Edwardian

Well, it's certainly starting to look as if that 2-4-2T should be added to the planned roster, which is, so far: 0-4-2T T7 variant 0-6-0ST Fox Walker 0-6-0T Sharp Stewart 0-6-0 - Beyer Peacock Ilfracombe Goods type and/or 0-6-0 Sharp Stewart as per anticipated Furness wagon kit 2-4-0 Sharp Stewart as per anticipated Furness wagon kit 2-4-2T Sharp Stewart as per NSR I could add a small SS 2-4-0T using the Mainly Trains Chassis and the Quarryscapes body (these were earmarked for the Eldernell project) or a larger SS 2-4-0T like the Met D/Barry types discussed earlier. It is quite coincidental that SS types are predominating - suggesting a definite preference for this manufacturer's product on the part of the WNR's Board.

That is a very attractive cart. I would imagine it is a hay cart as it is designed for light high loads. I would not have thought it suitable for root crops, which would probably be carted in a waggon or tumbril. Well, most model railways seem to be set in the summer. The greens of spring and early summer are pretty intense and field margins and verges sprout cow parsley and other weeds in abundance. Judging from the shot above, Dettingen might be taken to be high-summer from the shades of grass. I have decided to attempt May-time, and the first thing I noticed when considering this is that the seasons start at different times in different places. If I compare my shots showing the state of verges, hedgerows, rough grass and crops in the south in May, they resemble the shots I have taken of the north country in June! I mention this simply because both latitude and the weather in a particular year will have an effect upon the farming timetable, as you are doubtless the first to appreciate. That aside, assuming two cuts, you could be hay-making in May or June. Hay-making might well extend into July; after drying it would need to be gathered and secured in a stack. This suggests that you could easily model the cart in use; in the field being loaded with hay, at the part-built stack, unloading, or full or empty en route between the two. If you are modelling late summer - your grass shades might suggest August - you will be too late for hay, but, such a cart could be used for moving wheat sheaves. Although steam thrashing could be set up in the fields, it was not every field that would be suitable for heavy steam thrashing sets come the winter, and, so, in August the sheaves might be brought home to the farm yard to await thrashing there. I think your cart would be entirely suitable for such work. What I don't think you would see is it simply sitting abandoned in a field, picturesque though that might appear, so, in order to include it en scene, you probably need to depict it in use, either for moving the hay harvest or the wheat harvest.

Surely those wagons are simply loaded with particularly large biscuit chunks (it's the way the cookie crumbles).

Yep, sometimes you'd never guess English was my first language: "Weighted to compensate"

On the contrary, I expected you to take it as a compliment!

Indeed, and I am wondering if I should not simply (!) cut out the whole mid-section of the chassis block between the tanks and smoke box? The new boiler barrel could be waited to compensate. Thanks, Simon Agree Pedant! Agree, Don. The Wells & Wymondham Branch (GER) was probably not the most advanced line, but, nevertheless, I don't see that the WNR needs to keep up. It has not, for instance, upgraded or done away with its 1850s 40' turntables, so there is a natural limit to size of locomotives at least. Good idea, thanks, wish I'd thought of it in time Thanks, Andy, a low timber trestle sounds about right. Brilliant, and very kind, thank you. That L&Y Radial is starting to look like a target! I suspect that any unevenness in the WNR's permanent way will be purely accidental!

Not for the first time I regret the absence of a "wow" button. A beautiful composition, exquisitely modelled, if I may say so. The use of the back-scene, which is beautiful in itself and which blends perfectly with the three-dimensional scene, is particularly effective, and creates a wonderful sense of space in, I suspect, not very much space! I very much enjoyed seeing that.

