roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
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Post by roythebus on Jul 1, 2023 8:15:48 GMT
Have a look on NLS maps, they have large-scale OS maps of the area. I have track plans of Warwick Road area from that area.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Jun 8, 2023 21:12:34 GMT
It wasn't the guard's job to reset rear trip. Guard would check interior, heat (ha ha), lights, emergency candles, fire extinguishers, door controls, open and shut doors each side, check end door cut-outs work. Ensure oil tail lamp present at each end and had sufficient oil. Brake test would be done before departure using Loudaphone to contact driver, this checked brake pipe continuity as well as the Loudaphone. Check bell works. Check door open indicators on each car where fitted. Check where tea would be made on the way and where driver would leave tea can on the platform for guard to pick up.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on May 17, 2023 9:56:24 GMT
The air brake and vacuum brake were both developed around the same time in the 1800's.
The term "unfitted" was used for rail vehicles not fitted with the automatic brake. The term "unbraked" was also used. The other term used was "loose coupled". A "loose coupled" freight train would have 3-link couplings or instanter couplings set to the long position and run as an "unfitted train" with braking only on the loco and brake van.
I can't think of any rail vehicles that are "unbraked", i.e. not having any form of brake, the exception being if the automatic brake is defective and is isolated or the handbrake is broken. Such vehicles would be "green carded" or "red carded", fit to trvel to the nearest place of reapair or unfit go go anywhere.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on May 16, 2023 9:46:48 GMT
Yep, sounds right.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on May 15, 2023 19:18:03 GMT
Well, so far one reply from the RMweb: I have seen at least two pictures of A60/A62 stock being hauled along the GC to Neasden. The one I can find easily (Steam Memories: 1950's and 1960's Great Central Lines) shows B16/3 61463 hauling a set past Bagthorpe Junction. Date sometime around July 61."
No doubt more will follow. I have copies of LT Magazine from when A stock was new, I'll have a look through those when I get time.
C69 stock was delivered to West Ruislip. The connection to the Met was being built when I was a guard at Ricky, mid 1973 to early 1974. It had not been commissioned when I sadly left the job. I have personally taken a couple of photos of a C69 at ealing Broadway Central Line, circa 1971. It came via North Acton, cross over to the DR, then to Acton Town for use on the test track and in as far as Earls court and High Street. A week or som later i got a cab ride in one from Acton Town to Hammersmith.
In 1974 I became a secondman at Rugby where there was a lot of forme Woodford Halse drivers. None of them mentioned hauling underground stock on the GC, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen.
There was still a lot of unbraked and partially fitted freight on the WCML in my time on there, the GC had been closed by then.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on May 15, 2023 11:05:25 GMT
The unbraked loads in 1960-78 would not have been at all unusual. The majority of non-passenger traffic was unbraked and ran at about 35mph. The majority of traffic on the GC was unbraked freight. I can ask the question on the BR old school group to see if anyone there has the answer.
The photo referred to is indeed next to the 1500v dc line somewhere near Sheffield.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on May 9, 2023 9:49:14 GMT
Good job Bertram Mills didn't try taking his giraffes on the Olympia shuttles then!
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on May 8, 2023 19:16:45 GMT
The correct answer, well done! the digram I got it from is of the signalling and traction supply sections. It stretches from south Kensington to Barons Court. Unfortunately a couple of bits were cut out, presumably when the diagram was thrown out 40-odd years ago! But yes, it was a favourite question from train crew inspectors back in the day, "where would you find the only repeaters that could show red?". Happy days.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on May 8, 2023 17:57:46 GMT
There's far more latent demand for trains than anyone ever realises. The North London Line and West London Lines are prime examples. The St.Ives branch is another that springs to mind.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on May 8, 2023 17:44:30 GMT
Looking at an old diagram on plastic tracing paper today I noticed a signal called Fred on there! Any ideas where it was?
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on May 8, 2023 17:42:37 GMT
You may be right, but the track and crossings were still there until about 1971. There also another connection between Bromley and West Ham that went into a chemical works on the eastbound side not shown on the Harsig map.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on May 6, 2023 21:12:03 GMT
So we finally got the set working properly. One motor car could barley pull itself and a trailer car. It turned out I'd put the trailing bogie keeper plate on the wrong way so one axle was too high! It kept derailing.
Fast forward to the following week, the full 4 car set made an appearance on the club layout. The same motor coach still kept derailing. I'd got a bit of evo-stick in the wrong place and it prevented the bogie from turning!
Third week, all seemed a lot better, still slipping on the sharp curves in the hidden loops of the club layout. More lead added to both motor coaches. Let's see how it performs this week at the club!
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on May 6, 2023 21:01:13 GMT
Without wishing to speculate, news reports on FB say there was no fire. The "smoke" was brake dust being blown into the train by a defective heater fan.
