TravisM

I believe they did from time to time on the Pompey - Cardiff's but I think it was mainly Halls that were used.

I believe there was a regular scheduled double headed Class 50 early evening Paddington - Bristol working in the early 80's. It left from platform 8 which led directly onto the down fast and it was booked to be worked as a HST working but as the WR was short of HST's at the time, double headed Class 50's were used to attempt to keep to HST timings.

I believe the 506's were first tested on the Liverpool St route before heading north, or it could have been the other way round.

What was the diagram for the 6 car Pullmans or did they use what was available on the day, either a 6 or 8 car set on the diagram? Were they based at Old Oak or Bristol?

I was wondering what the routing was for the Western Region Blue Pullmans on the Paddington - Bristol route. Was it via Chippenham/Box Tunnel and Bath or the Badminton routes? I was also wondering they were ever routed via the Berks & Hants from time to time?

Just a few questions about this interesting branch; Are the freight workings to Moorswater still running or has that all now ceased? And also, I also seem to remember something about some excursion traffic, topping and tailing running down the Looe branch a few years ago. Has that actually happened or is that urban myth?

I spoke to my cousin in the US who worked for GM at LaGrange in the 50's and yes they were approached by BR but they declined simply because their order books were bursting and they were having up the lead times to existing customers. It wasn't uncommon to to have delivery dates extended by 6 months to a year and that was common with all US railroad diesel builders. I believe a design was submitted based on the GP7/9/18 concept and would have looked very similar to the Class 15 and 16's

Hey, I said I'm up for challenge but not do the impossible

I believe that when the line was first electrified, it was originally 1500V DC as per the Woodhead route which I believe was going to be the standard at the time but as the French improved AC overhead in the 50's, it was decided to go with their system, so it was later converted. Also after the conversion, parts of it were only 6.25 KV instead of 25 KV

I'm always up for a challenge and when I was in Moscow earlier this year, I saw really good quality HO scale models of modern Russian railways and at the time, I saw who made them but since lost the paper with the name written on it. They did seem very expensive but then I was at the model shop by a Russian Railway museum and model railway, so I suppose they would be like purchasing models from the NRM here. Does anyone know the name and if they can be purchased here in the UK or in Europe?

And multi sized to make sure the gap between the bogie and body is maintained lol

That's the one, I'm still looking and it seems there as rare as rocking horse poo

I was recently looking (unsucessfully) for the Heljan station they did awhile back. I believe it was based on a station in Oxfordshire and the platform was quite short. It was quite pricey I remember but made a nice model.

I think with 2mm and the 3ft rule, the rivet/weld and wheel bearing details should hopefully be hidden under heavy weathering and not noticeable, but thanks for the heads up.

When I worked on the railways, I talked to someone from the design office, he told me that when the ECML extension was proposed and the Class 91's were on the drawing board, the pointy end (Number 1 end I believe) was designed for 125 mph and Mk IV stock and the blunt end, 110 mph. The main reason the number 1 end was fitted with a Pullman rubbing plate between the buffers was that if the number 2 end was leading, it could haul other coaching stock including the sleepers and NPCCS.

They were supposed to used on sleepers as well but it was all quickly abandoned because of issues with the TDM. Computers of the day didn't like being connected then disconnected from the loco to the train, so it was decided to keep trainsets together so everything would talk to each other. I believe that directive still stands.

Hi Phil, I've not seen those but will at a later date. Thanks for sharing. Julian

I recently purchased two Farish Black 5's in LMS livery. One is to be renumbered as 5407 as I had haulage behind it in the early 80's, the other I was going to renumber as a BR version in the 1966/67 period which ran over the S&C, but I have realised that BR ones were lined, which this one obviously isn't. To save the cost and pain (more the pain) of adding lining, were most Black 5's in that era so dirty that any lining had all but disappeared under the muck and filth, so only the number on the cabside and crest on the tender visible? If anyone has any information or willing to share pictures, I would be most grateful. Julian Sprott

Just a couple of questions to ask the group. The run off's at the end of the refuge sidings where the points diverge to get back onto the main line, seem a little long compared to pictures of the real things. Does anyone have any decent photographs or information they would be willing to share as I'd like to try and get them to look right. Also, the two huts by the signal box, I'm trying to get decent pictures of those but I'm considering using Hornby's Lyddle End N8055 Lamp Hut and N8056 Platelayers Hut as substitutes. Would they be a good match?

True but they were probably more reliable

Probably because Newcastle men didn't and if it failed and the Carlisle crew returned without it, it would be effectively stranded until another Carlisle crew turned up.

I'm assuming that includes the drivers as well

I have a Graham Farish Capital Connection train pack and I was wondering what the track diagram was at the time this set was based as I'm thinking of doing a terminus layout. Also from apart the obvious, what other loco's and workings would have noted in that time frame?

It might have been posted on here before but I'm trying to find out what the local workings of the Met Vic Class 28 Co-Bo's were towards the end of their working lives whilst allocated at Barrow. I've seen loads of pictures of them working local trains in the Cumbrian area, on shed at Carnforth and Carlisle depots but how far did they travel? Apart from the Barrow/Carnforth/Carlisle triangle, did they work as far as Leeds, Manchester and over the Settle & Carlisle on a regular basis?

Thought I'd give you guys a heads up on progress since the summer. I've decided to build a Ais Gill themed layout on a standard internal door after seeing something similar at the Great Electric Train show and I thought I'd show you what can be created on a 6ft 6 x 30 ins board. Constructive comments are welcome. Julian Sprott