hmrspaul

We don't seem to have mentioned that a photograph of the model has been released by Hornby, and it is the later 'non window' design, which lasted in some numbers - there are 172 listed in Mallaband, P. & Bowles, L. J. (1977) The coaching stock of British Railways 1976. Pub RCTS, 140pages, ISBN 0 901115 39 4. There are non in the 1981 book. Many of these were built by BR in the mid 1950s. Paul Bartlett OOPS all waking up and posting similar comments!

Although I've never seen an instruction about withdrawl of 12ton vans, BR does seem to have called in all of the non standard vans about 1972. Such action is unusual, as they usually relied on monetary limits (on repair expenditure) to control the fleet numbers. Rebodied mineral wagons would have been common in 1974. Paul Bartlett

I am retired, so have less time! I also sleep badly about volume 2. Almost all of us "wagon measurers" are in frequent communication, but there is a belief that by continuing in the form of volume 1 it would be too niave for modern modellers, as they want more detail, as well as much more on why, where and when. I had the most unpleasant row with someone whom expected me to know whether one particular wagons was still in the same livery as on my site - not five or ten years on but just the following year. David Monk-Steels HMRS published book on MGRs is the way forward that is favoured. Yes, with the unpleasant misunderstandings I seem to have about the Zenfolio site I may just pull the plug on that and do more for volumes 2, 3..... I did make a major restart when I first retired, but the Zenfolio site (and some family problems related to elderly parents) have made me lazy. Paul Bartlett PS you should see the state of my working copy, broken backed and written all over. Fortunately I do have two pristine copies, one bought a few years ago when I generously paid £10 for one that appeared never to have been opened (they did ask £5 for it but it was a charity!).

I agree, we don't know what they are doing at the moment. Will just have to wait. As mentioned, no problems having them in blue. Paul Bartlett

Umm, I was more annoyed with the poor reproduction of several of the drawings, which had line break up. I knew how much effort and care went into producing them. I have never really understood why there was so much criticism of the one photograph being upside down. Paul Bartlett

Yes, John went to Stockport or nearby (IIRC) and set up the Transport Publishing Co. He was always interested in buses. His skills in Mopok was on the photo printing side that was needed for the pre-coloured sides they used (using a technique I believe was initiated by PC Models). I am struggling, but I think John was working for Polaroid when Mopok started. Chris Leigh arranged for some of John's photos of NPCCS to be published in Model Rail a few years ago. Paul Bartlett

Yes Tony was a drummer in a local band. He was an electrician by profession, working at one of the large hospitals near West Drayton. He liked the night shift, as there was only one planned job in the week, on a Thursday to replace every light bulb in the theatres. The rest of the time he was left alone to model and develop Mopok. One of the founders of the (Egham &) Staines Model Railway Society (with Chris Leigh, Keith Jaggers, me and later John Senior). Unfortunately the George Allen set up went bust - they had just begun to wholesale and deliver models from a very fancily painted van when the recession of the early 1970s hit (3 day week, miners strike etc. etc.). So, no etched underframe for the loco (and ABS being left with rather a lot of whitemetal castings for forthcoming coaches etc, - I learnt quite recently Adrian has a long and unforgiving memory!) One thing I do remember Tony mentioning was how poor sales were in the North East. I mention this because,now I live in the NE, railway modelling is very strong up here with the various scale societies tending to have their "northern" shows in the area as well as a good range of national shows. Yes it was a shame that the Eurostar blighted Kings X, and it took a considerable fortune of our tax money before Eurostar finally realised that the KX area was the correct place to have their terminal - added a million passengers the first year St. P was used! Paul Bartlett

Sorry, if already answered, but I cannot see that it has. The shop was Hamblings. Paul Bartlett

... and mine. He gave me his colour slide collection a few years ago, 20 carousels worth! Before Kemilway he formed Mopok with John Senior. He now lives in Cumbria and is rather more interested in ships! Lovely man, he probably had more influence on me than any other modeller. With his brother we had a splendid day out wandering around the London end of the Midland Mainline looking for inspiration for a model Tony was making http://PaulBartlett....ilway/e1d09eab0. The photos in this collection taken on 31 May 1967 were that day http://paulbartlett..../midlandrailway We never did get the contract for demolishing this bridge at Radlett, which was the reason we gave for wandering up the sidings that day http://bit.ly/VMlriO He did make a nice model of the Radlett goods shed. Like others, I kept in touch by visiting him when work had taken me to our London offices, before going back to Harpenden (which is one station we didn't visit that day and I had no idea I would be living there by 1974!) Very happy memories. Paul Bartlett

