chris45lsw

I'd have thought the Hornby T9 chassis would be the best bet? L1 wheelbase is 6ft 3in + 11ft 2in + 10ft, driving wheels 6ft 8in. T9 wheelbase is 6ft 6in + 10ft 0in + 10ft, driving wheels 6ft 7in. So, in theory, just move the T9 bogie forward a little and it will be very close. Chris KT

I wouldn't describe them as purely main line stock, even when new. They were 'go anywhere stock' - anything from expresses through semi-fasts to outer suburban. Anything except the inner suburban services. Chris KT

Yes the d.2406 BCK would be an obvious addition to make to the range - after all there were 40 of them (and only 13 d.2405s in the 2-sets 63-75). And Bachmann have also omitted the d.2017 TO (45 built) even though it featured in their old range. Several went to the ER and ScR in 1965/66 and were painted maroon accordingly. Chris Knowles-Thomas

Yes but Bachmann are doing one of only five D.2019 TKs, numbers 1932-1936 which had 10" window vents (26-130, of course, had 15" vents). It will be liveried in SR style but will have "S" prefixes to the number. Chris Knowles-Thomas

The 'loose' BCKs were diag. 2406 - diag. 2405s were in the 2-sets 63-75. Chris KT

Non adaptor fitted British Standard gangways have a clip roughly half way up on the right hand side. This is to enable BSGs to be clipped together. When an adaptor is fitted two more clips are fitted, one each side lower down, and they are always, I believe, the same height. So an adaptor fitted BSG ends up with three clips - one on the left and two on the right. Chris Knowles-Thomas

Yes indeed, as on many pre-Grouping railways, SECR carriages got longer over the years eg 45, 50 and 54 foot brakes preceded the 3-sets of 60ft stock of 1912-1915 modelled by Bachmann. Indeed these plus ten 3-sets built 1915-21 without birdcages and the (in)famous ten compartment thirds were the the SECR's only 60ft stock. They did go on to build a boat train in 1921 with 62ft carriages. Most of the coaches in the 54ft birdcage 3-sets which preceded the 60ft sets ended up, heavily rebuilt, on the IoW. Chris KT

Yes but I said there is only one 60ft birdcage surviving. I think there are around 6 preserved birdcage brakes altogether but apart from 3410 they are all 54ft or less so not as modelled by Bachmann. Chris KT

The last 60ft birdcage 3-set was withdrawn in October 1958 (set 620) while the BR crimson set modelled by Bachmann (595) went in July 1958. SR locos received the late crest from March 1957 so in theory there was an overlap but I think electrification labels were post 1958 (1959?). Only one of the 60ft birdcages survives in preservation - BT 3410. It is, as yet, unrestored and needs a lot of work! None of the sets were repainted in Southern Region green. Most were withdrawn in crimson though some probably ended their days still in re-varnished malachite green. Chris KT

the RCTS GWR loco book part 10 and in Casserley & Asher's g It was never a GWR loco. It was acquired by BR(WR) in 1948 from the Ystalyfera Tin Works which was in liquidation. It was Peckett works No. 810 (was this definitely a W4, by the way?). It was overhauled at Danygraig in 1948 when it received a GWR safety valve. From July 1948 to withdrawal in Jan 1954 it was shedded at Gurnos, a sub-shed of Swansea (Victoria) (87K). There's a pic in the RCTS GWR loco history Part 10 and in Locos of BR by Casserley & Asher and no doubt others. Chris KT Chris Knowles-Thomas

Without wading through my books, from memory no Maunsell firsts were ever downgraded to third/second. Though 13 'Continentals' and 21 'Ironclads' were in 1954. Chris KT

Because the first had 7 x 7ft 1.75in compartments while the compo had 4 x 7ft 1.75in and 3 x 6ft 3in compartments it meant that the compos had more spacious lavatories than the firsts. In the d.2303 compo (3F/4T) the exterior dimensions were, as said, the same as the d.2301 (4F/3T) but inside the inner first was made into a third by reducing the compartment width to 6ft 3in by adding additional bulkheads. Chris KT

Well I ordered two 'etches only' L&SWR coaches in October and was quite happy to wait 6 weeks as warned on the website. In fact they came in about a week and I'm very satisfied with my purchase. I'm sorry if this avenue is now closed and relieved that I ordered when I did and didn't leave it for 'another day'. Chris KT

The Irish survivor (461) is actually from the Dublin & South Eastern Railway. Chris KT

I ordered one set in 2012 (August, I think) and one in 2015, and they arrived yesterday. So, presumably, Kernow are working on 2012 orders at the moment. Chris KT

Typo in my previous - there were 38 lavatory thirds (not 31). Chris KT

Hornby's 8 compartment brake third ((2636-2640) and lavatory brake compo (6401-6405) spent their whole lives in '2-LAV' sets 42-46, which were unchanged apart from 46, ie:- 42 = 2636 + 6401 43 = 2637 + 6402 44 = 2638 + 6403 45 = 2639 + 6404 46 = 2640 + 6405 42-45 were withdrawn between Nov 1956 and June 1958. In June 1958 set 46 was increased to 5 cars with three ex SECR 10 compartment seconds and used between Clapham Junc. and Kensington Olympia. Unfortunately it was withdrawn in April 1959 following collision damage. Some of the 31 x 9 compartment lavatory thirds were in sets but the majority ran 'loose', so they're not a 'problem'. As said, Hornby make the 6 compt lavatory brake third (2625-2629) simply because it has the same body shell as the lavatory brake compo. Unfortunately they were incorporated in '2-LAV' sets 51-54 & 56 with LSWR 56ft lavatory brake compos which are not, of course, available ready to run. Ultimately two, 2626 & 2627, became 'loose' in 1948 and 1950 respectively. So to run them 'loose' in S. Railway days you would need to exercise 'Modeller's Licence'. Incidentally 2626's companion in set 51 was 6474 which now resides in the National Railway Museum. Chris Knowles-Thomas

And got smaller wheels :-) Chris KT

Of existing rtr 0-6-0s the MR/LMS 3F/4F and the C class have the same wheelbase, ie 8ft + 8ft 6in. Chris KT

How many E145? Chris KT

I can confirm that the lining should be yellow. All the L1s were painted malachite between May 1946 and Sep 1948 except 1753 & 1782. As you say the last one to lose the malachite was in June 1953 (31756). Chris KT

Phoenix Carriage Components c/o Chris Knowles-Thomas chriskthomas@waitrose.com 12 for £1.50.

Given the 12 spokes more likely converted loco carrying wheels? Chris KT?

I wasn't suggesting all these should all be made - merely suggesting that Miss Prism's list to pick one from could be expanded. Personally if a new model was to appear I'd like an E147 but I'd also be happy to see a re-vamped E140/145. Chris KT

I completed the Toplight poll today (first time I came across this thread) but there are some errors/missing better examples in the list of choices IMHO. The corr brake third should, of course, be D47 (NOT E47). E83 is a 57ft corr brake compo (not a corr compo) and would be a better choice than the 56ft E82 as I'm sure a manufacturer would prefer one length of underframe (ie 57ft). Corr compo E85 is 56ft (not 57ft) so a better choice for the reason stated above would be the 57ft E88 corr compo. The slips are a bit confused!:- F14 was a 57ft single ended slip F15 was a 57ft double ended slip F16 doesn't appear to exist? F21 was 70ft - the only slips built to this length Chris Knowles-Thomas