Nick Gough

35029 Ellerman Lines did come out of Barry and was bought specifically for sectioning and display at the NRM.However, it was one of the earlier departures so was probably in better condition, and more complete, than the last 'wrecks' to leave the yard.

6034?

I've not come across it nor, indeed, any identification of handing of van thirds. One has to wonder how important this feature ever was operationally? (Except, perhaps, for promotional photographs?)

As far as the Carriage Working Books and the Traffic Department would be concerned individual coach diagrams would be irrelevant. The general assumption would be that a third class corridor coach had eight compartments, a van/brake third - four compartments, a composite - four 1st class and three 3rd class, a brake composite - two 1st and four 3rd. It mattered not whether the actual vehicle used was a toplight, bow-ended, clerestorey, etc. Even the 1937 carriage book made no reference to the 'Centenary' stock used for the 'Cornish Riviera' other than to indicate the van thirds (2) - i.e. two compartments. Similarly any required changes to the norm were usually indicated in brackets. (70') would indicate the approximate length. The important issue here was that, e.g., a 69'/70' third corridor coach had ten* rather than eight compartments.(* just to complicate matters a 'Dreadnought' only had nine compartments). An additional, useful bit of information in the actual GWR carriage books is that there is an 'A' or 'B' against the brake vehicles to indicate which way round these should be marshalled.

Don't mention the even more annoying logos to tell all us idiots what the next programme is, which has to disrupt the end of the current one!

A bit like the GWML since all the Vale stations were closed?

Whoops! Posts crossed.Close but not close enough.

An E114 1923 Collett brake composite? http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/coaches/7976/7976.html

Another pannier was on china clay duties in the West Country last weekend: Along with a curious black loco with too many numbers:

I'm sorry, you've got that wrong.It should be Merry Pawpins.

A photo from a couple of weeks ago.

The Day of the Holiday Express: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Day-Holiday-Express-Richard-Woodley/dp/0711023948 It focuses on traffic movements for a specific summer Saturday in 1960 and gives loco numbers for most of the trains involved.

4866/1466 Allocated NA 7/41, EXE 10/45, NA 11/45, EXE 5/61. Liveries: As built - unlined green with GWR roundel monogram. April 1946 - unlined green with GWR. June 1950 - unlined black with first BR crest (up to preservation). Bunker steps fitted on left side March 1946. Top feed boiler fitted October 1952. Renumbered 1466 7th November 1946.

A comparison with three years ago:

There's that hat again!

A higher resolution crop:

A familiar hat in the cab of 6023 at OOC: SRM 93 whistles as it makes stately progress across the yard:

To go from 3mm to 4mm would need magnification between 133% and 134% on a photocopier. It may be easier, and more accurate, to scan and resize with a pc.

4953 Pitchford Hall had a similar tender in 1934 (Churchward flush-riveted 3500 gallon). Other possibilities for that year are, 4904, 4906, 4908, 4909, 4912, 4915, 4917, 4919, 4921, 4922, 4926, 4935, 4936, 4939, 4940, 4941, 4943, 4946, 4947, 4951, 4958, 4959, 4976, 5900. 4965 Rood Ashton Hall, however, had a Collett 4000 gallon and, I believe, only ran with that type prior to preservation. Tender numbers for each locomotive are listed in the Wild Swan 'Great Western Railway Locomotive Allocations for 1934'. This notes that it reflects the tender allocations at the end of that year. Of course 1934 was when the 'shirtbutton' GWR roundel was introduced. However, it's likely that most tenders still carried 'GREAT (crest) WESTERN' at the year's end and tenders were usually only changed or painted during works visits.

Winter 1931/3222.10 Paddington-Bristol-Exeter-Plymouth-Penzance (06.21) 1: Full brake (n/corridor): 1063/4/5 2: TPO: 850/2/3 3: TPO (70'): 834/5/6 4: TPO: 806/7/8 5: TPO: 830/1/2 6: Full brake (n/corridor) 7: Siphon G (Paddington-Exeter only) 8: Siphon G (Paddington-Bristol only) Taken from, "Train Formations & Carriage Workings of the Great Western Railway" (Xpress Publishing)

Following the next regeneration I think the BBC should also change the 'dynamics' of the companion role. Two strong willed, independent, intelligent female characters in the Tardis, together, isn't going to work. Even if it is"bigger on the inside". Instead the companion should now be a male actor cast from the same 'mould' as Norman Wisdom, Frank Spencer or Count Arthur Strong.

That's a basic instinct.

No 4 was at Didcot for a couple of years in the early 1970s:-

One of these two van thirds (non-corridor):- http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=208 http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=209