Helmdon

I'm not totally convinced that the Met actually thought about it that much to be honest. Ironically the local landed interests are these days quite keen on the idea of astroturfing the place with houses off the back of East West Rail. I think insofar as the Met consciously thought about what it was doing at all (certainly north of Aylesbury) it's more likely that this was mostly one of Watkin's cunning plans to get through to the north (remember when the Met's purchase of the line went through it was being discussed that Baker Street would be the London terminal of what would become the GC). The Met may well have (later) hoped to build "outer Metroland", but I reckon initially it was a white elephant designed to do nothing more than guarantee the MS&L's future path to London.

I did ask this a few months ago on another forum, and this is not trying to get different advice, because I got the answer I expected and have done a lot more reading/self education since. But for the sake of throwing the question over to a different audience, and notwithstanding rule 1... I'm building a layout based on the GC London Extension in Northants in the 1950s. Any sightings of Thompson A2/3s on the line, ever, other than the press/publicity appearance of the class lead at Marylebone? Even on a diversion? I'm guessing not but would love to be wrong. They're wonderfully ugly bits of brute power and when Hornby release Steady Aim I want one!

Brilliant, thanks a lot - that has given me some confidence to proceed. Still in the foothills of abililty but I ought to be able to cope with attaching castings such as those.

Afternoon all, looking at adding one of these to the stud, needs to be BR early emblem. Browsing around the usual sites pulls up a couple of perfect ones for (comparatively) silly money, but then the second hand end of things almost all of them seem to be missing their front buffers (with a pair of round holes in the front buffer beam). Was there something intrinsically wrong with the models that has caused them all to fail in the same way, and can replacements be sourced? I've found the buffers themselves, plus springs, but not their red housing (is there a technical term for that, never had to think of it before...)?

what an awesome little bit of film - it hadn't changed much since I started getting the train to Birmingham for school in the early 1990s. I remember the signalboxes being demolished. The continuity, as has been noticed, is all over the place, but all the rural stuff is between Kidderminster and Stourbridge Junction. The stone sided cutting is between Hagley and Stourbridge, the lakes are by Blakedown, and the traction engine (which is still there) is at Hodge Hill Nurseries (as was) on the outskirts of Kidderminster. Anything with OLE is north of the Smethwick West Junction on the spur to New Street (which is the large station at the start). The stock is stabled at Soho carriage sidings. The flats, from memory, are on the LHS between Rowley Regis and Langley Green. I remember some of them being demolished in the late 90s so they didn't last long. Some are still there. The large housing estate where you can see into the gardens is between Rowley Regis and Old Hill. Before my time, although less than 10 years before I was born, but very much as I remember things being.

station at the start is Kidderminster too (as in where they buy the tickets)

Was going to say this, ditto the Great West Road. "Great" meaning principal. So really it's just another way of saying eg "main Western railway" or "main Northern railway" - directors/promoters looked at eg if you wanted to go to the north then the best way was via the A1 (as is now), so echoed that in their company name - basically it was a grab for the status/ubiquity associated with already existing "great" routes from other means of transport.

thanks all, loads of good thoughts. I'm not sure if I've really got enough to go on for a layout thread of my own, but just as a bit of background. With a pregnant wife we were just about to move house before the lock-down. Obviously that has now fallen through, but as soon as we're back to being allowed out we will be moving. Part of the deal is that I get a railway room, whether that's a barn, an attic, or whatever. But a decent sized one anyway - the other side of the deal is that I basically never ask for anything again and forfeit all rights in the decoration of any of the other rooms! Anyway, what I've been buying for, and would have had in the house we would have moved to is roughly: - a layout designed to show off stock and be quite scenic, probably of the "round the room" format, in a dedicated room. (16'x13'), although it will be different in the one we actually buy now). At it's most basic it's just two ovals round the room. - one length a good representation (inc trackplan) of Helmdon for Sulgrave station on the GC London extension. Bachmann buildings (which aren't quite right for Helmdon but close enough) with a kitbashed bridge rather than the Bachmann one, and at least a 7 coach platform. - door end??? but it's got to do access as well - far end tunnel based on Catesby. - going down the other side, and this is where I might be pushing it, a sort of exhibition fiddle yard - MPD and through sidings based on Woodford Halse. So although this is really storage, I want to (when I've nailed the station) detail it properly anyway. DC control (Gaugemaster), yes to motorised points, no (at this stage for both financial and other priorities) to motorised signalling. Not designed to be transported, and hopefully when we've moved once that's it, so sort of seeing it as a *very* long term project which I might work on for ever. I like the idea of Code 75, but get the advantages as explained of Code 100. Having said that, if I went down the Code 75 bullhead route, I'd want to do everything including the fiddle yard in it as there's nothing off display. But, given the limited number of points available, and the lack of skill to get scratchbuilding them (as yet), it feels like Code 100 is the way to go.... But obviously at the moment it's all in a bit of a hiatus. In a tiny cottage don't have much space to do anything except stockpile for the moment!

