tiger

I'm 99.9% certain the HST in J11044 is one of the two "Pullman" HST sets which retained dual catering vehicles and an increased proportion of first class; most likely the Tyne Tees Pullman set. Zooming on on the TF on the left hand side the vehicle number looks like 41154 and the toilet window label looks like coach "E". The 1990 Platform 5 Locomotives and Coaching Stock "combined volume" (Peter Fox) lists the formation of HST set HT 35, based at Heaton, Newcastle, as: 41153 (TF), 41066 (TF), 405?? (TRFK*), 41154 (TF), 40741 (TRFB), 42205 (TS), 42210 (TS), 44083 (TGS). *I've overwritten the original number in my book with 40511, but the published allocation may have been 40501, which was allocated to HT in 1990. If the TGS is coach "A" then 41154 is in the correct position for coach E in this formation. I recall seeing this set at Doncaster around midday on its way to Hull, returning mid afternoon on its way back to London - I suspect the Pullman set was used for a midday London-Hull out and back working in marginal time, in between its main Newcastle-London and return Pullman duty. An image of a similar set is seen here in 1988 (Flickr link - not my original photo) - although the set in question has an extra TS making 9 trailers in total. Hope this helps and is of interest. Cheers Tom.

I have a second hand copy of "Diesels of the Regions - Scottish Region" by Tom Noble, published in 1984 by OPC. I was fairly sure it has a picture of a class 21 at the original Fort William station so I've just had a look. Sure enough Plate 148 illustrates D6137 at Fort William - on the above mentioned train! The caption reads "Part of the ... original Fort William Station can be seen in this view of No. D6137. It has just arrived on 1st June 1963 after rescuing "The Jacobite" steam rail tour from Glasgow, following the failure, at Gorton, of one of its locomotives. Behind No D6137 is preserved NBR No. 256 Glen Douglas, whose brick arch has just collapsed. The excursion proceeded to Mallaig behind two Class J37 0-6-0s, one of which was a write-off on arrival. Return to Glasgow was behind a diesel." Photo attributed to W. Smith. There have been some diesel rail tours over the years described as farcical but this surely takes the cake.

Total wishlisting speculation...but I think the following would both be winners: Swindon Class 120 across Country DMU Class 303 “Blue Train” (refurbished or unrefurbished - or both!) Cheers Tom.

Thanks for the info Bomag. Info from another forum confirms that the two "003" coaches were actually ordered first and hence have the separate lot numbers you listed - and they were the two coaches with "M" prefixes. I think I was mistaken to suggest that 11001 and 12001 had been "M" prefixed and I now think Dapol are correct. It was suggested that 11003/12003 were the first two coaches modified with 3-phase supply and tested with MK1 generator coach ADB975325 - see full reply here - and hence they were kept with the prototype HST and renumbered (to 41002/42002) and two other vehicles selected to become Royals. Cheers, Tom.

I had a closer look at my Dapol Prototype HST yesterday and noticed that most of the coaches have "E" prefixes to the running numbers, but two have "M". Specifically: Saloon pack 1 (2P-007-001) contains FOs E11000, E11001, and TSOs E12000, E12001 Saloon pack 2 (2P-007-002) contains FOs E11002, M11003, and TSOs E12002, M12003 Buffet pack (2P-007-003) contains (T)RSB E10000 and (T)RUK E10100 For some reason I thought I had remembered that it was the two coaches which were later rebuilt to Royal Train saloons (11001 and 12001) which were "M" prefixed at one time. I had a quick flick through a couple of books but was not able to confirm anything to do with regional allocations except that of the 8 open saloons built, only 6 were re-numbered into the 41xxx and 42xxx HST number range when the set was re-classified as a DEMU, 252001 - the two "Royal" coaches were not renumbered. I might have some other books with more detail but they are up in an attic in the UK on the other side of the world from my current location! Can anyone with access to better information (or better memories) enlighten me as to what the regional prefixes were and whether Dapol are correct or have used "artistic licence"? Even better, are there any actual recorded set formations? I'm especially interested in the period when the set was tested on the ECML with 41xxx power cars and 11xxx/12xxx/10xxx numbering of the coaches, rather than the WR 252001 era. I know set formations varied but wondered whether the "M" prefixed coaches were ever actually included in the Prototype HST formation or if they were always separately tested in loco hauled rakes? (I have no photographic or other evidence to back this theory up!) For what it's worth, the renumbering was as follows: 11000 -> 41000 -> ADB975814 Test Car 10, now in New Measurement Train 11001 -> Royal train 2903 11002 -> 41001 -> rebuilt as production TF 41170 11003 -> 41002 -> rebuilt as production TF 41174 later converted to TS 43257 12000 -> 42000 -> rebuilt as production TF 41172, later converted to TS 42355 12001 -> Royal train 2904 12002 -> 42001 -> rebuilt as production TF 41171, later converted to TS 42353 12003 -> 42002 -> rebuilt as production TF 41173, later converted to TS 42356 10000 -> 40000 -> departmental 975984 now in New Measurement Train 10100 -> 40500 -> departmental 977089, scrapped in early 1990s Thanks in advance if anyone is able to help! Cheers, Tom. (also cross-posted to N Gauge Forum)

