The Southern Railway following on from its constituents made use of Pull Push sets across the network and this practice carried on well into British Railways Southern Region days. Other railways companies also made of such although they were often also known as autocoach, motor coach or push pull sets on these other railways. Originally many of the units were converted from either ex steam railmotors, following early pre grouping experiments that found them to be inflexible and often under powered, and a mix of converted pre-grouping coaches.
Set 734 heads west past the shed at Fisherton Sarum
The main topic of this post are the nine Pull Push sets converted from ex LSWR 46′ 6″ Emigrant corridor stock in 1942/3 that created sets 731 to 739. The sets comprised of a Driving Brake Third and a Composite and they retained their corridor connection between the two coaches. Although converted at the same time there were differences between the sets: sets 731 to 4 were identical, sets 735/7 had a slightly different Brake Third, sets 738/9 shared the same style Brake Third as sets 735/7 but with a different style of composite; confusing I know! The sets were widely travelled over all three sections of the Southern network and survived until 1959/1961.
Set 734 arrives at Ashland
My model of Set 734 that appears on Fisherton Sarum from time to time, and occasionally Hornby Magazine’s Ashland is a Northstar Models built set. Unfortunately Northstar Models that manufactured a number of limited ready to run ex LSWR coaches are no longer available. They were a Christmas present to myself a few years ago now.
The Southern Region also created 20 Pull Push sets from late 1959 to mid 1960 as replacements for earlier Push Pull sets of SR and pre-grouping design. They consisted of two Maunsell vehicles, an ex-diagram 2403 BCK and an ex diagram 2005 SO. These sets have now been produced by Hornby and my review can read here, they do not run on Fisherton Sarum as they outside my usual 1946 to 1949 modelling period.
Well the annual event that is the Warley National Model Railway show at the NEC has now been and gone and by all accounts it appears that it was a good year for the show. I certainly thought that this year there was a good selection of layouts, attendance was apparently up by 8% and most of the traders appeared to be doing good business. I certainly had a good weekend on the Hornby Magazine stand operating Mike Wild’s Hettle layout despite it being N gauge, Midland Region and DCC meaning my comfort zone was somewhere outside of Hall 5, but I think I pulled it off!
As is becoming more usual now a number of suppliers and manufacturers time announcements, product development updates and availability of new product around the time of / during the show and this year was no exception. This post attempts to round up some of those items of interest from a Southern perspective.
Kernow Model Centre
As per my post on Saturday, Kernow Model Centre have announced they are to commission via Dapol a Beattie Well Tank in 7mm along with suitable china clay wagons. Pre ordering and making a deposit payment of £100 will give you a saving of £100 off the £299 usual price. A ready to run 0 Gauge loco for £199 is a bargain I am sure many will not be able to resist. Full details can be found on my previous post here. I predict a number of new Cornish china clay shelf type inglenook shunting layouts popping up due to these models, which could also be easily changed to be a decade or so later by switching the Well Tank for a Dapol Class 08!
They also had some of the livery samples of their Class 205 ‘Thumper’ DEMU on display, commissioned via Bachmann this certainly looks an excellent model.
Peco
At the show an entire area was dedicated to the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway with the full size replica L&B locomotive Lyd being a centre piece surrounded by more L & B layouts than you could shake a stick at.
Peco’s R-T-R L&B Wagons
Peco took the opportunity to announce a new range of ready to run wagons and coaches in 009. Initial releases will be a box van and an open wagon in both L & B grey and SR brown available early in the new year with suitable coaches to follow later. More details and pictures can be found here Whilst I am sure these will be popular with existing 009 modellers the current lack of any suitable R-T-R locomotives in 009 might still deter new entrants to the genre (although fingers crossed that perhaps locomotives might follow).
Bachmann
The long awaited C Class from Bachmann in both the exquisite full SECR livery and post 1937 Southern Liveries were available at the show and the BR black version is also imminent. I will be reviewing this model on this blog hopefully later in the week.
The EP of LMS diesel 10000
In their usual display cases at the show were a number of Engineering prototypes of current work in progress and their version of the LMS main line diesel twins 10000 and 10001 looked impressive, mentioned on here as they of course ran on the Southern Region. This model is in part commissioned by Rails of Sheffield with some livery versions being exclusive to them. Availability is anticipated to be early next year.
Dapol
Whilst the announcements made by Dapol at the show were for some modern image wagons in 0 Gauge (I assume to compliment their previously announced Class 08 shunter) they had for sale on the stand SR 5 and 8 plank open wagons also in 0 Gauge although I think these are generic open wagons rather based on specific SR prototypes.
