Bulleidnutter

This years Autumn gala didnt have any all night running and was a specific timetable for Scotsman/ Tornado. The November event was more akin to a March gala than September gala.

The overnight running is usually 1 train that is split in half. The two trains then run, crossing at Arley in the depths of the night. (can be a useful or annoying alarm clock).

As to level of service it does change year on year.

The cameras and microphones that adorned FS over the 5 days are for a program to be shown on BBC4 around Christmas time. It is a 1hour realtime journey from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster with FS. No commentary. Just the sights and sounds and general noise from the train and footplate crew. Very similar to the canal journey and Yorkshire bus another production company did for BBC4.

My understanding is that when a steam locomotive is stationary, for some time (how long?), any remaining steam in the cylinders can cool and condense.

 

When a locomotive starts to move under power (regulator opened), any water in the cylinders, which is non-compressible, could result in hydro lock and cause serious damage to the pistons, cylinders or even connecting rods.

 

For this reason, cylinder drain cocks are provided to force out any remaining water (and steam) when the locomotive first starts moving.

 

The drain cocks being closed once a sufficient amount of steam has passed through the cylinders to heat them to a temperature where no condensed water can result.

 

My question is are the cocks manually operated, linked in some way to the operation of the regulator, linked in some way to the motion of the valve gear or simply values set to open at some pressure above the normal operating pressure.

 

If the drain cocks are not linked, are any mechanisms or indications provided to prevent the driver from forgetting to open the drain cocks.

 

Also, how does this differ for superheated and non-superheated locomotives, indeed, in non-superheated locomotives saturated steam is partly water so how do they get round the non-compressible factor.

I dont know how the American sprung loaded drain cocks work but UK practice tends to be a lever and mechanism by the driver and the drivers knowledge of when to open/ shut them.

If you ever get the chance. The BR black book is pretty much the bible on how to operate locos.

I doubt the two new platforms at Bletchley will be the old bays that were once on the down side of the fast lines.

I imagine the two new platforms will be perched above the old station at the end of the flyover with a walkway down to the mainline station or right on the junction point at the northern end of the flyover with an extended footbridge from the station.

2 coaches available for the service. the 45xx isnt Auto fitted. Not the most uncommon sight.

Dave, Love the photos of the SVR. If you have plenty of them. I know Mick York and a few other guys who started the SVR are looking at getting photos/ artefacts together from the last 50 years.

Without jumping the gun or trying to take this thread OT. If Bachmann are showing samples the GNR C1. Surely the LBSCR H2 can't be far behind?

It does look rather lovely though. Shame I am waiting for its Southern cousin.

Dave,

I have very fond memories of that footbridge and the walk along the fence line watching the sticklebacks in the stream as a nipper.

You have the bridge over St Mary cray but also the short walk down the path to the bridge over Petts wood. Sadly both of these bridges are now encased in mesh and photos are virtually impossible.

The last time I was around the footbridges was when the Eurostars had changed from coming up onto the South Eastern to continuing through St mary cray.

I would love to see more HST sets moved back to XC. Sorely missed on the longer distance trains.

Chiltern have shown how good the mark 3s still are. All they need are lift up arm rests to ease access...

This article just proves the big railway is a trainset....

Would go with TerrySVR. Banbury surely must be a close runner

Bear in mind. Town yard was the loco yard until '61.

No need for it to be an Inter regional train. There was a regular Southern service via the darkside from Exeter to Plymouth for route knowledge. Im 51% confident There is a photo of a mogul on 3 or 4 collets around Dawlish area.

The dome is starting to appear. Looks like a pair of safety valves which rules out a T3.

Correct me if I'm wrong but is that not a LSWR T3.

Urgh! Whats that horrible foreign coach doing on a Southern branch line!

Fantastic to see such progress. Nothing quite like the feeling of completing a project.

Popped into the shop before lunch at Kiddy railway museum. 1000 times better than the old shop. Still plenty of work to do. Store room isn't finished. Few things still in boxes from the move but it is going to be a cracking shop.

On the face of it. If I were a Eastern modeller. I would go for the RR version and use after market dealers for the better detail parts. And im sure most of us will agree doing it that way will still come under the £150 price tag for the fully fledged version.

Having been a long term customer of Derek and family. This move is certainly needed. The old shop was cramped and over filled. Everybody had a running joke that Derek just kept acquiring more and more without actually sorting any of it out. Now they have moved across the road there is more room. I second the visit to the Weavers. Now of Countryfile fame. Cracking pint and not too far down the hill to walk back to the SVR.

Jim you sound like a Satley driver. Sign anywhere and everywhere.

nah built in speed bumps......

And as modelers we strive for perfectly level smooth track work.....

I have 5 of these. All have had extra weight added in the underframe and wheels swapped out. Axleboxes have also had a drill out to improve side to side movement. 

http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/locos/atlantic/latest.html

Suggest people look at the above link. 5/16" is the gap of a LBSCR H2. Would be very surprised if the GNR C1 is any different.

Having received one of these for a birthday present over the weekend. First impressions were very good until I changed the direction on the controller. Its sounds almost as bad as the old pancake motors of Lima vintage. And horrible jerking with the trailer leading. I run DC. Hard wired the decoder and the jerking. Cured it. 

Upon inspection to see if the noisy gears could be rectified. The gears on the wheels are right handed teeth where as the reduction gear is left handed. By which the gears are always trying to straighten them selves out. 

I have noticed when a friend dismantled his 5BEL over the weekend that it has parallel teeth and it runs very smooth and incredibly quiet. Would sourcing a pair of 5BEL axles help? 

As a great news reader once said. B E A UUUUUUUTEEFUL! Lovely work. The eye just begs to follow the curvature.