C19838 shows “Blue Peter” at the head of the charter involved in the infamous and catastrophic Durham wheel slip incident which caused extensive damage to the locomotive’s motion, cylinders and driving wheels. The driver was also injured. Repairs took at least 18 months to complete.

Order placed. Great to see another run, as these have been going for silly ££££ on eBay. I wonder IF (big if) you could arrange for Dapol to use the newly tooled correct Mk3a roof (Tooled for the prototype HST) for this release? I appreciate this would be a deviation from the previous specification, but a change for the better if possible? cheers Tom

Thanks JP, good to know ScotRail corridor stock was still around in the late 80s. Don’t worry - I have all sorts of unrealistic plans in my head to modify various RTR items (changes which nobody else would notice) eg Dapol HST catering vehicles with the correct window layouts, a Farish Mk1 RBR. Maybe I also need to learn that life’s too short...

My initial reaction to seeing these items was that Bachmann/Farish had made a mistake in releasing ScotRail branded Mk1 corridor stock (SK/BSK), as my memory of loco-hauled ScotRail services in the mid-late 1980s was that most had been upgraded to at least vacuum braked Mk2 stock (2z if you like - e.g. Edinburgh-Dundee) or air braked Mk 2a/2c (e.g. Edinburgh/Glasgow-Inverness). I thought that the remaining Mk1 stock was mainly open (TSO, BSO etc) on the likes of the West Highland Line. However I probably have a lowland/Edinburgh memory bias as that’s where I lived. A look through a 1986 combined volume shows several SK allocated to both Inverness and Polmadie. Can someone more knowledgeable tell me if, where and for how long side corridor Mk1 stock remained in use in Scotland that might have had been branded “ScotRail”? I guess the GSW line from Glasgow-Dumfries and Carlisle, Aberdeen-Inverness and the Far North/Kyle lines are all possibilities. Were any of these routes dedicated side corridor stock or were the remaining SK run in mixed rakes with open stock. Thanks in advance for any replies. Tom.

Thanks for that explanation, makes sense now. I should have flicked back a page!

These look good to me (I’m definitely not an expert!) so I’ve ordered two BR blue, weathered examples. ...which leads me to a question. Can anybody with better knowledge explain the multiple working variations within the class? According to the Wikipedia entry the class was equipped as follows: D8500–D8587 ◆Red Diamond D8588–D8616 ★Blue Star The EFE models all either have blue star markings or are not marked at all, with the exception of E84509 WSL EFE Rail Class 17 Diesel Locomotive D8600 BR Green which has red diamonds. According to Wikipedia this is one of the blue star series! Can anybody more knowledgeable explain what is going on? Have EFE got the wrong running numbers for red diamond vs blue square locos? Is the Wikipedia entry wrong? Or is Wikipedia correct for Multiple Working “as built”, but some locos were changed from one multiple working system to another during their working lives? For what its worth the two models I’ve ordered both have blue star markings and I’d like to be able to run them as a double header, but one of them is D8606 (blue star number series according to Wikipedia) and the other is D8507 (red diamond series). In preservation the real D8568 (red circle series as per Wikipedia) has blue star markings. Yours confused, Tom.

I received an email from Dapol with a link to payment and was able to pay after clicking the link.

Can anybody remember whether the Intercity Charter (white roof) Mk1BCK was previously announced, or whether it is a surprise new release? 374-088 N BR Mk1 BCK Brake Composite Corridor BR InterCity Charter (Executive) 44.95 Would love to be able to purchase some matching Mk1 31xx series FO (and ideally - Wishlist mode on - an RBR) to go with this. edit: like this (Flickr “public” link...not my original photo) Cheers, Tom.