Dapol have also rereleased their N Gauge CCT (Van U) utility van which appears to have been slightly updated with finer tooling and NEM coupling pockets.
RT Models
Robert continues to add useful detailing items to his ever expanding range that can be found at www.rtmodels.co.uk. I covered his etched LSWR and LBSC lamp irons in my post here and can now confirm that the LBSC version is now available and has enough irons for two locomotives including the extended bufferbeam irons.
On show for the first time at Warley were SR engine lamps very nicely cast in white metal offering a much finer scale alternative to those available from Spingside (although Robert’s do not have the jewelled lens).
Also under his custodianship the Albert Goodall range now includes cast white metal brake cylinders for the Bulleid Pacific 4500 and 5500 gallon tenders that are noticeably absent from the Hornby models and are well designed to be a simple direct fit.
Trafford Model Centre (TMC)
The TMC Mk1 Horseboxes, picture courtesy and copyright M Wild
The TMC commission, via Bachmann of the Mk1 Horsebox was available at the show and the weathered Southern Region green version I saw certainly looked extremely good. Further details can be found here.
We have commissioned Dapol to produce on our behalf the LSWR (SR) Beattie Well Tank 2-4-0WT in 7mm Scale O gauge.
Associated for many years with the Wenfordbridge branch while based at Wadebridge these models were commissioned in response to customer demand for the model to be produced in the senior scale following the award-winning model produced in OO gauge last year. This model was initially designed using the very accurate ‘Laser’ scanning technology with the original scan taking place at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre in 2009. With the research already completed this model is off to a flying start and we hope the O gauge model will be released around the end of 2013 or early 2014. The tooling for this model will be owned by Kernow Model Rail Centre.
The price of the Well Tank in O Gauge will be £299.99. You can save a massive £100 by paying a deposit of £100.00 immediately and the remaining £99.99 will be charged when the models are ready to be sent, making the total just £199.99. Paying this deposit does not commit you to buy and you are free at any time to cancel your order and receive a refund of this deposit in full. There are a limited number of this launch offer available and it may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice.
If you would prefer not to pay a deposit you can still place a pre-order without paying anything until the model arrives. If you chose this option you will still save £50 as the price will be reduced to £249.99. This offer will be withdrawn as soon as we receive the model after which all new purchases will be at the full £299.99. These models will be sent post free to UK addresses.
In addition we are pleased to announce that we have commissioned Dapol to produce two exclusive 7mm scale O Gauge wagon models.
The China Clay 5 Plank Open Wagon
This will be produced with four alternative running numbers and a weathered finish. This will be a newly tooled model with the tooling exclusive to Kernow Model Rail Centre. The price will be £59.99 and we expect the models to arrive towards the end of 2013. These models will be sent post free to UK addresses.
7 Plank Open Wagon number 30 in Helston Gas Company livery.
The Helston Gas Company operated a fleet of 5 wagons, numbered 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 to give the impression of a much larger fleet! We expect this model to arrive in the 1st Quarter of 2013 and the price will be £49.99. This model will be sent post free to UK addresses.
With this years announcements by Dapol of an 0 Gauge A1X ‘Terrier’ and also SR 25T ‘Pillbox’ brake vans it seems an interesting time for Southern 7mm modellers.
I mentioned in my Talking Stock # 17 Drummond’s 4-4-0s more than just T9s!, that whilst Drummond had managed some successful 4-4-0 designs his various 4-6-0’s for the London South Western Railway (LSWR) were somewhat more variable in performance. This was quite worrying as increased passenger loading, the requirement for faster schedules and in general heavier rolling stock increased the demands of the locomotive fleet. His previously introduced 4-6-0 class such as F13, E14, G14 and P14 classes did not live up to the expectations of performance. His final 4-6-0 was T14 class of ten locomotives that performed slightly better than his previous 4-6-0 attempts and gained further improvements once superheated, although coal and water consumption was still relatively high.
T14 number 461 built from a Nu-Cast kit in here post rebuilt form with a stovepipe chimney
Under the auspices of Maunsell the entire class was rebuilt in 1930/1 with raised running pates replacing the driving wheel valance, that lead originally to the class nickname ‘Paddleboxes’, although the smokebox saddle that curved to meet the top of the cylinders and the length of low running plate at the front end was retained. Mechanical lubricators were also fitted that cured the class of the hot axle box issue that blighted all of Drummond’s 4-6-0s.
