Henley-on-Thames - GWR in the 1930's

[The Stationmaster]

6 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

That's the plan! See you there!

 

Ooh goodie - another one stepping forward for the signal box class 😇

[Neal Ball]

53 minutes ago, longchap said:

Spooky , I too arrive in the UK on Tuesday afternoon, but with a vehicle to bring back two years of railway related items.

 

Have a good trip Neal.

Excellent Bill, have a good crossing. Although I suspect we won’t be on the boat from Santander.

 

49 minutes ago, longchap said:

I couldn't agree more Neal and believing the final result would be better than we heard today, placed my order for the same variant as yourself.

 

The Manor has the signs of being a very impressive class leader.

Yes I think so too.

 

Will you still be in the UK on 14th August?

 

41 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

That's the plan! See you there!

 

Excellent 

 

33 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

Ooh goodie - another one stepping forward for the signal box class 😇

Im also very interested in seeing the Swindon panel, as well as the mechanical box.

[Harlequin]

49 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

Ooh goodie - another one stepping forward for the signal box class 😇

 

Absolutely! 😀

 

[longchap]

40 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

 

Will you still be in the UK on 14th August?

Unfortunately not, we have a retro Grand Prix meeting in the village at the end of July, so have a great meeting at Didcot. Look out for Accurascale, tape measures and Panniers!

[Neal Ball]

1 hour ago, longchap said:

Unfortunately not, we have a retro Grand Prix meeting in the village at the end of July, so have a great meeting at Didcot. Look out for Accurascale, tape measures and Panniers!

Thats wishful thinking Bill, although clearly if Accurascale want to use the event to launch a new GW product, that will be great 😎

 

I think I’ve said that before 🤣

[Harlequin]

16 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

Interesting that you use an external microphone… onto what sort of recording / video equipment?

Just my smartphone, but I am using an app called OpenCamera that gives you more control over the camera - mainly to stop it from "focus-hunting" when trains go by. Crucially it also allows you to choose whether to use the built-in mic or an external mic. (OpenCamera also does focus stacking - so very useful all round.)

 

I'm not sure an actual video camera would be significantly better than a smartphone these days.

 

Choosing an external mic was tricky because different phones have different pin arrangements in the sockets...!

 

[Neal Ball]

3 hours ago, Harlequin said:

Just my smartphone, but I am using an app called OpenCamera that gives you more control over the camera - mainly to stop it from "focus-hunting" when trains go by. Crucially it also allows you to choose whether to use the built-in mic or an external mic. (OpenCamera also does focus stacking - so very useful all round.)

 

I'm not sure an actual video camera would be significantly better than a smartphone these days.

 

Choosing an external mic was tricky because different phones have different pin arrangements in the sockets...!

 

 

Interesting thanks Phil. I think I can get an external mic on my DSLR

[Neal Ball]

We are having a bit of a diversion from Henley at the moment, as we are on our travels.

 

Having sailed over in the motorhome to Plymouth, we’ve had a few days in Minehead and today move onto the Vale of Rheidol railway.

 

We had a lovely ride on the West Somerset railway, the locos and staff were great. Although I thought the rolling stock was looking very tatty and uncared for. The mk 1 Buffett we rode up in had a broken panel of wood in the door and the floor felt soft. There were also screws hanging out where the end pillar joined the sides.

 

We rode back in a TSO and that was very different. Other stock were showing corrosion on the outside.

 

Clearly the railway desperately needs the under cover storage they keep talking about at Bishops Lydeard.

 

The locos however all looked gleaming and well looked after. In steam was the mogul and Priarie 5199

 

 

 

Talk of the Accurascale Manor this week….. saw me photographing 7828 Odney Manor at Minehead.

 

Photos to follow of the mogul and Priarie once I download them from the camera.

 

 

[Neal Ball]

I’ve had an email from John at YouChoos who received back my faulty decoder for the Hall loco.

 

He can’t find anything wrong…. (When it was on my railway it produces sound, but no drive backwards or forwards)

 

Its the second time now I’ve had similar issues, only to be told it’s fine when it goes back. There must be something I’m doing wrong, no idea at the moment what it is.

