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BR articles

A user note: I have tried to present the articles with a helpful précis. Historical and modelling aspects often overlap and search engines in a website can be limited: "Enter search string", for example, will only find the top hit per page. Running Firefox helps because keying CTR+F (and a precise word or phrase) will highlight all the hits on that page.

Model Rail

Bringing up the rear
- The BR standard goods brake van. Diagrams described: 1/500, 1/504, 1/506.
- Details of history and 20 colour pictures of vehicles in service.
- Model based on Pocket Money Kits; a pleasure to build this kit.
7pp, 25 illus. Feb 2002

LNER and BR goods brake vans
- Model Mail: illustrated letter responding to confused comment re Diagrams and fittings.
1pp, 2 prototype illus. Jan 2006

Cattle traffic in LNER and BR days
- Historical overview of vehicles and train working.
The precursor to four articles with slightly haphazard titles.
3pp, 6 historical illus. Mar 2003

Cattle by Rail - 4
- BR cattle truck to Diagram 1/353 with historical notes re the variants.
- The Airful/Dapol kit, heavily reworked; not a task for the faint-hearted but it does produce a rather nice result!
Please note that Model Rail washed out the constructional pictures and Photoshopped the constructional views, presenting the grey kit plastic, the whitemetal parts and the Plastikard modifications all white, making them practically invisible. I have uploaded the original pictures in the Modelling section under "BR cattle truck".
3 pp, 12 illus. (2 prototype). Sep 2003

LMS & BR Inspection Saloons
- Historical; Designs, development and service.
6pp, 12 illus. Jul 2006

LMS & BR Inspection Saloons - 2
- Overview of the kits available for the LMS design.
- Model of D2046 based on sides from the 5522 Models kit married to an MJT roof and Cu-clad base as per previous article about LMS coaches, except that the underframe layout is quite different. Interior details.
A tricky build to get right but one of my favourite models.
5pp, 20 illus. Aug 2006

Saloon Inspirations
- Historical: illustrations of D2046 saloons in colour from 1993-1998 in later conditions and liveries, including ScotRail and EWS.
2pp, 10 illus. Aug 2006

LMS Inspection Saloons
- Follow-up letter illustrating prototype lining on a D2046 with recessed door handles.
1pp, 1 illus. Mar 2007

BR MkI - Secondary and Suburban
- Historical.
- Overview of designs and gradual progression of formations used in: Marylebone Outer Suburban and Secondary service; King's Cross Inner Suburban; Dunstable branch.
There were clear lines of development in these services over the years which I have tried to lay out clearly.
5pp, 9 illus. Jan 2007

BR MkI - Secondary and Suburban - 2
- Historical.
- As above but looking at: King's Cross Secondary and Outer Suburban service; GN Section Secondary; the 1970s; Excursions.
Conclusion of the half dozen or so different kinds of service on which the stock was deployed in a characteristic and methodical manner.
4pp, 9illus. Apr 2007

BR brake van tail lamps
- Reply to a Q&A query with two illustrations showing changes in practice over the years.
1pp, 2 illus. May 2007

Parcels trains in the steam era
- A historical overview, mainly LNER/ER, LMR.
7pp, 10 historical illus. Nov 2007

Secondary expresses in BR days
- Historical outline and focus on an example: Cleethropes-Leeds.
- Colour pictures include haulage by D1832.
2pp, 3 historical illus. Dec 2007

Parcels trains in the steam era - 2
- Historical: SR and WR workings in BR days.
6pp, 11 historical illus.

Parcels trains in the steam era - 3
- Historical: Working of short trains; through vans; and the modelling options.
- LMR, ER, ex-S&DJR.
4pp, 8 historical illus.

Milking it!
- Historical: steam era milk traffic on the GWR, WR, LMS, LMR, LNER and ER.
5pp, 11 historical illus. Jul 2008

Milking it! - Part 2
- Historical: milk traffic on the SR (Big Four and BR days).
- Includes a working transferred to the WR.
3pp, illus. Summer 2008

Pilot duties
- Historical: an account of pilot engines around the country in LMS, LNER, GWR, SR and BR days.
- Covering station, yard and other duties.
7pp, 16 illus. Oct 2008

Deltic headcodes and lamp irons
- Illustrated letter with D9016 at Leeds Central.
1pp, 1 illus. May 2009

The 'Lakes Express'
- Historical account of formations and working in LMS and LMR days.
- Four LMS models in brief (more detail in "LMS Coach Focus", Jul-Sep 2007.
5 pp, 7 illus (3 historical). Apr 2009

Coal trains in the steam era
- Historical overview of the traffic and workings.
- LMS, LMR, LNER, former GCR, GWR, WR, BR.
8 pp, illus. Oct 2009

Coal trains in the steam era - Part 2
- Historical overview of the traffic and workings.
- Coal Yards.
- Example photos on LNER ex-GCR, ER, LMS and LMR. RCH.
- Model examples based on kits from ABS and Slaters.

Please note that the "Anatomy of a wagon" was introduced without my knowledge: "W-iron" is not a railway term, not part of a wagon, and I have taken a fair bit of stick for this error! It is only a modeller's component. The real thing is called an axleguard. Got that, chaps? :)

6pp, 11 illus. (4 historical). Nov 2009

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LNER Passenger Trains and Formations

The book took 12 years for me and Clive to complete and, though I say so myself, Ian Allan have made a beautiful job of it (see full description and sample pages). Vol.2 about the Secondary Services should follow in a year or so's time.

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