Our world in miniature, hobbies

Thanks Philip. Seeing your Hillman Imp brought back memories of when I borrowed my friend's Imp and before I returned it I pulled into a garage to put some juice in it, guess what? I couldn't find the tank! Had to get someone from the workshop to show me

Hi all I am continuing the tidy-up theme in our railway room, which has also included the cabinet (a former sideboard, from our newly-weds days) that houses the stock not being used on the railway. I have rediscovered locos that I had forgotten that I had. Just a bit of background. The UK model railway hobby has had its ups & downs. The mid sixties saw a down surge of interest, what was being sold was old technology & folks that wanted scale look-alike railways were kit building. The seventies arrived with the first real breakthrough with fine moulded models, first Palitoy, part of Bachmann & also Airfix, the kit maker who had started producing ready-to-run models. Shops were opening everywhere selling this stuff, as dads & their little boys rushed in to buy. Whenever a newcomer arrives there are usually teething troubles & so it was with Palitoy & Airfix. Hornby had merged with Triang, but was struggling to stay in business. Although the sales were sufficient to keep the manufacturing going, the bubble of the early seventies evaporated which meant that many of the new-comers to the trade were going to the wall. Hence loads of auctions of bankrupted stock. I was for ever going to these auctions, always making sure that I knew my prices. This is where so much of my stock came from until the complete rejuvenation of my hobby at the start of the last bubble, about 1998. I had forgotten that I had this little beauty. I bought four of this class (43XX) at Stratford auction, one lined green & three black. I spent quite a lot of time detailing them, the one in the picture I hand painted in unlined olive green from its original all black condition. All four are superb runners after I added leaf springs & springing the leading bogies side play. My time spent kit building in the past proved very useful when super detailing these ready to run models. The Wills & Kays kits of the fifties & sixties had priced themselves out of existence, being twice or thrice the price of these ready to run models. In real life, these GWR locos the 43XX class were very numerous, working all over their system. As with any successful design it was also the prototype of several subsequent classes. Leaving out the smaller 0-6-0 & shunter classes, there were just two distinct breads of loco on the former GWR. The four cylinder Castles & slightly bigger Kings formed one breed, they being development of the Star class for express passenger, whilst the two cylinder classes that were designed for freight & mixed traffic formed the other breed, which emanated from the Saints. These included the Halls, Granges, Counties & Manors, as well as the 2-8-0 various heavy freight locos. The Halls & the Granges, which were in effect lower geared halls, were restricted from certain routes because of high weight, so the design team decided to modify one of these lighter 43XX locos by adding a two axle pony truck at the front, giving extra stability at higher speed, but keeping the weight to a minimum. They had in effect built the first Manor. Eventually thirty Manors were built, all from rebuilt 43XX class locos. I like having a sense of our railway evolution represented on our railway. GWR 4300 Class

Hi all My Pam has always loved Panier tank locos, we have a few at Hall Brooks, but now a lightly weathered 64xx has joined the fleet. Pam is beside herself with delight.

Hi all A couple of new items have arrived in Hall Brooks. Hope you like. A heavy duty forklift has arrived at Longford Park Wharf so as to aid loading. Also, this, lurking at the back of Bramble Lane station yard. ps. A picture of the real loco, the owner Len, a passionate steam enthusiast, who sadly died in 2015, from Wolverhampton. Also a vintage picture of the fork-lift.

Yes, Mr Stationmaster Philip, where have you been. Thanks for showing us the new addition to Hall Brooks. It will no doubt prove to be a very handy addition. It's all very well going gallivanting off seeking out new Breakfast venues but you must not forget your other duties.

