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Phil R

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Posts posted by Phil R

    Mark 2B/C/D Doors

    in UK Prototype Questions

    Posted

    Hi Simon

     

    My thoughts were along the same lines as they appeared on the MK2 stock with the wraparound doors. 
     

    I have the Harris Mk2 book but can’t see any reference to them, nor do the diagram drawings show them.

     

    On page 70 there is a photograph of brand new MK2d FK at Derby carriage works without any present.

     

    Regards

     

    Phil

    Mark 2B/C/D Doors

    in UK Prototype Questions

    Posted

    Good morning

     

    On the Mk2B, 2C & 2D coaching stock there is an external horizontal “moulding” around the corner of the doors, approximately half way between the bottom of the drop light and the bottom of the door.

    It does not appear on the Mk2E/F stock.

     

    Can someone explain its purpose?

     

    Many thanks

     

    Phil

    EFE Rail Newton Chambers car carriers

    in EFE Rail

    Posted

    Further to the earlier discussions re these vehicles working with Mk3 sleepers, there is a photograph in Today’s Railways Review of the Year Vol 1 (1987) .

     

    It is dated 24/03/1987 and shows 47661 hauling the 2335 Kings Cross -Edinburgh “Night Scotsman”.

     

    The formation, as far as I can make out, is :-

     

    2 TCV (blue/grey)

    GUV (plain blue  ? NX Motorail variant)

    10 Mk3 sleepers (SLE/SLEP) 

    (9 blue/grey, 1 Intercity)

    BG (blue/grey)

     

    Hope this is of use to someone.

     

    Phil

    • Like 4
    • Informative/Useful 7

    Positioning of platform furniture and signals

    in UK Prototype Questions

    Posted

    Thanks for all of your interesting and helpful replies.

     

    Re the signal siting/sighting, I have a wide island platform with trains travelling in the same direction from both faces. My idea was to have a centrally placed double headed signal.

    Having measured it earlier, the signal would be a scale 17 feet from the platform edge which I think is stretching it a bit.

     

    A quick look online shows the lamp spacing in my era looks to be roughly every 40 - 60 feet. Google Earth has some modern stations at around 50 foot spacing.

    I always thought the 'T' shaped lamps had the head parallel to the tracks but a lot are actually at 90 degrees. 

     

    Further exploration led to ukastle.co.uk - the UK Association of Street Lighting Enthusiasts, who have a 43 page discussion on railway station lighting on their forum so I'll have a good look at that as time permits.

     

    Kind regards

     

    Phil

     

     

    Positioning of platform furniture and signals

    in UK Prototype Questions

    Posted · Edited by Phil R
    Clarification

    Good Afternoon

     

    Please could someone advise me as to the maximum distance allowed between the platform edge and a colour light signal.

     

    Secondly, are there any guidelines for the distance between platform lampposts 

    (the ‘T’ shaped ones, often with the station name on) and placing of the freestanding station name boards? 

    (As supplied in Peco 5095 pack)


     

    I’m modelling the late 1980s period. 

     

    Thanks in advance

     

    Phil

     

    Identifying old cars from their registration numbers

    in UK Prototype Questions

    Posted

    On 27/08/2022 at 11:21, John M Upton said:

    ...and anything 'DL' was the Isle of Wight for some unfathomable reason.

     

    Bus company's, the big ones at least used to send a clerk to the local DVLA Office (or whatever it was called then) to book a block of registrations for a new batch of buses sometimes before they were even ordered.

     

    In many cases this was to ensure that they got registrations numbers that matched the intended fleetnumbers.

     

    With the closure of many local offices, the new current letters based system of registrations and the general mixing up which has rendered regional identifiers effectively pointless now, this practice has largely ceased.

    Interesting. I imagine the same happened with the county council in Derbyshire, where the fire service had over a dozen appliances with 999 in their registrations in the 80s. My limited understanding is that single, double and identical treble number combinations were kept back in later years. 

    Elsewhere, DDC 1, originally a Middlesbrough plate has been carried by at least 4 fire appliances since the 1950s, and currently adorns their command unit, whilst West Yorkshire's carries the prestige WY1.

    • Like 1

    Mk2 air con central door locks

    in UK Prototype Questions

    Posted · Edited by Phil R
    Clarity

    To the best of my knowledge the CDL fitting came in around 1994 which would be the Swallow livery with INTERCITY branding.