I have found another couple of official photos which feature rail motor vehicles. A Scammel set http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/lmscontainer/e4e4be514 and a flat bed lorry http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/lmscontainer/e4e4bf2a2 Regards Paul

Some nice tank wagons in this, it looks like there are a pair of the Midland Railway tanks which were popular for local dispensing of fluids - such as http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/lmstank/ec5d848b There are several photos of them in Essery, R, J, (1980) An illustrated history of Midland Wagons, Volume 2, Oxford Publishing Co. SBN 86093 041 6. 169 pages Paul Bartlett

I hope you enjoy it. An interesting venue for MA, rather nice, but the punters can be a bit OT. As usual the place to hear opinion is in the Loo. When we went there was a very loud local whom had seen them once - at the Cambridge Festival - so knew everything there was to know about them and wanted to make sure we all knew what he knew. I have to wait until Thursday to see them at the York Opera House, third row back (front two rows are neck killing in there) Paul Bartlett http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/mostlyautumn

The best I can do http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brmainlineloco/e4db7dade Warship D811 in 1966 - looks a bit pink to me - possibly because on Afga CT slide film? Sorry, my only early Western photos are in black & white. Paul Bartlett

These vans were far from standardised, as mentioned buffers differ, but so do length of steps, whether unfit, piped or Vacuum brake etc. Choose one that suits you, masses of photos here http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brbrakevan500 http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brbrakevan504 http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brbrakevan506 http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brbrakediag507 A useful article at Banks, Steve (2002). Bringing up the rear. Model Rail February 2002. pp 18 – 24 Drawings at Silsbury, Roger & Mann, Trevor., (1983) The 20 ton standard goods brake van. Model Railway Constructor vol. 50 (part 589) pp 279 - 283. Drawings - Brake van diag. 1/504; Brake van air pipe diag. 1/507. They are very nice kits. Paul Bartlett

This is 230142 in Executive grey http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/vea/e10515e07 Paul Bartlett

What we don't know is how these were prepared and what undercoating was used. For example, was it the same as the coaches of the time or different - it is quite possible that being a much more expensive piece of kit that they took more time in preparing for the finish. This has been the problem with maroon ever since the Midland Railway used it, with their numerous (14 has been suggested) coats and rubbing down. David Jenkinson would tell anyone that would listen that the colour had not changed from MR times through to the 1960s, only the preparation. The other 'problem' is that the WR was using a harsh cleaner in their coach cleaning automatic plant - by the early 1960s when I was 'spotting' Hawksworths were down to bare metal along the centre line. I suspect that the same would happen to their locos, so fading as you suggest. Lovely colour though for a loco which was so slab sided. Unlike the hiddeous desert sand which I thought looked like vomit. The Warships in maroon always looked very "rich" in their finish as well. Paul Bartlett

And the southern end of the MR mainline. Sitting in the pub on Friday lunchtimes I saw this train regularly as it crossed the skew bridge in Harpenden, but never photographed it - possibly because by then they were blue!. Paul Bartlett

Photos of all four HEA are in this collection, http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brhba NOTE I have had no connection with Dapol, so am only guessing from their description that they MAY be partially based on my photographs. I am not aware Dapol have ever purchased from my site. Paul Bartlett

Why? These are VEA not vacuum braked vanwides. So only the later freight brown is suitable http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/vea The photograph (that I assume Andy chose) is NOT a VEA, it is an unrebuilt VB one in conservation, without lettering. Paul Bartlett

Because they are different wagons.... The Peco is an early mineral with independent brakes, RCH plates etc whereas the Parkside are the standard 108 and has most of the solebar details that would be seen on such a wagon with welded frame. As mentioned the Peco has finer body detail. You need both, and the Lionheart rivetted version. Paul Bartlett

There are some interesting photographs of mineral wagons in this series http://www.drehschei....php?17,5721518 [and of industrial locos and scenes more generally] The 9th down is really nice, 5 minerals alternating between recent rebodies and non rebodies - and a navy blue locomotive with red detailing! Note - quite a number are internal user, and, on the Industrial railway society site there is discussion that the locations given are incorrect. Paul Bartlett

There are several more of the GEC locos in my collection, such as http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/littletoncollieryplace/e11b0f1dc Paul Bartlett

See http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/german2doorvan Paul Bartlett

That tank wagon is very unusual, as it is unfitted but has roller bearings. Not an unknown, but very rare. Can you confirm it says Caustic Liquor? Thanks Paul Bartlett

Having carefully painted mine in Crimson one of the Ebor club members mentioned seeing one in c1958 still in teak - well he did say largely in weathered wood.. which would have been ideal for my period. Paul Bartlett