Building Freight Trains at Chadwick Model Railway | 155.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 มี.ค. 2022
- Building accurate freight trains at Chadwick Model Railway.
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Well, that was educational! And no, it's not sad. This is not about pedantic rivet counting; it's about understanding the operational aspects of railways and is what can makes railway modelling so much more interesting than just running a toy train round an oval. We just need the DCC technology to allow us to change the headcodes of locos to reflect what they are pulling.
I’m so pleased that you appreciated the video Paul and it’s great to have you onboard. Regards Charlie.
Indeed Paul, like you, I’ve also been saying that about the ability to change headcodes via DCC. I’ve seen a recent article in one of the model railway magazines recently showing working bus blinds, I would’ve thought that would be a good starting point for one of the DCC companies to start producing a changeable digital blind.
How accurate to be is really a matter of taste. Some people might be quite happy with a Thomas the Tank Engine model hauling a mix of German and US HO scale carriages; I suspect that most would not find that evocative of reality enough to bring joy. Quite how deep into detail that one goes really depends on one's own priorities; I often find that the more that I research and learn about reality, the more accurate that the model needs to be to bring me joy.
One inhabiting factor for the DCC companies, which normally produce for most railway modelling countrys, to bring changable headcodes, would be that headcodes are a rather british only thing (only other occurrences I knew of would be Compagnie des chemins de fer du Nord with 3.1192 on display in Milhouse still or reconstructed having one and some Réseau express régional d’Île-de-France trains),
other countrys got train report number / "Zugnummer" / "numérotation des trains" systems, too but not on the head showing (for example SBB five numbers, DB five numbers, ÖBB three numbers, SNCF two blocks with tree numbers each, ARTC number-letter-letter-number, ...)
The head codes could in theory be simulated with micro OLED displays. Obviously the DCC chips would need a new function for controlling said displays but it could be done. The big factor to whether it's really needed is down to cost, I'm sure Hornby would happily develop a locomotive ready to run but at £1000 per unit going by their current prices. Someone else could develop a retro fit able system for those with deep pockets and a certain level of skill that would be required to set up I guess.
Hi Charlie, I used to work in Tyne Yard Gateshead and was in charge of marshaling the engineer trains. The ballast waggons were put together with the ballast wheels facing anyway as the waggons came off different trains. Loaded ones were put into a siding awaiting another job while the empty waggons were put into a different siding to go off to get loaded so the ballast wheels could be facing anyway. On some trains we would have a mixture of dogfish, sealions or seacows. Mermaids were used as well, but these were mainly used at weekends. We used head codes 6P on our ballast trains ie 6P54. Sometimes we would put sharks at both ends of the train. Normal ballast train would consist of 10 to 15 dogfish and a shark or 10 sealions/ seacows and a shark depending on the size of the job. We didn't fit crew vans to our ballast trains as the maintenance gangs would arrange to meet the ballast trains on site and use their own mess vans on site for lunchtime or cups of tea. Hope this helps Gary from County Durham.
Hi Gary, that’s a real gem of a comment thank you so much. Regards Charlie
How did I miss this , learnt more than my little brain can remember, so going back over despite only being in 2 minutes
Every day is a school day Nigel. Regards Charlie
A wonderful piece of anorak-ism. So detailed but I feel that’s the detail some of us are looking to achieve. As a boy in the 1980’’s I was very happy just to run random trains around my basic layout. But as a 50yr old boy I now want to create the most accurate layout I possibly can, right down correct headcodes and brake vans. Thank you for addressing this subject Charlie and providing some education for us amateurs.
Every day is a school day William, for us all.
“ I am sad” 😂🤣 never knew that about the different colour for braked and unbraked
Every day is a school day Scott, for us railway modellers.
Thank you Charlie. Sometimes it’s the simplest things that suddenly make sense. Until now I never knew the difference between grey and bauxite painted wagons. In my naïveté I’d thought it was some time-related corporate livery change.
Every day is a school day Will, for both of us! Regards Charlie
I did not know that about the colour of the wagons either.
Me too. 😀
As you say, every day is a school day , thanx for this Charlie .
Another great video Charlie. The DOGFISH hoppers only had operating wheels at one end, and it didn't matter which way round they were, they would be which ever way the yard put them together. The larger 40ton hoppers (SEALION or SEACOW's) had wheels at both ends as they were split into 6 compartments instead of three (left / middle / right hand side) on the 20ton DOGFISH.
