Road and Northiam. Tenterden and Rolvenden are essential to run a service. A long section token is used when Witt Road and Northiam are switched out, 2 short section tokens are used when Northiam is switched out or working. Bodiam crossing can be worked by train crew or station staff as are all the others. there's also Cranbrook Road crossing which can also be manned or t/c worked. So that's the problem of crossing gates resolved. What gets interesting is when boxes are switched out, is that certain signals are automatically operated by treadle. It can be a bit un-nerving to see the signal for the opposite direction suddenly clearing! But it works. One other thing to remember on a "mixed" line is that of brake compatability. Everything modern works with air brakes. Most heritage stuff works with vacuum brakes. the 2 don't mix unless the loco or stock is dual fitted, but that's another discussion. Drivers on both "big" railways and heritage railways are highly trained. The systems of late notices/special notices or whatever have been tried and tested over the years. It is the driver's job to know it. Good luck on your model.

I'm currently doing one that I bought about and it disappeared. It recently re-appeared when mum passed on and we cleared out her loft! It's a Wrenn model with Romford driving wheels and runs rather well. The chassis is for sale if anyone's interested as I've bought the Branchlines chassis for it. Branchlines say the back end of the boiler is wrong as it should be round. Hornby Dublo modified it to fit round their motor. Splashers have already been mentioned as has the filler under the boiler, not so easy to correct, but do-able. Not so easy is the spectacle place, fitting plastic fillets for round windows. It may be easier to make a 10thou plastic overlay. Luckily I have a spare Kean-Portescap motor that will fit.

Maybe invest in a Dremel or similar with a slitting disc and cut the rails short of the soldered fishplates.

It's a Lone Star Treble O loco. O-O-O.

There was a maroon set of rather shabby Mk1s stowed in the up sidings south of Crewe station in 1975. I understand they were used as a test set for locos out of works. but there's also been pics of that set on here at Skegness! I started on BR in November 74 and don't recall any other maroon coaches at all, maybe a few parcel vans, but who knows what colour they were under the grime? The only green locos I remember seeing were a few 350s here and there, but again so dirty it was hard to tell.

I'd have asked for another shilling to put in the meter.

At Harrow-on-the Hill where the Met (4 rail i know) diverges from the Chiltern ex GC line to Marylebone, there's a train stop that ought to stop Met trains trying to get to Marylebone. I know someone who tried it with an A stock, there's a thread about it on District Dave's site. I used to drive the Elmers End-Sanderstead line, there was nothing to stop us going beyond the third rail. I don't know how far a train would roll in the Oxted direction, never tried it.

Surely it should be a loud hailer in the leading coach?

Pity he didn't include the other unfinished bit, Finsbury Park to AllyPally and Finchley to link the Northern City Line to the Northern Heights. that was actually electrified but never saw an electric train except when stock was being transferred and being hauled by battery locos.

Some interesting comments there. Having been in the bus industry since BR got rid of me in 1988, I'm amazed that no matter how much training is given to drivers, they manage to hit low bridges. At my company we must have lost at least 5 roofs in 8 years. One was a young driver who only the previous day had undergone the company's introductory training, including the bit about low bridges. What happened the very next day he done wedding job in south east London, an area he knew well, his mum lived there. He asked if he could call in there on the way back to collect his AtoZ of London, before the advent of twatnavs. His mum lived by the low bridge off Southend Lane Catford. He found it the hard way. Another driver on rail replacement had been doing the same job Saturday and Sunday, approach the low bridge at South Ruislip, turn before it into the station forecourt, turn round and go back. His 3rd trip on Sunday he was on auto pilot. Similar thing at Norwood Junction acouple of years later. Double deck buses are normally 14'6 high, lorries can vary in height, so it is difficult for a lorry driver to know the exact height of his lorry. TfL buses all have a built-in bridge warning in their tracking and Centrecomm radio, but still buses go under low bridges, n matter how much training and how many warnings are given. All low bridges are marked in imperial and metric so there's no excuse for foreign lorry drivers misunderstanding and road signs are much the same all over Europe.

