Metropolitan H

Having been inside one of these sheds, I have often considered the size of model railway you could create - but then have nightmares regarding the number of persons required to operate said railway! To be serious: - At one time one of the sheds was used for fire testing complete fullsize houses built inside it. - Also one of the sheds has been used as a super-sized film set enclosure. - The sheds are big enough to have their own interior micro climates - sometimes it can rain or snow inside while it is dry outside! Dream on. Regards Chris H

Does "...this little lot..." have a title / station name yet? Possible options might be: - Lesser Birlstone - Birlstone Parva Regards Chris H

The Hudswell Clarke '7 Sisters' - aka "Gentleman's Light Sporting locomotives" - that were inherited "Muddle & Go Nowhere" were much smaller locomotives than the 4-4-0Ts built by BP for the Metropolitan and other railways. "Gentleman's Light Sporting locomotives" (from drawing by Deryck Featherstone in MRC Annual 1982) - Over buffers - 28ft - Wheelbase - 4ft 10in + 5ft 10.5in + 6ft 9in - Driving wheel diam. - 4ft 7.5in - Bogie wheel diam. - 2ft 9in "Met. Railway "A" class" (from Diagram 51 in the Met. Railway rolling stock diagram book, compiled for the transfer to LT in 1933) - Over buffers - 33ft 1in - Wheelbase - 4ft 0in + 7ft 11in + 8ft 10in - Driving wheel diam. - 5ft 9in - Bogie wheel diam. - 2ft 11.875in The Met. locos "Running weight" was 45 tons - so quite a bruiser compared with the dainty HC "7 Sisters"! Regards Chris H

Look closely at that photograph - when enlarged you can read the "Mirror" written nameplate! - So, the steps should be at the buffer stops end. Regards Chris H

I think it is the regulator actuating rod and crank that has come adrift - as distinct from the handrail(s) which appear to be fully secured. I'm sure your will be able to get the rod secured soon. Regards Chris H

But there were still a number of Steam ploughing contractors active into the 1960s - albeit some of the engines had been converted from steam to diesel. I remeber seeing a number of sets working (both steam and diesel) when in my teens - late 1960s - and then there was the Allens of Oxford sale which I remember wishing I could go. Regards Chris H

I take it you are including the "Kerosene Castle"? - Or is there a sixth? Regards Chris H

The two "Castles" I watched on the southbound approach to Kings Sutton yesterday - 7029 leading 5043 - were both graceful and rather belligerant in the way they were hurrying the 10 car train along. What a lovely noise. Just a pity it wasn't a brighter morning. Regards Chris H

Just remember that the Metropolitan Railway Bo-Bo Electric Loco No. 12 "Sarah Siddons" entered traffic 100 years ago last November and is still part of the fleet of London Underground - the direct successors to the Metropolitan Railway, never having been withdrawn. I do accept that "Sarah" now slumbers a fair amount of the time, but she is still ready to strut her stuff on Heritage Trains. I tend to think "Sarah Siddons" achievement is more important than that of Flying Scotsman - but I do have a soft spot for FS, as it was the loco that I first had a cab ride on - very nearly 70 years ago, I'll be 73 in July this year. The ride was from under the cenotaph coaling tower at New England (Peterborough) shed, round two sides of the triangle. So I have "O" gauge models of both locos: There are also other models of older and newer useful engines. Regards Chris H P.S. - Recognising that ANTB is normally populated by dark green engines, I thought I should add another, more relevant picture. Regards Chris H

I'm pleased to hear that NAR0GG will be restarting soon and I look forward to being a regular attendee. However, I am probably not available to attend on 21st February - due to a family birthday celebration that I am expected to join. Best wishes and I hope to be at the subsequent meetings. Regards Chris H

I accept that there are pictures of vehicles with vacuum pipes coupled - and that there are also pictures of obviously "vacuum" fitted BR - and LNER (ex NER) - locos. However, the NSR was a "Air braked" line and all the pictures of "Bamburgh" and "Lady Armstrong" show "Air brake" inter-vehicle connections - never a "Vac-Bag" in sight. Regards Chris H

