ROY@34F

Re. this coal issue in tenders . At Grantham and KX etc using coal from the south yorkshire pits , it was generally shiny , hard and sometimes with a bit slack rubbish mixed in and sometimes some bricketts which equally was'nt good . but generally shiny with some big lumps . The tenders rarely got very low in coal before being topped up as high as we could . This meant fresh coal at the front was shiny and a duller weathered stuff at the back which had been there the Lord knows how long . We used to wash the coal down well also with the slacker pipe to keep the dust down making it more shiny . So stories about painting all the tender coal with matt black and suchlike I find a little odd , but whatever suits people I guess . Interestingly It is well known we over filled often with coal . Big engines backing down into KX would often get trimmed a bit going under the canal in Gasworks tunnel . Regards , Roy .

You're quite right Trevor . Being a fireman in 1950s /60s I can confirm similar stories to yours. The coal hammer was used virtually all the time on the GN main line area at least . Regards , Roy .

Yes Tony , the right hand one is a Field Marshall , they had a one cylinder engine making a unique pop pop pop .... sound , and a large flywheel on one side . The engine was started by firing a cartridge of some sort into it . The other tractor is a (new in the early '50s I believe ) Ford Major . I remember them well in my teens and used to drive the new Major , a diesel , very often on a farm . Regards , Roy .

Thanks Paul . Sorry I got that wrong . I remember now . I reckon he might have been on a boys day out to Skeggy one sunday . I have a photo somewhere with me , Spike Hughes, Bunt Johnson, Pat Boyle, your Dad, Johnny Johnson, Kieth Yeates and maybe one or two more . I'll see if I can find it . Roy.

I'm sure I would have known your dad Paul . Was his name Dave Mellors . Sorry if I have got it completely Wrong . I was a cleaner /fireman at Grantham from Aug, '57 to Dec. "63 . Regards , Roy Vinter.

Let alone 80 tony , like me ! As you know I have had this so called essential tremor a number of years now , But , like others I cope by all sorts of wheezes using clamps , vices , holes in wood , pins , hair clips . I even have a height gauge as used in engineering which I can attach things to and lower them onto the thing I want to solder it to . It takes me ten times longer these days but get there eventually . I'm sure you'll continue weaving your magic for some years yet . Regards , Roy.

Yes John . Takes me back a bit . I remember all those chaps on there . Regards , Roy .

The only thing I remember a goods guard telling the driver is the number of wagons in the train. Say 30 on, equal to 38. Something like that, meaning some wagons were longer than standard. I'm talking in my time at Grantham in steam days. He may say how many we're dropping off here and there , and then if we pick some up , how many and the new total at those points. As Mike the Stationmaster says , it depends on regions and local practices. In the case of the ironstone trains at Grantham, we would pick the guard up on the up main platform to go tender first to Highdyke to pick the train up and the driver would give the guard his "bill" for him to fill in the passing places/ times and place / time of the changeover for the return trip. Before leaving Highdyke the guard would always come and tell us how many we'd "got on". At the changeover each engine crew would swap over and just tell each other how many was on each train, and we would obviously pull forward and let the guards changeover. On return at Grantham, after being relieved on the up goods we would walk back along the train of empties and pick up our bill which the guard had left for us in his van. This ensured all the times tallied on our paper and the guard's paperwork. But as far as I remember that was the only time a guard would leave paperwork for a driver. And this was just down to local practice , which Mike had suggested. As for loads/speeds etc. on certain routes ; This would all be laid down in the local appendices I'm sure. Regards, Roy.

You're dead right there Paul. I remember well breaking up clinker with the bent dart or pricker, as it was clogging up the firebars. Restricted air through the firebars equals poor combustion and poor steaming obviously, and one of the main reasons of poor steaming I would suggest. You must have good air flow to burn coal, primary air through the firebars, and secondly air through the firehole door. to help prevent black smoke, which is unburnt energy. When cleaning the fire on the ash pits at Grantham, clinker was the main problem. I don't recall ever having to stop for a blow up, but the fires were often terribly "mucky", especially on the iron ore empties returning from Frodingham ... happy days though, even so. Regards, Roy.

I'm afraid I can't recall the name of Vic Henson Brian. I was just a spare fireman on loan from Grantham to Top Shed. Got to know a fair few people but mainly footplatemen. I really enjoyed my time there firing all the time whereas I would have only been cleaning most of the time at Grantham, being a young hand of 17/18, and the cockney drivers were such a laugh, most of them. As you say, you could run a J50 through your layout now and then. It's your railway, as they say. Roy.

