60B

7 hours ago, Purnu said:

More variety from Scotland, this time courtesy of Paul Robertson.

 

 

Must have been just about the earliest class 20s fitted with air. And some of the first mainline diesels fitted with air alongside the Consett 24s?

2 hours ago, Blobrick said:

 

There's a collection of photos on Flickr showing stock transfer during the 15 months period when  the rebuilding of the Ness viaduct was on going

 

(https://www.flickr.com/photos/roddymacphee/albums/72157639810566544/)

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/roddymacphee/12293897945/in/album-72157639810566544/

 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/roddymacphee/12347193233/in/album-72157639810566544/

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/roddymacphee/12347944014/in/album-72157639810566544/

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/roddymacphee/12477663253/in/album-72157639810566544/

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/roddymacphee/12477976864/in/album-72157639810566544/

 

 

Bob C.

 

Thanks Bob, I was Googling around because I could swear I read a list of what came in and out at Muir Of Ord but found that Flickr set in the RealTrack 156 thread. 

1 hour ago, Blobrick said:

 

I ve seen a photo on Flickr of 37 419 at Thurso April 17th 1990 with two Tourist liveried  Mk2a coaches in tow

Which now has me wondering, were they originally stranded after the bridge collapse (the opening of the new one was still a month away) or were they rotated in?

On 26/06/2021 at 10:02, Argos said:

 

 

A ex NBR carriage was parked down at Loch Tay on the Killin branch for a while, I think it was used as a mess hut.

 

 

 

I very nearly started a thread to try identify this as it pops up in a BTF film about BRS with it parked up in the bay at Killin. I can find that it was a NBR 58' 4" third but not the diagram.: 

1 hour ago, 97406 said:

 

That’s absolutely smashing! There’s no way I can make it to the Glasgow show, but I look forward to seeing it at a show somewhere in future.

Certainly won't miss it, its enormous!

Haven't been to a show in years but had a good time today. Wellpark, Tellindalloch and Donaghadee being particular highlights on the layout front. 

18 hours ago, KeithMacdonald said:

The weeds grow fast in Torquay.

 

 

Am I meant to extrapolate that there is a litany of enthusiasts of a specific variety of adult activity enjoyers in the vicinity? 

1 hour ago, LittleRedTrain said:

Hattons with their massive, almost industrial-scale, business seemed to be in a much better place to weather the various storms than anyone else. 

I used to be pretty intimately involved in the craft beer industry and from where I've been sitting: bigger isn't always better. A smaller operation with a small reach has less overheads and can get by with a small handful of essential staff whereas a larger operation with a larger direct distro area and export will have entire departments (sales, marketing etc etc) so any shake up in the market puts the big player in the danger zone but when the smaller operation has one person dealing with a few hats at any one time, they can weather it a bit better. Generally.

This is absolutely shocking news whatever way you look at it. One of the longest serving retailers who've weathered all sorts of economic headwinds, seen manufacturers rise and fall, led the sector in bespoke models that manufacturers didn't want to touch (generic 4 wheelers aside) and had an indelible mark on the world of online model train retailing. Thats no small loss to a small sector. Hattons will be greatly missed when the last parcel is despatched.

From Robert Gadsdon's collection. He's also pointed out the window arrangement in the brake section which I can't recall seeing before: 

4 hours ago, brylonscamel said:

David's commission of a some Glasgow Tenements trundled along rather slowly over recent months.

But my I made good on my promise, delivering a set of  bespoke tenements to him this week.

 

Here is the finished article, as it left the studio yesterday ..

 

Incredible work. Reminds me a lot of when I spent time with a lady who lived near Queens Park station. Does it come with authentic sound and scent? The smell of old lager and oppressive silence when you walk in the joint. 

47 minutes ago, Moxy said:

 

The notes on Flickr say "I don't have the exact date of this this image but I wonder whether it is discernible: the billboard for the Evening Chronicle says '40 Killed in Train Crash'. On 4th August 1971 there was a crash near Belgrade in then the Yugoslavia that killed 35... perhaps this was taken or around that date?"

