Western Star

You are correct, I have amended my post above. Maybe you ought to take up the matter with Ian. Welcome to the slippery slope know as "The De Gloster Code".. or the art of trying to make sense of what you see in Glos. photos (without the help of missing primary resource material). In the case of characters cut into the end of a headstock, that detail can be found in many / most of the Glos. photos and the numbers do change. What is not clear to Ian / I is whether the numbers are order numbers or wagon numbers or something else... since we do not have photos of every wagon we cannot be sure how those numbers relate to the Glos. build plate (Glos. build numbers cover more than just wagons). There are other codes which are painted occasionally on the solebar, often in the vicinity of a crown plate - current thinking is these codes appear only on second-hand wagons when re-sold by Glos.. regards, Graham

I do hope that this post is not seen as spoiling the party... today I have spent about a half hour talking to Ian Pope on the subject of (a) the livery of Healing no.5 and (b) the possibility of errors in the livery / photo boards of Glos. photos. Ian has advised me that he provided the Gloster official photos to the HMRS, Ian had access to the Gloster Photo Albums and copied the images. I have received, from Ian, copies of the Healing photo and that of G. Small of Taunton. Ian is of the opinion now that the Healing wagon no. 5 is black, written white, shaded red; that is, the wagon board in the photo of the Healing wagon no.5 is wrong. Ian's change of opinion regarding the Healing wagon is based upon comparison of the colouring / tone of the wagon sheeting / solebar / washer plates / corner plates.... and with reference to the Glos. photo of G. Small of Taunton. Our initial thought was that the wagon board for Healing no.5 was that from a photo taken earlier (that day or the previous day). So the Healing photo is reference no. 2107 and we looked at photo reference no.2106... no luck there as the wagon colour was neither chocolate nor black. However, photo 2108 of G. Small is described as chocolate, written white, shaded black and our opinion is that the wagon board in photo 2107 and that in photo 2108 are identical (consider the markings in the background paint and what looks like chalk markings between the words, also the positioning of the letters in one row with the letters in the row underneath). So, possible conclusions are:- a/ both wagons are chocolate and the "board" is correct; b/ one wagon is black and one wagon is chocolate, the board is wrong in one photo; c/ both wagons are black and the board is wrong in both photos. Ian's conclusion is that Healing is black, Small is chocolate and the board in the Healing photo is wrong. regards, Graham

The "bigger" rivet in the middle of the top plate is to mark the centre of the piece so giving you a start when thinking about the filler. What wagon diagrams go with the LNWR plates? best wishes, Graham

Just as soon as you show us how to produce working Harrison cord braking in P4......

Not often, and then only on unstated conditions.

At the beginning of the 1900s Swindon was using Mansell wheels for the last of the Dean carriages and the beginning of Churchward coaching stock. By reference to GW Coach Books by JH Russell (pub OPC) I think that, at the end of the Edwardian era, new carriages were being built with steel disc wheels whilst Mansell wheels were used for coaches undergoing maintenance and repair. When did Swindon commence use of steel disc wheels? Coach wheels in the BR period often had small diameter (say 2") wheels in the disc, mostly four holes per wheel although I think that some wheelsets might have had just two holes. Did Swindon include such holes in disc wheels which were manufactured in the GWR period? From what date? Two or four holes per wheel? Hopefully Pete Speller @k14 may have something to say on these questions. thank you, Graham

Seems to me that you have been thinking about the Life and Times of Arthur Dent and trying to come to terms with the lack of railway interest in any of the books about his experiences.

Stephen, as an S7 modeller with persuasions of a Swindon flavour, why might I wish to have MR on the bottom of the rail chairs that I use?

I agree with you, ordering BA tackle by telephone is so easy and there is the benefit of being able to make a substitution if the desired item is not available. I recommend this supplier whenever I am asked about small nuts/bolts. regards, Graham

This photo was taken at Crewe, at the time the tranship shed was being built / re-built - that is the work in the background. Can you put a limit on a date range from the build details of that shed?

Or maybe the GWR covered iron wagon is carrying flour from the Spiller's flour mills at Swansea?

Stephen @Compound2632, Your comments about the railway which ran north from KX do let the side down, please continue to educate us readers and avoid the style of comment which belongs elsewhere in the media. Recent posts here and in the D299 world have been rather good and very informative, in many cases deserving of a round of applause (the demise of the groan is much regretted as that "reaction" might be appropriate to the previous message). regards, Graham

There may be some truth in that suggestion. I think that coach 1941 was located in the Cardiff-Newport area when purchased by four(?) members of the GWS circa 1970. I recall that the owners at that time included Arthur Benson and Ben, I think that I never met the others... pretty sure that Ben was Welsh and Arthur had an interesting lilt to his voice. So the chance is that one or other of the owners had a connection with Roath. Maybe Pete Speller @K14 can cast a brighter light on the destination board?

Mike, The 50 year old etch is on the QCAD waiting to go to PPD... I appreciate that you have a workable solution, I shall leave the part on the etch so that you and I can see the result (ie. nice to know if there is an alternative to your jig-built). I spoke with Chris either Thursday or Friday, he thinks that the Chesterton photo removes the block to completing the nameplate (ian Pope obliged with a corresponding digital scan). regards, Graham

I doubt that Dave has any plans for ducks in his river... certainly not Mallard or similar.

OK, almost 9 years late... only now do I understand your thinking. My suggestion is that the spur could be the place where the Concertina double slip is held overnight whilst awaiting the first PN bound service on the next day (or over the weekend for the Friday arrival). regards, Graham

Rule No.1 applies here.... and I think that a small shed yard with coal and water is just what the GWR could have done if a director of the board had bought a local manor, grange or castle - maybe even fishing rights to a nearby River. I do so agree... and once the commuters take residence then think about how the double-ended concertina slip is going to be returned to Paddington after the previous night's working. regards, Graham

Stephen @Compound2632, Never mind the D1 and the D299... just what colour has been useed for the sheeted GWR open? To me the wagon looks like a new coat of paint, the darkness / intenseness of the paint suggests that this wagon is fresh out of shops in red. regards, Graham

Mike, What are the dimensions of the brackets? Maybe I can include some on the next etch drawing? regards, Graham

What you say about obtaining drawings for recent stock is probably true and may be what I shall experience. In the meantime, having a known dimension to support scaling of a key part of the bodywork shall enable support the creation of a draft drawing.

Paul @hmrspaul, This photograph is of the LH end of a VGA... where can I find information on the size of the box which contains the wagon type / number / tare? I ask because knowing the size of the box shall enable me to estimate the width of the door framing. thank you, Graham

I believe that TOPS holds the location of each vehicle which is registered to run on the national rail network. Is that data available to modellers as "interested parties"? How can I access the information online so as to find a specific type of wagon? Or put another way, can I access TOPS to find the whereabouts of any remaining VGA covered wagons? regards, Graham

Lochgorm is giving good advice, just go and work through a couple of pages of Mike's topic... see how he tells the story and how readers engage with him. Measure how much we all have gained from being part of Mike's community regards, Graham

I am working on a 3D CAD drawing of the VGA vans which were built at BR Shildon in the 1980s and I wish to see a copy of the arrangement drawing which would have been prepared before build started. Where might such drawings be held today? thank you, Graham

Yes, just needs some flashing along the top row.