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Thank you very much! Delighted you enjoyed.

Hi, Thank you very much indeed for your kind comment and support. Delighted you enjoyed the session.

Hi, Thank you for your comment and observations. They are certainly one of my favourites. Unfortunately if there are problems, mud sticks and an element of the self fulfilling prophecy can creep in. The problems appeared intractible at the time as they were unrelated and it was a case of trial and error. In the end, it came down to three things: boiler proportions/heating surface, blastpipe dimensions and low superheat. Once these were addressed, they were fine engines. Certainly their performances on the mainline in recent years have been splendid. I spoke with Albert Seymour, a former Newton Heath driver who was a regular on the scene in the late 90s-early 2000s (now sadly passed away) and stated that Leander was his favourite every time, and this from someone who also drove 46115, 6201and 46233. He took Leander up the Lickey unassisted with six behind the tender. I asked him about their 'reputation' as indifferent steamers and his view was that it all depends on how they are fired. Certainly Black 5s performed and steamed well no matter how badly they were treated. Best run I had was behind Leander in 2006/7? First time up Shap since 1967 with nine on. Shap was topped at 40mph and the sound was unforgettable, everything coming out of the chimney, smoke, steam, coal, sparks, fireman's boots...I'll never forget that stentorian roar.

The chap I spoke with seemed to agree they needed a little more detail to handle than a Black but we're capable of anything if treated with respect He drove them over the S&C route and out of St Pancras up through the old Midland road through the Derbyshire dales he said they were faultless as though they were designed for these secondary expess paasenger routes .especially on a filthy night when they were trying to make up time. keep up the good work 👏

@@PaulDavies-r5w 👍

Hi, Thank you for your comment and sharing your memories. These are the moments we cherish above all and I'm delighted that the video has rekindled a memory for you. As you are probably aware I am a model railway enthusiast but for me it is a means to an end which is the recreation of the railway l knew. It is a great hobby with something for everyone but I find myself growing weary with the what seems to me be the endless moanfest everytime a manufacturer introduces a new model on the part of many in this hobby. I don't know where their interest lies or the motivation for that interest. But there again I'm from the Dublo and Tri-ang era when you took what was on offer and were glad of it! Thank you again. Graeme

Hi, Thank you for commenting. I too approached replacing the torpedo vents with some trepidation. However, it wasn't as difficult as I imagined. Grinding the mouldings down with a very small head worked a treat as it left a tiny indentations in the roof and the marks left a straight line along the roof. Placement using super glue was a bit fiddly leaving some glue marks but a couple of coats of grey paint saw to that. My main worry was them coming off but to this day they are all still intact. Fitting flush windows helped the overall look as well

Hi, You are most kind, thank you very much for your comment!

Hi, Thank you for your comments and input. Can't argue with that! Delighted you enjoyed the show! Cheers, Graeme👍

Hi, Thank you very much for your insights here, much appreciated. The build quality, solidity and visual finish are all part of the enduring appeal of these units. All my Wrenn and H.D. locos are in very good to pristine condition. The black Princess was a way of utilising the old chassis without the Walschaerts valve gear and minimal lining (cab and tender only) at a cheaper price. I used new replacement lining sheets to cover the cab, tender, running plate line and cylinders. I had to hand paint the boiler bands and wheel splashers!

Cheers👍

I know where you mean. That was Brunswick depot (8E, later 27F) a depot built by the Cheshire Lines Committee giving the Midland, Great Central and Great Northern direct access to the lucrative Liverpool docks traffic. It closed in 1961. It was one of the few Liverpool sheds to reguarly host ex LNE locos, ( B1s/17s J38/9s O1s/4s D11s) the others being Walton-on-the Hill and Aintree. Black 5s, 4Fs, 8Fs and Fairburn 2-6-4s dominated towards the end. The big 2-6-4 tanks worked the tightly timed Liverpool-Manchester trains regularly attaining 90mph and I believe the timings between the two cities have not really been bettered since, circa 35minutes depending on stops. Now, I could be wrong as you mentioned "Southport". The depot you would pass or rather avoid as the line goes through Bank Hall station from Lpl Exch. is Bank Hall MPD (27A later 8K) as that has the classic LMS coaling plant that you see on my layout. That area of Lpl was Kirkdale and I lived in Bootle from 1957-64. A short walk up Stanley Road past the "Commodore" cinema, cross the road and you could look down on Bank Hall depot and that huge coaling plant. That depot handled all the important expresses between Exchange and Glasgow and had a stud of 'Jubilees' for those rosters. 'Clans' and 'Brlts' were also regulars there from the Scottish end. 8K closed in 1966. You mention a new football stadium, that's probably the new home for Everton FC. I used to be an avid fan in the halcyon days (Ball, Harvey, Kendall, the 'holy trinity') up until the 2000s when I abandoned football altogether and all sport as it became too politicised (foreign players, managers, ownership). We had a black cat up until Nov'23. We now have two calico kittens which are a right old handful but they are getting better as they grow up!

