Quote from: ten0G on December 06, 2021, 10:26:06 PM

Quote from: longbow on December 04, 2021, 07:20:42 AM

Alternatively you could mix in a Mk1, but these weren't common on WR secondary services until well into the 60s.   

I have a vague recollection that the GW corridor connectors needed an adaptor to fit the BR ones, so adding a Mk1 would need careful consideration - presumably one end of the train. 

Slightly off-topic perhaps, but hopefully this will be of some interest to @Phoenix

Your vague recollection is correct. The SR (Bulleid & Maunsell) and LNER (Gresley & Thompson) used buck-eye couplings and Pullman gangways meaning they could couple directly to a Mk1 (or Mk2).

The GWR and LMS used screw-link couplings and British Standard (BS) gangways.

The two types (Pullman and BS) weren't directly compatible without an adaptor plate. Photos of the adaptor can be found on Flickr:
https://flic.kr/p/7Ef6bA  (preserved LMS)
https://flic.kr/p/boXx2Y (GWR sleeper)

Their use was kept to a minimum. A mixed rake of say GWR and Mk1 would have the two types at either end of the train. e.g. GW GW GW Mk1 Mk1, rather than GW MK1 GW Mk1 GW.

LMS and GWR Buffet and restaurant cars could be found in the middle of Mk1 rakes, but these would generally be fixed formations where there was no requirement to split the train en-route. Where that requirement existed then the marshalling instructions made sure compatible types were at the ends needing to be joined/split at stations.

The alternative to an adaptor would be to lock both gangway doors out of use, preventing passengers from crossing through an unsecure gangway.

Steven B

Quote from: martyn on December 07, 2021, 08:59:20 AM
@ten0G

I note the OP's request for a five car train is now hovering at seven, bearing in mind he already has a BG 

Martyn

Martyn,

A few more than that if he opts for a later version of this one!

Quote from: longbow on December 06, 2021, 11:41:00 PM
the 1953 12.45am Paddington-Carmarthen newspapers (4 siphon Gs, 4 brake vans, 2 vans, and 6 coaches)

Hi All,

It's always fraught with danger asking people here what I need 

still it is coming up to Christmas !

The current order is for 6 .... 2 arrived yesterday, so I am just waiting for a CK and one more SK

Thanks for all your help 

All best wishes

Kevin

Quote from: ten0G on December 06, 2021, 10:26:06 PM
My blood & custard BG had no legends applied to it, I was rather surprised to see the maroon one endorsed "Parcels Train Brake Van" a few months ago.  This made me wonder if there were specific parcels trains to/from Paddington (my particular interest is in the Carmarthen area), and if so what types of vehicles might be used. 

"Parcels train brake van" was a very common branding to find on WR full brakes. Some vehicles had more specific branding, even going so far as to designate a particular route or even service. A couple of examples might be of interest to you. These are K41 full brakes as made by the NGS and now sold by Dapol.

147   "Swindon & Carmarthen": 28 Oct 1947.Photos in RCA2 Fig 375 & 376. This shows it also had "PARCELS TRAIN BRAKE VAN".
152   "Paddington & Carmarthen": 18 Mar 1947. AE West photo Apr 1951 shows coach in crimson & cream with left end W 152 "PARCELS TRAIN BRAKE VAN" and "PADDINGTON AND CARMARTHEN".

I have just remembered that W152 is actually one of the models available RTR.



The gold lettering does not show up particularly well against the cream in that photo but you can see it more clearly in the artwork.

Hi Matt,

Really good to hear from you again .... It seems ages since you were last around. Hope all is well with you 

I thought I would check on my maroon Full Brake, and it is indeed lettered as to what it is.

Really useful to a coach numpty like me 



All best wishes

Kevin

Quote from: Phoenix on December 08, 2021, 02:40:54 PM
Really good to hear from you again .... It seems ages since you were last around. Hope all is well with you 

Hi Kevin,

Life has been really busy lately with not much time for modelling. It's nice to drop back in though. 

Hi Matt,

Thanks for your replies, as Kevin says, it's good to here from you. 

I too would like to find out more about the authenticity of the wording on the Hawksworth vehicle, not least because it's the first time I've come across anything like this on a maroon vehicle.  I had assumed the idea had been phased out when the livery changed from blood & custard. 

The 1953 carriage notices for the 12:54 Paddington-Carmarthen newspapers specifies brake van 124 or 154 plus brake van 876 or 877. There were a few other formations that required specific vans so presumably that was the basis for the route lettering.

As I recall newspaper trains were tightly timed and marshalled so as to speed unloading at intermediate stops. Porters and newspaper delivery vans would be ready and waiting as the train pulled in. Perhaps that's why, in an era before standardised stock, the railway wanted specific vans for this purpose.

Quote from: ten0G on December 08, 2021, 10:15:55 PM
I too would like to find out more about the authenticity of the wording on the Hawksworth vehicle, not least because it's the first time I've come across anything like this on a maroon vehicle.  I had assumed the idea had been phased out when the livery changed from blood & custard. 

The use of "Parcels Train Brake Van" branding does seem to have declined in the Maroon era somewhat but it was still fairly common. Here is a shot of W295 in 1966 with it still in place.

W298 around the same time.



And W290