unravelled

I think it is in the spirit of tinplate, and works well. I trust the shadows fall the same way as on any tinplate items... Thanks Dave

Thank you for that link. Robert Avery was one of my teachers, and also ran the school railway society, so he is in a large way resonsible for my photograph collection. I have one of the Wheatley station signs and RA had the other, now at Didcot. This thread is significant for me in my planning of a "not Thame" station in 00. A coal train to be reversed will be a useful bit of operation to run. Thanks Dave

Thanks for the beach updates. It looks as if the footbridge steps will allow for quite a lot more beach erosion. Dave

Off topic is often rather interesting... I remember my father saying that he remembered models with a sequence reverser fitted. I think some variety of relay which meant that the loco changed direction each time power was applied. Probably quite useable once you're used to it. Thanks Dave

I had wondered whether the wording was old but unchanged, thanks for the confirmation that the track could be of the same date as the stock. I had seen a picture of a gauge 2 Great Western train set which included tinplate track, perhaps Lowco was an optional upgrade. I can see that cast frogs might have been a useful option for the home builder, but IMO, rail built ones usually look better. Checking a few more boxes I found the Carrette items, and will post pictures later. I also found some spare track joiner pins, which I could have done with at the weekend. Also a supply of unused plain and checkrail chairs. I have a vague feeling that the chairs may have come new from Bonds when the track was being restored. Thanks Dave

The track is B-L "Lowco" brand, with gauge 2 still available in the 1930 catalogue. A mention is made that the track is "now with battens", which makes me wonder whether it is later than the loco and stock. The 3 rail track uses brass, and the 2 rail tinplate. Thanks Dave

Thanks for the comments, I'm glad it's of interest. Unfortunately I've been informed that the kitchen installation will go ahead. The brake van and coach set appear in the 1911 B-L catalogue. The Bowen Cooke 4-6-2 tank (and a similar GC pacific type), are mentioned as being introduced during the 1912/13 season. As well as the items shown, there are a couple of very crude Carrette vehicles, packed elsewhere. I will photograph them when I find them. The story behind this set is that my father bought it at a Scouts' jumble sale. It was thought to be Gauge one and priced at £5, although I believe he gave them more for it. A lot of repair was needed to the track to bring it to its current state. There are also a couple of lengths of cast chaired track, using gauge 1 coarse scale components. Apart from up and down test running, the only time it had been run as a layout was at a school model railway exhibition, in the mid 60s. I haven't dismantled the loco so can't be sure about the motor type. I have assumed permanent magnet from a vague memory of it being apart when first acquired, but that's over 50 years ago. Thanks Dave

I'm currently in the process of having my kitchen redone, and the new subfloor was completed last week. So looking at the bare expanse of ply on Friday, after the builders left, I thought it was too good an opportunity to miss. So after a bit of searching in the workshop and shed, I assembled the bits of a train set not run for about 50 years. This is a gauge 2 train set, comprising a conventional oval of track with two sidings, and only just fits the available space. This was the state of things on Friday evening. Track loosely layed, but as electrics are only at first fix, bad light stopped play. On Saturday morning I had to go out and choose and order the floor tiles, but in the afternoon I assembled the track, and worked out exactly how many curved sections to the circle. This track consists of rail formed from brass sheet, in bent steel or brass chairs pinned to wooden sleepers on battens.The centre third rail is the same as the running rails, but using taller chairs, although some of the third rail is on the lower chairs on spacers. Track sections are aligned/connected by pins in the hollow rail, linking the sections together. Some of the sections have the pins crimped in, but others are loose, and so many have been lost, that I was unable to properly lay the sidings. After connecting I wenrt round with a multimeter, measuring the resistances across each gap, and cleaning pins where necessary. The next problem faced was power. I remembered that last time we had run it we had problems. I tried with my gauge 1 controller lashup, an H and M CU1, running off 24 volts. There was a hint of movement, but the cutout tripped too quickly for any running. After giving up for the evening I had a think, and decided to buy a unit I had been considering for some time, so this morning I walked to my local Maplins and bought a bench PSU, 0-20V, 0-5A. I'd first seen these in use on the tinplate 0 gauge layout at Brighton Modelworld, and had been hesitating about the purchase until last night. It did the job, and after a bit of hesitation, the loco was sparking its way around the track. Unfortunately time has taken its toll on the magnet (I guess), and although the loco will bowl along quite happily, it was unable to haul more than one additional vehicle. Some posed pictures were taken with the full train, and everything packed up for the builders to return ( I hope) tomorrow, Thanks Dave