Graeme thank you so much. As you'll note I have snippets of information and like Sherlock H you can then provide the details. Wonderful. I'm pleased with myself😊😅 ( oh dear ) for picking up on the coaling facility. at the location you mentioned ' I think it was a very large construction and I recall as a young lad being amazed at it. Your reference to Classes of locomotives on shed, mentioned the Jubilee Class - which reminded me of the shout we spotters would give as perhaps a Jubilee Class came thundering down Nr 1 Down " it's a Jub " maybe taking the down Red Rose. We watched from the bridge just before Mossley Hill Staion.where it went thru on the slightly curved platform and on to West Allerton - about which I have another vivid recollection .

@@martinanderson4721 👍

Hi, Thank you very much for your kind comment. Delighted you enjoyed the session!

Hi, Thank you very much indeed for your comment and observation. Delighted you enjoyed the session!

Hi, Thank you for your comment I'm delighted you enjoyed the session...and the noise!

Hello Stuart, long time no hear, no see🙂👍. Sorley missed I must say! Thank you indeed for your most welcome comment and observation. The red Coronation coaches date from the early 2000s, not the same as the latest blue ones. The ex Caledonian coaches behind the 'Scot' are exactly the same as the 1963 Tri-ang ones save for the far superior finish. Tri-ang and their successors never tooled any interiors for these coaches, but if you look carefully you will note that these do have interior compartments. They are 3D replacements. Cheers, Graeme

I don't know. Who says private railways don't work...?

Hi, always good to hear from you. Delighted you enjoyed the show! Ah, the ex Caledonian coaches, yes they are very smart, but did you notice the interior compartments and side corridors that were never tooled by Tri-ang nor their Hornby successors? A much needed lift given to their overall appearance and presence.

Hi, Thank you for your welcome comment. I'm delighted you enjoyed the session. It's a converted garage. You could get a car in but you'd never open the doors to get out that's for sure!. Cheers Graeme

@@crewelocoman5b161 I'm a huge LMS fan. I've got quite a few LMS locos and rolling stock and I used to run them on my Dad's layout in his loft. He passed away in 2020 and the house was sold so I've started building my own layout but nowhere near as big as his and certainly nowhere near as big as yours. An LMS Duchess at speed is a sight to behold, be it models or full size.

@@nigelcartwright5986 Thank you for sharing. Delighted to hear you are building a layout. It's a great hobby, something for all. The Princess Class are my personal favourites stemming from my father buying me Tri-ang's R258 The Princess Royal in 1960 which I still possess. If you wind back on my channel you will come across the latest Hornby offerings and further back again an overview of the three Tri-ang versions from the 1960s. You are quite right about Duchesses at speed. Many thanks, Graeme

Hello again, Delighted that you enjoyed the session. Much appreciated. Many thanks! Graeme

Hi Many thanks. I'm delighted it brought back memories for you. They are a precious commodity. Thank you. Graeme

Hi, Thank you for your welcome comment. Greatly appreciated! Graeme

Thank you again. I will take a look!

Hi, Thank you very much for your comments, observation and enthusiasm for the session! The layout is just an approximate recreation from my memories of what the railway looked like back in the day. Thank you again. Cheers, Graeme

Hi Martin, Thank you for your contribution here, most welcome. I think the speed achieved was 114mph on her inaugural run in June 1937 pipping 'Silver Link's' 112mph in 1935. Talking of interference, I travelled behind 'Hamilton' and 'Sutherland' on a number of occasions up Shap - I believe 'Blue Peter' held the record of 55mph at the time - and one of the 'Duchesses' was on course to equal or beat that record when the brakes were applied three quarters up Shap incline. I had my head out the window and clearly heard that tell-tale sound of the brakes on the coach wheels along with others. Initial thoughts were that is was a signal check. However, when the driver was asked, he knew nothing of it. The best climb up Shap I experienced was behind 'Sutherland' when there was a 40mph restiction through the Lune Gorge and Tebay so no chance of taking advantage of any speed at the foot of the climb. Instead, 'Sutherland' accelerated her train up Shap topping the summit at 50mph! No diesel at the rear either. Another memorable run was behind 'Leander' in 2006, first time since 1967 when she topped the summit a shade over 40mph with nine behind the tender in the pouring rain. Trams in Liverpool finished in 1957 and the remaining serviceable ones were transfered to Glasgow. Many thanks, Graeme

William Arthur Stanier? No, I'm not sure he is. However, he is the only Railway Engineer/CME apart from I.K. Brunel and George Stephenson to be bestowed Fellowship of the Royal Society.