The expression "modern image" was coined by the late Cyril Freezer, editor of the Railway Modeller in June 1962 if my memory serves me correctly. the Modeller for the month had one of the new AC electric locos on the front and pictures of the new modern station vuildings at Macclesfield and a junction station, again the name escapes me. The headline in a circle on the front cover read "Modelling the Modern Image". The term modern image has stuck ever since for anything diesel or electric. I may still have a copy of that issue lying around somewhere. So the term "modern image" dates back almost 60 years!

The original Triang Brush Type 2 had nylon, not plastic, drive axles and gears, as did the EM2, Hymek and a lot of other things. The knurled wheels are sintered iron and almost impossible to machine down. I tried turning the serrated wheels many years ago using my Unimat 3. My lathe tools suddenly went very blunt.

The new Luxembourg tram system used overhead outside the city and battery power in the central area. Batteries are roof-mounted we were lucky to be in Lux during the pre-opening "open day" at the depot with circular tours of the depot, control centre, the lot. A superb day out.

I've been a regular visitor to the Kings Cross area most of my life, having been a regular at the MRC since 1964, then working in the model shop in 68/69; hen a secondman at KX 76-78, whilst till being a regular at the MRC until about 1992. Never seen any trouble there part from the odd drunks, never been threatened at any time of day or night around there.

Regarding semaphore signals, Hastings has recently been re-signalled with new semaphore signals in places, the reason being the line capacity, overlaps and other considerations made sense to keep the semaphores. colour light signals neede a longer overlap, diffreent interlocking and the like. so there's no problem with the ORR and semaphore signalling. there's still a lot of it about. Another aspect is the crashworthiness of older stock. Whilst crashes are fortunately extremely rare on all railways, they do happen. When the IWSR was considering the future of the Ryde Pier Tram, a thorough investigation had to be made as to the compatibility of an ancient lightweight tramcar coming into an equally ancient and heavy steam loco. It was found that the regulation provide for joint running as in the west Midlands running next to NR track. Providing it was impossible for the two to never meet on a passenger line, it was ok. It was decided that the IWSR block system met those criteria. Hence the Ryde Pier Tram project proceeds steadily.

Re the pantograph, the original Trix panto was a good representation of the Stone-Faively one. Sommerfeldt do a good one as well. We used some of them on the New Annington electric locos back in the 1980s. Do any of the Manchester Pullman coaches survive? I'm still trying to find time to complete my Kitmaster Pullman set anyway!

Try the colonel Stevens museum at Tenterden or the KESR offices.

Sometimes the Redhill would turn up with an ED (73). That really would struggle up the incline even with the 350 as a banker.

The Up Avoiding Line at FP was known as "the creep up". I secondmanned a Bletchley drive into KX goods when I was 2ndman at Rugby in 1975, 2x25s on a brick train. In December 75 I moved to KX. At that time there were 3 08s in the goods yard. My Christmas Present was to be booked on with another 2ndman and 2 drivers to start all the 08s and run them up the yard. we trie to but all "had flat batteries". Same boxing day. There was a regular Southern turn from Redhiil IIRC to KX, usually 2x33s and sand or gravel hoppers. It was common for one loco to "be required back at Redhill" a bit sharpish leaving the other to take the empties back alone. this was ok providing the other loco was a good un. Several times I witnessed this happen with the Southern men having several goes at getting up the incline, then the 08 or a passing 31 was found to push them up the bank.

They pulled the train into the tunnel, reversed into the goods yard and ran round. Depart via propelling into the tunnel and made a run for the North London Incline.

According to some, before it was a model shop it was a shop for "models" nudge nudge say no more. It may have been used as "both sorts" of model shop with the upper floors being "private by appointment only" for a while until the Keith Dann emporium took it all over. I heard a lot about the Peter Elmslie meetings at Sutherland Avenue. Being a new young member of the MRC at the time I didn't get invited there, but heard a lot about his layout "Uckett Junction". Sadly Peter passed away about 5 years ago, and considering his lifestyle of smoking about 50 a day and having a succession of lady friends didn't do too bad. Known affectionately to those on the Tallylyn as Ben, bloody Elmslie nuisance, at the MRC he would always tell us to "go to Towyn BOY". On of his lasting memories was naming the through station on the MRC's New Annington layout as Sandalmouth, as Peter always wore sandals and was quite vocal. Happy days.