coachmann

I must say the Comet bogie does look the bees knees and adds immensely to the appearance of the front end.

Ryan said : A link is given below..... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/blog/310/entry-2079-loco-detail-weathering-coachmann/ Cheers, Larry

Speedlinks were the province of the Class 25s for many years. Economies were effected from 6th July 1987 in order to save a loco and crew, when the gunpowder working was combined with the morning Speedlink from Valley. Class 47s then became the usual motive power. On arrival at Llandudno Junction from Valley, the loco would leave its wagons in the yard before working the Conwy Valley Trip to Maentwrog Road siding during the afternoon. The whole train would join up at the Junction late afternoon and go forward to Warrington.

It was very easy to put Blanche back as a tank loco, as was shown at the Festiniog Railway 'Penrhyn Gala' of the early 1990s. It looked very neat too. Another favourite of mine was the USA tank. I was filming it on one of many occasions in the mountains around Tanygrisiau when the driver used the chime whistle instead of the FR hooter. It echoed around the place and made the heart beat faster! I think chime whistles are what's needed in the mountains on the Welsh Highland....

One of the special steam runs in 1968 involved two trains (one from Liverpool) arriving at Manchester Victoria, to be joined for the run to Yorkshire. One set was BR Mk.I's and the other LMS Staniers. No one thought to bring a gangway adaptor and so the Liverpool lads had no access to the refreshment facilites. Luckily this was sorted before the return trip and the refreshement car did a roaring trade!

This Hornby Stanier tender is actually an old moulding left over from toy days, and it features a footplate 'angle' that was never there on real Stanier tenders. Quite why Hornby has never updated this tender is a mystery, although cynics have their point of view! It is difficult to remove this unwanted moulding without damaging the axlebox springs, but while it's there, any drastic re-detailing as you have carried out seems a bit of a waste.......I once referred to it as like gold-plating a plastic spoon.

I would say symplicity was the rule. Coaches with 'standard' (LNWR) corridor connections would couple together, and coaches with 'Pullman' corridor connections likewise. Mixing the two demanded an adaptor. In BR days it was easy to incorporate BR Mk. I coaches into LNER trains formed of Gresley and Thompson stock. Likewise Southern trains formed of Maunsell (well most anyway) and Bullied stock, because all this stock had Pullman type corridor connections. Adaptors were required on Western Region and London Midland Region stock. The GWR did experiment with Pullman corridor connections and built coaches in the 1920s with the required bow ends. In fact, some oddball 70' coaches had a Pullman type at one end and a flat end and LNWR corridor connection at 'tother. I have referred to it as the LNWR type because this in fact what what it was......A rare case of the GWR adopting someone elses fittings in order to standardise. Unfortunately, Maunsell on the SR decided quite late in the day to go down the Pullman road after building the 'Ironclad' coaches with LNWR type.

I think the new Welsh Highland Railway is going to be one of the big little railway of Wales. Combine superb scenery with well known places like Caernarvon, Porthmadog, Beddgelert, then add new rolling stock and big steam engines that are unique to this country let alone Wales, and it's a winner. I think a shuttle from Porthmadog to Beddgellert is going to be the money spinner. Wait while the big Tender locos are restored and running too....Wow !

Without wishing to prolong this, that remark would make many firemen of old glad you weren't their driver. But I do take your point completely about the rest of your entry and in such circumstances it must be severely frustrating.....No wonder you hates 'em to peices! Now take it easy and get well soon.

Hot air? You must be getting better Phil! Amongst those who do contribute something to preservation are the people who portray themselves driving a Pacific loco in their clean boiler suit, but who in reality would be totally fecked (I can't think of another word) out on a mainline hauling a real train over a real railway, balancing boiler level with the need to keep steam pressure up, and coaxing a bad steamer along in attempts to keep time. I think people who have a habit of critisising other enthusiasts need to come down a peg or two.

