Ian Hargrave

Which years before my residence here and before this house was constructed ( 1936 ) once ran frontally between Burton and Ashby through a purpose built cutting below the house. Hence the frontage needs cultivation and maintenance of above average standard

I’ve just bought 34-387A at Statfold as E1435E . 34-387 wasn’t available. As expected,both finish & running quality are excellent

Given his pedigree that will be interesting to see.Look forward to it.

Palethorpes Cambridge ( but made in Tipton ) sausage wagon any takers ?

Which is fair enough…and I ,as a young boy,lived through that period and have no rosy view of that era nor wish to relive it the 21st C. BUT…excuse block capitals…there is zero question of my weathering in any shape or form what is a representation of a familiar and well loved vehicle that I remember in so many locations. Call me old fashioned …and you probably will…..but I’m looking forward to the devil in the detail without masking it in weathering .Sorry if it offends members sensibilities

I which case,given the immediate post war era,you’d have to obliterate most traces of recognition in any case and possibly with it the intrinsic detailed qualities of this model. Ah well,good luck with that then….😩

A timely reminder to order one,as it so happened..That period was one of the most interesting in our railway history. Job done,as they say nowadays.

Transition after 1948 nationalisation & creation of WR region ? Very few vehicles could be re liveried quickly and the GWR died hard. Some of its locos were carrying GWR lettering on their tenders into the 1960’s

Interesting. It was my first Duchess…then in BR blue.Copped at Llandudno Jct. In August 1952. My only visit to Coventry station came in 1963 after a short journey from New Street on a Euston bound train headed by another of the same….this time BR maroon 46245 City of London. I’ll watch later.

You correctly identify the series as lightweight. Therein lies our difficulty in coming to terms with it on this forum. In the main,we consider ourselves as heavyweights with “expert” knowledge of the subject matter. To a certain degree I think you have to suspend disbelief,sit back and enjoy the feel good factor that it generates. Yes,I watched and enjoyed it bearing all of that in mind though I’m almost shamefaced to come out of the closet and admit it . Now on with Tim Dunn’s Architecture The Railways Built…..a series in entirely in another league.

Thanks gents. I’ll pass on surgery. It was bought a few years back for £14:50. The new Rapido version will be over twice the price….though given the quality of their current output I’m sure it’ll be superior

So candid opinion sought please….I have an OR 6 wheel Toad. Toad or turkey ?

Then of course we’re forgetting that SR stock ran from the South Coast via Reading and Oxford to the Midlands and Birkenhead on the WR.

A suggestion would be to consult Banks & Carter on this subject. They include historical detail on inter regional trains. Very useful to acquire a copy if you can.

Temple Meads is and always was a GW icon .It was the terminus for cross country services throughout the year and the ex-LMS/MR ( LMR post 1948 over which the WR had joint running powers until control was ceded to it) between Birmingham and Bristol saw trains from the NE,ER and LMR with stock to match. It also saw both The Devonian (Bradford-Paignton)and Cornishman (Wolverhampton LL-Penzance) ,the latter following the course of the current G&W heritage line through Snow Hill, Stratford & Cheltenham . Both these titled trains carried BR Mk 1 chocolate & cream stock into the 1960’s .

But also on other WR services. I record a journey on a Cardiff- Manchester train between Pontypool Road and Shrewsbury with Thompson ER stock bedecked in crimson & cream behind Canton’s 70020 in the summer of 1957.

Stanier crimson & cream ( some with porthole) worked on the WR from the early 1950’s. This is personal recollection of journeys between Swansea and Aberdare on the Vale of Neath line. As to why I cannot tell. Though given the antiquities trundling around the WR at the time it’s unsurprising that BR ,then in its infancy,took pity upon their travelling public and gave aid in the form of new…or fairly new stock….from other regions/ companies. The Stanier had armrests in 3rd Class ( yes it still was then )…oh such luxury . In the years to come,much coaching stock from other regions found its way to unlikely work on the WR.

Tempting though the price may be on the LNER Thompsons,the Bachmann Peppercorn A2 is light years ahead of it in terms of it in terms of finish…particularly the apple green livery rendition..and is a good performer.It also has BR lettering on the tender. These Pacifics didn’t carry LNER on their tenders for long. Personally,I wouldn’t exchange my Tudor Minstrel for a Hornby Chamossaire.But of course they’re not the same thing,are they?

Confusing isn’t it ? The A2/1were a group of 4: 60507/8/9&10 constructed with a V2 boiler.Thus they were less powerful than the other Thompson A2’s.

I’m sure this kind of accident happens all over the rail network,let alone heritage railways. There is all too often a mismatch between coach step and platform height which can be difficult to negotiate at the best of times. My late wife suffered a nasty injury to her leg whilst boarding ( sic ! ) a Voyager at Chester several years ago. Last November,carrying a small suitcase,I nearly came to grief whilst stepping off an 800 at Temple Meads.We’re it not for the timely helping grasp of a fellow passenger,I’d probably have suffered a nasty injury. The WCML has several stations with short platforms. LNWR operates semi fast services with 2x350 sets and the train manager has to make several announcements in advance of a stop at one of these advising passengers to travel in the front set.The rear set doors necessarily will not be open. I often wonder if profoundly deaf travellers are occasionally compromised by this But the comment made referring to enthusiasts sometimes cavalier attitudes to personal safety on Heritage railways rings true….particularly in the matter of taking that close up video….

With XC’s 125’s finished in a few months,I suppose that’s logical.But both GWR Castle sets & also IIRC the Scotrail 125’s are also nearing the end.

So whither Avanti’s Voyagers when the new Hitachi fleet comes into service shortly ?

It is sad and totally inappropriate to introduce a sour note to what’s originally intended as a celebration of an award richly deserved….is it not ? These guys are setting ever higher standards and are always prepared to share their research and involve us…their client base…on a continuing basis. Just take a look at Paul’s videos of the Chaldrons and NER wagons as just one example. If you have a genuine beef,then please do as Andy suggests,and take it elsewhere for resolution. From me,many thanks for the work over what is now approaching 5 years since some Irish guys …Er…who they ?…hit the ground running at Rails celebration event on the back of a sneaky visit to Barrow Hill.

Tim keeps up the pace..or even perhaps raises his game…at London Bridge and Knaresborough with last night’s transmission.I do appreciate his involvement with architects and historians….particularly the gent restoring Findlater’s Corner. My only contact with the profession is with one who works in a similar field…that of restoring old buildings. Of architecture in general…and he was in conversation with me in Barcelona with its showpiece Gaudi…is a question I was asked..”Does it please you? “ Tim and his infectious enthusiasm and presentation certainly does that.

They also worked Summer Saturday extras to&from the WR so this is equally likely to be one having been turned round at 72B proceeding to take up its return working …e.g. Cardiff /Bristol-Portsmouth.