I see that (now) but I've been buying the stock for a few years rather than the track (it's nicer to look at before you can do the layout frankly!). Aside from a Hornby B17 which is probably getting on a bit I've got a new D11/1, J11, and O4, and then blue box Bachmann - ie not new but relatively recent B1,K3,WD2-8-0 and Modified Hall. Agree with coaches/wagons you can flog them and start again but it seems a shame to disperse what is a reasonable (and paid for) assembly of pretty well all the engines I need (minus the A3, V2, L1, 9F and Brit that I still want). Tempted to get a few bits of Code 75 and see if anything fouls. In answer to someone's question upthread I've decided to go with DC over DCC. Partly for the challenge, and partly because for the layout I've got in mind, and a focus on scenery and "feel" over timetabling, I don't think it's worth the additional money for bells and whistles I won't buy.

thanks all, some food for thought

thanks - stock is a complete mixy blob. Locos mix of new and 2nd hand/10 yrs old, but the coaching stock goes from now back to Palitoy era mainline. So what's going to tolerate the biggest bag is probably key by the sounds of it.

Coming back into the hobby after 25 years away (and then it was a glorified double loop on a bit of 8x4 board). I've settled on the GC London Extension in the 1950s, in OO, and will have some sensible space - potentially 7' or so from the overbridge to the platform end for example, and then a fiddle yard on the opposite side of the room - which will have to function as a sort of Woodford Halse by proxy, i.e. the sidings are going to be through rather than dead ends (a reason why I think analogue will be feasible). Question, starting from scratch, and starting determinedly analogue (mind made up on that) what track would you be going for? I'm buying the lot in one go and currently have none. Tempted by Peco, but don't really understand the differences between one box of yard lengths and the next. And not wedded to Peco, as I don't know enough about the current track scene (except enough to know I will not be building my own...!) Looking at the price lists, cost doesn't come into it, although I remember from my youth that while second hand stock was ok, second hand track was a false economy. Cost doesn't come into because I'm not made of money, but I have got a fund for this because I've been thinking about it for a few years and putting a bit by regularly for the purpose. So, anyone have any thoughts on what to go for?

I wonder if we need to be including the navy in this? Although 2 pages and a few days in I would have thought someone would have by now. Logically you'd bring things in by sea, but I suppose it depends what sort of quantities you need and of what calorific value(s). Into the 20th century the warships themselves were (mostly) oil fired, but even today Devonport is the largest naval dockyard in western Europe and up until the 1960s was still building warships, not just fuelling and supporting them. That sort of industrial site, with god knows how many thousand workers, plus vast numbers of barracks/other accommodation and offices, is going to be coal hungry. Like I say, you'd have thought at least some would have come sea, but I'd lay odds that rail was doing it's bit too.

Astonishing - I was reading through the thread and got to end pretty much as you posted this. I lived in Kidderminster from birth until going to university in 1999 and remember it all very well. I used to get the train to school in Birmingham every day. All through the thread I was thinking about how I remember it working at Kidderminster, and then lo and behold in the last post.... By the way though, while I remember the blue building, wasn't the Red Star office (for the manager anyway) actually in what became Col's newsagents in the main building (as in the window on the left as you looked at it from the cobbles)? At least for a bit anyway? My memory was that Colin was in a hut on the down platform for years and then came into that bit of the building when Red Star moved out...

All good stuff, many thanks. Fortunately I could get the funds to buy the D11/1, J11 and O4 new, so will have a closer look. It's the rest of the stud that's largely comprised of the "pre loved"!

Actually, thanks Tony, I think I can see that two of them are consequently probably alright (I was used to very old school Hornby with the brass pins), and how i can therefore fix the third. Brilliant, many thanks!

thanks - that answers that one if it really is minimal! I just thought it must have snapped shorter, but there's actually no sign it was ever longer so yes I think that one's fine. Just the B1 and K3 then. Going to have a look in the boxes and remind myself exactly what the problem is and clarify the OP.

If anyone happens to have one knocking about I'd love to get hold of the Bachmann GC signal bx in OO please? Also the water crane. Sensible prices considered.

I'm slightly wary of starting this because I can't believe that no one's asked it before - but I can't find anything unless I'm searching with the wrong terms. Just getting back into modelling after packing everything away when I was 14...I'm now pushing 40! Anyway, have bought a couple of engines second hand from a well-known internet retailer, and a weathered one at Warley. The problem children here are all Bachmann: a K3, a B1 and a DubDee (building a layout based on the GC mainline in the 50s). I got them for a good price, and have satisfied myself that they do all run fine, so very happy. But none of them connect to their tenders - and all of the connectors look like they're broken in different ways (either missing the hook or a pin (that goes through the eye)??. It can't be beyond the wit of man to rig something up that reconnects one to the other (especially given the tenders are all free rolling so there's no electrics to consider) and the models themselves are otherwise spot on. So, given I don't really know where to start, any suggestions of how to do it please?