chris45lsw

Yes, I missed the pic on page 541! The leading coach seems to be a lav'y third to diagram 32, Nos. 5-16, though half of them would be uprated to diag. 287 lav'y compos in 1939. The second coach is probably also a 58ft rebuild, I suspect a diag. 31 lav'y third. I've often wondered about the numerous electric rebuilds of pre-group stock not having the triangular fillet. I can't prove it but the logical answer would be that the 62ft electric underframe was narrower than the standard 'steam' 58ft. After all it was specifically designed for EMU use and the SR always intended to make the vast majority of "3 SUBs" utilising 8ft wide pre-Grouping bodies. Chris Knowles-Thomas

The diagram 31 TLs listed as loose in the Appendix to the CWN for Summer 1950 were:- 169/173/187/188/194 208/219/225/253/268/280/291/299 304/313/320/326/353/360/364/373/382/387 403/476 513 320, of course, survives on the Bluebell. 360 was the first non-corridor coach to be painted malachite, 16 June 1940. As Graham said, 219 and 373 became pull-push trailers in 1958. The diag. 98 BTLs, 2625-2629 spent most (all in some cases) of their lives in sets, rather than loose. Chris Knowles-Thomas

You can't blame the LSWR! There were 378 48ft 8 compartment thirds, SR diagram 12, which the SR numbered in a consecutive block 165 to 542. Incidentally the most numerous design of coach on the SR. Only 38 were rebuilt to diag. 31 and they kept their existing SR numbers hence the big gaps. The majority of the diag. 12s were rebuilt in one way or another, mostly into electric stock - 2 Nols, "3 Subs" and trailer sets. Chris Knowles-Thomas.

I might be missing something but I can only find one 58ft rebuild in the September Backtrack. That's the Diagram 97 seven compartment BTL next to M7 30060 on page 547. This is in a pull-push set, one of sets Nos. 1 - 6. Its companion is a LSWR 56ft BCL, converted to a driving trailer, diag419. Chris Knowles-Thomas

Hi John The window opposite the toilet was frosted Chris KT

Is the date definitely 1957, John? Set 13 lost its 56ft Diagram 408 lavatory brake compo in July 1951 which was replaced by a succession of corridor brake compos, mainly LSWR 56ft. But per my records it had Maunsell BCK 6643 from 4/55 to 9/56. Not sure when set 13 was withdrawn but it certainly lasted into 1957 but had gone by 6/1958. Chris Knowles-Thomas

6482 was withdrawn in Feb 1951 and (date not known by me) replaced by LSWR 56ft BCK 6540. Chris Knowles-Thomas

I wish it wasn't that long ago, but in fact it was getting on for 50 years ago (Railway Modeller Aug 1966 to Feb1968) when Terry Gough's articles appeared! Best regards Chris KT

Actually I believe it is the other set, 370! The nearest coach would be 56ft brake compo 6544 or 6543 of 1909 to SR diagram 413 (almost identical to Kernow's 1914 BC/BT to diag. 414/129 except with different gates). Next is the solitary 1909 56ft third 736 to diag. 26 (possibly a candidate for cutting Kernow's 1914 third). The third arc roofed vehicle is another one off; the 53ft 10.25in third 743 to diag. 30. This was converted in 1922 from one of the joint LSWR/LBSCR railmotors. Out of sight, the fourth coach should be one of the 50ft brake compos to diag. 415 converted from H13 class railmotors, No. 6553. It might be possible to hack a reasonable semblance of these from Kernow's brake compos/thirds! I know incomes have gone up as well as prices but psychologically I find it difficult to contemplate sawing up a pair of coaches that have cost me £99 whereas, more years ago than I care to contemplate, I used to butcher Triang GWR clerestory bodies and Kitmaster Mark 1s etc with 'gay' abandon! But then they cost me 7 shillings (35p) and 6s 6d (32.5p) respectively! Chris Knowles-Thomas

It's in "as preserved" condition. To backdate it to LSWR the solid coal rails on the bunker would need to go. What else needs changing I do not know, but the filled in coal rails are the biggest "sore thumb" to my mind. Chris Knowles-Thomas

These are 6557 and 6558 which operated, both solo and together, on the Callington branch until withdrawal in April 1956. Along with set 361 (6548 + 741), also on the Callington branch until withdrawn March 1956, these four comprised the only survivors converted from former LSWR steam railmotors which made it into BR days. Originally there were 31 "gate" coaches of 12 different (though only 11 max at any one time) diagrams. 16 cars were converted from steam railmotors and 15 were built new. By the end of World War 2 only 13 survived and three more went before BR came into being on 1 Jan 1948. The ten BR acquisitions were the four ex railmotors, 6557/58 & set 361, and the three sets commissioned by Kernow. It occurs to me that creditable models of 6548 and 6557/58 could be made by a rather expensive "cut & shut" of Kernow's models! Obviously a new ex driving end would be required. Chris Knowles-Thomas

