Carl LaFong

Hi everyone. I was intrigued recently with a general discussion I had with some fellow 80-year-olds about how great the 1950s and early 1960s were for enthusiasts like me. One of the most interesting items I didn't know about were the BR(Sc) Friday overnight trains from St Enoch to London which ran from 1953 to 1962. They were called the Starlight Express or Starlight Special and the fares were very affordable albeit using ordinary vestibuled stock - no sleeping cars. The discussion seemed to raise more questions than answers - were there any stops on the way, were the locos changed at Carlisle say or did they work right through - the locos usually were a Corkerhill Jubilee or Polmadie Royal Scot I believe. I have never seen any books or magazine articles on the subject - so I thought I could the tap the knowledge of the RMweb to flesh out the details. I model the Caley main line to Carlisle in the middle 1950s, if you haven't guessed!! Also mentioned was a St Enoch to Eastbourne train which used to run three days a week, a thirteen hour journey for the price of 22 shillings (£1.10p) return but I think I can forget about that one.

Any of the indigenous Scottish 4-4-0s - Caley Bogie first please. Really surprises me that, after the success of Hornby's J36 and Bachmann's Caley 812 none of the main manufacturers seem to have considered these particular classes - there are plenty of English modellers of Scottish layouts I'm sure. Here's wishing !

One of the best web sites for information on dining facilities and other services on long distance trains is 'timetableworld.com' They have plenty of facsimile British Railways timetables for the period in question and access is free unless you want a printed item. It's a great website for planning your services accordingly.

Convert Hornby T9 to a Caley Bogie Hi all Has anybody done the above conversion - is it a no-brainer - how close are they dimensionally ? I think it's the only way to get one of my very favourite locomotives! Regards

I vote for the opening scenes of the 1949 film 'Train of Events'. The film itself is a bit naff but the opening scenes are a glorious procession of northbound expresses leaving Euston and climbing Camden Bank. 1949 was an interesting year for the locos and rolling stock in a pre-nationalisation LMS and the new BR livery. Black and white film but 35mm format and true soundtrack. (A lot of cutting room outtakes are featured in the Video 125 dvd Steam in 35mm, if you hanker for more.)

One thing for sure - it's not a steam locomotive! (Curses).

Apparently Hornby's J36 and Bachmann's 821 seem to have had good sales figures - I was wondering why they don't turn their attention to the indigenous Scottish 4-4-0 classes for example. Plenty of detail and livery options there. Being a BR Scr modeller myself I can only wish ! (Oh, some LMS Period II gangwayed stock would be very acceptable !)

If you think that the previous information about the 'hikers' is complicated you should get a copy of Jennison and Clarke 'Locomotives in Detail' especially the section that deals with the ones maintained at St Rollox. St Rollox is suitably far away from Euston and continued to mix boilers with gay abandon long after the practice had ceased everywhere else. Irwell's Book of the Black Fives (Five Volumes) is also a good source of information, and a book by the late David Cross (I can't remember which one) shows some examples of the locos with three different types of boilers in their lifetime !

Ex GNR/LNER K2 and K2/2 (Should please both English and Scottish modellers) LMS Period II gangwayed Coaches An acceptable ex LMS 12 wheeler Restaurant Car Pre-Nationalisation GPO Vehicles. I could think of more but I won't push my luck !

I can't see an entry for the LMS/BR Stanier 50ft Kitchen Cars or the standard 50ft vehicles converted to generator cars to run with the first AL1 electric locos Or have I missed them? Regards

A ex-GNR/LNER K2 would be my choice. The English ones could be seen all over the the British Railways Eastern Region, and the modified cab version all over the Scottish Region. They were not confined to the West Highland line and could be seen virtually anywhere in Scotland. All those lovely Loch names too ! Oh, as a afterthought, some LMS Period II gangwayed stock would be very much appreciated.

Ex GNR/LNER K2 is, I think, the largest class of steam loco yet to be made available R-T-R LMS Period II Gangwayed coaches Rerun of Gresley Gangwayed coaches (correct tumblehome this time! A Super Duper Stanier Black 5 Some of these DID run on the ECML! Merry Xmas to everyone

Hi everyone A quick question about the route of the Aberdeen portion of the up West Coast Postal in the 1960's. Following the closure of the Strathmore line did it then go via Dundee and Perth to Carstairs? What happened to the passenger stock that was also part of the pre-closure train (which went to Edinburgh I believe). Thanks for any info.

Hi everyone I have been trying to contact the above company's website for a few days now but I am getting errors. According to the web down sites it comes up with the message 'Parked or For Sale' I fear the worst - but I hope not!

One of the largest steam classes not available in RTR form (if not the largest) happens to be one of my favourites - the ex GNR/LNER/BR class K2. Contrary to common belief the Scottish version (K2/2) was not confined to the West Highland line and could be seen on ex-GNSR and HR metals at Inverness, Keith and Elgin and the Royal Deeside line and the ECML. They had a reasonable spread across England as well but the ScR ones with those lovely Loch names made the difference for me. I hope one of the manufacturers fills the gap between Hornby's K1 and Bachmann's K3 !

LMS2968 Yes you are correct - a case of a senior moment on my part. I obviously got the two events mixed up. I began to have doubts about the Southern loan after I posted it, too late alas!

Also I remember the Western Region borrowed a couple of them to cover for ex-GWR Kings which were temporarily withdrawn with front bogie derailing problems. Again 46237 was one - I can't remember any other ones.

Two Princess Coronations and one Princess Royal were loaned to the Southern Region in the middle 1950's to cover for the temporarily withdrawn Merchant Navy Class following the accident at Crewkerne. Relying on memory I think 46237 City of Bristol and 46236 City of Bradford were the locos concerned. They would almost certainly be used on the Southern main lines to the west.

What route/functions did Tweedmouth have? I seem to remember that they also had Pacifics on their allocation. Although a fair distance north of Newcastle it must have played some part in theUp/Down Edinburgh traffic.

Please let it be an ex-CR Dunalastair/Pickersgill 4-4-0, arguably the most elegant and long lasting Scottish loco. (As an aside I have often wondered why the manufacturers have not gone for a K2/2, especially with all those lovely Loch names, and their English counterparts.