This months picture…
Picture of the Month – December 2023
Tag Archives: Southern Region
London Calling… Canute Road Quay to appear at The Model Railway Club’s 10th December mini-exhibition
Canute Road Quay will be making another appearance at The Model Railway Club’s open day / mini exhibition being held on Sunday 10th December at their London Keen House club rooms.
It will be six years to the very day when Canute Road Quay last appeared at Keen House, having managed to still attend the event despite four inches of snow having fallen the night before!
The event at Keen House, 4 Calshot Street, London, N1 9DA is open between 11am and 4.30pm, £5 for adults £1 for children.
The MRC shop stocks a wide selection of pre-owned models for sale and refreshments (including a selection of freshly made rolls and Greene King beers) will be available.
Please note there are steps or stairs to all rooms.
Keen House is ideally located for travel by public transport with King’s Cross station a few minutes walk away and a number of bus routes stopping even closer, parking is available in local side streets free of charge on Sundays.
Rapido Trains UK announce SECR/SR O1 Class 0-6-0 in 00 gauge.
Rapido Trains UK have announced they are to produce the SECR/SR O1 Class 0-6-0 in 00 gauge. This will complement their range of SECR /SR goods wagons.
Between 1878 and 1899 122 O Class locos were built designed by James Stirling. Following the first group of 20 that were built by Sharp, Stewart and Co., several more batches were completed, both by them and by the South Eastern Railway Ashford Works. The final five locos were built in 1899 By the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. In 1903 Wainwright started rebuilding the class, to become the 01 class, with domed boilers and a squared cab. 58 were so treated by 1918, with another rebuilt by the Southern Railway in 1927. Those O Class locomotives not rebuilt were all withdrawn by 1925.
A total of 49 members of the O1 class survived into British Railways ownership with the final member of the class 31065 earning one final claim to fame by leading the ‘Farewell to Steam’ railtour on the Hawkhurst Branch, before being withdrawn from service in June 1961. Thankfully she is now preserved in full working order on the Bluebell Railway.
The Rapido Trains UK model will feature a smooth-running mechanism, a factory-installed speaker, a 21pin DCC interface, a sleek tender connection and a firebox glow. The model is currently ready for tooling, and it is hoped to have samples in the spring. At the moment only the 3D test print and livery renders have been made available.
- 966001: 65 Wainwright Green, As Preserved
- 966002: No.373 Wainwright Green
- 966003: No.385 SECR Grey
- 966004: No.A7 SR Lined Black, Maunsell Lettering
- 966005: No.1437 SR Plain Black, Maunsell Lettering
- 966006: No.1046 SR Bulleid Black early Bulleid lettering
- 966007: No.1379 SR Bulleid Sunshine lettering
- 966008: No.100 East Kent Railway Black
- 966009: No.s1065 British Railways Sunshine lettering
- 966010: No.31064 British Railways Early Crest Unlined Black
- 966011: No.31065 British Railways Late Crest Unlined Black
These are now available to pre-order with an RRP of £199.95 DCC Ready or £309.95 DCC Sound Fitted. This announcement is part of Rapido trains UK winter range announcement (the hint of a format to come..) and prior to the Warley National Model Railway Exhibition 25/26th November, for completeness Rapido trains UK have also announced the Cornish Bagnall Port of Par ‘Twins’ 0-4-0ST, the GNR Stirling Single No.1 (with small tender) and the GNR J52/2 0-60T, these and the O1 are available to pre-order at Rapido trains UK or with a discount at stockists such as KMRC.
Bachmann announce the SR Bulleid/Raworth Electric Locomotives CC1/20001 & CC2/20002 as part of their EFE Rail Range and the refurbished 4-cep joins the Bachmann Branchlines range
As part of their quarterly British Railway Announcements for Winter 2023 Bachmann have announced the the SR Bulleid/Raworth Electric Locomotives CC1/20001 & CC2/20002 in their EFE Rail Range. I have developed these models in my role with Kernow Model Rail Centre for the Bachmann EFE Rail brand. The Refurbished CEP in the Bachmann Branchline range has been bolstered with a fourth vehicle to create a Refurbished 4-CEP.
