Bulwell Hall

Very nice to see that photo John - an unexpected trip back in time. I quite possibly saw the same train just back up the line at Winchester City! It could very well be 7919 Runter Hall a she was very regularly seen on the Southern mainline. Latterly an 81F Oxford engine she was often on the York - Bournemouth but was also seen around Reading until she was withdrawn and I saw her quite a few times. Cherwell Hall was another regular but she was one of the original 49xx series Halls. The photo was probably taken in 1965 as by 1966 Black 5s had taken over these inter regional trains if I remember correctly. Gerry Gerry

Hi David This is great to see! I look forward to seeing further progress and a 4mm scale model of both engine and station would be absolutely delightful. You may find the attached of interest. It is a painting by Sean Bolan of a 'Bogie' class at Bridport around 1860. 'Hesiod' was recorded as working on the Bridport branch at the time so it could be her! Sorry about the reflections caused by the glass. Keep up the good work! Gerry

The new GWR Gunpowder Van arrived yesterday whilst I was having my lunch. As soon as I had finished my sandwich I took the new arrival up to my shed. After a few minutes looking at it and figuring out how it came apart I swopped the wheels for EM gauge wheelsets and was delighted to find that no alterations to the brake gear were required to accept fine scale wheels. I then removed the T/L couplings and replaced them with three link couplings - around twenty minutes work. Weathering followed and within a couple of hours or so the new arrival was trundling round the railway in one of my goods trains - the result is shown in the photo. I am delighted with this first wagon from Rapido and congratulate them on a most excellent start. Perhaps it is a little clunky around the brake lever and V hanger but not excessively so and otherwise it is very good indeed. It most certainly bodes well for the forthcoming models from Rapido and I look forward to the imminent SECR/SR open wagons with much anticipation. And as for the Toads and the Loriot - if they are as good as this wagon then they will indeed be well worth awaiting for! Gerry

Yes - sorry to have lowered the tone - and I don't just mean by mentioning the LMS!

A former LMS fireman from West Yorkshire - sadly no longer with us - once told me that he knew nothing of having a fry up on the shovel. He added that it was not unknown to use the shovel to dispose of the 'business' into the fire if they were caught short on the footplate!

Well there is one modeller here who most enthusiastically welcomes the production of the best versions that are available. The Rapido model is streets ahead of the previously available Toads - and even a significant improvement on the most recently released 20ton Toad from the red box team. The Rapido models are to be thoroughly welcomed in moving standards forward - otherwise we would all still be stuck with the ugly old Hornby Dublo or Triang Toads. It is to be hoped that the negative comments on here do not discourage Rapido from producing state of the art versions of already existing models otherwise things will just stay as they are. I do believe that the comments here are from a vocal but very small number of individuals and that the vast (silent) majority of purchasers will vote with their wallets and support Rapido's enterprise. I for one am thoroughly enjoying the announcements from the newcomers who are raising standards for GWR modellers, especially the Manor, Siphons and now these lovely Toads. I do look forward to a range of GW open wagons and covered vans (Minks) to the same standards - as has already been done for the SECR. Gerry

Not necessarily. The small 4" GW lettering came in '1936 into 1937' according to Tourret so any van painted between that date and WW2 would have had a white roof. Tourret doesn't give anything definitive about a change from white to grey roofs once WW2 started but that does seem to be what happened. He does however mention how white roofs soon became sooty black. One thing I have noticed after much perusal of photographs of yard scenes etc is how long white roofs on brake vans seem to have lasted. But I would suggest that the end angles on roofs were not painted grey as shown on the Rapido livery artwork for the forthcoming models - at least not the horizontal angle - and this should be amended. Otherwise the models look very nice indeed and I have no hesitation in placing two on order - I especially like the East Depot version. Gerry

Wouldn't that be something else!

I'm sorry to say that I wouldn't count on it! These older GWR engines have always been a problem to obtain drawings for. But there have been drawings of the 2021 with later closed cab and extended bunker in Great Western Journal so so that's a possibility. And I would certainly welcome a '8750' Collet pannier tank from Accurascale! Gerry

I don't have my copy of Russell to hand but I would take a guess - FWIW - that they will be the steel panelled, post WW1, 57 footers some of which were rebuilt from ambulance stock . A Bk 3rd, all 3rd and a compo are all possible as well as the lovely K22 passenger brake van. A mouth watering prospect!

