TheSignalEngineer

Already looked, doesn't work.

A little bit more of the layout showing the arrangements with the connection to the BR sidings would clarify things. The situation which existed for the cement depot at Greaves Siding in the 1970s may help. The works shunter ran up to the neck stop block with the empty tanks and they were collected by the BR trip to go to Banbury. The fulls arrived and were shunted onto the works loco. The loco which had brought in the fulls went to Banbury to collect the empties. the works loco then positioned the fulls in the depot as necessary. There are some details of working when it was used for cement production here https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/misc/harbury-cement.htm

The top one looks as if it has been attacked, marks where the handles should be.The lower one looks like it never had the handles or dart, and the lamp bracket has been belted one. The other thing I noticed on pictures elsewhere was that the application of the lining around the curve of the opening panels doesn't seem consistent. This may only be noticeable because things like that seem to show up much more on close-up digital photos than in real life.

There was also a shirtbutton livery 97xx Condenser photographed at Old Oak in 1960. As it was built just before the livery was introduced it probably only got one repaint in that time.

I was told by someone who has sourced parts for his business from China that if only 10% are faulty he is doing well and getting delivery when you need it is probably harder than making a profit at the Bookies (Unless of course you are the Bookie)

I bought one of the last series of B1s with generator for the lights from Rails. It had several bits loose in the box, some missing and faulty valvegear. As they hadn't got another one of the batch I wanted I had a refund and tracked one down elsewhere. This one was complete except for a conduit on the tender which had also been missing from the first one. On comparing it with pictures of the same loco belonging to others and on various websites it looked as if a whole batch of them were the same. I've had several Hornby coaches with handrails and other bits like the corner steps off Staniers loose in the box so it isn't a rare happening. Some sellers like Little Dan at Derails do like to check for problems before they send out and puts a note in to say he has done it.

There weren't many semaphore signals at Crewe or Bescot by that time. Crewe - you would only see on the Chester line beyond Steel Works, Shrewsbury line beyond Gresty Lane No.2 and the middle bit of the Stoke line. In the Walsall area you had to go on the South Staffs south of Wednesbury or the lines North of Ryecroft, the Water Orton line being the first to go colour light c1969. I should know the exact dates as I worked out of offices at Crewe, Birmingham and Stoke for most of the time from 1966 to 1984 but it was a long time ago. There were occasional semaphores for moves controlled by Shunting Frames like Walsall PWay Yard but not many. Besides that just about everything at Crewe and Bescot got wired between 1959 and 1966

There's still a Peco Track Rubber from about 50 years ago on my tool box. If Hornby make one like that there won't be many repeat orders

It worked through Snow Hill a lot that year. I posted a picture of it subbing for a Class 128, hauling a BG and GUV, in the parcel train thread. The Class 7 train mentioned may have been the time it was reported to have rescued a failed train and by the time it was relieved at Leamington it had virtually no water left in the tanks

Dave, the thread is a great resource of signalling and other information across what currently seems to be a popular era for modelling. Even something snatched from a window of a passing train which was ignored and filed away at the time can contain a rare bit of long lost information. I hope to see your pictures appearing on the net for a long time to come. Eric.

I considered Bachmann to be making the best wagons when I started my present layout. There are still a few which need to be updated but most of those in the 37 and 38 series look very good to me. A few by other manufacturers like Hornby's SR Cattle Wagons, LMS style Coke Hoppers and retooled 21T Hoppers are in the same league, otherwise it is trying to fill the gaps with kits. I needed to accumulate about 3 dozen assorted 7-planks and 16 Ton Minerals. The 10 wooden bodied ones are all Bachmann and came second hand from various sources, the most expensive being a set of three POs at £19. I don't like Hornby and Dapol 16T Minerals so my 10 RTR ones are Bachmann picked up for £6 to £8 each, plus a handful of Cambrian / Parkside kits for variety. Then there are 10 reconstructed from about 12 old Airfix / Dapol kits some picked up for pence. Wheels, couplings, paint, transfers and loads gave a cost of about £50 for the 10.

Most of my cut'n'shut is on coaches from the scrap bins or cheap slightly damaged things no-one wants on Ebay. I did however take a risk on doing a Hornby P3 Pull-Push Trailer last month as I found a Comet etched end I bought from Geoff Brewin in the days when the Manchester Show was at the Co-op. A fairly simple job of cutting a big hole in the Brake end of a bargain Hornby suburban, repaint and renumber then sticking the finished etch on. Total cost about £30.

