RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted July 2, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 2, 2014 The story always was that the nose-suspended, axle-hung traction motors on Southern EMUs had a higher level of unsprung weight than any locomotive, and so knocked the track about a bit more. Whether that is still true with modern EMU designs I don't know. It certainly seemed to be replicated on WCML when the 86s took over, and tamping possessions became a regular feature, ISTR. I think the 87s were designed to reduce this effect. But the 'River' class tank engines didn't have any traction motors at all - and ran beautifully on the GN mainline when tested there (Sevenoaks derailment, 1927, refers) http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/eventsummary.php?eventID=93 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted July 2, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 2, 2014 Tales of the performance of Bulleid Pacifics as if it were a newly discovered phenomenon make me smile.In fine fettle and with a crew who knew how to handle them,their performance was exceptional....yes,we know they had their foibles which are well documented.A Stewart's Lane crew often performed heroic deeds on the boat trains out of Victoria.I remember one occasion which stands out in my memory of such a run with original air smoothed (at the time) 34104 'Bere Alston' down to Dover. I sat near the rear on the right hand side of the train and I swear I can still see and hear her accelerate like a rocket up Grosvenor Bank with 14 on.I remember it as the most exhilarating train ride of my life. I was fourteen at the time and an avid spotter. We arrived too late to get to the front end to see what was on. On returning home,I wrote to the Shedmaster at 73A,enclosing S.A.E. for a reply,asking him to supply me with the information of the loco in question. ( I made a habit of this as a boy).I got my reply. Imagine that happening today! 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted July 2, 2014 Author Share Posted July 2, 2014 Tales of the performance of Bulleid Pacifics as if it were a newly discovered phenomenon make me smile.In fine fettle and with a crew who knew how to handle them,their performance was exceptional....yes,we know they had their foibles which are well documented.A Stewart's Lane crew often performed heroic deeds on the boat trains out of Victoria.I remember one occasion which stands out in my memory of such a run with original air smoothed (at the time) 34104 'Bere Alston' down to Dover. I sat near the rear on the right hand side of the train and I swear I can still see and hear her accelerate like a rocket up Grosvenor Bank with 14 on.I remember it as the most exhilarating train ride of my life. I was fourteen at the time and an avid spotter. We arrived too late to get to the front end to see what was on. On returning home,I wrote to the Shedmaster at 73A,enclosing S.A.E. for a reply,asking him to supply me with the information of the loco in question. ( I made a habit of this as a boy).I got my reply. Imagine that happening today! I can assure you that I haven't recently discovered the performance of Bulleid's incredible creations. Though I never rode behind them in BR days, I have vivid memories of their belting through Basingstoke, Micheldever and Winchester. Memories of CALSTOCK raising the echoes deep into the night at Salisbury as she tried to get her feet heading west on a heavy train. Memories of PORT LINE (obviously rebuilt by 1964) blasting up the incline out of Poole, and HOLLAND AFRIKA LINE (similarly rebuilt) purring through the New Forest. They were mainly responsible for my leaving art school in 1966. One Monday morning I was asked by the head where my preparations for a painting were. I told him they weren't finished, but I'd been very busy photographing supreme examples of mechanical art at Winchester, Southampton and Bournemouth (travelling by car in between). He then doubted where my priorities lay, and I agreed, so we parted company, though I subsequently became an art teacher, anyway. And, those marvellous Bulleid memories make me smile, too! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted July 2, 2014 Author Share Posted July 2, 2014 Back to modelling. Whenever I think I'm getting somewhere with my own creations, something passes in front of my camera which proves to me all I'm doing is really mucking about. Stuff like the following - Nick Dunhill's superb work in O Gauge. Descriptions of these will be appearing in BRM before long, with several more pictures. 18 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 2750 Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Absolute stunners! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Back to modelling. Whenever I think I'm getting somewhere with my own creations, something passes in front of my camera which proves to me all I'm doing is really mucking about. Stuff like the following - Nick Dunhill's superb work in O Gauge. Nick Dunhill Princesses 01.jpg Nick Dunhill Princesses 05.jpg Nick Dunhill Princesses 07.jpg Nick Dunhill Princesses 10.jpg Descriptions of these will be appearing in BRM before long, with several more pictures. Where's Mike Edge? He has a rival! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.A.C Martin Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 That blue princess is beautiful. I've never been a fan of Staniers work - I'm still not really - but I can appreciate a beautiful model of his designs. And that - is a beautiful model. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
