TheSignalEngineer

It's a Tyseley set. What do you expect? They were masters of pick'n'mix even before the DMU twilight years.

There were examples of at least Southern and LNER stock which went straight from Big Four liveries to BR 1956 colours bypassing the Blood and Custard era. I think the last Gresley coach ran in varnished teak livery into 1960. I have never heard of this, or seen any photos of such a livery except for Parcels Railcars. Robert Carroll has at least one picture on his Flickr page showing a Thompson non-corridor vehicle with a line at the waist. Paul Bartlett has one of a Diagram 120 BY with waist lining in 1954.

The Birmingham 4-coach B sets seem to have remained in their sets up to the 1950s. After the DMUs came in some that remained in the area were split into pairs with a full second added.

I believe that the original instruction said crimson stock should be lined but this was very quickly dropped.

I thought that having no two coaches the same coupled together (except for the Bristol B Sets) was a WR rule. Very much as my trains run as time progresses from 1956 to 1960. Starts with a couple of Hornby bow enders and will shortly get a wide body all third to replace the old Airfix coach. Progress to add a BR Mk1, wide body and Collett 57' bow end in three different shades by 1960. The LMR set is the same with 8 assorted P2/P3/Mk1 coaches for a pick'n'mix suburban set and the Excursion set having five different types covering PI, P2 and P3.

My initial thoughts were a junction in the Reading towards Swindon section.

Last one looks like a Mk1 BG. By the number of distant arms somewhere with closely spaced boxes?

Local restrictions were listed in the last few pages of each Working Timetable books. See this page to select some that are available online and go to the last pdf section on the page for the area you want. http://www.michaelclemensrailways.co.uk/?atk=572

Those signals date from my days as a signalling designer

In my area of GWR interest the Swan Village Branch was Dotted Blue with all Blue classes permitted at 25mph. There is however evidence that Tyseley put out Halls and Granges on passenger trains across it after the LMR takeover. Fenny Compton to Stratford was a Red route but Castles, Counties and 47xx were barred.

During the period up to 1930 Harris acquired several factories including at Redruth, Totnes and Tiverton. I believe that the Harris family sold their interest in the 1920s and part of their shares were bought by the Marsh family, of Marsh and Baxter in Brierley Hill. Shortly after the Harris brothers became involved in Bowyers. During WW2 the Government as part of the rationing programme dictated the areas food suppliers could operate. Later alterations affected which sausage manufacturers could supply which areas. I don't know about Harris but by 1942 Palethorpes were only allowed to operate north of a line from Bristol to The Wash. The final restrictions on food supply were not removed until the 1950s.

Yes, finished now. I will put it up shortly.

Last time I saw a lot of empty wagons stored during the summer was on a disused colliery branch on Cannock Chase. When they came to be retrieved the metal fairies had taken up several lengths of track between them and the main line connection and were in the process of removing the bearings.

Been there, done that when my Great Aunt managed a coal merchant's office. Make sure the wagons were clear and then walk down to the goods office to tell them the numbers of the one we had finished with so we didn't get charged for holding them too long. The coal stacks were about 25 yards from the Birmingham - Bristol line. Nice way to spend a sunny afternoon in the school holidays getting extra pocket money whilst trainspotting.

Nicked from one of my internet S&T groups.

I think all are hit and miss at the moment. I had a consignment ordered early last week which was to be delivered by DHL next day service. There was still no sign of it in tracking over the weekend although the firm said it had been dispatched and I had received a DHL message saying we've got you parcel. Then had a DHL message on Monday to say it was out for delivery followed by another three hours later saying it was delayed. It was shown as delivered at 0859 on Tuesday, it was in the porch when I got home, although I later had another message giving me a delivery slot due in the afternoon. Have they given a job to Failing Grayling or is he just working for the Felixstowe crowd?

Before considering signalling what is the traffic level? Will there be more than one loco on the branch and in the station/yard at the same time? This may determine whether signalling would actually be provided or whether there would just be a ground frame released by the Token. The history of the branch may also play a part in this. Has it always been the terminus? Did it go or was it intended to go further but never happened? Regarding the trackwork a trap point will be needed at the exit from the run round/goods. Another will be required in the bay if vehicles are left unattended there. A trap could be omitted at the bottom end of the run round if passenger trains don't go beyond the end of the platform and nothing is stabled there. Finding a level crossing in such a location would be extremely rare unless the line went beyond there for some reason e.g. a factory. If a level crossing were to be provided it may be traincrew operated. Regarding the signal box or ground frame position I would put it at the top end of the station by the points. How the MOD siding would be dealt with would depend on how far it was from the signal box and what amount of trafgic went in and out at what frequency.

I had a physics teacher who had a habit of lobbing a board rubber if he thought you were daydreaming. I cured him when the lad next to me was nodding off but I saw the projectile approaching, caught it and threw it back at twice the speed in one movement scoring a direct hit. The boost to my status was worth the lunchtime detained cleaning equipment in the lab.

I've used a couple of artist's varnishes over transfers without problems. The first was a bottle which my son left around when he moved out. It's about 25 years old and usually looks like a clear liquid over white sludge until well stirred. The second is a spray satin varnish which can be washed off if you get it wrong.

Paint spot? Don't think it appears on the picture on Hattons website.

Mine had a tell-tale clunk as it went round one particular curve in the fiddle yard. There is too much side play in the front drivers, you could probably get it round Gotham Curve let alone second radius. This and the coupling rod pins on the front drivers being over-long means the pin can catch on the crosshead. A slight adjustment of the slide bars fixed it. I intend to try a couple of shims fixed on the axle to reduce the play as well.

Using a separate lever for the release was more common for electrically released frames where you had to press a plunger at the same time as pulling the lever from the locked position. It's quite hard to pull a ground frame lever with an FPL bar attached one-handed.

Rust? Only painted the new patches welded in.

The Rapido Trains UK announcement was featured on the Rails website. I assume they will still be stocking Rapido as they have been involved in commissions with them and the Birmingham Bus project. was sold through Rails.

Dan at Derails has asked them to put him on the list of retailers and is awaiting a reply. Can't remember where I got one of my Birmingham buses from but it wasn't Rails who had sold out of that one.