MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL

So this is Christmas, and what have you done?
Ok so I didn't do as much this year as I would have liked but hey it's over now and officially 2016 has been a big load of pooh. We need 2017 to get here fast now and then we can crack on with a new start.




While this blog started out as a small 'tribute' to my Dad and his modelling skills (and it still is) I have moved that on to supporting the local railway societies and some of the many heritage railway services around the UK. Have plans to visit several more of these in 2017 too, the likes of Swanage, York and the Welsh town of Blaenau Ffestiniog are on the agenda. 

Missing you so much Dad.

You always fulfilled my wishes, giving me whatever I wanted. Your presence in my life I had taken for granted. After your death my whole world has gone into a frightening void. When I had you, I had it all, now everything is destroyed. This is my repentance, my regret, I know you cannot hear me, but I still want to say, Dad I miss you and I'm sorry ... We had so much still to do together and despite the years that have passed I find it so hard to carry on without your love and influence. 

I think for many this year has not been that wonderful we sure lost a lot of friends and legends so it's time to remember and never forget. Let us also move forwards to the new year, life is only as good as you make it and you have to let yourself live too, although this is something I don't allow myself and it is now time to do more, stop making excuses and get out there. 

























Let's remember the wisdom of the late Rik Mayall as we venture towards 2017. 

• All men are equal therefore no one can be your true genuine superior.
• It is YOUR future, It is yours to create, your future is as bright as you make it. 
• Change is a constant of life, So you must never ever lose your wisdom. 
• If you want to live a full and complete human life you have to be Free. Freedom is paramount. 
• And finally ... LOVE IS THE ANSWER.

HILLINGDON RAILWAY MODELLERS OPEN DAY -- SATURDAY 17th DECEMBER

http://www.hillingdonrailwaymodellers.co.uk/

Looking forward to our final open day of the year at Hillingdon Railway Modellers which is being held on Saturday 17th December, so bring your best XMAS models, maybe some mince pies.

It's the last event of this year but I'm sure they'll be publishing dates for 2017 soon on their website (link in the header above). I will hopefully get there for the afternoon with a few smaller items in the bag to try out as it's always a popular day and doors open to the public at 10:00am.

Yiewsley Baptist Church
74 Colham Avenue
West Drayton
UB7 8HF

* the entrance is at the side of the church down a path and the doors at the end should be open, don't try and enter the main doors of the church. 

Owing to rental costs of the hall there is a cover charge of £4 but there will be two extensive O Gauge and OO Gauge Test Tracks available and have recently added a three track N Gauge circuit too (Pic Below) all up and running so if you have anything you wish to see get a good run do please come along.

N GAUGE TEST TRACK 

There will be refreshments available, the bacon rolls are highly recommended. There is an entrance fee of £4 to cover the cost of using the hall for the day.

It should be stressed that these ARE NOT exhibitions, so bring your own locos and rolling stock to run. At busy times we may have to introduce time slots so that everyone can get a chance to operate their stock. Here's a short clip of one of the earlier open days YouTube LINK

Below you can see a busy picture of their 8 road yard in O Gauge it's a very extensive track and will give your models a very good run. A few photo's taken from the last open day are below, if you read back to some of the earlier postings in this blog I have tried to show the variety of excellent models on show, these guys are truly experts in their craft.

People will bring a wide variety of stock to run, nearly all are kit built though and the skills / detail is incredible.

Everyone will get their turn I promise.

This picture gives a good idea of the size of the O Gauge test track, you can give your models a really good work out here. This can also transform into an exhibition layout called Grindley Brook a scenic section replaces the long straight down the back. 

HOW TO GET THERE:

If you are Travelling by Car

Check here for Parking Options.

Nearest Railway Stations :

West Drayton [0.34 miles]

THE SHERBORNE CHRISTMAS CAROL RAILTOUR

The Sherborne Christmas Carol

Thursday 15th December 2016

This special train will be hauled by two former London Midland & Scottish Railway Black 5's steam locomotives. It starts from London Victoria Station and picks up more passengers along route at Staines, Woking and Basingstoke.

Departure from London Victoria Station is scheduled for around 08:45 behind our splendidly restored steam locomotives. We pass through Clapham Junction, crossing the Thames at Barnes Bridge, and continue to a stop at Staines to pick up more passengers. We then join the South Western Main Line (SWML) at Byfleet Junction, and then stop for further passengers at Woking and Basingstoke. 

Leaving the SWML at Worting Junction and take the West of England Main Line to Andover and Salisbury. At Wilton Junction the line becomes single track. We cross the edge of Salisbury Plain and pass through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty at Tisbury and Gillingham in Dorset. We cross Gillingham Viaduct and pass through Buckhorn Weston Tunnel before Templecombe, where once the iconic Somerset & Dorset Railway passed beneath our line.