Tonight photos at Eastleigh. I've separated these into years, but am not sure whether I've got it right. It'll have to do for now. 1964: https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157623008995532 1965: https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157673919390725 1966: https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157673824104096 1067: https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157670622365663 Thanks Dave

Until the invoice arrived, I wasn't sure the order had been placed, as I'm sure I never had an email. Now do I modify this as 3883 under test around Oxford, or imagine that this loco was built early enough to have been used? Dave

Finally 1968, and the end of steam https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157672169395610 Thanks Dave

And 1967 https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157670156405393 Thanks Dave

Settle Carlisle 1966 added. https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157672168038790 Thanks Dave

Some of these may have been seen before, but now grouped in an album. Settle Carlisle 1965. https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157672300228371 Thanks Dave

Another batch of pictures, this time taken at Micheldever between 1963 and 1967. It shows the progressive changes, starting with the first trunking being installed. During this period the island platform was reinstated, and a lot of trackwork lost. https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157672211854911 Thanks Dave

Another addition. Some photos from a couple of visits to the Great Central line in summer 1966. https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157671970674020 Thanks Dave

A long time since I posted any new albums, but I hope you've been keeping up with the Bermondsey diveunder and London Bridge updates. This new album is of pictures taken on a walk through the Thames tunnel in 2009, while it was in the process of being made ready for the Overground takeover. https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157673038641946 I hope it's if some interest Thanks Dave

An interesting referenceon bailey bridges http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2012/01/uk-military-bridging-equipment-the-bailey-bridge/ (posted to replace duplicate) Thanks Dave

Temporary bridge at St Johns. A view from the train The bearers are visible in the trees. Some overhang the garages A long shot of the bridge showing the trestles supporting the bearers And just to ge back on thread (sort of...), a bailey bridge crossing the Thames at Port Meadow, Oxford. Thanks Dave

Much of the temporary trestle bridge is still there 50 years on. I don't remember any major work on it but it's possible that deck has been replaced. It is certainly military looking kit, but I guess they had a lot of that spare into the 50s. Bailey bridges are pretty light weight, which is their main design feature. The panels could be doubled up vertically and horizontally to increase load bearing and stiffness, but they weren't a long term solution for railway use. Access for inspection and maintenance would have been difficult. I'll dig out some pics of the St Johns "temporary" structure later. Dave

http://Crossrail works, Abbey Wood Area by David Harvey, on Flickr Crossrail works, Abbey Wood Area by David Harvey, on Flickr Strictly these are Crossrail related works, I guess... Dave

I think it was beached fairly promptly. the reason it's looking a bit lopsided in the photos is because it's standing on the sloping bottom. There's another image about taken from the other bank showing that the people who "jumped overboard" ended up standing around. As well as these conversions from the original, there are some fibreglass "replicas" in use, so the concept must be popular. Dave

Would this be a suitable bus? Dave

What happened to the little red cranelet? Might it be for work in the relatively confined space of the tunnels, or has it been safely stored away in a container. I did wonder if it was small enough to be craned on to the beach, perhaps to work on the culvert. Thanks for the continuing photos Dave

I'm sure this wouldn't be approved of on a layout design. A facing crossover virtually in the middle of a station. South Tottenham Station, part of the junction for the chord towards Seven Sisters. Dave