Not to mention 1466 and Collett Auto Trailer - and they have several examples of Collett 'Sunshine' stock! Gerry

You got it in one Simon! On Friday last week I took advantage of the lovely sunny day and took a splendid walk along the Charlton Bottom branch as there were no trains running. This is the fixed distant signal as I approached the terminus!! Gerry P.S. I did have permission to be on the railway side of the fence and it is recommended that you don't believe everything you read on the internet!

Charlton Bottom has a certain charm and appeal. And you may well be familiar with that name!

That sounds like an Interurban line in the USA!

See pp 63 Great Western Pictorial No 3, The Sterndale Collection, Wild Swan Publications, which shows 7818 Granville Manor in 1948 on the MSWJR near Swindon Town attached to a 3,500 gallon tender with G crest W on the tender. However the two photos below, although undated but seemingly post war, show her running with an 'Intermediate' tender although the lettering is not visible. FWIW I have ordered Granville Manor myself mainly because I actually saw her in service - not in 1948 as I'm not that old - but sometime in the mid 1960s - which makes me old enough! I visited Eastleigh shed one Saturday afternoon and she was sat outside at the front of the shed. Around the same time I was also lucky enough to see Frilford Manor at my then local station - Winchester City - running with the tender still lettered GWR. I believe that the lined 3,500 gallon tender with G crest W lettering was specially prepared to go with Lode Star when she was initially preserved. When last running in BR service I understand Lode star had a Collett 4000 gallon tender. Gerry

So far as the GWR was concerned it was Bath station - Queen Square was simply a square at the bottom of Gay Street.

I'll just leave this thought here - it would be great to have some GWR coaches of the same quality to run with the Manor! Gerry

Just looking at these photos again - to remind myself of what we have to look forward to - and I cannot see the vacuum pipe that runs along the outside of the sole bar and behind the footsteps. It could be on the opposite side of course but I mention it just in case it has been overlooked. Gerry

They really are very beautiful! Gerry

Yes, likewise! So now I shall take a H Collett coach and a set of Comet brass sides............

Well, the big Hornby reveal this morning was a disappointment for us of a Swindon persuasion! But we do have the lovely Accurascale Manor to look forward to - although, like Tim, I have no use for one as I don't think one ever ventured down the Weymouth line, but it is such a superb model! With encouragement perhaps Accurascale will consider other GWR goodies such as a 21st century 57xx. With the Manor and the superb Siphon Gs to look forward to I shall not be spending much on RTR elsewhere this year. Gerry

At the risk of being pedantic - I wouldn't go for the Maiden Newton type structure. The covered bay platform at MN is/was a former broad gauge building. The Bridport branch was built in two sections - MN to Bridport opened in 1857 and was broad gauge whilst Bridport to West Bay opened in 1884 and was built to standard gauge. Your platform shelter is based on the one provided at Bridport for the extended line to West Bay which suggests that your version of the branch was also extended as a standard gauge line. Therefore a broad gauge period goods transfer shed would seem to be inappropriate. Of course it all depends how much you want to bend history - you've already bent it quite significantly - but something in corrugated iron would seem more likely. Gerry

I'm all for an upgraded 57xx pannier - or any of the variations - and look forward to a model to 21st century standards asap! Personally I would like an 8750 in GWR livery and the top feed doesn't bother me for my post war period but it would be good for all the ramifications to be covered. And the Bachmann 64xx does make a good 54xx! This is my 5402 - a WEStbury engine built using the Bachmann body on a High Level chassis. She runs as nicely as she looks so I'm very happy with her. Gerry

Fantastic photos Tim - some of those names - people and places - are straight out of a Hardy novel! Thanks for highlighting them - I've not seen them before. Best wishes to you for the New Year. Gerry

If it is of any interest the fourth in the set of photos of the Berrow branch taken in 1978 elsewhere in this thread shows Mac Pyrke himself. He is the chap with the spectacles and the checked jacket. The Berrow branch appeared at a number of exhibitions in the late 70s and I saw it at Oxford Town Hall - cant remember which year though. I also recall that the large mill building with the private siding at East Brent was built to an American prototype by John Harrison and was repurposed for use in Somerset. John had a great interest in American railroads and when I used to visit him in the early 1970s it was not unusual to see reefers and box cars appear on his 7mm scale Torpoint layout. Gerry