Ken.W

I've not previously had any problems with pre-orders from Hattons until now... For my R3835 A2/3 60523 Sun Castle pre-order, I received the following e-mails; 09/03 Order processed notification, and payment taken 11/03 A message saying that due to a technical problem with their system the order was processed in error and they didn't currently have stock to fulfill it. More stock was expected from Hornby, and my order was refunded and placed back on pre-order backdated to my original order date. 17/03 Canceled, as not able to acquire obtain stock to allocate to my pre-order. Then, this morning, an email my pre-order for R3844 W1 canceled, unable to acquire stock for order. Still have a Std.2MT on pre-order with them, but now considering if I should try looking elsewhere

My pre-order from Merseyside for 60523 Sun Castle was canceled Not sure whether more disappointed or relived though, given all the reports of bit falling off, and those photos looking like they can't decide whether they're apple of brunswick green. Think I'll just stick with my two existing models, at least they don't generally have bits fall off, and are the right shade of green. 60514 Chamossaire, a Millholme kit I built around 30 years ago, ok not exactly the most accurate especially by modern standards, but looks okay when running, a 'layout engine'. And the weight of the castings it's made from it will pull absolutely anything, I had it on a former club layout hauling 50 wagon trains with ease. 60520 Owen Tudor; A very nicely built DJH model i managed to pick up at a reasonable price off e-bay There's also A2/1 60507 Highland Chieftain I've kit built, Nu-Cast loco with DJH A3 tender. So, that'll now complete my Thompson pacific collection (A1/1 and A2/2s are barred) My W1 pre-order however also followed suit this morning

The dreaded email from Merseyside this morning; Pre-order for R3844 W1, early BR canceled, unable to obtain stock for order.

Ah yes, that was the one I was thinking off. As I recall there was even some debate at the time as to whether it would be repaired or not, but when it was, it was that's the last spare transformer and it's curtains for the next one needing one. It was quite common for some to time to get one on 3 motors. I recall often handing over to a relieving driver with the comment "another 3-legged donkey". Another frequent problem potentially affecting timekeeping became the whining (or should I say screaming) gearboxes. It tended to occur when cruising at line speed, and was high-pitched and so distracting. On bad examples it became so loud that often drivers would reduce speed to quieten then down - usually by 10 / 15 mph sufficed. There was many complaints about the time some ran in such condition, as rectification required a works visit. The pitch and volume was such that control never disputed when we told them we were reducing speed.

When i first started as a secondman, I spent six months, '77/'78, at South Dock (Sunderland) on the local mineral (coal) trip workings which were all still running unfitted at the time, and the use of brake tenders in the area had long since ceased. There's many photos of them being used on such workings in the area in the '60s, being either hauled or propelled. i remember being told by one driver that propelling them was banned as when being propelled by bonneted locos (EE) they couldn't be seen and there were several incidents where drivers forgot which end they were at and they got pushed past signals, this was with local trip workings with often frequent changes of direction during a shift, and the amount of running round them which would be required when propelling was banned meant they fell out of use. Even in my spotting days before starting work, from about '73, I'd never seen them being used.

Not just open or flat containers that posed a risk. At the time I was involved with freightliner workings, pre-sectorisation, with the original freightliner flats 8'6" high containers were treated as out of gauge loads with various routing restrictions. One such working was the Darlington / Glasgow service which, prior to Penmanshiel, had to be routed by the Newcastle - Carlisle line, and even then had several overbridges which were restricted to 5 / 10 mph to pass through. We did the Darlington / Kingmoor section of these workings. IIRC 9' high containers were also starting to appear at the time, which were barred. So the gauging was necessary to check that high containers didnt get on the wrong trains

Yes, although the HSTs did of course have their share of problems, I never once had to hauled in with a one. It didn't take long to loose count of the number of times with 91s!!! One time I recall, twice in a fortnight when starting off from Newcastle for KX, we didn't get as far as the full train out of the platform, and had to get assistance back in so the doors could be opened to turf every one again Also of course many other times with failures where we managed to get going again, and without the Technical Riding Inspectors the ECML would have ground to a standstill.

And this news comes just after the 20th anniversary of Great Heck on the last day of last month. I never did like getting this one. Personally, I felt the re-numbering was counter productive as it made it more obvious - No. 32 when everyone knew there was only 31 Agreed, I expect they will be stripping it for spares. Given their age there is a shortage of some major spares. I recall that, a few years ago at the time the last one to have a major transformer failure was out of service, it was said the next to suffer that would be scrap as their were no more spares

Thanks, that reminds me it's now 30 years since I trained on them, ready for their start on full ECML services

Diesel haulage for ECML diversions has been out of favour for some years now. (The 91s dislike being switched off and then back on) The preferred method in more recent times has been to use HSTs for all the through services operating via the diversion, with the 91s operating the services on the main line running as far as the route's still open either side of the blockage, with bus replacements between. With the new Azuma fleet roughly a third of the fleet's bi-mode, so still able to operate round diversions, and the same proportion as was HST / 91 previously. So, there's no real change in the feasibility of diversions over non-electrified routes. The bi-mode locos that do exist (88s) are only 940hp on diesel though. So although they'd solve the problem of getting container trains into the terminal, not much use for non-electrified routes. From what I've seen of the insides of both diesel and electric locos I very much doubt a much larger diesel could be fitted inside a bi-mode.

