robertcwp

Not all Mark 2 air-braked trains were 10 or more carriages in the 1970s. There are plenty of examples of shorter 8 or 9 car sets, such as some Midland Main Line services and the 'Deltic and 8' sets. Neither of those had a BG. On the WR, there were 9-car sets, some without a BG, on West of England services. There were also a few portioned workings, such as Hull portions and Penzance portions of London trains. The location and working for this image from 1975 are unidentified but the set looks like one of the 9-car Cornish Riviera/Golden Hind sets: 45012_5-2-75 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

I believe one or two Class 22s went from green with no yellow panel to blue but don't have any proof. The Southern was late and slow in applying yellow panels and there were Class 33s without them in 1967 and a few into 1968. D6583_Merstham_4-5-68 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr D6544_Wimbledon_26-5-67 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr D6564_SotonC_8-3-67 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr And a Class 71: E5002_GoldenArrow_nrTwitton_27-4-68 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

Photo is dated 22/4/57. Crimson and cream was around into the 1960s.

I should look at my own photo collection. This one is crimson and cream and does not have valances. The number is not visible but it confirms that crimson and cream was carried by at least one (and quite possibly more) of those without the valances. 55217_ThorntonJct_22-4-57 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

Not in the early 1980s on the Western Region.

Indeed, a rough guide is all that it can realistically be.

What I don't like about this system is that it can easily be read as a series of compartments. These eras overlapped. Some of the dates are misleading too as most TOPS renumbering took place in 1974 although a few TOPS numbers appeared prior to that, mainly on electric locos, and from 1973 on Class 45 Peaks as they were overhauled and 50 were fitted with electric train heating. It also does not differentiate between pre- and post-abolition of headcode displays (1 January 1976 if I recall correctly) nor between pre- and post-yellow first class bands (on some SR EMUs from 1960, more generally from c1962) or the appearance of yellow panels on green diesels (c1962). Blue diesels in general changed from two emblems to one on each side from 1969 and D prefixes were dropped from late 1968. So, you could split things up further if you were really keen. Even setting aside XP64, blue/grey livery appeared in 1965 on new Mark 2 stock and Mark 1 stock repainted to run with it for the forthcoming completion of the Euston-Liverpool/Manchester electrification. Class 86s were outshopped that year in rail blue, contrary to some reports that they were electric blue. Spot the colour difference: E3107 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

Something I have not managed to work out is which Thompson BGs carried crimson and cream and which were plain (or lined) crimson. Those with the valances to match the pressure-ventilated stock carried crimson and cream but not sure about others. There may have been examples. Some were built new during the time that lined crimson was the livery for non-passenger and non-gangwayed stock and there are photos of Thompson BGs clearly in that livery. Lining was discontinued around 1951. Later, lots of vans carried plain maroon post 1956. So, there are three more liveries for Bachmann to do. I agree with others that some Thompson catering cars would be a good addition to the range. I would go for a restaurant first and open third/second. The first batch of RFs carried mock teak when new, although built post-nationalisation and with BR Gill Sans lettering.

No, it will be a completely new model, just like the other recent Bachmann Thompson stock.

I have not had time to read the whole thread so apologies if this has been mentioned, but I don't think the blue one should have a red bufferbeam. Here is an image from my collection: 20001_Brighton_8-6-68 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

They were standard on the right hand side from when the emblem was introduced until the College of Arms found out and told BR to change it. I don’t have an exact date but it was late 1950s.

I somewhat belatedly purchased 9479 yesterday and noticed it has a right-facing emblem (ie the wrong way round) on the right-hand side. I then looked at a photo in my own collection which confirms this is correct. 9479_OOC_11-60 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

Busy scene on Elbow lane today:

The end looks better but the gangway door is still wrong so I agree, what's the point?

Summer 2024 was the date shown on the display. The retooled 4 Vep was on display too, still with a howling error on the end in that the gangway door is flush with the line of the unit front instead of being in line with the inner half of the gangway.