Blaenau was steeped in nostalgia when we walked along the old Festiniog tracks circa 1960, while Tan-Y-Bwlch was a grassy terminus shared by sheep and the old lady in a Welsh hat. It was an idylic location, and I could have sat there all day watching the locos bumping and banging their way over the old bullhead track. Trouble was, the trainride was dreadfully uncomfortable and this was one thing I'm glad was NOT preserved!

My old pal the late Bill Rear, well known author of many books on the railways of North Wales, knew a little of the original Welsh Highland and couldn't keep away from the developing new Welsh Highland. Now doesn't that tell anyone anything? He knew well why it had faded away before the war and worried the new line might go the same way unless some sound business decisions were taken. There is nothing at all wrong with being hard-headed in business, although some people would have us believe it is a sin! The steam locos are real enough and the newly built coaches look traditional even if they are comfortable and have toilets, so nostalgia has not been overlooked. The Festiniog Railway is the same....A line with a future, with an eye on the past.

The only let-down (for me at any rate) are the Beyer-Garratts. They shuffle efficiently through the pass up hill and down dale with barely a sound. Perhaps things will get more chuffier when some conventional tender lcos are restored to service.

Nostalgia don't pay the bills, nor does crummy bug boxes bow't toilets on a jouney that takes above an hour. Wait while you're all old!

Only guesswork, but it might be that Hornby realized afterwards that Tintagel Castle would have new inside cylinder fittings, which would involve a change of asembly in China. And that it was better to get the later-built locos out of the way first before instructing changes on the assembly line. After 'Tintagel' is out with the wide scalloped inside cylinder cover, the narrow scalloped inside cylinder cover will maybe follow in due course. Then who knows..... A 'Star'.......?

Thanks for the pics. Isn't she a beauty!

Very impressive coaches. And if DCC sounded like that, I'de take the plunge today!

5011 'Tintagel Castle' will see the the introduction of curved side inside cylinder casing, although continuing with straight frames (4093-5012). Built in July 1927, this loco could at last carry full Great Western on the tender, unlike previous Castles.

The Saturday only Bangor-Manchester travellers would probably get off at the Junction and catch a faster connection rather than be sidetracked down the branch to Llanbourne.... The journey would be slow enough behind a Clas 31 as it is.... As an aside, I once photographed the 09.00 (SO) Llandudno-York leaving Abergele behind the usual Class 25, which were regarded as better machines than the 31's, and still had plenty of time to photograph the same train climbing to Greenfield towards Diggle! Hope you don't mind me mentioning that for 40106 to be accurate for your period, it should have green cab roofs and strapping over the roof panels.

To Beast 66606, I note your excellent shot of the Class 40 in Llandudno was before the track bottleneck was created in 1978. Vintage stuff.

Beast66606 said : With pleasure..... (24082 @ Llandudno)

Bottom hinges make all the difference and all model coach kits should have them in this day and age. It is difficult for manufacturers to make the change when they have a very large range, but there is nothing to stop hinges going into new kits.

This is how Llandudno signalbox looked in the Blue era and even later before its LNWR character was utterly destroyed with uncomplimentary double glazing... Larry

Probably unrelated, but I have quite a number of railway videos and it is striking how many times the narrator says...."It was obvious from the outset that the Western Region had decided to shut the line down once they had taken over control of the line". This was always in reference to someone elses line like the Somerset & Dorset etc.

Good to see another RMweb 'wish list' loco will soon be rolling off the production line. Are the green ones illustrated to be done first? Regarding insignia, 9000 did carry shaded insignia but it was built in 1945 and there was a 3 year gap before the next loco was built in 1948. Plain Gil Sans was used on those built from 1948. On the model of 9001, modellers will need to remove the smokebox door step. This step was added when the upper lamp bracket was moved higher to leave room for the BR smokebox numberplate. From new, locos came out in Apple green while 67717 was the first loco to carry the new numbering series. Commencing with 67723 the loco were painted BR lined black. With so many locos built in such a short time, I wonder how long these as-built 1948 liveries lasted?