Tim Hall

24 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

Speculative or not, most of these that I have on pre-order (not from early batches) constitute a complete train that I want for a particular (albeit somewhat whimsical) purpose.

 

If informed I wasn't getting one of them I'd probably cancel the rest.

 

John

Indeed, I was on the verge of preordering one (or possibly two) four coach rakes. I'll wait until they're in stock now. If I can't get exactly what I want, I'll give it a miss completely.

12 minutes ago, TEAMYAKIMA said:

I personally have no particular interest in this, except to say that it seems to me that there are several restored castles already ( AFAIK ) and what is the point of having another one, but on the other side of the coin, for me at least, a castle is a passenger train loco and as most revenue for large 'preserved' locos is from running passenger trains, that makes sense.

 

What doesn't make sense to me is running a passenger train with a freight loco on the front and the 47XX class was purely a freight loco - maybe the ultimate GWR freight loco - I await photos of 47xx on passenger services.

 

Weren't 47xxs regularly used on Summer Saturday extras? Also, they were painted in BR lined green, suggesting a mixed traffic role.

I was there a couple of weeks ago, good fun. Not sure what's running this weekend, 2999 has just returned from SVR, but here's one I prepared earlier:

25 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

I suspect someone has been playing around with their database - I'd not read too much into this flurry of messages!

 

Anybody at KRM who knows what is actually happening care to comment?

 

CJI.

I probably should have added: "If that is what is actually happening".

3 hours ago, tetsudofan said:

Just received email from KR Models advising that they have finished processing my order which, I presume, means that my Fell is on the way 🙂.

 

Keith

Had same slightly foggy message. Surely, it would be easier to say it's been/ is being dispatched?

Just received two identical emails saying that they've got my order......

As Mrs H hasn't yet got me anything for my impending birthday, that could work nicely.

8 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

The interesting thing about the Class 33s on the Salisbury -Exeter route was that irrespective of it being the heating season the ETH would be turned off when leaving most stations, but especially those where a rising gradient was in the offing, and when climbing certain banks, as this was the only way to keep time.  It was also the practice of some Drivers to turn it off when trying to regain lost time.

I think the same was true of 31s at times. 

Even BR staff used to get confused about which locos could provide ETH/ AC. (ETS these days).

Riding behind 40150 on Mk2 air cons from Preston-Blackpool North on a hot day, the bashing fraternity wedged all internal doors open and ensured all droplights were open to get a flow of air, as the 40 couldn't provide AC. The guard came round closing them again until it was pointed out quite forcibly that we would cook. He wasn't aware that the loco couldn't provide AC. 

A few weeks later, on a Salop-Whitby excursion, behind a 47/4, it was distinctly cool, and on arrival at Sheffield, a loco change ensued. The guard confidently told us that we'd warm up now...No chance, a 47/3 was provided, which never had any form of train heating.

There were doubtless 1000s of similar instances up and down the network over the years.

22 hours ago, Covkid said:

Pretty broad time period where things gradually changed.

My memory is mostly from the late 1970s into the 1980s and SR diesels are pretty much exempt because all class 33s were ETH anyway, although 33047 had it;s ETH isolated for a while.

 

In this period the odd ETH loco worked freight.  I remember an ETH class 47 working the Brierley Hill tripper from Bescot on occasions. but this is not surprising because BS had an allocation of ETH fitted Brushes anyway. Sometimes a loco was worked to it's own "muckheap" prior to an exam and sometimes used on a local tripper prior to going into the shed.

 

Odd things happened and I remember hanging around New St one sunday morning whilst most of the Brum crowd had gone on a Scottish tour.  I forget which train it was now but possibly the 0830 New St - Manchester formed of an Oxley "half set".  At that time OY had a number of half rakes formed of aircon Mk2s and a MK2 BFK.  This particular morning the train appeared ECS from Oxley down Monument tunnel with a steaming boilered 25 heating the adjacent Mk2 BFK but stone cold "coffins behind it !!! I dived into the BFK and valued the steam as we departed via Aston and Bescot, but there was a man with orange gloves at Wolves and a big strumming Brush to replace the 25, and the fun was over.     

