hmrspaul

No problem, all in use with the engineers, none condemned. Paul Bartlett

The only Blue & Grey GUV on my site is http://PaulBartlett....rnpccs/eeb3bccb and this also has B5 bogies, which I am assuming Heljan are not likely to fit. Although Heljan have been in contact with me about previous releases (Catfish) and something I am still expecting them to do, I haven't had any contact about the GUVs. Maybe some of this should be in a dedicated posting and not in Brian's excellent series. Paul Bartlett

Well, compared to the average passenger I think they had quite a lot of luxury - a seat and a loo, the former was (remains) rarely available to commuters and there were plenty of long distance trains - especially excursion specials and those commuter trains - where a loo was a very special facility! But, thanks very much for the suggestion they were quite dark. That would fit well with the ideas of suitable internal decoration which lasted well into BR days - the Mark 1 coaches may had different woods for each compartment, with a description of the origin of the wood, but they were mostly very dark. Regards Paul Bartlett

Jamie, I hope that is a mistake! You are booked for the Ebor Group exhibition on 23 - 24 February 2013 and I'm down to assist you with operation - which I am looking forward to. Paul Bartlett

No, the painting is done at home but I take a reasonable kit with me. They don't get totally finished but I achieved 95-99% also on Parkside rivetted LNER 21 ton hopper & GWR Mogo and a Slaters LMS Cattle wagon. Being totally away from any computer, no wagons to photograph and no rock bands to get drunk to almost all of my modelling has been achieved on holidays for the past 20 years. As to divorce, you are talking of a woman who spent weeks of her life hanging around in freight yards (and after the kids came along alongside the yards), holding tape measures etc. My life partner was very carefully selected at 17! [and she subsidised the film, petrol, motor caravans etc. etc.] http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brmowtmineral/e131de16e But, back on topic, what is the difference between reading a book and modelling between snorkelling swims?. It is on the equator and neither of us sit out for long periods in the direct sun. What I did improve on this year was the packaging of the finished kits - I took out a selection of the excellent plastic boxes that Persil clothes washing tabs come in - they are amazingly good, the smallest is perfect for 17ft. 6in oh 7mm wagons and the larger are suitable for longer wagons. Paul Bartlett

Jonathan Thanks, it is what I had guessed at - a dark red like BR used for its early years. I'm confused, a timber wall would be quite dark, so cream? Although I had thought a lightly painted wall - or even that Roxene stuff the LNER used - might have been used as I would imagine keeping these even reasonably clean would be quite difficult. Regards Paul Bartlett

Dear all Just made a 7mm one whilst sitting on a beach in the Maldives! Went together very well, although it took me a while to realise that the glazing was 'stickable' with conventional polystyrene glue! Didn't follow the instructions too precisely and had pre coloured all the outside parts. A question - does anyone know how the grooms compartment was finished? I'm after what colour the walls would be, and the seat. I don't know enough about 3rd class LNER stock, and would assume these would be similar. Thanks Paul Bartlet

Grey and yellow in August 1991 http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brclass37/e8c3dcde Paul Bartlett

This is the first comment I've had on this. Yes some income does help the site, digital downloading can supply very good detail for 50p. I accept the criticism, but it was a difficult decision forced on me by TMC. You can see most of the detail on the full size Slideshow setting. Sometime I will get around to altering this to a smaller more acceptable water mark, but any change has to regenerate every one of the 25K or so photos on the site. Paul Bartlett

Nice, and interesting to see a "SNCF Mineral" in traffic - it appears to have the usual branding that it is not to be used for PW material. Paul Bartlett

As mentioned earlier in the postings, 1983. Paul Bartlett

Plenty of photos here, http://paulbartlett.....com/srbrakevan showing how widespread and long lived they were - although, apologies, most are later than your period. This is the prototype of the engineers version, which no one has mentioned being in the shops http://PaulBartlett....kevan/e20a539dc All five were in the display cabinet that Bachmann arranged for me at the Midland Railex Butterley do in August. Paul Bartlett PS the Mainline blue one at Peterborough was condemned a couple or more years ago and I believe broken up in Sheffield.

Dear Ben Some very nice shots. The LNER covhop alumina is nice, first time I've seen a colour picture of one ( I still regret not having the nerve to go into Inverness yard when I could see one in 1977) May I suggest that one reason for not taking more photos was that it was an expensive hobby! I have similar regrets, not least having lived across the park from Edge Hill wagon shops and only ever having a look over the fence once, on a lovely sunny March and not taking any photos (of the GWR fruit, BR coils converted from single bolster, covhops.... Paul Bartlett PS for others, 24 1/2ton minerals - as well as rivetted side door, I have a photo which has pressed side door.

Neil I hope it is so well used it is worthless . My working copy is almost in pieces. But I am the only one of the authors to have a copy signed by all the others - no one else has bothered. Paul Bartlett PS, just printed my boarding tickets, so I'll soon be closing down for some time......

Thanks for the information, I must admit I couldn't see any. I now have http://www.amazon.co...&condition=used Very unusual to see any come up for sale. They should be easy to get, as they were remaindered via the WHS Book Club and, I suspect, they went to purchasers with minimal interest. I did get a copy a few years ago that appeared to have never been opened, I was generous, it was for £5 but as it was a charity I gave them £10 . Paul Bartlett

7 copies of what ?? Can we have a link? Paul Bartlett

But beware, there are a quite a lot of of typos in the tables, and also straightforward mistakes - many of which are also in Bartlett et al. Basically, no there isn't a bible, and very unlikely there ever will be as even reprinting of our volume 1, with all of its mistakes, is unlikely. Simply too big a task now that influential people want to have such accuracy in every detail. This is part of volume 2 http://www.hmrs.org.uk/books/bookdetails.php?bookid=1036 If we live long enough most of the content of volume 2 may appear in this form. Paul Bartlett

They are unusually large for this site - apparently upto 1 MB or more, perhaps you have something preventing larger downloads? Paul Bartlett

DM477207 prototype here http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/lms3plankopen/e3db4cb38 Incorrect brake rigging! DB746085 prototype here http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brsand/e230ce572 DB761319 prototype here http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brvanplanked/e3b2bcf9e Paul Bartlett

Nice, the two nearest the camera have pressed end door with welded bodies. It is difficult to see if they have independent or Morton brake rigging. Paul Bartlett

I think these photographs are of one of these locos http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/industriallocomotive/e37d9c5f1 http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/industriallocomotive/e2ac4dda1 Paul Bartlett

Yes, found three photos of it on line, starting here http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20Ships/Old%20Ships%20B/slides/Ballylagan-01.html So far I haven't found details of this MV, usually it is easy to get details on ships, old and new! I agree there were many small ships of 2-3k tonnes working both around the UK and to the nearer parts of the continent, carrying all manner of commodities, including grain fresh off the combine which brought in Colorado beetles - which is how I got involved with them. Paul Bartlett

What is the problem with this link, works for me http://www.flickr.com/photos/barkingbill/2390184904/ It appears to be a small coastal vessel, that were (are?) common. Very nice photograph. Paul Bartlett

Presumably Michael has the original and can read it, no other copyright attribution is provided. Paul Bartlett

That is a very long time period. In 1957 it is very unlikely that any steel 16ton minerals would have gone into private - internal ownership. They would have been using wooden minerals http://PaulBartlett....com/brpomineral There would have begun a transition of the internal user fleet in the early 1960s as the non standard 16tonners were phased out and by 1983 many locations would have had mostly steel minerals of all types. By then they would often have been repaired, cannabalised and changed by the internal user. Paul Bartlett PS - I have no knowledge of the separate SMC topic you mention