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Just to add a bit more, this Railway & Canal Historical Society document: exploring the metrolink extension to the trafford centre 27 https://rchs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Metrolink-Trafford-Centre-Revison-2.pdf states: "Nicholls, Nagle Ltd was a small corn milling and glucose refinery that had located to Trafford Park in 1911 and set up their factory near the Ship Canal at the west side of the industrial estate. They were taken over by Corn Products in 1922. Corn Products acquired Brown & Polson (a company form in Paisley in 1842) in 1935 and operated the Trafford Park factory as Brown & Polson. The facilities were improved and modernised in the 1950’s and a new 700ft wharf was built on the Ship Canal which allowed sea-going ships to unload their cargos of grain direct into the company’s silos. In 1987 the Feruzzi Group acquired the European operations of Corn Products and changed the trading name to Cerestar." So that might indicate the loaded tanks were outgoing. Simon

Built by Charles Roberts by the looks of things. A wagon for the same purpose, but different tank built 1937: https://hmrs.org.uk/aas920-corn-products-manchester-20t-6-wheel-tank-no-37-ex-works-trafford-park-man-lettered-globe-3a-h.html Corn Products bought B&P in 1935, but at some point switched the name of their Trafford Park factory to B&P, it then reverted to CPC in later years. This appears to show one of the same tanks as in the photo you reference sort of ex-works in 1949: https://hmrs.org.uk/aat735-corn-products-manchester-20t-6wheel-tank-no-41-op-1949-exwks-trafford-park-manchester-order-1.html So the B&P livery is certainly later than 1949! There may be more info in Keith Turton's Private Owner Wagons: A Seventh Collection which has a Corn Products section (p.158) if anyone is able to check. I don't have this volume. It looks like Trafford Park (rather than B&P's Paisley site) is the obvious destination as Artless Bodger has suggested. Simon

Doesn't the 5MT have the later emblem making this later than 1953? Regards, Simon

When I started looking at wagon loads for trains going via the GC and CLC round the bottom of Manchester (early 1950s) I was a little surprised to see that I could comfortably have very similar looking loaded wagons of timber going in both directions. Presumably from Liverpool/Manchester or Grimsby/Hull docks. Simon

Great job on the 2-8-0s Tom. 63603 particularly, looks every bit the CLC stalwart! Simon

Thanks for sharing your work on these Jonathan. As you note, with the steel containers, a real signifier of the Scotch Goods at a particular point in time. I was quite surprised how long-lived these early LNER conflats were. The conflats V were modified to be more like conflats S, but there's a 1962 view of a Conflat M at Millerhill looking very much as built in Geoff Kent's The 4mm Wagon Part 3. I'm currently separated from the relevant volume of LNER Wagons so hadn't appreciated that the Diagram 76 had a wooden floor. Regards, Simon

Electric hauled freight a thing of the past...

Most O2s making it to Manchester and Liverpool seem to have come from Langwith Jct or Doncaster sheds. Langwith Jct locos seem to have been particularly frequent visitors as far as Mottram. However Langwith Jct lost its O2s in 1950 (although those moved on to Mexborough then might still have been seen). Not being allocated to Gorton for maintenance and not allocated west of the Pennines means that an O2 cropping up in Liverpool post MSW electrification would have been highly unlikely. I've learnt not to say never, but I've not seen any evidence of one coming in via Standedge. Regards, Simon

Cyanoacrylates are used all over the place to glue all sorts of things in far more demanding scenarios than model trains (aviation etc). The issue is usually choosing the right one for the purpose. For brass to steel a threadlocker like Loctite 243 may be suitable as long as the fit is good enough (anaerobic curing). Simon

Hi David, is S115 Frank a Hawthorn Leslie rather than a Hunslet? It seems to be referred to elsewhere as HL3534/22. Thanks for sharing these photos of Peckfield. I travelled that stretch of line umpteen times as a child, but sadly have no memory of the colliery. Simon

