Coppercap

I count that as an eight-coach set of seven carriage types... 🤔

But then the ratio of first class to third class would then be too high. Better to have two brake thirds, one all-third and one composite.

In the GWR period, yes.

Not from Derails, and not model railway related, but a relative of mine repeat-ordered something online, and had an email stating that it had been delivered by RM, with a photo of the parcel on a doorstep. Except it wasn't their doorstep, and clearly it wasn't anyone else's in their road, or even on their estate. You could even see the (correct) address in the photo. They contacted the seller who then contacted RM, who claimed it had been delivered correctly, but they eventually accepted it was not the correct doorstep in the photo, and had no clue where that doorstep was either. Seller then despatched replacement that arrived without issue (probably the regular postman...). Item was valued at over £100. Shame that the seller was legally held responsible for this, and had to make a loss on it, even though they were 100% blameless. The parcel was apparently never 'returned to sender' nor returned to RM to deliver to the correct address.

I think you will find that it's actually a slip coach. These had end windows and gongs.

Looking at the 1922 Bradshaws (admittedly thats several years before this photo with the Met Bo-Bo), morning through GW trains to Liverpool Street started at Southall or West Drayton with one train from Windsor & Eton. Regarding this photo, I wonder where the loco was changed? Edit. Since found this:

Though that's not running on Metropolitan lines.

I'm well aware of that - a Metro tank has been on my wishlist for a while, even though it'll never happen...

It's hardly a 'variation' - I don't think anything you can see is common to the Kernow version. It would need to be a completely new model, and most unlikey to appear. These weren't very long lived when compared to the one we now have, limiting their appeal. Also, the fact that there isn't a 12" to the foot model to measure (only drawings, and photos) would make it even more unlikely.

Typically one of these, a 'Large Metro'. This one, 3599 (seen here in the twilight of its career away from London), was a Southall engine for a long time, and my great grandfather most definitely drove it - he was on the suburban trains in and out of Paddington for over 20 years up until retirement in 1924. Many 'Metros' didn't have cabs, only spectacle plates, even as late as the early 1920s ('get wets', they called them) and these were condenser apparatus fitted for running on into the City over the Metropolitan, which was what these coaches were designed for. 'County Tank' 4-4-2Ts were also used in and out of Paddington, though unlikely over the Metropolitan lines.

I think it is the so-called butterfly valve, which has to be reset if the emergency chain is pulled. They rotate 90 degrees if chain is pulled, and in a train of several carriages, it can be seen in which carriage the chain's been pulled. They do appear to be vulnerable though, don't they?

Things have moved on a bit since the 1950s - virtually all single-cylinder motorcycles these days have an electric starter, without even a kick-starter as a back-up for when the battery's flat!

It looks rather like the bottom of the side is bowing in and out, comparing it to the solebar.

Logging on to my account, I can see it shows that I ordered and paid for it 16/12/2022 (not sound fitted). Despatched 16/1/24. Faulty, so sent back 1/2/24, delivered to Kernow 5/2/24 (from Royal Mail Tracking). There is no mention of the replacement being despatched on my account, nor did I receive an email (but then I didn't email them either), but the Royal Mail Tracking shows the replacement was despatched 6/2/24, delivered to me 8/2/24. As it was a replacement as opposed to a repair, I guess I was more quickly processed.

IF they know what ship the container is on, there are shipping trackers to look at.