I'm surprised by the idea that any North Sunderland Railway vehicle was fitted with Vacuum brakes? As the big railway to which the NSR connected - the North Eastern Railway - was very definitely an "Air Braked" railway and all the NSR passenger stock vehicles were ex NER or ex GER - another Air braked railway - I had always assumed that the NSR was an Air Braked railway? - Hence why the 0-6-0ST carried a vertical steam driven compressed air pump on the right-hand side of its smokebox. By this reasoning I don't think "Lady Armstrong" ever carried the large vacuum Brake cylinders - but would have one or two smaller air brake cylinders and relevant air reservoirs - you can see ends of two reservoirs under the front (long bonnet) headstock. Also look very carefully at the inter-vehicle brake pipes. They are the airbrake type with an isolating cock on the stand-pipe and a "Glad-hand" type coupling on the end. You can't use the normal big diameter reinforced rubber pipes as used on vacuum fitted vehicles. Regards Chris H

That is very, very grand. Thanks for that video. regards Chris H

Do you have access to the Model Railway Constructor Annual for 1982? - Page 69 shows a fine drawing of "GER 3rd Class Tramcar 1905 for Kelvedon & Tollesbury Branch Scale 4mm : 1 ft". The drawing shows a what was a 27 ft 0 3/4 in over body 5 compartment coach, with the doors sealed on the middle three (3) compartments and double step boards and long handrails for climbing up to the outer end doors. The wheel tread diameter is 11mm, which equates to 2ft 9in diameter - the same as shown on the adjacent drawing on page 68 "GER 28ft Bogie Tramcar, built 1895. Scale 4mm : 1 ft". The 4 wheel coach also has tramway style end doors and step boards over the couplings, with side rails at just above waist height. The buffers are of the raised body type to transfer the buffing forces from the normal 3ft 6in buffer height to the lowered underframed headstocks. As an aside, the 7mm scale D&S models kit for the W&U tramcars (one bogie and one 4 wheel) recommends the use of Slaters wheels - Part No. 7130 "2'8 1/2" Disc Wheel Lowmak" . The Model Railway Constructor Annual for 1982, has lots of interesting East Anglian vehicle bits - including: - GER 0-4-0 TramLoco Class G15 drawing - 4mm scale - M&GNR 3 plank drop side open wagon drawing - 7mm scale. (A GNR design for an 8 ton wagon) - "M&GNR Loco No 9A - A 7mm fine scale model" by Deryck Featherstone (including 4mm scale drawing). This is the beautiful Hudswell Clarke built 4-4-0T type that the M&GNR had. Hope that helps. If you want please send me a private message. Regards Chris H (aka - Metropolitan H)

I did like the pictures of both models of the rebuilt "Hush-Hush". That locomotive was responsible for Arthur Alexander Holmes - my paternal grandfather - doing one special shift a little while after he had retired from being a signalman at Westwood Junction Box. My father recorded the event in the family history he wrote in the late 1970s - "Not long after Arthur retired there was an accident at Westwood which concerned the rebuilt “Hush-Hush” locomotive which failed to find favour with Gresley and was rebuilt in the style of an A4 on its original chassis with four trailing wheels instead of the normal two – arranged as 4-6-2-2. This engine with an experimental high pressure boiler was built in 1930 and numbered 10000. When the accident happened the engine was numbered 60700 and classified W1. It seems that something strange happened, possibly as a result of the unusual trailing wheel arrangement just as the train was going North under Westwood bridge; the engine was derailed and appeared to throw itself at the signal box coming to a stop at the bottom of the steps. (The reason was actually a fatigue crack failure of the leading bogie frame. The similar leading bogie frames on the A4s were then checked and found to have similar cracks, which were repaired before there were any more incidents). A passerby told Arthur about this soon after it happened while he was working in his back garden. He cycled off to have a look and found the signalman on duty suffering from shock, so took charge of the box operating the clear lines until the next signalman came on duty. The railway authorities sent him a pleasant letter of thanks and a cheque for the appropriate amount of pay for the time he was at the box." So the two models are before and after the derailment and subsequent heavy repairs. Regards Chris H

I don't know of any family members being involved with the Metropolitan Railway during WW1, but! Paternal Grandfather was a relatively young signal-man in GNR employ working at Stanley on the "Methley Joint Railway" at the time. He and the other two signal-men working the box on a three shift basis went to Castleford to "Join-up" - but the recruiting officerrealised that he could not take more than one of the three - and only on the basis that the other two agreed to work 12 hour shifts to cover the box "For the duration". This was accepted and Grandfather stayed at home, in Bottomboat, working 6.5 x 12 hour shifts a week - the box was closed for 12 hours on Sundays to allow the two signalmen to do a week of days and a week of nights - turn and turn about - till their mate returned from the trenches at the end of WW1. Glad I never had to work that sort of shift pattern. Regards Chris H