My T14 class In her alternative guise as number 30461 and early 1948 British Railways livery (well you can only see one side at once)
Even after this rebuilding the class, due to the success of the N15 ‘King Arthur’ class the T14s were generally limited to secondary trains. In 1940 a quirk of fate meant that number 447 received a stovepipe chimney (due to no other being available) and as a result the loco’s steaming ability was improved. Subsequently all but one members of the class were so fitted.
T14 number 30461 running past Fisherton Sarum
My model of T14 number 461 is a Nu-Cast white metal kit and is in fact in early 1948 livery on one side (like a number of my fleet) as number 30641 and ‘British Railways’ in Southern ‘Sunshine’ style lettering as she carried until the early 1950’s.
Dugald Drummond joined the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) in 1895 as Locomotive Engineer, succeeding William Adams (see my Talking Stock # 14 post here) having previously worked for the North British Railway, London Brighton & South Coast Railway and the Caledonian Railway. His title changed to Chief Mechanical Engineer in January 1905 and he remained in this position with the LSWR until his death on 8 November 1912 aged 72.
During his time with the LSWR he was responsible for the introduction of 18 locomotive types including from the diminutive C14 class, 700’s, M7’s, a number of 4-4-0 classes including of course the renown T9 ‘Greyhounds’ class a small number of 4-6-0’s classes such as the T14’s and also a couple of railcars too. Over ten of these classes were long lived and survived well into British Railways ownership with the last of the D15 class not being withdrawn until 1956.
This post highlights some of the examples of Dougal Drummond’s 4-4-0’s that I have models of (some of his other classes will no doubt be the subject of future posts) and can sometimes be seen running on Fisherton Sarum. Many of these these examples have been kit built.
T9 Class no. 119 from the first batch built was used by both the LSWR, SR and BR(S) for royal train duties and post 1946 was the only member of the class to be painted in lined malachite green. This is a Hornby model.
Although not his first 4-4-0 design for the LSWR, that was the C8 class, his second is probably his most well known and much loved being the T9 class known as ‘greyhounds’. First introduced in 1899 the 66 strong class had a 10′ wheel base and a 7’4″ firebox (both 1ft longer than the C8) with 6’7″ driving wheels. once superheated during the 1920’s their performance was legendary.
T9 Class No. 729 from the second batch coupled to a 3500 gallon 6 wheel tender. Again this is a Hornby model but repainted.
The first twenty engines were built at Nine Elms between June 1899 and February 1900. At the same time thirty engines were built by Dubs & Co A further fifteen engines were built at Nine Elms between December 1900 and October 1901.
T9 Class no. 312 from the final batch, note the wider cab and splashers and no secondary splasher for the coupling rods. Built from a Wills white metal kit (although Hornby have also produced the wide cab variant.
This batch were identifiable by having wider cabs and splashers which enclosed the throw of the coupling rods unlike the earlier batches with narrow cabs and separate additional smaller splashers for the rods.
Whilst most people associate this class with the Drummond 4000 gallon inside bearing ‘watercart’ tenders a number were paired to 6 wheel 3500 gallon tenders and these weere swapped about during the lifetime of the class.
K10 Class No. 389 ‘Small Hopper’ with 3500 gallon 6 wheel tender. Built from a Sharp etched brass kit
In 1901/2 Drummond introduced the K10 class known as “Small Hoppers”, a class of 40 which shared the same cylinders, boiler and firebox as the earlier C8 class but with 5’7″ driving wheels for mixed traffic duties. Like the C8 class their steaming ability was not great so they generally were kept on secondary routes.
L11 Class No. 405 ‘ Large Hopper’ with a 4000 gallon inside frame ‘watercart’ bogie tender. Built from a Loddon Models etched brass kit
1903 saw the introduction of the ‘Large Hoppers’ officially the L11 class again of 40 locomotives, these were in effect the slightly larger brother of the K10 class, still with 5’7″ driving wheels but with the same longer wheel base and firebox of the T9 class. Like the K10 they were never superheated.
1903 also saw the introduction of the 10 locos of the S11 class essentially an adaptation of the T9, also superheated but with smaller 6′ drivers and larger 4’9″ boiler. This class was followed by the L12 class of 20 locos in 1904 that was a further adaption of S11 class with the larger boiler but higher pitched on the essentially same chassis as the T9. I am yet to add these classes to my fleet.
D15 Class No. 466. Built from a BEC white metal kit.
