TravisM

I spoke to someone who was involved with the Class 50 refurbishment when I worked on the railways and I asked why they weren’t fitted with alternators instead of keeping the generators. The reason was that there was no room for the extra electronics to fit a alternator, so I asked about the Class 37’s and the main reason they got fitted as they used the redundant space left by the steam generator. With Class 50’s being pure ETH, that option wasn’t available.

50017 was repainted in Crimson Lake as it was going to work under contract, either the VSOE or The Northern Belle but with Sea Containers getting into financial difficulties, the project was abandoned and 50017 was left half finished.

I thought it was probably DRS not only because of the Dellner fitted Class 57’s but being based at Carlisle and Crewe, it made common sense.

Virgin trains rebuilt sixteen Class 47’s into Class 57/3’s as Thunderbird loco’s and to drag Pendolino’s to Holyhead but this all changed and they were disposed of. I was wondering who now provides power for drags and Thunderbird duties on the WCML? I assume it’s DRS with their ex Virgin Class 57’s or can it be who’s available at the time?

I was at Stamford today and saw a RHTT working from Peterborough to Leicester and return with DBC Class 66’s providing the power. I was wondering if there is a set of this years diagrams or workings available so I can hunt down to photograph more of these trains.

The Class 50 in Inter City swallow livery isn’t as far fetched as it might seem as there was a plan in the 80’s to stop the ECML electrification at Newcastle and re refurbish the best of the Class 50’s for services north. They would have been repainted in IC Swallow livery to match the then new Mk IV stock.

Was having a discussion at my local MRC the other night and the topic of had BR not been privatised came up and we wondered what would have been BR’s route to replacing their increasingly elderly freight loco’s. Would they have struggled on with what they had or gone down the Class 66 route had it been on the drawing boards of GMD at the time? Or possibly ordered more Class 60’s or was something completely new in the minds of BR engineers? I know this is a “what if” question but it would be interesting to hear people’s opinions on this.

Why bother? Not only do you have the faff of changing loco’s and all the issues that go with that. Then you have drivers traction and route knowledge and then what happens when the Night Riviera is routed via the B&H?

I’ve got several Bachmann London Midland Class 350’s and I want to convert one of them into a 350/3. I was wondering what the differences between the different sub classes are? I know that the 350/1’s had 3rd rail capability which has now been removed but what is the body style diffence in window placement between the 350/1’s, 2’s and 3’s if any? As the TPE 350/4’s are going to be transferred to LNWR later and I believe they are slightly different as the toilets are in different places but that would need confirmation or clarification. Any help would be most helpful.

Why would you want a 125 sleeper as speed isn’t the main criteria? Given that the sleepers, especially the FGW Night Riviera has a long layover, usually at Taunton plus the power cars would need to be converted from their non standard 3 phase electrical supply to work the Mk 3’s.

I was wondering what the headcodes would be for the nuclear trains running along the WCML so I could check on Realtime Trains to see if they were running and hopefully photograph one. For insurance purposes, double headings are the norm but is it pairs of 37, 57 and 68’s or a combination?

At least it’s back on its old stamping ground.

I got mine on eBay but they came from Peter’s Spares. He might have what you need and the link is petersspares.com

Anyone do a model of one in 4mm?

I’ve sourced some resin detail parts including valances for both the Class 91 and DVT plus the sealed end of the TSOE, so I can make a start soon on those. The coach ends of the coaches and replacement couplings are still a bit of a head scratcher at the moment.

Hi there, I plan to do almost a complete rebuild and detailing of the complete set with fine scale handrails, full detailing on the loco and DVT ends, change the couplings for something more scale and close coupling, a better pantograph and roof detail etc, etc, etc lol.

I’m seriously considering recreating a LNER Class 91 and MK IV set before they bow out over the next few years. I keep looking at Hornby’s model and though looks good at a distance, close up it’s quite woeful and almost toy like. I was wondering what’s needed to bring it up to a higher standard regarding detailing, better running and are the MK IV’s scale length or are they “shorty”, any help would be great.

Since 59003 returned to the UK, I’ve only seen it once and that was stabled at GBRf’s maintenance shed at Peterborough awhile ago. Is it in with the same pool as the 66’s and wander they system or does it have its own separate diagram and stick to a set working?

Hi Simon, apart from AHB (automatic half barriers) which I know, what are MCB, ABCL and AOCL?

I always thought that the Swindon built DMU’s were the best looking and stylish rather than utilitarian with the Class 123’s the best of the bunch. Just my opinion..

I assume that the GBRf Class 47’s and Freightliner Class 90’s won’t be able be used on the Mk5 sleepers either?

The 365’s in Scotland are those that are off lease from GN since the introduction of 700’s on Thameslink services.

With Northern and Greater Anglia using DRS and West Coast Railways loco’s and stock to cover services, it’s made me wonder if TOC’s are willing to hire out any stock that’s not required at the time to other TOC’s who have availability issues or would they use the services of the likes of DRS, WCRC or others?

Is that based on a GER design or just a generic steam era signal box? Someone suggested the Airfix/Dapol kit but that’s a Midland design.

Though I’m not a steam buff but I’d say the tender body sides and rear would be green and the rest black, though the water filler caps might be green as well.