35 Ark Royal

Heres one of the beast Courageous before it met the gas torch

and after R.I.P

Hi again, you say you are modelling the whole fleet from 1990 so depening on your actual month you are modelling from 24 would be ok as it is as it did not get repainted until late September.For your interest i had the loco on its last run in theese colours intending to go to Pompey as 24 a good loco, but Vanguard failed with a loud bang at Exeter St Thomas and Howe dragged us in to St David's after a lengthy delay, for both to be uncoupled for Resolution forward.Date was Friday 17th August.

Here is a pic of that Beast Vanguard before departure but sadly on this date very off colour.

So im presuming for your time period you will not be having 50006/011/012/013/014/022/025/038/and 047 as they except Centurion had been cut up, but you could have 50004/016/019/020/021/034/035/039/040/041 as still intact but withdrawn.

Hi Jon i know very sad i went to a few scrapyards depots etc to see some of theese fine machines cut up.

Anyhow just for you Vanguard in happier times leaving Salisbury, i took this from another Vac hauled service so quite pleased with the results.

Hi -

Thanks all for your kind comments - I'm working on another batch of 8 class 50s at the moment - it takes a long time but I'll have loads of photos when they're done.

 

Bit of a sore point with my model of 024 actually - I'm going have to rename and renumber the model and turn it into 001 - as 50024 would have been in NSE dark blue with 'West of England' brandings in my period - that'll teach me - I didnt reseach it properly.

When I do a batch of NSE dark blue hoovers , then i'll do 024 properly!

Its a bit of a shame - Vanguard did look lovely in light blue with snowploughs, yellow axleboxes and its black windscreen. Luckily when it was repainted dark blue It kept some individuality , with the huge NSE flashes on the headcode boxes - very beastly B)

Thats what i love about 50s - all the little individual livery differenced that make each one unique - (and make Hornbys job impossible!)

 

TFN

 

Jon

Hi Jon yes you are right Vanguard for your period was in dark blue and had huge oversized flashes, here is a pic but sadly this fine machine is been dismantled.

So what is your favourite machine?

Yes they did especially in the NSE period and later in thier twighlight period for example 24 with oversized NSE flashes , 27 in dark blue with NSE flashes on headcode box one end and none the other. etc etc.

Hi John love those vacs especially Courageous, i take it you will be weathering 24?

Hi now that Hornby have seen fit to release Thunderer in Laira Blue, will we see the following next year or in the future.

Large Logo with a black roof

BR Blue refurbished 50001/006/013/017/019 and 047

Original NSE standard

RNSE dark pristine

And maybe some specials

Monarch with a blue roof

Ramillies in Laira Blue

D400 in BR blue (AS 1991)

Howe with it's hybrid roof blue and black

For the others i have mentioned for Large Logo with a black roof i would like to see either Warspite,Vanguard with ploughs.Ajax with the 46 in the headcode box

Original NSE Courageous with blue plates, Resolution with ploughs,Invincible or Furious with 034 on the side

Rnse Dark i would like to see Conqueror, Barham, Royal Oak, Vanguard with oversized NSE flashes, Renown, GloriousNSE,Furious with 434 on lower bodyside.

For the refurbished Blue it has to be either Neptune or Royal Oak(sandboxes) or Dreadnought or Ramullies) Not Ageincrate or Swifty

So what does everyone else want to see?

Very good but can we please get back to the Hornby Vac and i did not know electric locos whistled?

Anyway after 35 the next vac i am planning will be 44 Exeter but in a proper Livery Large Logo with a black roof.

A pic of the real loco and what i am hoping mine will look like.

Exeter at Birmingham New St July 1986 and not long before a big bang which caused 44 to enter works for last classified and repaint in tootpaste Livery.

Thanks for your reply vac basher.

 

To clarify what I'm on about as regards DP2's vents, I already have a model of DP2 which is a heavily modified Silver Fox/Bachmann combo. It's still not quite right, so I was thinking about having another go, either starting from fresh or re hashing my current model.

 

If I do this, I thought I might use these vents if they were the same pattern on DP2 as they were on the 50's? I think DP2's will be a little smaller, but I'm hoping the actual fins on the vents look the same on both loco's if that makes any more sense?

 

Regards the book, I'll see if I can find a copy online, so thanks for that.

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

Hi if it is DP2 you are after why not go for the forthcoming Heljan release.? Or has it been shelved?

In my humble oppinion the windows do look somewhere near right and do not benefit from replacement frames.

Hi i agree, i can not see the benefit of changing the frames.The only thing in my opinion that lets the model down is those damm louvers, why ogh why did Hornby go for play value with this super detailed model??

Another thing i can do with out is the cab doors opening.Who actualy models the locos with the cab door open? or plays around opening and shutting the cab door.?

I think it is a gimmick and instead of opening doors i would have prefered cab lighting instead.

