Tag Archives: Bulleid Light Pacifics

Model News

New CAD images released by Dapol of Bulleid Light Pacifics in N Gauge

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Last weekend at the International N Gauge show (TINGS) Dapol released images of new Cads for their proposed Bulleid Light Pacifics in N Gauge.

Dapol first announced their intention to produce Bulleid Light Pacifics in N Gauge back in 2012, yes 2012  and showed some initial cads at the time that quite frankly required quote a bit of work. The project was then put on hiatus. These new improved Cads do show that the project has been picked up again and that some good progress has now been made.

The models will have newly designed electronics, chassis and include Dapol’s loco mounted motor advised as giving “excellent slow speed running and haulage capability” The full features proposed are as follows:

  • Powerful new locomotive mounted motor
  • Electrical pick up from all locomotive and tender wheels
  • Diecast chassis and locomotive body, injection moulded tender body
  • Partial chassis compensation for smooth running and to aid electrical pickup
  • Stainless steel valve gear and coupling rods
  • Standard NEM couplings
  • Printed name plates
  • Accessory bag with etched nameplates and details buffer beam fittings

The Cads also show variations in smoke deflector type and both original flat fronted and later modified ‘wedge’ shape cabs, along with high rave and cut down tender types (we are yet to see details of the full suite of variations, including tender capacities, being tooled for).

Initially Dapol will be producing the original Light Pacifics  with air smoothed casing, they advise that the rebuilt versions will follow in due course.  The proposed versions are:

  • 2S-034-001 21C164 ‘Fighter Command’ SR Malachite green
  • 2S-034-002 34055 ‘Spitfire’ BR green, late crest
  • 2S-034-003 34110 ’66 Squadron’ BR green, early crest
  • 2S-034-004 21C113 ‘Okehampton’ SR Malachite green
  • 2S-034-005 34030 ‘Watersmeet’ BR green, late crest
  • 2S-004-006 34001 ‘Exeter’ BR green, early crest

The proposed RRP for DCC ready versions is £206.95, for DCC fitted £238.00 and for DCC sound fitted £341.55 and delivery is expected to be during 2024 at the earliest.

You can keep up to date with all N Gauge modelling news, on my friend and excellent N Gauge modeller Tom Everitt’s highly recommended, ngaugenews.com website

General, Kernow Models, Model News

Hornby announce their 2022 range, new liveries for SR/BR(s) items

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Hornby have today announced their forthcoming range for 2022. Although no tooling from a Southern Railway perspective modellers, the highlights include new versions of the Class 423 4-VEP EMUs, a new Dublo version of the original Merchant Navy and new LSWR and Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway liveried ‘generic’ coaches.

New Tooling

Hornby’s new tooling for 2022 moves away from the SR this year with a brand new LMS Black 5, LMS Princess Royal Class ‘The Turbomotive’, a revised HST power car and Mk3 coaches, the larger Sentinel industrial 0-6-0 diesel, LNER Coronation coaches and ‘beaver tail’ observation car, Class 755/3 & 755/4 ‘Flirt’ electric and bi-mode units and the GWR Loriot Y machinery well truck.  A Limited Edition version of the LNER A4 also enters the Dublo range with a cast metal body.

Locomotives and EMUs

Although technically no new locomotive tooling for Southern modelers; however we see the re-introduction of the Class 423 4-VEP EMU, Hornby are listing this as new tooling, but it is  the original tooling with only minor corrections such as to the front cab area, the first class internal partitions now having windows, improved inter coach coupling and power transfer, 5 pole motor bogie and now is also 21 pin DCC ready.

  • R30106 – Southern Class 423/1 4-VEP EMU Train Pack – final condition as between 2003 and 2005 – Unit Number 3514 [Q4]
  • R30107 – South West Trains Class 423 4-VEP EMU Train Pack – post refurbished condition as between 1996 and 2004 – Unit number TBA [Q4]

  • R30122 – Departmental A1X ‘Terrier’ 0-6-0 D.S.680 in lLancing Works shunter livery as carried between March 1952 and withdrawal on 4th June 1962. [Q4]

  • R30140 –  BR M7 Class 0-4-4T 30244 in British Railways (Gills Sans) malachite green livery as carried between September 1948 and January 1952 and allocated to Nine Elms. [Q4]

  • R3434 – SR Merchant Navy Class 4-6-2 21C1 ‘Channel Packet’  a reintroduction as originally released in 2017 (delayed from 2016) in as when introduced condition with widows peak and horseshoe smokebox door plate as between in June1941 and August 1941. A limited run of 500 models.[Q4]