The main destination for our train is Sherborne, one of the most beautiful towns in England. The historic market town, where King Alfred was educated, will be decorated for Christmas. It has much to offer visitors with its abundance of medieval buildings, superb Abbey, picturesque Alms house, the ruins of a 12th-century fortified palace, and the 16th-century mansion known as Sherborne Castle. It has a delightful shopping centre with a large choice of handcrafted goods and elegant fashions and has become an important town in the region for Art and Antique Dealers. Whilst at Sherborne, why not join in the traditional Christmas Carol Service held in the splendid surroundings of its ancient Abbey.

Passengers have the choice of alighting at Sherborne or continuing with the train to Yeovil Junction where the steam locomotive will be turned and serviced at Yeovil Railway Centre. Here there is excellent viewing of these operations, which use one of the few remaining turntables in the country. There is also a variety of rolling stock and an exhibition of railway artifacts and pictures in the Engine Shed. A shop on the platform provides a large range of railway related goods and souvenirs.

Train Timings
Approximate timings shown;

THE READING O GAUGE TRADE SHOW -- 10th DECEMBER 2016

Guildford 0 Gauge Group
  - The Reading 0 Gauge Trade Show




Saturday 10th December 2016
At the Rivermead Leisure Complex,
Richfield Avenue, Reading, Berkshire RG1 8EQ

OPENING TIMES:  10am - 4pm

ADMISSION:  Adults £4.00
      
This is a Trade show for members of the public who model in 0 gauge and anyone who is planning to start or have an interest in 0 gauge model railways. It is hoped to have at least 95 trade stands selling kits, ready to run, infrastructure, materials, etc, and there will also be a large test track.

HOW TO GET THERE:
If Travelling by car then use RG1 8EQ for your Sat-Nav
Also note that metered car parking will be in operation and you will therefore need 5 x £1 coins for a full day.

Car parking is entirely within the control of Rivermead Leisure Centre and not the group. You will need to enter your car registration number into a machine. 
NB - Rivermead Leisure Centre will not be making any refunds of parking charges.

Nearest Railway Stations :
Reading [0.61 miles]
Reading West [0.63 miles]
Tilehurst [2.17 miles]
Earley [3.31 miles]

Please check with National Rail Enquires for up to date details on your journey; Search National Rail Enquiries

MAP;

LETCHWORTH MODEL RAILWAY EXHIBITION 2016

This weekend is of course the big national model railway exhibition at the NEC Birmingham but if you aren't going there then this is an excellent alternative and avoids all the traffic chaos on the motorways at the weekend.

ADDRESS  [map available at end of this page]

Etonbury Academy, Stotfold Road

Arlesey, Bedfordshire 
SG15 6XS

Saturday 26th November 2016
OPENING TIMES:  10am-4.30pm
ADMISSION:  Adults £5.00  Concessions £4.00
Please note that there is NO charge for children under 16 when accompanied by an adult.

This is their 32nd Model Railway Exhibition with 20 layouts covering most scales and gauges. Full trade support, also modelling demonstrations and displays by local and national railway societies. Refreshments available, free parking and full access for the disabled.

List of Layouts Attending:

Fen Drove - 0 - John Hobden
Wantage - 0 - D S Cox


Grange West Tramway - 0-16.5 - John Dean
Snow in the Glen - 0-16.5 - Noel Davis
Oldshaw - EM - Maggie Clark and Alan Bevan
Orestone Quay - 00 - Burgess Hill MRC
Loweston - 00 - Waveney Valley MRC
St. Lukes - 00 - Ray Lewis
Coleford - OO9 - John Wilkes
Lemmington Park - H0 - Western MRS
Obervaz - H0m - Norwich MRC
Stamford East - N - Robin Fox













Loughborough Derby Road - N - Stephen Sims
Deanmoor - N - Jon Dean
Tormouth - N - Paul Churchill
Schwungischer Platz - N - Mark Fuller
Koln Westbahnhof - N - Brian Silby
Anzdorf - Z - Ann Silby
Lincoln - Z - Dave Dawes

List of Traders Attending:

Alban Rail Garden Railways 

Chris Roberts Continental Pre-Owned
H & A Models Kits
Ian's Trains Pre-Owned
JB Model World Storage Cases
Joe Lock Pre-Owned
Keiths Model Railways 00 RTR New and Pre-Owned
Model Scenery Supplies
Model Roads & Tramways Diecast Vehicles
Nine Elms Pre-Owned
Plus Daughters N Gauge British Continental and American
Videolines DVDS and Gifts


Nearest Railway Stations :
Arlesey [0.92 miles]
Letchworth Garden City [2.83 miles]
Baldock [3.1 miles]
Biggleswade [4.47 miles]

O GAUGE MODEL -- BR (ex - LNER) CLASS N5 0-6-2 [No. 69307]

(ex LNER) Class N5 British Railways livery No. -- 69307

Gladiator Model Kits sell a 7mm scale (O gauge) kit that builds the N5 or N4 0-6-2T. And I have to presume that it must be one of those as my father made a number of different models using Gladiator kits and I have seen at least 2 or 3 different styles of N2, N5, N7 models that he created all having slightly different unqiue fittings included with them. 