What do other people think?

Do you play with your louvers and your doors??

To a certain extent I think comparing best/worst locos is irrelevant as it's subjective to a large degree.

For example 35 was your favorite but it must have been someone else's worst.

Perhaps if we were to rate them by engine hours or miles then it may be possible to comply a more objective list.

 

I just don't seem to remember 14 as a reliable one. It had a fantastic name though!

To be honest, 21 I just didn't like the name. Somehow, to me, "Rodney" just doesn't sound as awe inspiring as Dreadnought, Fearless, Illustrious, Invincible, ect.

I'm surprised you thought 07 was a heap of junk, as it was one of the last (at 46's expense, if memory serves me right )

31 would have been in my "fair" list were it not repainted in it's last year or so of service. It always seemed to be spanking clean after that.

In regards to 49, that should have been in my "fair" list. 149 was what I should have put in my best list.

 

 

There's a chap on this forum who reckons 35 was the best of them all!

Regards no 7, i can never forgive for Ajax it is 46 that should have been saved

Re 21 yes i agree not the best name, but then others were not such as 03/05/11/12/13/22/23/27 to name a few.

Agree with you but i do not think there ia a list of the total mileage they did, unless you mean personal mileage??

When i was bashing the class people used to rave on about 010/013/026/047 in particular as best of the class but i disagree.

Only Swiftsure and Monarch are not in my worst list

But it is all courses for horses and water under the bridge as we only have 18 left now.

But back to modelling the ones i rated liked will be in my fleet long term but ones i did'nt not.

Re Hood it was repainted May 1991 and withdrawn August so barely 3 months.

Worst: 11,12,13,14,20,21,22,38,43,47,48

Fair: 01,02,03,05,06,09,10,16,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,34,39,40,41,42,45.

Best: 04,07,08,15,17,18,19,31,32,33,35,36,37,44,46,49,50

 

And yours?

 

 

Does it really matter?

03,05,09,10,17,20,23(x2),24,30,34,35(x2),41(x2),45,46,49,50

Yes because i am interested.

Ok you asked a question and deserve an anwser so here goes

Worst 07/11/12/13/22/26/38/43

Fair 01/02/03/05/06/10/16/20/21/23/27/29/31/41/42/45/47/48/49

Best 04/08/09/14/15/17/18/19/24/25/28/30/32/33/34/35/36/39/40/44/46/50

So apart from some differences similar i rated Warspite while you think it is a shed?

While you rated Elgar and i thought it was a heap of junk but i notice 6 of my worst are in yours.But if i had to pick one i think it would go to Benbow.

The reason is i only had 2 good runs of it the rest were average or poor, closely followed by Indomitable.

Eagle at least was loud and very fast when it was actualy working.

I am surprised to see Rodney and Swiftsure in your worst, used to like Rodders in particular, had some good runs behind it and Swiftsure or the Swift one or Swifty every one seemed to rave on about it but i thought only fair so your reasons for disliking theese 2?

No 7 had good runs and high mileage but the name??

Agincourt seemed to me to stagger about it but loads rated it.

Formidable good in 1985 but by 87 was well below par and some awful runs behind it

Anson similar but some rated it.

Im also very surprised to see Dauntless in your worst as i spoke to a driver of 33 at Yeovil August 1991 and he reckoned 48 was the best of the lot.

As regards 31 and 49 been in your best colum Hood was good but weak and Defiance only fair but each to thier own.

Thanks for sharing and fascinating to read.

By the way can never agree with you on Warspite an absoloute beast and was my highest unmodified.

Spec's on mate B) I didn't say I didn't rate 50035. If you read the other part of my sentence you may see that I said I'll be having 50035 twice.

Yes, I admit 50026 wasn't one of the best ones nor was it one of the worst one though. I'd say it was a fair machine.

 

 

If anybody has any more info about this I'd be interested in hearing about these tests.

Ok, must have mis read your post, yes 26 was not too good, but not the worst either.

So id be interested in what you thought were the worst ones?

So long term what are theese 19 vacs to be?

Imyself, now hopefuly next week to start renumbering Dauntless to 35 but it will be a long job as a lot of work.

But should look good when i have completed.In the NSE thread im going to upload a pic of every Vac in ONSE Livery as i have a pic of every one.

I have long-term plans for another 19 Hoovers B)

And I won't be having 50035 just once, but twice!!

So you another one who don't rate it.

Well for me it was the best one and i chased it all over the place.

My machine, no 8 and 50 had some bias towards them, probably because people were just jealous.

You rated 46 i presume by your posts while i rated 35 and before you say i did not have anything against Ajax it was a hellfire engine and should have been preserved.

The ones are disliked if this is possible to dislike a Vac would be 50007/012/022/026/038 and 043 and safe to say i would not have any of theese in my fleet.