By the late 1930s the Southern Railway’s electrified system had expanded beyond the suburbs sufficiently to consider using electrical traction on more than just multiple units. Accordingly, two experimental Co-Co mixed traffic electric locomotives were designed and constructed by Oliver Bulleid and Alfred Raworth (who was chief electrical engineer for the Southern Railway from 1938 until 1946).
To overcome the problem of ‘gapping’ when the gap between conductor rails is longer than the distance between the locomotive’s pickups the traction power from the 3rd rail was used to drive two motor generator sets with heavy flywheels. Thus, power to the traction motors would be maintained by the motor generator sets being driven by the flywheel when the traction supply was briefly lost. These motor-generator-flywheel sets were referred to as “boosters” which also became the nickname for the class (and sometimes “Hornby’s”). These locomotives were also fitted with a pantograph for tram style overhead pickup in sidings and depots where a conductor rail presented danger to staff.
The first locomotive numbered CC1 (renumbered to Nº20001 by BR) emerged from Ashford works in 1941. Until 1942 it ran in photographic grey livery with three horizontal lining stripes, two on the body sides, one on the lower part of the roof, which were extended round the cab front, rounded down, and brought to a point which in later years would be known as “speed whiskers”.
Being introduced under wartime conditions the front cab windows had metal protective plates added top and bottom to reduce the glass area, although these plates were soon removed.
The grey livery was replaced by malachite green livery with “Sunshine” Southern lettering and yellow lines at solebar and cantrail level. The second locomotive NºCC2 (Nº20002) emerged from Ashford in 1945 in malachite green livery. These two locomotives were used on both express passenger and goods trains.
Various modifications happened to these locomotives throughout their lives. MU jumpers were an early addition to CC1/2. Three sandboxes from each bogie were also removed to give just two per side. CC1 was built with a stencil headcode panel which was subsequently modified to be a boxed lamp / disc along with five other lamp / disc positions to allow route head signals to be shown (as per steam locomotives) but later converted to a roller blind headcode panel. CC2 (20002) was introduced with engine head signal lamps / discs and also received a roller blind headcode panel in later life.
They settled down to a productive but unremarkable life doing exactly what they were designed to do. They were closely associated with Victoria-Newhaven boat trains and Royal trains.
From 1949/50 they adopted the black and aluminium colour scheme chosen by British Railways for diesel, electric and gas turbine locomotives, however prior to this in 1948/9 Nº20002 carried an experimental light blue livery. From the late 1950s they carried green livery with a red and white line halfway up the side stopping short of the cab doors.
Nº20001 was withdrawn January 1969 in BR blue with full yellow ends, by which time it had also gained twin air horns on the roof. Nº20002 was withdrawn in December 1968 in plain green with full yellow ends.
The extensive KMRC / EFE Rail tooling suite allows for variations across and between CC1 (20001) and CC2 (20002) throughout their lifespan that includes: different cab fronts (route stencils, discs or roller blinds, MU pipework, lamp bracket positions, whistle and wiper positions), solebars, central steps, and bogies (sandboxes, fuse styles, flash guards and axleboxes).
The models feature a centrally driven five pole motor and flywheel driving all axles. A sprung pantograph is fitted that can clipped in the down position, and the buffers are also sprung. DCC is via a 21-pin decoder socket and a speaker is factory fitted. Directional lighting is included with either user fitted open or closed discs, alternative route stencils or roller blind numbers depending on the version.
The cab lights are switched on or off via a magnetic wand on DC or via functions on DCC. Third rail shoes are provided to be user fitted, via a simple clip on or off fixing to the shoe beam, for those with suitable clearances on their 3rd rail.
