AJCT

Absolutely agree, and good to meet in person. Looking forward to seeing it again at Railex NE and the 2 Scottish gigs next year ! Alasdair

- And here with classmate 64608, both of which might make separate cameo appearances on "United Mills" at the EMGS/ScaleFour Skills Day in Linlithgow tomorrow.... Must replace those old Merit fir-trees, though. Alasdair

... a St Margarets J37, which were known to appear on the Waverley Route from time to time. They certainly did - see http://www.railuk.info/gallery/notes/getimage.php?id=2514 According to the sleeve notes, that one also featured on that wonderful Argo Transacord LP "The Railway to Riccarton", on a Down goods at Steele Road. HTH. Alasdair

As my friend 60027Merlin would say... where does the time go ? Here's 64591 making a cameo appearance on "United Mills" at ModelRail Scotland last weekend - Alasdair

I was looking for details of the Tweeddale Railway Society exhibition at Romanno Bridge, and so far I've found this - https://newlandscentre.org.uk/events/railway-model-layout-exhibition-2019/ - does anyone know more details, eg what layouts might be on show ? Alasdair

What make are the laser-cut pre-drilled fence-posts ? Could be just what I need ! Alasdair

Here's an alternative to the weed-killing train: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/139373-snow-plough-track-cleaner/ If the BR-type independent plough is too late-period, the NER had a similar design: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/80134-ner-snowplough-operation/ It's possible other companies may have had them too, but I've no information. HTH. Alasdair

It's not just the oval buffers... it's the headcode discs rather than a 4-character panel... and the cab-front lamp-irons. I rest my case ! Alasdair

I've used the old Craftsman Models etched brass Class 37 window frames (item E34) for both classes. You can still ocasionally find them by rummaging around boxes of discontinued items on traders' stands at shows etc. Alasdair

This may be of interest if you haven't seen it already - https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/58/845/ From the running number SC13429E, the nearest coach is an ex-LNER Gresley Tourist Third Open to Dia.186, built in 1937, and the one behind looks similar. HTH. Alasdair

Yes, there could be many reasons for this error in the book, eg mis-identification, mis-recording, mis-transcription, typo etc. Which is why, if I'm intending to have a model of a particular loco or whatever, I like to have at least 2 reliable sources to confirm it or at least a clearly definitive photo. In the same book, at image 37, the picture of a junction station claims to be Riddings but is actually Burnmouth on the ECML, an error perpetuated in at least one other book. And in Robert Leslie's "Steam on the Waverley Route" (Bradford Barton), the pic of an A3 on page 33 is captioned as 60095 Flamingo, whereas the smokebox numberplate clearly shows 60079 (Bayardo).... Alasdair

Anent Class 27 D5383: I have a copy of a list of diesel locomotives recorded at Hawick, which I got via the Hawick & District Railway Society, and that does include D5383. However – in Roger Siviter’s book “Waverley – Portrait of a Famous Route” at image 62 there is a picture of a BRCW Type 2 on a Down passenger approaching Riccarton South and the caption claims it’s D5383. But I contend that this is definitely not D5383, because the loco has headcode discs rather than the 4-character headcode box carried by the 27s. The loco number is not clear, but I suggest that this is actually Class 26 D5303, essentially because the position of the cab front lamp-irons is particular to D5300-03. Perhaps some-one has seen this caption and made the reasonable assumption that a Down train passing Riccarton would have duly appeared at Hawick, and thus perpetuated the error. Does anyone have more conclusive proof of D5383 at Hawick ? Alasdair

The Spring 1962 edition of the Ian Allan Locoshed book (actually ScR data to 21/10/61) lists 65234, 65275, 65316, 65330, 65331 - some of which carried tender cabs. Another source I use is BR Database - http://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&type=S&id=601036138&loco=758 but that doesn't list 65234 at Hawick, so some careful cross-checking might be in order. My current plan is to renumber mine as 65312, as that was based at Carlisle Canal.... HTH. Alasdair

Ah yes... 65288 with the mismatched front buffers ! Alasdair

The ex-LMS 12-wheeler in "The Waverley" was replaced circa 1962 with a BR Mk.1 RF to dia.17, so the BR Mk.1 RU would look like an acceptable substitute. Good luck with the project - will be following it on here with interest. Alasdair

In the photo above, the leading vehicle looks like a Gresley Brake Third Open to dia.196 and the one behind a Tourist Third Open to dia.186, both in 1950s carmine and cream livery - which suggests an excursion from somewhere in former LNER territory ! These coaches were built around 1937-38 and probably lasted into the early 1960s. Sorry, no idea about availability of 2mm models... I work in P4.... HTH. Alasdair

I got "The Waverley" formation from the same sources, confirmed by a fair amount of poring over published pics - see http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/102152-wharfeside-a-lifetimes-project/?p=2333994 HTH Alasdair

