rodent279

However many people use it, it's a vast improvement on the old thing.

Not that I'm aware of, I cycle through that bridge most days, and yes, I was thinking it would be a good idea. I think there's room, but it would be a much bigger job, as for a start, the bridge at Parkway carries about 6 roads. Mostly if two buses meet, one waits for the other. It's not great for cyclists, although there is a cycle lane, you still get impatient motorists breathing down your neck, because the 10 seconds it takes you to cycle between the two roundabouts either side of the bridge is about 8.5 seconds too long for them.

A better photo of Gypsy Patch bridge, taken this evening complete with a short formation HST crossing. Edit:-the new bridge will go roughly from the OHL support on the left (south) side to about 10m to the right of the OHL support on the right. It's being constructed as we speak in a yard on the other side of the line, behind the HST, which used to be one of the Rolls-Royce facilities.

Does anyone on here know when the Severn Tunnel will be energised, and trains can run on electric all the way between BPW & Newport? Cheers N

On the subject of Patchway, this bridge on Gypsy Patch Lane, about 300m south of the station, is coming out in the next few weeks. It's being replaced as part of the Metrobus expansion to Cribbs Causeway. The new bridge will be full width, higher and with cycle and pedestrian paths each side. It'll relieve a bottleneck on an important traffic artery, long overdue.

I believe there are some, but it's no more than a 20 min walk-not that someone who needs to use a lift is likely to want to do that.

Well done! I might have a go again in May. Last year I did the hilly half in May. It was very hot, and I struggled. I might have another go. Anyway, better move on before we get accused of thread hijack!

Yes, it's a tricky one, and a balance has to be struck. I think the SJ WD did run in near SJ condition for a season or so, didn't it? As for Austerities, the one that saddens me is the ex-Bold colliery loco, "Robert", now at the GC, vacuum braked, and dolled up as a BR machine. That was one of the stars of Rocket 150 in 1980, in a lovely smart lined green livery. Also it was unique, in that it was the only steam loco there that was genuinely in revenue earning service. Rocket 150 itself is now history.

How did you do? I was in wave 3, got rained on at the start, but apart from that got away with it. Did you notice that in Coombe Down tunnel, there are still distances in chains from the northern portal marked on the left hand side as you go away from Bath? The tunnel is 84 chains long, and there certainly wouldn't be much room in there for bystanders with a 9F going through!

I do find the urge to restore locos to original, or near original, condition, unnecessary and a little disappointing. After all, the locos time in Sweden is an important part of its history, so keeping it in Swedish condition is just as valid as returning it to as-built, or as run on BR condition. Just my opinion, but I'd love to see one of these repatriated locos restored and operated in the condition in which it operated outside the UK (obviously whilst maintaining compatibility with UK loading gauge requirements as far as possible).

Hi all, I am building a DC Kits class 76 (have been since 2003 actually.....), and being a sucker for punishment, I am trying to make my own bogies and frames. I'm thinking of mounting the motor in the body-can anyone recommend an off the shelf miniature cardan shaft, suitable for the inside of a 4mm scale bodyshell? Cheers N

Yes, looking at Tim Hillier-Graves' book, the final drive was a flexible drive, similar in principle to the flexible drive used in class AL1, AL2 & AL5 locomotives.

I think it looks a beaut!

1500 tonne trains at around 43mph, according to Tufnell's "Prototype Locomotives". I doubt if anything similar existed in the UK until the block trains of the 60's onwards. Edit:-maximum 43mph. The turbine was rated at 1270hp at 27mph. Maybe not far off the sort of thing the LMS Garrets were used on, though not sure they loaded as much as 1500tonne.

Ore trains on a 150 mile run between Oxelosund-Grangesberg. Don't know about continuous running, but it sounds like the sort of work suited to turbines. They were at it for 30-odd years, so clearly weren't an abysmal failure.

All different now, with the bypass spoiling the view!

Which I think I'd know as the bridge where Leighton TSC used to be? I remember my dad taking me there. He went into the compound, something had happened, not sure what. I stayed in the car, watching the trains. When I took my first driving lesson, the instructor drive us out under that bridge, and into Ledburn, where we swapped over.

Nice artwork, and as Rich says, it does look convincing. But, step forward 50+ years to the late 80's, and take inspiration from the class 91-why not use a cardan shaft drive to the front axle? Then mount the forward and reverse turbines (if they are separate units) in place of the cylinders, between/across the frames, like on 6202? And if you're going to give it a trailing axle, why not go the whole hog and give it a wide firebox as well? Maybe the whole arrangement would suit either a 9F or a WD 2-10-0 better?

Presumably you'd need to increase the axle diameter to maintain stiffness, which would make wheelsets very heavy, increasing the unsprung weight. To compensate, you'd need thicker, heavier rails, to avoid rail breakages.

I guess as the gauge gets wider, for a given radius curve, the difference in length between inner and outer rail increases. This means that the difference in rotation speed between inner and outer wheels becomes greater, which I guess increases wheel and rail wear?

Yes, Stanier knew about them, and visited Sweden to see them. All 3 are preserved, and one has been in operation, though what it's status is now I don't know.

Were some of the Presflos through air piped then?

I guess if you apply Rule 1, all 3 types of VB wagon could be coupled together in the same train. The AB wagons obviously not, but I guess again Rule 1 applies, they could be seen in the same yard.

You are right! Conflat L, don't know where I got Conflat C from!

Quick question regarding cement wagons-would Presflo, Prestwin and Conflat C ( the 3 container variant of the Conflat A) have been seen in the same train, or were the unloading requirements of each too different to make it practical to mix them? What about later varieties of cement wagon, with a v-shaped cylinder? Could they have been mixed with the earlier variants in the same train? Cheers N