BR 16t Minerals, By Accurascale

[The Johnster]

We were running at (probably, I was using judgement and experience with a concious effort to assess them with a cool head) 70mph or just shy of it at Penpergwm, where I released the van brake.  My practice here was to begin releasing the van brake as the van passed the old station house, and have it fully released by the time the van came off the bridge, by which time the loco should have power on and the couplings will be kept tight.  My driver had realised his error (probably) by now, and did not apply power, so I rubbed the brake to retard the train on the gradient up to Goytre bridge.  The idea here was to prevent the train 'whiplashing' over the summit, resulting in a 'snatch'.  As the blocks were getting very hot by now, I released them in the hope of cooling them, and rubbed them again running down from Penllerpenni bridge to Little Mill, and kept the rub up to Pontypool Road, where we were down to about 40mph. 

 

The worry now was controlling the train on the continuous variable downhill to St Julian's bridge, and the brakes were clearly wearing and becoming less effective, and very hot.  Sparks could be seen showering from the loco brakes and such of the fitted head that were working, and we managed not to increase speed too badly on this stretch, but were clearly in my opinion running away, as the train was not fully under our control.  We crossed St Julian's at about 45mph, and were looped at Maindee, not because of reports from signalmen though they'd realised no doubt that we were 'running them' a bit, but because of traffic on the up and down SWML which had to clear before we ran on the relief to Llanwern.  The wagons had run reasonably steadily; some trains snaked about alarmingly even at 40mph, but these were probably too scared to misbehave...

 

Problem, at least in part, was that fast running had become normal for these trains originating from Grange-Over-Sands, and we'd reported the braking issue to our various union LDCs, but TTBOMK they hadn't taken any particular action, and certainly not any collective action on the matter.  The trains were made up at GoS with the minimum number of fitted vehicles in the fitted head for the load, and therefore there was no margin for error.  Tbh, I doubt if any prep was actually done in Cumbria beyond shortening the couplings and placing the right number of bauxite wagons with vacuum hoses at the front.  There were examples of hoses not even being connected up; things were apparently a bit lax all round up there.  The bobbies at Abergavenny had got used to loaded class 8 coal trains howling down the bank past them at speed, smoke issuing from axleboxes and brakes and coal dust blowing off.  My driver had not indicated that anything was wrong.  I should arguably have put a red flag out, but what was the point, that wasn't going to stop the train, and luckily we had a clear road and it didn't need stopping, yet. 

 

I could see the driver on the phone to the panel in Maindee loop, probably declaring the the loco a failure for worn brakes (they were down to the rivets), but we were not on speaking terms afterwards (he passed a few years ago,  and while I'd see him in the bar of Chapter Arts Centre in Canton frequently, we were never on speaking or even nodding terms after this incident) so this is supposition on my part.  I was meanwhile dealing with the small fire that was taking hold on one of the footboards using the method referred to.

 

We were routed to A.D. running slowly under single yellows, despite which the flames had been rekindled by the time we crawled through High Street and the tunnels.  I went up to the cabin, other end of train, to report the fire, which had taken hold properly by this time, and the loco was already being towed over to Ebbw Jc by one of the A.D. pilots by that time.  Our hero clearly had every intention of abandoning me and making his own way home at this point, but the 47s was given new brakes and I had to walk over to Ebbw Jc to secondman him back to Canton.  The atmosphere in the cab was not at all pleasant.

 

So, the answer to Mike's point is that everything was sorted out at a staff level without management or disciplinary procedures being invoked.  I was in no mood to report a very senior driver for speeding, because I knew full well that I'd probably have been ridiculed and accused of panicking because the train had run a bit fast and hot, despite the destroyed brake van being arguably evidence.  The driver knew this as well and capitalised on it. 

 

And I did not consider myself blameless; I should have stuck to my guns at Hereford and refused the train because it had an insufficient working fitted head.  But the driver's load slip and my guards' ticket stated clearly that all the fitted wagons were working, or at least that had to be assumed from the brake force figures stated and signed by the yard supervisor at Grange.  Let's be charitable to him and say that the ten axles of missing vacuum brakes had developed on the way down.  The Salop crew we'd relieved at Hereford had left the train in the middle road and scarpered, before we'd got to the train, and I'd taken it on myself, against the driver's wishes, to tell Aylesford Hill bobby to put the road back while I performed a brake test because I was (rightly) suspicious of the fitted head.  I informed the driver of the situation, but he blew up for the road, which was given, and we were under way, and I was presented with a situation in which I had to make the best of it.  As I say, I'd offered the driver pinned down brakes at Llanvihangel, and looked forward on the last lh curve before the summit to see if he was going to handsignal that he wanted them.  He gave me a handsignal, or more accurately a finger signal, that suggested he was not going to stop and he didn't, clearing the summit with 900-odd tons of coal and not enough brakes working, flat out at about 30mph.

