bude_branch

With regard to the Diagram 2406 Loose Brake Composite, why was there a need for a different design to the Diagram 2405 BCK used for the two coach sets?

Anyone know if Bachmann will be adding a Diagram 2406 loose BCK to the range?

Yes, you're quite right I should have listed it as R4886B. Thanks for the speedy reply, I feel a trip to my local model shop might now be required.

Apologies if this has already been mentioned, (I did re-read the topic from the beginning and couldn't find anything, but then I couldn't find my socks this morning, so who knows). Is it correct that Hornby produce the following? R4888D Coach No S2849S / R4886 Coach No S5713S / R4888E Coach No S2850S, which were formed into 3-Set No 967. Many thanks.

Whilst I do not expect a model to last indefinitely, I would expect it to be in pristine condition the first time it is taken out of the box. In my own case the model railway has been mothballed for a number of years awaiting rebuilding and in the interim a number of new locomotives have been acquired. This has primarily been due to short production runs and limited availability - meaning that if you want a particular model it has to be bought immediately even if it might not be run for a number of years. When these new locomotives are finally taken out of their boxes and placed on the layout I would certainly not expect them to fall apart and if they do, then in my view the manufacturer ought to be held solely responsible.

This is probably what worries me most. If I need a set of coaches (I model the SR), I need a full set not half a set so, unless I can be sure of getting the full set, then I don't buy anything.

I'm afraid my eyesight is no longer up to that.

Well done Graham - I was just about to cancel my pre-order.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with you. Although I suspect it is now far to late for any changes to be made.

One for Tim Dunn perhaps?

I do appreciate the difficulties of clearly identifying which, if any, individual vans ran in BR(S) green. However, based upon what happened with other SR loco hauled stock, it does seem likely that at least some vans would have run in re-varnished malachite green with BR numbers and lettering. I can remember these vans in Clapham Yard in the early 50's and I'm sure some, if not all, of them were in green.

Why does it matter if there were only a few, most modellers will only want one or two?

It does seem a pity that yet again Hornby have decided not to take the opportunity to release either the SR 58’ Maunsell Rebuilt (ex-LSWR 48’) Coaches, or the GBL/COR PMV, in green with BR lettering and numbering.

Not many, but apparently some did. It has also been suggested that in early BR days a number also ran in re-varnished SR malachite with BR numbers and lettering. This would have been a darker shade of green than pure malachite and very similar to the BR(S) green that Hornby have used for their other Maunsell stock.

A pity the 2022 range doesn't include a green version with BR lettering and numbers, maybe next year?

Unfortunately, it would seem that there is still no green version with BR lettering and numbering.

Smoking was banned on the Isle of Wight trains from the early 1980's, as the interiors were considered to be too much of a fire risk. I well remember a heated exchange with a passenger at Ryde Pier Head who insisted that he couldn't survive the journey without a cigarette - he was travelling to the Esplanade, less than 2 minutes away.

Whilst I don't have the official report to hand, if I recall correctly the accident was primarily attributed to a high rail joint in Barnet Tunnel, although the locomotive was also found to have a weakened bogie spring - it was the trailing bogie axle that initially derailed. The locomotive was not fitted with a speedometer and it was estimated that on the falling gradient after Hadley Wood speed had crept up towards 70mph - although this was above the 60mph post war limit on this section, the Inspecting Officer did not consider it to be a significant factor.

M7 30053 worked a series of trips from Salisbury around the Laverstock Loop on 28th June 1992 using a pair of Queen Mary bogie brake vans. I'm not sure what happened here, I meant to include a link to Terry Foulger's picture but it seems to have posted the image instead. Copyright: Terry Foulger / Justin Foulger https://flickr.com/photos/justinfoulger/49850934776/

So does the Isle of Wight from Smallbrook to the South Portal of Esplanade Tunnel, although in this case it's known as a brook.

Does anyone know the numbers of the two units in the platform by any chance? If it helps the date is Saturday 1st October 1966.

Quite so, it was originally built as a LSWR Type 4 Box.

I'm pretty sure that Heddon Mill Crossing was a Block Post (i.e. Signalbox) and not just a Crossing Box.

All in all it certainly seems to vindicate the concept of the APT. It's a shame BR was never really allowed the time or finance to see the project through to completion.

A log of the record run by the APT-P from Euston to Glasgow on 12th December 1984 can be found here: https://www.apt-p.com/PGBarlow.htm