The BY van behind the 63xx was a luggage van, and only had a seat for the Guard in it, so not much us as a crew van. In fact the gangs of blokes that operated the hoppers would meet the train at a certain location, and ride out to site on the verandas (with there Tilly lamps) quite a site, but long gone in the modern H&S driven world of today.
On the subject of braked / unbraked wagons, also bear in mind that some of the grey un braked wagons were through piped, which meant that whilst the brakes on that vehicle would not operate, a fitted (braked) vehicle behind it could, so like most thing railway related, nothing is straight forward.
An excellent comment Richard, thank you.
I was aware of the through braked wagons, but thought it best to leave that complication for another day! Regards Charlie
What a cracking vid! Genuinely went Ohhhh! as the penny dropped about the headcode disks....
I’m so pleased that you found it interesting mate. Regards Charlie
Nice update you done thanks for sharing.
You’re most welcome mate, regards Charlie
@@ChadwickModelRailway Thanks Charlie
My wife says "How many trains do you need?", " Do you really need another Locomotive?". I come back and say, "How many sewing machines do you need?, "I can run several trains at once but you can only use 1 machine at a time", "Do you really need more fabric?". We laugh and go on with our hobbies. Interesting video and I learned some new English Railroad terms. Funny we speak the supposed same language but have different words for the same thing.
Snap,
What a coincidence, same issue here with my wife addicted to quilting; she collects quilting rulers and sewing machine feet just as I do steam and diesel locos! The dcc control systems balance out the sewing machines too. Happy days with our hobbies lol
V educational Charlie. As usual there are 'exceptions' to the rule and it was not uncommon for mixed freight rakes to include fitted and unfitted stock where trains often ran completely unfitted to speed up operations and given the crew a longer break! Hence you could have the scenario of bauxite vehicle following grey vehicles and vice versa. More common for branch line freight where rakes were built based on order of planned drop offs
An excellent comment, and most useful to us all.
Regards, Charlie
The more I watch your excellent productions, the more I realise just how little I know. Fascinating. I too, ventured up in the loft the other day, my better half decided to pop up there too. She didn't use the word "Gosh" however. She stood there gawping at the various rolling stock, all made up into various "trains" and I could tell immediately that she was counting the number of wagons in her head. She disappeared back down the ladder and it was several hours before she uttered a word to me, which I am unable to reproduce here. Fortunately, she didn't see the two cardboard boxes which are both full of stock.....! Great stuff Charlie, as always. Best regards Nige.
Ha ha! I am fortunate my wife doesn't like going up loft ladders! Once the latest purchase is safely up there we're in the clear! ;-)
Top tip. Leve the cobwebs alone to help make it a wife free zone.
@@daviemaclean61 My wife is the same, I've told her that when I've finished "I will let her come up and have a look, but not until then as there's a lot of boxes on the floor". I"ve been at it for the last forty years so the finish line is still quite a way off!
Unfortunately once in a while my wife watches my TH-cam videos - that’s when the awkward questions start!
Let's hope your wife doesn't start checking retail sites for the price of stuff 😅
Excuse me for contradicting you a bit Charlie, but the brown or grey colour of the brake van isn't dependent on the brakes of the brake van... because most brake vans were unfitted.
The colour related to the 'pipe' passing through the wagon.
A brown van would indicate a brake van with a through 'vaccum pipe', where it would have vacuum brake connecters on the bufferbeam of the wagon, but they would go straight through the wagon to a connector on the bufferbeam at the other end, but didn't activated any brakes on the wagon (because they didn't exist).
For a grey brakevan, these didn't have any brake pipe connectors at all.
The purpose of a brake van was to use the handbrake wheel in the van to keep the couplings taught.
For an unfitted train, at the top of a hill, the handbrakes of the wagons would be partially applied, and at the end the brake van would be used to keep the weight of the wagons from pushing the loco down the hill and causing a 'runaway train'.
At the bottom of the hill the handbrakes of the wagons would be released, and the brake van would keep the couplings taught so they wouldn't 'snatch' and break.
Snatching brakes is caused by the concertina effect, where the slack between each wagon being pulled apart, that energy increases down the train, causing a violent snap towards the end of the train... a force that can break the metal coupling!!
It's a lot like a whip... giving a violent shake at the handle end makes the movement energy flow up the length of the rope and causes a powerful flick at the other end, so violent the energy results in a loud snap at the end!!
In 1972, BR started using the TOPS system, which used 3-digit code letters to indicate the types of wagons, with the last digit indicating the brakes on the wagons.
A = Air Brakes
B = Air Brakes and through Vacuum Pipe.
O = No Brake (Hand Only), Unfitted.
P = No Brake (Hand Only), through Vacuum Pipe only.