Hi all An update with a signal upgrade, to Bramble Lane station starter signal. Now modern two aspect Red & Amber. No bulbs. Just the use of craft sequins, which reflect light. By setting each lens at a slightly different eye angle to each other, they are quite effective. Home made using electricians terminal strip. No green light required, as it is too close to Three Spires Junction, the other end of Mill Hill tunnel. Also, the start of the summer timetable sees the resumption of the steam auto from Grove to Nether Mill & Priors Field. The auto fitted tank loco has returned to Priors Field with a short goods train leaving the auto coach just behind Grove shed, seen in the picture. The resident area pilot loco just peeping out of the shed is a saddle tank A general view of Bramble Lane & Grove with a Black & White Motorways coach in Bramble Lane station yard.

Hi all A couple of pictures from the loco drivers viewing point from their cab. The train has just past Bramble Lane crossing & is heading for Burrow Hill on the main line. The line on the right is the down main siding. This last picture is from Grove platform, where a good train is waiting to leave for Hounds Hill & Nether Mill. The main through line of the previous picture is visible on the right. I had to stand my camera on the level crossing gates to record these pics. Hope you like.

Hi & morning all , Midland Red's picture of a rail stock being moved by road, has evoked a nice thought that it is good to utilise old stock where we can. I hate throwing anything away, unless it is rubbish. The mechanisms on our model railway wear out in time & are replaced or overhauled. With the price of most current OO locomotives well over £100, an economic refit is often worth while. I have two locos which now need a full re-build so when it is convenient a trip to Sheffield or Liverpool will be on the cards. I was brought up with kit-building model railways, but the intricate nature of these modern masterpieces requires really good eyesight, for dismantling. Besides, they need new parts, so it is easier to have an expert replace the motors & or gears. The two locos are both over twenty years old. I now usually limit having new locos for our railway to these occasions, & then only if the price is right. I have today ordered a B17 ER loco, that Hattons are overstocked with. The list price is currently over £130, but they are selling two varieties off @ £74 & £79 each. So, the new loco should arrive tomorrow. If I like it, I may have the other one on offer too. That will look nice on our inter-regional trains, Pam is sure! The B17s did work into Coventry from Peterborough on regular freight as well as occasional passenger.

Hi all Oooooooooooooooow look what has arrived at Hall Brooks. Vac pipes installed footsteps to follow. It is superb! A run up to Longford to check clearances. Pam is very worried as she can feel another order coming on!

Hi all The newly arrived B17, has satisfied all clearance tests & has had its specific detail add-ons added, is departing with a light duty, the afternoon parcels from Hounds Hill to Coventry & Northampton. The most realistic aspect of our railway is the fact that the loco won't be seen again, until it returns with a fitted freight, at least eleven sequences away in time. The B17s were a three cylinder loco, quite an innovation for such a small loco, almost a baby A1/A3 kind of thing. On paper, they were to replace the aging B12s.

Hi all I am in between duties today, so had time to add the fine details to the B17, brake rodding, footsteps as well as close coupling the tender. This must be one of Hornby's finest in both running as well as detail.

Hi all Pam's belated birthday present has arrived today, in fact it was only ordered at 1pm yesterday. A Hatton's supplied ex-works condition Class S15. It is seen waiting at Hounds Hill starter signal, for the high-sighted repeater ground signal to clear, so as to gain access to Longford Park wharf yard. Pam is beside herself!!

Hi all As with the previous Hornby loco, the B17, this Hornby S15, is just exquisite. The tender is now close coupled, along with Southern disc route indicators added. This last picture from yesterday shows it waiting to depart with the return to Leamington, canal holiday boat train running tender first. It was two years ago, November 2015 (previous post 571) when I was first considering buying this loco but the price was sky-high. Hatton's are selling two varieties now for £88 plus postage. A much better price. I have stated that I only buy new locos now to replace defunct, past their use, models. Well, the truth is that with my eyesight being quite good of late, I have successfully overhauled the two locos mentioned in a previous post. I have been given a price for a S/H exchange for two good condition surplus to needs locos, which I have posted special delivery to Hattons, using one of their high impact resistant parcel boxes. Good use of recycling hey & I don't feel too greedy at having two new locos.