BernardTPM

There are eight black panels that may say 'MIDLAND' on that sheet, but beside those there are definitely twelve normal shaded small 'MIDLAND's.

Narrow gauge vehicle size is one of those things that is determined by a whole host of factors, some of them unique to particular lines. The original FR was very much restrained by the two tunnels on the line being built for the original horse working, while the earliest coaches were also kept low because of uncertainty over stability on the narrow track and the coaches were twice as wide as the slate wagons because the latter were man handled around the quarries, thus avoiding reloading between the quarries and the FR. The much later Leek & Manifold was much larger as it ran transporter wagons so the structure gauge had to accomodate standard gauge goods wagons and vans on top of the transporters. Even ignoring the approx. 6" in gauge difference, you'd be unilkey to find two such kinds of stock working together; the larger stuff would foul the gauge of the smaller, while the smaller stuff would be less efficient/comfortable where there was plenty of room. Of course, these days it's more a case of what an line can get hold of.

Our 1890s house has single panes per sash, the same (at the front) as when we moved in in 1959, though they might be post WW2 replacements, I suppose. Mind you, they've never been painted white; usually maroon or (in the '80s/90s) orange, with cream stonework. Your recolouring noticeably improves them.

The prototype Liner wagons were 20 foot shorter than the production wagons and were featured on the cover of Transport Age in 1964. The container shown is a 27ft C, the longest length allowed on the road in those days and is, I believe, one of the containers built by York and basically the same as the first run of Freightliner containers (A and B types were 10ft and 20ft respectively, all the standard 8ft x 8ft cross-section). As Fat Controller says, they were bottom lift, unlike the later ISO containers of similar (near-identical) size. The advantages were faster loading and unloading and a lower tare weight, so more load weight could be carried within axle limits. The Mk.1 Freightliner flats could also carry Speedfreight containers. Transport Age magazine was one of the delights of browsing through Collectors' Corner near Euston in the 'good old days'!

The early Liner Train livery looks splendid. I repainted a Lima N container in that scheme, shame it's 1:160 sale! Matchbox did a Roadrunner cab in the late '80s/early '90s with a variety of bodies; perhaps that's the 7mm scale one? The 4mm kit was by Model Bus Company who also did a very good Ford Cargo.

Modern Railways (April 1963) says road vehicles "will be bright yellow, with the 'freight arrow' symbol painted in black and red" and illustrates a Scarab (5790 G M) with a van trailer. The typeface is 'Transport' and is split, i.e. Rail freight rather than Railfreight, though reproduced in monochrome, unfortunately. I thought the grey livery had a different typeface (serif, akin to the Blue Pullman but less elongated and all upper case) with a yellow and black freight arrow.

I assume the grey livery is the one sometimes referred to as 'Stone'.

And it was certainly meant as such, though there are also other parallels: the debut at quite an early stage, a big (indeed, even bigger!) main-line type layout and being right up-to-date (when it was started). Of course real time moved on, so by retirement AML was becoming quite historic, the Heathrow Express electrification and privatisation making a big difference to the prototype. Good luck with the project

Looks like Hinksey Yard is the new Acton Main Line

As you need flat sides for the 4DD you may find that the Tri-ang/Hornby Mk.1s are easier as as the sides are separate rather than moulded with the floor on the Lima ones. IIRC the 4DD units had non-standard low bogies to bring the floor height down. Really quite remarkable trains; for such a non-standard design they lasted surprisingly well.

I'm sure you won't regret the decision. You've made the best 3-SUB I've seen out of Farish coaches, but I suspect that as you went on you'd become disatisfied when you began to compare it with other more accurate models. I'd say the etched route was better than old Farish 4-wheelers too; good choice.

Great modelling! Those shops are just so familiar. OK, maybe not any one exactly like that, but they just ooze that just pre-war new suburbs style. To a minor degree I can even remember old shop fronts like that before the dreadful shutters went up (or is that down? ) Shops you would want to go back to when they were open, not something that just reflects anger back onto the street. I don't think you'll be disappointed with the new EMU etches either. They will really look the part. The N Gauge Society are looking to produce the Southern 8' bogie as a one-piece moulding which could be useful. As for the door lines, perhaps scoring with a sharp knife after painting and running in a thin wash of dark grey might be a solution. Pressing deeper scores in could cause all kinds of distortion.

There's tallness in both the bodywork and the Tri-ang derived chassis; it's no longer the Tri-ang moulding but still has the excess buffer height. The model dates from the latter part of the 1970s and was always meant as a cheap coach. The original catalogue mock-ups were cut down Tri-ang Clerestory bodies on the old brake van chassis. The production models don't have proper panelling as such, just raised beading round the edges of where panelling would be, plus there's the extra 1mm slightly recessed strip along the top edge of the sides for no obvious reason. I did work out that if you remove all the beading bar that round the windows (and the extra recessed strip, of course) and then spliced several bodies together, they would make pretty accurate sides for a late 'Toplight' non-corridor First diagram A15 with neat 'bolections' round the windows. Incidentally, these were 'Toplights' without toplights and are shown in Russell's G W Coaches vol.2, page 103.

There was a good article on the NG railway with drawings in the June 1996 Railway Modeller.

Similar but not quite the same Hillman Husky Commer Cob with windows. Hillman Minx estate Of course, there were lots of variations in grilles and other styling differences in the 'Series' Minxs and the earlier 'Mark' versions too. Basically the Cob/Husky was a shortened Minx, similar to the way the Chrysler Sunbeam was a shortened Avenger.

Less than a year ago I stood under that bridge and looked up at this huge, complex and awe-inspiring structure from ground level. You're capturing it to a 'T'. It's an amazing piece of model work.

Is that at the then-new London International Freight Terminal at Stratford? The shed behind looks about right.

Not a bad idea; those covers tended to gather dust quite quickly which made them more difficult to see through. You could try adding a frame to the door from 5 thou." first, then paint the frame in satin or matt black/dark grey and the window part gloss. That might give sufficient effect without resorting to drills and files.

On the 150/2 for 'as built' you will also need to put the window back in the middle of the gangway and the draught cover (clear with thin black edging)that goes over it.

Very sensible. I'd be tempted to leave off even the two thin horizontals you've already got. Handsome trams, them!

Very nice buildings; looks like it should be a good layout. Unusual to see red coaches on a Southern layout; makes a change!

Found a good comparative shot of the 47 and 37 together from a low level, showing how different the body/bogie relationship is between the two classes. Hope it's useful Link

Be sure to check the 47 carefully, Pete, they don't sit as low to the bogies as the contemporary EE types. Not saying the Farish couldn't be improved, but there's no point in going too far either. Great improvement here, though.

Heh, I've got a couple of undecorated E bodies I aquired for that just that purpose - a smaller, more accurate Tri-ang Double-ended Diesel. I wasn't planning on gnurling the wheels though, I'll need something else to create all the sparks

The N Soc. kit is an overscale model of a slightly longer van in a slightly larger scale, so don't worry - and don't use them together!