Andrew Young

Thank you, if I want the wagons to tip stone into standard gauge wagons then I think there will be a compromise to be made between prototype fidelity and robustness to be made. Have just done three so far and have yet to run any trials to see if they work.

The valley is rich in granite deposits, with the stone having a slight yellowish hue, which is believed to be the source of the naming of the river running through the valley as the Avon Melyn (translates as Yellow River in English) I have the book you mention, it’s a cracking little book and my copy is well thumbed. Whilst not quite the same as the Betchworth wagons, I have some Bachmann side dump cars which have received new chassis to anglicise them somewhat. There will also be some low sided open wagons for setts and kerbstones.

Second modelling project has been to complete my trio of Fletcher Jennings tank locos. In need of somewhere for them to run, might have to factor in an Upper Melyn Tramway into the layout. ‘Sir Jasper’ is back running on the modified Branchlines Talyllyn chassis. The green one (currently can’t find the plates) is a standard kit as you would receive it from EDM Models, built as intended. ’Quarry Maid’ has had a few modifications to ring the changes and make it look a little different. Really rather pleased with how they’ve turned out. Think it’s fair to say that my Fletcher Jennings itch has been well and truly scratched! Next bout of modelling will be layout based...

Been an inordinate time since the last update on here. It’s fair to say that I’d underestimated quite how tiring having a small person in the house would be. Whilst there was time for modelling, the energy for concentrating on it was lacking. The modelling mojo also took a hit last summer with the passing of Tim Allsopp after his battle with cancer. Plus, as one of Tim’s executors, sorting out Tim’s affairs has taken up a large amount of time. However, hopefully, that should be concluded within the next month or so. The current pandemic has increased modelling time slightly due to us not being able to go away (should be driving Talyllyn steam locos currently but can’t!) Work has been pretty hectic throughout the pandemic keeping trains moving and being one of the Union Reps has entailed a fair bit of work too. Plus, I’ve been working on a TUC Diploma in Occupational H&S at work for the last 18 months. The modelling... have completed the two Kirk Gresley carriages forming the push pull set to run with the G5 built for my Dad’s railway. Quite glad to finish those as I realised fairly quickly just why I model in 7mm scale rather than 4mm scale! Here they are at their new home:

Looks superb Chris & Chris. I had hoped to resist this one, but resistance is waning.... Whilst you’ve succeeded in getting it round the set track curves, for those of us with tighter than prototype curves, what’s the overhang like for coupling up to vehicles? Cheers, Andrew

Is there any evidence to back this up? The Dapol Reps at Kettering said they were awaiting a delivery of Zimo chips so they could fit them, Dapol shut down not long after due to the COVID19 measures. Nothing was mentioned about not having recorded one yet. Andrew

Excellent service from Titfield (as expected) and issue 278 arrived today. The bonus gift is well received here (I was 13 at the time) and more than makes up for paying postage for MRJ when I usually purchase in store. MRJ looks good too. Superb photos of Sherton Abbas. Followed the layout build on RMWeb and was fortunate to see the layout at Guildex last year. Andrew

Hope you’ve got plenty of copies... usually pick up a copy in the local Smiffs, but think you’ll be getting my order once you put it on your website. Looks to be another good issue. Andrew

Great to see that work has restarted at Royd Hall. Hope they’ve hit a rich seam of coal and they remain active for some time. Andrew

Thanks, I’m aware of that project and did wonder whether they were for that, but always best to ask. It’s going to be an excellent and inspiring model when completed which will probably put me off Modelling the TR completely. But then I do get to play with the real thing... (well virus’ permitting)

Those Talyllyn slate wagons are exquisite. What scale are they?

And great fun it was too! Thank you. Have spent this evening trying to decide on how I can fit a working digger into my embryonic layout or whether I need to build a separate industrial layout...

Spoke to Dapol at Kettering and they’re awaiting a shipment of Zimo decoders. I’m not aware of where they’re made, but if it’s China then delays are unsurprising...

Whilst the RAIB have now published their ‘Urgent Advice’ four months after the tragic event at Tyseley, my employer (our drivers go on Tyseley too) had already written to each driver shortly after the event about personal safety on depots. The subject of safety on depots had been on our safety briefs over the last twelve months following a near Mids at another depot (along with improvements to the crossing points at this other depot). Train movements on depots can be almost silent and when the first crossing point you come to is blocked by a stabled unit, there is the temptation to go for the gap that’s there. You really do need to have eyes in the back of your head when walking about any depot as just the slightest lapse in concentration can have tragic results.

XC is far more likely to get the 221s off West Coast when they come off lease than anything else. I don’t expect XC to get any more HST trailer cars due to the cost of fitting the sliding doors and fixing the corrosion that the stored trailer cars apparently have. The intention with the XC HST fleet was to have them maintained at a depot where they would visit at night. With the changes at Craigentinny and Neville Hill, this is no longer possible. The swap over diagram will I believe remain for the foreseeable future, far more robust than relying on an ad hoc move with the box! Yes, 100% trailer utilisation has just about worked, but is it sustainable longer term? I don’t think so as sooner or later they’ll be due heavier exams. Two additional power cars and sending four sets out each day makes far more operational and capacity sense. I agree that something needs to be done. The franchise was a minimum growth one when it was let and would barely cope with passenger numbers for the intended length of the franchise let alone extensions that will nearly double its length. Whilst bi-mode IET style trains would be the logical replacement for Voyagers (similar to those EMR are getting) and would resolve the fume issues at New St for a start they’ll not be along any time soon. The first step would be to re-start the franchise letting process. The other aspect to consider with lengthening XC services is where to put them platform wise. You can only get four car sets in the 9-12 bays at Newcastle. As a result, the new TPE sets are having to run through to Edinburgh. As for the 170 fleet, not sure there’s anything out there currently that would be suitable to replace them in terms of speed, weight and comfort level. The infrastructure needs to be put in place first and none of it is cheap or easy. It all comes back to the DfT deciding what they want to actually do!