Initially five versions (RRP £184.95) have been announced:
- E82001 CC1 As introduced with head code stencil, wartime window guards in Southern Grey as running between 1941 and 1942.
- E82002 CC1 As modified to head signal lamps and discs in Southern Malachite Green with two yellow stripes as between 1942 and 1948.
- E82003 20002 with engine head signal lamps and discs and with MU jumper cables, whistle and wiper positions as in BR Black Silver as between 1950 to 1952.
- E82004 20002 with engine head signal lamps and discs in BR Green with red / white stripe, light grey solebar and window surrounds and late crest as between 1956 and 1964.
- E82005 20001 with roller blind box and roof mounted horns in BR Rail Blue with Full Yellow Front Ends as carried between 1968 to withdrawal in 1969. [Edit: Unfortunately the buffer beam on this E82005 BR Blue version should be BR Rail Blue (Railmatch 207), we/I are somewhat frustrated that this managed to get through the review processes. We are very sorry that this oversight has occurred, and we hope that this won’t detract from your enjoyment of this model of a very interesting prototype.]
Note: Pictures above are courtesy and copyright KMRC.
Bachmann Branchlines Refurbished 4-CEP
The 4-Cep is being released in BR Blue & Grey, the colourful liveries of BR London & South East Sector, affectionately known as ‘Jaffa Cake’ livery and also Network SouthEast livery.
- 31-421 Class 411 4-CEP 4-Car EMU (Refurbished) 411506 BR Blue & Grey
- 31-422 Class 411 4-CEP 4-Car EMU (Refurbished) 1512 BR Network SouthEast
- 31-423 Class 411 4-CEP 4-Car EMU (Refurbished) 1522 BR London & South East Sector
The full Bachmann BRA Winter announcements video can be viewed here.
You can of course pre-order the SR Boosters, that are currently being shipped to the UK, and all their newly announced items, at retailers such as Kernow Model Rail Centre here.
On the ‘Canute’ Road ‘Quay’ again, Tolworth Showtrain – 11/12th November
The final appearance, for 2023, of Canute Road Quay being on the road again, is the Hampton Court Model Railway Society’s Tolworth Showtrain exhibition the weekend of 11/12th November.
This excellent show, I attended with Fisherton Sarum in 2017, is held in three halls of Tolworth Recreation Centre, Fullers Way North, Tolworth, Surrey, KT6 7LQ. The show is open Saturday 11th Nov 10.00am – 5.30pm and Sunday 12th Nov 10.00am – 4.00pm. Canute Road Quay will be located adjacent to the South Western Circle membership stand, so an ideal opportunity to join if you are not already a member of this excellent line society, that not only covers the London and South Western Railway but also its successors.
Additionally, my usual operating colleague, Simon Paley, will be missing from action with Canute Road Quay, as he is exhibiting his excellent Collingwood layout. This is one of the best portrayals of the modern Southern 3rd scene on the exhibition circuit today. Being a Signalling designer by profession his attention to signalling and lineside details is spot on, although see if you can spot my input on his layout…
As always if you are able to attend please drop by and say hello, it is always good to see everyone.
Canute Road Quay at Southern Railways Group Open Day and AGM this Saturday 28th October
Canute Road Quay is back on the road this Saturday, 28th October, at the Southern Railways Group Open Day and AGM.
Following the AGM, there will be guest speakers: David Brown “The colour of Southern Electric” and Brian Jackson “Photographs from 1954” (you many be familiar with either David’s or Brian’s books).
There will be sales of modelling components, photographs, plans and second hand books. Mike King will also be present with his excellent drawings for sale.
Included as part of a display of models, I was quite honoured to have been asked to take Canute Road Quay along , please drop by and say hello, you might even end up having a go at playing trains…
Also check my On the road – exhibition diary page here to see the newly booked appearances for Canute Road Quay during 2024, including a visit to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway and also Solent Sky museum in Southampton only one road away from the real Canute Road!
