2301- Research & Reference Photographs
I always get an extra buzz seeing a preserved locomotive that spent some or most of its working life on the Cambrian, especially if it's one I plan to feature in the works. 2516 is up there at the top of the list along with Cambrian stalwarts such as 9017, 7802, 7808, well any Manor to be honest!
During the few days I spent working in Swindon this week I was able to spend an evening walking around the works, what's left of it, and the McArthur Glen Outlet centre. The whole experience left me feeling quite jaded and depressed. I don't like shopping centres at the best of times, walking around those halls which were occupied by such artisans and craftsmen of the GWR, now replaced with corporate sterility with barely a reference to the past was a bit too much. In fact if you look at the website for the centre there is no mention of the history of the buildings whatsoever. There are about 5 overhead cranes left in situ and other items of heavy machinery flanked by fashion manikins. It left a hollow feeling, seeing a site of industrial heritage occupied by such icons of consumerism. At least its all still there I guess!
The town centre isn't much better, within a few minutes walk of the hotel there were 5 types of cash converters, 4 betting shops and numerous closed up shop fronts, soon to be betting shops no doubt. The place felt desperate and was in stark contrast to the towns history of caring for its employees welfare. Seeing the derelict Mechanics Institute was enough for me and I headed back to the hotel under a cloud! Some pictures are here for those who wish to make up their own mind, I might have painted too black a picture.
Anyway, enough gloom... STEAM at least was very enjoyable and seeing Caerphilly Castle, 2516 and Ditcheat Manor. Ditcheat Manor looked fantastic in BR Lined Black, I've seen a photo of her at Oswestry delivered brand new fresh from the works in the same condition. Another to add to the list...!
2516 is presented in a slightly odd format, with the tender separated and a walkway around one side. It does however mean you can get a good look inside the frames an in the cab, but its a shame the tender is separated. During the period I'll be modelling, by this time only 2516 and 2538 were still active on the Cambrian. 2516 was also during this period repainted into GWR Green for use on railtours, though I've not yet been able to ascertain when and for how long.
1. R/H Profile
2. Bufferbeam and smokebox
3. Reversing lever and inside motion
4. Some kind of drain under the firebox?
5. Pipework under the R/H cab step
6.
7. Cab
8. L/H Profile
9.
10. Cab details
11. Inside motion (surely a reason to invest in a High Level Chassis!)
12. Bufferbeam
13. Smokebox
14. Tender
15. Toolbox and water gauge
16. Toolbox and fireirons
17. Tender
18. Tender Bufferbeam
Full set here - https://www.flickr.com/photos/cambrian_al/sets/72157644213689338/
Edited by alanbuttler
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