Thanks Graeme for the extra / extra clarifying / interesting details. Appreciated. I recall seeing the flat topped Glasgow trams at Gibson St in Glasgow. This was a ' terminus " where they switched lines to head back into the City Centre. One of the questions to achieve the sew on badge for transport at Clearview Cubs and Scouts near Mossley Hill Church - went something like - which road vehicles can you pass on the inside. ? I got my badge , and became a Sixer of the Red Six. I still have the grey Scout Shirt !!!

Hi, Thank you again for your contribution here. Indeed! Why was the Dublo Euston-Watford EMU modelled with SR running numbers...?

Thank you, you are welcome. Yes I can vouch for that too. I travelled behind 46229 1996/7 over Shap; I was unfortunate to be seated in the only coach that was on BR leafspring bogies. It was like travelling on a bag of nails I can tell you! jolting, rough tirering same as travel in Mk 1s in the 70's. LMS vehicles were smoother and quieter although superficially the bogie looked similar. I can vouch for Gresley bogies. I travelled a lot on the EMUs on WCML between Crewe and Lime St and they were saddled with the Gresley design and were consistently smooth and comfortable at speed with no hint of the Mk 1 buck and jolt. They were so undershod particularly on heavy catering vehicles that the Regions took matters into their own hands and I recall seeing catering vehicles with Gresley bogies possibly before enough of the very substantial and excellent Commonwealths became available.

Hi, thank you for your kind comments and observations. It gives me pleasure to receive the comments I do and that provides me with the incentive to continue. Cheers, Graeme

Hi, I sometimes feel that parcels and sundries traffic is somewhat overlooked in the scheme of things in railway modelling. Surprising as the Railways produced an enormous amount of varied rolling stock to cater for this traffic.

Hi, Many thanks for your observation! Cheers, Graeme

Hi Lynden, Thank you for your endorsement. I wasn't aware there was a black streamliner from Hornby but I'm not sure I'd get one myself. The streamlined version was an edict that came down from the LMS board after the conventional design was virtually complete. The miracle is that the streamlined version looks as good as it does! But it needs the colour, go-faster stripes and polished details unlike the A4 in wartime black which was after all designed as a streamliner from the outset. Those blue Coronation Scot coaches must look fabulous and I was tempted myself. Problem becomes storage and more importantly small details dropping off! The lovely Stanier LMS coaches which I've owned for twenty years have lost nearly all their separately fitted door handles. I've been tempted by Southern Maunsell coaches but decided against it for those reasons and instead plumped for the Hornby '80s tooled Southern coaches. At least they can be neatly stacked in storage and they do look okay if not accurate in many respects! Cheers! Graeme

Thank you very much for your kind observation!👍

Hi, A pleasure to hear from you as always. The earlier 2000s version still look good and are reasonably available. Yes, the red coaches are hard to find. I was fortunate to get my hands on them when outlets were splitting them from sets. Many thanks for your comment! Graeme

Thank you for your comments, much appreciated. Hope you manage to secure a few more to complete a nice looking rake! Cheers, Graeme

Hi, Thank you indeed for your kind comments and observation. I am truly delighted that you enjoyed the session. Cheers! Graeme

Hello again, Hope you realise your ambitions soon! Thanking you for your interest and support. Graeme

Hi, Thank you for your kind comment. Delighted you enjoyed the view.

Thank you for your comment and contribution.

Hi, It's not a Johnson 'Spinner' really but near as I could get for the purposes of that session. It's the trusted Tri-ang-Hornby Caledonian Single decked out in LMS Crimson Lake livery. Thank you for your interest and comment!

​@crewelocoman5b161 ah, that explains it. I think Ace have a kit version of the Spinner.

Hi Martin, good to hear from you and to see comments on uploads fom a few years ago.

Many thanks for your comment. I thought this might strike a chord!

Thank you for your question. 48773 did receive the yellow cabside stripe which was applied circa post August 1964. Being one of the last 8Fs to be returned to BR stock in 1957 from the Longmoor Military Railway the WD fitted clack valves were deemed to exceed the height restriction imposed by the overhead electrification south of Crewe. 48773 was subsequently overhauled at Crewe in 1966 and had the WD clack valves removed but oddly retained the cabside stripe until withdrawal in 1968. 48775 might have had that stripe as well but I cannot be certain about that.