Q = No Brake (Hand Only), through Air Pipe only.
R = No Brake (Hand Only), through Air and Vacuum pipe only
V = Vacuum Brakes
W = Vacuum Brakes, through Air pipe.
X = Dual Vacuum and Air Brakes
If we look at your coal wagon from 5:15, under TOPS that would be a MHV... V meaning Vacuum braked.
At 6:10, the Grey brake van would become a CAO, O meaning O = No Brake (Hand Only), Unfitted.
The brown van would become a CAP No Brake (Hand Only), through Vacuum Pipe only.
In the mid 1960's, Ashford works constructed brake vans with through air pipes (pic below).
To seperate them from usual brown 'piped' wagons, they were given a yellow panel.
Under TOPS, these were coded CAR, R = No Brake (Hand Only), through Air and Vacuum pipe only
www.flickr.com/photos/55938574@N03/10036474725/in/photolist-ghTygF
Your Shark is from the late 70's/early 80's when engineers wagons were painted in Olive.
The TOPS code is a ZUV.
Z = Departmental, Two axles (bogie departmental wagons have a 'Y' prefix)
U = sub-type
V = Vacuum brakes.
Regarding your Dogfish, and you referenceing seeing other types in a rake... these are probably Catfish.
Catfish are very similar but have shorter hopper bogies, and they only have a single chute for placing ballast in the middle.
And here's a photo of a train with the second wagon behind the loco being a Catfish, as is the seventh and the sixth wagon is a Mermaid
www.flickr.com/photos/httpwwwpeakdaleworkscom/51643870786/
(The photo may be too modern for your era, but how they were used really didn't change!
The Catfish and Mermaid are avilable as models from Cambrian Kits
Catfish is kit no. C11
www.eileensemporium.com/materials-for-modellers/product/cambrian-br-catfish-19t-ballast-hopper/category_pathway-4233
Mermaid is kit no. C13
www.eileensemporium.com/materials-for-modellers/product/cambrian-br-14t-mermaid-side-tipping-ballast-wagon/category_pathway-4233
And, of course, the nice thing about kits is that you can have something different to the usual ready-to-run stuff everyone else has... and you can always get the mental buzz of "I made that!" whenever you look at it!!
Regarding couplings... I use Kadee's, but Hunt's Couplings magnetic version is probably available for the Dogfish and will be cheaper to fit.
Hope that's useful to you!
Cheers
Laura
Thanks for this Laura,
I thinks that I'll include updates and corrections in my Spring Update.
Regards Charlie.
I’d been looking for this list, since TTA tankers would appear to be air-braked under this nomenclature.
Excellent additional info.
I learn something every time I see Charlie’s videos… but it’s going to cost a deal to swap bauxite toads 🐸 in from the grey toads 🐸 I currently have!
Don’t take it too personally Jim, it’s just an interesting hobby that brings us joy.
I enjoyed that Charlie, and learned a lot cheers Paul at Sandling Junction
Thanks Paul. I’m at Ally Pally on Sunday if you’re around.
@@ChadwickModelRailway Id, love to be, sadly tested positive last week so no going anywhere lol, we will get together I am sure of it chum, enjoy the show. cheers Paul
Thank you for a very interesting video.
I’m so pleased that you found it interesting mate.
Extremely educational. One of the best videos to date. Also liked the comment from Gateshead🤙
I’m so pleased that you enjoyed it. Jeffrey, it was certainly interesting to put the video together. Regards, Charlie
I thoroughly enjoyed this video. The video was very educational.
Every day is a school day, for railway modellers Steve, regards Charlie
I've found in the past that a teeny weenie bit of blu tack works wonders for changing the head codes of trains. Its simple but effective and if done right you don't even notice the blu tack.
Now there’s something I never thought of. Regards Charlie
Sorry Charlie, this is a second comment. Your question about number of Gunpowder Vans that can be marshalled in a train, whether they can be formed together and the requirements for barrier vehicles is most timely. My two new Rapido vans arrived today!
The 1950’s Rule Book states that,
Not more than five vehicles containing
explosives must be conveyed by any one train at any one time. Vehicles containing explosives or highly inflammable liquids or liquefied gasses must be marshalled as near the middle of the train as possible and in any case there must be at least two vehicles either empty or containing non-explosive
traffic marshalled between the engine and the first vehicle containing explosives or highly inflammable
liquids or liquefied gasses, except that for short distances between depots or private sidings and marshalling yards these two vehicles need not be provided.
I hope this helps. Tony
Brilliant Tony, great info and much appreciated.