So, having continued with the mock up, I am not entirely sure that daylight under the boiler will be an appreciable feature, the boiler pitch of the T7 is noticeably lower (more filing, this time to the top of the engine block)! I value the optimistic confidence of Gary, and, I believe, Simon would be the first to advocate belief in my own meagre powers. I feel bound to say, though, that I have no idea how this is going to turn out, BUT, I can be confident of at least one thing; I believe that I could produce a convincing Paddington Bear version of this locomotive. Those who remember the wonderful animated TV Paddington, narrated by Sir Michael Hordern, will know what I mean!

Well, I'll certainly try my best! Thanks, Gary Paul, what a great photograph. Thanks. I said to myself, 'I wonder if that was later replaced with masonry' and Googled for a bridge there. No luck. Then I tried the OS maps at the National Library of Scotland, and, guess what, it is clearly there on the 1885 survey, but, by the time of the 1904 revision, the gap had been filled in leaving a culvert for the stream. A short distance to the north, the line entered a cutting, in the middle of which the 1885 map shows a tunnel. By 1904, this, too, had gone, and the site opened up to a continuous cutting. What a fantastic feature and, as it's on the Wells-Fakenham axis, not too far east! Now, where can I fit it in?!? EDIT: The following reference suggests that the viaduct and tunnel were eliminated in 1893, http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/rd/30a81736-8757-42f1-8b62-8f2935a23c9c. I think this page of the London Gazetter is announcing the exercise of powers to make these and other changes, https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/26347/page/6609/data.pdf

Back down to earth with the locomotive I actually have on the stocks. More like 'in the stocks', but still. I have not done a lot, save taking a power tool to the chassis block. Frankly, I will be amazed if it still works after all the drilling and filing (no way to test!), but hey, ho. I made a hole. Eventually. With the result that I can now see daylight under the boiler. One up on the Oxford Radial, at least!

Ah, but how much, if any, ran west?

Clearly you are mistaken. Aching is a village in Norfolk. With a Castle.

Excellent link, thanks: "One of the more important fertilisers was 'guano' (compacted bird dropping built up over many hundreds of years, mostly recovered from large deposits found on islands off the Chilean and Peruvian coasts and from Ocean Island in the Indian Ocean). This material is white and powdery and arrived in the country in bulk or in bags (sacks). Guano is mostly lime phosphate and ammonia and so contains all three of the important ingredients (about 10% nitrogen with about 60% phosphorous and 2% potassium). Not all guano was guano however, in London the Native Guano Company set up in 1888 and originally based in Kingston-upon-Thames they moved to Southall following complaints from their residential neighbours in 1909. This firm took in the sewage from several London sewage farms (at Kingston it was supplied by pipeline, at Southall it arrived in barges) and processed this to separate the water (returned to the Thames) and the useful solid matter, which they dried, pelletised and sold as fertiliser. This was considered a valuable fertiliser and quite a lot was exported. The only drawback is that tomato seeds will pass through the human gut, and the subsequent processing, so sometimes you will find tomatoes growing where you thought you had planted something else" Kevin is, of course, never happier than when this topic becomes scatological. I was interested to learn that, according to the Colonel Stephens Society, or, its spell-checker, the territory inhabited by the West Norfolk Railway is East Angola. This came as something of a shock, as I had hitherto understood the West Norfolk to run within the confines of East Angula, which might at least have justified some of those model railway right-angled curves. Shurely shome mishtake.

Thank you. I had forgotten this, because I had read your post; both the photograph and the drawing I had seen in your topic (I know that because I see I had rated your post!). Memory not what it was, alas. It seem that you and I are considering much the same sort of project with this loco and the T7 0-4-2T. I really must stop putting it off!

Gazelle would be a highly appropriate presence, perhaps running on the Aching Hall Estate line. How to build her though, that's the thing? What a wonderful article. At one point, I was concerned at the locomotive's exposure to the "vagaries of East Angolan weather", however. Yes, I'm starting to worry about that, too. Could the West Norfolk Farmers' Chemical & Manure Co Ltd run to a PO? If so, what sort of wagon do we think?

