Workbench Witterings#13 Backdating Hornby Bulleid Merchant Navy to 21c11 General Steam Navigation as she was in January 1947

Following on from my previous Workbench Wittering posts where I have been forward dating Hornby Series One Merchant Navys #10 21c7 and #11 21c3 to their 1947 condition, as Hornby have so far only produced the very early 'Widows peak' style, this post is about how I have, this time, backdated a Hornby Series Two to create … Continue reading Workbench Witterings#13 Backdating Hornby Bulleid Merchant Navy to 21c11 General Steam Navigation as she was in January 1947

British Railways Modelling, World of Railways fourth virtual #BigWorldShow this weekend.

This weekend 4th/5th December sees the fourth World of Railways Virtual Exhibition, and a weekend filled with entertainment for all ages, model railways of all shapes, sizes and scales, plus informative model ‘how-to’ advice, and interviews with the brands who bring us the models we enjoy, including a in a couple of different interviews yours … Continue reading British Railways Modelling, World of Railways fourth virtual #BigWorldShow this weekend.

And now for something different… Southern related influences up t’north… some bank holiday reading

With this weekend being a bank holiday, with so far some typical overcast weather (at least it's not raining yet...), I thought I would provide some light reading based on my trip away, with the 35011 General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society last weekend, to some of Yorkshire's railway attractions where I was able to … Continue reading And now for something different… Southern related influences up t’north… some bank holiday reading

General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society awards contract for Trailing Truck restoration and confirm the grade of steel for the new crank axle

Two major steps forward for the General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society (GSNLRS), that aims to restore the Merchant Navy locomotive 21c11 / 35011 to her original as built condition complete with air smooth casing and Bulleid's unique chain driven valve gear, were announced at last weeks Annual General Meeting. Regular readers of my blog … Continue reading General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society awards contract for Trailing Truck restoration and confirm the grade of steel for the new crank axle

Smoke & Steam, new quarterly ‘bookazine’ includes a number of Southern related articles

A brand new quarterly 'bookazine' from Warners called 'Smoke & Steam' is published on 30th April.  It features some of the most famous – and not so famous – routes, featuring locomotive legends. With in-depth articles, including a few Southern related, explaining some of the most important moments of Britain’s railway history from a variety … Continue reading Smoke & Steam, new quarterly ‘bookazine’ includes a number of Southern related articles

The next Steam’s Lament book from Strathwood Books Merchant Navys, Q1, Leader and other works

Following on from the excellent Steam's Lament - Bulleid's Light Pacifics is the next title provided to me by my friends at Strathwood Publishing being Steam's Lament - Bulleid's Merchant Navy, Q1, Leader and Other Works .  This follows the same wide landscape format and contains 208 pages often with multiple black and white photographs … Continue reading The next Steam’s Lament book from Strathwood Books Merchant Navys, Q1, Leader and other works

#onthisday 25th April 1970 OVS Bulleid died

#onthisday 25th April 1970 Oliver Vaughan Snell Bulleid died, aged 87. He was the Southern Railway Chief Mechanical Engineer between 1937 and nationalisation in 1948. He is best celebrated for the development, under wartime conditions, of his Merchant Navy Pacifics which incorporated a host of novel ideas including the enclosed oil bath for the novel … Continue reading #onthisday 25th April 1970 OVS Bulleid died

Bulleid Merchant Navy update: No.11 gets a new Trustee and Director and No.6 and No.28 faultlessly perform #bulleidbrilliance

By the very nature of the fact that you read this blog of mine, you will I am sure like me not help but admire the Bulleid Merchant Navy paciifics in either original air smoothed or their later rebuilt form. It is of course  great that a number have been preserved and are at various … Continue reading Bulleid Merchant Navy update: No.11 gets a new Trustee and Director and No.6 and No.28 faultlessly perform #bulleidbrilliance

Merchant Navy pacific 35011 General Steam Navigation arrives at her new home @35011GSN

Further to my post here just last month about the planned move announced by  The General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society that 35011 will be moving to its new base of the Swindon and Cricklade Railway, I am pleased to be able to advise that just only four weeks later, on Monday 15th April, the move … Continue reading Merchant Navy pacific 35011 General Steam Navigation arrives at her new home @35011GSN

Great News about Merchant Navy pacific 35011 General Steam Navigation @35011GSN

Regular readers of this blog will know, via its dedicated page here that I am shareholder in 35011 General Steam Navigation. The intention of The General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society of course is to not only to return the Bulleid Merchant Navy Pacific 35011 General Steam Navigation to steam but also back to her … Continue reading Great News about Merchant Navy pacific 35011 General Steam Navigation @35011GSN