Good stuff Tony.
I joined BR in 1978 and hava feeling it had been tightened to just four explosive vans by then. At that time our "goods" 8J23 Bescot-Cambrian ran with mostly vaccy traffic. I used to go through to Pwllheli on Tuesday and would bring the loads back from Penrhydeudraeth. Always barried by two wagons from the loco and another two. By this time it was mostly 12T vanfits, handy because they often worked onto the Cambrian Coast with agricultural products like slag and lime and feedstuffs.
In 1979 when Barmouth Bridge was banned to locos we used a DPU to recover all the vac fitted wagons back to Machynlleth for despatch back to Coton Hill. The DPUs were allowed 7 vehicles as tail traffic. I saw one of these trains but sadly never had a camera. Not sure how many trips there were but at least some of the wagons were CXVs. Like you my pair from Rapido are eagerly awaited - maybe tomorrow. I can then put my 8J23 together with my blue Bachmann 24/1 !!
@@philbartlett7898 nice memories Phil. Old guard stories would make a good book and really useful information for modellers.
Hearing about the Gunpowder vans reminded me of an experience told to me by a fellow worker forty years ago. He was head shunter at a provincial town during WW2. A train of explosives arrived for on-forwarding. But it had not been made up correctly, all the wagons containing the explosives were marshalled together when they had to have an empty vehicle between each one. He and his crew took ages to put it right. The detonators were a seperate consignment on an entirely different train.
A fascinating video of freight.
I'd be one of those members who just turned up and ran anything! 🤣
My layout which is named 'Whatif' is really an extension of my desire to run any train from anywhere! 😉
I guess my rules and to hell with real world!! 🤣
Great video and I learned so much..
I’m so pleased that you enjoyed it Mike.However, as they say it’s your layout, your rules. Regards Charlie
Despite how busy life gets, always a pleasure to see the next video from my model railroad professor!
What a heartwarming comment mate. You’re too kind, regards Charlie.
Very interesting and educational video, looks like investing in a few railroad books.
It’s a great subject to research.
Regards Charlie
Very interesting, and not sad at all. If we are modelling, we may as well get it right
Every day is a school day if you’re a railway modeller. Regards Charlie
Very much enjoyed learning about British railroads. I didn’t know there were braked and non-braked fitted cars.
Well that was educational, lots of stuff I didn't know so thank you Charlie. They do say every day's a school day!😄
Sometimes though I think ignorance is bliss. If I don't know something is 'wrong' then it doesn't worry me as I don't know any better. Once you learn about things in detail then it does start to niggle at me because I can't turn off my awareness that it's incorrect.
However I'm also a naturally lazy person so whilst I do tend to like things to be 'correct' there's also a part of me that says 'does it really matter?'. If it's a lot of faff and/or expense to get it right then I don't bother. If it's a relatively simple matter to ensure things are done correctly then I do.
I think of it as a sliding scale of correctness vs. faff. It also depends on my levels of patience at the time and skill level.
What a terrific comment. You are of course right, how these little intricacies affect us is astonishing. Sometimes, it’s who gives a dam, other times it seems vitally important. Fortunately it’s just a hobby! Regards Charlie
It's all fun and games until someone installs the wrong headlamps or put the wagons in a wrong order... 😂
Nah, I'm with you. I find it rewarding to actually model real prototypical trains. For me the research is part of the fun.
We clearly seen from the same song sheet mate. Regards, Charlie
Never had a clue it was so scientific. Great information show. Well done and thanks. Now I know where to stick my gun powder vans, if you pardon the phrase ;)
Thanks Alec, I’m so pleased that you found it interesting. Regards Charlie
Thanks Charlie. Another bright light onFriday night.
Thanks Kevin, that’s very kind of you to say so, regards Charlie
Thanks Charlie for another excellent educational video.
Hi Charlie. Another great video!
Thanks Paul, I’m so pleased that you found it interesting.
Charlie, your videos teach me something without fail, every time I watch one. I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t realise the colour of the wagons had a connection to they’re brake fitment. You are a font of information and I’m so glad I found your channel. I hope you’re keeping well, it sure looks like you are.
What a heartwarming comment Chris, you’re too kind mate.
As model railroaders, we're all familiar with the concept of selective compression. There's nothing wrong with seeking a reasonable level of selective accuracy.
We sing from the same song sheet on this one MMS. Regards Charlie
Very informative. Learned a lot
Every day is a school day Dave. Regards Charlie
Really interesting video, thanks.
I’m so pleased that you enjoyed it caffeine monster!