The final 10 Drummond 4-4-0’s introduced were the D15 class which was a verson of the L12 class but with a longer boiler and firebox, with an overall 18″ longer wheelbase than the T9.
D15 Class No. 467 also from a BEC kit and awaiting weathering
The D15s performed exceptionally well and were put to work on the Bournemouth line run where, apparently, many drivers preferred them to the less successful Drummond 4-6-0’s designs. They latterly saw extensive use on the Portsmouth line.
To follow after the LSWR style, but not availble just yet, will be a similar etch for the London Brighton and South Coast (LBSCR) style irons that will include the longer buffer beam mounted irons that were a recognisable feature of their locomotives rather than mounting the irons on the smokebox.
At £2.00 this is a low cost etch that will be a good alternative to using either generic lamp iron etches or as I currently do slightly over scale Bambi staples!
I certainly look forward to Robert continuing to add such useful Southern related detailing parts to his range at RT Models.
William Adams was the Locomotive Superintendent of the London South Western Railway between 1878 and his retirement due to ill health in 1895. He arrived having held similar positions on the North London Railway and the Great Eastern Railway at Stratford. On the LSWR he was responsible for the introduction of 524 locomotives across 16 classes ranging from diminutive 0-4-0 B4 tanks to 4-4-0 express tender engines such as the T6 and X6 classes and the of course the 0415 class Radial tanks that achieved longevity and fame on the Lyme Regis Branch. Adams also supervised the expansion of the Nine Elms locomotive works and the transfer of the carriage and wagon works to Eastleigh (which would also later become the locomotive works as well).
Whilst many of the classes introduced were withdrawn by the 1930’s a large number survived well into British Railways ownership. This post highlights some of the examples that I have models of and can sometimes be seen running on Fisherton Sarum. All these examples have been kit built.
0395 class number 3441 built from a DJH kit and awaiting weathering
First up is the 395 Class (later 0395 class) originally a class of 70 0-6-0 tender locomotives introduced between 1881 and 1886, 20 passed onto the Southern Railway in 1923 with 18 surviving into British Railways days. Number 3441 (30577 in BR days) pictured here was allocated to Salisbury during the 1940’s and used on shed and station pilot duties as well as shunting the west yard. withdrawals took place from 1953 with the last being 30567 in September 1959 after 76 years of service.
A12 number 654 built from Nu-Cast kit
The A12 Class of 0-4-2 tender locomotives were first introduced in 1887, at the time of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, and the class were known as ‘Jubilees’. Fifty were built at Nine Elms with a further 40 contracted out to Neilson & Co at Glasgow. For quite a diminutive engine they were surprisingly capable on heavy excursions and troop train movements, goods services to the west of England, Weymouth and Southampton and passenger train services in north and central Devon. All 90 entered Southern Railway service and the last of the class was not withdrawn until 1948 (although the four that survived, just, into the British Railways ownership did not gain a BR number).
T1 class number 10 built from a Craftsman kit
The 50 strong T1 class of 0-4-4 tanks were introduced in 1888 and a second batch in 1894 and were essentially a tank version of the A12 class. The second world war prolonged the life of these engines with 15 (from the second batch) entering BR ownership and lasting until 1951. Number 10 again was again a Salisbury based locomotive usually deployed on shed and station pilot duties.
O2 Class number 213 and mainland non pull push fitted example built from a SE Finecast kit.
The O2 class of 60 0-4-4 tank locomotives were introduced in 1889 and despite their size proved powerful and were a development of the T1 class. They were originally intended to replace the ageing Beattie tanks. They ended up generally on branch line use across the ex LSWR network although of course off the mainland the class is most associated with their use on the Isle of Wight railways. A Ready to run model in 4mm has been commissioned by the Kernow Model Centre in both mainland, IoW and pull push versions.
G6 Class number 237 built from a Wills (SE Finecast) kit on a re-wheeled Wrenn chassis block
Lastly for this post is the G6 class of 34 0-6-0 tank locomotives (Adams only 0-6-T design) and was based on the O2 utilising the same boiler resulting an a compact tank. A number of the class were built well after Adams retired a testimony to his design. Only 2 of the class did not make it into BR ownership although withdrawals occurred in 1951 the last member of the class survived until 1962.
Although not iconically named after Arthurian legends until (Sir) John Elliot joined the Southern Railway in 1925, and set up what is reputedly the UKs first Public Relations Department, the N15 ‘King Arthur’ class of 4-6-0 locomotives were first designed by Urie of the London and South Western Railway in 1918. The design was adopted and modified by Maunsell as the newly appointed CME of the Southern Railway and this along with differing build batches, including some contracted to North British in Glasgow, means that there are a number of variations within the class both internally and externally.
