Bulleidnutter

9653 / 4 didnt have the queen posts and supports changed when they were de articulated. Having been looking at the 12" : 1' version all this morning. When they were made into individual coaches the chassis was cut and lengthed with 2 large rivited plates added across the join.

Every chance the stock is still in Chocolate and cream with possibly BR numbers but cant be certain. It does look like corridor stock but as to diagram and who built them. Gwr coaches are a bit alien to me other than the ones I maintain at kidderminster. The third coach looks like a later Collett in the same design as ours at Kidder. The 1st coach looks like an early Collett bow end all 3rd. The bush blocks the 2nd coach but it looks like a CK of some sort as you can make out a large panel between the bushes. You cant make out the 4th but it has element of being a Hawksworth brake.

There is a photo of a bubble car at Linley on the disused stations website. I would discount Mark 1s as these would be on the mainline services. 2 notable events happened, which were retold to me by my grandfather was the appearance of a Castle and a 9F on troop trains to Bridgnorth. Questions were asked in the office the next morning as to how. The railway north of Bridgnorth had less structures so could accommodate larger locos. The troop trains could be absolutely any stock, much like football and seaside specials. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bridgnorth-Railway-Station-Photo-Eardington-Linley-Highley-to-Coalport-3-/252359871158 Shows an AEC railcar passing another set in P1. The rear coach is a Hawksworth brake judging from the lack of toilet tank at the northen end. The coach closest is a composite of some description. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Eardington-Railway-Station-Photo-Bridgnorth-Hampton-Loade-Highley-Line-4/262710637125?hash=item3d2ac63245:g:Xn0AAOSwMVdYIejr 57xx at Eardington shows a 3 car set with a Syphon on the back. It looks like a Hawksworth BCK, a Collet CK Dia E 162 similar to our own 7284 and another Hawksworth but I can't quite make out whether it is a brake or not. Others appear. If you can find out what coaches were around Shrewsbury/ Worcester and Stourbridge. That would give a half decent start for branch line trains.

I also forgot Ivatt 2-6-2 tanks as well.

But you've got to build by-passes Mr Dent.

Gresleys were re-panelled with steel and some lost their beading. Not all Gresleys were beaded and teak.

Granted my experience is only on preserved railways but the big tombstones are always useful to stick in the back corners. It depended on where the coal from. Soft coal would disintegrate if put through something like the LMS/ LNER large coaling towers. Hence why the GWR which used predominantly Welsh coal was still sing hand loading techniques as to not break the coal into dust. A scale 15" is about right to fit on the blade of a shovel. The width would be no more than 12" simply to pick the thing up on the shovel. As LMS2968 alludes to, thats what coal picks are for. I know of a tale on the SVR when we were using Lady Windsor coal which was in 1 tonne lumps. It was a choice of one lump or two.

I would flip your statement actually. A lot of preserved railways in the so called Premier league, IE the top 10 that people always seem to refer to. Have an awful lot of pride and take a lot of care over the C & W. Railways that don't look after their rolling stock are the ones putting people off visiting other heritage railways. The other aspect of maintaining a good standard of maintenance and upkeep on rolling stock is always helpful when the ORR come knocking. Back OT though. Having checked through some regs from work. If a body can be produced to an already accepted design then it may well be acceptable. On the SVR we have modified 2 Mark 1s with double doors for Wheelchair access. We have had to produce drawings and photograph any modifications. As long as you're not fundamentally changing the structure of the coach. It is acceptable. Maunsells were on 59' chassis's as where the first lot of Bulleid all compartment coaches as they used under frames built before the war. The Bournemouth line stock were on 62' 6" under frames, a length perpetuated with the Mark 1s. There also has to be the will to do it. Not just the money. It is the crash worthy side of things that will be one, if not the biggest stumbling block. Preserved railways are governed by the same standards as the big railway but with exceptions through grandfather rights. Also modern standards may also include, as it would be new works, retention tanks for the toilets & central door locking.

Your last sentence hits the nail on the head. A new coach would more than likely have to conform to modern standards.

Not strictly true. They have said this summer. Replies to comments by the railway itself make no mention of post summer cancellation.

If the growing pressure on Boris to reduce the distancing from 2m to 1m as per other countries and WHO. Being able to have people 1m apart will enable more use of TSOs. At the SVR we are looking at compartment only trains. From my own observation, the 2m rule is only used in ques for say B&Q and other retailers but in general circulation, hardly anybody is adhering to it. Some railways have laid their cards out on the table with no services until March 2021. Others, like the SVR maintained a watching brief with a view to having some sort of service this year.

Getting back on topic swiftly. You could have 2 Prairies in Swindon paint shop being painted at the same time with the discs placed in 4 different positions. No doubt there was a painting spec for the locos but the signwriters will have put then where it was easiest to apply. The other thing to throw into the mix is if the loco had any medium repair and needed a quick touch up. The disc may have disappeared and a replaced in a different place.

I would imagine they would look quite similar to the footex's as well. Any odd collection of coaches cobbled together for the work.

Look like Gresleys coverted for OHLE work.

In reality, and this is only from use on preserved railways. They can be more of a nuisance than a help. They tend to channel the rain when going tender first and retain heat so the cab gets very hot.

There wasnt the later style of frame but there was a square edged moulding which was apparent around the windows. The shame is Easybuilds roof to body join isnt that great. If someone could come up with a U section that matches a Mark 1, it would improve them massively.

My issue with the mark 1s from what I saw at Warley was the square cornered of the later aluminium window frames. Darstaed have managed to get it close to right. The other little detail is the lack of capping strip that seems to be missing on any Mark 1 offering. Its an easy fix with either some brass or plasticard but for the price something quite prominent as the capping strip either side of the doors should be there from the outset. The interiors of the Darstaed ones do seem more refined with little things like brass luggage racks.

I was too busy shunting them for most of the day. I will endeavour but with the run upto our gala its going to be difficult.

I can have a look tomorrow at work at the 2 we have.

The distant signal is the signal in front of the tunnel mouth with the sighting paint behind it. The arm is on the wrong side.

Slightly off topic but your distant peg is backwards..... It is rather impressive seeing a full 10 car unit. Somehow a 5 car doesnt look right.

Referring to Steamports post. The upholstery in the SVR opens does vary. 27220 has a GWR moquette, 27270 has a BR chevron pattern and 27218 I think but I am happy to be corrected is a BR moquette but close to an LMS pattern. Coaches such as 12992, 2300, 24617 and 26880 have reproduced LMS moquettes. 149 has reupholstered DMU seats in a leatherette that is as close to original as possible.

Bristol Bath road was electrically operated and will still be electrically operated once installed at Bridgnorth in the next 12-18 months (usual ready when its ready proviso)

I'm trying not to be ultra picky but the underframes for the RMB are wrong. They are broadly similar to a TSO but with only one pair of gas boxes underneath the buffet with a battery box next to them and on the other side it should have one battery box and the refrigeration generator just the one side of the central vestibule door.

Cant they just bite the bullet and put them in the proper livery for a Southern EMU. Green or nothing else. I still find it hard to think of the GWR having green EMUs. There is hope that someone somewhere in SWT is thinking about all the press the heritage liveries have received recently and might want to reprise the NSE livery.