John Isherwood

My enduring memory of Australian steam is riding the Mary Valley Rattler from Gympie to Imbil; a few years ago now, before it was curtailed and threatened with inundation. Any news of the prospects of the line being restored to it's former length? I notice that Wikipedia forecasts a partial reopening from the weekend just past - 06/10/18. I was also impressed by the West Coast Wilderness Railway in Tasmania, though I didn't manage to fit in a ride. To have rebuilt that line and it's equipment, so long after abandonment, was an incredible feat! We're off to Perth and the West Coast next month - not much there of historic railway interest, I suspect. Regards, John Isherwood.

If you want the best CPs going - you can order online here https://www.philpspasties.co.uk/shop . Regards, John Isherwood.

I think that I detect a common factor within the two previous contractors - but I may be mistaken; I couldn't possibly comment further !! Regards, John Isherwood.

The closed Rugby branch, from Wigston North Junction, was full of stored wagons for mile after mile before it was finally lifted. Regards, John Isherwood.

It also shows that the whole of the front of the bogies should be painted red - not just the bufferbeams. I'll have to get the red paint out ! Regards, John Isherwood.

Quite an easy modification, though. Regards, John Isherwood.

.... so, instead of giving it up as a bad job, go a little less heavy-handed next time. That's how we all learned to do it - we weren't born with the necessary skill !! Regards, John Isherwood.

10203 had twin-tone horns fitted at a later date. Regards, John Isherwood.

I would not have thought that running a loco when it is pushing against an immoveable object would do either the motor or the gearing much good. Not something that I would knowingly try! Regards, John Isherwood.

So - only three of the wartime build were acquired by BR. This accords with my impression that the statement that "After the war many were transferred to B.R. ...." was rather over-stating the case. Thanks for chapter and verse on this. Regards, John Isherwood.

Not as far as I am aware. Regards, John Isherwood.

No offence meant - it just looked amusing given the context of the word, in a posting criticising someone else's writing. That's the trouble with e-mail - we have no knowledge of the limitations of the person to whom we are responding. Regards, John Isherwood.

Prompted by my recent purchase of A-type containers from Bachmann and Unit Models, I have now produced a new sheet of transfers for these two models to suit the BR crimson and maroon liveries :- Sheet BL177 - BR, ex-LMS & ex-LNER A-type containers to Diagrams LMS 7 & 20; LNER 5; & BR 3/001. Designed primarily for the A-type containers produced in 4mm. scale by Bachmann and Unit Models, this sheet of transfers will also be applicable in other scales. Yellow lettering for crimson / maroon containers; 21 sets of transfers. 2mm., 3mm., 3.5mm. & 4mm. scale price is £7.50; S scale price is £15.00; 7mm. scale price is £22.50; Gauge 1 price is £30.00. Full details can be found at https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm . Regards, John Isherwood.

Prompted by my recent purchase of A-type containers from Bachmann and Unit Models, I have now produced a new sheet of transfers for these two models to suit the BR crimson and maroon liveries :- Sheet BL177 - BR, ex-LMS & ex-LNER A-type containers to Diagrams LMS 7 & 20; LNER 5; & BR 3/001. Designed primarily for the A-type containers produced in 4mm. scale by Bachmann and Unit Models, this sheet of transfers will also be applicable in other scales. Yellow lettering for crimson / maroon containers; 21 sets of transfers. 2mm., 3mm., 3.5mm. & 4mm. scale price is £7.50; S scale price is £15.00; 7mm. scale price is £22.50; Gauge 1 price is £30.00. Full details can be found at https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm . Regards, John Isherwood.

Just saying !! Regards, John Isherwood.

Now this is where I will get shot down in flames ..... ..... but I will nevertheless suggest that the word 'consist' is a (from the UK point of view) Transatlantic concept not used in the UK during the 'classic' period of railways. Whenever I see the word 'consist' in a posting, I don't have to look at the location of the author - it screams "America / Canada (perhaps Antipodean?)" at me. ..... unless you know different, of course! Regards, John Isherwood.

Having also studied Tatlow 4B, I would agree that the Unit Models ex-LMS A container has much in common with LNER diagrams 4 and 5. Pages 173/174 illustrate diagram 4 No. A188, and the general appearance is very close; however, the table of dimensions suggests that diagram 4 would have been narrower than the model. Anyone handy with a razor saw could easily remedy that! Pages 170/177/178 illustrate diagram 5 Nos. A415 / A548 / A549, and the similarities to the model are again very marked; the dimensions are much closer, too. A415 has additional end and side horizontal strapping and a poster board to the bottom RH corner of the side. A549 has horizontal strapping to the end, and it should be safe to assume that A548 was so provided. So - all things considered - the Unit Models A container can be repainted / relettered as LNER diagram 5 by all but the most pedantic of modellers. The diagram 5 prototypes which still operated during 1958 were A269E, A436E, A463E, A504E & A507E. As to the ex-LMS diagram 7 version represented by the model; the containers that still operated during 1958 were A264M & A276M. I have also purchase a four-pack of the Bachmann BR corrugated end A containers, and very nice they are too. The 'Flying Crate' liveried pair will, in due course, be retro-painted / lettered as early crimson examples. Regards, John Isherwood.

Pity there's not an original liveried one marked CARFLAT instead of the TOPS code. Regards, John Isherwood.

It was dug up in a pub garden, I believe. Regards, John Isherwood.

2217 was in dirty lined green in 1963, but had lost its smokebox numberplate. It had been replaced by a homemade version - probably in wood - with small, non-standard numbering. Regards, John Isherwood.

Cambridge Custom Transfers have just released, at the request of a long-standing customer, a sheet of transfers for the BR Diagram 1/179 'Long Meg' 25T ANHYDRITE hopper wagons; see sheet BL176 at https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm . Regards, John Isherwood.

This seems to be a still from a film taken during the demonstration of the first to prototypes - at Marylebone, if I recall correctly. Regards, John Isherwood.

It's all 'No Decorum's' fault Sir - he said it first !! Regards, John Isherwood.

Also here http://www.springhillmodels.co.uk/unitmodels.htm . From my research, they are to LMS Diagram 7, of which only two made it into BR ownership. It would appear that they pre-dated the RCH standard, and that no other Big Four diagram exactly matches them. Nonetheless, I have bought two pairs; it'll be interesting to research the conversion potential of the second pair. Regards, John Isherwood.

I really don't understand why many people fell for the banks' hype that cheques were going to be abolished. There are still a good percentage who didn't, though - some 50% of my customers still pay with cheques, which I can pay into my bank account at any post office. I don't accept credit card payment simply on the grounds of cost - the banks want a significant cut of my turnover simply so that I can accept payment. The reports of the death of the cheque were (fortunately) greatly exaggerated! Regards, John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers.