Froxfield2012

Great work indeed Brian. Like others, I wish I had those skills as your changes make a real difference. Although the detailed pictures make it look so straightforward that I might.......No, don't even think about it. Brilliant email chain.

This detail of 7917 (see earlier post) is from a slightly different angle and the second crop is from a shot of 7903. That's the best I can do! All the other shots I have of Modified Halls show the rivet pattern across the front of the steam chest. And then there seems to be a row of a row of rivets across the plate and an angle bracket with rivets down each side.

I think I have posted these two pictures before but they clearly show the front end differences of the two types of Hall.

At the risk of going off topic, in the light of all the flak flying to and fro over the "new" Halls, I have taken a fresh look at the split chassis Bachmann Mere Hall that I have: that at least gets the front of the frames right? But I am not after an analysis of its strengths and weaknesses, just some specific advice and guidance, please! It was a perfectly good runner but I have swapped over to DCC and had more or less decided to pension it off to be replaced by this year's offerings (a new Modified Hall or Hornby's Hall). Now I am thinking again and wondering if I might be happier with Mere Hall if I can tackle the (for me no doubt difficult) task of converting to DCC. Has anyone here done this and if so what decoder and wiring harness might fit as easily as possible. I can't find a detailed guide on line but there is an excellent guide on here for the Bachmann Nelson. Is this likely to be a good guide for the Hall? So that I can at least assess whether I am up to the challenge! Richard

I think if you look at the pictures posted earlier, including my own back in post 73, you will see that there is quite a gap between the inside of the splashers and the boiler which is not present on the CADs (see the full frontal view). And the splashers are "thinner". Now I am guessing that this might have something to do with the compromises inherent in OO where the wheels are, of course, closer together than they should be? I seem to recall that you will find the same thing on all previous incarnations of the 14xx? Otherwise, I don't think the boxes are necessarily too high in relation to the splashers or the steps on the tank fronts. But I kind of think this might be some kind of "nitpicking" given the track gauge (most?) of us choose to use? Others are more expert than I to comment really. I still like the look of it, don't you? Richard

Just to confirm, I asked the question of Oxford Rail and they replied that China is working on the model and making good progress. They confirm that the intended release date is Q3 of 2015 and that they will update the website once there is something they consider is worth showing the public. They further suggest signing up for their newsletter so as to be sure to find out when there is anything they want to show. I suppose that is much what I expected and it is indeed their call on how much information to publish and when. I shall probably sign up for the newsletter, although I do not expect a close blow by blow account of development progress. My only (very muted) criticism would be that the 20th January text does suggest that Oxford Rail might release more detail (pictures) by end-April and they didn't bother to correct that impression. That really is no big deal. I still await this release with interest.

I don't want to contribute to any negativity but I have to confess that I have been looking recently at the Oxford Rail website and wondering whether they are still on target or not. I do think they have raised expectations of some sort of update around now. It doesn't have to be much, just an indication of how things are going. And, yes, I am a potential customer for the Adams Radial offering. They offer a "query" link on the website, so I jut may take them up on that.

I found my pictures of my first car at last. I hope you may find it of interest. It was a 1934 Morris Ten Four which I owned for a few years in the 1960s. It was bought for £9.10s! The car has a bit of history as it was bought from our friend Maurice Earley the railway photographer and is the car he used for his photographic expeditions around the UK. There are, for example, pictures of JB5272 near Shap! Not for Maurice Earley the exotic likes of Dick Riley's Bentley. With regret, JB was sold to a friend who commenced the restoration neither my father nor I had the skills or money to undertake. This friend also basically found completion of the restoration uneconomic and passed it to two acquaintances (the brothers Card who were leading lights in the old car world). They completed the restoration and I remember Maurice Earley being delighted when they took it round to his house to show him the results. I have been told that JB was subsequently sold to someone in Ireland and I have been unable to find any trace of the car on the internet. I would like to see it again if it is in existence!! Richard

Iain You are more than welcome. By way of Christmas and New Year greetings, here are a couple more Camden shots. (You can see a bit more detail on the relevant building too!). Both need a bit of cleaning up and I have left them as "uncropped" as possible to include surroundings. Richard

Iain Here's a couple of crops from scans showing that area of the shed. Not up to scratch quality-wise but perhaps showing that the door was on the right hand side? Anyway, your ambition to produce the essence of Camden is undamaged by these small points? Richard PS these are taken from a 1960s pamphlet, I hope no copyright is breached.

Iain I'm not sure this is the right building? You can see the water tower above. But it looks to me as though the corrugated iron is also on the top of the end walls and that the door was bricked in? Can it be right that the roof didn't go all the way over the walls? I didn't know quite whether to comment or not. I don't want to cause grief where none is necessary! The date is 1958-59. Richard PS You may need to lighten the image a bit to see it properly.

I can only speak for the 1950s but, as I recall, double heading was not uncommon through Reading (at least through Southcote Junction). I have several pictures to prove it. My guess is that the trains are the heavier holiday trains in the summer headed for all places west. Richard

Sorry, Stanley I don't remember that side of the shed at all. I was once walked across the main lines to the goods shed side! So that would have to go down as a missed opportunity to make an observation. However, at the age of ten or so, I was more concerned with stepping over the electrified rails: not to mention the main lines. Blame Health and Safety in action for my failure to notice the shed wall!? Frankly, I don't suppose that anyone at Camden in the fifties would have gone to the trouble of bricking anything up. But I would lay odds that the windows would be opaque with dirt and grime (even if not whited out)? Richard

1444 for me. The loco from the last day of the Wallingford Bunk back in the day. And, as can be seen below, who needs an autocoach.....!

Thanks to everyone for the information. The Pressed Steel unit seems to have been going back and forth. I have another shot of it on the same film (the same day) on the down main at Tilehurst carrying the code 2H49. Richard

So here is where I show my total ignorance of WR DMUs. What class of DMU is shown in the colour photo taken at Tilehurst? It appears to have squared off buffers, not round as shown in all the CAD images. And what Class is shown is shown in the B&W shot taken in Reading MPD. Both images seem to date from 1959-60 with a measure of imprecision in this estimate. Having said that, the unit in the colour shot looks almost ex-works. And before anyone starts on colour....Don't trust the colour rendering!! Richard

Here's a question for Dave: or perhaps I should ask Hattons. After pre-ordering a King in the first rush of enthusiasm, Hattons followed up by announcing DCC fitted versions. It wasn't a problem to change the order but I wonder if I can avoid the same this time if I wait a little? Will there be a DCC fitted version? Richard

Here's a bit more colour correction, if you don't object. A bit more work would get that pink line out of the background and then it would be almost as good as new. Richard

Yes, the cleaners are a feature aren't they? And on reflection this probably indicates a slightly earlier date. My father's first visit to Camden was in 1953. I remember Camden as pretty filthy, even by late 1950s standards. When my father first went there, a former top link driver called Harry Whitty (who had failed his routine eye test) was employed on light cleaning duties like sweeping up around the shed. Although he continued to get us into the shed through the fifties and early 60s, he was finally retired and then there was no one. All the talk of the ash plant reminded me that later Camden practice was to clear the smokebox of clinker out onto the top of the buffer beam and then just leave it there to blow away in the course of normal use! Camden engines were often seen with a pile of ash/clinker on the front, particularly around the shed. Piles of implements for raking out were a common sight around the ash plant. Richard

Good day, Iain I am still following your progress and remain impressed! I came across a couple of small prints the other day. The scans aren't brilliant: especially the one of Duke of Gloucester, which seems to be printed on a textured paper. But I thought you might find them of interest. Neither is dated but must be mid-to late 1950s. Richard

Does look like the front of a King, but I am puzzled by the hole in the bottom right of the image. As far as I can see from photos I have of KGV in original (pre B&O) condition, there was no hole there: that seems to have come along later? Edit: Just seen the post above. It does look exactly like 6023 now.

My photo of Boxhill on the way from Tweedsmouth to Eastleigh for restoration c 1959 shows twelve "rivets" on the tanks, none elsewhere that I can see including the raised buffers. Incidentally, can anyone confirm that the Terrier I saw at Hayling in 1957 (32646) is indeed the loco that was formerly known as Newington and is now preserved on the IOW. SEMG seem to think it was withdrawn in 1949 and other sources seem to vary.

Replying to The Stationmaster today. For some reason "Reply quoting post" doesn't seem to be working for me! We always got on well enough with Ted (I wouldn't want to suggest otherwise) and I still have the Hornby Dublo Castle that EAMES converted from 3 to 2 rail for me. They also machined down quite few Triang loco wheels for me too. One of Reading's "wholesale" modellers was a chap called Bill Worrall. He had a workshop on Christchurch Road. I remember going up there one day to see the model he had built for London Transport and there contractors for the remodelling of Oxford Circus underground station: just to prove everything fitted in3-D. At one time it was on show in the Science Museum, I think. Stan Birch had an extensive O gauge layout in his garden but the real star in this regard for me was in Tilehurst and owned by (Major) Charles "Charlie" Cooper. That featured a Royal Albert Bridge and cut down Paddington in a green house: he hand built all his own locos. It featured in Model Railway News with photos by Maurice Earley. But then MRN was edited by local man J N Maskelyne! Off topic I am afraid. Richard

As I recall, the shop in the Market Place Reading was called Rogersons. And Ted Morris's shop existed at the same time. We are well back in the 1950s here. Ted Morris offered a discount to member of the Reading Society of Model and Experimental Engineers and this is where my father, then Hon Treasurer of the RSMEE, bought a OO Graham Farish Spamcan and a couple of Pullmans and three green suburban coaches (all long since deceased) in exchange for our O gauge Hornby Princess Royal (Grrrr!!) one Christmas well before I was ten years of age. Another modeller, from Woodley, by name Stan Birch worked for Rogersons (I think) together with an amiable soul called Gerry (who had a substantial wood block lift under one foot). Around the time Rogersons closed, Stan Birch set up his own business (Reading Model Supplies) in Hosier Street off the Butts in the late fifties and was active pretty much until the buildings were demolished to make way for the new market place and Hexagon/Butts Centre. Then they (not Sleeps) moved to Chatham Place Car Park. Stan Birch was always much more approachable than Ted Morris, who could be a little gruff with the "non-modeller", more toy train oriented, kids. I certainly moved my pocket money business!! But then the Butts was on the bus route home from school. That at least is my recollection of Reading's model shops from way back then Richard

At Southcote Junction, there was enough room between the frame and the window for the signalman to line up sheets of hardboard against the windows and shuffle sideways up and down completing multiple oil painted copies of "The Haywain" for Christmas presents for all his friends and relations! It is just about possible to estimate the amount of space available from this picture of the artist as signalman. Richard