  • R30129 – BR Battle of Britain Class 4-6-2 34072 ‘257 Squadron’  in early BR malachite green livery with British railways in Sunshine lettering as carried between her introduction in April 1948 and April 1952 when she gained BR Green. [Q4]

  • R30114 – BR West Country Class 4-6-2 34046 ‘Braunton’ in BR Green livery and high rave tender with early emblem as she an between Jan 1954 and June 1957. [Q4]

  • R30112 – Hornby Dublo – Merchant Navy 4-6-2 Lamport & Holt’ BR Green livery with early emblem as carried between June 1952 and July 1955. Limited Edition of 500 models. [Q3]

  • R30153 – BR Class 50 Co-Co 50044 ‘Exeter’ in Network South East livery as carried from April 1982. New 21pin DCC socket [Q2]

  • R30154 – BR Class 50 Co-Co 50042 ‘Triumph’  in BR large logo livery as carried from May 1982. New 21pin DCC socket [Q3]

Other Train packs

  • R30123 – K&ESR Terrier 150th Anniversary Pack –  A1 No. 70 Poplar in LBSC ‘Improved engine Green as running prior to sale to K&ESR in 1901 and A1X 2678 in SR Sunshine black as currently preserved. A Limited Edition of 500 numbered train packs. [Q4]

  • R3961 – Isle of Wight Central Railway, Terrier Train Pack – Era 3 A1X No. 11 and three ‘Generic’ 4 wheel coaches (Composite, Brake Third and Full Brake) [Q4]

Coaching Stock

  • R40221 SR, Maunsell Dining Saloon Third [sic] (actually a Composite Dining Saloon), 7844 to Diagram 2658 in SR green as approximately between 18th November 1947 and mid 1949. She was outshopped Crimson and Cream livery4th February 1955, however the SR style lettering was likely to have been amend to BR style before the end of 1949 .[Q4]

  • R40222 BR, Maunsell Dining Saloon First [sic] (actually a Composite Dining Saloon), S7842S to  Diagram 2658 in Crimson and Cream livery as carried in between 7th December 1954 and being outshopped BR(S) Green 12th August 1957. [Q4]

  • R40289 LSWR, 6 Wheel Coach, 1st Class, 490, R40291 LSWR, 6 Wheel Coach, 3rd Class, 821, R40293 LSWR, 6 Wheel Coach, 3rd Class, 648, R40295 LSWR, 4 Wheel Coach, Passenger Brake, 82 (Generic) [Q3]

  • R40296 S&DJR, 6 Wheel Coach, 1st Class,  R40298 S&DJR, 6 Wheel Coach, 3rd Class, 109, R40300 S&DJR, 6 Wheel Coach, 3rd Class, 72, R40302 S&DJR, 4 Wheel Coach, Passenger Brake, 8 (Generic) [Q3]

  • R60090 – SR Gangwayed Bogie Luggage Van no. 2467 in SR Maunsell Olive Green livery to Diagram 3099. [Q4]

Skaledale – South Eastern buildings

A nice range of SER buildings is included in the Skaledale ready to plant resin buildings range due to be available Q4,

The range includes:

  • R7362 – SER Station
  • R7363 – SER Station Building
  • R7364 – SER Platform Shelter
  • R7365 – SER Signal Box
  • R7366 – SER Footbridge

The full Hornby 2022 range can be found on the Hornby website here of the RMweb forum here and of course all items can be pre-ordered / purchased from our friends at the Kernow Model Rail Centre.

Model News, Model Reviews

New Golden Arrow etched plates from 247 Developments

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My good friend, excellent modeller and proprietor of 247 Developments Brian Mosby has advised me that he now has produced in his vast etched range Golden Arrow headboard and Arrows that adorned either Rebuilt Bulleid pacifics or BR Britannia 70004. He has also produced the rectangular style headboard used when Bulleid 1Co-Co1 diesel 10202 was used during 1954 on the prestigious Pullman service.

247 Developments Golden Arrow plates

The famous ‘Golden Arrow’ name was first used in 1929, although the origins of the service dates back as afar as 1882 and the final service ran on 30th September 1972. Unlike the ‘Night Ferry’ service passengers would travel by ferry from Dover or Folkestone to Calais where they boarded a similarly prestigious French train under the French name Flêche d’ Or. Ten all-new Pullmans were built from 1949 and entered service as the “Festival of Britain Golden Arrow” on 11th June 1951.

21c1 hauls the the Press Run for the inauguration of the post war “Golden Arrow” on 13th April 1946. The larger Arrow can be seen on the casing side. (GRM collection)

Before WWII the “Golden Arrow” was usually worked by Lord Nelson class locos, For the resurrected post war service the first locomotive used was 21C1 Channel Packet, although though from 1946 a Bulleid light pacific. When in original form as well as the headboard a large arrow was carried on the side of the casing.

