nicktamarensis

The bridge is coming along nicely, Mick, well done. In the past I've used a paper called 'Sialac 1701 P320' which has a subtle patterning reminiscent of a weathered road surface. It's Swiss made and although other grades of the product are still available on-line, I'm not sure about the one I've mentioned. My father-in-law who was a skilled joiner used it for french polishing many years ago and I still have about dozen sheets left. I can send you up a couple of sheets if you want to try it out. Nick.

Nice scheme Mick, well done. I like the trolley bus notion as an addition, it'll add a nice touch of period flavour. Btw, your H&BR signalling work is exemplary and stands as an essential modelling record of that side of the company's operations. Over the years, very few have embarked on modelling this fascinating, but sadly neglected, company so your project is doubly valuable. Hopefully, it will also stimulate a wider, and long overdue, interest in things H&B and even spur other modellers to tackle aspects of the company whether this being pre-1923, LNER or BR. In particular, the fine station buildings built along the route between Hull and Cudworth are worthy subjects in their own right and deserve to be given modelling attention. To my knowledge, none have been tackled as yet. Anyway, nice one Mick - keep up the splendid work!

Superb work Mick. On all counts. I wish my efforts even remotely approached your skill levels. May I include the photo's of the prototype and also those of your models as part of the signalling chapter which will appear in Vol. 2 of my historical account of the H&B? This is due to be published later this year by Lightmoor Press. Nick.

Brilliant deduction chaps. Many, many thanks - and for all the extra info as well. Nick.

To any Scottish location experts out there - any ideas as to where this J37 is? Somewhere in Fife perhaps? Many thanks. Nick.

Ah - missed it - P178/9 of the NER book by Tatlow. Thanks WG. His reference states that one of the two built to Diagram H4 in 1909/10 were converted in the 1930's for weed killing use by the Scottish Area - so presumably this is it. Any ideas what became of it?

Any info on the attached van would be very gratefully received. Unfortunately, the location (other than the E.Div. Western Division legend on the van side), date and source of the photograph is unknown. Many thanks in advance. Nick.

Hello Ed, Couldn't help noticing your thread as it is close to my heart - especially as I am the author of the Lightmoor book! Mick Nicholson's offer of help towards your project is something you should seriously consider as he is an acknowledged expert on the H&BR. He has a wealth of material collected over many years of research and study given to the company and I'm sure contacting him (as I did some years ago) would be extremely rewarding for you. Best wishes. Nick Thanx too for your very kind comments on the book!

Thanks very much for the info, gentlemen. I agree that the three volumes on L&NWR wagons would be a must for regular sleuthing (even at £100 plus!) and I will invest in them if I get called on to do more for the company's wagons. This was the first one which had cropped up with all the others in this batch of Ted West images being mainly LMS (pure)/LNER/SR (and constituents)/BR examples all of which I have the books on. Thanks again. Nick.

Hello, I am attempting to add a caption to the attached photo taken by Ted West at Exmouth Junction shed on 22 August 1950. The photo will eventually appear in British Railways Illustrated as part of the Workaday Wagon series. I am assuming the one plank wagon to be of L&NWR origin but renumbered by the LMS and presumably awaits its BR number (if it survived that long enough!). Any info on the Diagram type, number produced etc would be very welcome. If L&NWR, I assume the wagon was built at Earlestown Works. Many thanks, Nick.

No idea Russ. They might have had a post-war use. Nick.

Thanks very much for all the responses and Tony, I'd love a scan of that article if possible for the text info. Send to my email if you like - nwdeacon@live.com. Cheers, Nick

Hello, I have a set of photo's illustrating the above set of 12ton converted vans but I am unable to find any information on them. I've trawled through Tatlow and unless I've missed the blindingly obvious, he has not mentioned this set of vehicles. The vans were numbered as follows: 903721 tare 13-16, Transformer Van. 903722 tare 10-16, Rectifier Van. 903723 tare 6-15, Cable Van. The photo's look as if they were taken after 1942 (a date recorded on one of the solebars) and all have 'Mobile Rectifier Set' plus 'N.E. C.E.E. Dept.' stencilled on the sides. Were these conversions of earlier vans I wonder? One plate visible is inscribed 'Doncaster' and what appears to be a 1907 date but I could be way out on the latter. Any help on origin, purpose and longevity would be most welcome. Nick.

Thank you once again gentlemen. I am most deeply in your debt. A good slice of the above info will in time appear in 'BRILL' against the various wagons as part of the ongong 'Workaday Wagons' series. A mention in despatches goes without saying. Nick.

Excellent deduction - thank you very much Wickham.

Thanks Paul. Much appreciated. Is there any indication how long these vehicles (and the tanks) lasted for?

Hm. Not knowing what the errors were these would be difficult to avoid. Has there been any published indication of what the more serious of these were?

Good thought, thanks John. The length looks about right for a QM.

Seen at Dorchester in September 1952. Was this an example mounted on a redundant bogie carriage underframe of possible L&SWR origin? I have failed to find any conclusive reference to it anywhere. Can anyone help in providing a little more info? Nick

Many, many thanks Clive. I thought about getting Alan Coppin's book but instead plumped for the Tourret 1980 edition and then found out I really should have got more recent update AND the Coppin book. Would it be possible to PM you on other vintage chemical tank wagons? Nick.

Thanks again for the extra info. Any ideas about Gordon A's question about the tonnages?

Many thanks gentlemen. Is there any owner listings (much in the same way as Don Roland gives) of tanker wagons, their numbering, build date etc, etc?

Hello, This wagon was a Hurst Nelson product registered by the MR in 1918 for Shell. The tare weight is given as '8.8.2.0'. It is shown with a similar but larger wagon behind it (No. 4910) which I assume to be a 14ton type making the smaller No. 2794 a 12ton. Is this assumption correct? Although I have the 1980 Tourret book it doesn't give this sort of detail. Can anyone help please? Photo taken at Ashford in 1951. I also assume that by this date the alternative 'BP' logo was shown on the other side of the tank. Livery details are given as 'white tank with red lettering and red solebars', Nick.

Thanks Jim. Yes, I've been working through a batch of Ted West's scanned photo's for some while now. Selections of these appear as on-going photo articles in British Railways Illustrated. If I get stumped for info. this site with its knowledgeable crew is one I will always use to put me right! Nick.

Thank you very much gentlemen, I'm very much in your debt. Most of the above info will be included as part of a caption for the photo which will appear at some point in British Railways Illustrated. I'll make sure everyone will be credited for the info. given. Thanks again, Nick.