Up Red Dragon: D7028_OOC_RedDragon_21-8-62 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

In service with the arrows: D1733_undated by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

I have made frog juicers (Tam Valley Hex) work with a Peco Code-75 3-way point. The way to do it is to modify the point. They worked fine unmodified with bogie diesels but not with short wheelbase locos such as an 03 as you end up with the loco straddling two frogs without at least one wheel in contact with each pole of the power supply not coming via a frog juicer. This is what I did: IMG_0505acm by Robert Carroll, on Flickr Looking from the toe end of the point, it's the left-hand route that is most problematic. I bridged the existing break between the first and third frogs with fuse wire and made new breaks at either end. The one by the first frog is tricky to cut without too much collateral damage. I then put a feed to this section of rail. I also bridged the adjoining rail and put a new break in. Finally, on the straight route, I cut a new break and bridged the existing one. As I had already installed an insulating joiner further along, I had to bridge that. What this all does is that it ensures that even for very short locos at least one wheel is on each pole of the track feed - in this case, red is at the top and black is at the bottom. Incidentally, the first two frogs from the toe end are always the same polarity and are worked by one frog juicer. A separate one works the third frog, which only comes into play for the straight and left routes. Note that I also bridged the three rails on each side to eliminate issues with blades not making electrical contact, which is a weakness of this point. I did that before I laid the track. As I had already laid this point, I did the modifications in situ.

No, and I would not try to.

Another issue in dealing with collections is that relatives don't appreciate that the tatty, yellow-brown old paperwork that the deceased relative collected might well be where the serious money is. Individual carriage working books can go for three-figure sums, for example. Similarly, original slides and negatives if of decent quality can fetch good sums.

The Hornby tool mentioned is invaluable for dealing with those annoying little plugs and with the aid of the tool they don't present any problems. There are particular techniques for getting into different models and manufacturers' instructions are often inadequate or non-existent. I recall on the old RMWeb there was a thread specifically about dismantling Bachmann Mark 1s. Easy once you know how but knowing how is the key. The Austerity 2-8-0 was another notorious one until you cracked the code then it was easy to get apart. Bachmann Peaks are not difficult but come in I think three varieties as the number of screws has increased over time. With 24 of them, I have had plenty of practice. The Bachmann Cravens DMU was mentioned earlier in this thread I think. I happened to take delivery of a second hand one today which needs its chips removing as it's for my DC layout. Getting them apart is no problem, once you know how. There are no screws, it's just four lugs on each side that hold body (more specifically the glazing) to the underframe. I have lots of wooden drinks stirrers cut in half and use those to help separate body from chassis on many models. They are an essential part of my toolbox. I got the Cravens unit apart in no time. Bachmann DMUs are inconsistent, though. The 108s have a screw under the cab end and the Met-Cam units have screws at the inner ends. I forget the arrangement on the Derby Lightweight as it's a while since I have had one apart. I have occasionally encountered models where body and underframe have been put together with glue still wet, thus effectively sticking them together. Overtightened screws have been another problem and I had to almost break one loco apart. I forget exactly how I did it. It was risky but ultimately successful. One of the worst Bachmann models for getting apart that I have encountered is the 2 Hap as the lugs are very tight and the full-length footboards on the motor brake mean it is very difficult to even get a fingernail in to start prising body off of underframe. The 4 Cep is not much better but the footboards are not continuous, which helps. Hornby models often have very brittle lugs that snap off easily. Their 2 Bil and 2 Hal are particular offenders. Once broken, it's difficult to keep body and underframe together. I have one 2 Hal where the body is held on partly with black tack due to broken lugs. It seems to work.

I received an email from the bookseller I have ordered from, which is not Crecy.

A very enjoyable day. Thanks to Tony and Mo for their hospitality.

No 4 Cig/4 Big. There were 138 Cigs and 28 Bigs and lots of liveries over an approximately 40-year timespan. The SR EPBs are not represented either. Hornby did do a 4 Vep but it was a poor model. An improved version is on the way but I think the ends may still be wrong, which was a character-defining fault with the first attempt (amongst many others). I would like a 'Tin' Hal but don't see any prospect of one. There were only seven of them, plus the odd 2700. Although not the most numerous of types, the 4 Cor family would probably do well in terms of sales if a good enough model were made. Timespan is 1937-72. Even where we have had a good model - the Bachmann 2 Hap, they have shown no sign of doing their model in blue livery, which many carried from the late 1960s through to withdrawal in the early 1980s, or green with yellow panels. I am lucky enough to have a 4 Cig, which was scratchbuilt by the late Colin Parks using Bachmann Mark 1s as donors and is an excellent model. P1090137am by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

After summer 1961, the next ECML book I have is winter 1962-3 and it had changed to a BSO by then.