Author: Geoffrey Whittaker BSc MA

The Early Bullied Diesels and their models

Introduction

By the 1940’s various UK Railway companies were looking at Diesel traction as an alternative to steam. The LMS produced two prototypes just after the war. These were similar to US Locomotives with “noses”. The Southern Railway, under chief mechanical engineer Oliver Bulleid also built three prototype Diesel electric locomotives.

The three Bulleid designed Diesels were built at a rather leisurely pace and did not enter service until the early 50’s. They were numbered 10201 to 10203. The last produced in 1954 had a larger 2000 bhp engine and was used on the Royal Scott, Golden Arrow and Night Ferry in 1955.

Scan from the Ladybird book of British railway locomotives, Pub. 1958

The prototype

Pioneer Southern Railway electric locomotive at Eastleigh Works. At the Works Open Day in August 1964, the second of the SR’s 660 V 1,470hp Class CC Co-Co electric locomotives, No. 20002 built in 1942, is on display.

The D16/5 design owed a lot to Bulleid’s earlier electric locomotives from the 1940’s. Again only three were built. The electrics also survived longer into the BR blue era.

The first two D16’s had 1750 bhp 16SVT engines, by English Electric. This engine had improved considerably in the four years since Bulleid had ordered the design. Consequently no. 10201 entered service in 1951. The units weighed 135 tons and were 63′ long with a 1co – co1 wheel arrangement similar to the class 40’s.

No 10201 in 1951 at Dorchester South station, Note the Southern green coaches. S.C. Townroe/Colourail DE628, from Bulleid locomotives in colour. pub 1993.

The first two locomotives were designed to run as a pair and were fitted with gangway connections. Subsequently the third prototype, with the larger engine, could operate on its own. 10203 was the first locomotive of 2000bhp to run in Britain. The Bulleid influence is evident as they did not feature the characteristic English Electric “noses”.

This series of Prototypes greatly influenced the development of the class 40 and class 37.

Author

BR chose a striking black and silver livery for the early diesels although they later ran in standard green as seen in the Ladybird book above.

Later operation and scrapping.

The three locomotives were withdrawn in 1962 and survived until 1968, sadly none were preserved.

The model

About the only model produced of the D16/2 was by the Kernow Model Centre in 2018. Unusually people are tending to hang on to these as they are very hard to find. The January 2018 edition of Model Rail Reviewed the model. At the time the model cost £169.99.

The Kernow models do occasionally turn up on Vectis auctions at what seems like a low estimate of £80 – £110 for as new.

A smooth and powerful runner, our sample hauled 14 coaches with ease on level track.

Model rail magazine jan. 2018
Model Rail magazine Jan. 2018

The worst cars ever made – The Vauxhall Victor F type

The prototype Vauxhall Victor F type

The Vauxhall Victor F type was a notorious rustbucket. Often rotting within months. For example the widescreen pillars and the holes in the bumper for the exhaust, being particular water traps. Consequently, the Mk II did away with the bumper exhaust. It also had toned down styling, loosing the “nipples ” from the end of the bumper and some of the chrome. Compare the image below with the car in the video which is a Mk II.

(The F type was) a Luton rustbucket that, we were told, was a big export winner but, in fact, couldn’t cope with life in boiling hot or freezing cold climates. And, of course, mildly damp places – like the UK – weren’t much good for it either, as moisture forced its way in and got to work on the car.

the Worse cars ever sold, giles chapman, pub 2008

The Victor was first released in 1957, amazingly it survived until 1976. However it had undergone some radical restyling by then. The F type Victor replaced the Morris Minor lookalike, and by then prehistoric, Wyvern.

The F type was a big export winner ,100.000 being made in only 15 months. In the U.S, Pontiac dealers sold hundreds of F types to the unsuspecting American public. The F type’s distant relationship with build quality and feeble engine made Vauxhall’s name mud, with General Motors. As a result later Vauxhall models were based on Opel designs!

The Vauxhall Victor FB, note the bumper nipples, not always painted black! Public domain image

The triangle of doom from those undersized wipers was bigger than Belgium.