 

He is sending out a new decoder which will arrive with us before we leave the UK. Great service from John, as ever.

[The Fatadder]

19 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

I’ve had an email from John at YouChoos who received back my faulty decoder for the Hall loco.

 

He can’t find anything wrong…. (When it was on my railway it produces sound, but no drive backwards or forwards)

 

Its the second time now I’ve had similar issues, only to be told it’s fine when it goes back. There must be something I’m doing wrong, no idea at the moment what it is.

 

He is sending out a new decoder which will arrive with us before we leave the UK. Great service from John, as ever.

I don’t have the answer but have had exactly the same issue more than one (both with ESU and Lenz decoders). 

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, Neal Ball said:

Having sailed over in the motorhome

Wow!

[37Oban]

1 hour ago, Neal Ball said:

I’ve had an email from John at YouChoos who received back my faulty decoder for the Hall loco.

 

He can’t find anything wrong…. (When it was on my railway it produces sound, but no drive backwards or forwards)

 

Its the second time now I’ve had similar issues, only to be told it’s fine when it goes back. There must be something I’m doing wrong, no idea at the moment what it is.

 

He is sending out a new decoder which will arrive with us before we leave the UK. Great service from John, as ever.

Hi,

 

people always assume the fault lies within the chip and ask for replacements, but the problem could lie with being an intermittent fault with the controller.  A friend of mine had a similar issue with his Powercab system.  It would read most chips without issues but a couple would give problems as mentioned above, yet when tried with my Digitrax system all was fine.  IIRC he had the unit serviced and the issue was fixed.

 

Roja

[57xx]

On 06/07/2022 at 22:09, Neal Ball said:

I hear Friday is the day of the big reveal…. Sound fitted Manors from Accurascale on the Hornby magazine YouTube channel.

 

I have 7801 Anthony Manor on order, which doesn’t have its decorated samples on the website. This is Cookham Manor which I think is, in Preserved condition 

 

 

Looks great

 

 

Correct, Cookham has the narrow chimney as preserved, whilst Anthony ostensibly has the original fat chimney. There may be other detail changes but that is one that stood out for me.*

 

Edit: Anthony also has tapered vs later parallel buffers and narrow hornplates on the tender - if the CAD rendering is correct.

Edited July 15, 2022 by 57xx

[Neal Ball]

14 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

I don’t have the answer but have had exactly the same issue more than one (both with ESU and Lenz decoders). 

Most odd… but also disconcerting as I no longer live in the Uk, which involves extra time etc. 

 

plus now due to the dreaded Brexit, I get duty added to returns…. 🙁

 

12 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Wow!

Ah!  Via Brittany Ferries…. 😎🛳 in a rather lovely outside cabin- with the MoHo two decks below 

 

12 hours ago, 37Oban said:

Hi,

 

people always assume the fault lies within the chip and ask for replacements, but the problem could lie with being an intermittent fault with the controller.  A friend of mine had a similar issue with his Powercab system.  It would read most chips without issues but a couple would give problems as mentioned above, yet when tried with my Digitrax system all was fine.  IIRC he had the unit serviced and the issue was fixed.

 

Roja

Before sending it back I tried so many permutations- in a different loco as well as programming it through my controller and Decoder Pro… all gave the same results.

 

Before sending it back, I compiled a video of the loco to show the issues…. No fault was implied to YouChoos or Zimo.

 

10 hours ago, 57xx said:

 

Correct, Cookham has the narrow chimney as preserved, whilst Anthony ostensibly has the original fat chimney. There may be other detail changes but that is one that stood out for me.*

 

Edit: Anthony also has tapered vs later parallel buffers and narrow hornplates on the tender - if the CAD rendering is correct.

 

Thanks for that.

 

[Neal Ball]

Minding my Manors 😎

 

I see the Accurascale Manors are delayed until Q4…. No big deal, I still reckon it’s going to be a great loco.

 

Its amazing how much time, trouble and care AC are taking….. Fabulous

 

[Neal Ball]

Greetings from Henley-on-Thames

 

Ive just replied to @Graham T at Chuffnel Regis and signed off with “greetings from Henley-on-Thames”…. 
 