Oh, but that does look the part. Good for you for trying it out. I think you have a winner there. I look forward to seeing it come to fruition.

Varnish the area to be occupied by the waterslide transfer (including, of course, the unprinted margin surrounding the image) with gloss varnish. Once hard, apply the transfer and coat area with matt varnish. That should solve the problem.

First of all, I must confess that I have always been a huge fan of Manning Wardles. For me, they are the archetypal Contractor’s/Light Railway/Industrial locomotive. They made some great ‘Specials’, but my favourites are two of the standard designs; the diminutive Old ‘I’ Class, which, with its fluted safety valve cover, is a real touch of the 1850s, and the K Class, simply because it was the most populous design and ubiquitous. I believe the works livery was a very attractive shade of blue, to boot. I am aware that RT models do kits of both the Old I and the K in 4mm. I must evolve my skills before tackling them. If I was flush, I’d support the manufacturer by purchasing them now, even if that mean a few years in a drawer, but pre-house sale, my budget won’t stretch to kits. Soon, soon … The same goes for one of my other pet delights, little 2-4-0Ts of the Beyer Peacock and Sharp Stewart varieties. The Isle of Eldernell & Mereport Railway is slated to have two of the little ones of the 1860s, as purchased by Cambrian Railways. I await only relative liquidity before investing in Quarryscapes’ 3D prints of the ‘as delivered’ version. In fact, once solvent, I’d happily consider a third, for the West Norfolk Railway. I suspect Mainly Trains’ chassis will have ceased to be available by then, however. So, turning to Sharp Stewart, the 2-4-0 tender, the 0-6-0 tender and the 0-6-0T proposed for 4mm by Furness Wagon are all easy fits for a line like the west Norfolk. Quarryscapes has suggested Sharp Stewart 2-4-2Ts and that the Manchester & Milford had 2, both different sizes. I am not sure any of my reference material covers these, and have yet to research them, but should do so. Kevin has suggested a Sharp Stewart Met D 2-4-0T. With its greater bulk, it has its own charm, distinct from its little sisters, but equally attractive. I cannot find a drawing, but Wiki suggests they were not disposed of until 1922. Sharp Stewart appears to have supplied similar locomotives to other railways. Hitherto, I had only considered the small 1860s 2-4-0Ts supplied to the Cambrian. These were Cambrian Nos 44, 56-59, Sharp Stewart Works Numbers 1488, 1656, 1681-1683. They were built from 1864. They were diminutive locos with 4' 6" drivers and 3' leading wheels. the w/b was 6' + 6'3". I had not considered other, larger, Sharp Stewart 2-4-0Ts. Fortunately, some of these went to Welsh railways, and, so, Russell’s volume on GW Absorbed Engines comes to the rescue, from which I gather: Sharp Stewart supplied the Barry Railway with 2 2-4-0Ts in 1889 (Barry nos 21 and 22), and 2 in 1890 (Barry Nos 37 and 52). The earlier 2 stayed with the Barry, but the second pair went to the Port Talbot Railway. Russell says that all 4 were converted to 2-4-2Ts (pages 42-43), but the Port Talbot entry casts some doubt on this. Russell’s pictures and drawings of the engines are all of the 2-4-2T rebuilds. The rebuilds, so presumably the originals, appear to have 5’3” drivers at 7’9” centres. The w/b is 7’6” + 7’9” and the leading wheels appear to be 3’6” and, again, I assume these measurements derive from the original configuration. We pick up the story of Barry nos 37 and 52 of 1890 at Russell pages 190-191. Here we find that No. 37 was not rebuilt as a 2-4-T, and Russell includes a profile drawing of the Barry/Port Talbot condition (p190) and a photograph (p191) of the engine in a westernised condition. The drawing also shows that the w/b is 7’6” + 7’9”, leading wheels 3’6, and drivers 5’3”. At pages 231 and 228 of Russell, we are introduced to a Sharp Stewart supplied to the Neath & Brecon. Its Directors, we are told, viewed with interest the success of the Barry 2-4-0Ts and ordered one for themselves, delivered in 1893. It shares the dimensions of the Barry class; the w/b is 7’6” + 7’9”, leading wheels 3’6, and drivers 5’3”. Russell includes a profile drawing (p228) and a photograph (p231), both showing the N&P condition. Below drawings of the port Talbot (ex-Barry) and Neath & Brecon engines, and a picture of the latter.

