Right Away

Thanks, 101. Apologies, if this post might have been better placed elsewhere on the forum but I felt a “prototypical” airing would be more apt. The model is meant to represent a version running in the very early ‘60s (see steam-heat overhaul date on sole bar) with vacuum brake only. Not certain when these began to be dual fitted. I guess the model tooling is generic in order to cater for all versions. Time for the scalpel maybe....?

Query for ex C & W staff/heritage restoration aficionados. Could anyone explain what this piece of equipment (arrowed) is on this Bachmann Mk1 BG? Close up view - as can be seen, item in question is far to the right of battery box.

Thanks Andrew. This is all I can find! https://nearer.com/listing/off-the-rails-hove/

I’m trying to establish when the communication cord tell-tale “butterflies” of Southern coaches began to be painted red. Any help would be grateful. Below: Just for reference, here is a photo of preserved Bullied Composite S5768S in BR (SR) livery and a Maunsell Open Third 1309 in SR livery which I took on the Bluebell Railway. Below: A cropped scan of a 1963 photo. The red is just about visible on this Bullied!

My daughter has just advised me of “Off The Rails”, a model shop in Hove, Sussex. As there is little web presence of the retailer, has any member had any dealings with them?

Kernow Model Centre have Hornby Bullied 59’ Brakes for £17.99. (might need to source Composites elsewhere if a prototypically correct set is required.) The brakes are still really good value. https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/c/622/Hornby

Regarding the authenticity of the Silent Witness series, I do question whether such highly scientifically trained and skilled forensic/pathology personnel would continually find themselves in situations of risk when seeking evidence. Clearly, the plots require some drama and spice to attract viewers, but would a real “team”, especially someone in Nikki’s role, intentionally put themselves alone in danger.

The home-made method that I use might seem a bit “cheapo” but is very effective; combining the cleaning and inspection at the same time. I use a length of flex, one end connecting to the DCC bus and the other to stiff copper wire contacts fixed in a piece of Plastikard. The locomotive is inverted in a foam cradle, the contacts placed against the wheels whereby they are cleaned by holding a cotton bud dipped in IPA. The wheel backs and pick-ups are cleaned at the same time, and valve gear can be examined in motion (pun intended). NOTE: I find the smaller Tamiya triangular cotton swabs very good for this as there’s no fluff and they can be handled with more precision.

Purely out of interest, here’s an old image of a “Battle of Britain” tender first, climbing the 1:30 from Folkestone Harbour in 1950 on what was purported to be a trial run (inspector on footplate); there is no mention of how many R1s were shoving at the rear. With the Pacific’s long boiler blowing off at 280lb/sq in, it must have been a very delicate balance to avoid dropping a plug yet not letting her prime! (Light Pacifics worked regularly “right way round” down the 1:36 into Ilfracombe, the station being almost at the foot of the gradient.)

Regarding freight power classifications, BR(SR) utilised an A or B suffix on certain locomotives denoting whether the braking performance was lower or higher respectively than that of a nominal F rating for that power. For example a Q1 0-6-0 could pull a town away, however if that “town” was unfitted or with a limited fitted head, stopping it could be another thing entirely; hence a classification of 5FA. On the other hand, a Brighton K class Mogul was rated as 4P5FB denoting it having a braking ability superior to that of an engine of generic 5F power. Bullied “Light Pacifics” with their 7P5FA classification were completely unsuited to unfitted work. Indeed it was reported that when on lightly loaded passenger workings weighing little more than the engine and tender, there could be considerable sparking throwing from the engines’ brake blocks, Hollywood fashion.

Here’s some line drawings for comparison/reference. A point worthy of note vis-a-vis the cylinders of the “Hall” and “Grange” is that although the stroke and diameters are identical, the inlet and exhaust valve ports were larger on the “”Grange”. This, in addition to the smaller driving wheels made for a very potent engine.

A “Packet”, having taken over at Exeter Central, runs in with a late summer extra from Ilfracombe.

Not the exact set which you seek, but for reference here’s sime scanned images of the later Eastleigh vans, c1958. (Photos from the book “Off the Rsils” by Bill Bishop 1984)

Unusual Pilot A worn out C class has assistance on the 3-45pm goods. The pair are seen topping the 1 in 200 climb from the yards in fine style.

BR (SR) smokebox and tender lamp irons? Fish out the 0.45mm drill again!

And if there is bovver, doggies would feed themselves.

Same as above. When faced with a similar problem, as an expedient, I’ve applied the masking tape to a “spare” surface and then removed it before sticking on the piece proper. Might need a couple of tries but it can reduce its adhering strength.

I airbrushed my Hornby 2 HALs to “remove” the warning panels with Humbrol RC409 Malachite Green. The jumpers were then picked out with a suitable colour, followed with a little weathering of the lower cab front sheet to blend, - please see photo. However, the Bachmann green is darker and you would need to find a matching hue. The “Vee” could then be created with masking tape.

POPULAR RECYCLING - 1950s STYLE “Bin ‘ere fer a few weeks now. Reckon nobody wants it.”

A quick gander over the bridge sees an engine for the “five o’clock” about to leave.

Late afternoon at the Loco

The late Cecil J Allen would often quote “16 average passengers to the ton” when calculating gross train weights in his “British Locomotive Practice and Performance” articles in the Railway Magazine.

Very nice, almost smell the brake dust. EP’s as I remember ‘em after chasing round the chimney pots of Sarf Lunden all day.

The LMS Pacifics had ‘em. So did their big Class 4 tanks. With some LMS influence brushing off onto the BR Standard designs, the 2-6-4 tanks and No 71000 were similarly equipped. Why would various locomotive classes from the same CME/design team (so relatively late in the day) choose differing patterns of buffer heads? Aethetics? Surely it could not have been for a practical reason eg. reduction of the risk “buffer locking”,

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but for those with a fascination of civil engineering and have not viewed it before, check out this project of the rebuilding of Grosvenor Bridge outside Victoria, London. Clearly not the best of video quality, a most interesting film nevertheless. “Railway Bridge Across The Thames-1968”