Neal Ball

Babbacombe model village?

Lovely shots Robin

Thanks Mike, that will shortly be winging it's way to Hove! Selection of Toads here: http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/gwrbrakevan Regards

Where do you get your people from Robin?

Augustus looks a bit of a thug, let's hope we don't run into him at the Railway Tavern! Lovely scene Robin, looking forward to seeing more of the same.

Tintagel Castle £92.90 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hornby-R2848-CASTLE-CLASS-TINTAGEL-CASTLE-New-in-Box-/170997335087?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item27d03c442f (No connection, just a Google search!)

Must be the Good Friday market then! Great shots Robin, although not sure about the old dears having a gossip on the seat!

Looking through my books last night, I found no evidence of handed composites. Admittedly, there were so many different diagrams and changes, but to add in replacement panels, I doubt we would be able to get an R-T-R to manage that! Yes! - But by that stage they had started to evolve with different panels etc. as above. Therefore, in my opinion, it will cloud any manufacturers view about the possible models. On that basis all BR livery versions were excluded from the Poll. Obviously my interest is 1930's ...... Corridor side I think.

Sorry! I meant that manufacturers have traditionaly only made one van, rather than a Right and a Left. The question then becomes, 1. do you want a Left AND a Right. OR 2. One handed brake is fine, not fussed if L or R I have clarified the question, hoping me meaning becomes clearer. ***If you would like to change your votes, just take the option to delete, then vote again****

Hi Mike - Are the 48ft non corridor available as kits? Thanks.

The Great Western built many Brake 3rds / Brake compos "handed" so the corridor always remained on the same side of the train! So you would have (say) a left hand van at the front (van outermost) with a right hand van at the rear. This practice continued through to the late 30's / early 40's. Not being dim at all ! - As far as I know, they were the only railway to do it.

I have added brake compo and double slips. I would love to be able to have the time to make up a load of kits, but I already seem to have loads of unfinished projects ! Thanks for the comments

Possibly an AA23 BR built example

Thank Thanks very much for that Gareth. Gareth has some underframe shots in this set here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/svr_enthusiast/sets/72157629861659569/with/7096991433/

There have often been calls for Great Western Toplight carriages to be produced as ready to run models. The carriages saw many adjustments over the years, the primary reason for raising this now is to gauge opinion and see if we can influence the GWR carriage voting ahead of the MRE / RMWeb Poll which will launch shortly! Basically a concerted effort to focus GWR attention onto these carriages.... A rake of carriages to this standard: http://www.flickr.com/photos/svr_enthusiast/5842118385/in/photostream/ and the same carriage here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/svr_enthusiast/7944918322/ These were taken at the Severn Valley Railway. http://www.gw-svr-a.org.uk/3930.html But in 1930's shirtbutton livery, hauled be a Great Western Castle, to my mind would be terrific. Which of course is not to everyone's taste, so clearly I am talking about models of carriages as they would have run in the 1930's, through to the 1940's. Now obviously, Cooper-Craft have recently taken over the production of the Slaters GWR Toplights, which make up into very nice models: http://shop.cooper-craft.co.uk/index.php?cPath=7_20&osCsid=rusua8dmsud0vkshf2m33phtb5 GWR 57ft all Third and the Brake Third seen on my layout "Wharncliffe Junction" There were three* different sizes of Toplights: 56ft; 57ft and 70ft, with a multitude of changes and differences, with typically the 56ft having 8ft fishbelly or American bogies, these were probably 56ft. 57ft and 70ft tended to have 9ft bogies. The earliest built carriages had gas lighting, later being replaced by electric. A lot of the 56 and 57ft were used as Ambulance trains during WW1 and those that came back into GWR stock were plated over with steel, losing all or some of the Toplights. Historical details can be seen on Page 18 of the Wild Swan GWR coaches plans book by John Lewis. Opposite which are details of the Toplight single ended slip carriage to Dia F14 Lot 1150 and 'photos of No's 7101 and 7102 built in Sept 1908, it was a similar Toplight that was downgraded from Slip work to act as part of the branch train on the Henley on Thames line. Michael Harris in GW Coaches from 1890 (on Page 64) states that the distinguishing feature is the oblong hammered glass toplight above the quarter and full-size window, with full panelling above the waist. Carriages built towards the end of the period , lacked either or both features. 56 & 57ft Toplights built 1907 to 1920. There are 4 basic types: Bars 1: 56ft & 57ft with American 8ft bogies Built 1907-1911 Bars 1: 56ft Churchward 9ft bogie Built 1911 all with electric lights from new. Bars 2: 57ft Churchward 9ft bogies Built 1912-1913 Multi-bar and Steel panelled with Toplights, but no mouldings above the waist. 8ft 11 1/4in wide; Churchward 9ft bogies, built 1914-1920 Note: The term Bars1 etc. refers to the type of underframe bracing. The 56 & 57ft stock were built for lines where 70ft was not practical, with 70ft being built for the most part for workings out of Paddington. My suggestions for R-T-R models (although more Slaters kits, for different carriage diagrams would be a great compromise!): Corridor 3rd Diagram C32 to Lot 1234, (57ft Multibar) 12 carriages were built in 1914. Page 82 OPC Pictoral record of GW Coaches part 2 1903 - 1948 Brake 3rd to Dia D56 lot 1235 (57ft Multibar) built 1919 onwards (Page 83 & 89) - Left and Right handed brakes please! 48ft suburban carriages - now I think these could be a real winner in R-T-R (Page 97) Planned to be built in 1913, but delayed until 1921-1922 All 3rd to DiaC37 Brake 3rd to Dia D62 (Page 81 of Vol 1 appendix) Lot 1263 / 1275 - 12 carriages Composite to Dia E101 (Page 132 appendix) Lot 1261 / 1273 - 11 carriages Trains were made up of 6 carriages; usually 2 x 3rd; 2 x compos; with a Brake 3rd at each end, with the Van outermost. With close coupling in the fixed formations (easy enough to do with NEM couplings) Given there is a clamouring (or at least in previous discussions on here); for non-corridor stock, these small carriages could provide that missing gap. I would not be put off by the fixed formation, as long as we are able to run with NEM couplings to change the formation as we wanted. There were short buffers in between the stock, but again, I would not have thought that would be an issue. The field of Toplights can be a bit of a nightmare, I have only given a snap-shot above with so many differences. I have gone through my GWR Carriages books and chosen ones that COULD be built by a R-T-R manufacturer (good quality 'photos and plans in the books). Plus *there are so many comments about either 56/57/70ft; or there are 4 types..... only to find out later that there are also 48ft carriages. Seemingly we have lot's of choice with main-line stock, hence why I fancy the 48ft stock. e & oe !!!! - Note the topic title "GWR" I have purposely omitted options for BR liveries.... By which stage a basic 1920's built carriage could look very different.