If you like it right so be it,it's your game,your set up have it the way you want.
Great advice Roger. Regards Charlie
Charlie, you’re the happiest “sad” person I know, and I’m happy to be infected with that sort of sadness!
Thinking of wagons being the right way round, your 9F rake had the end opening in random positions. This is possibly more important than the hoppers having control wheels at alternating ends.
Told you it was infectious! 🙄
And I see your comment that the end doors fell out of favour as other unloading methods were adopted.
Yes Tom, this damn railway modelling malarkey, is truly infectious.
Regards Charlie
Absolutely fascinating, brilliant...thanks.
Thanks Paul, I’m so pleased that you found it interesting mate. Regards Charlie
On my side of the pond we still put barrier cars on both ends of any flammable or toxic substances
And it seems to be a good idea, which we have moved away from. Regards Charlie
Quite simply , one of your best yet , and there have been a few of them. Thank you.
Sadly, the next one is bound to fail!
Great video, very informative. Thanks Charlie
I’m so pleased that you enjoyed it mate.
Wonderful video
Thanks Mels, regards Charlie
Thanks Charlie. I love these educational videos. Keep them coming please.
I shall do my best Anthony, regards Charlie
Learned some things there, thanks Charlie.
Every day is a school day for us railway modellers mate. Regards Charlie
Very interesting video Charlie.
Thanks John, regards Charlie
I laughed out loud when you said "Life's a worry". I suppose there's still some hope for us railway modellers.
Every day is a school day, spam can man, for us railway modellers.
Very educational, thanks.
I’m so pleased that you enjoyed it mate.
Thanks as always for another great video Charlie - I learnt so much from this 👍🏼
So pleased that you found it interesting, regards Charlie
One of your best videos yet. Thoroughly enjoyed learning something new! Lovely to see my favourite kind of locos and goods running too.
Thanks Josh, what a heartwarming comment. Regards Charlie
Thank you Charlie, this was very interesting. Learned something new.
Every day is a school day mate, for us all, regards Charlie
I genuinely learned a lot from this video!
Every day is a school day for us railway modellers. Regards Charlie
Absolutely fasinating, thanks Charlie.
Thanks David, I’m so pleased that you enjoyed it mate.
Really enjoyed that Charlie. I learned a great deal from it. I shall look more closely at the photos in my books now! Many thanks.
Every day is a school day for us railway modellers mate.
Who knew there was so much to running trains. Great video Charlie. 👍🏻
Every day is a school day Peter. Regards Charlie.
Hi Charlie - That was a great video which I learnt a lot from - Excellent. But couplings ....... don't get me started on that subject !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers Kev
I couldn’t agree more mate. They are a complete nightmare!
Great video and thanks for explaining the different meaning between Bauxite and Grey liveried vehicles.
You’re most welcome mate. Regards Charlie
That was rearly educational learnt a lot on that video keep up the good work Charlie 👍
Thanks Jeff, I’m so pleased that you found it interesting mate. Regards Charlie
Charlie What an educational vlog. Well done
Thanks Martyn, I’m so pleased that you enjoyed it mate.
Superbly informative vid Charlie, told in your own inimitable style. Who knew when I was a lad, all that was going on with the goods trains passing by.
Every day is a school day Clive, for us railway modellers.
Hi Charlie
Great channel
I have run ballast on these types of wagons, 1st things is you dont get off a moving train to move to another wagon and 2nd i have never seen a messing coach on a ballast train but i started on the railway in 1983 so they could have had them prior
No you’re right Steve. On further investigation there was no supporting coach etc. regards Charlie
Thank you Charlie, a very informative, educational video which we thoroughly enjoyed and learnt a great deal.
Thanks Julie, I’m so you enjoyed it.
Thank you for your reply. Your channel is always full of interesting information!
You’re too kind Fred. Regards Charlie.
Because everything in this hobby will always been a compromise to some degree, these days I approach the trains I run as something akin to an Impressionist painting of the prototypes. In that I do try my best to keep them 'realistic' with a small 'r' and this works for me. It is about fun at the end of the day. But having said that I found this video very useful as I can do this with the stock I already have and no sweating or expense. So thank you.
I’m so pleased that you found the video useful mate. Regards Charlie
Very interesting video. This was very educational.Thank you.
I’m so pleased that you found it interesting. Regards Charlie
Very Informative and useful. keep it up, Charlie
Thanks Ed, I’m so pleased that you enjoyed it mate.
