Unknown Warrior

Time for an end of year report. The Unknown Warrior has moved forward considerably over the last 12 months and is now properly on its driving wheels. We now have a complete set of wheels following the decision to cast a new set of bogie wheels rather than wait for the second set to arrive from Turkey. We really could not afford to delay the assembly of the front bogie any longer. By the middle of next year, once the new wheelset has been assembled all the parts will be available and the bogie can be built and fitted. All the major castings have now been manufactured so assembly of the chassis can move forward quickly in 2015. Two Cylinders are already in place on the frames, see photos, and the third will be joining them in the early new year. Then the motion girders and brackets can be fitted followed by the slide bars, springs and coupling rods. Following a successful "Tenner for the Tender Appeal" #10,000 has been raised for the materials for the tender and the labour costs are to be met by the generous sponsorship of Rowlescourt Engineering. The tender is due to be completed in mid 2016. A similar appeal for #10,000 is now being launched for the boiler barrel to be rolled during 2015. Just need a slogan: "Bung a tenner in the boiler barrel" or something similar. Ideas welcome! The inner firebox is progressing well at LNWR Crewe as reported above and work on the outer firebox will start during 2015. By the beginning of 2016 final assembly of the boiler should start with a view to a complete boiler by the end of the year, leaving 2017 for final assembly of the complete engine and its first moves. All of this requires us to keep raising more and more cash. We went through the first million appropriately on 11th November, so half way there. In the first half of this financial year #131,600 was raised plus boiler loans of #43,265, so almost #175K. We need to keep this up and increase cash flow, especially over the next 12 months as we aim to finish the chassis and keep work on the boiler progressing. The next 12 months will challenging and will effectively heavily influence our ability to complete the engine to be in London on 11th November 2018. History has set us a demanding target........ we don't want to miss it! So please help us in any way you can. If you see us around throw (at least) a pound in the bucket and if you are able to help us more substantially we will be very grateful. Happy New Year.

First I have no connection with the F5 Project. I have enough on with "the Unknown Warrior!" However I do try to support other new builds when I can and this gives me the opportunity to support the F5 and end up with a delightful model. Before contemplating extending this idea to other new build projects I would like to see the concept proven with the F5 as they had the courage to contemplted the idea first. I do hope it works for everyone involved.

The latest copy of Heritage Railway Magazine is also covering this imaginative project and helping to bring it to an even wider audience. Hopefully it will encourage further expressions of interest and bring this project closer to lift off! A win win: a model at 4mm to the foot and a full sze working example drought back from extinction!

I think this is an wonderful and imaginative way to support a new build project that is already well established. At the same time acquire, what I am sure will be a superb model of a delightful and sort after prototype. I will certainly be expressing interests and hope others will rush to give their support. Please do.

It is only a few years since the thought of a variety of pregrouping locos in pregrouping liveries would have seemed unlikely. Now it is relatively common place. Rolling stock is now following slowly, but not enough for authentic complete train packs. However the Bachmann SE&CR Bird cage stock could change that. Careful reading of the Oxford Rail website suggests that complete trains of authentic stock is on their agenda. L&SWR coaches to go with the Adams Radial perhaps?!

According to "Highland Railway Locomotives Bk 2 pub. RCTS," the four radials loaned to the Highland were 0480/1/5 & 7 arriving early in 1918. 0480 & 0487 were used on the Kyle Line. 0487 was used on the Fortrose Branch. These two returned South in 1919. The other two were used on local services or shunting around Perth. 0485 was station pilot at Perth for a time, although it was also reported shunting at Inverness in September 1920. Both returned home in September 1921.

There is even less in the new club to attract me. It seems even less a club for serious railway modellers than the current one. I certainly wouldn't subscribe to it as an addition to the Bachmann Club, let alone a replacement for it!

My guess is that Bacmhmann will start from scratch with the loco itself. I accept that they already have the tender. Bachmann do the Jubilee but the boiler barrel is longer and firebox slightly larger. The Jubillee Boiler was a Stanier 3A and the mogul 3D, similar but not the same. It might be possible to modify the Crab chassis as the wheel base is the same. However the mogul is slightly longer so it might be easier to start from scratch. The cylinders are of course completely different. Driving wheels are the same size but to pony truck wheels on the Crab are larger. My feeling is that Bachmann will opt to do the job properly and start from scratch. The days of getting way with the differences I have mentioned are passed!

Limited editions are usually produced at the same time as a normal production run, certainly in Bachmann's case. This cuts set up costs. Those people who like to try and predict the next Collector's Club Edition might like to bear this in mind!