This was only a couple of months ahead of the supposed date: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahlerau_train_disaster .  

Went looking for the website this morning and its disappeared. Taking it as news its no longer in operation?

On 03/09/2021 at 19:43, montyburns56 said:

I know it's a bog standard Shocvan but the Earles Cement label is unusual??

 

Shocvan Northallerton 1963

 

 

Not sure how odd it could be classed as but there was at least another out in the wild:
 

Want to save space by putting the running line but don't want to look out of place? Canonbie Goods has got you
 

Whilst searching for something else related to this thread, I came across this of a couple of class 20s coming back from Longannet with a long rake. https://railphotoprints.uk/p448560584/h248465B6#h171ca2ad

2 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Not at all an anachronism. Neilsons built it for the 1886 Edinburgh Exhibition, following in many respects Drummond's Caledonian 66 Class 4-4-0, a batch of which Neilsons had built. (There can hardly not have been plenty of socialising between the staff of the Hyde Park and St Rollox drawing offices.) Neilsons would hardly have built an outmoded type as an exhibition engine - in fact, it was a pioneer of the single-wheeler revival, made possible by power sanding. Drummond had introduced compressed air sanding on the 66 Class, this was used on 123. Drummond was close to S.W. Johnson - going back to the early 60s at Cowlairs on the E&GR; his daughter Christine married Johnson's son James - so cannot but have been aware of the power sanding experiments at Derby. These had started out using compressed air from the Westinghouse pump but the Westinghouse Co. had objected to this, claiming that it could compromise the effectiveness of their brake. The Midland was anyway in the process of dropping Westinghouse in favour of the automatic vacuum brake; the outcome was the steam sanding system. Evidently Drummond was prepared to face Westinghouse down!

 

It should also be remembered that the highest recorded speeds obtained with British locomotives in the 19th century were both 90 mph with singles: NER Class J No. 1517 on test (a test conducted by another of Johnson's Cowlairs circle, W.M. Smith) and MR 115 Class No. 117 bowling down the 1:200 towards Bedford with a service train; and don't overlook the stupendous flying average of 70 miles at 80 mph by Duke of Connaught with the Ocean Mails in 1904. These were not obsolete types but at the forefront of express work with the loads they were asked to take in the period before the introduction of corridor carriages.

It was still going out of fashion till the compressed air sanders came along then the trending upwards weight made it untenable for such front line work like you say. Singles were fast, theres no doubt but seemed to be somewhat fickle against less than ideal railhead conditions. Drummond facing up to Westinghouse is interesting. Do you know how much pressure the sanders required and how much of a drain on the reservoir 

3 minutes ago, Legend said:

I bet Simon Kohlers dusting off the mouldings even as you speak . Maybe it will follow the Dean single being brought out this year, just as it did back in the sixties . I know 123 was in the Race for the North but I’ve never understood peoples fascination with it . A Caley Dunalastair or Cardean would be much better instead . 

123 was an anorchism at the time but proved there was still mileage in the single wheeler concept with a few tweaks. It lived a fairly quiet life after Race To The North antics working inspection saloons, Royal Pilot and a while spent on Dundee - Perth shuttles. It seems to have become a bit of a 'pet' locomotive which usually brings some goodwill from various corners. It was also a popular railtour locomotive but if it hadn't been saved like a Dean Single, it might well have just been a footnote for a design that was almost at an evolutionary dead end.  I'm sure theres a bias from the railtours but you just have to see how many people sought it out including luminaries of it on railtours especially the infamous C&O run in the snow. Plus, seeing how 828 and 419 are received wherever they go, theres a thirst for seeing the flair of the Caledonian liveries.

3 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Except for one class member that has worn the yellow livery in and out of service for many more years than any other class member wore any other livery!

Same with Gordon Highlander. The green it carries today had been replaced by black by the time it was built but now that livery in itself is prototypical. Wonder if Scottish Region went with those two for aesthetic rather than historic purposes.