Highly fascinating and very educational. It shows perfectly the complicated challenge met by British Rail having to manage such a patchy fleet of waggons from different periods with different equipments (brakes or no breaks but also safety, weight and clearance constraints), leading to the need of brake vans, the presence of guards and, last but not least, this puzzling head and tail light coding, all complications and complexities ignored on the continental "Europ" freight fleet introduced in the 1950s with the generalized continuous vacuum brake lines and unified technical characteristics.
I’m so pleased that you found it interesting Jean. Regards Charlie
Brilliant explanation and very useful to know the facts a great video, thank you for sharing your knowledge
You’re most welcome, but for us railway modellers, every day is a school day!
Thanks as always Charlie. Great information and yet another thing for me to think about as I start my journey of creating a model railway (Wotton Tor) :-)
Every day is a school day mate, when you’re a railway modeller!
Very interesting video Charlie excellent work
Thanks Anthony, I’m so pleased that you found it interesting.
I think freight train marshalling is a subject on which I probably do have a little expertise, though, with the exception of yourself, it's probably knowledge that's of little interest to most people today. It certainly won't get me a job nowadays! I joined the railway service in 1970, and around 1972 I became a Guard, overwhelmingly working goods trains. For the first year or so I was at Cadder Marshalling Yard, between Lenzie and Bishopbriggs on the Edinburgh and Glasgow main line. After about a year at Cadder, I moved to Sighthill, a freight depot in Springburn in Glasgow. I worked as a Guard from Sighthill until 1980 when I became staff clerk there. I later moved (still as staff clerk) to Bridgeton Central, by then closed as a passenger station, but still operating as a depot for the North Side Glasgow electric trains. (The "Blue Trains") (I left the railway service in 1982.) In my time as a Guard I acquired something of a reputation for being an expert on the Freight Trains Loads Book, which specified (by locomotive class) the maximum tonnage and minimum brake force required to work various classes of train over various routes. By the 1970s the loads book had got very complicated, and I'm sure quite a few railwaymen, inspectors as well as guards, didn't fully understand it. I have so much I an say on this subject that I really don't think I can manage it all in one post, but I'll try to make a start today: -
Firstly about brake vans: Some time before I became a guard, and probably before I joined the railway, BR removed the vacuum brake fittings from almost all freight brake vans. I think it was around 1968 when the Freightliners started, and it was to persuade guards on fully fitted freight trains to ride in the back cab rather than in a brake van. The brake vans were still painted bauxite rather than grey, but all they had inside was an open-ended metal pipe where the brake valve and gauge had once been. The vacuum hoses (or "bags" as we called them in Scotland) were also removed from the ends of the van. So after about 1968 most brake vans (regardless of colour) were unfitted and should carry sidelamps, as the van was unfitted even the rest of the train was fully braked. By the way (and I don't know if you can do this on a model) when you were running on a slow line, or standing in a loop, next to a main line, you were supposed to remove the red slide from sidelamp next to the main line, so that it showed a white light in both directions on that side. This was so that the driver of a train approaching on the main line wouldn't think that he was running into the back of you.
Train classification: You seem to be aware that at some time (probably in the 1960s) the classification of trains by letters was changed to classification by numbers. So your Class A Express Passenger train became a Class 1 Express Passenger train, etc. In addition to that, they occasionally changed the meanings of the various classes. As the railway modernised, more and more trains were fully-fitted. As I recall the classification when I was a guard in the 1970s was:
Class 1 - Express Passenger Train
Class 2 - Ordinary Passenger Train
Class 3 - Newspaper, Parcels of other train composed of non-passenger carrying coaching stock.
Class 4 - Freightliner or Express Freight Train authorised to run at at least 75 m.p.h.
Class 5 - Empty Coaching Stock Train
Class 6 - Fully-fitted Express Freight Train
Class 7 - Partially Fitted Express Freight Train with a Brake Force not less than specified in the Freight Train Loads Book
Class 8 - Partially Fitted Freight Train with a Brake Force not less than specified in the Freight Train Loads Book
Class 9 - Unfitted Freight Train (only where authorised)
Class 0 - Light Engine or Engine and Brake Van
That's all from memory, so I wouldn't swear to it in a court of law! The one I'm least sure of is the Class 3. It may have said that the train had to be capable of running at 90 m.p.h. but I cant remember. I think I only ever worked one class 3 train (a newspaper train from Carlisle to Glasgow Central). There were also a few special cases like a breakdown train going to clear the line, or a light engine going to assist a disabled train would run as class 1. (To digress a little, I well remember an example of the latter. We had a class 47 diesel, and were told our booked working was cancelled and we were to go light engine to Yoker. I assumed we were going to get a train of coal to Ravenscraig, which was the usual reason for being sent to Yoker. But, when we got to Cowlairs Junction, we got a green light through the junction, right across the main line and up the branch towards Possilpark. This was unheard of. The driver said, "Someone's broken down and we're going to assist them." He was right. A "blue train" had failed near Scotstounhill. That could be one reason for showing the wrong headcode. We didn't know we were running Class 1 till we kept getting green lights!)
