Posted at 06:04:27 Mon 2 Dec 2013
I too would welcome more South Eastern located trader's wagons, BUT realistically the vast majority of coal traders were located in the Midlands, the North of England and in South Wales, which was where the coal was mined. Additionally a lot of coal for
power generation, gas production and industry in London and the South came by sea, and therefore did not arrive in railway trucks. Big companies like Cory, and Stephenson Clarke dominated the coal distribution business, so the little local traders were the
exception and not the rule.
Local coal yards were good places to find the local trader, but they only received a small quantity of wagons at any one time, mainly because they only owned a small fleet, and wagons would be at a premium. Half the time
they would be running back empty to the colliery to be refilled.
Yes I would love some more Southern private trader wagons (Watcher of Herne Bay, Partridge of Dunton Green, Beadles of Erith, Tudhope of Gravesend, to name but a few).
the
ferret said:
Look I really am very sorry about this but I just cannot stand it any longer!!! What is this mystic "aquistion". Do you all mean an "A-C-Q-U-I-S-I-T-I-O-N"???
Not allowed to mention the sources involved but I have just made up two
kits. One is a very smart GWR 'Mink A' van while the other is a conflat. I have painted the flat wagon in S.R. light grey while the container is in navy blue and our friends MABEX (who are still in business albeit a very sad little story) are supplying me
with Pickford's Transfers.
If I cannot get the 'Oxford' Pickford's Mechanical Horse, the GWR Mechanical Gee-Gee with Flat
truck trailer will have to suffice. I will also have to make up a yard crane from which to dangle the container as transhipment
proceeds!!
When a schoolboy (it is a long time ago) I watched this process actually taking place in the GWR Vastern Road goods yard at Reading, in 12 inches to the foot scale. (Sighs deeply) We had a REAL railway then.
I am also making up a train
of coal wagons but am using all kits to do it with some notable exceptions. Hornby do both "C & G Ayres" of Reading and "Porter and Sons" of Marlow. However,
apart from Isleworth Coal (in a blue box) I have to resort entirely to kits for Southern Railway
private owners. I fancy "Woking Co-operative", "Meakins of Dorking", Stephens of Basingstoke but most especially (and I have two of these already) Fear Bros of Staines. I watched Fear's coal deliveries being fly-shunted into their siding in the UP yard at
Staines from the age of three. It is so wonderful to recreate such events in model form.
So, come on Mr. Hornby, let's have some Southern Private Owner wagons. I feel that there are far too many private owner coal wagons from the Midlands, the North
and Wales.
Posted 06:04:27 Mon 2 Dec 2013