The white band on a red lever usually denotes that it is released by Line Clear on the Block from the next box.

I have nothing on my Blue Box wishlist at the moment except for maroon Portholes. A big change from the time of the Porthole fiasco when after three years they pulled the release of the C/C BTK then when finally delivered charged about 1/3 more for it. I commented over four years ago that they seemed intent on drivimg us into the Red corner and my recent purchases have proved this to be so. My current Hornby wishlist shows about £600 of items due for delivery this year. As far as cranes are concerned you only need a big one if you have a big MPD, often an 'A' shed with a capacity to take several dozen locos, or two if you are planning a re-enactment of a major disaster.

I'll just be glad when the 2019 Bachmann Announcement is made then I can draw up my 2023/4 Blue Box spend forecast. Still waiting for my 2017 Maroon Portholes, but forget the 94xx, I've built one while i've been waiting.

Likewise I have nothing on my Blue Box wishlist at the moment except for maroon Portholes. A big change from the time of the Porthole fiasco when after three years they pulled the release of the C/C BTK then when finally delivered charged about 1/3 more for it. I commented over four years ago that they seemed intent on drivimg us into the Red corner and my recent purchases have proved this to be so. Same here as my current Hornby wishlist shows about £600 of items due for delivery this year. As far as cranes are concerned you only need a big one if you have a big MPD, often an 'A' shed with a capacity to take several dozen locos, or two if you are planning a re-enactment of a major disaster.

New Cakebox Challenge?

Even if they do they won't arrive for at least three years. I've had my Blood & Custard Portholes for nearly four years, announced 2011 - delivered 2015, and am still waiting for the Maroon version which was in the 2017 range.

I remember travelling in Southern Green coaches when going on holiday to Swanage in 1953.

Just flicking through a book and found a nice picture from the anything goes era of mid-1960s Birmingham. 4555 in its GWR repaint at the time of sale for preservation heading a local passenger train. It doesn't have a location given but I think from memory it is on the Up Main just south of Acocks Green Station. The train has seven coaches, all look to be Mk1s except for the second one which is a Porthole SK

Just been searching for something totally different and in one of the books I looked through there is a picture of 6677 with a single Brake Second deputising for a GWR Railcar on a Snow Hill - Dudley service in 1957. Not sure what diagram but an excuse for another combination on my layout.

In the early 1950s there was one working with a London 5 coach set which did an evening Birmingham District working of Oxford - Banbury, Banbury - Leamington, Leamington - Birmingham. The following morning it did Birmingham - Leamington, Leamington - Oxford, Oxford - Didcot, then Didcot - Paddington. In the notice I have been reading I couldn't find Birmingham Non-corridor sets getting past the Oxford area or Princes Risborough, but they appear to have been booked on the Wellington - Market Drayton - Crewe service as well as to Cheltenham and Hereford. Most of the longer workings possibly being done in a series of short hops then wait for the next express to pass?

Birmingham standard suburban sets in the early 1950s prior to the introduction of DMUs were 'A' Set - Van Third / Compo / Compo / Van Third (70 ft Toplight stock with 9ft American bogies) - 4 sets numbered 5,6,7 & 8. I believe these were the only 70ft Non-corridor coaches built for the UK. Coach numbers were D55 Brake Third 1070 - 1077 and E97 Compo 6863 - 6870. Built 1913 condemned 1955-7. 'B' Set - Van Third / Compo / Compo / Van Third - 48 sets 'C' Set - Van Third / Third / Compo / Third / Van Third - 3 sets. These had a Compo with 5 First Class compartments in the centre. 'D' Set - Brake Compo / Brake Compo - 4 sets. I don't have numbers and diagrams of the other individual formations. Some four-coach workings were later reduced to three coaches. There are photos c1957 of trains comprising Second / Van Second / Compo with a mix of Bow-end, Flat-end and BR Mk1 stock. (EDIT - beaten to it by Chrisf above, these were designated 'E' Sets.) All very confusing if you want to model in my period of 1957 - 62.

Looks like the grandsons will be getting an influx of extra stock for their layout in the shape of a Stanier Brake Van, some Bulleids, Large Prairie and B Set for starters.

That's one I can cross off the build it yourself list. May have to investigate a flat end conversion though, for a bit of variety.