thegreenhowards

We were promised a coach poll. Is that still happening?

Missed that but they do smoke like a steam loco so perhaps they could be considered as honorary entrants?! If not then I suppose I’ll go for an A4 on one of the streamliners.

Whoops, I did mean ALCo PAs. I struggled with the link. Sorry!

As a lover of ALCo diesels,I’m going to vote for the ‘World series’. As the name suggest similar designs went right around the world although I was never lucky enough to see them in their prime in the States. My experience is in Greece, Spain and Australia, but I love the look wherever it is. https://images.app.goo.gl/AQWWRLvVSgYdjDiv7 I don’t have a wide enough knowledge to vote for the worst. Andy

Schoolboy error on the door furniture - it will be removed. I don’t find blood and custard easy - which is why I go for maroon on most coaches I build. I masked with Tamaya tape and hand painted the sides using the lining to disguise the join. It’s not perfect but probably one of my better efforts! I think you’ll find the apparent difference in height is down to window depth. You’ve lost me slightly with all your technical stuff about design, but I agree that the Bulleid (and Thompson) equivalents looked slightly better. I still regard mark 1s fondly - much better than a Mk 3 or 4 although the early (pre aircon) mark 2s were probably the pinnacle of BR coach design for me. I have very happy memories of travel behind 37s in declassified Mark 2C BFKs on the North Wales Coast. Andy

I think it has to be the Q1, but I’m rather fond of them all the same.

I like the second shot for a change of perspective. But the first is my favourite viewpoint for PN.

You’re quite right. I focused on the word ‘portion’ rather than’slipped’. The portion was attached at Waverley in a conventional way.

I’ll also vote for the RHB Kroc having spent an enjoyable day on a mixed train with one.

Good evening Andrew, I certainly agree with your 1, 3 & 4 above. I don’t find them ugly. I have studied this for a while and can’t see what’s wrong with the division between crimson and cream. Should it be higher or lower? The RK looks different from the others, but that’s because the windows are higher. Andy

Yes. The rear three coaches were from Aberdeen with the rest of the train starting from Edinburgh (if you could read the coach boards you would be able to see this, but they’re rather small in the photos!). Mark 1 BGs were pretty rare on the ER in the early ‘50s with only three of the 1951 batch allocated. Presumably these were two for this train (One northbound, one southbound) and one spare. The complete formation was BTK TK CK FK RFO RK RTO TK TK BG TK CK BTK I don’t know what the booked traction was, but it is an excuse to run my blue A4. Andy

Here is my most recent lockdown project completion. It is an ER dining triplet, but not one of Gresley’s articulated beauties. This one is dedicated to ‘Headstock’ of this parish as I know how much he loves Mk 1s! This is a RFO/RK/RSO triplet. Such triplets formed the catering core of various ‘Festival of Britain’ demonstration Mk 1 rakes in 1951. On the ECML it was ‘The Heart of Midlothian’ which was so treated. The d.700 RK is made from Comet sides on a Southern Pride body while the RSO is a complete Southern Pride kit. They RFO is pure Bachmann which I have just renumbered and weathered. Views of the complete 13 car rake In action can be seen on my layout thread.

Those who follow my Coulsdon Works thread will know that I have been working on a couple of Mk1s for the 1951 version of the Heart of Midlothian. These are one of the original anthracite electric D.700 kitchen cars and an RSO neither of which are available RTR. They are now complete so here is the train they were built for. I normally prefer coaches of LNER origin, but it is nice to be able to run a uniform rake of marks 1s Here they are running past in the video.

The Mk1 RSO is now finished. I found some Southern Pride ‘P40’ seats in my stores, so decided to use them. I suspect the ‘p38’ which has a low back would have been better, but I didn’t them and ordering from Southern Pride Is quite a fag, so p40 it was. Here is the finished coach.

I think you need to sack the signalman for giving a clear road with that obstruction on the track!

