I've mentioned some time back on the forum about a good friend of mine (Bill), who at almost 95 still has an interest in model railways and is in fact still buying loco's, his most recent buy is the D Class 'Rails' special edition in Maunsell Green. As he now doesn't get out much, and I've not seen him for a few months as I've had a few health problems recently (He lives in Derby, about 18 miles from me), when we spoke on the phone a few evenings ago, He asked me if I'd pop over and see him as "He had a few things for me" Now Bill is a very generous man, having given me several railway items over time, but when I went over to see him I was somewhat 'gobsmacked' by what He presented me with. Those who know me will be aware that my 'thing' is the Southern steam era from about 1930 onward, so I know little about the GWR, and Bill is an LMS man, but here is what he presented me with.
My as yet unfinished (are they ever finished?) 0 gauge layout in the garage is being built as a 'withered arm' Southern branchline, cut off by a tunnel collapse, which later became a 'Heritage' railway. Consequently I can run more or less what I like, as with many 'Heritage' lines, so this stock will come in very useful, although I understand that the 14xx Class loco's were never fitted for push-pull operation. I now need to order a 21 pin decoder for the loco, the cars and traction engine will find use on my loft 00 gauge layout if I can only manage to climb the loft ladder again, and after quite a long period of model railway inaction, I'm intending getting back into kit building again as I still have the CSP models Hawthorn-Leslie 0-6-2 side tank (in 00 gauge) and the Transport Age 'Rebuilt Merchant Navy' kit in 0 gauge to build yet. Onward and upwards! Keith.
I've just realised that the 2 -1:76 blue cars are the Morris 'Series E' from around the 1940's. When I was an apprentice Electrician going to the 'Tech college' in the early 60's, a pal of mine had one of these cars. He lived in the village of Elton, out in the sticks of the Peak district, the best part of 20 miles from the 'Tech College', and used to 'thrape the nuts off' the poor little Morris to get there and back. That brings back many amusing memories, including one classmate from Tideswell who had a 'Moggy Minor' with a concrete floor! (I kid you not!)
My Moggie Marina Coupe had uprated rear suspention to stop it leaning into corners like a motor bike, and spent all winter with 2 or 3 concrete slabs in the boot so it could go round corners. Best car had to be the Anglia - heated rear windscreen, nah you could sgrape it from from the front seat. A friend of mine had an A40, during the winters of the late 70's, all his neighbours had new fancy cars - that every frosty day there batteries failed. Mark on the other hand, would hand crank the engine two turns and would start every time, so much for progress. So with the start of the GWR collection may the layout change location to an S&D Paul
It's quite humbling when friends present you with unexpected gifts. I felt the same when my late neighbour informed me on his deathbed that he was leaving me one of his locos.
It is indeed humbling Rob. Bill being a very 'Down-to-earth' chap said "I'd rather give it you now whilst I'm still here,'cos you might not get it when all the relatives come out of the woodwork after I'm gone"! He's intending the rest of his fairly extensive collection, some of which I've DCC and/or sound fitted for him, going to auction. As He doesn't have either 00 or 0 gauge layouts, the loco's He has have only been 'run-in' by myself on the rolling road, then put in a display cabinet or remain still boxed, so anything going to auction will be pristine, and includes a number of special or limited editions. I guess it seems odd that at his age, He's still buying models, but he gets pleasure from that (his Wife passed away about 3 years ago, so He lives alone now and has given up driving), but if that's what He enjoys, then it can't be bad, can it?
I agree Keith, no matter what your age, life is for living and getting as much out of for as long as you can.
Hello All, was not a concrete floor (up to the window ledge) a gag in the Brittas Empire? I vaguely recall a similar incident making the nightly news ?
Hello All, the GWR Collett 48xx, later renumbered to 14xx, were equipped with mechanical push-pull apparatus to allow the driver to remotely operate the loco from the Auto Coach, though in practice the locomotive was actually driven by the fireman, with the driver controlling the brake from the Auto Coach. This was due to the mechanical apparatus being stiff and hard to operate. It was not unknown for the apparatus to be either not connected, or disconnected. During industrial action, the apparatus was frequently declared defective. In theory, and in practice if constantly maintained (which it was not) it was a cheap and reliable mechanism. In day to day practice, however, most crews found it to be less than ideal, and the frequent movement between the Auto Trailer and the locomotive meant that bending and movement stresses caused the mechanism not to work as easily as intended, hence the not officially approved Plan B mentioned above, and GWR/BR-WR memos frequently appeared requesting crews comply with the Operating Instructions. The other three (LMS,LNER,SR) all used power operated Push-Pull mechanisms, much more sensible. The GWR Collett 58xx were the non push-pull equipped variant of the 48xx/14xx, regards to all, Echidna.
thats lovely. i had some great fortune recently too. an elderly chap who my wife cleans for found out i did a bit of modelling through her. i was invited to look round at his collection of mostly plastic aircraft models. he was also a spotter in his youth and showed me his 1948 combined volume with locos in even my father didn't have underlined. he then presented me with his tool collection and a huge range of paints. i cant see well enough to do models anymore he said. i now have a lovely badger airbrush that Im learning to use slowly. what did he want in return..... only that i made some models and brought them round to show him.
Very nice models and very generous of Bill to gift you these. At times it surprises me of the generosity of some of our modelling colleagues. I have been gifted models in the past and I have one very special little FEC switcher that my mate gave me, which belonged to his father prior to passing away. I know that I'll repair the model, replace handrails etc and add sound, just to do what is right. May even name the loco 'Grace'. Cheers, Gary.