We are three weeks into our road trip to the UK 🇬🇧, with 4 weeks to go…. Hence why progress updates on the railway have been few and far between.

 

Our trip has taken us to:

• West Somerset Railway (tatty carriages) but lovely staff + beer
• Vale of Rheidol railway (first visit since the 1970’s when it was owned by BR)
• Talyllyn Railway…. My favourite, it’s just magical.
• Severn Valley Railway…. Rode behind a Western class 52 diesel…. No steam… the lineside was parched. Fab beer weekend though!

Today, we rolled into Henley-on-Thames and had a lovely  BBQ this evening…

 

 

Im probably going to do a blog / several blogs on our travels…. And then I can get back to some modelling!

 

The good news is that friends from Burgess Hill travelled up to Bewdley for a weekend of beer and brought with them a new Thames Valley bus and some carriage lamps. The former will be a new project, to replace the Lledo bus and the latter will be to finish off my restaurant carriages projects. All of which will have table lights.

 

I have a few winter projects by the looks of it!

 

Its been great to get some real ale again…. I need to find a way to get Beer shipped to Spain!

 

 

 

 

 

[Neal Ball]

My hope at the SVR was to see “Lady of Legend” and “Hagley Hall”.

 

Despite no steam engines running I was able to see no 2999 at Bewdley……

 

 

The paint work looks a bit scorched…. But it’s still a lovely looking loco.

 

Today (Tues 26/7/22) the SVR have announced that the Saint loco has its last runs at the Railway this weekend, after which it will be going back to Didcot….. let’s hope it’s still there during the RMWeb event on 14th August. 
 

Have you booked for the RMWeb event in 14th August? Hopefully the Saint and Pendennis Castle will be in steam…. Is there any news which locos will be in steam Drew? @Castle

 

More to follow…. In the meantime, greetings from Henley-on-Thames

[Nick Gough]

I will be there on 14th Neal - look forward to meeting you.

[The Stationmaster]

18 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

Greetings from Henley-on-Thames

 

Ive just replied to @Graham T at Chuffnel Regis and signed off with “greetings from Henley-on-Thames”…. 
 

We are three weeks into our road trip to the UK 🇬🇧, with 4 weeks to go…. Hence why progress updates on the railway have been few and far between.

 

Our trip has taken us to:

• West Somerset Railway (tatty carriages) but lovely staff + beer
• Vale of Rheidol railway (first visit since the 1970’s when it was owned by BR)
• Talyllyn Railway…. My favourite, it’s just magical.
• Severn Valley Railway…. Rode behind a Western class 52 diesel…. No steam… the lineside was parched. Fab beer weekend though!

Today, we rolled into Henley-on-Thames and had a lovely  BBQ this evening…

 

 

Im probably going to do a blog / several blogs on our travels…. And then I can get back to some modelling!

 

The good news is that friends from Burgess Hill travelled up to Bewdley for a weekend of beer and brought with them a new Thames Valley bus and some carriage lamps. The former will be a new project, to replace the Lledo bus and the latter will be to finish off my restaurant carriages projects. All of which will have table lights.

 

I have a few winter projects by the looks of it!

 

Its been great to get some real ale again…. I need to find a way to get Beer shipped to Spain!

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome - and that pic will make it easier to find you when the great day comes 😇

[Neal Ball]

1 minute ago, The Stationmaster said:

Welcome - and that pic will make it easier to find you when the great day comes 😇

Lol

 

With 2999 Lady of Legend leaving the SVR this weekend, there is a very good chance she will be in steam for our visit. I hear she is definitely steaming for August bank holiday weekend.

 

Meanwhile….

[The Stationmaster]

4 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

Lol

 

With 2999 Lady of Legend leaving the SVR this weekend, there is a very good chance she will be in steam for our visit. I hear she is definitely steaming for August bank holiday weekend.

 

Meanwhile….

I hate to tell you but it's fake.   That presumably is the stuff from the Bell St Brewery which is probably a touch nearer the original than the stuff brewed by Wychwood Brewery using the Brakspear brand - which definitely does not taste like the original Brakspear Brewery beers.