Train Times Announces new 3D Printed RTR Wagons the LB&SCR Diagram 1433 in 00 Gauge
Train Times of Eastbourne have announced a new range of 3D Printed RTR Wagons, the LB&SCR Diagram 1433 in 00 Gauge.
All LBSC built covered vans were 18′ 4″ over headstocks on a 9′ 9″ wheelbase. The Diagram 1433 covered vans were built between 1878 and 1915 and included a number of variations within the diagram including roof height and brakes type, some were also fitted with Westinghouse brakes for poultry or fish traffic. 400 of these vans became Southern Railway stock at grouping with a number lasting into British Railways ownership. A small were also transferred to the Isle of Wight from 1927.
The 3D printed and tampo printed wagons are being made in-house and will be available for £28. Pre-orders will open soon, once the second EPs are finished. Train Times of Eastbourne will be offering 14 different livery/number combinations initially, covering the whole life of the wagons, including some Isle of Wight variants.
The list of the initial variants is below:
- TTLBSC001001 – LBSC 1870 – 1890 No. 8205
- TTLBSC001002 = LBSC 1890 – 1905 No. 8043
- TTLBSC001003 – LBSC 1905 – 1923 No. 8091
- TTLBSC001004 – LBSC 1905 – 1923 No. 8225
- TTLBSC001005 – LBSC Departmental No. 8145
- TTLBSC001006 – SR pre-1936 No. 46389
- TTLBSC001007 – SR pre-1936 No. 46293
- TTLBSC001008 – SR post-1936 No. 46311
- TTLBSC001009 – SR post-1936 No. 46221
- TTLBSC001010 – SR CME Ashford
- TTLBSC001011 – SR Departmental No. 1128s
- TTLBSC001012 – SR IoW Fish No. 46943
- TTLBSC001013 – SR IoW Fish No. 46946
- TTLBSC001014 – BR IoW No. TBC
Second EPs are being worked on and should be available soon, at which point the order book will open.
Dapol provide an update on their Bulleid Light Pacifics in N Gauge, new versions and livery artworks
Last weekend at the International N Gauge show (TINGS) Dapol released an update on their Bulleid Light Pacifics in N Gauge, including two new versions and livery artworks. Having first announced their intention to produce Bulleid Light Pacifics in N Gauge back in 2012 and showed some initial cads at the time that quite frankly required quote a bit of work, Then at last year’s TINGS new Cad images were shown, now updated Cads and livery artworks have been shown along with a couple of new versions. Expected release is now Quarter 4 2024.
Dapol will initially be modelling the as originally built locomotive, the rebuilt variant will follow in a later run. It appears that the tooling suite allows for variations in smoke deflector type and both original flat fronted and later modified ‘wedge’ shape cabs, safety valve position, with and without front fairings, along with high rave and cut down tender types (we are yet to see details of the tender capacities, being tooled for).
This will be their first N Gauge ‘Next Generation Steam model’, with entirely re-designed chassis and electronics. This model will also incorporate Dapol’s new locomotive mounted motor that they state “offers good slow running and pulling power with reliability and robustness”. The specifications include: Coreless Locomotive mounted motor,b electrical pick up from all locomotive driving wheels and tender wheels, die-cast chassis and locomotive body, injection moulded tender body, partial chassis compensation for smooth running and to aid electrical pick up, stainless steel running gear, standard NEM fitting N Gauge couplers, Detailed body and fittings, printed name plates and an accessory bag with etched nameplates and detailed buffer beam fittings.
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2S-034-001 21C164 Fighter Command 2S-034-001 Battle of Britain ‘Fighter Command’ 21C164 SR Malachite Green, with two window wedge shaped cab, forward safety valves as she ran between december 1947 and May 1948
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2S-034-002 34066 Spitfire 2S-034-002 Battle of Britain ‘Spitfire’ 34066 BR Green Late Crest, with cut down tender as she ran from March 1958 and December 1959 (when she was fitted with a speedo).
