Tony Cane

Hi Just came across your project to build Hayling in O scale. I was involved in building this station, to scale, in P4 many years ago. One important reference was the book Branch lines of the Southern Railway published by Wild Swan. Do you have a copy of this, if not my copy is surplus to requirements. There are also some useful pictures in the book An Historical Survey of Selected Southern Stations. Regards Tony Cane

Hi There are a few of us that model armoured trains in various scales. A number of the resin kit manufacturers produce models in both 1/72, which is the common military vehicle scale, and in 1/87 scale, notably both Wespe models and Artmaster for the later. Attached are pictures showing some of my models. The British armoured train is 1/76 scale and produced by converting kits in the same way that the prototype was made from existing vehicles. The German train is 1/87 scale the main part from an Artmaster kit, the 4 wheel wagon is a Roco chassis with a T34 tank body from a plastic kit mounted on top. This model was actually running round the test track at the Farnham MRC open day today. Regards Tony Cane

Hi John Would these be of interest, if so what is your snail mail address? Regards Tony

Hi Mike Thanks for the "Heads up". I will see if I can source one at a reasonable price. Regards Tony

The 449 number is the batch number or date code for manufacture. My recollection of this circuit is that a CD 4001 is used to create an oscillator that is the source of the drive pulses.

Here is my attempt at a Titfield Thunderbolt. Tony

For design rules for electromagnets get the December 1977 and January 1978 issues of Model Railways. This has all the formulas in a user friendly format and lots of practical tips on winding coils.

There will certainly be records of ferry vans trapped in the UK during WWII in archives of the REC kept at Kew. The main reason for this is that while away from their home network a charge was made on the current user. This was record of fees due to various continental railways was kept until the wagons returned to their owners. In normal times this would be at most a week or two. There were 696 wagons trapped by the fall of France, Belgium and Holland, mostly French wagons, many were used in the UK during the war. A total of 547 ferry vans were loaned to the WD during the war, who converted them to various uses. For example they were used in tank transportation trains to carry stores related to the ramp wagons. The length of the wagons, up to 42 feet, made them preferable for conversion, in particular the vans from Germany and Czechoslovakia. An example of the paper trail on these wagons, that exists at Kew, is the case of a van that was destroyed by fire while on loan to the WD. Significant paper work was generated between the parties concerned as to the value of the remains, the compensation due, and who was going to pay. What is remarkable about this incident is that wagon in question was German owned. The fact that the allied bombers were trying, day and night, to destroy as many similar vehicles was of no consequence to the pen pushers, the paper work had to be in order for when peace finally broke out.

I was sent the drawings many years ago when researching these guns unfortunately I cannot remember from who. The Ammunition wagon picture is from the IWM Ref FLM 2024, that of the support train is from the Royal Marines museum Ref 2/12/5 (205). There are drawings of the converted ferry vans in the NRM collection Ref LNER 1/16190D to 7/16190D. As you can see from list of vehicles, a wide range of vehicles were used to support the railway guns. Most are ferry vans, PILK. No1 and No2 are former Pilkington glass exhibition coaches. Boche Buster’s support vehicles included LNER 6 wheel passenger brake 2127, and GWR iron mink 59408 Railways Southeast Winter 1989/90 does has a very good article on railway guns in Kent during WWII. Model railway Enthusiast had two articles on British railway guns. Cannot pinpoint the issue, but probably published in the second half of 1996.

I have found a xerox copy of the Model railway Constructor page. This has a BW picture of two wagons, one is No 195 notes say wagons 163-4 similar. Tank barrel, support mountings and end stanchions light buff, with plain black lettering and fast traffic star. Ladders, catwalk, buffer beams , filler dome, buffing and drawgear black. Solebars and all below black with white lettering "Liquefied Ammonia Traffic" in black on tank ends As per previous posts type of wagon differs from the model. There are dark/light/dark bands on the wagons in the picture but not described in the text.

Model Railway constructor August 1967 has details of an MOS ammonia tank wagon with a livery of Buff with black lettering. Steam days June 1992 has several pictures of an MOS acid tank wagon with details of WWII livery.

Hi Just came across the topic having recently bought one of the models. Previous posts have mentioned other vehicles to go with the gun. Attached are parts scans of the ammunition wagon. Originally built built by The North Eastern Railway for WWI bur reused in WWII. Two links that have interesting information on these guns that may not have been referenced before are http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/features/railway_howitzer_at_halwill/index.shtml http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/features/index6.shtml Near the bottom of this URL are links to films of the guns http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/e/elham/