 

The problem with any beer is not just the mix of mash and hops etc but also the water and Braskspear drew their water for brewing from a deep well under the brewery so the taste is different if that water isn't used.  They might well have used some mains water in their later years (we certainly had plenty of water pressure when washing down when I worked there) but again that no longer is the same as it was when they were brewing as the water purification is now done in a different place from the old town waterworks.

 

And of course the original stuff tasted different because although I think theymight have eventually used some aluminium kegs most of it was supplied to their pubs in wooden kegs and a number of those drew their beer direct from the barrel - which still tasted a little different from the stuff which came through a beer pump.

 

Anyway I'm sure that you enjoyed it - and that's what matters.

[1466]

7 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

I hate to tell you but it's fake.   That presumably is the stuff from the Bell St Brewery which is probably a touch nearer the original than the stuff brewed by Wychwood Brewery using the Brakspear brand - which definitely does not taste like the original Brakspear Brewery beers.

 

The problem with any beer is not just the mix of mash and hops etc but also the water and Braskspear drew their water for brewing from a deep well under the brewery so the taste is different if that water isn't used.  They might well have used some mains water in their later years (we certainly had plenty of water pressure when washing down when I worked there) but again that no longer is the same as it was when they were brewing as the water purification is now done in a different place from the old town waterworks.

 

And of course the original stuff tasted different because although I think theymight have eventually used some aluminium kegs most of it was supplied to their pubs in wooden kegs and a number of those drew their beer direct from the barrel - which still tasted a little different from the stuff which came through a beer pump.

 

Anyway I'm sure that you enjoyed it - and that's what matters.

I agree . Speckled  Hen and Young’s have not tasted the same since their original breweries ( and source of water) closed .

[Neal Ball]

8 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

I hate to tell you but it's fake.   That presumably is the stuff from the Bell St Brewery which is probably a touch nearer the original than the stuff brewed by Wychwood Brewery using the Brakspear brand - which definitely does not taste like the original Brakspear Brewery beers.

 

The problem with any beer is not just the mix of mash and hops etc but also the water and Braskspear drew their water for brewing from a deep well under the brewery so the taste is different if that water isn't used.  They might well have used some mains water in their later years (we certainly had plenty of water pressure when washing down when I worked there) but again that no longer is the same as it was when they were brewing as the water purification is now done in a different place from the old town waterworks.

 

And of course the original stuff tasted different because although I think theymight have eventually used some aluminium kegs most of it was supplied to their pubs in wooden kegs and a number of those drew their beer direct from the barrel - which still tasted a little different from the stuff which came through a beer pump.

 

Anyway I'm sure that you enjoyed it - and that's what matters.

Thanks Mike, agree completely and in fact as I was drinking it, we had almost the same conversation….

 

1 hour ago, 1466 said:

I agree . Speckled  Hen and Young’s have not tasted the same since their original breweries ( and source of water) closed .

Strangely, I used Youngs and Fullers as my illustration…. London water being so different from where they are brewed now.

 

I also added that from one batch to the next, when moving the brewery, there must have been a huge difference.

 

But of course, compared to the “beer” I usually have to drink (Estrella Levante is our closest “brew”) it’s a world away. Another delight when visiting the uk is getting proper beer, rather than fizzy water 🤣

 

Although it’s a bit early in the morning - Cheers! 🍺

[MrWolf]

It occurred to me that change of water or not it's still better than what passes for beer in a lot of cases. Stuff that gases you up and gives you a hangover after two pints isn't my idea of drinking. At least where I live you can get some very good beers and even the regular pubs sell Theakston's, Wainwright's and Ruddles. 

Working in the southwestern US gave me a taste for tequila due to the minimal choice of beers twenty years ago.

[1466]

The river Wandle joins the Thames at Wandsworth alongside Young’s old brewery.  I presume Young’s drew their water from it .

When I were a lad (60 plus years ago ) the Wandle was classified as an open sewer . Today it is much cleaner, a fast moving ,clear , chalk stream . I’ve even seen Kingfishers living on it . That’s real progress .

But Young’s  previously had that metallic twang to it… and was delivered by horse drawn drays with wooden barrels. 

We have gained a lot and lost  a lot .