TheSignalEngineer

I think both camps have a place in the hobby. I would dearly like to model a couple of real layouts but both would need a scenic section of 20ft+ and the traffic was sparse ( and a bit boring). My current project is ficticious, but everything on it could have happened and i can run different groups of stock in roughly correct period. I think there are some fantastic real place models out there like Jim's BNS, but as is hopefully being shown by BCB you can pull together several real buildings from an area and put them together in a ficticious setting provided that the context and the running of the railway is believeable.

Looking at the blow-up again, the first short van behind the 50ft looks to be a Goods Brake, often provided for heating on parcels trains.

A strange mixture, with 3 containers behind the loco, the first two in open wagons* and the third on a Conflat followed by a Mk1 BG, 12T van, 50ft BG, more short vans then a GUV. By the look of the steam at the back there was also some attaching/detaching going on. *Looking at a big blow-up the first two wagons have different height bodies, so not standard 5-plank configuration. I suspect that the first is LNER with 6 equal-width planks and the second is a GWR 51/2 plank. Anyone got any other ideas?

From my photo, the upstairs windows were replaced probably early 70s by wooden ones. The LH one has a net curtain, RH looks to have a pot plant. Downstairs the windows are original Black Country iron small pane style. The door looks to be open, and has a loading gantry above it I think.

I was scanning some old slides from 1977 tonight and found this in the background of a shot of Cradley Signal box.

Thanks Mike. That was the one. Stacker had quite a reputation in the Birmingham area. He went ballistic on the day Saltley coal stage was demolished. Before the dust had properly settled one of the other drivers had chalked "Stacker Strikes Again" on the debris.

Like the seller ID http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BASSETT-LOWKE-TRAIN-LOCO-VINTAGE-NICKEL-SILVER-DISPLAY-MODEL-ROYAL-SCOT-GWR-LMS-/121053244963?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item1c2f55ee23

Perhaps they got mixed up in the darkness of the strategic reserve tunnel

As you will know from the original picture the real thing stood against a blue brick viaduct.

Trying to catch up with a bit of modelling between Grandad duty - today Sammy wanted to go to York Museum, so I just had to take him. The carcase has been put together so last night I did a test fit of the roof and windows before starting painting and adding details. The paint pot in the picture gives an idea of the proportions I am trying to work to. The oil cupboard and barge boards still have to be added but some bits need painting first as at this size there are places that will be impossible to reach when it is all assembled.

Sure I've seen a picture of that at Templecombe with a 9F on one end and a Pannier at the other.

Perhaps it was found that the box was getting nearer to the canal, so the wall was provided as an afterthought. We put in a temporary portacabin box at Erdington because the LNW one was getting further from the railway but not at the same rate at each end so the locking was binding in the frame.

Does anyone have a picture of "Stacker" Steadman's effort with an 08 through the blocks and down the bank at Washwood Heath around 1969?

So my memory was correct with 1T60. When I worked at Crewe the new locos were parked outside the Signal Shop. That was by the entrance on the corner of Goddard St and Richard Moon St, where the entrance road into Morrisons is now. The locos usually stood about where the petrol station is.

The Class 50s were orignally leased from EE. They weren't purchased by BR until about 1973, so they may have been on test runs for the handover. Also when the Weaver - Glasgow electrification was complete about 15 locos stayed on the LMR for working on the non-electrified bits. These went to the WR about 1976.

Class 50s were on the test trips through Chester in 1968. We nearly managed to derail a nice shiny one at Tattenhall Junction that summer.

The original Class 20s to D8127 were built from 1957 to mid 1962. The second series commenced delivery at the beginning of 1966, D8300 - D8316 appearing in the spring of 1967. D8317 to D8327 entered traffic in a period of a few weeks at the end of 1967 and beginning of 1968.

That second picture seems to back up my thought that 1T60 was the Crewe Works test run for new locos.

Around the time of the Class 20 picture I was working in Crewe Works for a few months. IIRC 1T60 may have been the test run from Crewe for new English Electric Vulcan Foundry locos on test before being put into traffic. On delivery they were parked outside the workshop where I was located. The first few 50s were also around whilst I was there. Another route that the test runs went on was out to Chester, and possibly beyond. I saw 50s and 74s on this working.

This thread reminded me of an acquaintance whose lady friend gave him the ultimatum of Me or The Railway, so he sold the house and spent the proceeds on restoring steam locos.

I've got a nice picture of the future Mrs SE standing by the L&Y 2-4-2T when it was at Tyseley. I had to curtail the waiting around in the cold to photograph late running Crankexs though.

At least they know that when you are playing with your trains you are probably not playing with other women.

Having got the roof sorted, before I put it all together the windows, oil cupboard, barge boards and guttering need to be made up. First task was the windows. It would have been nice to get some etches but I've not had any done before and nothing available was a dead fit without modification. I opted for a method I first used about 30 years ago which was to build up the frame and glazing bars with various sizes of microstrip glued to clear poystyrene sheet stuck to a drawing. This is how the trial came out. Firstly a test fit. I tried a bit of painting of the back and washed the front with a thin black wash. On my 17" monitor the last picture appears about twice full size so all the warts are visible especially against the stark white of the unpainted end wall. I've refixed one small glazing bar which looked a bit out and cleaned it up. At life size from 2-3 feet and mounted in the side I coloured up as a paint test it looks quite presentable.

Wasn't this man around when it was suggested that IC trains should no longer use New St but go to a new station in Washwood Heath Yard?