hmrspaul

Not "tend to" the split was as you described. The wagons never carried SMBP TOPS plates although they were manufactured - there were piles of them for sale at Collectors corner.I have SMBP 52119 - and happen to have photographed the same wagon http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/sukobitumen/e136081de Paul Bartlett

As Mark is aware there were many fleets of ex PO wagons retained in circuits. They were stencilled for their workings. These stencillings are mentioned on drawing RCH 2692 "Renumbering of ex P.O. Wagon & Railway wagons repaired by private repairers. Open type (typical) except 16ton all steel mineral wagons. " This says "For ex P.O. wagons only - Directional lettering and regional identification in yellow in 2" letters enclosed by a yellow frame (when authorised) to be placed on a black panel. It is shown immediately inboard of the left hand corner plate on the top 2 planks. As an educated guess, these Liverpool hoppers would have had similar stencillings, although there isn't any sign of that remaining on the ones I managed to photo when they were in internal use. Regards

The BR ones were GLASS MC and GLASS WC. - Specially constructed wagon brandings in the BR period included the owning region as the first letter of the code (Scottish Region was A, ER and NER were not seperated - used E)

The GLASS MC had little lettering on them, let me have your email address and I'll send the couple of photos I have of them - not my copyright but Don Rowland and Eric Gent. Paul Bartlett

This collection of photos http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/wagondetailspoetc shows a few open frames on various wagons. Having the inner longitudinals facing the opposite way to the solebar appears to be quite common on BR wagons for example http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/wagondetailspoetc/e1fc098fa As this 42ft. frame is remarkably standardised it would be interesting to know if this follows the LNER wagon frame, that these are based on. I agree that the LMS had the inner longitudinals similar to the solebar - it can be seen on the photos I recently posted of the LMS tube at the NRM. I don't agree it is illogical, it gives a plain face for attaching the mountings for vacuum cylinders, queen posts (as http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/wagondetailspoetc/e4dbcffa6) Apologies a little OT As to Conflat L, there are a number at heritage sites http://www.ws.vintagecarriagestrust.org/ws/wresults.asp None of my photos show this detail unfortunately. Paul Bartlett

I also have the Denflat E Conflat conversion which is the type in the photo (the E can be made out) http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/gwrconflat/e32c707c7 http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/gwrconflat/e272f7d48 http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/gwrconflat/e2199fbb8 Paul Bartlett

Eric Gent has a photo of the BR one - he can be contacted as Librarian of the HMRS. Have you consulted Dave Larkins lists? Not everything is on the internet. Paul Bartlett

Yes GNR, Tatlow, P. (2005) LNER Wagons, Volume 1, LNER Southern Area. Wild Swan,. ISBN 1-905184-03-4. Has a drawing of Code 4127 van with the footboards set higher than the wheel centres, but a photo of one with the footboards low as on this one. Introduced in 1913 and only 49 on the stock list in 1947, so a very nice shot. Quite interesting that all sign of NE has disappeared, although the wagon appears not to have had a repaint, although neatly rebranded, and no attempt to put a black ground behind the BR numbers. Just to add my thanks for a wonderful set of photographs, this early BR period is very interesting and difficult to capture on models, as there was so little repainting of stock. Paul Bartlett

Looking forward to playing with them this weekend, they look wonderful! I was expecting an attempt at this 'weathering' http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brcovhop/ede3c31e http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brcovhop/e1098151d it really shows off the unusual painting of these wagons, which was to give an extra undercoat - grey/red/grey or red/grey/red (as these, as they are through piped). What we now need with Waterloo St is some firm rules about which siding services which industry - I've looked at the real map and there was an awful lot going on behind the scenes. Paul

Also one here in a different collection http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/ferryassociatedoctel/e21f71c8e I didn't go there very often, but Trev Mann regularly visited. Amazing place, the wagons were parked in the open outside the security gates alongside a road. It always felt like the middle of nowhere to me!