Deltic for me

Falcon was a Type 4 prototype in a similar way to Lion and DP2. However the 47 was rather different to all three, so I’m not convinced any could be said to have become production machines. And you might have to rule out DP2 if you use your criteria. We could just accept that ‘Deltic’ will win by a mile and vote for second place?! Andy

Tony, I like your high level shots. I know that some people prefer ground level shots as being more reminiscent of real railway shot, but I like the opportunity to see more of the train and layout. Keep them coming and don’t feel you have to limit them to positions where they might have been taken. Perhaps the photographer had a hot air balloon! Did such things exist in the ‘50s? Andy

I think this should really go to the HST as others have said...but I hate them for killing off the Deltics, so I refuse to vote for one. I will instead vote for the NER/LNER J27. Built from 1906 and still going strong to the end of steam in the NE. Andy

Thanks for the comments and photos Tony, I knew the silver Jubilee set had a good pedigree; I just couldn’t remember what it was! As for ballast, yours looks superb. I always use either N gauge or ‘fine’ ballast - normally the latter. In this case the majority was ‘fine’ granite chips from Cheltenham Model Centre with some woodland scenics grey and cinders, both ‘fine’ as opposed to medium or course. I think your artists eye has achieved more subtle colouring than mine. I have never got on with dry brushing and applied this in quite the opposite manner; it was sloshed all over in a very dilute mixture. Andy

Thanks. I was aware of the Hatfield roof, but hadn't seen that photo. Thanks for pointing it out.

Gilbert, Love the coach pictures. Can you tell us more about the buffet car? I think it’s an LNER conversion of a Gresley GNR vehicle, but what is it doing in that train - was that booked or just an excuse to run it? And what is the provenance of the model? A coach poll would be interesting, but how would you structure it? Favourite coach is a bit too wide. Could we have it divided into types by number of wheels and/ or purpose (catering, non corridor, corridor and open) and/or era? I suppose having found a favourite of each type, we could then have an FA Cup style knock out competition to find the best overall coach. Andy

Clive, That is a seriously impressive selection of motive power! I’m sorry I suggested combining type 1s and shunters, but Type 1 got dropped completely at the beginning, so at least I got it a reprieve! My Favourite would be a Class 20 - the sound is so melodic. But this is mainly about looks, so my vote goes to a CLass 15. Andy

Thanks for that encouragement. On the second point, I suspect you’re trying to say (Politely) that it’s too grand for a medium sized junction station...and you’re right! I’m straying from the realms of the probable here for two reasons: 1. Because the whole of Gresley Jn is a learning experience for me being my first layout since my teenage years and I want to try things which will have relevance or could be reused on my ultimate layout which will be King’s Cross; and 2. Because I like it! Having said that ‘Gresley’ could be quite a sizeable place and Peterborough had an overall roof, so it is not completely impossible. Andy

Those who follow Wright Writes will have seen that I have spent much time on my A5 kit, but have slightly lost my MoJo on that. Work will return to that shortly but, while the weather was cooler, I tackled ballasting a large chunk of the remainder of Gresley Jn. This included the approach to platforms 4 and 5 and the goods loop. ...the section through platforms 4,5 and loop. In this picture you will see another ongoing project in the background. This is the station building and overall roof for Gresley Jn. Sadly this has stalled because of my home printer’s poor colour rendition (the far section of roof/ wall) compared with my old work’s Laser printer (the nearer section). Eventually I intend to have a double span (think KX or York), but That might have to wait until I have worked out a way round the printing problems. The final section of ballasting is the most noticeable, which is the approach to the southern ‘canal’ tunnels. The areas between the tracks are painted for the moment, but will be treated to a covering of Woodlands Scenics ‘Cinders’ ballast when I restock. The ballasting has involved three different types of ballast as my stocks ran low and I have blended them together with paint. I started with Precision Paint track colour, but when that disappeared very quickly, I turned to Wickes Matt emulsion tester pots in dark greys and browns mixed together. I intended the overall effect to be more uniform than it is. I feel that the prototype ballast can vary in appearance quite considerably but I’m not sure whether this scales effectively. I’d be grateful for any comments. Finally a before and after photo of the canal tunnel end showing the impact of my new track work through the third tunnel mouth and the ballasting. You saw this photo way back on page 3. and here is how it looks now. I note that the passenger having a heart attack on platform 4 in November is still In the same position today. Superglue is coming out now! Andy