I notice you got Indomitable in your fleet.

This was a bag of old spanners and not one of the best but each to thier own.

I'll probably get shot for saying this, but my fleet currently consists of 50007 in GWR green, 50135 repainted into LoadHaul colours, and one more currently awaiting its repaint into LMS colours as 50017. Sorry!

Sir Edward I can live with but the other 2, the best 2 in the entire fleet imho i can not.

Royal Oak was vandalised in that horrible livery and Ark Royal looks like a mobile jaffa cake what on earth poseesed them would had rather had Original NSE with 35 above the headcode box or dark RNSE with no flashes.

See pics.

35 in ONSE at Birm New St with 1M20 18/08/89 Luckiley for me 35 worked this diagram 3 days running

35 now in dark blue and missing crests at Coventry about to detatched from 1M20 now booked for a strumming devise but the spoon failed and 35 hooked on at Padd, so that was the day sorted.

Hi Vac basher no 4 very nice loved St Vincent probably second best between 50001-010 would rate Thunderer first, then St Vincent,Conqueror and Dreadnought.

Got myself Lion with the extra window :rolleyes:but a bargain at £50 and just bought 50015 Valiant in Dutch which i was hoping to do a body swap with 48 as this will become Ark Royal.

Also plan to re number Superb and de weather that awful factory weathering and re number to 17 Royal Oak.

So Vac Basher any more 50's planned and will you be having 35? or are you another one who dislikes it?

The Alliance are just trying to drum up more trade and possiblly some shares sales, at the end of the day I don't care as long as they are out on the main line.

 

Back to the 4mm versions, I do remember a retailer saying that a sales sheet had 50001 Deadnought listed but no livery advice. Back to 18 the pluging of the window and making into 44 preserved is the only option for that model? unless you scrap it for spares?

 

Larry

As far as i am aware 35 is not on the main line.

Well as i am permately going to N 35 is going to be part exed this week.

The Dauntless i will be renumbering to 35 complete with 35 above headlight both ends but with a difference weathered and tattey.

TThe reason is this simply had most mileage behind in this livery and majority of my trips to Penzance especially in 1989 a vintage year for mileage behind Ark Royal B)

Yes indeed I forgot that... 18 is a complete clusterfudge (Keeping it Clean), one of those grills from 33 for the other window would be good to covert to preserved 50044. Either as it was in 1994 or green from 2001 and soon this year when it's back in blue.

Can;t wait to see 44 back in blue, but now they must return the best one in a proper Livery instead of something that resemles a jaffa cake

If we must have fictitious liveries how about Dutch,Railfreight, Large Logo with black or blue roof, Inter-City, Parcels Red or even Mainline blue would have been preferable to something that resembles a jaffa cake.

Re 18 a complete botch up by Hornby extra grill , nameplate in NSE posistion but not raised,No working dominoes and traction tyres.

Remeber talking to people at Warley who said it was going to be 18 in NSE and when first announced it was going to be Collingwood in RNSE but this was quickly changed to Achilles i wonder why?

See some joker on Ebay got Hood on for £100 BIN not a hope.lol

Having traded in 17 i am down to the best one although some may not agree

But it is the best one for me an others.

I have acuired a Hornby Dauntless cheap but mint and intend to re number as Royal Oak so i have at least my 2 favourites ones.

Surprising to some i supouse. but never had a problem with the early NSE style like some did.

Also because i had one of my best runs of 17 in this livery, mule throughout Sept 87 returning from a Newquay bash.

17 was whipped up to a 102 MPH between Basingstoke and Woking.I swear the driver must have been Ayrton Senna

Anyway it was absoloutely hellfire!!!

I've seen you posting on here for quite some time, yet it only dawned on me yesterday that you used to be on that other forum too.

It's a small world!

 

 

Thanks, that pic of my D400 is one of my favorite ones. To me it just looks so real.

Correct it is a repaint as Hornby haven't done that one, as I'm sure you know.

 

 

46 was a good one, yes.

 

 

In the words of Shaggy: it wasn't me.

Hi apologies must have been mistaken, thought it was odd as no self respecting 50 fan would want any of the survivors cut up

Hopefuly Leviathan which was virtually a shell will be the last.

Could you upload some colour pics of D400 and your others on here please, As D400 is the next loco planned once i have done Glorious

Yes it is odd re Hornby they have not done D400 yet they have done 15 in Dutch and are going to do 008 in Laira Blue , but still no Black Roof or ONSE standard correctly done.No doubt after i have done my respray of D400 it will be released next year

Gillinghamgus, I remember you (I recognize your photos) from the old Yahoo (was it Yahoo? ) model Class 50 website (now defunct ). That's going back perhaps 3 or 4 years now, maybe even more.

Remember the discussion about the diffrent shape crests/plaques on 50031

Why did the Class 50 website get taken down?

