60526

28 minutes ago, Michael Edge said:

The Cotswold kit is fairly accurate, from memory I think it's a bot short at the front end but that's all. 

<snip>

This is the GA drawing from our etch for this loco, based on original LMS drawings I am confident this is accurate.

Mike, magic, many thanks. I didn't realise that you made a Stanier 3P kit. I must have bought this Cotswold kit during the 1980's, it was due to be OO and must have bought the Romford wheels for it at the time, but it is now going to be EM. I notice that your chassis etch has provision for compensation, is this etch available separately?

I see the name Cotswold has come up a few times lately. I normally model ex LNER/BR(E) locos so can source drawings from the likes of Isinglass, but I'm now looking at an unmade Cotswold kit of a Stanier 3P 2-6-2T, has anyone an idea of where I can get hold of a drawing of these locos. Did this kit get taken over by Nu-cast? I am not going to use the kits solid brass chassis, could scratch the chassis but I've looked at the Alan Gibson catalogue and see a milled chassis LM1-195 which is for a NC LMS 2-6-2T ? Is the Cotswold kit worth the effort?

3 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Another day, another loco started!

 

For a time, there were three BR Standard Fives shedded at Kings Cross. Though their diagrams tended to be from Kings Cross to Cambridge or Peterborough, there must have been a chance they worked through Little Bytham.

 

 

Std 5's at 34A has got my attention, I've the Bmann model but it looked out of place for a southern ECML stud. I've just looked at brdatabase.info and found 4 allocated although the latter 3 are more relevant to your modelling of LB -

73071 - 02/56 to 05/57, BR1C tender?

73157 - 11/57 to 11/58, BR1B tender?

73158 - 11/57 to 11/58, BR1B tender?

73159 - 11/57 to 11/58, BR1B tender?

The tender information was obtained from a Dec 2005 Model Rail article.

Would any of the Sheffield std 5's have come past Little Bytham?

There are also details within the very useful Barrowmore MRG website, page 71/102

http://www.barrowmoremrg.co.uk/BRBDocuments/SpecialVehiclesIssue.pdf

As luck would have it.

wagon_BR_trestrol.pdf

David, thanks about your comment relating to BM operation by the Newhaven Group. Since I was one of the group I can say from the other side of the fence that it was a fascinating layout to operate, in a way I do regret that we had to let it go, but circumstances dictated. The York 2016 show was the last time that we showed it, during the time that we owned the layout, this was probably the best show where the layout behaved itself, I know that there were over 1200 movements in the timetable and we had restarted it early on the last day. All the operators were looking at the same timetable, the 3 station controllers were colour coded so the operator knew what he was meant to do and of course all movements were indexed so you didn't make a movement until it was your turn, sometimes we had simultaneous movements because that's how Frank planned it. The timetable showed you which loco you were to use, to move from where and to where, which coaches or wagons you were pulling, or light engine of course, to couple or uncouple, plus telling you which signal and point levers to pull, it made it so interesting. All the information was stored on an excel spreadsheet and in the week before an exhibition we would go through every loco to check on its condition and decide on whether we were going to use it or replace it. We deviated from Frank's original timetable to give a wider scope of operation and variety of locos/trains. With the spreadsheet it was easy to find out where the operation of a certain loco occurred and if needed, replace it with another.

I think that I've said before, after the York show we took a good look at the layout and decided that work would be needed to keep it up to exhibition standard. The back scenery really needed to be replaced, both station buildings and platforms needed tidying, we still hadn't replaced the main signal box and we were going to build a new goods shed to match the original design. All the electrics had been sorted out, the only worry was the 2 boxes of ex military relay switches, by accident we found a fault with one of them when we replaced all the incoming and outgoing wires, but we weren't at an exhibition then, the worry was if something went wrong actually at an exhibition. From 2005 to 2016 we exhibited at Eastbourne - Sandy - Brighton - Crawley - Blyth - St.Albans - Ally Pally - Barrow Hill - Leytonstone - Railex Chippenham - Beckenham - Glasgow - Nottingham - Warley - Spalding - Southwold - Wakefield - York, happy days.

Many years later I would say that unlike a few I don't give a monkies that it wasn't a prototypical location, it was a vision by Frank Dyer and we believed that we operated it in the fashion that he would have wanted.