Brian, As no one has come up with any proof of seeing J50's at Welwyn North in '59/'60, I will just give you my opinion if I may. I was at K.X. top shed on loan in just the two years you ask about. I have to say that I don't recall seeing a J50 beyond Wood Green even, let alone Welwyn. It's a long time ago and I'm quite possibly wrong of course. Interestingly I was sent on a few occasions from top shed to Hornsey shed to go with one of their drivers over on to the southern to Battersea I think it was. Regards, Roy.

I use those HK5330 servos Mike. They work very well with my Megapoints bouncing gubbins, which is the best semaphore bounce IMHO. They can be lowered down through a hole in the baseboard as a complete unit with the signal superstructure . Regards, Roy

Tony, I really like that oily steel look on the side rods. How did you achieve that please? Regards, Roy.

Yes, I fully agree with you Roy. The Megapoints "bounce" is the most realistic system I have seen. I'm just another happy customer too. Roy.

Hope you too have had a nice day Tony and Mo, though quiet by the sound of it . We have also had a christmas like no other ... on our own. We usually have ten for dinner and then twelve in the evening. So very strange but restful. Just had a "virtual" get together with the family this afternoon on Skype , I think it's called. Isn't all this modern technology wonderful ? Best wishes to you both for next year and hopefully better days. Regards, Roy and Pat.

I have also built brass etched signals Richard and use Megapoints control ... very good variable bounce , and very like they used to be as I remember . I use small SMD micro LEDs , warm white colour , (can't recall where from ... sorry) . They come ready to use , wired and fitted with a resister for 12 V dc. I glue them in plastic channel . lay a thin .010" or .015" layer over the top , the whole thing squeezing in a 3 mm. length of 3 mm . square brass tube with a .9mm. hole drilled in the LED shining side . The white plastic covering of the LED defuses the light a bit , but I also fit a 5K or 6K resister in the positive feed of each LED to dim the light more to be more the dim brightness of the oil lamps used in steam days . It's then a matter of sticking the lamp on to the post in the right place and packed off the post on top of a piece of copper clad sleeper or something . I think it's .050" thick to bring the lamp off the post so that the lamp lines up with the signal sense . I use epoxy glue so as to have some adjustment time to get them right . Sorry to be so long winded , and good luck . Regards , Roy .

Hello Tony , All valid points by Graham as you say . I also think due to to speed and the resulting disturbance of oil and muck being deposited on the track shows up more in the facing direction of either main lines . This shows up on Graham's photo from the Essendine bridge I think . The slow roads aren't affected quite so much to this effect as traffic is slower. You may be able to see in some photos the difference in colour when looking in the direction of travel and then the other way . You could almost do with an airbrush spraying some oily / brake dusty weathering forward while attached to the front of a wagon going in the correct direction . What do you reckon ? Regardes Roy .

I agree Andrew re. the cylinder cover curving round the bottom . I improved it on two of my Hornby A4s by making some overlays from 5 thou brass sheet . Rather fiddly and flimsy as I carried it on a few mm. along the narrow valance area . Popped rivet impressions with one of these pointed rods with a weight , rolling a curve like a coach tumblehome and glued it on . After of course filing the existing plastic rivets flat and forming a curve around the bottom of the cylinder . Made like this they spring off and on if you need to remove the body . As for recent discussions about the radius link being too long and narrow , I have fitted Mike Edge etched two or three layer radius links and his radius rods which can be made to wark properly in gear , and also look right . Regards , Roy .

Thanks Tony , I hadn't thought of that method . Might give it a go as it's such a fine line . Roy .

How have you done the windows on your box Tony ? Are they etched brass or perhaps lined with a bow pen . They really look the part for GN style to me . Regards , Roy .

I would recommend a call to Chris at Hi-level . He's very helpful and knowledgable . And his products are very good too . No connection , just a satisfied customer . Roy.

I don't recall doing that Steve but it was a long time ago now . Thanks for your concern though . Regards , Roy .

Super photos there Caroline , of cab doors I was trying to describe some pages back when the discussion was on . I remember them well . Thanks Regards , Roy .

Only maybe when it's pelting rain or snow in on that side of the engine Tony . Note also on that last photo on Mike Trices' thread . Note also the little wooden armrest for the driver in the window opening which hinged down to close the window . But then you probably knew that . Regards , Roy .

Tony , Definitely varnished wood . I'd say a light to mid brown , teak maybe Regards , Roy .