bike2steam

I'm sure I've read reports of Feltham Q1's getting thro' on freight to Exeter, though I cant find the proof at the mo, but it's a bit OT. I'm sure the Irwell book, or Winksworths, on the Bulleid Pacifics will tell you.

Sorry I didn't explain it properly, I meant a service train carrying passengers - not an ECS working, at the time Swanage Railway hadn't quite reached Harmans Cross station but was running loco first to Herston station (1 &1/4 miles) then the loco ran round, and propelled up to a location called 'New Barn, another mile, and a half. Then after a short break hauled the train back to Swanage.

Do you mean Hursley, or you got a certain lady on your mind ? Now over 20 years old, and yes, an excellent example of modelling - no I haven't seen it for a while .

Yep, like Shrowsbury, and Rumsey, but the real local people pronounce as spelt, sorry I digress .

Now if I can remember some of the rules from my old Swanage Railway days, when 'propelling', without the fitment of modern push-pull equipment, you were limited to 2 coaches max, but 'topping & tailing' - no limit.

Might have been, but there was a seperate allotted diagram for banker up to Bincombe, with the drop off point just after the tunnel onto a short siding between the main running lines, where it was held before running back for it's next duty.

Yes, Liverpool Street occasionally had 2 pilots, N7 + J69, at busy times it was one took care of the Cambridge (west) side, the other, the Ipswich/Southend (east) side. http://www.time-capsules.co.uk/picture/number1304.asp

Reading pilots, in the days of steam usually 2 (one for the west end, one for the east ), and mostly Manors, and could occasionally be seen substituting for a failed express loco. Bournemouth West pilots were mostly M7's, used on ECS in, and banking out (same as Waterloo), but Bomo West had a slight incline, and some trains, such as the Belle, would have struggled without help.

02's were used on the Padstow/Wadebridge - Bodmin (North ?) local service.

Also track layout can depend on railway of origin, so which had you in mind??

U1's 31901-4, for 5 months from May to October 1961 when they were packed off back to Norwood Junction, along with the 3 tried out at Salisbury, as unsuitable, and yes they were tried out on the NCR.

Because of the distance, and nature of the 'road' between Okehampton, and Padstow, the line tended to be a preserve of tender locos, N class moguls, T9's, unrebuilt pacifics, the tank locos, O2's,Beattie well-tanks tended to take care of Padstow to Bodmin/Wenfordbridge. Exmouth Junction shed managed to hold on to unrebuilt Bulleid pacifics with unrebuilt tenders up to their demise, some say at EJ's insistance as the tenders could hold extra coal in the raves, helpful for work on the NCR.Mmm - well catered for rtr ? considering also the help from Kernow Models.

I'm working on it, but as regards the 'cloud', - unimportant, will only do more harm than good .

Ah, such is the problem when you allow the immature into a mature conversation.

A WD hauling a Woodhead electric loco to Crewe works over Stockport viaduct.

The 9F was probably rescuing the 'dog' after it had failed - again (that was probably the, or one of it's last trips), as a 9F was more than capable to do it alone. Talking of 9F's, once saw one passing Willesden hauling a failed Sulzer type 2 ( do they call 'em Class 24's ?) on a New Street to Euston (via Northampton)passenger working.

The old Dunmow station is a location crying out to be modelled. A compact 'passing place' with a fair amount of freight for a branch line right up to the late '50's, and a chance to stretch credibility a bit, and put the 'Kicking Dickey' next door . As a former volunteer at Swanage, that was a railway that was/is definitely not unrealistic. As most average preserved lines are limited because of man-power, and money, it is rare to see more than 3 locos in steam at any one time unless it's a gala. How monotonous to see a good model railway running with just 2 or 3 locos running a regular service, doesn't do well for a long attention spell.

Or is it envy, as Arsenal most of the time end the season higher than Tottenham? And NO I dont support them.

Just a pity some neanderthals cant contain their lager inspired bad attitudes.

I also have to agree, but it's making me feel guilty that I haven't tackled mine yet -.

Yes, indeed, but fortunately just after my period, a couple of those 'foreign' steam locos are in my 00 gauge collection, and if my period was the same time it would probably mean renumbering with larger numerals .

One of the best printed examples of a pic of Bescot shed is that in Michael Hales small paperback 'Steam In The Black Country' plate 18.

I have been trying to scratchbuild a LMS type 2 coaler for a few years now, a long protracted affair, luckily non essential as yet. But the over head side tippling is a ###### to get right, my first attempt has been scrapped as it just wasn't working right - I will have another go again, when I get the time. I would suggest to anyone seriously interested in this kind of project to get the Wild Swan Publications series on LMS Engine Sheds - invaluable, the types, and variations too complicated to set out here. Just suffice to say Bescot's 'Welman Bucket' was unique, wagons lifted, and side tippled into a coal hopper at low level where the coal was then lifted again into the loco tender/bunker. And yes there was an ash plant there, a big one - right next to the coal hopper, with two metal frame gantries.I remember it well, as I watched it working many times.

The 'Workshop Practice Series' is a very useful collection of handbooks - or be like me, and do a 5 year engineering apprenticeship .

I tend to agree that WD's were rare on the BS to Braintree branch, most freight work being covered by J17's. J15's (along with F6's) were common on the mixed trains ( 1 passenger coach + a couple of vans, one of which was very occasionally an 'interfrigo') usually Braintree to Witham, with the train engine employed on shunting at Braintree between duties.