I'm getting different answers from different suppliers on whether I can use a NCE power cab for my class 33. I haven't bought a chip yet but will eventually be using sound for this model. From I can gather the 2 motors in this model draw a relatively heavy current. I'm told that I wouldn't have this problem with Dapol O gauge models. Anyone had experience with this sort of problem, but specifically to the use of a Heljan with a NCE controller.

Regards

Ian

On 31/10/2023 at 10:02, gr.king said:

 

As you probably know, the Rapido NRM single has driven trailing wheels too.  I haven't yet attempted to build a single, but I did find space in an Atlantic to add suitably geared drive to the trailing wheels, courtesy of a bag of mixed cheap nylon gears and axles from Squires some years ago, giving it six wheel drive hence much better adhesion and haulage power, as well as ensuring that those trailing wheels tracked correctly without the aid of any other special measures, since they could be set up to carry weight just as the coupled wheels always do.  There's nothing to stop you from arranging for as much weight as possible from the tender to also ride on that driven rear end of the loco too. The bogie is also pivoted to miss the cylinders by the way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Graeme, thanks for the response, the gear train looks like a good option, unless there has been one on Grantham I'm not aware that I've seen a Rapido Single. Does your Atlantic run on Grantham? I'm still going to look for details of a tender motor/cardan shaft drive, I'd be able to pack out the loco body with extra weight, but it would only be single wheel drive. As for piggy backing the tender onto the loco, I can remember the explanation you gave for your D10 with the loco drive axles pivoting together within the loco frames, it was on video? Pulled about 20 coaches, impressive.

Millholme Stirling Single

Here are a couple of photos of a model which I was going to sell as is, but it has re-appeared on my workbench after some considerable time. I'm not so much worried about the scale inaccuracies of the loco or tender, I've never finished a single before so it's going to be a challenge. Straight away you can see the loco front is detached, it was being run as an 0-2-2 (at speed) when the weight in the cab fell off and it took a nose dive and bent the front of the whitemetal casting, so I broke it off completely and it will duly be repaired by giving a good soldered fillet. The Romford drivers run well, it's powered by a DS10 which doesn't seem too bad. So what I am after is to tap into the knowledge of clever people on this forum who have experience of modelling "singles". I've picked up a few ideas, a motor in the tender driving a cardan shaft through to the loco driving axle. Somebody on here managed to add spur gears from the main driver to the rear axle to make 4 wheel drive? Pivoting the main driver and rear axle and piggy backing the tender onto the cab for extra weight?

Charlie

Thanks Jonathan, anyone make a model of one of these? When were these first produced?

Tony,

This photo from Ben Brooksbank came up on another site this morning and I wonder if it might stir a few memories from your youth. Aside from being at Chester, that ex LNER horsebox looks interesting, I'm no specialist but probably a dirty crimson?

On 20/09/2023 at 14:53, 60526 said:

Tony,

I have an EM W1, depending on your layout curves it does have problems with the steps, the pony trucks are in the box at the moment. This was in amongst some models I was given to repair, I subsequently bought the model and I'm not sure that I realised what I had bought. I had been told that it was a SEF kit but I'm sure that it isn't, seems to be all brass, beautifully made and painted. I was going to use it on a group EM project but that disappeared not long after I bought it. It runs on Romford wheels and it had a dead DS10 motor which I've replaced like for like.

Charlie

 

After a conversation with Tony, I can't see myself having any use for this model in the near or distant future, so I'm looking to sell it with a charitable donation to Tony's chosen charity.

If I was to move this forward, I wouldn't touch any of the bodywork, paint, lining or transfers, it's top notch. I'd either machine down the Romford wheel tyres, replace with Markit wheels or Gibsons. The chassis is currently live to one side, could really do with being neutral. I'd replace the pick-ups and add pick-ups to the pony wheels. What it is doing with a DS10 I haven't a clue, it has a single stage gearbox. So I'd swap out the motor and gearbox for a DJH or High Level combi. At the moment I should think that it would do well from a good run out. I really have no idea what the value of this is. If anyone is interested please pm me and I'll provide a few more photos.

Charlie

I don't know if it is of any use but Southampton MRS are making a model of Seaton Junction in OO.

southamptonmrs@gmail.com

Ian Corps the secretary should respond, he is part of the layout team.