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2S-034-003 34110 66 Squadron note spurious shield 2S-034-003 Battle of Britain ‘66 Squadron’ 34110 BR Green Early Crest, forward safety valves, minus front fairings, as she ran between September 1955 and February 1957, although the artwork incorrectly shows her with a shield (34110 was the only Battle of Britain not to carry a shield), I have spoken about this with Dapol who will be correcting the artwork.
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2S-034-004 21C1213 Okehampton 2S-034-004 West Country ‘Okehampton’ 21C113 SR Malachite Green, original cab, short smoke deflectors as she ran between October 1945 and June 1947.
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2S-034-005 34030 Watersmeet 2S-034-005 West Country ‘Watersmeet’ 34030 BR Green Late Crest, with cut down tender, rear safety valves, minus front fairings as she ran from September 1956.
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2S-034-006 34001 Exeter 2S-034-006 West Country ‘Exeter’ 34001 BR Green Early Crest, with original cab and minus front fairings as she ran between January 1952 and November 1954.
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2S-034-007 34051 Winston Churchill 2S-034-007 Battle of Britain ‘Winston Churchill ’ 34051 BR Green Late Crest (new addition)- As Preserved at the National Railway Museum.
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2S-034-007 34081 92 Squadron 2S-034-007 Battle of Britain ‘92 Squadron’ 34081 SR Malachite Green “British Railways” (new addition) – As preserved by the Battle of Britain Locomotive Society.
The proposed RRP for DCC ready versions is now £223.50, for DCC fitted £257.04 and for DCC sound fitted £368.88 or discounted at Stockists such as KMRC here, and delivery is expected to be Quarter 4 2024 at the earliest.
Hornby Maunsell Diagram 2658 Composite Dining Saloons arrive
Hornby announced as part of their new 2022 range they were to produce two of the four Maunsell Composite Dining Saloons to Diagram 2658 as converted from Diagram 2652 Dining Saloon Thirds in 1947. In my Talking Stock#39 post about the complexities of the Southern Catering vehicles I try and detail the complex history of SR catering vehicles.
Hornby have released two versions of the Diagram 2658 Maunsell Composite Dining Saloon.
Firstly R40221 SR, as number 7844 to in SR green as she would have been between 18th November 1947 and approximately mid 1949 when the SR style lettering was likely to have been amended to BR style. She was outshopped Crimson and Cream livery 4th February 1955.
Secondly, R40222 BR, Maunsell 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.
The model is of the same high standard of all their SR Maunsell coach releases with their excellent SR Standard 8ft bogies, good chassis detailing, sprung buffers, separately applied door grab handles , fine foot steps at each end and end handrails. Being unlined the decoration is plain and simple, but the lettering is neatly applied as we have come to expect from Hornby.
The inside is nicely modelled and decorated with the internal wooden partitions, seats (blue) and table tops (white) all being correctly coloured, although the colouring of the side of the tables the same as the seats is a little odd.
Just as with the Hornby Maunsell Diagram 2652 3rd Class Dining Saloons the lower panel vertical joints are modelled with a raised beading applied to them, whilst some beading might was added to these vehicles later in their life, (one of the pitfalls of using preserved prototypes as part of the model research) it certainly was not present during the period applicable to this livery.
This issue does detract slightly from the 3/4 side view of the model.
Supplied with the coach is an accessory bad that contains roof boards, Roco style coupling and a pair ‘Hunt’ style magnetic couplers that are a representation of the vacuum and steam heat pipes.
These Diagram 2658 Composite dining saloons numbered 7841-4 were paired on West of England services with Diagram 2659 Kitchen & Buffet cars numbered 7864/5/7 and 7999, that themselves had been converted from Diagram 2656 Kitchen Dining Firsts. Modellers licence will be required as these converted Diagram 2659 vehicles have not been produced by Hornby and therefore will have to be incorrectly paired with repainted Diagram 2656 Kitchen Dining Firsts instead.