BR lines has a modern class 37 body shell for sale as a spare part: (no connection other than being a past customer) https://www.farishnspares.co.uk/graham-farish-by-Bachmann/371-471-class-37-in-drs-blue-running-no-37261.html If you are happy with the existing chassis, this could be a way of upgrading to a more modern model? I do acknowledge that DRS livery might not have been what you had in mind though! Cheers Tom.

Five more Class 47's today starting off with some 47/7's. 47707 "Holyrood" waits time at Glasgow Queen Street with a Sunday afternoon push/pull to Edinburgh on 8 March, 1987. I had travelled Glasgow with my Dad for the Model Rail Scotland exhibition which was held at the SECC for the first time that year. The coaching stock was one of the Aberdeen Mk 2d sets instead of the usual Mk 3a's. This shot was taken on a 110 format instamatic camera - hence the grainy, lousy image quality! I've posted this image before back in 2013 in the Scottish Region Photos 1980s thread - so I hope nobody minds a re-post! In that thread, "Flood" identified this 47/7 as 47703 "St Mungo", show here on 21 August 1989 in Princes St Gardens, moments from arriving into Edinburgh Waverley. The rusty tracks on the left are leading to Haymarket South Tunnel which was closed for works associated with the Edinburgh-Carstairs 25 kV electrification. I previously guessed that the train is an Aberdeen-Edinburgh working, as the formation is a Mk 2 push-pull set (47/7, Mk 2d TSO, 2z TSO, 2d TSO(T), 2e FO, 2f DBSO) - however as evidenced by the picture of 47707 above, these sets sometimes found their way onto Edinburgh-Glasgow workings too. The next two images are back to the dodgy 110 format instamatic camera. One time celebrity Class 47/4 Generator 47406, formerly named "Rail Riders", stands at Leeds City in July 1988. I think the attached blue/grey Mk 1 is actually one of the NNX/NNV Courier Vans converted from a Mk 1 BSK. Fast forward 18 months to 17 February, 1990, and I have caught up with 47406 again, this time at Sheffield Midland. The weather looked bleak, and so was the future for 47406. Time was running out for this 1980s trainspotter favourite and former East Coast stalwart, which was withdrawn in August 1990 and cut up by MRJ Phillips at Frodingham MPD, in December 1995. Info from www.class47.co.uk. Independence Day, 1991. 4 July sees Tinsley's Class 47/4 no. 47423 unofficially named "Sceptre" running light through Doncaster's platform 4. www.class47.co.uk shows 47423 as being reallocated to Old Oak Common the same month, July 1991, to the NWRA Network SouthEast pool. It remained in standard BR blue livery until withdrawal in May the following year. Following withdrawal 47423 remained at Old Oak Common where it was eventually cut up by MRJ Phillips in April, 1997. Once again I hope these are of interest. Tom.

Here's a few of mine from the late 80's and early 90's. Please forgive the sometimes lousy composition (into the sun, shutter pressed too late, dodgy focus etc) as I was only a teenager with my first SLR manual focus, manual wind-on camera. A few of these images have appeared in other threads previously. To start things off, here are some Class 47s in my then home city of Edinburgh: On the afternoon of 28 January, 1989 Inverness-allocated Class 47/4 47644 "The Permanent Way Institution" has just arrived on Platform 10 with a working from Carstairs and the WCML. To the left of 47, the track is fenced off and lifted, for relaying and rationalisation associated with the ECML electrification. A few minutes later 47644 runs around the stock the long way round, via platforms 1 and 19 and I have a half decent photo with the low winter sun in the right direction. The next photo has definitely appeared before on the Scottish Region 1980s thread back in 2013. Class 47/4 no. 47466 is pictured stabled in the former platform 5 at the East end of Waverley Station, Edinburgh, some time in 1991, during the twilight of its career. The locomotive was pretty run down, with peeling paintwork and accident damage above the buffer beam, and was restricted to 40 mph for empty coaching stock moves between Edinburgh Waverley and Craigentinny depot. New in May 1964 as D1590, 47466 was officially withdrawn in December 1991. After periods of storage at Holbeck, Leeds, and Crewe works, the locomotive was cut up at Crewe in March 1997, by MRJ Phillips. Eastfield based, snowplough-fitted Class 47/4 47641 “Fife Region” waits on platform 20 at Waverley with the Northbound “Clansman” in May 1991, having taken over from an AC electric locomotive during the early days of electric working of WCML trains via Carstairs to Edinburgh. Unusually for 1991, it still has a pantograph-style windscreen wiper on the second man's side (as built). Also during 1991, Eastfield-based, Millerhill outbased Class 26 and 47 locomotives were used for the early evening 17.03 Edinburgh-Edinburgh via Dunfermline, Cardenden and Kirkcaldy Fife Circle commuter train with cascaded ex-NSE Mk2a stock. Here is Class 47/3 no. 47328 from the FAME trainload construction pool departing from platform 19 in May or June, 1991. The Mk2a BFK begins the loco was 17089, still in full NSE livery with early light blue and red stripe. Hope these are of interest. Tom.