Thank you for your kind and thoughtful contribution to this growing thread. I think that the most revealing aspect aside from the interest of the units themselves is the personal memories that have been stirred and evoked. I never thought for one moment that when I decided to do this overview that it would generate the responses it has. Well, I'm delighted it has clarified the operational side of things for you. There are a few detailed insights from some respondents it might be worth checking out viz the units heating up on 'high resistance', essentially the voltage being throttled. Thank you again...enjoy the layout!👍

Hi, Thank you for your interest and comments! Delighted that you enjoyed the running session.

Many thanks for your contribution here! No, it's not a paint job, it's a weathering powder job! The WD was one of my first "new" Bachmann purchases (as opposed to the re-hashed Mainline) but as it was in pristine finish I hardly ever used it. I recall seeing these locos (far too many!) back in the day and they were by far the worst looking by a fair margin. I would wait in anticipation for the Fairburn 2-6-4T with its lined black livery hauling 2 Mk1's in real Hornby-Dublo tin plate gloss maroon with the Southport connection of the 'Merseyside Express' on its way to Lime St. The weathering powder is very quick and easy to apply if very messy!

@@crewelocoman5b161 Excellent work, perhaps the WD will get a profile video one day. My grandad used to like them in particular. I can't remember the location but he would tell me about the boom boom boom boom when a long unfitted goods would stop and stack up. Then again boom boom boom boom as it started off and the chains took up the slack one at a time. I used to have the N gauge model on my old layout. It's every bit as good as the 00 model. I completely agree about the MK1's and paint finish. I would love for Hornby to issue a modern standard MK1 coach with a baked on paint finish under their relaunched dublo range.

@@Night_Ferry Delighted you liked and approve of the 'finished' product! It's relatively quick and easy to apply. That's an interesting thought about Hornby replicating the Dublo tinplate finish on their"Dublo" range. The Bachmann Mk 1s have an excellent detail and print finish but the maroon is as dull as dishwater...though mine are nearly 20 years old now. The Hornby revamped Tri-ang from the 90s had a slightly better finish. The best of the plastic finishes were from Mainline. I was unaware until recently that they acquired the Airfix tooling for the Stanier LMS coaches which looked horrible in a drab matt brown/purple finish and were transformed into a nicely sheened BR maroon finish and lining out. They sit perfectly well in a formation of the latest Bachmann and Hornby LMS maroon coaches. I recall a driver when asked about the WD 2-8-0 saying to me "The best thing about them was getting off them!"...

Very evocative contribution. Delighted you enjoyed the journey, Many thanks!

Hi Chris, Many thanks for your contribution. I believe corn beef sandwiches were the order of the day on some breakdown trains...me?...I can't do without tea anytime anywhere! There's a picture of a spic and span 8F coming off Willesden shed with a breakdown train ('Working Steam Stanier 8Fs Ian Allan Publications)

Thank you again for the endorsement...it's how I remember seeing them...

Many thanks for your comments. Delighted you enjoyed.

Hello Lynden. My layout does have a storage area and I have to add and remove trains all the time to the storage area...which is basically cupboards and drawers directly beneath the layout. Thank you for your kind comment as always and for your question.

@@crewelocoman5b161 That's interesting Graeme. I'm planning my new layout so my thoughts are how I plan a storage area at the moment and how I incorporate it. Watching your layout always gives me inspiration!

@@lyndengrant1657 Thanks for that Lynden, storage is an important consideration. Mine are cheap chest of drawer units under the layout. You could build your layout board on top of storage units I suppose, potentially making better use of space?

It's so good for me to receive these enthusiastic comments and observations from you and other regular viewers to this channel. Thank you so much! The crane is a recent creation from Bachmann, it really is the bees and knees and it works exactly as the prototype. But woe betide if you get the pulleys crossed!! If you wind back about four years on this channel you will come across a scene of two cranes attending to a derailed Black 5. One is the one you see here and the other is the Tri-ang Cowans Sheldon 75 ton crane. The latter is bereft of all the structural detail and pulleys but it is very well finished with printing and lining which Hornby applied to make it more 'acceptable'. The Dublo crane sits at the back of the layout between the loco yard and small goods yard. Many thanks, Cheers, Graeme

Hi, Many thanks for the observations. The main aim of this layout is to re-create the steam railway as I recall it in the 1960s.'Double Headers' and 'Tender Firsts' were a more common sight than is perhaps realised. 🙂👌