Author

Squeezing an extra one in is no problem at all.

Dealer training film 1957

Models of the Vauxhall victor.

There have been quite a few models of the Victor. Dinky made models of the later Victor estate and even an Ambulance!

The Vauxhall victor ambulance on eBay

The Vauxhall Victor estate on eBay

The Vauxhall Victor 101 on eBay

Matchbox made a Victor F and an estate version. The most prolific victor models are in the Vanguard range by Corgi. Many colours were produced.

The matchbox Victor F on eBay
The Vanguard Vauxhall Victor in Empress blue.
The Vanguard Vauxhall Victor in horizon blue.

Lansdowne models, Hornby minix, Model Road Replicas, Pathfinder models, Oxford and Silas models also made models of the Vauxhall Victor.

The Hornby LSWR, Drummond T9, the verdict.

Table Of Contents

Introduction

The Hornby LSWR Drummond T9 originally came out in 2008 and has been issued in four different Liveries, the most recent being in LSWR light green. There is also a brass masters kit of the T9. The latest Hornby model represents the only survivor of the class, No 120. The model was issued in late 2020.

The prototype T9

The most common type of passenger locomotive at the turn of the 20th century was the 4-4-0. There was a remarkable range of designs and liveries. The Drummond designed LSWR T9 went into service in 1899. The cylinders were 18.5″ in diameter with a 26″ stroke. Additionally, the coupled wheels were 6′ 7″ in diameter.

The best known and fastest 4-4-0 ‘s were probably the GWR City class, for example, City of Truro, modelled by Kitmaster, later Airfix, in the 1960’s.

120 T9’s were built. The Hornby model represented was stabled at Nine Elms from 1899 to 1947. After 1947, in BR ownership, it was renumbered 30120. It is now the only member of its class in preservation.

It is indeed remarkable to recall the extraordinary variety of styling, and still more so the sartorial elegance in which the basic British inside-cylinder 4-4-0 was clothed in the early years of the 20th century

British locomotives of the 20th century Vol. 1, O. s. Nock, Pub. 1983
A lovely painting of the T9 by C Hamilton Ellis , the Bournemouth express. Note the salmon and brown carriages.

(LSWR) Passenger locomotives,(were) light green, growing yellower in tinge as the present century (20th) advanced, with chocolate bands and black and white lines

Up to about 1859, LSWR engines were Indian red with black bands; thenceforward to the early Seventies, chocolate lined-out with black and white (also in vermilion on the best express engines)

The London and South Western probably held the record for the variety of its locomotive liveries and for the number of times they were changed.

C Hamilton Ellis the trains we loved pub. 1947

Get you Metcalfe kits ready made

The Hornby LSWR, Drummond T9

The Hornby T9 model has been in the range since 2008, Early T9 models suffered from motor mounting rot. However, Later models were OK. They also had some short lived, over complicated packaging. Additionally, connecting the tender was fiddly. As well as individual locomotives no. 312, in Southern green, also appeared in a train pack R.2813. At over £150 they are not exactly cheap but the level of detail is amazing.

Buy the train pack on eBay, Affiliate link

First impressions

The level of detail impresses although the pipework is rather fragile. The smokebox door has a separately fitted dart and the buffer beam sports sprung buffers. Lamp irons are fitted and prone to breakage. Moving along, Under the boiler the valve gear is nicely represented

The Hornby T9 BR black on eBay

The Hornby T9 SR green on eBay

Hornby SR coaches on eBay

The Livery

The rather unforgiving green livery is well applied, as is the banding. The splashers have a very fine white outline. There are no glue marks and the finish is a silky mat. There is also some fine moulded detail on the boiler. The design aesthetic of the original is lovely. Note the outline painting of the recess for the connecting rods. The copper pipework is plastic but well represented. However the safety valves are made of metal.

Buffer beam detail includes the running number and vacuum pipes.

The chassis

The front bogie is centre sprung which helps to hold it on to the track on bends. As a result this gives much more realistic running.

There are also some substantial pickups on the front bogie.