Have found some information about this class;
Built 1898, Withdrawn December 1960

Parker introduced the 0-6-2T arrangement to the Manchester Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway (MS&LR, later GCR) in 1889 as the N4. The basic design proved successful, and in 1891 he revised the design to produce the LNER N5. The MS&LR would classify the N5s as 9F, and used class 9C and 9O for two variants (see below). The revision replaced the original Joy valve gear with Stephenson link motion. He also replaced the round-topped firebox with a Belpaire firebox. In fact, the N5 prototype MS&LR No. 7 was the first locomotive built for a British railway to use the Belpaire design. The neighbouring Beyer Peacock & Co had been using them for a few years, but all of these locomotives were built for export.

Due to the experimental nature of No. 7's firebox, eleven months elapsed before the second locomotive (No. 47) was built. This was followed shortly afterwards by a third, No. 171. This experimental batch of three became class 9C. This length trial period appears to have proved useful because a weakness in the valve gear layout was identified. The valve rods were supported by tubular slide bars fixed to the motion bracket, with the motion bracket positioned in-front of the rocking shaft. All of the production locomotives had a slightly different arrangement and were classified 9F. These had suspension links fixed in-front of the motion plate, supporting the valve rods. The rocking shaft was also behind, and this gave an indirect drive to the valve via a spindle link. This arrangement proved highly successful and was used on virtually all subsequent MS&LR/GCR locomotives and Gresley's J38s and J39s.

The design was also ordered by Parker's successors, Pollitt and Robinson, resulting in a total of 131 N5s being built between 1891 and 1901. A total of twelve batches including the experimental batch were built. Four of these locomotives worked with other railways. Nos. 754-5 were sold by the MS&LR to the West Lancashire Railway in 1894 and painted purple. The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway took over the West Lancashire Railway in 1897 and retired the two 9Fs in 1914. The other two were ordered by the Wrexham Mold & Connah's Quay Railway (WM&CQR) in 1896, and were numbered 17 & 18. The Great Central Railway (GCR) absorbed the WM&CQR in 1905 and renumbered these two engines 409 &. 410 respectively. This brought the GCR's total roster to 129, all of which entered LNER ownership in 1923. It should also be noted that the WM&CQR hired three further 9Fs from the MS&LR/GCR between 1896 and 1901.

Class N5/3 No. 9311 at Lincoln in 1948; Larger side tanks, Ross pop safety valves, and footsteps at front
With construction occurring over eleven years and twelve batches, they were built with a number of boiler of variations. The main trend was a general reduction in the heating surfaces of the boilers. The last six locomotives were built with what would become LNER Diagram 21. This boiler design was eventually fitted to all of the N5s. This boiler was one of the first that Robinson experimented with super-heating, and a total of ten N5s had super-heaters fitted between 1915 and 1923. All of the super-heaters would eventually be removed. The last was removed in 1943, although No. 5410 was withdrawn in 1936 before its super-heater was removed.

The first N5 to be super-heated was No. 771 (LNER No. 9311) in November 1915. This was also rebuilt to increase the coal and water capacity. The smokebox was extended to take the new super-heater, but the side-tanks were also extended to be inline with the front of the new smokebox. The tanks had openings to allow maintenance of the valve motion. The sides of the coal bunker were raised, and the back was curved at the top. The radial trailing axle was replaced by a pony truck, allowing tighter curves to be negotiated. When the super-heater was removed in 1930, the extended bunker, tanks, and smokebox were retained. The GCR classified No. 771 as 9O, and the LNER gave it the sub-class of N5/3 in 1938. It is thought that the modifications were to allow No.771 to haul a shuttle service between Chester and Connah's Quay. However, it only worked this service for fourteen months before being re-allocated and never hauled another passenger service.

