My hydraulic fleet

[Chris Morris]

I expect my hydraulic fleet to see plenty of action at five exhibitions this year as well as plenty of running at home. I run my stock as either early 60s or later 60s so some of these are not allowed on the layout at the same time. I'll start with my small collection of 22s

D6311 with discs - acceptable from 62 to  September 68 when she was condemned. Mostly a Laira loco, only had one fire.


D6331 with headcode boxes - acceptable from 62 to very late 60s. Spent a lot of her time at Newton Abbot.


D6330 - acceptable from 67 to September 71 when she was withdrawn. Pretty much always a Newton Abbot or Laira loco. Apparently she had two fires during her career.

[Chris Morris]

I only have two Hymeks. I will get the green with full yellow ends when Dapol do their next run.

D7084 - good for 1963 (when made) to 1968 in this livery. Mostly a Bristol or Cardiff loco.


D7036 - probably carried this livery around 1967/8 when she was shedded at Old Oak Common.

[Chris Morris]

I have most but not all of the Main Warship livery variations

D829 Magpie - early 1961 to September 1962 when she received a small yellow warning panel. She was a Newton Abbot loco during this period.


D819 Goliath - May 63 to May 67 in this livery. A Laira based loco.


D817 Foxhound & D829 Magpie again
D817 is good for only September  66 to December 1967 in this condition but I'm happy to include her in my 1968 set of stock.
D829 was maroon with full yellow ends from June 68 to October 1970



D822 Hercules. Painted into rail blue in March 1968. She was a Laira loco at this time and was condemned in October 1971. This was the early rail blue livery with BR emblems on all cab sides.



810 Cockade. A Newton Abbot loco from 1967 until early 1972 but she was famously green with a full yellow front from January 1968 until repainted blue in April 1970. This represents the later blue livery with just one BR undecided arrow in the centre of the loco. Not correct for my 1968 set but I allow myself a bit of modeller's licence on this one.

[Chris Morris]

I think I have almost all of the Western livery variations covered.
Let's start with D1000 Enterprise. Mine is desert sand with yellow panel which places it between November 62 and October 64. She was based at Old Oak Common at this time


D1008 Western Harrier. She had the yellow buffer beam but no panel from September 62 to Jan 63. The last yellow buffer beam loco to receive a yellow panel was D1009 in July 63. I really should re-number mine.



D1038 Sovereign. A Crewe built Western , she was green from new in September 62 until repainted maroon in 1966. The last green Western was repainted blue in February 1967 so a green Western is not appropriate for my 1968 stock.


D1015 Champion in golden ochre. She was repainted maroon in November 1965 so another one of my Westerns that can't be used with my 1968 stock.



D1018 Buccaneer / D1042 Princess - she carries different names on each side.
D1018 was in the livery from April 63 to September 67 while Princess wore it from May 63 right through to September 1970.

[Chris Morris]

Last few coming up!

D1062 Courier. My favourite simply because I have driven the real one on the SVR and she was maroon at the time. An expensive experience but well worth it. She carried this livery on BR from May 63 to October 68.


D1057 Chieftain. Carried blue with small panel from January 1967 right through to January 1972.


Last but not least
D1005 Venturer. She carried blue with full yellow end from July 1967.



Overall I have made an effort to have the correct locos for 1968 but I could do with renaming a couple more. Then again with my eyesight I can't read the names as they pass anyway so maybe I won't get round to it. I hope some readers will have enjoyed this potted history of my hydraulic fleet.

[Chris Morris]

Me at the helm of Courier

[Bealman]

Cool! You must have friends in high places! 

[Chris Morris]

Cool! You must have friends in high places! 

No, but it was a fantastic birthday present