I had 33047 Exeter St D to Basingstoke 16th Feb 86, and some bashers were quite excited because it was reputed to be "no heat" at the time, and therefore not supposed to work passenger in the winter. Sadly, I can't remember whether the journey was chilly or not. I'd always thought I'd remembered it wrong about its lack of ETH, so good to see it mentioned here.

Midsomer madness!

I was down there recently for a spot of Kitson haulage:

Have a look through this thread:

Back in the day... | RailUK Forums (railforums.co.uk)

Which for some reason isn't coming up as a link...but it does exist and shows you the extent of no heat workings.

Don't forget the daily use of 2x20s from Derby/ Leicester to Skegness in summers during the mid/ late 80s, and their use on Derby-Llandudno a few summers later.

No heat 47s were certainly common when I was doing various rovers in the mid 80s, as were 45/0s with boilers isolated. 

Even in 2019 it was possible to ride behind a no heat 37 on a service train. 37025 was on hire to ATW for the Cardiff-Rhymney rush hour services when units were in short supply. As I live about 2 miles from Heath High Level, it had to be done!

9 hours ago, AndrewB7585 said:

Rails of Sheffield have sent an email out with an update on several Rapido projects. Included in it was this section on the Hunslet. I’m looking forward to Beatrice hopefully arriving this autumn 

 

I wonder which of those is heading here to Loftshire? Very exciting!

4 minutes ago, Colin_McLeod said:

 

Does the piece of rail add much to the postage cost?  

No, not railly.

They're at the National Garden Railway Show this weekend, with Saul allegedly travelling in style.....

9 minutes ago, zr2498 said:

Ditto for one. No email from Rails but just happened to notice the dent in the bank account.

 

Another announcement from Accurascale this morning. Impressive. I reckon the team combo of model railway enthusiasts and top notch business heads is resulting in the outcome we are seeing. Leading the way.

Just checked by Rails account, which states that they've taken the balance, which is a relief. Thought I'd forgotten something else to that value.

Money for two locos ordered via Rails left my account a few days ago, but no email yet. So I hope it is them and not some other forgotten expense 🙀.

2 minutes ago, Steven B said:

Expanding the search to the British Isles, does the stock on the Isle of Man count? Many of the Manx Electric fleet date back to the late 1890s with the steam fleet being of a similar age.

 

Alderney's locomotives pre-date the class 20 mentioned above.

 

I'm not sure if they sell many commuter season tickets though...

 

 

Steven B.

Enjoyed riding on Manx Electric stock in 2017 using a contactless ticket long before it was an option at home on the buses.

I understand that some people run locos (and coaches/ wagons) with different numbers on either side, thus appearing to increase the size of the fleet.

So IF the two sides of the Fell model ARE different and therefore representing different periods, then surely that's of benefit to those of us who don't base our layouts and fleets on one individual day/ year/ month? 

37648 doesn't exist, should be 678, and "Gartcosh "was 884, not 784, There may be others I didn't notice in a quick skim through.

4 minutes ago, rapidoandy said:

The first engineering sample in action...

 

 

Happy Wednesday!

Lovely. It would be interesting to hear it without music to hear the motor noise (or hopefully lack of it...).

5 hours ago, Hilux5972 said:

Does anyone else find their GT3 a little rattly when running? I’ve had a look over it and can’t see any loose screws or anything that shouldn’t be. Is this just the wheels rattling around in the frames? Does it when running with sound on and off so I know it’s nothing to do with the sound. 

Yes, mine does sound as if it's about the start shedding vital bits, but hasn't (yet).

According to FB, 4953 also a failure this morning.

Mine arrived from Derails today. Initially, it ran indifferently , as one of the rear sandpipes was bent down, and catching on some sleepers and pointwork. A quick tweak with tweezers and all was well. Yes, the tender is very light, but has caused no problems on 18 mineral wagons and a brake van. The BR crest isn't quite as sharp as some I've seen, but won't be noticed if I weather it.