 

And I should have made my opinion of the train's running with a red flag hung out.  Again, a course inviting ridicule and approabation, but my argument was and still is that my driver could not have responded to Abergavenny distant had it been 'on', or indeed prevented the  train continuing to increase speed.  But what would have actually happened if I'd red-flagged Abergavenny box and we'd been able to pull up at Nantyderry?  The driver would argue that his having pulled up at Nantyderry was proof that we were not running away, and I was panicking and delaying traffic for no good reason.  I don't actually think that he could have stopped the train anywhere before Pontypool Road once we'd cleared Llanvihangel, but that is with the benefit of hindsight and not a call I could make as we swept down through Abergavenny like the avenging hosts of Satan, sparks and smoke included!

 

An unpleasant incident, a van needlessly destroyed, and an enemy made; not a good day's work and I'm not proud of it.  But the real problem was at Grange-Over-Sands and poor standards of train preparation, and a general culture that was not conducive, and I'm not taking blame for that!  The stockpile at Barrow steeworks was cleared not long after this incident and the problem solved itself.

 

I'd had a few hairy moments coming down banks, but this was the worst.  We talked sometims in the cabins about what we would do in a runaway, and the general consensus was that below about 30mph it was worth abandoning ship on the side away from traffic with a tuck & roll, but that once that speed was exceeded you might as well stay put and hope for the best.  Most of the time, the train would run out of momentum or control would be regained before you hit anything or tried to maintain a straight course on a tight curve. and you'd look silly if you'd jumped ship, so the general rule was to stay with it and do whatever good you could.  In a collision with a preceding train you'd be protected by your own train acting as a crumple zone, wedge yourself in the seat and hang on.  In a curve-related capsize, the advice was to jump on the side away from the capsize as she was going over, then tuck & roll, a good position to kiss your *rse goodbye...

Edited September 7, 2023 by The Johnster

[The Johnster]

3 hours ago, McC said:

We've added variation matrix data to each pack now, https://www.accurascale.com/collections/br-16t-mineral

 

Which includes information on running numbers, buffer type, end door type, axle journal, handbrake handle type and brake type per individual wagon. 

 

Excellent stuff, I wish more manufacturers would do this sort of thing.

[Flying Pig]

3 hours ago, The Johnster said:

An unpleasant incident, a van needlessly destroyed, and an enemy made; not a good day's work and I'm not proud of it. 

 

Sounds like the enemy made himself, if your account is fair.  A foolish man.

[SteamingWales]

13 hours ago, McC said:

We've added variation matrix data to each pack now, https://www.accurascale.com/collections/br-16t-mineral

 

Which includes information on running numbers, buffer type, end door type, axle journal, handbrake handle type and brake type per individual wagon. 

 

Very handy indeed 

 

What is the best way to change a pre-order with yourselves (and keep the 10% discount)??

 

I'd like to change my pack of 109s to the one with both pressed and fab doors

 

Given they were announced only last week, just cancel and re-order?

[McC]

7 minutes ago, SteamingWales said:

 

Very handy indeed 

 

What is the best way to change a pre-order with yourselves (and keep the 10% discount)??

 

I'd like to change my pack of 109s to the one with both pressed and fab doors

 

Given they were announced only last week, just cancel and re-order?

 

Exactly that. Log in. Click Cancel /Edit order on the order and it will cancel the original order and re add the items to your cart again for changes. 

[brushman47544]

On 01/09/2023 at 17:19, McC said:

Our wagon wheels are always chemically blackened 

 

Yuk... Even the marshmallow filling? Sorry, just having my afternoon tea...

[Wickham Green too]

THOSE are blackened with a layer of vegetable-derived chemical called chocolate !

[McC]

The ‘aggregation of marginal gains’, as Dave Brailsford famously remarked - if you improve every area, then those small gains add up to remarkable improvement. 😀

Two different patterns of Pressed end doors  were fitted to the 1/108 and 1/109 all-steel minerals, as well as the more traditional fabricated version.

 Each version has been included in our tooling suite, ready for fitting where applicable…

Pre-order your 16T Minerals today, no deposit required: https://www.accurascale.com/collections/br-16t-mineral

 

[Ruston]

58 minutes ago, McC said:

Pre-order your 16T Minerals today, no deposit required: https://www.accurascale.com/collections/br-16t-mineral

 

 

I have added 4 sets to the shopping cart, filled in my name and address but now it's wanting my card details. Why is it wanting my card details if there's no deposit to pay?

[McC]

4 minutes ago, Ruston said:

I have added 4 sets to the shopping cart, filled in my name and address but now it's wanting my card details. Why is it wanting my card details if there's no deposit to pay?

 

You’ll see confirmed in the cart the amount to pay now, the future amount, when that future amount is set due and then your card details secures the order. No payment is taken. 