Detailing

The tour de force of this model is the cab detailing. For example the gauges are legible and have glass! Additionally there is some very fine individually fitted pipework.

Running

Running is excellent with a five pole motor. Early versions may have mazac rot, however you can obtain new brass motor mounts.

Conclusion

Most versions of the model are still available on eBay. The most recent is probably worth the money considering the finish and level of detail.

The Mainline class 45, D 52, Retro Review

Class 45 Lancashire Fusilier Cat. No. 37068

The Prototype

The class 45, built by British Rail in Derby, was derived from the English Electric built class 40. Consequently the 45’s had a larger engine and were more powerful. The Sulzer 12 LDA 28B engine provided 2500hp. Most importantly the weight was 133 tons. The high weight resulted in the 1-Co-Co-1 wheel arrangement being needed to reduce the axle loading. For example, four eight wheel bogies distributed the weight.

127 class 45’s were built from 1960-62, withdrawal was in the late 80’s. They became known as the Peaks due to the locomotives being named after famous mountains. Later, they were named after regiments, as with this example. D52 was made at BR’s Crew works.

Lovely quality name plate for the era.

The class 45’s were mainly used on the Midland main line. Consequently some were stabled at Leeds and were used on passenger duties on the Settle and Carlisle line.

Classic poster art from 1900, the Settle – Carlisle line opened in 1876
From British locomotives of the 20th century Vol. 3 O.S.Nock

The Mainline class 45 Model

The Mainline class 45 model came out in 1980. Eight versions were produced including some with onboard sound!

From British Model Trains 3rd edition.
Photo, the author.

The buffer beam is simplified and should be red, as with the modern Heljan or Bachmann version. The model is a good runner and negotiates 1st radius curves without difficulty.

Photo, the author.

The bogies are articulated with the end pair of wheels on a pivot. This does make them a pig to get on the track, however! Traction tyres are fitted to the power bogie.

The motor is similar to the Hornby Ringfield unit.

The radiator vents are nicely represented and the paint finish is an attractive mat green and gray.

While not up to modern standards, they can be had for £45 or less, boxed and make a nice addition to your Green period Diesels.

Support the FREE content on this site buy your, 45’s from the eBay Affiliate link below.

Buy the Mainline Class 45 on eBay

Oxford 1/76 Morris J Ice Cream van -Rossi’s , Review.

The Prototype

The Morris J type van first appeared in 1949. It was produced until 1961. They were commonly supplied in chassis form to external body makers. Hence the Ice Cream van. Power was provided by a pre-war 1476 cc side valve engine. There was a three speed gearbox. The Post Office was another big user of this van.

The model

This is a delightful little model. Printing is colourful and excellent, even the windscreen rubbers are represented. Additionally a full interior enhances the appeal.

Rossi’s Ice Cream Parlour was founded in 1931 and still exist in Southend on Sea They continue to operate modern Ice Cream vans.

There is a rear number plate and the stop lights are represented with painted dots.

Any 50’s or 60’s layout would benefit from this model. The Oxford range are still great value!

The Mainline BR 16′ Brake Van – Retro review.

Mainline Railways

The Mainline BR 16′ Brake Van. Mainline Railways existed for barely 10 years but in that time they produced some excellent models. Prices nowadays are low and this is a good range to collect.

In the 1970’s the General Mills corporation of America was a producer of toys. As a result they user Kader of Hong Kong to manufacture them. Therefore, it was logical to use Kader when General Mills decided to enter the UK model railway market.

Mainline Railways began production in 1976. Consequently, the company chosen to market the brand was Palitoy. Palitoy already had plants in Hong Kong , As a result, Manufacturing was done there. The J72 locomotive was on show at the Harrogate toy fair, in 1976. The model was well received. More models were on the way. A class 45 appeared in 1981 along with some MK I coaches.

In 1981 Airfix also had a model railway system. Palitoy bough Airfix at that time. Consequently the Airfix range was merged with mainline.

By 1983 General mills had decided not to continue with model railway manufacture. As a result the assets were sold to Dapol in 1985.

Note the type A coupling with its tension spring.

