thegreenhowards

Great photos Rob, I take the point about two brake vehicles, although I’m looking at the extension to Mallaig where one was the norm I think. From the PTM docs it seems to vary a lot from year to year which sort of brake is the favourite. BFKs were often on the extension in 1983 which is a pain because nobody makes one in O gauge! Interesting comment about the ratio of opens to compartment stock. Your observation fits with the PTM docs but my memory is of snuggling down in compartment stock. I would have deliberately chosen compartments over opens, so my memory is biased but, even so, I think they were more common than the PTMs would suggest. This is not helped by my inability to tell the difference between an SK and a TSO from photos unless the roof is very clear! What are other peoples memories of the ratio of compartment stock to opens and when did the move towards opens start? This photo from the galleries that you pointed me to yesterday is one I could see myself modelling. This has an SK and BFK/CK (I think!), although from a later year (1987). https://www.flickr.com/photos/deepgreen2009/7159221751/in/gallery-190808970@N06-72157716654499327/ Regards Andy

Tony, Just to add to what Gilbert has said, some of these sets were originally used on semi fast KX- Leeds services. I forget which time period you model but pre war you could certainly run them through Wakefield. Post war they tended to lose the D.190 as Gilbert said which was replaced by a Thompson or Mk 1 CK and the remaining artic twins were mainly used on KX-Peterborough semi fasts and the East Lincs. Later they seem to turn up on relief services so you could justify a twin on such a train through Wakefield. Steve Banks has a write up of them here https://www.steve-banks.org/prototype-and-traffic/422-lner-steel-quintuple-sets I hope that’s useful Andy

Recently we had another test running session on the layout. This was the longest running session that we’d had and, I think, the most successful. Trains behaved themselves more often than not and derailments were much less frequent than before although there’s still work to do. Having platforms and the beginnings of our resin cast retaining walls made a difference as did having the over bridge and mocked up warehouse in place. Here are some photos. The C4 and N2 wait to depart on their respective trains. Wagons on display in the gap between overbridge and warehouse. Rob’s impressive 3D printed 6 wheelers taking centre stage. Milk tanks being reversed into the milk dock in front of the new retaining walls (as yet unpainted).

Fantastic Rob, having seen it in the flesh on Monday night I don’t think these photos do justice to the fine detail like the key holes above the windows which are exquisite.

Thanks Rob, I’d found the BSOT thread before based on a previous post and based my model on this photo. https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/44110140224/in/gallery-190808970@N06-72157716639194312/ However, I Hadn’t seen the rest of the Scottish galleries - the mixed train one looks particularly interesting. So I will look forward to browsing them at my leisure. I agree that it would be easier to avoid BSO-Ts but my impression from pictures and particularly from the CWN is that they were the most common brake vehicle on the WHL in the early ‘80s so I feel that at least one is required. It’s a double pain in O gauge as, not only does the conversion need to be done, but only Darstead make the BSO, and the different makes of Mk 1s don’t really mix (the Darstead ones are too high - they look fine on their own but silly in a train with others). Therefore, I will need some more Darsteads to go with this one. I’m thinking an SK and a couple of TTAs will make a good mixed rake! Andy

Many thanks for your replies. I should have thought to look in Parkin! Anyway, I have what I need to give it a go now. The Darstead coach interior is very nice with proper moquette and lighting to show it off, so I’m slightly loath to cut into it but it has to be done. Andy

Hi Rob, I hope you don’t mind me piggy backing on your thread but some time ago on here there was a discussion about the BSO-T Scotrail mini buffets which were regulars on the line. I’ve managed to persuade Steve at Railtec to scale up his 4mm decals for 7mm and have converted my Darstead BSO to this stage. However, I’m stuck on the interior. Have you modelled the buffet itself on your vehicles? If so do you have any photo sources you could share? Many thanks Andy

For me the Banks and Carter book was really inspiring. This is possibly because I didn’t know enough about the subject when I read it to spot the errors. But even with hindsight, it is well written and I found it a ‘can’t put down’ sort of read. Reading it was one of the key events which started me modelling exact formations (along with this thread and Peterborough North). So, I’m very grateful that it was written and it will remain the definitive text on the subject, warts and all, unless it’s superseded by something better. There’s certainly a lot more right in it than wrong. As mentioned many times over the last few pages, one needs to check facts with as many sources as possible and this book is surely one of those sources. I still refer to it frequently - especially when looking for photos of a particular service as too many other books are organised by loco number rather than the train they’re on.