landscapes Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 (edited) Hi Tony Wow those Princess Class in O scale almost look like the real thing, wonderful models. Sorry to back track a little but all that talk about Bulleid locomotives, in unrebuilt condition they were my second favourite locomotives behind Gresley, Thompson and Peppercorn Pacific's. I remember travelling behind them many times in 1964 on train spotting expeditions from Waterloo to Eastleigh and Southampton. Photo enclosed two for the price of one taken on a photo shoot at the Bluebell Railway in 2007. Regards David Edited July 2, 2014 by landscapes 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 (edited) Back to modelling. Whenever I think I'm getting somewhere with my own creations, something passes in front of my camera which proves to me all I'm doing is really mucking about. Stuff like the following - Nick Dunhill's superb work in O Gauge. Nick Dunhill Princesses 01.jpg Nick Dunhill Princesses 05.jpg Nick Dunhill Princesses 07.jpg Nick Dunhill Princesses 10.jpg Descriptions of these will be appearing in BRM before long, with several more pictures. Shucks!!!! Being your thread, I thought you were showing us advance piccies of Bachmann's newly announced Lizzie....."Shorty appearing in a BRM near you...." Edited July 2, 2014 by coachmann 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buhar Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Ok, I`ll bite.... Princesses Margaret Rose, or Princess Margarets Rose, Princess Margaret Roses or Princess Gordons and Schwepps? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted July 2, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 2, 2014 Not sure a lizzie looks right in BR steam Blue.... prefer them in BR Maroon.. one from Mr Edge in EM from his own etches...painted by Graham Varley and dcc sound fitted , then weathered by me... BUT a blue Duchess... oh yes please! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 That blue princess is beautiful. I've never been a fan of Staniers work - I'm still not really - but I can appreciate a beautiful model of his designs. And that - is a beautiful model. I've snaffed the photos for use in "The Edge's" Princess build. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Graham_Muz Posted July 2, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 2, 2014 (edited) As promised, shots of the lubricator drive I made for a Bachmann A4 many years ago. DSC_7960.JPG DSC_7963.JPG It featured in BRM in the mid-'90s, shortly after the Bachmann A4 (or its latest manifestation) came out. The drive was made from bits of valve gear etches and attached to the mazak chassis with expoxy. The eccentric crank was soldered to the Bachmann crankpin. The parallelogram motion, made from wire and strip, is a dummy, fixed to the underside of the footplate. I also scratch-built the Cartazzi back end (using suitable axlebox castings) and added various scratch-built details - footplate supports and grate lever. I thought the Bachmann tender was dreadful (still do). As well as altering the back end Graham, did you alter the front end too? By that I mean alter the angle of the turn-in of the sides at the front and the position of the vertical handrails. I substituted a Crownline streamlined non-corridor tender to suit 60002, soldering the strip to the sole plate which once took the stainless steel strip. I also changed the horrid bogie. Ian Rathbone turned it into something worth keeping. Bachmann latest non-split chassis is a vast improvement over this split-chassis one. Though this one still runs well, another one I had just collapsed as the plastic muffs disintegrated. It was given away to Graeme King (no doubt bits of it now constitute another incredibly ingenious conversion) and I built a SE Finecast replacement. DSC_7965.JPG Another thing missing from the Bachmann model was the reversing lever. I made this from scrap fret, soldered to the new rear frames and glued to the plastic motion support bracket. I also fitted a speedo, not needed for 1948. I hope these pictures help. Hi Tony Many thanks for this post most helpful indeed. I must admit I did not alter the front of the tender but further to your and GK's comments I will take a look at it too in due course. Thanks again Edited July 2, 2014 by Graham_Muz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted July 2, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 2, 2014 The Southern had a poor reputation when it came to permanent way. Judging by video I've seen recently, those spamcans still rock and roll on Southern area tracks and quite frighteningly too. The main lines out of London, probably as far as Basingsoke at least, had been relaid during 66/67 for the coming electrics and so the PW at the time was pretty good and that's why the steam crews went for it plus, of course, pride and steam's swansong on main line expresses. Personally I'd have liked to have seen the 6 Streaks in Scotland too but at that time I lived in Devon and had hardly any dosh and I was still at College. Then there were the young ladies that were a bit of a distraction; I must have been was an idiot (still am.......) P 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.A.C Martin Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Put together a few bits of video I took a few weeks back. My apologies for the poor quality. This camera has been my sole digital camera for nearly ten years and is now being replaced! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 Put together a few bits of video I took a few weeks back. My apologies for the poor quality. This camera has been my sole digital camera for nearly ten years and is now being replaced! Excellent stuff - many thanks Simon. You could have pulled the boards off to make it even more convincing............ 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.A.C Martin Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 I quite like seeing a model railway as a model railway to be fair. I think with a better camera and my tripod, and some careful choice of angles, I definitely could do better. The one thing I regret is not getting Tom's A1 or Humorist running on the teaks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 Not sure a lizzie looks right in BR steam Blue.... prefer them in BR Maroon.. Princess Margaret Rose (1280x293).jpg Snap! My first (and only) effort at scratchbuilding, constructed some 25 years ago (yikes ). Has probably run hundreds of real miles and still going strong. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 I quite like seeing a model railway as a model railway to be fair. I think with a better camera and my tripod, and some careful choice of angles, I definitely could do better. The one thing I regret is not getting Tom's A1 or Humorist running on the teaks. I think what I said was confusing. 'Boards' refers to the signals, which all work at the south end. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 Snap! IMG_0067_LR.jpg My first (and only) effort at scratchbuilding, constructed some 25 years ago (yikes ). Has probably run hundreds of real miles and still going strong. Great stuff!!!!!! I no longer own the first loco I built which got scratched - just as well, because it's nowhere near as good as this. When you next visit, I'll give you some nine-spoke bogie wheels. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.A.C Martin Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 I think what I said was confusing. 'Boards' refers to the signals, which all work at the south end. Yep, totally flew over my head that one Tony. I was thinking you meant the level of the camera! (doh) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted July 3, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 3, 2014 I think "boards" is a North of London expression, entirely appropriate here, less known to us Southerners. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted July 3, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 3, 2014 I think "boards" is a North of London expression, entirely appropriate here, less known to us Southerners. Commonly used on the Western, north of London (in some places) the vernacular equivalent was 'pegs'. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 I think "boards" is a North of London expression, entirely appropriate here, less known to us Southerners. How interesting. My use of it comes from the signalman at Kiveton Park who, on one memorable day, let my brother and me pull off the signals for the Up 'Master Cutler' (actually the afternoon Sheffield Pullman, but it was the same six-car rake). In the broadest of Yorkshire accents he announced ''You lads pull t'up boards off''. My recollection is of the banner repeater being the easiest. 'Pegs' was a very common name for signals at Retford - ''Peg Donny or peg Lonny'' announced in excited anticipation of what was coming. It was also common at Chester - ''Middy out peg, or Wessy in peg" broadcast as the signals were pulled off at Crane Street. How vernacular schoolboy language can be, but can you imagine any of us urchins saying 'Look, the Midland Region Down signals have just been pulled off?" Does 'dolls' refer to the posts or the signals themselves? I seem to remember reading somewhere that a certain bracket signal had three dolls and five arms. So 'arms' in this case refers to the boards/pegs/signals; and 'dolls' the posts? One final note, and it shows how once-magnificent signalling installation have disappeared. I was taking pictures at Westerfield Junction one day (in BR blue days) when the lamp man appeared. He told me that he changed the lamps every seven days, and the oil should last ten. I suppose it never occurred to me before that it meant the lamps were lit for the duration; all through the day as well. Those who have illuminated semaphore signals on their layouts, please note. The hardest task was for him to climb the ladder of a very tall repeater signal, about 40' high (am I right in my memory here?). Since I cannot stand heights, I marvelled at his courage. At the very top, the only sop to elf-'n safety was a ring for him to lean against, the ladder itself being totally open. Coincidence decreed that on my next visit (my sister-in-law once lived in Ipswich), a different lamp man was there, but, although the tall lattice post still remained, it only had the lower arm in use. One can only conclude that trains on the East Suffolk line were no longer fast enough to need a sky-background signal or safety-first had become paramount. Two surviving semaphore signals I pass by regularly, at Heckington and Langham Junction, now look like guard posts at an American Federal Pen', such is the amount of protection around them. Still, no one wants to see railway workers injured, but all I can say is that the lamp man at Little Bytham must have had a head for heights! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 Our local 'Dick the Lamp' covered Colwyn Bay to Prestatyn. Monday was Abergele day from his home base so the lamps lasted a week. I assisted him as 'honorary' lampman covering Llysfaen to Prestatyn (we always used my car)..... Drinks in signal cabins included, but definitely no trips up Abergele's swaying tall repeater! Tales from another age.... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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