    Don’t know about WR fleet but by this time many of the Intercity Cross Country (NE-SW) shorter distance services were in the hands of 47/8 and a fixed formation of BSO, 5 TSO, RFO.

     

    Regards

     

    Phil

    • Thanks 1

    Loco-hauled passenger workings into Bradford Interchange late 1980s

    in UK Prototype Questions

    Posted

    Hello

     

    The last loco hauled Cross country services I can find are from the Summer 1987 timetable

     

    1O04 0753 SO Bradford Interchange - Poole - booked class 47 haulage 

    1V27 2233 FO Bradford Interchange - Paignton - booked class 45 hauled to Bristol Temple Meads

     

    In Summer 1988 there were only HST services as far as I know - weekdays had

     

    0720 service to London Kings Cross (The Bradford Executive) and 1750 return (The Yorkshire Pullman)

     

    There was also a 1M15 0754 to London St Pancras and 1E13 the 1855 return 

     

    Saturdays only - 1V38 0627 Bradford Interchange -Paignton  and 1E43 the 1414 return 

     

    Summer 1989 has the Kings Cross services running to/from Forster Square and the St Pancras services appear to have stopped

     

    The link below is an excellent resource, not for timetables, but for haulage details, you can search by loco, date or headcode

     

    https://www.railgenarchive.co.uk/sc/diarymenu.php

     

     

    Hope this makes sense and is of some interest

     

    Regards

     

    Phil

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    • Informative/Useful 1

    Scrap metal ferrous iron

    in UK Prototype Questions

    Posted · Edited by Phil R
    Spelling

    Mid-late '80s had POA (later SSA) wagons on some flows. These were high-sided box wagons painted in a deep turquoise with yellow ends. I believe the official colour was Barclays Blue. Upto 1990 (I think) they carried 'SR'  branding in white as they were leased from Standard Rail. 

    Due to the loads they carried they developed very dirty, rusty coloured bodies. 

     

    Some HEA coal wagons were recoded HSA for scrap work, the hopper doors being welded shut. 

     

    Bachmann have produced models of both these types of wagons over the years. 

    Loads are easy to make from your own 'scrap box' using offcuts from plastic kits, bits of wire, metal etc

     

    "Unclassifying" a coach.

    in UK Prototype Questions

    Posted

    19 hours ago, w124bob said:

    I've got the book in front of me know, Scotrail mk2c compo's 4 converted in 1985. 4 second class compartments created by removeal of carpets and headrests numbers given are 7550-7561 blue grey with Intercity Scotrail livery , yes thats more than 4 numbers but Colin Marsden impiles future conversions to follow. A number of other mk2c's coverted to full 2nd class status, 19xxx series.

     

    Thanks for that, glad I'd not imagined/half-remembered  it.  I imagine in a composite coach the differences might need to be a bit more obvious to allow passengers to identify the correct class.

     

    Regards

     

    Phil

    South Devon Main Line (1987 to 1992)

    in UK Prototype Questions

    Posted · Edited by Phil R
    Spelling

    As previous posters have said, there was a great variety of traction.

    Class 45s, 47s, 50s. Pairs of class 31s on services from the NW, very often hauling WCML sets - Mk 2 aircons with a Mk3a catering car and in later years a DVT.

    Network SouthEast Mk1s/2s on services from London as well as loco hauled Intercity stock.

    Tatty mixed rakes of Mk1s put together for Friday or Saturday Only services.

     

    Regarding freight services, off the top of my head, china clay was prevalent, the most well known service probably being the "Silver Bullets" from Burngullow to Irvine double-headed by Class 37s.

    Also Polybulks, Tiger Rail PBAs. Speedlink services to Exeter and Tavistock Jcn, oil to Heathfield.

    Bound to be more than this. Also Parcels and TPO workings

     

    I've been reading "Devon Railways: The Area Manager's Diary" by John Heaton which covers the author's career around the Exeter area in the mid-late 80s. Whilst describing his role as a manager the South West, operational problems, local politics etc there are quite extensive references to locomotives throughout the text. There are 2 books, also on Kindle and I would recommend them as an engaging, honest and often humorous read.

    My late father worked for BR for 37 years and we holidayed in Devon when I was a child so the books hold a special interest for me.

     

    some great shots here, illustrating the variety to be had over the years

     

    http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/teignmouth-to-exminster.html

     

    Hope this helps

     

    Regards

     

    Phil

    • Informative/Useful 1
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