Super videos, thanks for sharing. The first reminds me of how much I missed of the 27s on Edinburgh Dundee’s while chasing 37s up the West Highland. I regret not having devoted a bit more time to the McRats! Andy

This is my one and only Brit, 70036, Boadicea- because it had to be one of the Immingham ones and I liked the name! It’s pretty standard Hornby with my weathering. David, it depends where on the ECML you’re thinking of. They’d have been rare at LB, but they were regular on the Grimsby/ Cleethorpes - Kings Cross services for a year or two in the early sixties (which is my excuse) and I believe also did the Grimsby - London fish trains. So south of Peterborough for a couple of years there were plenty. Andy

I like the 3 cpt Thompson BSK on the rear. Southern Pride presumably? Was this actually shown in the CWN? I’ve always struggled to find a role for mine. Andrew Neale told me that they were regulars on the Norseman but I’ve never found a supporting picture.

It’s great to see a view of the layout as an operator would see it. Both stations look very impressive from this angle.

Bootiful! Can’t wait to see a print.

That would be the club layout?! The coaches look great. The transfers bring them to life.

After Tony threw down the gauntlet above, I’m pleased to report that 16 months, several drafts and a visit to Little Bytham for photos later, my article is in the June edition of BRM. The digital edition is just out. I believe the paper version will hit the shops next week. I’m pleased with the result, although it was a shame that the CWN extracts and some of my chosen photos of the prototype trains couldn’t be included for copyright reasons. I’d welcome any comments the followers of this thread may have. Thanks to Tony and Robert Carroll for their help. There’s an ECML theme this month so it makes a good read for many people on here. Andy

When I joined the forum it seemed to be the done thing to use a pseudonym, so that’s what I did. Also, I held a senior position in Virgin Trains and was slightly worried about how it might affect my reputation at work if people saw me on here, so was quite happy with the arrangement. Now I’m retired, I’m quite happy for people to know me by my real name but it would seem silly to change it now because more people on here know me by my RMWeb name than by my real one, so ‘The Green Howards’ it will remain. For the record, should anyone want to know, I’m Andy Sparkes.

Gladiateur has a wonderfully uniform aura of grot about it!

Many thanks both for those photos - very useful. I think that confirms that I can get away with painting it in teak livery. There’s no real difference between real teak and scumbled teak from my POV.

They always seem to match reasonably well for me so, I’m afraid I can’t shed any light on your problem.

I think the Hornby A2s scrub up very well and there’s nothing wrong with the colour once treated to a bit of Klear.

I think the rail aligners work well. They have proved reliable and the horizontal alignment is good whereas on other joints we have found that it doesn’t always align. They don’t do vertical alignment although we haven’t had any problems with that. I still think they’re pricy at £10 for two pairs but they do work.

My next project will be finishing off this D&S O gauge 6 wheeler. I bought it in this condition for a bargain £40 at the Guildford O Gauge group open day. I believe that it’s a Diagram 407 Lav Third like the OO equivalent shown here. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/s-models-ds116e-ger-lner-wheel-third-275303419 But I don’t have any details or drawings with it. So before I wade in, I wonder if I can pose a couple of questions. I can see it needs some rain strips on the roof and probably some grab rails. Are there any other details which are obviously missing? The other question concerns livery. It will run on our club O gauge which is set loosely between the wars. I believe that these were unlined teak originally and then lined GER red. But how would they have been finished in early LNER days? I’d like to go for teak livery so they could fit in with the similiar coaches which @wokois building for our layout in GER livery. But I’d also like it to fit with my other LNER stock - hence the slightly later livery. I fear that they would have been painted in coach brown in LNER days which is rather dull, but is it likely that some lasted in teak through to the grouping and then were finished in varnished teak LNER livery? Thanks in advance for any help. Andy

On Monday, Rob (@woko) brought his 3D printed GER 4&6 wheelers down to pose on the layout. I think they will look the business.

I like the Crescent bridge viewpoint. We don't see photos from this angle very often.

Excellent. I’m really looking forward to the Howldens. Are you going to the club tonight?