Velopeur

Although I'm sure I've seen the quip in several books and DVDs that seeing track renewal in the 1960s was a sure prediction that a line would close within a year or two.

 

Regards, Andy

There was some truth in that - many lines were in a dreadful state by the end of WW2, so even some minor lines needed renewal - though sometimes with second-hand materials.

On the other hand, busy main lines often needed renewing every 10-12 years, so parts of them might have been relaid a couple of times in FB rail by the rail blue era, with no risk of closure.

The decision to switch to FB rail was made very early in BR days. Some of the big four experimented with it in the 1930s.

I have not had much contact with FB track although checking steam era photos of Cornwall and also the Somerset & Dorset suggests that perhaps we should be using more of it.

 

On the operating side I expect that it will make life more tricky for the already overstretched goods yard operator but it will give a bit more obvious 'purpose' to some of our propelling moves. Even though the moves are correct for Penzance I think that some people thought we were working a push-pull service. Some ECS moves will still propel to 'Long Rock' (aka the fiddle yard) though. We don't want to leave long rakes in the sea siding for long periods because they will interrupt the punters' view of trains on the main lines.

Yeah, it's surprising just how much FB was around on main and secondary lines even in the mid-1950s, never mind the 1960s. - Yet looking at most model railways, you would almost think that FB didn't appear until the rail blue era - or even later?!?!?