I must admit that "jane" does look good in her "Red" coat - but I'm so used to seeing her in GWR green since I was first introduced to her in the late 1950s on Wantage Road Station "Down" platform. I'm torn! Regards Chris H

Annie, It is worth looking out for both the 1981 and 2017 versions of "The Wantage Tramway" by Nicholas de Courtais, as although they cover a lot of the same ground "both are enhanced by the other". Regards Chris H

Hello Annie, Coming back to this picture, as something was bugging me about the caption - "Wantage Tramway No 5 hauling a goods train into the town circa 1930" - and what I was seeing, so I have dug out my well thumbed copies of the earlier (1981) and later (2017) versions of "The Wantage Tramway" by Nicholas de Courtais - published by Wild Swan. I so happens that the two editions of the book contain at least four (4) pictures of the train including the one you borrowed (?) as seen above. This has cleared up my query and means I can now add the following to our understanding. - All the pictures of this train were taken on 24th August 1939, by WA Camwell. The Austin car looked just a bit too modern for circa 1930. - The train isn't entering the town, but departing and heading towards "Wantage Road Station" - which is why the camera is shooting into the sun and the cab back is in shade. Also it is why we can see the 30m.p.h. speed limit sign on the lamp post alongside the open wagon. Pictures from the other side of the level crossing show the "De-restriction" sign (diagonal black stripe on white ground) on the lamp post. - The first of the set of pictures was taken in the "Lower Yard" and clearly shows the No. 5 "Jane" (the "Shannon" name was removed when the loco was in LNWR ownership - and only reinstated when the loco was "Preserved" by Swindon, for plinthing at Wantage Road) and the first wagon seen in this picture. - The final of the four pictures shows "Jane" and train passing "The Volunteer" pub at the entrance to the tramway yard at Wantage Road. This picture shows the full extent of the train which is the three vans and the open wagon seen at the level crossing with the final (5th) wagon being an empty tank wagon being worked back to the GWR from the "Anglo American Oil Co. Ltd" Depot in the "Lower Yard". I'm glad I got that all straight in my mind. Hope it is of interest. Regards Chris H P.S. - Here is Jane at Didcot in October 2013.

Thanks for that - no offence taken. Despite the Vertigo, I do enjoy most of the walks - just have to keep a grip on the hand-rail and look at the horizon! I've never done the Loetschberg "South Ramp" walk - despite being tempted. Doubt I ever will now, ageing knees are beginning to slow us down soewhat. But I have had a cab ride over the top from Spiez to Brig and return some years back (about 1990??) in a BLS Brown Bo-Bo hauling freight, which was rather fun! Regards Chris H

Interesting to note that a new wall has been built along the road (path) side since your 2018 picture was taken. Regards Chris H

I suffer from vertigo - the stomach churning, quaking knees and cold sweat variety. Then there is the climb over the hill to Filisur - which makes me puff nowadays. It was 12 years back when we last did that walk, the summer after these were taken - Regards Chris H

The Brombenzbrücke on the line between Davos Monstein and Wiesen. The old road seen here is now a pleasent walk down the Landwasser valley between the two stations. The harder bit is walking over the Wiesen viaduct - the Wanderweg canterlivered out from the side, not on the track - then up over the hill to Filisur station. A beer might be required at the end of the walk, but there are good views along the way. Regards Chris H

Here are a few more pictures - but this time of the real one: I'll have to visit Didcot again soon, it is nearly 10 years since the last visit. Regards Chris H

It is my understanding that most of the Flour traffic from Wantage Mill was loaded in the "Lower Yard" and that the specially assigned and lettered GWR vans were unloaded at Huntley and Palmers Biscuit facory in Reading. I have a "Horton Series" ACE Trains model of the preserved van that resides at Didcot in the care of the GWSoc. - as seen here: It is worth noting that most of the coal traffic into Wantage on the Tramway went to the other "Upper Yard" - where the passenger trams went, behind the Tramway Office in Mill Street - as that was where the Gas Works was. Regards Chris H