Blandford1969

Looks incredible

Well that means reports of it starting fires today cannot be correct, lol

According to the 12 days of Christmas (swearing I know) its 12 Royal Scots, 11 Modified Halls 10 Super Ds 9 2-10-0s ( so you are 8 short) 8 Coronations 7 V2's (missing 5 here, but I bet you've got them) 6 Merchant Navies 5 A4s (with hand action) 4 Black 5's 3 Flying Pigs 2 modified Hall's And a crap shot of a Dub Dee I'll get my coat, lol Love the A4 by the way

Comparing the two from a Drivers perspective. On a 15 everything is on the outside so you don't need a pit (there are 2 points on the brakeshaft at the back but it can be got to. That removes the safety aspects. Generally the motion on a 15 is quicker and easier to oil than a 57xx and they have a bit more poke. (the only pains being the axleboxes which have very small feeds and long tubes meaning without a herdy gerdy it can take some time. The main difference really is that you cannot pull the gear up on a 15 anywhere near as much as on a 57 due to the increasing lead the latter with Stephenson's have as they are pulled up.

From memory there is just more room in the cab as the firebox / boiler is smaller, as for a trip a mile down the road is not too bad, lol

Wow is all you can say, what a labour of love

Its a long time since I have driven it, but I'm sure it was just a bog standard pannier back head. If you are not sure on that I've probably got a photo on the laptop or can pop down and quickly take a couple of 7714.

One of the best things on a Pannier of course is that on the level you can pull them up almost to mid gear and due to the increasing lead with Stephenson's they just fly (well at 25mph anyway) .

Yes, pretty much. One thing on the difference between them is accelerating away from a stop is less work with a piston valve compared with a slide valve. With a slide valve engine the valve, which is D shaped is held down by the steam being admitted. To try to change the position of the reverser with steam on, certainly more than just into first valve risks the reverser flying being impossible to control. Therefore to change cut off its 1) turn on blower, 2) shut off, 3) move the reverser, 4) open regulator and finally turn off blower, (Western region ones are very loud and are not needed with steam on) In first valve it is possible on a well run in engine to move the reverser, BUT you have to be very careful. All of this opening and shutting slows acceleration. Whereas with a piston valve engine the pressure of the steam is even all the way around the valve and so it is not necessary to shut off to move the reverser. On something like a pacific it would make getting away if slipping very, very difficult. Whereas as they are piston you can open the regulator to the required amount in the steam chest and then drive off the reverser. By that I mean it is not locked and if the engine goes to slip you very quickly wind towards mid gear then carefully wind out again.

Not always

Quite possibly, although having said that unless you have physically driven its unlikely most would understand how much or little you do to shunt a light engine or even a couple of wagons.

How much wider is the firebox now?

Whether the sound is accurate or not to me is academic as I have found at exhibitions finding those with steam sounds often not knowing what would really happen. For example an engine moving to run round or move in sidings on models they 'chuff' all the way till they stop. In reality you give it a breath of steam and then roll and use only small breaths to keep control.

The oddest sight on Friday there of the ones I saw were two men in 3 piece suits and bowler hats on our second run to Highley. You missed the Land Rover blocking Northwood and the mooner (glad we were sitting at Highley by then!.

Ah Inspector Evans on duty. Glad to hear you are on the mend.

I would not say we struggled and no one reported ever being short of steam, just lots of dust, oh and clinker that set across the box.

Yes, you slack it down regularly but the dust that blows around is incredible and will not be helping.

That is surely more the madness thread, by the look of it quite possibly a poor buy.

Just to add 4930 has been withdrawn whilst an investigation takes place as to why it is setting fires. It has the same spark arrester as all the other engines. Mind you the current coal is not helping being very, very dusty. It was noticeable the only sparks coming out that I saw from 43106 was when the fireman had the doors open or was firing. Apart from that very few apart from when first starting away.

Yup 5 - one at Sterns going south, at Kinlet sidings, at Northwood lane, Tenbury Wall and then at the top of Eardington. It was the right thing to pull it. As a result of the fire at Northwood we then had a landrover blocking the crossing and refusing to move and then later on a man mooning at a passing train. You cannot make it up :)

Yes the 813 fund will be there, however the miniature railway is at Highley. If anyone is travelling on the local behind the Pig tomorrow afternoon from 3 onwards come and say hello as I've got my comfy slippers for a driving turn with her.

Yup, me too. the more that do it, the more likely eBay is to do something.

Simple - report it for price gouging.

Here we have the updated nameplates.

No, it was planned that it would happen during its V&P due over the winter months and was reiterated during a shed meeting two weeks ago.