The Mainline Brake van model 37-139

The The Mainline BR 16′ Brake Van model was an early adopter of separately fitted parts with vacuum pipes supplied for the user to fit. The couplings were also a point of note. They were similar to Hornby but with a tension spring that forced the hook down. The model was produced from 1976 – 1981.

Handrails were made of shaped metal and the wheels were also metal. Moulded detail is crisp and the printing is legible. The vehicle is all plastic, however the paint finish is good. The model is light but very free running.

The Box art is striking with bold lettering .

Conclusion

This is a collectable range and the models run well on modern track.

The Blackburn & Preston Railway of 1846 and the ELR

Here we look at the early history of the East Lancashire Railway. Firstly, the Blackburn & Preston Railway barely had two years of independent existence. In 1848 it formed part of the East Lancashire Railway along with several other companies. Moreover the ELR had a fraught relationship with its neighbours often feuding with the North Union railway and the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. Secondly this caused the building of duplicate routes and stations.

In 1843 a railway was proposed between Preston and Blackburn. There was already a railway entering Preston from Wigan. This line crossed the river Ribble via a stone viaduct. The railway was operated by the North Union Railway. Subsequently the viaduct became a point of contention for the fledgling Blackburn & Preston Railway. Because Preston corporation did not want another railway bridge built over the Ribble, the new line could not enter Preston directly. As a result the the route joined the existing line to the South, at Farrington. This also made the railway 3 miles longer than the road route.

The route of the railway

The railway was built in two sections. Firstly the section from Farrington to Hoghton, contracted to John Stephenson and Secondly Hoghton to Blackburn, contracted to Nowell & Hattersley. Construction began near Hoghton Tower in August 1844. Most of the heavy engineering works were on the Hoghton to Blackburn section. Above all the River Darwen had to be crossed at Hoghton bottoms. This is a deep gorge and consequently a substantial stone viaduct had to be built. The three arch structure is 116ft high and took over eighteen months to build.

Hoghton viaduct, 116ft high, three arches, built 1844 / 45

A further bridge re-crossed the river near Pleasington. This was originally made of wood but was replaced by a stone bridge in 1865.

The stations on the railway

There were four intermediate stations at Lostock Hall, Bamber Bridge, Hoghton and Pleasington. Hoghton closed in 1960. Pleasington is still open as a request stop.

Hoghton station in 1950, closed in 1960.

The East Lancashire Railway Adds it’s own station

Importantly, feuding railway companies often built duplicate routes. Preston being a case in point. Within a few years the ELR had persuaded Preston Corporation to let them build a direct line, and new bridge into the town. This line diverged from the existing route at Bamber Bridge. Consequently the main reason for the Bamber Bridge to Preston line was so the ELR could avoid having to run over the North Union Railway’s tracks into the town, via Farrington. Because of the feud with the NUR an additional station was build by 1850, with an entrance on Butler street. This is now closed and the site of a supermarket.

The ELR bridge is still in use as a footpath and the route of the line has large sections that can be walked.

The East Lancs Railway bridge in Preston, now used as a footpath.
The ELR had its own platforms in the 1850 Preston station enlargement.

Summary

To sum up the Preston to Blackburn line formed an important link in the East Lancashire network. By 1848 Accrington was connected to Blackburn and Manchester via Bury. Blackburn was a major textile town as was Accrington. The link to Manchester and Preston, a significant port, helped to cement the industrial revolution in the North of England..

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The Austin K2 ATV Fire Engine from WW II, history and models.

During WW II an assortment of commercial vehicles were pressed into service as fire vehicles. They were to tow the 20,000 trailer pumps that were expected to be needed. This proved to be a mistake as the vehicles were unreliable and not cost effective. In a raid on Manchester so many were out of service that pumps had to be pushed to the bombed areas by hand.

In 1941 2000 custom built Austin K2 vans were ordered these were fitted with seats for the crew and hose storage. After the war they were termed auxiliary towing vehicles or ATV’s. Many fire services used them including private companies. 1941 was also the year that the fire service was nationalized, becoming the National Fire Service.