It would seem the easiest way to control the different lights by using DCC - DC would be tricky. - Given I model in DCC I might have slanted the question! OMG - another option now! Polly thanks for the link to the Brentford branch, which I had not seen before... I can see a diorama coming on here! - Three Bridges and Trumpers Halt...... Thanks for the info Kenton. Another request further up the trail was for a AA13 - that has been added to the poll, together with AA7 Regards,

Interesting to see the number of requests for working lights is so low. Obviously not as popular an idea as I thought. :-( I see also that 4 people have said "another type of AA van" which one?

There is often a call from Great Western modellers for a new 00 gauge GWR Toad Brake van, but if one was to be produced, what should it be and to what level should it be finished. Personally, I would like to see an end to moulded handrails and DCC fitted working lights, but clearly that comes at a price. Then of course there are loads of different lot numbers / designs, so many it is probably easier to look here: http://www.gwr.org.uk/nobrakes.html This unbranded Toad Brake van was photographed at Minehead, which is probably No 68765 Probably an AA20 van. Or here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/svr_enthusiast/4000369511/ - On the Severn Valley, branded as Slough No 68501 A quick scan across Flickr, shows Toads of a similar design, with non that I could see of the external bracing. How far would you go for that ultimate Toad.... Lamps - front and rear is obvious, but would you also pay for the side lamps? with lights showing to front and rear. (No idea how it can be done in the size, but it would be nice!) Anyway food for thought ahead of the 2013 MRE / RMWeb Poll Different vans have been added to the Poll over the last couple of days. To change your vote, take the option to delete your votes and then vote again. Here's looking forward to some new Toad brake vans being released next year!

2 x GWR Versions - Fab!

Agreed there are a few typos, but the photos of the majority of the class, together with hed allocations are invaluable.

Very nice job of the station building Robin.... PM me the b/w 'photo and I will see if anything can be done for you. Regards,

Hi Robin, Depends how you have done it. If you have discarded all the Colour information, you probably won't be able to do it. Do you have Photoshop?

Just read the 54/64/74xx between trains at the Bluebell today and think I now understand all the differences! 6407 shedded at Southall in 1936 will do nicely thank you! - Even if the photo on Page 22 is taken at Newton Abbott. Livery question: on the same page 6408 looks as if it has a Black buffer beam (1932 at Laira) Also 5401 looks as if it has a Black buffer beam..... There has obviously been a run on the Pannier papers as these copies were a new run. Mine arrived direct from Irwell, with a copy of 57/67/77xx I'm very impressed, good little books.

Unless you are modelling the 30's in which case the shirtbutton is a must !!!

Lovely Robin, but clearly adding a few 'photos at a time, just whets our appetite and clearly we will be saying "We want more!" - Looks terrific, thanks for sharing .... I need to up my game!!