RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted January 17, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 17, 2017 What Mike said, Dunsignalling, although your point about declining traffic and the surplus of vans is probably a valid one; an instruction to ban the entire fleet of GW toads from revenue traffic overnight probably could not have been implemented 10 or even 5 years earlier. If you think the inside of a GW toad is dingy, you'd have to concede that the LNER/BR standard and LMS vans were dingier, draughtier, and had cabins that were flimsily built on the principle of garden sheds and rocked about all over the place; no wonder Mike's old timers preferred the Swindon product. By the time I worked as a guard at Canton in the 70s, they were very rough indeed, and many were in truth not fit for purpose, I'll grant you that more daylight got into an LNER/BR standard van, if anybody'd bothered to clean the windows (I'm looking at you, any ex-Margam so called alleged train preparers), but you only had to read the graffitti all were adorned with on the inside to see what the men thought of them, usually coupled to their football loyalties 'rule ok'; little of the pride in the job the old timers used to go on, and on, about being evident here. They were not nice places to work in, the railway in the early 70s was suffering a morale crisis in general in the wake of Beeching, the end of steam, and the massive job losses of that time, and it showed in the vans as much as anywhere! The opening panel, more a wooden window than a half height door, in the cabin end was to enable the guard to reach the tail lamp when that end was trailing, and while I also reckon I could have debunked through it I'd been trapped at the veranda end or saw a wayward express bearing down on me, it would have been a scramble and a squeeze even for a fit young man such as I like to think I was in those far-off days, and some of the old timers were not only gentlemen of a certain carriage (I had to couple a Western on to a Freightliner train at Pengam for one because he couldn't squeeze in between with the loco's fairing in the way), but would not have had the agility to climb through in a hurry even if of lighter build. They seemed to come in Broad Gauge and Narrow Gauge only. The point about the board laying it on thick may be true; certainly the WR guards liked their vans and were still complaining about their loss 10 years later, but neither the WR nor their mens' union LDC representatives could have put up much of a fight, as the vans were withdrawn more or less overnight; perhaps the board just outflanked them. Whether intentionally or not, this was more or less the end of RU working and brake vans were pooled, with exceptions such as the air braked vans for propelling on the Aberthaw-Blaenant mgr, or the vacuum ones for the Calvert bricks. The old timers universally blamed pooling for the drop in standards, and the 1969 single manning agrreement which had guards booking on as traincrew at loco depots for the end of standards. The Southern, however, was very assiduous in chasing up any of it's Queen Marys that had escaped. I rode in one only once, at the beginning of my railway career when I was road learning through the Severn Tunnel. and was very impressed. It was, I thought, the perfect brake van, twice as powerful a brake as a 4-wheeler and a ride like a pullman. As to the Southern's other offering, the horror of the Ashford pill box, I rode in one of those once as well, and vowed that I would set fire to any others I ever came across. Whoever designed these (must have been somebody under Wainwright or Maunsell) should be condemned to spend eternity bracing himself against the rocking while freezing in the draught. For some inexplicable reason, the Southern never seemed so keen to get these back... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 Probably fair to say that most main line workings had the veranda end trailing if that was possible, dependent on a turntable or triangle to turn the van on, but I'd be wary of taking it as an absolute rule. The vans were, like the guards, based at goods yards, and few of these would have had facilities for turning them. Even where turntables were available, there would not be room on them for anything but a pannier as well as the van, which does not preclude larger locos placing them on the table and then withdrawing, but whether the time needed for such an operation was built into the train preparation time I do not know. "room .... for .... a pannier as well as the van." ........................ but you wouldn't have wanted to try an' push the 'table round with all the weight on one end. No, that idea's a non-starter .......... er ... like the turntable, I guess ! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
autocoach Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 Hornby have confirmed via Social Media that there will be no new Engineshed blog today as they have been on the road recently visiting retailers. And not today (20.01.17) either? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted January 23, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 23, 2017 Another wandering Toad, Coventry during the rebuilding, so about 1960. 42783 was a long-term Nuneaton loco. http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/lnwrcov231.htm 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 And not today (20.01.17) either? ........... nor today ??!? ................................... what sort of time is it normally posted ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
60006 Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 ........... nor today ??!? ................................... what sort of time is it normally posted ? Usually around midday I believe. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottrains29 Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 http://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/news/the-engine-shed/the-duchess-is-up-and-running/ up now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 (edited) http://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/news/the-engine-shed/the-duchess-is-up-and-running/ up now. yep ! ........ around midday indeed - thanks, guys. Is that a blue-box 0-8-0 sneaking into the 'Duchess' video at the last second ? - or something else they're subtly trying to hint at ? Edited January 27, 2017 by Wickham Green Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbeagleowner Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 I think its a Q6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hilux5972 Posted January 27, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 27, 2017 (edited) yep ! ........ around midday indeed - thanks, guys. Is that a blue-box 0-8-0 sneaking into the 'Duchess' video at the last second ? - or something else they're subtly trying to hint at ? One of the Q6 0-8-0 locos they released several years ago. The Duchess looks great. Edited January 27, 2017 by Hilux5972 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbeagleowner Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Probably that i've not been praying attention but I was surprised that it wasn't the Ivatt cab; pleasantly surprised though! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelpara Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 yep ! ........ around midday indeed - thanks, guys. Is that a blue-box 0-8-0 sneaking into the 'Duchess' video at the last second ? - or something else they're subtly trying to hint at ? --8-0 as per picture Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted January 27, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 27, 2017 (edited) yep ! ........ around midday indeed - thanks, guys. Is that a blue-box 0-8-0 sneaking into the 'Duchess' video at the last second ? - or something else they're subtly trying to hint at ? 63427 on the cab Keith Edited January 27, 2017 by melmerby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted January 27, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 27, 2017 (edited) Probably that i've not been praying attention but I was surprised that it wasn't the Ivatt cab; pleasantly surprised though! City of Brum to be first (As in picture at start of Engine shed)? Keith Edited January 27, 2017 by melmerby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 63427 on the cab 63427.JPG Keith OK ....... I'll pay a visit to SpecSavers tomorrow ................. 'least I got the wheel arrangement right ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted February 6, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 6, 2017 Another Toad off region in revenue service almost managed to creep into this shot of Washwood Heath in 1963 http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/mrwhg1006.htm 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted February 6, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 6, 2017 Another Toad off region in revenue service almost managed to creep into this shot of Washwood Heath in 1963 http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/mrwhg1006.htm ex-GWR freight trains used to work through to the Midland lines around there. I assume they came off the Western via Bordesley Junction. Halls have been spotted on Saltley shed. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted February 7, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 7, 2017 ex-GWR freight trains used to work through to the Midland lines around there. I assume they came off the Western via Bordesley Junction. Halls have been spotted on Saltley shed. Keith In the late 1950s there were up to about 18 trip workings per day pathed each way between Bordesley and Washwood Heath. Also there was a Washwood Heath to Morris Cowley and Hinksey to Washwood Heath. Other short notice trains ran to Honeybourne. On the Midland Line itself there was a regular working for a WR engine and crew from Gloucester to Washwood Heath via Lickey, usually a Hall but sometimes a Grange. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted February 9, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 9, 2017 A very late Toad working at Tyseley, reputed to be February 1965. By the state of the loco this is probably correct. http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrt1028.htm 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted February 9, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 9, 2017 (edited) In the late 1950s there were up to about 18 trip workings per day pathed each way between Bordesley and Washwood Heath. Also there was a Washwood Heath to Morris Cowley and Hinksey to Washwood Heath. Other short notice trains ran to Honeybourne. On the Midland Line itself there was a regular working for a WR engine and crew from Gloucester to Washwood Heath via Lickey, usually a Hall but sometimes a Grange. There's this Tyseley (84E) based Hall going south through Kings Heath, so could be one of those workings. http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/mrkh744.htm Once (and only once) I saw a GWR 2-6-2T going through the middle lines between platform 3 & 4 at New Street with a short freight towards Saltley. I wonder what that was doing as it was the only time I ever saw a GWR loco in New Street Station? Keith Edited February 10, 2017 by melmerby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted February 9, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 9, 2017 (edited) There's this Tyseley (84E) based Hall going south through Kings Heath, so could be one of those workings. Once (and only once) I saw a GWR 2-6-2T going through the middle lines between platform 3 & 4 at New Street with a short freight towards Saltley. I wonder what that was doing as it was the only time I ever saw a GWR loco in New Street Station? Keith Missing link?If it's the one on Warwickshire railways I know the one you mean. There's a Peter Shoesmith photo of 4918 at King's Norton on Geoff Dowling's Flickr site. As fo a Prairie at New Street, I've not heard of that before. When a Castle worked a railtour up Lickey it was taken off at Bournville due to clearance issues. However, there was a reported instance of a 94xx tank piloting the Up Devonian into New Street in the early 1960s. Edited February 10, 2017 by TheSignalEngineer Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted February 10, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 10, 2017 (edited) Missing link? If it's the one on Warwicksire railways I know the one you mean. There's a Peter Shoesmith photo of 4918 at King's Norton on Geoff Dowling's Flickr site. As fo a Prairie at New Street, I've not heard of that before. When a Castle worked a railtour up Lickey it was taken off at Bournville due to clearance issues. However, there was a reported instance of a 94xx tank piloting the Up Devonian into New Street in the early 1960s. Yes, link now added. I wonder whether the prairie got through because it didn't go through a platform? I had heard about clearance issues banning certain locos in New St. and then one would be seen! e.g. Princess & Coronation, both supposedly banned and sightings reported before the rebuilding started! Unless some of the sightings were what we now call "False News" Keith Edited February 10, 2017 by melmerby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted February 10, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 10, 2017 (edited) New Engine Shed up today with more info on Coronation, including news that some have already sold out http://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/news/the-engine-shed/decorations-all-round/ Keith Edited February 10, 2017 by melmerby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Legend Posted February 10, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 10, 2017 New edition up. Mk1 body livery samples, looking good and some artwork for the Duchesses. According to site Direct Allocations for SE&CR H and Duchess of Athol already sold out, so they've added a little extra to allocation. Sounds like another Peckett situation to me , so if you want one better get order in with your retailer of choice Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted February 10, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 10, 2017 Yes, link now added. I wonder whether the prairie got through because it didn't go through a platform? I had heard about clearance issues banning certain locos in New St. and then one would be seen! e.g. Princess & Coronation, both supposedly banned and sightings reported before the rebuilding started! Unless some of the sightings were what we now call "False News" Keith As far as the Coronations are concerned I think it was part of the Worcester Street bridge which was the problem. The offending bit was demolished during the Inner Ring Road works c1960. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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