TheSignalEngineer

Went to daughter's place this morning as I wanted to pick up some supplies at their Allotment Association potato sale. On the way back a couple of hours later the road was covered in debris and there were several previously unencountered fords resulting from uncharted rivers running down the hillside and across the road. About half way back two cars had come to grief through drinking too much muddy water and the road was blocked. We turned round and managed to get back then took detour. Total round trip normally 16 miles extended to 26 miles. We will not be venturing out again today, just glad I went to Donny yesterday as my route across the hills was closed this morning.

I don't know about the interior of these vans but Jenkinson quotes the LMS livery for the interior of Brake vans was white ceiling and top 14" then terra cotta below. Unfortunately he then shows a picture of the interior of a non-corridor Brake compartment with the dark colour right to the top of the sides and a chalk panel on the inside of the door at eye level. The original six Aeroplane Vans to D1880 were a different animal. They had vertical planked sides and a high roof without ventilators. A further ten LPVs numbered in the Aeroplane Van series were built to D2023 in 1938. These were steel panelled like Lima's D1870 but about 7" higher. And don't forget the Elephant Van. 37706 was modified in 1937 with a steel floor, heavier springing and tethering rings inside.

David Jenkinson refers to them as Luggage and Parcels Vans in his listings. I think the ones built c1934 had the big size vents. Lot 1054 built c1937 look like the squashed variety.

Thanks Clive. Somewhere I've got a BS shade number which is supposed to be the right one for it. I'll check it out against those, althouigh I don't think Railmatch do the early green now, probably didn't sell enough. Eric

I did toy with the idea of picking up one of those but resisted for the moment. Two motors seems overkill for that Cravens DPU kit I have in the stash, even with a couple of vans for tail traffic. On the subject of DMUs, what colour would you recommend for the early lighter shade of DMU green? I'm doing a DTS to go with my 122 and need to get it painted so I can glaze it and get it finished.

Had a good day today, didn't spend too much but got a few essentials. Looking back the bar has certainly been raised in layout quality in the time since I restarted. With the comments on here it looks as if we are going to have to start an RMweb Tie Club and meet up for lunch.

Looks like I successfully managed to dodge you.

I've not noticed shell vents on Paul's site, AFAIK they were built with torpedo vents but there are two types of vent, one looks round and the other squashed.

Just looking back and reading through the thread, it's actually a Coventry Corporation bus.

By the reactions it looks as if a few others remember it as well, but I shall not revive it as I fear The Wrath of The Awl.

Is that a result of the amount of shelf clearance being done by some manufacturers and shops lately? Just after Christmas I bought three steam locos I passed on previously but fancied if the price was right. This time round I picked up all three from a retailer for nearly £200 below the original RRP, so almost 50% discount.

I remember a slightly non-PC joke based on that line.

Never get this done by my pharmacist or GP. My condition and medication is reviewed twice a year by the hospital specialist. The GP just signs the repeat requests from the pharmacy unless the hospital tell her different.

The 'lurgi' seems to have stuck down quite a few on the site in recent weeks. A lot on Early Risers seem to have been suffering, was chatting to ChrisF at lunch time and he is just recovering from a bout. I was up and down for about five weeks and am positively knackered after visiting Doncaster show today.

Just an example from the LMS 1936 March 1937 Western Division Sectional Appendix. Walsall No.2 box was at the south end of the station and Pleck Junction was the north end of the Bescot triangle less than 3/4 mile away. If the driver found the signal was on when approaching a converging junction he was supposed to alert the signalman by sounding the same whistle code as for line he was approching on as when coming the other way. An even more complex example was Northampton Castle No.1 to No.4, a distance of about one mile, where there were 54 whistle codes listed.

There were only a handful left when I saw them working. Impressive in full flight. That night being a summer holiday weekend and a big liner docking I think every available loco that could boil water was pulling class 1 trains. The following morning we had an old SR mogul of some sort from North Camp to Reading on our return special. It was a big train and we didn't get much speed up.

Got a few of those one day when I accidentally dropped a track circuit during some testing. Put a red one in front of a 25 hauling 15 loaded Dogfish wagons up a 1 in 80 on a wet morning. took the driver about ten minutes to get it moving again.

Don't know why we copped for it. Perhaps it was because of what happened earlier in the week when we were being taught how to fire rocket launchers and mortars on Stoney Castle range. Our first mortar dropped a bit short so the regular Corporal looking after our unit wound it up a bit and put a live incendiary device straight out of the range boundary, setting fire to several acres of scrubland. There hadn't been any rain for six weeks. In the rush back to the camp to get reinforcements and extra equipment for the firefighting effort our allocated driver managed to wreck his truck, breaking his wrist in the process. Don't think our professional minders were flavour of the month that day.

I pressed the windows in gently and used a fine flexible blade to release each one and gradually lift the roof and glazing out. I left the narrow strip along the top above my flush glazing then used a few dabs of UHU to refix the roof.

Allegedly the uneven loading was a problem and had a tendency to twist the chassis. One of the bogies was thought to have been pinched at that time to replace one on the Chairman's Saloon.

Mmmmmmm - Conflat L I'll take a pack of three please.

Just checking through one of Davd Jenkinson's books and found reference to a memo to the Board from the Chief Operating Manager date 29 May 1946. It refers to the 1937 Blue and Silver sets having been put into store in September 1939 and recommends "that they be painted in normal livery and utilised in our best passenger trains in the same way as other ordinary stock" The Board agreed and the stock was brought back out of store. As an aside the stock for the 1939 which was not completed, along with the USA set was stored at mainly at Abergavenny and Spondon. This was taken to Derby late in 1944 but work was on an as and when basis, other jobs taking priority, the last vehicles not being completed until 1951. The kitchen twin from the USA set was stored at Craven Arms and apparently never went into service being scrapped in 1952.

I understand that the stock was originally stored at Horwich and Lostock Hall at the start of the war. Around the end of the war it was decided by the LMS Board that it couldn't justified to resume the service given the state of the country and particularly the railway infrastructure. At some time the trains were moved back south to go through the works to be put to ordinary use. I can see some justification for storing a nice shiny blue and silver engine prior to repainting as it would provide a highly visible and prestigious target for the enemy.

A few unofficial one as well. Passing Milcote box approaching Stratford upon Avon the driver waving a cup was 'need to stop to take water.' Punching the palm of the hand was 'I need the Banker'

Or EGGS-LNT Dumped?