As far as I recall, they weren't in general use, and was probably in connection with some special run. At a guess, the date 1981 suggests introduction of the full HST timetable or accelerated service

Thats okay, took it to mean BR as none were LNER lined black. To clarify as I put above, it was all of them. All were painted BR lined black from '48, and then from '56 were repainted green, 60843 being the last one in black, until Aug '59

As you refer to both as lined then presuming you mean BR liveries, in a word, all. From 1948 all engines were painted in mixed traffic lined black, then from the '56 livery changes they were repainted lined green, the last being 60843 in Aug '59

Yes, it does, or at least it did until this month. In the Down direction there's signals about a couple of engine lengths inside the tunnel - enough for a light engine to enter the tunnel clear of the GPL, then change direction back into another platform. Also ground mounted colour lights at the exit, and on the R/H side on 'A Line' (the R/H line). In the Up direction the colour lights at the entrance apply right up to the stops. However, the station's currently half closed for the final phase of the remodeling, which includes re-opening the east bore of Gasworks. I don't know where the new signals will be positioned.

My copy of Parkin's* contains a photo of D.30 Griddle W1101in maroon in June '63. On CW bogies * 1991 Edition p.142

The Mid Calder Jn - Carstairs East Jn section of the Edinburgh - Carstrairs line is still, AFAIK, 2 aspect signaling. At least it was when I last worked that route, at the time when East Coast IC services to Glasgow Central were transfered to Cross Country, and I'm not aware of it having been changed since.

Could that be a modification post them being allocated to NR for the NMT, as they could be included in a train with conventional stock there? Transit moves perhaps. I don't see any need for that modification when in service and '123 doesn't appear to have them in the pics I posted on here earlier. Which brings me back to just what was going on there... Yes, it's a pair of buffer fitted 43s back to back being used to loco haul a Mk4 set, Newcastle - York - Edinburgh - Heaton, and with the PCs being run-round the train at both York and Edinburgh. The Mk4 set was without the 91, with just the TOE vehicle at the other end to the DVT, and was hauled dead. So, just what's going on here? Well, it was a high speed test run York to Edinburgh with the Mk4s, specially authorised to exceed linespeed in certain places, and transit moves from / to Heaton. AIUI it was the first Mk4 set to Edinburgh. The significant part regarding the use of the 43s was the date, early '91, possibly March - before the final section of the EC electrification, through the Newcastle area, was completed. Running round the train with HST power cars was a novel experience!

It's been going on a lot longer than that, the East Coast sleepers succumbed to that back in the '80s

I certainly never saw LH Mk3s on cross-country services from Newcastle, they went straight from Mk2s to HST. By the time that surplus LH Mk3s were available from the WCML cross country wouid have already been HSTs or even Voyagers

From 'LNER Coaches' (Michael Harris) E143 was a Corridor Composite. However, I recall seeing somewhere that a complete set was done in this livery for one of the named expresses, just can't find the reference to it at present. Also, as that's a design sketch you're referencing to, I'd be be cautious in assuming that's actually one of the coaches so painted. The above book has an ex-works photo of Corridor Brake Third E1942 in 'Plum & Spilt Milk', but it differs from the sketch in the number's placed centrally, not at the end of the vehicle

Even without knowing the height with whatever vehicle's loaded at the time (which he's responsible for anyway) it should be blindingly obvious that with any vehicle on the back there's no way he's going to get under a 6'6" bridge. I doubt he would have even got through there empty

How about this? Newcastle-York-Edinburgh-Heaton (including running-round at York and Edinburgh)

Regarding this clause, unfitted wagons generally didn't have lamp brackets, however the handle of BR tail lamps was designed to hang it on the coupling hook. Presumably the same method would be used here

Railway Liveries BR Steam 1948-1968 (Haresnape / Boocock) describes it as Bodysides carmine red, with cream upper panels lined gold and black The 1956 livery's stated as maroon with yellow and black lining Unfortunately the colour of the numbers / lettering doesn't seem to get a mention, I'd expect it to be to match the lining

Hi Russ, Up till, I'd say, the early 80s - not sure when it closed, ballast wagons from the Tyneside area ran to Belford quarry for loading