To watch Q6s climbing Redhuegh bank when working hard they lurched from side to side with each piston stroke, unless the front coupling was hung up on the hook it performed a jig dancing all over the place..........
Some had a square vent on the cab roof and a patch of thin steel on the rear of the cab roof, I represented this with a patch of Scotch Magic adhesive tape
Yes, you can even see it in some photos, like some Midland locos had a yellow patch, known as yellow bellies, I think it was Kentish Town that did this,.....OWEN not Barry
My Dad was in the breakdown gang here at West Hartlepool, he said the crane was only used if essential, when they got MFD gear they travelled far and wide, I remember once they went to Horton in Ribblesdale.....
On similar lines Dad told me about an A3 being used to collect some fish vans off the docks using a route that was totally unsuitable for anything but pilots, they had to send the fitters to get it back to the shed. He told me many stories of locos going where they shouldn't......