The three well tanks were rebuilt to their 'as modelled' form 1931-1935 as follows:- 0298 / 3298 / 30587: May 1933 0314 / 3314 / 30585: June 1931 0329 / 3329 / 30586: Sep 1935 Chris Knowles-Thomas

Hi Peter Diagram 415 BC No. 6548 was converted from a former H13 steam railmotor. The body length was 50ft (x 8ft 6in). Diag. 28 T No. 741 was converted from an H12 steam railmotor. Body length was 48ft 3in (x 8ft 6in). Incidentally it had an arc roof and not the typical LSWR flattened elliptical. Chris KT

AIUI only the model of 373 in BR(S) green (probably actually revarnished malachite) will feature plating and reduced beading. The others will have their original panelling. So if you are prepared to replace the Southern driving end with a LSWR 3 window one (?scope for a 'cottage industry' manufacturer like Brassmasters (in brass!) or Golden Arrow (in resin)?), and add a representation of the 3 wire PP pulleys on the roof I believe the model could credibly represent pre 1929/30. Incidentally going back to a much earlier posting these sets did not work Bodmin to Padstow. The gate set which was here in the 1940s was set 361 (BC 6548 & T 741) converted from former steam rail motors. Chris Knowles-Thomas

Yes, the Longmoor Military Railway did indeed have a whole 54ft birdcage 3-set. Unfortunately the centre CL was damaged in the 1950s and scrapped so only the two brakes survive. Chris Knowles-Thomas

Hello Peter The LSWR 56ft BCLs in sets 51-54 & 56 were to SR diagram 407. On the subject of BR(S) green I believe hardly any of Hornby's 58ft rebuilds received this livery - only a handful of diag 31 TLs. But many kept re-varnished SR malachite (with BR insignia) well into BR days. For example diag 98 BTL S2626S at Evercreech Junc on 22/7/58 ('Southern Coaches in Colour' / Welch / Noodle Books). Chris Knowles-Thomas

The 8 compartment brake thirds (2636-2640) and 6 compartment lavatory brake compos (6401-6405) spent their whole lives in 2-sets 42-46 except that set 46 was increased to 5 coaches in 1958 with 3 x ex SECR 'long tens' for the Clapham Junc - Kensington Olympia service. The 6 compartment lavatory brake thirds (2625-2629) were in 2-sets 51-54 & 56 with LSWR 56ft lav'y brake compos and none became 'loose' until BR days. The 9 compartment lavatory thirds (38 coaches numbered between 169 and 513) were mainly loose. So if you want to run a 4 car train pre-War it would be reasonable to run two of these plus one of sets 42-46. Chris Knowles-Thomas

It is a Slaters kit of a Midland Rly cattle wagon and it did come with an underframe. Now available from Coopercraft. AFAIK Slaters only made a body only Cattle in 7mm scale a long time ago, and that was ultimately superseded by a full kit. Chris Knowles-Thomas

I think you'll have to compromise, Autocoach, as the other Wadebridge engine in 1947, 181, also had a Drummond type boiler! It lost it in March 1949 when it was rebuilt as IoW No. W35. The next best thing is 200 which arrived at Wadebridge in Feb 1948 (and it did not get its BR No. until Feb 1950). And it did have an Adams boiler. At this stage of their lives both Adams and Drummond style boilers had the same chimney (ie Drummond) but the Adams had the safety valves on the firebox whereas the Drummond boiler had a smaller dome with the safety valves on top. I think, also, that the Drummond dome was set further back. Chris Knowles-Thomas

To be pedantic there's no such thing as a "brake third compo" - A brake third is a brake third. A brake compo is a brake first/third. While LSWR corridor brake thirds came in left and right handed corridor versions, all three diagrams of corr. brake compo were all left handed. Chris Knowles-Thomas

Note that 203 had a Drummond style boiler from April 1927 to Jan 1933 and again from Apr 1946 until Dec 1955 (when it was withdrawn). So not strictly a candidate for a renumbered 30193 in 1947. Chris Knowles-Thomas

I have sides for two twin sets from Southern Pride, said to be diagram 304, cost £12.50 but not currently available. I too had thought of using Hornby Railroad donors but I imagine a hell of a lot of filing is needed at the brake end as the Railroads do not have inset vans. Chris Knowles-Thomas

The only problem with 30583 if your modelling is time sensitive, is that Oxford's model only represents it in its last couple of BR years (April 1959 to July 1961). For all of its (short) SR life and most of its BR existence it had a Drummond boiler. Chris Knowles-Thomas

For anybody wanting to model EKR No. 5 (later 3488/30583), it ended its BR life with the boiler it was carrying on that railway, and as modelled by Oxford's "late BR 30583". Chris Knowles-Thomas

I gave up when Kernow announced a 1366, later dropped when Heljan announced it as well, but I had planned to use the chassis out of one of Golden Valley's Spanish based outside cylinder 0-6-0Ts. Chris Knowles-Thomas