Reversing at New St takes up a huge chunk of capacity both in the station and on the approaches. Hence why most of the Manchester - Bristol services are routed via Camp Hill. the xx:42 to Bristol often platform shares at New St with the TFW service.

You can’t reform the XC sets into more shorter sets because as a result of the new accessibility regs, each XC HST set must run with a TGS. Currently, XC runs only two HST sets most mid week days ramping up to four on some days. There is a path in to carry out a set swap at Laira each day with one off maintenance, but you can’t swap power cars on a set over the layover. With additional power cars, you can swap a set out, swap the power cars over night and then send that set back into traffic the day after with two fresh power cars rather than leaving the trailer cars standing idle. HST diagrams make the best use of catering for highest passenger loading whilst allowing for their stabling at HST friendly depots. This ties the hands of a long distance operator like XC. When HSTs fail, the only available replacement is usually the rollover set at New St. Hence the use of four car voyagers. Still better than no train at all. As for new trains. That requires the DfT to pull its finger out and sort out a proper franchise re-let. Personally think that’s 3-5 years away. And any new trains would be 2-3 years after that... Andrew

What evidence do you have to support your comment? Or is it just pie in the sky negativity. Additional swat numbers are being achieved by improvements to the diagramming and maintenance scheduling of the existing 170 fleet with more intensive use of three car units. When available, half a dozen centre cars will be coming from the sets going from WMR to EMR and can go straight into some of the two car sets. Regarding the comments about using voyagers on the Stansted route. There are too many differential speed restrictions on the route that currently precludes anything other than 15x and 17x units from being used as other units can’t keep time. Other increases in seat numbers will be achieved by the two ex LNER HST power cars currently at Eastleigh. This means better use of the HST fleet as currently, trailer cars sit around whilst the power cars receive maintenance as the maintenance schedules for power and trailer cars are different. A situation not helped by having the maintenance facility at Laira rather than a depot where the HSTs are booked to spend the night. Andrew

Got to have jeopardy in the programme to get the viewing figures apparently and very much aimed at the general public. Reckon with the characters and the jeopardy you could quite easily come up with a drinking game to play during the programme! All in, fantastic advert for the NYMR and heritage railways in general on prime time tv.

An interesting point. Unlike another suggestion, I suspect that it wouldn’t be used for coaling the locos as it’s easy enough to shovel the coal from the store into the bunker or onto the footplate floor by hand. However, I wonder whether it was used when filling the coal store, when you want to move a larger amount of coal in one go. Park your wagon outside the store, put your plank across on which you sit a wheelbarrow. Filling the wheelbarrow and running it straight into the coal store would be far easier than shoveling directly up and across from the wagon. Now off to look up the Furzebrook book as I’d not spotted that feature before. Andrew

Anyone who thought that ‘Newton Heath Works’ was anything other than the Cameo Competition winner wasn’t paying attention last issue when the winners of the cameo competition were announced.... Contrary to those who pre-conceived this issue to be dull, the contents page made me look out for the issue. For those Smiffs Spotters, Brum and Burton Smiffs drew blanks, however, my search led to success today in the Smiffs on Derby station. Newton Heath Works and Ty Dwr by Messers Kazer & Gravett we’re as good as I hoped there’d be. Plus there’s plenty of other content showing modelling skills to be deeply envious of to make it another excellent issue for me. Andrew

The Welsh one will complete the series. Santa should be bringing me the Scottish one. Just a shame the Welsh one misses my birthday by 11 days. Andrew

The fundamental weakness to the safety of the Mk3 carriage is its large windows. In serious accidents such as Ufton, deaths were the result of windows popping out resulting in people being thrown out through the window void or being struck by debris coming in. From 1999-2001, I worked in Virgin Trains head office in Birmingham for the Safety Standards team, our office was next to the new trains team when the Pendolinos and Voyagers were being built and enjoyed a trip round the Washwood Heath plant when the Pendolinos were being built. The Pendolino generation of stock attempted to reduce this risk by keeping the passengers within the body of the vehicle and protected from debris, hence the small windows and high backed seats. The remarkable features of Grayrigg to me are that the Pendolino rolled down the bank at 95mph with the leading vehicle turning through 180 degrees is that not one window smashed as a result of the accident, all the windows shown on the footage were broken by firefighters going in. The only fatality was an old lady who died from a heart attack, not through impact injuries and the driver survived, albeit very badly injured. What is little known is that a southbound Voyager was fast approaching on the Up running slightly late and was stopped by signals just north of the site. So close that some of the emergency services saw their train and went to it as the locations were so similar. Another case where the gods were looking over us. As someone eco drives trains past Neville Hill, I’ll be watching for the report into this collision with interest for the causes and also the behaviour of the IET vehicles. Andrew

Those L&C Locos are delightful, as are the models. Kilmar is the one that would tempt me so it’s a good job these etches aren’t available in 7mm scale! Cheers, Andrew

In best Blue Peter style, here’s one I made earlier... to wet the appetite. It’s a lovely carriage. Phil provided me with sides, ends, some brake gear and spring castings. I built a floor and chassis out of styrene to which I added W irons, wheels and buffers from a Slater’s wagon chassis kit. The roof is one of the 7mmNGA roof sections and seats were knocked up out of styrene. A thoroughly enjoyable build, must finish off the rest of the train now. Cheers, Andrew