TheSignalEngineer

Despite its age the old Mainline 2P still looks nice on the layout. The changes we got from Mainline and Airfix at that time certainly raised the bar a few notches, paving the way for the RTR standards we see today. My Hornby re-issue 2P is now undergoing a cosmetic makeover to run as 40646, which was the Engineer's Trip engine at Walsall at the period of my layout and the Celebrity Loco for two railtours just before withdrawl. Good idea with the brake rods. Those ends have always seemed poor to me, OK for display but useless for a loco on the layout.

At one time Tyseley was supposed to be on Component Exchange Maintenance where you took out a complete engine or gearbox or other assembley. Their understanding of 'component' wasn't quite the same as the Management interpretation. From what we saw come past, failed coaches sent away from Tyseley looked to have very little serviceable stuff remaining.

The signalman at Bordesley Junction couldn't be raised on the Block or telephone one day. The neighbouring box could see right through the section and the previous train had been knocked out, so he sent a freight through to the Home signal find out if something was wrong. When the Fireman walked up the steps he was greeted by the sight of the signalman being pleasured by one of the local ladies of the night.

From Gloucester Eastgate it went to Yate then followed the Midland route towards Bristol as far as Mangotsfield North Junction. Although some of the though trains changed engines at Birmingham, there are reports of sightings of B1s right through to Bath on trains from the Eastern region.

Tyseley certainly did keep things running in those days. My train home was a fill in turn for a unit from away, and was the first cancellation as it did two trips to Shirley, returning ECS between them. It was rarely cancelled in the near 20 years I used it regularly. There were odd coaches with branding of all the PTEs including Stratclyde and maps of anywhere that DMUs ran. We even got sets consisting of a Cravens driving car. MetCam trailer and a Gloucester Bubble Car.

I was once waiting at Stourbridge Junction Middle box for my train to arrive. The driver came on the phone asking for the banker to be put in the platform for him to run on to for assistance to Birmingham due to an engine having shut down. The banker was locked in between trains at Round Oak, so the driver decided to risk it. We just about managed to restart from Old Hill, then went through to Rowley Regis at walking pace.

It was also very useful for carrying all our gear when we went on cycle/camping trips to the West Country. Not enough space for that on a Voyager.

Looking back at my photos from July 1969 the line of locos outside the shed was 35028, Barclay 0-4-0 Lonr Fisher, 75029, 41298, what appears to be a 9f in pink primer (92203?) in the distance. Lurking in the shed there is the front of a Spamcan (34023?). Army locos we encountered that day were 2-10-0 600 Gordon, 0-6-0ST 196 Errol Lonsdale, 0-4-0 North British DH 412 , 0-8-0 Sentinel DH 610 Lord Robertson, 0-6-0 Ruston DH 440 Hassan, 0-6-0 Ruston DH 425, and a 350HP 0-6-0 with names and numbers missing (possibly Basra or Bari?) used in a re-railing exercise. Photos of the Army locos were posted here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/75286-black-and-white-photographic-memories/&do=findComment&comment=1140173

In various years a Summer Saturday train ran either Derby or Milton Keynes to Penzance and back, out on the morning and back about 16.00 from PZ. Rear coach was the only 1st not declassified and was known as the 'Staff Coach' as it was full of BR MS Grades travelling on 1st Class Free Travel. Some weeks it ended up just like being in the office.

Lot on my old patch there. Would like a ride up to Old Hill on one of those. My memories of it are behind Large Prairies, Halls and Granges, then on an assortment of mainly clapped-out DMUs, sometimes with assistance.

Couldn't understand why they picked that one. I think they were unsuccessful in the prototype.

That looks a fair representation of the woodwork for the bracket at Nuneaton Abbey Street that I linked elsewhere.

Chattanooga was a company doing office rental in Belper Goods Depot.

My long coal train has about 10 Airfix which were bought in job lots for about £1 each. Add new wheels and couplings, paint, transfers, plastic and metal offcuts and a lump of coal for customising brought the cost up to about £40 for 10.. They wouldn't pass the purists but mixed with rivetted, slope, pressed doors, cupboard doors and 7-planks they look OK and I had a lot of pleasure out of dealing with them.

I was working at Crewe when they were done. All Blue Full Yellow Ends from new. Four BR Arrows and numbers both ends IIRC

A couple more shots. Unfortunately my train had just arrived across the platform so I couldn't do any detailed shots. Photos copyright C E Steele

Wonder if Dave will ever get as far as these monsters I spotted at Wigan yesterday. Probably not enough market to justify though. Photo Copyright C E Steele 2015

I don't have any measurements to hand, but as an approximation the shortest doll would have the arm spindle at about the spindle to tip length of the arm above the landing. This makes the bottom of the spectacle plate roughly in line with the handrail. A typical proportion of doll heights pre the 1930s LMS UQ signals would be as the one at Nuneaton that I linked earlier. There is sufficient space for a distant arm on the highest doll.

Two examples to show the arrangement of dolls on an equal-sided bracket, albeit not the correct arrangement of arms. The one at Nuneaton has the correct doll relationship but would need a lower distant arm on the right hand doll. The arm on the left hand doll is a bit more of a head-scratcher. As the two ends are controlled by different boxes if the line is classed as a running line it is a Block Section and would be the Down Goods Line and would have a full-size arm. If it was just classed as a siding with no block working it may have a short arm, but a good one for debate. Nuneaton Abbey Junction http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/mrna49a.htm Castle Bromwich http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/mrcb30a.htm

Or wheels the wrong distance apart?

Cantilever signal structure to the left would say Eastern Region.

Did the shed around 1963 along with CED, Llantrissant, Canton, Ebbw Jn, STJ, Woodhams amongst other places, ending up at Gloucester Barnwood in pitch darkness. Got re-acquainted with the area in 1995 at the start of the Valleys Resignalling. We were give the site of the pre-1932 shed for the new control centre. When we started clearing the site we found a deep shaft which had been used at some time for drawing water from the River Taff to supply the locos.

Taken from the same place in 2011 Photo copyright C E Steele