May I just leave it at that for just now? I've got to get on with other (less interesting) things. Hope this is of interest. I'll post again in a few days.
Thank you so much JL for such an enlightening comment. The train classifications were indeed somewhat changeable! I tend to use head codes from photos to ensure that I’m on the right track!
Stay safe mate, regards, Charlie
Very interesting video Charlie!! Thanks for sharing!! Cheers Onno.
You’re most welcome Onno.
Charlie, Many thanks for an excellent and informative video. Roger
I’m so pleased you found it interesting Roger. Regards Charlie
Great video Charlie!
Thanks mate, I’m so pleased that you enjoyed it.
I found this video surprisingly interesting as I haven’t thought about freight running much. Thanks for a really enlightening update, Charlie. Look forward to the next one. Roy.
What a heartwarming comment Roy, you’re too kind mate. Regards Charlie.
Everything you didn't want to know about wagons, but were afraid to ask! :) I think this is an awesome thing to be OCD about. More power to you sir, and another great educational video.
I’m so pleased that you found it interesting Bill. Regards Charlie
I've never learnt so much in a short space of time, thank you for your efforts, very interesting.
I’m so pleased that you enjoyed it, and happy camping.
one word review - excellent
Don’t make me blush!
Another great explanation Charlie, been a mystery to me based in AUS. Well done 👍
Thanks Robert, it was interesting doing the research too. Regards Charlie
Really interesting video, Charlie. It's not sad to want to pay attention to detail, even if others have different priorities. Keep up the excellent work!
Thanks Steve, I’m so pleased that you found it interesting. Regards Charlie
Your not sad mate.... If anyone is "sad", then it must be me because I really enjoy watching model railways... As well as the real thing... Because I suffer with aspergers syndrome, I just find it extremely therapeutic to watch.. Especially the scenery, the detail, the weathered look on the rolling stock.... Absolutely brilliant and I take my hat off to you as well as other enthusiasts....
What a heartwarming comment Nigel, you’re too kind. Regards Charlie
Nice Charlie, and interesting! I always enjoy your sense of humor too! I have N scale so many days I am just happy when everything runs smoothly and stays on the rails, never mind backing long trains. So whatever order they are in is fine!
Rest assured John, I know the feeling, sometimes we just need to be grateful!
Charlie, another blinder and congratulations on being brave enough to expound on railway rules and regulations. Of necessity the rule book is the playground of pedants because of the potential risks if there is any variance or miscommunication. Therefore, with my hard hat and full protective clothing I venture to make a couple of points of clarification. Although I know what you mean, you said that grey brake vans have no brakes. Obviously, they do not have automatic brakes but do have the guards brake. It also may be worth mentioning that ‘fitted’ BVs have a ‘setter’ which is a facility for the guard to apply the brake throughout the train if necessary.
On head codes ‘V’ is inter regional but only heading to the Western Region, not through or out of it.
I can’t be one hundred percent certain but if my memory is correct, there is no reason to have a particular orientation of hopper wagons. If working properly, the operative would only get on or off the wagons when at a stand. They will also work in either direction during ballast dropping and so it doesn’t matter which end the wheels are located. I think that this was an inspired choice of subject for your tutorial. More please. Tony
Model railways have always fascinated me. Great video. Hello from South Africa.
I’m so pleased that you found it interesting, if only we had sunshine this time of year as well. Regards Charlie
@@ChadwickModelRailway Hello we have plenty of Sunshine here, even although its been a wet summer, maybe I can package some Sunshine for you and send it your way.
fascinating vlog Charlie thank you 😂😂😂❤️
You’re very welcome Robert. Regards Charlie
Thanks for that Charlie it was really interesting now I've got a much better understanding of running freight.
Cheers Bryan
I’m so pleased that you found it interesting Bryan, regards Charlie
Such a useful and informative video. I knew brake vans had the side lamps so the driver could see the rear of the train but I never knew it was only on unfitted trains. Thanks for a great video Charlie.