"Oooooh, Matron!"

Agree (on both counts!)

I have allowed myself to become distracted. Here is what the HaT figures look like. I decided that I wanted to add a couple of Midshipmen, so I took a couple of Alamo defenders and modified them. What this has to do with model railways or Castle Aching, I'm not sure, but it's a nice bit of Victoriana and all model-making is good practice!

What a superb photograph, for all manner of details Beyer Peacock and Sharp Stewart designs are very much on my RADAR and I am grateful for this additional information, thanks Simon. That is very helpful, thanks Thanks. I will look up[ those tanks. In the meantime, that looks to be a very do-able conversion, and I know just the PO it would suit! Just came across this site for Ragstone Models. Although 7mm, there's a few images of pre-grouping GER wagons, coaches, etc.. Coaches Wagons Locos Edit for spelling, or rather, lack of spelling! Dave, that's a great find. I've had a good look and I find that, while I have outline drawings and dimensions for nearly all of these, the pictures of the completed models and the prototype history notes in the pdf instructions add invaluable information that will make all the difference. New to me was the W&U luggage van, which is a 'must'! I note that the 'wool wagons' were used for other traffic - suggestions? - and that the bolsters for saw timber. This made me think of the Baltic timber trade. it certainly used to go to Wisbech (and Mereport) and probably to King's Lynn, in which case the Bishop's Lynn line might well have seen considerable timber traffic. This would need to run into CA before its onward journey. I have been thinking of kidnapping a Huntley & Palmer Peckett on the off-chance H&P built a subsidiary works in Norfolk, perhaps to produce the Sandringham, Norfolk Lavender Biscuit. On balance, I think I'd better just save up for the works green version, Dodo, for which there is already every excuse! So, a lot of catching up to do, and I must get modelling in earnest again now. Some really excellent pictures are cropping up. Kevin's BP tank made me think od one of those big wheeled Adams jobs; I am sure Mr Rice ran one on one of his East Anglia back waters. In the meantime, I saw this and was struck with the thought: Irony is priceless, for everything else, there's MasterCard ....

I will invent a reason/build a plank - if ever there was a model that deserves to have a story/layout weaved aroung it.... But, I notice that Hattons has a H&P 0-4-0ST in stock! Funny how the engineering samples looked so much better .....

It is a difficult area. At the moment I am looking at a single GW 4-plank that has been sent with a load to Norfolk in 1905. I have found an example of a pre-diagrammed 4-plank of 1895 photographed in 1901 that can be assumed to be red. I won't repeat the details, they are at post 1350 on page 54 of Castle Aching, following some comments on GE wagons (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/107713-castle-aching/page-54). Where problems arise are with depicting wagons built c.1898-1904. In what livery was a cast-plate O5 of 1902 out-shopped? If you model that (IMHO) most fascinating of GW moments, 1905-6, full of elegant Dean designs and Indian Red frames, but leavened with the startling modern Churchward designs and a new, simpler livery, nothing built c.1898-1904 will have yet been repainted, so you would need to reach a view as to when dark grey came in. Compound2632 makes a good case for his decision, the weight of recent research may tend to support him, but the issue is far from certain!

Simon, available evidence (scant) is summarised here: http://www.gwr.org.uk/liverieswagonred.html I plan to hedge my bets by back-dating a Coopercraft 4-plank O5 to a similar pre-diagrammed wagon of 1895, which is comfortably pre-grey.