Meanwhile, we'll have to wait a year or more for the RAIB report.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Apr 28, 2023 18:20:59 GMT
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Apr 28, 2023 18:18:37 GMT
I've recenty motorised a 1962 tube stock set using 2 Black Beetle motor bogies I imported from Australia. It was quite an easy conversion, but the 2 motor bogies struggle with a 4-car set. the EFE bogies aren't free running at all, maybe Bachman have amended the bogie design so they have pin-point axles instead of a rather heavy spring plate bearing down on the xle which acts like a brake! It now runs nicey and had some running-in on the club layout this week.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Apr 28, 2023 18:09:35 GMT
I've just cleared out a late friend's railway collection and there's a couple of part-built quad Art sets in there if anyone's interested. The bodies have been built but not painted. all bogies and details are there to finish the job. PM me if interested.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Apr 28, 2023 18:06:32 GMT
Been driving buses 50 years now! took my test in 1973, never been without work. I've also been a guard on the DR and Met before that, and a BR driver 1974-1988 amongt other things. I now stick to rail replacement buses at weekends and the occasional midweek night runs for oprators in Kent, weekends for Sullivan buses
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Apr 17, 2023 20:36:49 GMT
Sitting in the cab of my rail replacement bus outside Harrow-on-the-Hill, watching the S stock trains rumbling through and terminating as the line south of HOTH was closed for the new signalling to be tested...I was thinking about the days when it was all A stock rumbling through. I happened to glance up and what should be rumbling through but the D stock, a 5-car set, presumably being used for testing the new equipment. Talk about coincidence. Pity my phone camera wasn't handy.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Apr 11, 2023 17:54:34 GMT
The connection between the Met and Central at Ruislip was built when I was a guard at Ricky, late 1973/early 1974. I saw it being built but it wasn't in use in my time there.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Apr 6, 2023 22:52:26 GMT
I'd suggest both bays were the same length as the bay platforms. I'm certain the DR bay and sidings were still there in 1970 when I started as a guard at PG. I don't recall seeing the the Met bay with track. But note on the 1890-ish map there's a west end loco spur on the Met bay which seems to have had access to the inner rail as well as the bay. this would have been for holding the loco that was released from a terminating train after it had departed to the west. The loco on the deprting train would have been off the previous arrival.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Feb 28, 2023 16:53:08 GMT
Any freight traffic, and there was a quite a lot of it back in the day, would have served the numerous underground and surface level goods depots between Farringdon Street, Aldersgate and Holborn Viaduct. Have a look at some of the NLS maps from the early 20th century, they are fascinating. Surface level goods depots were connected by lifts down to track level, and shunting above was done by horse or capstan. The whole area round Aldersgate was a labyrinth of underground goods depots.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Feb 27, 2023 22:50:17 GMT
What a superb bit of modelling! The brake van there has differences to the Finecast version which has a wheeled handbrake stand rather than a cranked handle, and the handrails and lamp bracket positions differ. A letter pic shows the LT variant didn't have side lamp brackets, just an off-centre rear bracket. I don't have a copy of the Met Railway rolling stock book. Just oredered one onne, hopefully that'll show more.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Feb 25, 2023 0:13:08 GMT
The double doors were indeed for the carriage of parcels and goods. I remember being told about that on stock training on the Met loco at Ricky in 1973.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Feb 25, 2023 0:03:10 GMT
I've just bough the South East Finecast kit for the Met Railway brake van, it's a lovely kit, nice crisp casting with not too much flash at all, and goes together very nicely. there's no instructions with the kit but it's all common sense where it all goes! But doe anyone have a photo of the real thing or a drawing so I know where the handrails need to go? did it have spilt spoke or solid spoke wheels?
It'll go nicely with my F class loco that is now underway after a gap of about 30 years. I'm using the Finecast etched chassis with a High Level Gears drive chain and motor.
I've got about 25 F class body kits available from my old stock if anyone's interested. I suppose I could make them to order but they won't be cheap.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Feb 20, 2023 21:48:13 GMT
Car has already cut in two and stuck together with epoxy resin. Pity I don't know how to post pictures on here. I've got a black Beetle motor bogie on the way for this project. Bogie sides are cut down Triang BR Mk1 bogies, the nearest I could find.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Feb 8, 2023 17:25:26 GMT
I've just dug out my LDC Q23 resin bodied kit. It was put on back-burner many years ago as it "didn't look right" and there were no motor bogies available. I can now get a motor bogie to fit, so looked at the kit again and compared it to the old Skinley blueprint I got back in the late 1960s.
I find it's about 4mm too short over the length, and a lot of measuring and comparing with the Skinley print shows the sloon window behind the driving cab is where the problem lies, it's 3mm too narrow on the panel between the window and the sliding door! None of the other windows are what I'd call a consistent length and the bodyside moulding aren't right. I'm wondering if it's worth trying to get something better if anything is available or press on with this as a project and lengthen it where required. But then the underframe is rubbish and I've used shortened Triang Mk1 bogies to lok like the Q stock bogies. The 2 have different wheelbase as well, so the training end bogie pivot is in the wrong place.
Any suggestions before i waste a lot of time?
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Jan 12, 2023 13:47:08 GMT
Yep, burst water main meant an emergency road closure.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Jan 12, 2023 13:46:58 GMT
Yep, burst water main meant an emergency road closure.
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Jan 12, 2023 13:46:00 GMT
No, AFAIK they're part of the "new" escalators and lower concourse. Not been there since about 1989!
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,255
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Post by roythebus on Jan 7, 2023 19:28:47 GMT
Having thought about this a bit more and having just found the Harsig plans on here, I reckon that on arrival in platform 4 the loco would propel the train into the spur siding which according to Harsig approaches from the opposite end shown in the earlier NLS maps! so, in the spur, uncouple brake van, back clear of the spur points, and propel wagons up the incline and pull them back to the top level. It could be any number of means of propulsion, loco, gravity, hors, capstan, handraulic..
Wagons to be collected may have been assembled on the headshunt by the same means. the loco would then couple onto the south end of the wagons the propel them down the slop towards the outlet signal. Meanwhile, the guard could have let the brake van roll out of the spur to stop at the outlet signal, or maybe run into the platform if the signal was clear. the loco would propel the train onto the brake van then couple the brake van on, ready to depart back to Brent sidings.
I can't see a second loco being provided to shunt the yard when cheaper options were available.
Edited to add there was mention of a Jinty shunting the old Hammersmith & Chiswick goods yard. I've recently seen a picture of a Stanier 8F on a freight at Hammersmith & Chiswick Station. Over-powered I suppose, but a case of using whatever loco Cricklwood or Willesden had spare at the time!
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