Others will be able to chip in with more detailed information, but in general it is easier to get a better looking wagon/van if you retain the body headstocks and don't use the chassis ones. On these you also don't lose end stanchion detail. Not sure about the depth issue, but these vans to my knowledge had steel solebars and thus 2-361 may be an easier chassis rather than 2-330 with a steel solebar conversion. Regards, Simon

Class 27 is 7'9"+8'7". Jinty is standard Midland so 8'+8'6". Regards, Simon

Thanks Wickham Green. Much appreciated. I've seen the straight sided diagram 207s, but wasn't aware of these. I'm sure I'll see them pop up everywhere now! Early BR grey varied a lot, but as you suggest both wagons to the left do look like they are still wearing LNER grey. Regards, Simon

Resurrecting this topic. Can anyone help with the identity of the slope sided loco coal wagon in the background of this Anthony M S Darnbrough shot at York c.1954 please? Many thanks, Simon

Given that it looks to be named and the westie on bodyside, I assume it's LSL's 47593 Galloway Princess. Not sure why it's there though. Regards, Simon

No.1 has stayalive. Does it have stayaloft too?

Only really with the 1958 blinkers on I think Tony. Such a shame Andrew (Headstock) no longer posts on here, I'm sure he'd have given you an interesting response to that remark! Joking aside, whilst the GC London Extension before the mid-1950s wouldn't be possible with just a chequebook and box opening. You are quite right that there'd be little missing in your preferred timeframe (a few coaches/NPCCS, a B16 and one or two of the remaining GN types, LMS vans and some of the more route specific wagons depending on which bit you modelled). Regards, Simon

Interesting that it's shown as chequerplate from new. I'm also intrigued by the lack of lifting holes in the frame extensions for all the bigger NER locos as built. The latter, and the need to add them for my BR condition B16, was the first thing I noted on my set of instructions. Guess what I realised I'd forgotten when giving the completed model the once over ... Simon

That's an interesting approach to the front step Tim. They're indeed tricky things on all the NER locos with them. Here's the very similar step on the surviving Q7: Regards, Simon

Yes, it's Salford Central with the Threlfall Brewery in the background with the River Irwell creeping into view on the right. Simon

Very interesting. Not quite clear enough to make out the private sidings on the MR line south of Cheadle Heath sadly. Simon

The 2-4-2T looks to be coming along nicely Adam. Can I ask how long your diagram 62 and 73 vans and the 71 coal wagon lasted for? Regards, Simon

There have been a number of fairly categorical statements about the livery particular vehicles would have been in at particular points in time in relation to these siphons. Some of which may be useful as a rule of thumb, but don't necessarily reflect the real railway. In normal circumstances repainting of coaching stock was undertaken every 5-7 years or so. The early period wasn't normal due to rationing still being in place etc. British Railways crimson started to be applied in 1949 with many vehicles still be painted in pre-nationalisation colours with BR numbers in that year. Wooden-bodied NSPCCS probably wasn't first in the paint queue and any stock not considered to have a long life would also not necessarily be repainted at all (not relevant to Siphons, but pre-Grouping LMS and LNER coaching stock not deemed to have a long life ended up well into the 1950s in late LMS maroon or coach brown respectively with BR numbers, some of it being re-varnished along the way too). Thus pre-nationalisation colours would still be evident into the mid-1950s at least. The transition from crimson to maroon would have seen the last crimson vehicles being painted in 1956 and conceivably not being repainted until 1963 even according to the normal course of events. I don't know enough about these particular vans to say on the balance of probabilities what livery they would have worn when. Regards, Simon

Swanage looks great Jerry. Have a lovely time. Lower Writhlington would have to be T-shaped (or cross-shaped with the tramway): https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=16.6&lat=51.29682&lon=-2.42457&layers=168&right=ESRIWorld because of the tracks to the screens being at right angles to the mainline. So less than ideal for many exhibition halls. Just think of the mess your operators could create though! Simon

Tavern car sets worked over the ER in 1949-50 so there can't have been blanket restrictions. Simon