I think, mainly due to the good work of our friends at Bachmann, the LMS has been well served over the last few years, so this is the reason why the LMS followers are not quite as vocal as say the LNER who have, and continue to fight their corner quite tenaciously. The number of LMS designed locos not available RTR is quite small. The Stanier/Fowler 2-6-2Ts, The Fowler 0-8-0 and 0-6-0 Dock Tank together with the Turbomotive being a few of the more obvious gaps to fill. Even pre-grouping locos are quite well represented although the Midland Johnson 0-4-4T is, in my view, a glaring gap. A move north of the boarder to the offerings of the Caledonian would be welcome, I have put the case for a McIntosh Calss 812 0-6-0 in another thread. Hornby's return to the LMS after a long absence (2007), apart from the CCT, is welcome as the Suburbans will fill a large gap, the push pull versions would be icing on the cake. Perhaps they would also consider adding to their range of Stanier period two stock. The Midland Goods Brake Van from Bachmann has been a useful addition but a reissue of a standard LMS Brakevan would not go amiss. So my message to my fellow LMS followers is yes we have done very well recently but there is still quite a bit to campaign for, so get posting. In the meantime, to get back on topic, we know we have the Bachmann Stanier Mogul to look forward to!

I will be surprised if Oxfordrail's Radial is not in the shops before Hornby's and at a lower price. Oxford are highly experienced manufactures and also very skilled at marketing. I don't expect anymore information befor the New Year but am prepared to be surprised!

My S&DJR wagon pack ordered at Warley on Sunday arrived this morning and look very smart. Will go well with my S&DJR Loco Collection: Bachmann 4F, 7F & Jinty plus my Hornby 2P.

Could I suggest that we get back on topic rather than a discussion of Class 45 tooling, which could perhaps have thread of its own. The November releases are a pair of coaches, a tank wagon and a wagon pack. As I have already said I assume that the S&DJR Wagon pack to go with the Blue 4F follows on the success of the SE&CR pack to go with the grey C Class, a sensible choice I think. I placed an order at Warley. Here's hoping there will be a loco, steam or diesel, in the first magazine of 2015!

There was an excellent two part article in Steam Days, May /July 2013 by Richard Woodley which details the working of these excellent locomotives during the whole of their long and distinguished careers. A must read for anyone interested in them.

The three wagon pack is to go with S&DJR 4F. They were not available at Warley but I placed an order which I expect to receive later next week. The idea of a set of wagons to go with a Collectors Club loco worked well with the Grey C Class and I can see no reason why the same will not happen with this set. I got the impression that there will be a loco next time around, hopefully, of course, steam!

Visited the Heljan Stand at Warley today and didn't really get much more info. I got the impression that we will have to wait until next year before getting anymore details.

I had a long and detailed discussion with The GWR Study Group at Warley today and our conclusion was that the "Night Owl" name originated in the 1950's in "Spotting Circles." Certainly in BR Days. I will continue to research this and report back as I get anymore info. I look forward to other comments!

Great news. Wil you be doing the trailer coach to go with it?

My understanding from all the written sources at my disposal is that the title dates from the locos' service days and is not an invention of the Heritage Movement.

For those who want to know more about the Night Owls and the 4709 Project, a short book, "Recreating the Night Owl-the story so far" edited by Andrew Fowler, was published earlier this year. 4709 is being assembled at Llangollen a few meters from The Unknown Warrior. There wil opportunities to see both at The Steel, Steam and Stars 4 Gala 6-8 & 13-15 March 2015. See you there.

It was because they were mainly used on overnight fitted freights and there were thus rarely seen during the day except in the summer when they were used on excursion traffic.

Delighted and pleased that they are supporting the Night Owl Project. Any new build needs all the help it can get.

First an update on progress on the Firebox. I was at LNWR Crewe last Saturday and took these photos of the crown and wrapper. Also the side plates and the back plate. the tube plate was due to be drilled this week so almost a complete kit of parts for the inner firebox. Just the throat plate to do which has been subcontracted to Tyseley. Also a new drawing showing the boiler in place plus cylinder and motion. If you are at Warley over the weekend please come and visit our stand. We have some interesting model railway items for sale and of course please do not forget your "Pound (or more) for the Patriot!" I will be around on Sunday although not necessarily on the stand.

I assume that the Royal Mail 419 MLV (the most recent CC powered release) is not Modern Image. I wouldn't know, I'm a Steam Dinosaur!

Hope you find the book useful. Thanks for the photo, it looks great.