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Looks good Charlie,

 

But when you wrote 'W1' I was expecting a 4-6-2-2!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

I can repaint it for you, apple or brunswick green?

Tony,

I have an EM W1, depending on your layout curves it does have problems with the steps, the pony trucks are in the box at the moment. This was in amongst some models I was given to repair, I subsequently bought the model and I'm not sure that I realised what I had bought. I had been told that it was a SEF kit but I'm sure that it isn't, seems to be all brass, beautifully made and painted. I was going to use it on a group EM project but that disappeared not long after I bought it. It runs on Romford wheels and it had a dead DS10 motor which I've replaced like for like.

Charlie

A comparison at East Grinstead from 2018

And one of their replacements at the Park in 2015

8 hours ago, 97xx said:

I do wonder if we are getting "£300k over budget" incorrectly added to the £500k recently reported - i.e. perhaps the budget (if there ever was one) was £2-300k and it's gone way over, but I would doubt £800k is really likely.

The words came from the Chairman, so I would doubt it. Just take a look at the website description - https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pics/car54.html

The body has been off the chassis, so chassis repairs, new headstock, hot riveting, replacement ends, a complete new set of tables and chairs has been made for it, the internal panelling has either been replaced or restored etc etc, it all adds up.

On 07/08/2023 at 06:33, 97xx said:

Surprised to see a figure of £800k - where did this number come from?  I recall reading nearer £520k so far.

The £800k came from an article on "Bluebell clear-out continues with Churchill and Royal Pullmans" in the September 2023 edition of Trackside magazine. - it goes on, some £300k more than budgeted and completion will come four years later than anticipated. It's a good magazine this, from the start it has tended to highlight the preserved railways more than auctions and swanning off on foreign steam trips. The article quotes Paul Churchman.

9 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

We’ve done the Pullman service on the Bluebell before and the quality of the carriages is exceptional. Probably the best around, I can easily see that sort of money being spent.

I wonder what the likes of Richard Salmon and Dave Clark (and other volunteers come to think of it) would say if they were given £800k to spend on other unrestored coaches in the collection. Keep the LBSCR saloon out of this conversation.

I 've just read the BB website, the restoration cost has come from a ring fenced fund within the Bluebell Railway Trust and a contribution from the Department of Transport towards the wheelchair access. I don't know if anyone saw Fingall when it was first restored, but it was a work of art, I don't know how much of that was original. Others can drop in here, but I know that all the seats and tables have been specially made for car 54, whether by volunteers or contractors I do not know.

I did once travel and have a meal in the 3rd class Pullman Christine, but we walked through the 1st class coach Fingall on the way out and there is a difference in quality.

Mick, try this - https://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/proto_carcarriers.html

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Great shot, Charlie.

 

Many thanks.

 

Wood Green; a splendid location............

 

How about over 70 years ago?

 

 

 

 

I can't match the quality of your photos,  but here's 54 coming south. Looks clean, double chimney but without smoke deflectors.

York's Sugar Palm

Oh, the sun is around to the west so casts a shadow over the front of 5905 hauling quads? A stopper on the up main.

Again, the sun is in the wrong direction, from the south this time, D208, on the Scotch Goods?

Did I see it right? £800k to restore brake Pullman Car 54? I know that some paid chippies were involved and Covid got in the way, but how could they substantiate spending £800k?

6 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Not the exhauster (= vacuum pump) but the exhaust boxes.

 

A standard maintenance task in BR days, although not in any manual, was to clear the exhaust box drains at every A exam with a piece of British Standard bent wire. The three original depots soon worked this out but, when the Haymarket locos were transferred away, York had to learn it all over again (as, I think, did Porterbrook much later).

 

Not so much a case of RTFM as "listen to the effin' experts".

Thanks for the correction. I think the Elizabethan was 9009's first main run after overhaul.

Pity the photo quality is not better, I expect that this was taken with our Brownie 127, Wood Green on a grey day with a virtually new Deltic on the down fast. Looks like a FP loco, possibly Meld. This was over 60 years ago and I would have still been in shorts.

1C - Wakefield??

Briefly going back to past manufacturers, can anyone remember Loddon models. I'm currently resurrecting and converting this E1/R tank to EM. I've also parts from their Terrier tank kit.