Neal Ball

Thanks for that John…. My understanding about the V hangers is that they sit either side of a Dean style vacuum cylinder (based on the product I bought from Dart castings). https://www.dartcastings.co.uk/mjt/3909.php

The other option could be to take power from the leading bogie of the attached Autocoach…. Or put the speaker into the luggage area. Obviously you are restricted that they will always run together.

Lovely to see the Clerestory out again John. Where did you get the lost wax brass(?) underframe details? I used plastic rod, but the turned details look better.

It has 😎

Railroad 57xx? I hope not….. but it’s ok Accurascale are producing what looks to be the definitive loco.

Correct! Whilst the announcements will be on Jan 9th, my understanding is that Hornby will then say they will go to a quarterly programme, or at least something similar. It’s good to see so many people suggesting that Hornby might do the GWR Saint class 4-6-0, it’s an important loco in the development of GWR express passenger engines. However, next week’s announcement will be the legacy of the Simon Kohler years and I understand he didn’t see the point of doing the Saint…. I wouldn’t be surprised if they announced the 57xx 0-6-0PT though, as mentioned a few pages ago…. When TT120 was announced “everything will also be available in 00”.

Thanks for the comments Mike. The photo I have of 2237 was from the mid 1920’s, obviously the bogie brakes were taken off later. One less job to do! Thanks, Neal.

Great detective work thanks Nick. Was there also an issue about the bogie brakes binding - as making them non effective? Or am I thinking of something else?

County tank loco update: I have just posted the following onto my loco blog page. Issues: 1. In folding up the cylinder block to go onto the frames, the instructions say don't solder - why? It's all held together with slots in the frames that then slot into the cylinder block. The sliderbar supports, also slot into slots in the frames - likewise surely they should be soldered.... The last section supports the vacuum pump and is always falling off! - so that is definitely going to be soldered. Any suggestions would be welcome. Maybe don't solder while everything is being set up, but surely it all needs to be soldered together before the loco is run? Thanks,

Thanks very much, I won't worry about them then!

Lovely photo thank you Miss Prism. I hadn’t realised that about the wheels, thank you…. Most odd! Re: Balance weights - I will need to check the kit then…. Bearing in mind the etched chassis kit is for the County 4-4-0 tender loco, so I might need to compromise. I note too that 2225 still has bogie brake wheels, these aren’t included in the kit, but I think there are small brake shoes in the Wizard range. Loco no 2237 had bogie brakes (possibly) until the end. Agreed about the main tanks extending into the cabs, logic would dictate they went back that far, otherwise it becomes unnecessarily complicated for the balancing pipes. Looking at 2225 again - that safety valve cover looks odd - if you saw that on a model, you would say it’s wrong! - it’s leaning forward! There’s a prototype for everything.

Happy New Year! I think the start of the new year warrants a new footer for my RMWeb posts - its tough to get everything into 6 lines! I have added links to my different blogs - I think I need to get my Carriage blogs and my loco blogs into the same category, rather than spread across 2. In order to get everything onto the footer, I have shortened the links by the use of Bit.ly - nothing untoward, it just makes the address shorter and easier to use. The main reason for changing the footer though is to include a photo of Saint class 4-6-0 no 2999 Lady of Legend. This photo was taken in August 2022 at GWS Didcot during the last RMWeb open day..... The Saint class 4-6-0 is the missing link in Great Western express passenger design of locos and it would be nice to see an 00 RTR version made. The Saint locos came from experiments in design that Churward started in 1902 with loco no 100 "Dean" (Later William Dean") this loco became no 2900 in 1912. Wikipedia covers the history here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GWR_2900_Class The main production run began in 1905 and in total 76 locos were built. the GWS loco above was a rebuild / back-dating of Hall class 4-6-0 No 4942 Maindy Hall. These locos were fitted with 6' 8 1/2" driving wheels, with high running plates and will make a fine addition to an RTR stable of locos. Clearly there are other "missing" locos - An Atbara or a curved frame Bulldog would also be very nice, but the Saint completes a large missing link in GWR engine design. I watched a YouTube video yesterday, where the 1980's modern image vlogger was extolling the benefits of Hornby's Flying Scotsman "every layout should have one". I would disagree as a non-LNER enthusiast, but I would say every GWR layout should have at least one Saint. Lets hope we see an announcement for a new loco this year. On our UK road trip in 2022, we visited the Severn Valley Railway, staying at Bewdley. You can imagine my disappointment when the week before we arrived, they banned the use of steam on the railway for the summer. I had to make do with a very quiet and cold "Lady of Legend", seen here at Bewdley 24th July 2022:

The driving wheels on this loco no 2225 look odd to me - the spokes, almost look as if they are round bars bolted onto the outside of the wheel. The counterbalance, also looks as if its bolted onto the outside edge as well. I can only find 2 photos in Russell that shew the reversing lever - I previously made the (incorrect) assumption that it was a screw reverse. I will be adding a lever in. Typo: "them" - I can not recall seeing wheels like that before. In looking in Russell vol 2 and Maidment "4 coupled tanks" all the images of County tanks shew normal spokes and normal balance weights cast as part of the wheel pressing. There is an image in Russell vol 2 Pg 62 Fig 152 that also shews the reversing lever very high. My reference photo of 2237 (Page 60) shews the same side with the driver and fireman leaning out, whilst you can't see the reversing lever, it was possibly as high as his nose! The same photo is about 3/4 of the way down the page here: http://www.gwr.org.uk/no4-coup-tanks.html In all the drawings I have seen there is no reference to how far back the tanks came. The tank balance pipes are shown prominently behind the cab steps - going front to back (if that makes sense). It is hard to tell if the pipe from the main tanks is entering the tank at the edge, or if it curves forward and goes into the back of the tank..... Interestingly, there is a drawing in Russell page 200 shewing a 5101 2-6-2T loco and that shews the tanks extending into the cab and the balance pipe goes in before the back of the main tank. There is a further drawing on page 201 of the 3100 2-6-2T which again shews the tank position and also states that the tanks have a 2000 gallon capacity. The 3100 tank locos were built from 1905 at the same time as the County tank locos. Indicators, not a definitive answer!

Thanks Miss Prism - look also at the wheels, I can’t recall seeing the, like that before.

Thanks John, I need to check the details then…

Thanks Mikkel, I don't recall seeing it before, thank you for posting it. Presumably, it's an ecs working as the guards are unlocking the carriage doors. It's hard to confirm if its definitely a Saint as the "Getty" logo is covering ups too much. Date wise - I guess turn of the Century. Lovely atmospheric photo, thanks again. Neal.

A new high fidelity Saint will be very nice... Lady of legend - Saint class 4-6-0 no 2999 seen at Didcot during the RMWeb open day in August 2022.

That doesn't sound too far fetched Andy. If you want the definitive answer, maybe throw a question to Hendon or to the Great Western Trust at Didcot. I suspect revenue details exist for flows such as the milk from Helston.

Might be worth a conversation with John. It could be a faulty decoder or even the sound project itself. Good luck.

Are you start a ANTB wishlist thread Robin? 😄 🤣 Yes, lets hope we get a fair crack of the whip in 2024.

Pretty much as Phil has described - These days I try to squeeze as big a speaker as I can get in - its a struggle sometimes! I am also trying to standardise with Zimo decoders and Youchoos sounds. Not always possible as some locos specify ESU decoders and don't then give all the functions if you use a different brand.

I have just looked on my laptop and iPad both running Safari. Menus are missing across the pages I have looked at - using the back arrow, gets you back there eventually! In opening up a photo of a carriage, depending on which one (Collet 70ft) it only shows half the image on the screen (even on the laptop). Other images ( C22 ) were fine. Good luck with the bug fixing, its a very useful site to have around.

Thanks Colin. The Hall is fitted with a Zimo decoder with youchoos sounds. Off the top of my head I am not sure which speaker was fitted. (It looks like a double Rail Exclusive speaker - see below.) Yes Bill, It looks as if the decoder was fitted during June 2022. The Zimo decoder replaced a Hattons (non sound) decoder.

Thanks Bill. The cab comes complete with a proper backhead (resin) and crew (whitemetal) it doesn’t have a reversing lever….. it was probably a screw reverser though. I already have a brake handle in stock - and note that the water scoop had already been removed (on the original loco in the 1920's). So maybe the cab doors will be open!

Work has continued with the County 4-4-2T loco - its a bit slow, but its getting there. I have just updated the blog page: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/blogs/entry/26198-county-loco-build-4-4-2t/ To be continued... Happy New Year everyone.