Dave Sorry I cannot help. MA were given the full stocks of remaining CDs by Classic Rock when they ended their record deal with them. They packaged a lot in bundles and flogged them off quite cheaply (my daughters Xmas present one year!). These three were published by Cyclops records. All are deleted on their website http://www.cyclopsrecords.info/cyclist.html An interesting historical record as they had a different drummer on each and violin on the first. Much of the material has of course been reworked, improved, etc etc. and re-recorded. And now with Livvy as the lead they have an excuse to do it all again. I do wonder how many different copies of Heroes I have (and I have resisted getting one or two of the reworkings!). Paul Bartlett

It is a very difficult period, not very well recorded - yes lots of loco photos but less of other items. The transition of rolling stock is very difficult to accurately reflect, especially as all aspects of maintenance were in a dreadful mess, so getting stock back on the rails took precedence over any interest in external finish. Passenger stock often simply seems to have had a coat of varnish over the pre-Nat (possibly pre-war) finish. For wagons I've been trying for some time to capture the period of unpainted wood, with painted steel work. I've had some success, but I'm not sure about my most recent effort which is to retain LMS bauxite on an unfitted van, so it has grey steelwork, which then flakes back to rust! Paul Bartlett

At http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brclayliner and http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/prenatclayliner Paul Bartlett

There were 4 4 BGA 961000 - 3 and 4 BHA 962000 - 3 and 4 BJA 963000 - 3 They have a number of unusual features, not least restricted to 90tonne GLW so that they could be used on the continent, they have BR type running numbers but also the basic exchange code 21 70 and other brandings suitable for continental use - including tie down cleats for the ferries. Paul Bartlett [the number series follows on the BDA and BCA]

BHA could be open or closed, as mentioned very rare, I managed to photo three of them, one in both conditions. For example http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/bgabhabja/e3c78d9d1 Paul Bartlett

Just a very few more have been posted at http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/road The newest are at the end of the collection. I did manage to catch the lorry with the extending jib, but failed to record the registration number - I was running a bit late! Paul Bartlett

No way, far too young, you expect too much of me. The few I saw were black, as others far older than me have said, they were engineers wagons. I do wonder if any were gulf red or olive green? Paul Bartlett

The kit is a good representation of B34085 as photographed by Dave Larkin in May 1968, reproduced as Fig. 195 in Bartlett, P., Larkin, D., Mann, T., Silsbury, R., and Ward, A. (1985) An illustrated history of BR wagons, Volume 1 published by Oxford Publishing Company, 192 pages. ISBN 0-86093-203-6 Although in good condition it has had most of the sides replated by that date. As mentioned the bar across the brakes - which isn't in the kit Paul Bartlett Apologies, forgetting the plates are correct for these early minerals, it is the pig iron that needs them deelted. Another lovely model.

Boness has standard Palvans, after they had been in private use for a local traffic flow at Kilmarnock http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/johnniewalkerpalvan Paul Bartlett

Thanks very interesting, even if they do seem to think the Chiltern Green site was for unloading! I wonder when they decided Luton itself would be used for all loading - they even loaded French origin cars driven from the docks to go north. I just wish I had gone around Luton more often, it was an incredibly mixed yard well into the 1980s. The bocars with car bodies are interesting, I have an official of such a load but no idea where it was taken. Incidentally, I had always thought the period when "you can have any colour you like (for your car) as long as it is white or grey was a 1990s phenomena, but those train loads are pretty boring! Do we all remember when red became the standard colour for cars (and earlier c1970 I painted a Bedford van black, which was simply unheard of at the time!) Paul Bartlett

Earlier Victors were carried on Lowfits from Luton http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brlowfit/ef4d197 http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brlowfit/e1502d5c6 Although looking like typical countryside, I suspect this is in the area south of Luton and towards Harpenden. OOPs, now read the caption, well at least I was correct!. I had no idea there was enough of Chiltern Green at that time to operate as car loading area. It would have been quite handy for the Vauxhall plant which is at the southern end of Luton. Paul Bartlett

I have found a slide that I have not added to my collection before. http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brmowtmineral/e5759b5ba From April 1968 it is a MoWt one of c1948 with all the doors - the end is pressed and independent brake gear. Also Sub ex 2. Paul Bartlett

Most of these (admittedly not all) are through the fence off Cinder Lane, 100 yards from home! As I have said before, I stupidly ignored the Jarvis days - I have always thought they went belly up because of their bill for purchasing new road vehicles; they seemed endless and got new ones when a wash was needed It is your interest that has stimulated me to take a few when the weather is pleasant. Paul

Dear Andy There are a few in this collection, although from later than you are requesting. There is one from 1964 in Essery, R, J, (1981) An illustrated history of LMS Wagons, Volume 1, Oxford Publishing Co. SBN 86093 127 7. viii + 180 pages Paul Bartlett

Bringing things more up to date, I have posted a few photographs of Netto Rail vehicles in the Yard at York, taken over the past 12 months or so. They are at the end of http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/road They keep them remarkably clean! Regards Paul Bartlett