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Building replica rolling stock?

Discussion in 'Heritage Rolling Stock' started by lynbarn, Jun 10, 2013.

  1. Copper-capped

    Copper-capped Part of the furniture

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    Sorry headmaster...I mean Paul! It was more the tone I was going for rather than the grammatical style, but considering written is not my day job, I thought, maybe, perhaps, a pass mark?!

    Which brings me back to the substance of my overly florid Rococcoesque (;)) prose! Our pastime would be a pale shadow of itself without WIBN, and whilst I'm sure it would be a universal truth that there are lessons to be learnt from the past, I doubt many on here need to be taught how to to suck eggs, or indeed, enjoy having high judgement passed down on what for the (much) greater part is no more than enjoyable theoretical Internet musings. :)
     
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  2. paulhitch

    paulhitch Guest

    Afraid many do,

    Paul H
     
  3. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Involves? Truly it does, although it's a sentiment scarcely confined to being merely a quality of WIBNitis. I'm rather impressed by the poetic meter of our very own "Swan of Stanthorpe", who got that lot to track in a most respectable manner! :)

    So far as the 6-wheelers go, I'd agree that the Esplanade curve was (and is) about the most severe test on the Island lines, but didn't the Bembridge branch needed some modifications, well ahead of strengthening work by the SR to allow O2's, before even a Terrier (first run on the Island in 1899) could venture down it? There were some pretty choice reverse curves on the branch. The BoT report ahead of opening states min. curvature was 12 chains on the running line, but there's reference (in Maycock & Silsbury) to some troublesome five and a half chain curves, presumably pointwork and sidings. My guess is that with the sideplay built into the central axle of the ex-GVR saloons, the Esplanade curve wouldn't have been an issue, although I'm not aware of any evidence they were ever used on Pier Head services.

    Of course, there's a lot of kit already waiting to be restored before any sensible scheme to recreate the 6-wheelers could be entertained, but given how demonstrably popular balcony stock is with the punters, perhaps..... one day.... long after I'm wormfood....
     
  4. paulhitch

    paulhitch Guest

    It was the length of the turntable at Bembridge which prevented the use of O2s at first. The A1x was not ideal as its 12 foot wheelbase knocked the curves about especially when in the hands of the famed "Mad Jack" Sturgess.

    Paul H
     
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  5. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    From what I've read, there was nowt wrong with Mad Jack ..... as long as you weren't too hung up on having your buffer stops attached to the rest of the network!

    I think there was (at least) one bridge on the Bembridge line which needed rebuilding for the O2's as well as sorting the sector plate at the terminus.

    Odd that a P-P fitted O2 wasn't regularly allocated to the branch. That must've made for a more interesting intensive summer service!

    Allegedy, the branch was still operationally profitable at the time of closure, even with speed restrictions in the last couple of years due to the state of the track. IIRC costs of upcoming PW renewals were cited as the principal reason for closure.
     
  6. Copper-capped

    Copper-capped Part of the furniture

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    Oh, do tell please!
     
  7. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Smokeboxes annealed while you wait ..... apparently! There was so much more .... [See my own post #105]. Jack Sturgess leaps out of the pages of dry histories as "quite a character".
     
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  8. paulhitch

    paulhitch Guest

    Not much to say really, certainly not anything relevant to this thread. "Mad Jack" seems to have had a rather vigorous approach to engine driving. Even today, a good A1x is a lively little thing.

    PH
     
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  9. olly5764

    olly5764 Well-Known Member

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    Yes and No, I have no strong opinions either way on building replica stock, but as someone who is involved in restoration of existing stock I was just saying that the bit everyone is saying is a major stumbling block really isn't one
     
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  10. StoneRoad

    StoneRoad Member

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    About to start on another project ... technically a restoration of an extinct type (NSR passenger brake) ...
     
  11. olly5764

    olly5764 Well-Known Member

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    North Staffs?
     
  12. Christopher125

    Christopher125 Part of the furniture

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    Maybe not as built, but Maycock & Silsbury's 'Isle of Wight Railway' book mentions their conversion to Passenger Guard's Vans (with mouldings to match the Met 8 wheelers) around 1916.

    The photo in the book shows one entering Esplanade, as well as the first vehicle behind the O2 in this photo I came across a few weeks back - near Wroxall?
     
    Last edited: Oct 11, 2017
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  13. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    How the hell did I forget that? :( Great find with the photo Christopher. That's a completely new one on me and it's a much clearer shot than anything else I've seen.
     
  14. StoneRoad

    StoneRoad Member

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    NSR is North Staffordshire Railway, so Yes ... more details "soon" !
     
  15. olly5764

    olly5764 Well-Known Member

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    I look forward to it
     
  16. StoneRoad

    StoneRoad Member

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    Steady progress is being made on the ABC for the NSRRSRT
    At present a lot of timber machining is underway.
    And I need to update the Ipernity album ...
    (this one - http://www.ipernity.com/doc/312383/album/1023034)
    to reflect current and recent progress.
     
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  17. aron33

    aron33 Member

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    This gives me an idea: build a replica Silver Link 3-car articulated set, and repaint 60019 ‘Bittern’ to LNER grey and rename her ‘Silver Link’. Bam!
    A small recreation of the train the A4’s were built for.
     
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