PaulG

....and an excellent CDC 3D printed option and apparently a rtr version to be announced later tbis year. Paul

I was hoping someone would comment, but nelly did ask ! (Can't add a laughing emoji )

Watching the station staff do the work at Ingatestone, they used a normal yard broom and a bucket of whitewash. To make sure they got a straight line, and to put a bit of paint on the vertical edge of the paving, the bristols had been cut, so only at one end of the brush, and for only an inch or so, were the bristols the original length, the others were cut very short. Paul

Kingfisher9147 if it was East Anglia the answer is easy. https://www.gersociety.org.uk/index.php/information/modelling Paul

This poster from The Great Eastern Railway is dated 12th September 1913 and found at Ingatestone Station, Essex. Paul

My next project for my c1955 Colchester layout is the Colchester breakdown train. Oxford Rail are producing a suitable crane so I have the crane runner and two mess and packing vehicles to make. Both where 6-wheel GER brake 3rds, fortunately D&S produced one and David Eveleigh produces the other. See attached fileColchester breakdown train (2).pdf

Although Holt Station on the NNR is completely new, in our lunch breaks from working on the model railway, you will often find us sitting on the seat at the end of the platform and a very pleasant spot to watch the trains.

Living locally, spending one day a week working at Holt Station on the model railway and spending many hour walking the dogs in the woods behind Weybourne Station, followed by time sitting on the platform drinking coffee and sharing a biscuit with the dogs, Weybourne has my vote. Hopefully the station can open this year

Certainly at Southend Victoria and there are photos of B1's with Southend Victoria plates. e.g. 25 Sep 1955 Stratford station 30D 61370 see https://spottinglogs.co.uk/1955-2/ The N7 for the Southminster branch first up train of the day was maintained over night at Southminster shed by a young fireman from Southend nice job for a 16 year old! See David Butchers book or GERS Journal articles. Paul

This data doesn't always reflect what happened. The issue regarding Southend Victoria is the locos although under 30A they were allocated to Southend and crewed by Southend men. F5 were allocated to Colchester but sub-shedded to Braintree and Maldon and fitters sent from Colchester for any running requirements. Paul

Hornby could well be correct. The allocation of B12's were for the Southend Victoria to Liverpool Street semi fasts and as such shedded at Southend Victora with allocated Southend shed crew. I know a former driver from Southend and will ask him. This loco appears to have Southend shed plate. Paul

I published this article in the GERS Journal some years ago, is this the one you mean? Paul GERS_Journal_article_on_Clan_on_GE.pdf

I started the document some twenty years ago when returning to model railways and it started life as a "wish list" of models to purchase for my c1955 Colchester layout. It was and still is a "dumping" ground for all those bits of useful information you see and have no idea where to file them! I'll check, but guess 76041 is one of those bits of "useful" information!

Hi Jol Thank you for your comment we will try to watch Rumner Models for new items.. In the new 2021 document we have noted at present: 1.7.15 Rumney Models X.01 LNER F4/5/6 2-4-2T chassis – £32 The chassis is designed to provide a modern etched sprung chassis for the Alan Gibson kit and features built in CSB suspension along with brake gear, cosmetic driving wheel springs, ashpan detailing, guard irons and balance weights. X.08 GER S23 Tender Underframe X.09 GER Z14 Tender Underframe These two tender kits compliment the J15 loco chassis but of course can find a home behind other loco types. Regards Paul

beast66606 I've had a search on Dapol website and Hattons and can't find a 4mm Class 88 any other thoughts? Second question, as I know nothing of railways post 1970, did they/do they, operate in East Anglia on a regular basis; i.e. in "old speak" would they be considered allocated to East Anglia, rather than just occasionally passing through? Paul

Hi Stewart I can't recall receiving it; over the last few months I'm pleased to say a few GERS members have sent me updates. Perhaps you would be kind enough to send again, and I usually acknowledge all emails. Paul

We have now had most of the Christmas/New Year announcements from the model manufacturers, so with the help of a number of members of the GERS - some of whom are here - attached is the 2021 updated document. As usual, any comments errors and omissions most welcome. Paul Modelling_the_railways_of_East_Anglia_in_4mm_Scale_Issue_8_February_2021_final.pdf

Peter Paye in his book The Bishop's Stortford, Dunmow & Braintree Branch states that Geest took over the stores at Easton Lodge for a banana ripening factory which opened March 1962 and closed when freight services were withdrawn on 17th February 1972.

..................the article says initially both the MR and GNR provided vans...... there were two available routes...........good reason for the GER to build some wagons!

..................................Elders & Fyffes in 1907 made Stratford Market East London their distribution centre............Jamaican bananas were being landed at Manchester Docks........route via GN&GE Joint........GER ran complete trains of 20 to 25 vans.............

The reason I gave the link to the GERS is not sure of copyright issues to post a pdf of the article. In the illustrated article John Watling says "................it is interesting to find during the mid-1930s, at, least some of the vans were loaned to the Southern Railway for a sufficient period to merit the livery being changed, SR appearing in place of NE. Bananas were being imported at Southampton during this period and it would appear that whist the SR had a shortage of stock the LNER was blessed with a surplus. The photograph taken by the late Dr. Ian Allen at Worting Junction shows class S15 No. 497 at the head of a train from Southampton. The four leading vehicles are all banana vans; the first is LSWR, the second and third are the GER design, lettered SR, and the fourth was probably a Southern Railway product. In volume 1 of "An Illustrated History of Southern Wagons", published bu OPC in 1984, a small p;art of 632849 may be seen, again in SR livery". Paul

There was an article in the Great Eastern Railway Society Journal No 61 January 1990 on Banana traffic on the GER by John Watling, which may answer some of the queries raised above. PS some even had the lettering changed to SR, plenty of scope for Oxford Rail! Paul

Pint of Adnams perhaps this helps

.............well Network Rail are hoping to reconnect Oxford and Cambridge!

..........never say never: one of the items put to Oxford Rail a year or so ago along with a number of other GER items! Paul