Ian Hargrave

Well apparently ,we are reliably informed that it is in fact XO4 driven loco drive.,so I’ve removed my further post.Opinions on its capabilities can be found above.

The closure of what started its life as The Steel Company of Wales Margam Abbey Works is a very real human tragedy for Port Talbot & the surrounding area. It sticks in my craw,as someone who has a long association with the area,that I read just now the BBC News App post the question “Where is Port Talbot? “ .The media are it seems understandably anxious to hype the environmental benefits. Right now,that’s not going to mollify the anxiety felt this weekend. My late wife worked as a social worker there when we were first married. I remember eating a picnic lunch together on Margam Burrows overlooking the works. My father helped supply brick & pipe works to the site when it was under construction. My mother,as a young district nurse,visited the Jenkins family in the nearby village of Pontrhydyfen. One of the family’s offspring went to the local grammar school in Port Talbot where he was taken under the wing of his English teacher and grew up to reinvent himself as Richard Burton. Both Antony Hopkins and Michael Sheen followed in his footsteps from the town. That’s where Port Talbot is. I am incredibly sad.

So would this older model be loco or tender driven ? Because if it’s the latter that would make a huge difference to adhesion. & consequent performance. AFAIK,no current OO steam image model is thus powered.

I think it would be a useful exercise for you to spend time researching the locomotives that ran on BR in the 1950’s. You might then discover that the K1 ….yes it’s the same 2-6-0 configuration indeed as the Standard 2MT….is actually nearly ,in prototypical terms,twice as powerful and a totally meaningless comparison. Indeed ,comparisons in model rail terms necessarily are. Everyone’s layout is different and speed is only one of the factors involved.A preserved example of the K1 spent a period of time hauling The Jacobite between Fort William and Mallaig .It then had mainline certification. The 2MT I believe is and I think has been since withdrawal and preservation restricted to heritage lines as is 78022 on the KWVR where she is in regular use. Buy the little 2MT and judge its performance for yourself rather than dependence upon what you view on YouTube.Marking model trains performance using some arbitrary self-concocted parameters is absurd. That said,there are some decent enthusiasts ( some of them post on this forum) who video some decent stuff showing their models on well constructed layouts in non judgmental manner 9

Precisely. It is a model that is designed to be accurate in prototypical haulage capacity.And it performs well. Sam’s knowledge of such locomotives isn’t great. He exists to supply excitement & entertainment to his followers. The 78XXX will be fine with up to 5 coaches in tow but leave it at that. They started out as replacements for e.g. the Dean Goods on the Cambrian WR lines.

Both the GWR and subsequently the WR had a Paddington-Oxford-Worcester-Wolverhampton service that ran via Kidderminster,Stourbridge Junction and Dudley to Wolverhampton Low Level.

60147 was indeed one of the first run of Bachmann’s A1 along with 60158. Bachmann recalled them to Barwell….no mean feat in what was mainly a pre internet world ….and remotored all that was sent there. Several months later they were duly returned to us.

Going back how far.OK. ……observations of trains& railways that stick there like glue. Chocolate & cream Colletts on the Brighton -Cardiff through train with Schools 933 at the front ( August 1948 ). Blue 46206 at Shrewsbury ( August 1952 ) Later that same month Fowler boiler Scot 46148 Colwyn Bay. The last Saint 2920 Pontypool Road,1954. Brit 70009 on the Belle,Waterloo 1951 and the Bulleid Tavern Cars . The Festival of Britain Railway exhibition at Waterloo East with 18100 Gas Turbine & the 1500dc o/h electric etc. Cabbing 60022 at KX on arrival with FS. Being shown around The Trianon Bar of the Arrow on its arrival at Victoria.A journey on the up South Wales Pullman behind Castle 5013 . The prototype Deltic at KX and the golden transition years at Temple Meads,York and Crewe . I just have such wonderful memories.

Indeed,many of us have for quite a few years

Though maybe the Cape is going to be the way to go now…..we seem to be approaching a reprise of the Vietnam predicament. It being,amongst other tricky situations,election year USA….with The Donald still a major player. Who’s blinking first ? Testosterone ready to fire. Good luck all.

I went on Sunday last year a getting there & parking was easy. Thanks for the reminder about the Saturday car boot sale.

Smaller,quieter,easier access by car & free parking within short walking distance. Not so much trade….it’s over the Easter weekend and virtually no show from the manufacturers apart from Bachmann who keep a token presence. Some excellent layouts and a good variety of them too. Relaxed & friendly with good sit down catering facilities upstairs ( there’s a lift too ) On several floors . My personal choice of all that I have visited over a period of 20years. There was a courtesy bus from York station but I don’t know if the Show still provides one. If within reasonable travelling distance go & enjoy. Warley it is not and never had any pretensions of being similar.

With no significant damage and no injuries sustained.Ship continuing on course.

“We should all……” ? Says you. Many citizens of my age shy away from it for a variety of reasons and adopt the view that it’s beyond their capabilities I’m afraid. ….whether you choose to hold with it or not.

Now part of the city’s heritage. I have a vague recollection that the casting of those wheels is remembered in some fashion at Cutlers Hall in Sheffield.Memory might of course be at fault. One railway memento that is there though is the cast headboard for The Master Cutler.But that’s another story. No doubt someone has better memory than me.

And cast in Sheffield,I do believe.

In terms of diesel locomotives,I 100% agree.

Now what am I going to trail behind my steam railcar ? A vey pertinent question. This must almost be the longest running saga since “ Gone With The Wind “. Well it’s been a dismal week,so here’s something to cheer us in GW terms. Though I have to say that my BR ( S ) Booster in black does cut the mustard .

Along with this cancellation comes the decision to produce the Streamlined B17 in black rather than green. IMHO this could result in loss of sales on the new release,correct though it might be. So how much thought has been given to both these decisions,I’m not going to speculate. Hornby is as Hornby does,I’m afraid.

Thanks for the reminders gents.Thought I’d phone to update my card. No worries.It’s paid apparently. Which was news to me …….another senior moment. They arrive in Camborne today so I am recently informed.

After a suitable period of running in,I put my BR black to work hauling a train load of 7 new design Bachmann Bulleid coaches. These it handled silently and smoothly (DC) from a realistic crawl to a respectable mid range speed. Its performance seems not dissimilar to its close Kernow cousin the Bulleid diesel.Is this just coincidence or has Graham Muz’s recent association with Camborne any bearing on this ? Be that as it may,I am more than happy with my Booster.

No,I saw them at platform and on each occasion from the window of a passing suburban electric.And in any case,the passage of some 70 years does tend to dim the memory somewhat 🙄

Reassuring to know that someone else on this forum saw them at work .In my case 20001&20003 both at platform at Victoria ready to depart with Newhaven boat train.

And to further add to this week’s gloom. The Warley Show is no more.

Having read posts concerning issues with these and after a certain YouTube video,I am relieved to post that all is well upon opening the box and running mine in both directions on the track. It sits 4 ( Or should I say 6 ? ) square on the track,runs quietly and smoothly and is responsive to control. Now to run it in.