Overall despite the slight issue with the raised vertical beading and the lack of the correct Diagram 2659 Kitchen & Buffet cars to pair them with, these Diagram 2658 Maunsell Composite Dining Saloons are a welcome addition to the Southern modellers fleet.
Anniversaries all round, a diamond look back to 1963
This is not only incredibly my 750th post on this here little part of the interweb Southern Railway related blogosphere, but more importantly today marks the 60th and Diamond Wedding anniversary of my dear Mum and Dad.
The last 18 months has been a huge challenge for all the family due to my Mum’s health, thankfully she fought off a frightening and emotional life threatening low point in time, and she is now being wonderfully looked after by the excellent and dedicated staff at the Hulcott Nursing Home, although her ongoing condition is still an emotional challenge to us. Dad has coped admirably with great compassion, strength and dignity to the change of life routines that has inevitably evolved.
I offer them both my most hearty congratulations, love and also thanks for sticking with it and coping with bringing up myself and my older Brother. Also of course it was Dad and his upbringing in Salisbury, where my Granddad worked on the railway, that gave me the interest in all things Southern Railway.
So in addition to the joining in matrimony of my parents Ken and Wendy, 1963 was a notable year for a number of other things, I won’t go into the politics of the time, dreams, or assassinations (as I definitely can’t remember where I was at the time as I didn’t exist!) however the following are railway related:
- The year started on Monday 1st January when the British Railways Board took over responsibility for the running of the railways from the British Transport Commission’s Railway Executive.
- On the same day all the Southern Region west of Salisbury, was transferred to the British Railways Western Region for the final time. This was really the first nail in the coffin of the old Southern Railway route to Exeter, North Devon and Cornwall.
- 1963 also started with the worst winter conditions since 1946/7 and I am sure many of you will have the footage of railway locomotives stuck in the snow across the network. For example on the 8th February snow totally blocked the old Southern main line route at Meldon and no doubt many other place over that period too.
- The 27th March saw the publication of the infamous Dr Beeching “Reshaping British Railways” Report as I discussed in my post earlier this year here.
- On Saturday 31st March the Railway Clearing House (RCH) was disbanded after 120 years and its functions and staff transferred to the Chief Accountant’s Department of the British Railways Board. The RCH had been apportioning railway receipts between the British railway companies since 1842.
- A more sinister event took place on 8th August with what has become known as the “Great Train Robbery” (although not so great for Jack Mills the driver), I used to drive past the farm they used as their initial hide out every day to and from my then place of work.
- Metropolitan Railway Loco No.1, that so successfully returned steam to the UndergrounD ten years ago to celebrate the the Underground’s 150th Anniversary, was originally withdrawn from service in 1963 having taken part in the centenary celebrations earlier in that year.
- In November the Bluebell Railway was just 4 years old when the line from Haywards Heath to Horsted Keynes was closed leaving them without a connection to the British Rail Network right up until ten years ago when the northern extension to East Grinstead was triumphantly reopened.
Finally: The Beatles released their first album “Please please me” and gained their first Number One with “From me to you” and later that year had Number One singles with “She Loves you” and “I want to hold your hand” all perhaps very apt for my parents starting their new stage of life together!
So to Mum (although she will not be able to read this) and Dad, I say with love, congratulations and many heartfelt thanks!
To regular readers of this blog, I thank you for your time taken to read my ramblings over the last 750 posts, I hope you found them to be informative and sometimes entertaining regarding all things Southern Railway.
I also thank you for the comments and messages received, I always try to respond to as many of them as I can.
With the quantity of posts continuing to increase, the menu / category structure has continued to evolve to make finding relevant, all things Southern Railway, content easier to find, as well the original menu items such as Workbench Witterings and Talking Stock and newer menus including model news, model reviews, history and book reviews I have also now indexed them further to help you find Modelling Tips and Techniques topics that might be of interest to you. If in doubt you can also use the search facility, or click here for any random post, you never know what you might find.