I could never work out why 43152 (photo J9360.jpg) was allocated to the ECML. It was the last of the batch of power cars with the more problematic GEC traction motors (43124-43152). The remainder, and majority of the fleet, had Brush motors. As I understand it, entry to service for this fleet (which were ordered for West of England route services from London-Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance) was delayed while technical issues with the traction motors were overcome, and they were always more problematic in service. So it always seemed odd to me that 43152 was allocated away from the Western Region, which presumably had more engineering expertise with the type. Cheers, Tom.

I think the model of 26024 in blue is accurate for around 1991, apart from the orange cantrail stripe. This picture here shows 26024 arriving into Waverley with NSE coaching stock next to a Class 311 EMU. How about prototype for anything? But more to the point, it has radio roof pods and a large Scottie dog (although I'm often told it's actually a Westie i.e. West Highland Terrier). There are also DMEE chevrons under the secondman's window which also appear to be depicted on the model. Cheers, Tom.

That's quite an offer - thanks @MGR Hooper!, @Steadfast and @Robert Shrives. I'll have to take another look at my Dapol Mk3's to work out how to remove the corridor connections. Cheers Tom.

I've sent PM to Dapol on the Dapol Digest. I don't think the gangway is a separate plug in moulding on the Dapol Mk3 - pretty sure the gangways and other end details are moulded as part of a single piece body shell. Cheers Tom.

Hi MGR What is the best way to give this feedback? Email, Dapol Digest, Facebook or some other way? Cheers, Tom.

Looks good so far. But.... The saloon vehicles seem to be lacking some end detail - RCH jumper leads etc - they look like production HST Trailer vehicle ends not prototype Mark 3s. I suspect Dapol have scanned or looked at one of the remaining prototype trailers which were rebuilt to run in the production HSTs, but haven’t backdated the details to mid 70’s condition. This photo on Traintesting show the end details I’m talking about: http://www.traintesting.com/images/E12000 coach.jpg Also the gangway bellows look decidedly “production HST” rather than the saggy grey foam of the prototype HST (Jouef got this right in their OO Mk3a model all those years ago): http://www.traintesting.com/images/Mk3 coach RTC 1972.jpg The catering vehicles should have silver window surrounds - they were the only Prototype HST trailers with this feature, the saloons having the distinctive unique frameless appearance: https://flic.kr/p/DDk2zW And finally the coaches should be lettered “InterCity” on the saloons, “Buffet” on E10000 and “Restaurant” on E10100. Perhaps this hasn’t been added as they are only 1st livery samples. I really like the power car and saloon mouldings - and the roof with the 3 roe vac ventilators each end. I hope this roof is available as a spare part so we can add them to our loco hauled Mk 3a coaches. Cheers Tom.

Thanks acg5324 and Ben A for both of those useful and prompt replies! I’ll let you know how I get on. Tom.

I’m a bit late to the party with these car flats. The Motorail branded ones are sold out (both varieties - BR1 and B4 bogies) but I have been able to order the blue unbranded version. Are there any suppliers of either the Motorail sign or suitable transfers which could be used to add the branding to the unbranded wagons? Sankey Scenics seem to do them in OO/4mm https://www.sankeyscenics.co.uk/4mm-coach-dest-motorail/4593866145 . And there are Motorail transfer packs from Fox and Railtec, but these seem to be white lettering for application to blue GUV vans, or Black Motorail lettering for Executive livery coaches and GUVs, not the larger size with the red double arrow logo for the carflats. With some lateral thinking are any of the 4mm coach transfers the correct size for the car flat sign? And what about the red BR logo? Thanks in advance for any ideas! Tom.

In the pic at Darlington 5320 has oval buffers. It was the first class 26/1 and became 26028 under TOPS. I always thought that only Class 26/0 were built with oval buffers and Class 26/1 had round. Later most (all?) 26/0 changed to round buffers (was this during refurbishment during the 1980s?) Was 5320 built like this with oval buffers, or had they been changed to oval for some reason? Cheers, Tom.