Come to think of it, wasn't Ian Ark Royal on there too?

Hi Vac basher you have very good memory yes i was a good site and it suddenly got closed down do not know why.By the way love your avatar and the pic of D400 at the bottom another respray?

With this loco hopefuly getting later this month, D400 is a must.

So i am guessing 46 was your fave?

And why do you not like Glorious?, i seem to remeber you saying you would not be bothered if it got the chop?

Yes the body side grill which was missed unlike the ones they added to 50018 and 50014 the un-refurbished locos...!

I asked Hornby if they would make a plug like they did for the first batch of 50035 with unpainted nose handles but they declinded. I may be interested in those louvers 50033 has made in the future?

 

My fave vacs were 50008 before the silly laira Blue just for the name and 50044, of course there were others for various reasons on the day like thrashed by a mad driver or mega loud due to blowing exhausts 50002/16 and liveries like 50008 black roof red beams and silver steps in 1985.

 

my collection so far:

50002 NSE

50004 LL

50007 GW (W)

50007 GW

50011 LL

50015 Dutch

50018 B

50020 LL

D421 B

50031 LL (LED)

50035 LL X3 FOR REPAINTS

50037 B

50045 NSE

50048 NSE OLD

50149 RF

 

So far just a collection to be worked on.

 

As for The Ark yes a great name and my Father served on the 4th ship/Carrier durring the 1950's early 60's so yeah one of the reasons I looked up to the class with Navy names. but the loco was Old Oaks pet and what I remember it was weak not as strong as other locos. it's personal preference I know but that loco wasn't the best for me.

 

Hi yes 35 was Oc's pet but certainly was not weak, especially after NSE.

The ones that i would nominate as been weak are 50012/013/022/026/038 and 043.

Yes 35 was not too good before last classified but it still kept going like a goodun

The other Locos you mentioned Thunderer was best followed by Exeter, Barham and Superb.

I thought 2 was well poor in 89 along with 43.

You got a good fleet there, but i would keep at least one Ark Royal

Well 35 was best for me closely followed by 17 and 34 and Furious was arguably regarded as OC's best performer.

Invicible was defintely well weaker than 35 and only came good in 89.

Anyway hope to add another Vac to my fleet later this month.

So are you going to fix the obvious mistake on the 50027 model which you haven't yet for 50030?

 

Another person who thinks 35 was the best....oh dear why?????

Possibly one day and i do not think 35 was the best end off

Why what did you rate?

Anyway another Vac added to the Barham Rd Fleet, yes love it or hate it The green machine!!! which i have to say is getting rarer, the one on ebay ROS are selling is £140 with over 7 days to go and i paid £153.08 for mine with sound

Re 35 why i rate it. rated it it was loud fast and in 85/86 had loads of chrachter with the paint peeling large logo Livery.It was the only 50 to last March 81 to April 86 still with the same main generator and power unit in situ and i know you probably going to go on about PDO3 and ecs between OOC and Padd, but this was in early years, when on the road 35 was lively and a good run and after been NSED was generally reliable compared with sister engine 25.There was too much bias against the loco in my opinion and i chased it all over the place.

TThe reason it came my machine was a Naval connection as my grandads friend in World War 2 served on Glorious, Ark Royal and Illustrious so it was out of theese 3, but on that night in April 82 it was 35 that rounded the corner at Leamington Spa and so Ark Royal it was.

Anyway pics of Sir Edward2011 007.jpg]

Ok managed to get a Lion at a bargain price from ROS ON ebay and this was renumbered to Repulse.

Later on i sold the loco on but now i have got it back so without further a do the latest Vac to re join the Barham Rd fleet is Repulse

Repulse refuelling

Close up of renumbering

Working a ballast train

Double heading with Ark Royal

I'm goign to start my 50 fleet with 50022 in faded Large Logo Blue, circa 88. After that, I will have the rest in number order from 50001, all in the condition they were in on 01/01/88. I'll probably still have 6, 11 & 14 in LL with black roof even though they were withdrawn by then.

Hi you having the whole fleet? You must be very rich.I presumed you were only having 50022/29 and 38 your top 3 or maybe 5 or 10.

As i am modelling the preserved era next Vac to arrive will be 50007 the green one (Ive been told this is hard to come by, is this true?)

I then plan the following

50029 Renown Large Logo with black roof

50033 Glorious RNSE with West of England Logo

50044 Exeter BR blue Unrefurbished

D400 Br Blue

Id then like (depending on Funds)

50015 Valiant Dutch with or without sound

50019 Ramillies Br Blue or Large Logo with numbers in headcode box

50030 Repulse RNSE/Large Logo

Can't see me having 50026 or 50027 though

50049 Defiance Large Logo black roof

50019 Ramillies Br

More Vacs including the best two