Every day is a school day, for us railway modellers. Regards Charlie
YES! Charlie said ‘realistic’. Good on you sir…
I thought you’d like that Timothy! Regards Charlie
Thanks for a very interesting video -- as a Canadian, I had no idea about the brakes/no-brakes and even the Class or Head-codes. I heard the terms a lot, but never really understood the details -- this video opened my eyes and now I can at least give some understanding to the different classes and that head-code are not just the train's id... I still have a lot to learn, but I must say it was very informative to a casual fan of British rail. As you would say "just brilliant!" eh!
Thanks Paul, I’m so pleased that you enjoyed it.
Very educational now I need to reconfigure all my freight trains ..
I’m so pleased I’ve given you yet another task Gordon. Regards Charlie
Hi Charlie, Thanks for another great video. I really enjoyed this one. Not having lived or worked around the time of these wagon operations I have been looking for information like this. Just found a good book about it too. Your explanations were great. 👍
Thanks Michael, that’s somewhat reassuring. Regards Charlie
G'day Charlie. Thanks for a good explanation of the assembly system for Brit "goods" trains. My scale and location are different but I do enjoy the videos and have picked up a number of good hints over a period of time.
Thanks David, I’m so pleased that you find the channel interesting.
Regards Charlie.
Thanks Charlie every day a School day 😁👍
You did right Colin we all are here to learn. Regards Charlie
Charlie, Thank you, yet anotehr great video, with not only educational details, but plenty of food for thought.
The Australian regs are slightly different, but we did follow the British rules, as a lot of our early designers and engineers were British, so why invent the wheel again - so to speak.
You have given us lots of great material.
Chees, and stay safe, Michael
I’m so pleased that you found it interesting Michael. It was interesting to research it too.
New subscriber. This was one of the most entertaining videos I’ve see anytime recently. I’m in the US, and while there are several English train clubs in my area, I don’t think most people, including me, have any idea about head codes, different configurations of lamps, or even fitted or unfitted vans. I about spit out my tea when you started talking about gunpowder wagons. That was awesome. Thank you for
that. Looking foreword to going through your library of videos.
What a heartwarming comment Barry, it’s great to have you on board mate. Regards Charlie
Thanks Charlie for a very informative video. To misquote Donald Rumsfeld, I knew that I didn't know much about freight trains (still goods trains to me) but I didn't know how much I didn't know. I shall now have to re-marshall and re-light my various aggregate, coal, fast fish, fast fruit, oil, milk and mixed goods stock. Quite a task that will keep me busy for a while.
Great upload Charlie. I like building up freight trains. Partially fitted trains with vacuum braked & non fitted at the rear, etc. Air braked stock adds to the nightmare 😂. Keep up with the great work.
Thanks Steven, regards Charlie.
Well done Charlie, a very difficult subject to explain as photographic evidence of real trains is a minefield. The number of vacuum fitted wagons connected to the engine could not exceed the ability of the engine to maintain the vacuum in the pipe, working instructions in the rule book covered this. A partly fitted GWR train could not exceed 70 wagons with a minimum of 24 and maximum of 35 connected to the brake line, obviously not applicable to model railways but say in a 18 wagon train between 8 and 11 should be connected. Now to get really sad, the GWR fruit van at the back is a fitted type as it is marked XP, also the conflat. Instanter couplings were not intended for use on unfitted stock and where required 3 link couplings were used when coupling them to an instanter or screw coupling equipped wagon, local pick up and branch trains were marshalled regardless of brakes to suit shunting requirements and run as unfitted. On some GWR later BR(W) branch lines where the passenger, mixed and goods trains worked just a short branch it was common to see just a single lamp in the light engine position, typically autotrains. So when you run your branch line it doesn't really matter what goes where in the train.
Great info, Williams. Since making this video, I have been re-briefed, several times! As you say, it’s a minefield that we are all here to learn, every day is a school day. Regards, Charlie
EP 25 soldering to track. NICE ROLEX
I only mention as comments are turned off on that one. It crystallises all your videos nicely.
Hi Josef,
No comments should be turned off so I shall check it out.
Regards Charlie
Yet another great clip, Charlie. I imagine you might agree with the "Sam's Trains" verdict about Dapol couplings as well as these Heljan ones. I have Kadees almost all round on my stock - only the set rake for the pw train still has hook and bar within it. Keep them coming, young man!
Yes Peter, they are a poor excuse for a coupling. I shall replace them into a fixed rake eventually. Regards Charlie
Many thanks for the fascinating tutorial Charlie. I really enjoy your style of presentation. What a comfort that wooden bodied ex-LNER fish van must have been to locomotive crew pulling fuel tankers!
I’m so pleased that you found the video interesting Douglas. I shall be an update to the video in my spring update. Regards Charlie