In common with most of the GCR locomotives, the original chimneys were replaced with shorter chimneys and domes to fit within the LNER Composite Loading Gauge. Unmodified locomotives were given the sub-class of N5/1, whilst the modified locomotives became N5/2. These modifications occurred between 1925 and were completed in 1938. The N5/2 designation was eventually dropped. The N4s and N5s became the GCR's standard shunting and trip working locomotives. After finishing the last N5, the GCR only built specialised shunting locomotives, e.g. for dock and hump shunting. At Grouping, the N5s were distributed amongst twelve sheds, with large allocations at Gorton and Mexborough. Shortly after Grouping (1923), the LNER purchased large numbers of ROD O4 2-8-0s which displaced older J11 0-6-0s onto the Mexborough trip working duties. This dispersed Mexborough's N5 allocation throughout the GC system. The displaced N5s tended to take over J58 and J59 saddle tanks which were being withdrawn at the same time.

In the late 1930s, the J11s also displaced many of Gorton's N5s to other duties. Some moved to Trafford Park where they hauled passenger services, and replaced J10s on their shunting duties. During the 1940s, a number of N5s were allocated to the GN Section. N5s allocated to Bradford hauled passenger trains to Halifax via Queensbury. Copley Hill had an allocation that acted as the Leeds Central station pilot, but also hauled a number of local services during World War 2. Retford and Newark also had allocations for shunting work.

Withdrawal

The first withdrawal occurred in 1936, but only eight had been withdrawn by 1945. The remaining 121 locomotives all survived into British Railways ownership (1948). The rapid introduction of diesel shunting locomotives during the 1950s took their toll and withdrawals of the surviving N5s in the late 1950s was rapid. Many were stored during this time. Two of these stored locomotives were moved to Tyne Dock for banking duties, but this appears to have been unsuccessful as they were moved to New England after a few months.

Sheffield (Darnall) had the last large allocation, and these were replaced in 1959 by diesel shunters. Nineteen N5s survived at the beginning of 1960, and all were withdrawn before the end of the year. The last N5 was withdrawn from Gorton in December.

Preservation

The last N5 was withdrawn at the end of 1960, and none of these pioneers of the Belpaire firebox survived into preservation.

WESTBURY MODEL RAILWAY SHOW 2016

Westbury Model Railway Show

Sat 12th November 2016

The Paragon Hall,
Haynes Road, Westbury,
Wiltshire BA13 3HA




OPENING TIMES:  10.00am - 4.30pm
ADMISSION:  Adults £4.50  Concessions £4.00  Children £2.00  Family £10.00 

There is a variety of layouts attending this year show including the societies own O Gauge Andil Yard pictured above and below. The end of the line, Gogton Middle, a layout that can be operated by visitors to the show so usually popular with the youngsters. OO Gauge Harchester Stabling Point a fictitious small demonstration layout located in the Midlands allowing for a wide variety of locomotive options. 

The popular Scalextric layout also returns and there will be a number of model Traders and Demonstrators in attendance as well as plenty of delicious refreshments on offer.

List of Layouts Attending :

0 Gauge 
Andil Yard (Left)
Gogton Middle 
The End of the Line 
A Display of Locomotives from the London and South Western Railway 



4mm 
Harchester Stabling Point 
Three Rail Hornby Dublo 
Savernake Lower GWR 
Bradley Junction GWR 

009 
East Quay, Chapel Pill 

N Gauge 
Burford

Nearest Railway Stations :
Westbury [0.68 miles] 
Dilton Marsh [1.18 miles] 
Warminster [3.73 miles] 
Trowbridge [4.28 miles]

HILLINGDON RAILWAY MODELLERS OPEN DAY -- SAT 29th OCTOBER

The next confirmed date for the hall is on Saturday 29th October, I will update when the others are confirmed but they tend to be every couple of months and there's usually another one shortly before Xmas. 

Yiewsley Baptist Church
74 Colham Avenue
West Drayton
UB7 8HF

* the entrance is at the side of the church down a path and the doors at the end should be open, don't try and enter the main doors of the church. 

These are excellent events laid on by the members of the society, but we must stress they are NOT exhibitions, but an Open Day to show off their various layouts and test tracks, and an opportunity to see many fine models running. 

Visitors are more than welcome to bring their own stock and give them a run there is a small cover charge to contribute to the cost of the Church Hall and refreshments are on sale throughout the day. 

Doors open from 10am and there's activity throughout the day until about 4pm. 

Here's a few pictures from some of last years Open Days, though I personally tend to focus on the O Gauge test track there are also Test Tracks available for OO and N Gauge too. 

 

People will bring a wide variety of stock to run, nearly all are kit built though and the skills / detail is incredible. 

Everyone will get their turn I promise.

This picture gives a good idea of the size of the O Gauge test track, you can give your models a really good work out here.


This can also transform into an exhibition layout called Grindley Brook a scenic section replaces the long straight down the back.
 

HOW TO GET THERE:
If you are Travelling by Car

Check here for Parking Options.

Nearest Railway Stations :

West Drayton [0.34 miles]