34100 Appledore on the last steam hauled Golden Arrow, picture courtesy of Mike Morant

A smaller arrow was used affixed to the smoke deflectors of rebuilt Bulleid light pacifics. Although between 1956 and 1959 No. 35015 Rotterdam Lloyd was the only rebuilt Merchant Navy to be used and and for a while in the early1950s, BR Britannia 70004 William Shakespeare. Light pacific 34100 Appledore hauled the last steam worked Golden Arrow on 11th June 1961 when electric traction took over with what were to become Class 71 locomotives.

In addition 247 Developments stock other SR named train headboards, numerous BR(S) smokebox door number plates for many ex SR classes, dated smokebox door roundels for the Bulleid pacifics and SR Engine Head Signal route discs. Brian’s products are of excellent quality and I can wholeheartedly recommend them.

Fisherton Sarum, General

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

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Merry Christmas to you all, fill up your life with love, compassion, tolerance, peace, happiness and perhaps hopefully some time for modelling.

Who knows what the next few weeks or even months might continue to bring,  please make the time to contact your friends and family, especially those whom might be alone, and not able to be in the company of others during these still most unusual of times. It is good and OK to simply ask “Are you OK?” and likewise it is “OK not to be OK” and reach out for assistance. The one good thing, if anything, this past 18 months has been the kindness and generosity of others to help and support each other, and long may this continue.

As the festive season and New Year break is upon us, I just wanted to say many thanks to all of you whom have taken the time to read my ramblings over the past 12 months. I hope you have found such ramblings interesting and informative.  I have always enjoyed corresponding with many of you that have made contact me via email or the comments field on my various posts. I look forward to corresponding with you again in the New Year and maybe, hopefully, in person at an exhibition…

A further flurry of activity will be taking place at the start of the new year with Hornby (January 10th) announcing its 2022 range followed a few weeks later, at the beginning of February, by Bachmann making the next of their now quarterly range announcements.  I will as always bring you all the Southern Railway / Southern Region related news on here as soon as their announcements are made.

Seasons greetings, whatever your faith or beliefs, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (or Nadelik Lowen ha Blydhen Nowydh Da! from the boss’ side of the Tamar) to you all! 

and finally…

A Pictionary carol, snapped in my locality, for more of my local photography check out my Twitter feed and use the hashtag #viewfromthecottage  

Book Reviews, Model News

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

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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 per page along with well researched and informative captions.

Steam’s Lament – Bulleid’s Merchant Navy, Q1, Leader and Other Works features every one of the Merchant Navy Pacifics in both original and rebuilt condition, together with a photograph of every one of the forty Q1s and all three of the Leaders that were built. Also included are some of Bulleid’s other works including his diesel & electric locomotive designs.

The photographs are from a number of sources such as: Colour Rail, Rail photoprints ,  Anistr.com,  Rail-Online.com and the Transport Treasury so will not be new to many of us, there are also a number of photographs from other sources such as Strathwood‘s own library, that are not so familiar and many that I have not seen before. The selection of photographs covers details and variation in liveries and naming and shows the locomotives in action, on shed and in close up. The benefit is that the they are all nicely reproduced in the one book and at a good size afforded by the wide landscape format.

It is of course good to see pictures of my favourite Merchant Navys 21c6/35006  ‘Peninsular & Oriental SN Co’ and 21c11/35011 ‘General Steam Navigation’ included with again some images new to me.

As well as the Leader, the book includes a few examples of: Bulleid’s drafting improvements with Lemaitre multiple-jet blast pipes and their associated large diameter chimneys, his 500hp 0-6-0 shunter 11001, the 350hp 0-6-0 shunters, the 10201-3 main line diesels and also the Bulleid/Raworth electric locos 20001-3.

By covering each locomotive in turn and including images from different periods of their working life it provides a great reference for railway historians and modellers alike, a welcome addition to my library and wholeheartedly recommended.

 

Book Reviews, Model News

Two new titles from Strathwood Books for Light Pacific and EMU enthusiasts

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Two new books recently published and provided to me by my friends at Strathwood Publishing are Southern Lament – Bulleid’s Light Pacifics and Southern Electrics Scrapbook Volume II.  These wide landscape format books contain 208 and 176 pages respectively often with multiple black and white photographs per page along with well researched and informative captions.

