Sitham Yard

Not yet completed one but I have kits for 7mm and 4mm which look as they will be a good basis for a building. For a club 4mm layout I have a low relief warehouse gable end warehouse which will probably be deepened. Note that you will have to provide your own surface layer of brickwork or whatever. Not sure what is happening with these kits. They are only now available on Ebay with low amounts available. Is this because they are made in small batches? Andrew

From looking at photos I have always reckoned on the VANFIT markings dating from the 1960's. The above diagrams were originally published in, I think, 1949 and were stated to be provisional. Note no mention of black patches as dark grey was envisaged at the time for unfitted vehicles similar to that used by LNER and GWR. Andrew

I think the answer is yes. If a full wagon was sent from a somerset colliery to say Wiltshire for unloading, when empty it would finish up in a marshalling yard say Salisbury along with other empty wagons that might have been loaded in the Midlands or further north. If Salisbury is told to send say 20 empties to Bristol (for Somerset), 40 empties to Oxford (for sending to the Midlands) they are not going to worry which wagons are sent where. That original wagon could be sent to the Midlands for loading and then to Norfolk. Andrew

The reason for pooling was to make more efficient use of the wagons. For example, if a wagon was owned by a colliery, then it had to be returned empty to that colliery which might involve remarshalling a number of times. An empty pooled wagon could be sent to wherever it was needed which could nowhere near its previous loading point. Andrew

Also worth noting that there are photos of repairs left in unpainted wood. These could be just individual planks or a whole end or more. Steel wagons certainly seem to have better maintained paintwork than wooden wagons. Also wagons with wooden underframes were not normally repainted until about 1958 when there was a short period of painting or patch repainting. The best way is to look at photographs, ideally dated. Probably need books for these such as those by David Larkin. Also John Turner 53A Models on Flickr. Andrew

Beware the Airfix model is an early version of the crane with a rotating threaded rod used to raise and lower the jib. Later wartime cranes used wire ropes similar to the Hornby model and as far as I know this applied to all later cranes. Nonneminstre Models made a 4mm kit for a rail mounted Coles crane and this appears to be still available. See their website. Andrew

Its interesting in that the prototype only has a very short length of hose in the form of a nozzle. The jib is lowered into the filler hole and is held in position by the water pressure. Very sophisticated for a water crane. Andrew

Going back to wooden bodied private owner wagons some had the "London Plank" where the height of the top plank was lowered, just on the section above the side door, to the agreed maximum height. Other wagons had cupboard doors, either just in the top plank or in all the planks above the side doors. Source book "The Acquired Wagons of British Railways Volume 3" by David Larkin. Andrew

This is an announcement for the Ally Pally show which starts today. See news item on Bachmann website. Andrew

Have you tried mechanical-horse-club.org.uk? Andrew

See their website - Phoenix Precision Paints - Service Update 12.3.2024 Andrew

I think I am correct in my recollection that BR's legal obligations as a "Common Carrier" did not apply to cattle traffic. They could therefore carry out this rationalisation and were free to refuse any cattle traffic offered if they wished. Andrew

Also listed by H & A Models Andrew (just a customer)

The following I think is correct. Watford - the sidings either side of the platform roads will each take a S8 set plus another set in the loop next to the southbound departure road. The current view on Google Maps - layers shows a train in the platform which gives an idea of scale. Rickmansworth - the North Sidings and the South Sidings each will take a S8 set. The siding nearest the station will take 2 S8 sets. Northwood - the reversing siding will take a S8 set. The other siding and the kickback were I think put in when the A stock was being disposed of by road. A stock was in 4 car units and my recollection is that one of these fitted into the far end or the siding and then individual cars were taken along the kickback siding and loaded on to road transport. Edit - having second thoughts after looking at Google maps again possibly only a single car fitted between the point for the kickback siding and the buffer stop. Harrow-on-the-Hill - the reversing siding will take a S8 set. Hope this helps. Andrew

Do you mean fly shunting or loose shunting. Fly shunting is where the loco is pulling the wagons and is difficult on the real railway, let alone on a model, and covered by specific instructions. Loose shunting is where the loco is propelling the wagons and is what I believe you mean. Andrew