BR traction instructor

Whilst waiting for some unequal brass L section from Cambrian, for the prototype, a start has been made on the sole diagram 1/162 with plate W irons... BeRTIe

Whilst waiting for some unequal L brass section from Cambrian, for the prototype, a start has been made on the sole diagram 1/162 with plate W irons... BeRTIe

...thankyou for the suggestion/offer guys. I have a number of local examples albeit in farmyard condition available to inspect but was attempting to locate a conserved example complete with decals etc so that I could photograph/measure everything in one go. BeRTIe

Thankyou Phil, I had a good trawl of the available literature on the net to try to date the appearance of these around 1977 and did see that one. BeRTIe

Is anyone aware of a farming museum or similar that has one of these please? The two smaller sized ones look to be the ones commonly railed across the North Wales coast in our period. We have five to build to go onto two Plate opens and a Lowfit to run on Mostyn. Measuring up the essential dimensions of the prototype inc decals etc will make it much easier to produce convincing 4mm versions. The pictures below isn't mine...photographer currently unknown... BeRTIe

...there were restrictions being applied to brakevans at this time as to which types could be used as the train brakevan in which the guard would ride. Restrictions could be due to low overall weight, whether duckets were provided, wheelbase and whether there was a veranda at each end. Unsuitable brakevans for general use did see local work/restricted duties (e.g. for propelling) for some time after the restrictions were introduced. It may be the case that some brakevans unsuitable for general use carried markings/lettering to denote restricted status. BeRTIe

Today has seen work to fit the first outer end plate support. A 1mm strip soldered top & bottom to replicate part of the angle that attached it at either end. 8mm square styrene has been superglued on the inside to act as mount for the side plates that are yet to be fitted. All trace of the original moulded end supports had to be removed because they were simply inaccurate. With end and side plates of the hopper end supports fitted... BeRTIe

Adding the end plate of the hopper support first allows another check of alignment between hopper and underframe. A 1mm strip has been soldered top and bottom of the end plate. A piece of 8mm square styrene has been superglued inside the end plate to act as a mount for the side plates of the end support. With end and side plates of the hopper end supports fitted... BeRTIe

A key point in the construction, getting the body square, level and centred on the underframe for tacking the two together... BeRTIe

A key point in the construction, getting the body square, level and centred on the underframe for tacking together... BeRTIe

Criffel has a top hat this morning. The molasses boat that spent the night on the mud at the mouth of Silloth port looks to be standing on the bottom again... BeRTIe

The prototype hopper underframe is almost at the end of the soldering stage, just the tiebars and footsteps to add. It will then get a thorough clean ready for the Araldite/superglue stage. The brake levers are modified fully tapering types from Ambis etch WV5 whilst the prototype has modified Rumney brake lever guides (Justin is supplying a separate etch of correct ones for the production batch), also using a section of Colin Craig ladder etch stay as a long tie. Test fitting the hopper body reveals a correct overall height of 38.5mm. Tiebar and footstep added along with a plasticard strip at each end of the hopper that will disappear behind the hopper end supports but with gentle/sanding thinning is getting the hopper body to sit at the right height ready for tacking (allowing last positioning checks to be done) before Aralditing the body to the underframe... BeRTIe

The prototype hopper underframe is almost at the end of the soldering stage, just the tiebars and footsteps to add. It will then get a thorough clean ready for the superglue/Araldite stages. The overlength brake levers are modified fully tapering ones from Ambis WV5 etch, whilst the brake lever guides are modified Rumney ones (Justin is supplying the correct ones on a separate etch for the production batch)...the ties for the bottom of the guides are fashioned from Colin Craig ladder etch stays. The overall height of the wagon is just about bob on at 38.5mm. Tiebar and footstep added along with a plasticard strip (will disappear behind the body end supports) at each end of the hopper body which is allowing the body to sit at just the right height as it is sanded, ready for tacking and Aralditing into its final position... BeRTIe

The Solway Buzz local paper carries regular articles about Silloth shipping by the staff tending same and this specialised vessel is quoted as being flirty to handle, especially in tricky or tight conditions. BeRTIe

A fortunate coincidence at Crewe today as I waited for a Pendo to Carlisle...56098 working Ravenhead to Chaddesden sand empties. BeRTIe

Work is progressing once more with the prototype diagram 1/161 hopper for Mostyn. Components from a spare Rumney kit and some Ambis components are being used to alter the 9ft former tippler underframe... BeRTIe

The prototype 1/161, 1/162 ex ironstone hopper (1 of 5) for Mostyn is progressing again. Ambis and Rumney (from a spare kit) components are being added to the modified 9ft Rumney tippler underframe to replicate a diagram 1/161 type. The prototype should be on the layout in the Penmaenmawr to Sandhills hopper rake for the Railex Aylesbury exhibition in May... BeRTIe

This was the trackbed of the Carlisle to Silloth railway nr Silloth until it closed in the 1960s... BeRTIe

...our 2022 ID3 has been near to flawless for over 35,000 miles and I would recommend it to anyone. BeRTIe

...still sub zero now... BeRTIe

...it took three attempts to get started earlier...suspect that the sub zeros affected the ability of the tyre sealant to do its job and required a top up with a car tyre sealant to stop the rear tyre going down but it was well worth the extra effort to get out and about. BeRTIe

Sub zero NW Cumbria sunset last night leading into a bitterly cold start earlier...a 20+ mile cycling circuit to blow the cobwebs out and remove some festive lard... BeRTIe

...there appears to be some confusion between a brake continuity test, which has long been a requirement before departure with loco hauled freight/passenger trains to establish that the automatic brake is continuous throughout the train (and working on the rearmost vehicles as specified in the Rules & Regs for era/vehicle type) and a running brake test to assess the effectiveness of the train brake whilst travelling. Individual TOCs will have slightly different instructions applying to their individual multiple units now but they will be similar in essence. BeRTIe

...is it Wigston rather than Wigton Jim? BeRTIe

Seasons greetings to all! A somewhat mixed bag of weather in NW Cumbria over the last month with waterproofs almost always required for forays beyond the garden. Regular visits to the Staffordshire Moorlands to visit family and friends have provided opportunities to frequent old haunts once more. A stroll along the Churnet valley from Consall towards Leek on a bitterly cold but calm Winter morn offered this view along the canalised section of the River Churnet nr The Black Lion pub. A day of heavily overcast skies and heavy rain in Silloth gave way to clearing skies and bright sunshine just before sunset... BeRTIe