[Ruston]

58 minutes ago, McC said:

 

You’ll see confirmed in the cart the amount to pay now, the future amount, when that future amount is set due and then your card details secures the order. No payment is taken. 

Thanks. Done that.

[Southernman46]

Kinda wish I wasn't modelling late 70's SR ................................... 🙄

 

Hmmm - one off movement of unfitted condemned wagons from the WR to a scrapyard in Soton via the still open DN & S ???

[Islesy]

10 hours ago, Southernman46 said:

Kinda wish I wasn't modelling late 70's SR ................................... 🙄

 

Hmmm - one off movement of unfitted condemned wagons from the WR to a scrapyard in Soton via the still open DN & S ???

Still widely used in the East Kent coalfield, with transfers in and out of Tilmanstone, Snowdown and Betteshanger onto the mainline…

[Wickham Green too]

All vac-fit by that date, of course :- 

Snowdown : 20/9/73

 

[Ruston]

On 09/09/2023 at 14:18, Ruston said:

Thanks. Done that.

Apparently I haven't done that at all.

I received an email telling me that I had left items at the checkout. I followed the link in the email and put in my card details again. I clicked to review the order and then clicked "pay now". All that does is takes me back to needing to fill in my card details. I have done this 4 times now and it just keeps on doing the same thing. Nothing is showing up in red, as if I've missed filling something out, and I know there's nothing wrong with my card or account as it has just been used to pay elsewhere on the web.

 

I emailed Accurascale support. I have had a reply but not one that's told my why it won't work, or what to do to make it work.

In the shipping it shows a choice of Royal Mail or DHL, both of which are free yet the listing of what I am attempting to order on the screen doesn't add up. It says £62.45 for each item. 4 items makes £249.80, so why does it show £269.80 at the bottom? What am I missing?

[Wickham Green too]

Delete your 10% discount and add 20% VAT seems to work - though it's not made obvious ! ☹️

[peterfgf]

I've got a load of the Bachmann ones, which are very good models, and don't really need any more ... but I couldn't resist and have ordered more.

[McC]

42 minutes ago, Ruston said:

Apparently I haven't done that at all.

I received an email telling me that I had left items at the checkout. I followed the link in the email and put in my card details again. I clicked to review the order and then clicked "pay now". All that does is takes me back to needing to fill in my card details. I have done this 4 times now and it just keeps on doing the same thing. Nothing is showing up in red, as if I've missed filling something out, and I know there's nothing wrong with my card or account as it has just been used to pay elsewhere on the web.

 

I emailed Accurascale support. I have had a reply but not one that's told my why it won't work, or what to do to make it work.

In the shipping it shows a choice of Royal Mail or DHL, both of which are free yet the listing of what I am attempting to order on the screen doesn't add up. It says £62.45 for each item. 4 items makes £249.80, so why does it show £269.80 at the bottom? What am I missing?

 

On  the left of your screengrab you’ll see an ‘i agree to the preorder terms’ checkbox which should be showing red as unticked . 

Edited September 11, 2023 by McC

[Ruston]

12 hours ago, McC said:

 

On  the left of your screengrab you’ll see an ‘i agree to the preorder terms’ checkbox which should be showing red as unticked . 

Thanks. I read that but it wasn't obvious that there was a box to tick. Now done.

[phil gollin]

.

 

Well !  I got an e-mail last night saying that they were preparing my order for delivery   ( YEA ! )

 

I hope they get here in time for Christmas (?)

 

.

[BR Blue]

53 minutes ago, phil gollin said:

.

 

Well !  I got an e-mail last night saying that they were preparing my order for delivery   ( YEA ! )

 

I hope they get here in time for Christmas (?)

 

.

Considering the website says Q3, 2024, I would not get my hopes up. They are not in Production yet and judging by the picture on the website there seems to be some unannounced ones hiding in plain sight.

[Dunsignalling]

1 hour ago, phil gollin said:

.

 

Well !  I got an e-mail last night saying that they were preparing my order for delivery   ( YEA ! )

 

I hope they get here in time for Christmas (?)

 

.

 

22 minutes ago, BR Blue said:

Considering the website says Q3, 2024, I would not get my hopes up. They are not in Production yet and judging by the picture on the website there seems to be some unannounced ones hiding in plain sight.

 

Do you also have Banana vans on order, Phil?

 

Those sound to be more likely to be what's imminent. 🙃

[WILLIAM]

I really hope some ZHV spoil versions with side cut outs will appear eventually.

 

 

[gwrrob]

7 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

 

 

Do you also have Banana vans on order, Phil?

 

Those sound to be more likely to be what's imminent. 🙃

 

I was told these were in transit at Warley and would arrive between Xmas and the new year.

[NHY 581]

16 minutes ago, gwrrob said:

 

I was told these were in transit at Warley and would arrive between Xmas and the new year.

 

Barring any slip ups........