The first book, Southern Lament – Bulleid’s Light Pacifics features each of the 110 Bulleid Light Pacifics in turn covering them in both original and where relevant rebuilt form. The photographs are from a number of sources such as: Colour Rail, Rail photoprints  and the Transport Treasury so will not be new to many of us, there are also a number of photographs from other sources such as Strathwood‘s own library, that are not so familiar and many that I have not seen before. They are all nicely reproduced and at a good size afforded by the wide landscape format.
By covering each locomotive in turn and including images from different periods of their working life it provides a great reference for railway historians and modellers alike.
It was good to see the number of detail variations and differences in liveries included and well highlighted within the captions. The differences in liveries and lettering styles around the time of nationalisation is a particular interest of mine and gives further food for thought for some future models. I particularly liked the image of 34036 having been renumbered but still in malachite but with a large early British Railways emblem on the tender one of only four to have that particular combination. I certainly recommend this book to any Bulleid enthusiast.

The second book Southern Electrics Scrapbook Volume II is another new selection of excellent photographs to compliment all of the previous volumes detailing the Southern Region’s fleet of EMUs,  Different chapters cover topics such as: Blue is the colour, Kent Coast electrics inside and out, Snow worries, Passing the box, Everyday service, Towards push & pull on the Bournemouth line,  and Specials.
As with the Southern Lament book some of the photographs being from sources such as: Colour Rail, Brian Stephenson and Anistr.com might be familiar to some however a large number are from other collections and were certainly new to me.
All the photographs include informative and detailed captions from David Brown the renowned author on all matters Southern Electric.
Obviously the majority of the photographs cover the variety of Electric Multiple units ranging from the: 1940 Waterloo and City stock, early variety of 4-Subs, 2-Nols, 2-Hals , 2-Bils, 4-Cors, 6-Pan, 6-Pul and Brighton Belles through to the BR built MK1 based units.  The book doesn’t forget the locomotive scene either with classes 71, 73 and, of particular interest to me at the moment, the Bulleid Raworth booster electric locomotives.
Not all the images actually include an EMU or locomotive but include the infrastructure of the time and along with many of the photographs allowing the eye to be drawn away from the main subject the combination of details and entire scenes within the photographs will assist modellers of the period and give or take a few years as well.

Both these Strathwood Publishing books are well worth a read regardless of your particular direct interest as they include a variety of information and inspiration across a wide range of areas.

35006, 35011, Fisherton Sarum

#onthisday 25th April 1970 OVS Bulleid died

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#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.

A line up of Bulleid Pacific’s outside Fisherton Sarum shed. 

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 chain-driven valve gear, clasp brakes, his own Bulleid-Firth-Brown version of the Box-Pok cast wheels and Air Smoothed casing.
His other designs also included the smaller but similar West Country and Battle of Britain classes; the outstanding austerity Q1 0-6-0 and the novel Leader 0-6-6-0T as well as diesel and electric designs.
After nationalisation he moved to Ireland becoming CME of CIE where he promoted dieselisation of the Irish national railway system as well as trialling a peat-burning steam locomotive similar to his SR Leader in concept.
British Railways rebuilt all of the Merchant Navy and most of the smaller WC and BB Pacifics to more conventional appearance.

The ‘Times’ obituary described Bulleid as the ‘last truly progressive mechanical engineer of the steam locomotive era’.RIP

Bullied is very much my own engineering idol and s such I am involved with a number of his locomotives as below and further support of these Societies would always be welcome.

T

35011 at her new home on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway

he 35011 General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society are aiming to return 21C121 / 35011 to his original inspired condition including the enclosed oil bath for the chain-driven valve gear and air smoothed casing. I am proud and honoured to be a be Trustee of the Locomotive Restoration Society and a Director of the owning CIC. More details on how to support this project can be found here.

No.6 runs round at Cheltenham Racecourse

The 35006 Locomotive Society have restored Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co.to working order and she has been in action on the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Steam Railway since May 2016. She has proved extremely popular and has always been turned out in immaculate condition Further details on how to support the 35006 locomotive Society can be found here.

A view from the line, Fisherton Sarum

Happy Spring Equinox

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By way of a distraction from the current COVID-19 situation, today is the Spring Equinox so I thought I would celebrate the start of spring and the cheery splash of colour that daffodils bring at this time of year!

Spring time at Fisherton Sarum, T14 class No 461 heads west passing the ‘daffodils’ appearing on the embankment between the main line and 21c159 “Sir Archibald Sinclair” waiting on shed.

In the meantime stay safe, keep in contact (not physical) and if possible assist with any isolating family, friends and neighbours, keep washing your hands, support those key people that can not work from home and are required to keep our services, shops, deliveries and the fantastic NHS running!

Remember that the only things worth panic buying are Southern Model Railway items (click here for help to do this)!