ianwales

Just passed my signalbox at Port Talbot 170mins late, going like the clappers! Ian

Hi I want to convert a Hornby Suburban Bk 3rd to a push/pull driving coach for which I have purchased a Comet push/pull end, I've worked out there could be 3 ways of doing this. 1. Use the comet end as a template and cut the windows out of the Hornby end 2. Cut larger windows out of the Hornby end and then glue the Comet end on to the Hornby one 3. Replace the Hornby end with the Comet one Anyone have an opinion on which would be the best course to take please? Ian

Hi Just found an article from August 2002 on the formation of the 4.35 from Euston under the named trains heading by Aidan Crowley, What other articles appeared about LMS formations please? Ian

Hi Just acquired a copy of the Oct 2002 BRM which has an article described as the 3rd article on the late Andy Calvert's Moorcock, can anyone tell me which other issues contained the other articles and was article 3 the last or was there a 4th or 5th please? Ian

It was never a loop in the true sense of the word as trains could only ever access it by reversing in, it was all to do with the MR's dislike of facing points, if fact as David Jenkinson pointed out in one of his articles on the S&C until BR Days there was only 1 facing point, at Appleby, in the Northbound direction and non at all Southbound in the whole 72 miles of the S&C Ian

Looking at photos on the web of the box diagram it is as Jamie says to control traffic reversing off the main line into the siding Ian

Hi Ian Just looked up these horseboxes in the LMS Coaches book, from what I can see they had 3ft 7.5in plain disc wheels, what era are you thinking of finishing it in? Ian

Hi all How many Coronations have Hornby produced since they were re - tooled please, just want to make sure I get one of the newer ones. Ian

Hi all Moving away from City of Birmingham for a moment, I've been looking at Duchess of Atholl in LMS Red, does anyone know did any of the duchesses survive to 1947 in LMS Red without smoke deflectors please? Ian

Hi I came across an advert in an early MRJ of 3 kits by B D Badger for LMS TPO Coaches, are there any kits or sides for LMS TPO coaches available currently, I seem to recall 247 developments or Stevenson carries had some sides available but I don't think they are currently in production? Ian

Hi Has anyone got a Perseverance 4F Tender cab etch they no longer need please? Ian

Absolutely agree with you John, Falcon were the only ones to do the Fowler/Stanier hybrid tender and now I won't be able to get one, the actions of one or two spoil it for the others. ian

Hi Rob They are both Hornby(Triang?) operating mail coaches, the bottom photo was I believe an adaption of an American baggage car so is pure fiction, however, the top photo, although numbered as a BR vehicle was I seen to recall based on an LMS prototype although the length wasn't correct. Hope that is of some help. Ian

Not road related, but, I remember once requesting attendance of BT Police(I'm a signalman) only to be told there are only 2 officers on night duty to cover the whole of the 130 odd miles of railway line from Severn Tunnel to Fishguard! Ian

Many thanks 4630

Hi As the heading says can someone tell me the coach numbers that made up Hants DEMU set 1103 please? I want to do a repaint of the Bachmann model into early Blue SYP as per the photo in one of the Strathwood books. Ian

Hi all Quick question, where is the Guards/Train Managers's compartment on these trains? Ian

Hi Has anyone got a damaged Class 45 centre headcode body they no longer want, state of body is immaterial as long as the center headcode nose is intact? I want to graft the nose onto a Bachmann Class 44 to model 44009. Ian

Hi All Anyone know of a source of Bachmann or Hornby class 08 nose ladders? I want to model a pre TOPS blue example, but, all the blue models don't have ladders. Ian

From the way the platform curves I suspect Falcon has come from RB on to its train, but, the driver hasn't arrived in the near cab to switch the tail lamp off yet? I may be wrong, but, I don't think the platforms at Padd curve at the buffer stop end. Ian

Hi Robert I Thought the 12 car set was the 2 ex Midland Pullman sets coupled together, in which case they were first class only as the midland sets never had 2nd class provision? Ian

I seem to remember talk of one of the subs, Conqueror I believe, being turned into a museum boat. Some years ago I went on one of the boat tours of Plymouth harbour and the commentary mentioned the nuclear submarines in the dock, when we got back to the quayside if the commentator knew the names of the subs which he did and was able to tell me, however, he did say he used to name the subs on the tour until one day a group of Argentinian tourists got irate at the mention of Conqueror! Ian

Hi Strangely enough I've just been reading the chapter on the WR Blue Pullmans in C J Allen's Titled Trains of Great Britain, About the introduction of the Bristol service it notes the following " The Up Bristol Pullman left Temple Meads at 7.45am and ran non stop to Paddington via Badminton, it then returned to Bristol at 10.05 am via Bath to reach Bristol at 12 noon, 30 minutes later it was starting back via Bath to Paddington before commencing the final run from Paddington at 4.55pm nonstop via Badminton. Bath, however, was too important to be missed out on the morning and evening trips so from October the train started 5 mins earlier and finished its day 5 mins later and travelled via Bath". Hope this helps Ian

Hi Just another suggestion, have you thought about asking DC Kits if you can purchase a centre coach kit relevant to the unit you want to expand? Ian

Hi Would someone who has a Peco Loco Lift handy be able to tell me how long it is and also how tall the grey end pieces are please? Ian