Might be able to help with that one - I have an extract from the Sc.R. Carriage Marshalling booklet for June-Sept 1962, and that says: BG / 3 SK (48S) / 2 CK (24F-18S) / SLF / SLSTP / BG - total 9 vehicles (numbers in brackets are the seating capacities) of BR Standard stock, ie Mk.1. The formation was essentially the same in both directions, though the Up working conveyed an extra SK on Mon/Fri/Sat and also one or 2 fish vans from Aberdeen to Leeds or Nottingham. Similar info is in "Passenger Train Formations 1923-1983 : LMS-LM Region" by Clive S.Carter (Ian Allan 1987). HTH. Alasdair

Tell me more about the BR Class 2 2-6-0 in image 17. What's its origin ? Alasdair

Picking up a comment from another thread, http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/139204-flangeway-snowploughs-2019-plans/?p=3362915 Post #27, here’s what I did. I wanted an on-track cleaner as part of my layout is normally inaccessible, so I thought that the converted snow-plough would be ideal for this as the deep side panels would hide a block of track-cleaning rubber. This low-angle shot shows what it looks like - Essentially it just meant taking out the centre axle and fabricating a sort of box-like framework from scrap plastic strip etc to contain a piece of soft rail rubber. This is not fixed to the vehicle in any way and is just pushed along the rails under its own weight. As you can see, there’s also one of those Noch item 60157 track cleaners mounted on the leading axle, the theory being that this brushes off any loose dust etc before it gets rolled on to the rail head by the first pair of wheels - I work in P4 which also meant changing the wheels – the leading axle with a pair of 12mm wagon wheels is fixed and runs in brass top-hat bearings, while the rear axle with the pin-points removed has a pair of 14mm coach wheels running in a fairly basic inside bearing to give some simple compensation. You can just see the bit of extra lead I glued in to bring the total vehicle weight up to just over 100 grams - I use a piece of the soft slightly abrasive cleaning block which used to be available from C&L (other products may be available), cut to size 34mm (L) x 25mm (W) x 13mm (H). There’s a lot of debate on other fora about the advisability of abrasive cleaners, but as mine simply gets pushed along the rail head there’s little pressure involved. Even with the pad just sitting loose on the rails, 3 or 4 trips round my Up or Down main lines seems sufficient to pick up quite a lot of dirt. I also have other cleaning pads made from pieces of hardboard (the Pendon preference, I believe) or Sundeala, but so far I haven’t tried liquids like IPA (other than the odd pint of the “other IPA” after weekly choir practice….). Although anachronistic by some 80+ years, one of my ploughs gets used during the pre-show setup of the East of Scotland 4mm Group’s “Burntisland 1883”, as the track in the station train shed there is normally inaccessible. Hope this is of interest - Alasdair

Yes, that's exactly what I've done with the two I have. I may post some pics but probably on a more appropriate thread, eg "Modifying and Detailing RTR Stock". Alasdair Edit: see http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/139373-snow-plough-track-cleaner/

Ref A: I did something similar with my cheap-and-cheerful Britannia P4 conversion - not very sophisticated, but it runs reliably. As you say the lack of flanges is not obvious. Ref B: my dad bought and built a rake of 4 Kitmasters (the classic BSK/CK/SK/BSK formation) when they came out and which I inherited, and I've subsequently picked up a fair few pre-owned ones in various states which I hope to smarten up. While not quite comparable to current Bachmanns (Bachmenn?), for their time they were well ahead of anything else then available... happy days ! Alasdair

Would that be a rake of Kitmaster Mk1s behind the rebuilt WC ? Alasdair

Further to the above: I knew I'd seen this pic somewhere before, and a little searching through my "library" found it. It appears to be a cropped version of a larger image which was published on page 429 of the Railway Magazine for May 1964. The caption says "probably the first Brush Type 4 to traverse the Waverley route, No.D1517 awaiting departure from Edinburgh Waverley on December 26, 1963, with the 2.43pm to Carlisle". The photo was attributed to David C.Smith: not shown in the cropped version was A3 No.60063 "Isinglass" at the adjacent platform (old no.9?) with the 2.25pm Newcastle train. NB: the pic has been removed from the Class 47 site meantime pending resolution of copyright. Alasdair

Having a rummage round the 'net looking for pics of early Brush Type 4s (ie with fixed 3-part radiator grilles) in GSYP on Waverley Route trains, I found this - http://www.class47.co.uk/c47_zoom_v3.php?img=0957050019200 - have we seen it before ? Looks like old platform 8 at the Waverley and could be the early/mid afternoon Up departure (14.36 / 14.45 / 15.00 depending on year). Any pointers to images of similar GSYP Brush Type 4s would be welcome. Alasdair