20 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

it was a scrapyard that bought locomotives from the NCB in the 1970s. Over the years most have left for preservation. They are in remarkable condition even though they've been dumped outside for over fifty years and they never suffered from thieves stealing parts so are virtually complete apart from some brass and copper fittings.

 

All seven that did leave have steamed since.

 

But getting them to sell is near impossible. I've known quite a few people who've tried over the years. I believe that the owner wants to keep the last four. Whether it's for financial reasons I don't know.

 

Sometimes scrapyards keep things in case the market changes. If you run into financial difficulty then you are sitting on £100,000 worth of locomotives.

 

 

Jason

A truly strange situation. Muirs current yards are not far from the house and I've seen one of them which is nearer a gate. Theres also a diesel too. From what I understand, the price asked for is truly dumb money for what they're worth unrestored hulks.

5 hours ago, montyburns56 said:

Achnasheen

 

 

A 24/1 AND 27 (which in itself is a bit of a rare bird here) seem overkill here (though theres probably a good reason for it. The other thing that stands out is that the end  is punctuated by an open wagon of some variety. Incredibly little passenger accommodation even for the Kyle line.

On 22/02/2021 at 22:27, Auchend1nny said:

Thanks, the tenements are made from a material called Foamex, you can buy sheets of it off eBay fairly cheap. I then carve the stone courses with an old dart. It’s much softer than plasticard but still holds its shape and seems to stay square. After that it’s painted with acrylic artist paints. The sash windows are from Smart Models.

Progress on them has stalled a bit the last few months while I’ve been relaying the track but I’ll hopefully get back to them soon.

Mark

My last Edinburgh flat was near the Asda at Granton and you have nailed the Western Leith/ Trinity/ Granton look to a T. I'm not convinced this isn't the Prom Bar. 

On 15/02/2021 at 18:53, jcm@gwr said:

 

It had been in it's current position for 163 years.

How would you feel if your family had looked after something for that long, to

get told that because it's important to the nation, it's ownership has been given

to a national museum?

I mean, that is the founding principles of the British Museum.

It's a storm in a teacup being invented by Darlington as far as I can see. This isn't a permanent removal but a celebration of a birthplace of steam. 

1 hour ago, melmerby said:

Derby specified IIRC and considered by some to be inadequate, even for the job intended.

Definitely a point Derby took a kicking for over on NatPres.

5 minutes ago, LMS2968 said:

No, they were an answer to the Toton - Brent coal traffic, which was always double headed, usually by 3F + 4F combination, although they did find use over a much wider geographical area. I don't know of any other time they headed coaching stock, and as said, thirty of thr 33 did not have vacuum equipment to work them anyway.

I can only assume that the friction surfaces were built with this in mind and not heavy WCML passenger trains. I have wondered if the Garratts would have been useful on the steep and tight routes of Scotland. Not so much raising the top speed but raising the average speed and removing the need for double heading. 

3 hours ago, DY444 said:

I have to say it is disappointing to see so much mocking of a potential railway project on a railway forum.  It may be somewhat left field but it is in essence "normal railway" and not hyperloop or other fantasy nonsense and seems to me to be a rather more practical proposition than the bridge proposal. 

Why shouldn't it be mocked? Its not treasonous to suggest a plan is dumb as rocks when it clearly is. HS2 and Crossrail still get pelters despite their obvious merits and pitfalls. Hyperloop is also a dumb idea thats being pitched as some revolutionary saviour. Though I guess 100mph is impressive when buses come as often as bed washing day. Britain isn't exactly known for transport projects coming in on time or anywhere near budget. Especially when our current PM wasted millions on a bridge that never existed. I don't think its a stretch to suggest none of them should be allowed near planning and should be given crayons and paper and left to it. 

3 hours ago, LMS2968 said:

The photo was taken by Frank Carrier, an LMS draughtsman, and is now owned by Kidderminster Railway Museum. The engine was to run the test train from Derby to St Pancras, but suffered a hot box and had to be removed at Leicester. The tests were in connection with a proposal to use (different) Garratts on passenger work over the West Coast route. That didn't happen, and the test was not repeated.

Were they designed and built with this in mind?