Urie N15 no. 745 ‘Tintagel’ n Bulleid Malachite Green livery
The external more obvious variations include: tenders, cab profiles, footplate / running board heights (to match tenders), smoke deflectors, blastpipe / chimney and safety valves. Hornby with their model of the N15 class, first introduced in 2007,
Urie N15 no. 744 ‘Maid of Astolat’ in Bulleid black livery
have managed to successfully incorporate a number of these variations within their tooling. This post is not a full history of the class, as more can be found elsewhere such as here on the excellent SeMG website, but to simply illustrate the variations (and those renumbered, renamed and reliveried by myself) that can be seen on Fisherton Sarum.
Maunsell G14 ‘rebuild’ no. 455 ‘Sir Launcelot’, Still Urie style but note the Drummond style watercart tender.
The first batch introduced by Urie between 1918 and 1923, numbers 736 to 755, featured the LSWR style high arc cab roof profile and Urie style safety valves and 5000 gallon bogie style tenders.
During 1925 Maunsell ordered a number of G14 class engines to be ‘rebuilt’ as N15 class instead (although in practice these were new engines), numbers 448 to 457, and these can be identified from the original Urie builds due to the reuse of the G14 4300 gallon watercart style tenders.
Maunsell ‘Scotch Arthur’ no. 785 ‘Sir Mador de la Porte’ note the different safety valves and cab roof profile. This model I have repainted into Malachite as Hornby have not to date released an Maunsell version in this livery.
As the number of the class required by Maunsell in 1925 exceeded build capacity at the time a batch, numbers 763 to 792 was ordered from north British of Glasgow. Known as the ‘Scotch Arthurs’ these featured redesigned steam passages & cylinders and the new composite loading gauge style Maunsell Cab roof profile and safety valves.
Maunsell ‘Scotch Arthur’ no. 782 ‘ Sir Brian’ in Bulleid black livery, 782 retained this black livery until it gained BR Brunswick green, not gaining Malachite.
The final batch built at Eastleigh in 1926/7, numbers 793 to 806 were similar in design to the Scotch Arthurs but were paired with standard Ashford style 3500 gallon 6 wheel tenders, for use on the central section, and the running plate height at the cab end was raised to suit. I do not have a model of this variation.
Urie N15 no. 736 ‘Excalibur’ as fitted with the Lemaitre blastpipe and larger diameter chimney in January 1941
Five of the class from the Urie batch were fitted by Bulleid with Lemaitre blastpipes and large diameter chimneys to try and improve steaming (in addition 792 was the only Maunsell version so fitted). Number 755 ‘The Red Knight’ also carried unique vertical smoke deflectors in conjunction with it being fitted with the Lemaitre blastpipe. (Hornby originally announced their Lemaitre version as being 755 but changed it rather than tool revised deflectors).
Oil burning conversion no. 740’Merlin’ note the tank in the tender coal space and the electric lighting, powered by the generator just behind the smoke deflector. This is modified Wills Kit rather than a Hornby model.
One further variation is that four members of the class were converted for a short while in 1946 to Oil Firing, which involved modification to the fire grate, the oil tank fitted in the tender coal space and the additon of a steam generator and electric lighting. This was short lived and by the end of 1947 were converted back to conventional coal burning.
Today is the turn of Wood Street, nr Guildford to host one of the quarterly meetings of the South Western Circle . The SWC is historical society of the London & South Western Railway and for anyone interested in the development, history or simply modelling the proper railways to south west that formed the Western Section of the Southern Railway, it is well worth joining. Membership give access to the meetings, an excellent quarterly publication (and yes it’s a proper publication rather than just a newsletter), drawings, photographs and portfolios on LSWR subjects.
Today’s meeting is an illustrated presentation / discussion (as the meetings are very much open to all to contribute) by Colin Chivers on the East Devon branch lines to Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton and Sidmouth.
Such presentations are always on LSWR or ex LSWR subjects and not strictly restricted to just the pre grouping period which all helps broaden the interest. Members of the Circle includes many well known historians, authors, publishers and modellers whose attendance at these meetings adds to the discussions, the interest and information gained. All in all a very pleasant way to spend a few hours on a Saturday afternoon. I totally recommend the South Western Circle to anyone with like minded interests,
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The model railway world and mainly Southern Railway meanderings of Graham 'Muz' Muspratt