The Austin K2 Van conversions

The Austin K2 short wheelbase 2 ton chassis was used, with a steel body and reinforced roof to deflect shrapnel. The engine was a six cylinder 3650cc, 28 HP, unit. Storage was available under the bench seats that ran down each side.

The officer in charge and driver sat upfront while the crew sat in back, which was open. A tarpaulin was provided to keep out the rain! Some Austin K2’s remained in service until the 1970’s.

National fire service vehicles were painted grey to conform with British Standard Shade No. 32.

The models

The Austin ATV has been produced by Oxford Die-cast in a range of liveries. The scale is 1/76 suitable for 00 model railways. These are great little models with fine detail at a great price.

Oxford models emergency service vehicles
The original NFS ATV in Grey.

The RAF also used the K2 at airbases.

The RAF version of the Austin K2 ATV.

The London Salvage Corps was tasked with saving as many goods as possible at fire scenes. Oxford also produced a model of this version.

WW II London Salvage Corps Austin K2

In 1938, the Auxiliary Fire Service was formed. Its main aim was for Civil Defence and to aid the regular fire service. Volunteers manned the service. It was absorbed into the National Fire Service in 1941 and reformed after WW II. It was not disbanded until 1968. The green livery became well know in the 1950’s when the Green Goddesses were introduced.

The Oxford Diecast AFS Austin K2.

Finally the Austin K2 was also used as a service vehicle to maintain the other appliances.

See our Fire station and vehicle models

Atlas Dinky Toys, Modern reproductions-Are They Any Good?

Atlas Dinky Toys Modern reproductions.

Atlas editions recently made a series of replica Dinky Toys. They ranged from the early sports cars, from 1934 onwards until the 1970’s. French Dinky was also represented with the Peugeot 204 and others. Atlas ceased trading in 2017 but there are still a lot of these models about, are they any good? As the replicas are no longer made, they will probably become collectors items in their own right.

Typical original condition for this model (1948-50)

The Atlas Editions Ford Camionnette De Depannage – Red (25R)

The original Dinky model came out in 1948, it was available in red, green or gray. The Replica comes in a reproduction box that is a fairly accurate copy of the original.

This crane was intended for the French market although it was available in the UK. As with most pre-late 50’s vehicles no windows were fitted. The overall shape of the replica is accurate as is the crane arm. The red colour is shiny and looks correct. Tyres are the correct size and colour. Overall this is agood model and can be had for less than £20.

The forward control lorry was used for many models here are some prices realised from Vectis auctions

Buy now!

The Atlas Dinky Toys Modern reproduction, 1960 Guy Van, Heinz.

An original Heinz van from 1960

The colour match on the replica is excellent and the wheels are the correct type. The original sells for £100 upwards.

The rear doors open as on the original. This is a heavy and attractive model.

Finally lets take a look at the Atlas Editions Dinky town road signs. These are based on one of the early sets from the 1930’s. Dinky models were initially designed to go with Hornby’s 0 gauge model railways.

The replicas come in a yellow box with french text. They are made out of cast metal and are well painted. The original sets are worth over £90 in good condition.

Atlas Dinky Toys Modern reproductions are good models and should be bought now while prices are low.

Read my price guide to Dinky Tankers.

The Oxford Die-cast N gauge, New London Routemaster – review

The prototype

The new London Routemaster bus came into service in 2012. It is a three door design with a hop-on hop-off capability. The rear door can be left open when a conductor is on board. The vehicle is a hybrid with a Diesel engine charging batteries. The batteries then power traction motors. Power is also recovered by regenerative breaking.

The model

Presentation

The box is the usual Oxford card outer covering a perspex enclosure. These would make good display cases if it was not for the moulding mark at the top. The model is secured to the black plastic base using minuscule screws.

There is a remarkable amount of detail with most of the signage legible. There is a full interior including cab detail.

The chassis is metal while most of the body is plastic. Wheels are functional and nicely detailed also, the window surrounds are printed.

Roof detail includes the Helicopter viewable ID number. The letters indicate the operator, in this case the Go Ahead Group and the fleet number follows.

These are amazing little models with no significant errors. Great for under £15.