Flaxfield- A bucolic 1950s Suffolk backwater

[Flaxfield]

A great subject for a model, and I'm sure you will do it justice Rob.
Windswept and no trees!

Aha !

Hi Mike.

We appear to be singing off the same hymm sheet.

Rob

 

[Flaxfield]

Morning all.

The fact that this thread has been a bit quiet as of late isn't a reflection of a lack of interest. Nope.

Blackwater Pier's boards are indeed in storage ( popped on top of Sheep Dip as it happens ) but other things have intruded.

The East Anglian projects are simmering away and one thing that is due to appear quite soon are the GNR vans from Rapido, eminently suitable for East Anglian fruit traffic.











In addition, it seems Bachmann are having a building clear out and the Tollesbury Pier building, described as a ' Light Railway Station ' is shortly to be available from retailers at a reduced price, around the £29.00 mark.



We might well see an extra example added to the 'stash'.

Rob

 

[Simon H]

The Tollesbury Pier building reminds me of the Cleobury Mortimer and Ditton Priors Light Railway station buildings...might have to see if I can get hold of one of these, thanks for the tip-off, Rob!
Simon.

 

[Flaxfield]

Morning, all.

In another relatively exciting development of an Eastern nature, though not specifically East Anglian, I see that TMC have announced a commision from EFE of a NER brake van.

https://www.themodelcentre.com/article/new-tmc-exclusive-ner-v4-brake-van-revealed?srsltid=AfmBOoqhnj8MFIH5n-S2vV2AM_Kw1PTe_ZakqZce8t7mboQar9vvCGUS

It does look rather nice and although this is not a cheap wagon, I've no doubt it will be very well done.




I'm a bit of a sucker for brake vans so one will definitely be joining the fleet.

TMC also indicate that it's the first in a range of NER wagons, with further announcements throughout the coming year.

These, added to the forthcoming GER opens from Rapido, plus the GNR vans, again from Rapido on top of the existing GER vans from Oxford ( subject to further batches being announced ) should provide a very nice pre-grouping basis for a rather varied eastern wagon fleet.

Rob

 

[Quintus]

Nice.
My knowledge of anything NER is somewhat lacking, but the wheels look a bit odd. I figured it's not an early disc brake!
Maybe a method of heat dissipation with the brake screwed hard on going down a incline with an unfitted freight?
Cheers
Mike

 

[Overseer]

Good to see EFE are reusing the old GRAFAR brake van tooling, not enough of them were made. Just kidding, there should be nothing in common.

One a more serious note, does anyone have the dates the V4 vans were converted from 3’6” wheels to 3’ wheels? It seems to be early BR but I haven’t seen enough clear photos to be sure. The ‘spotting item’ is timber filler strips added between the top of the springs and the solebar. I am hoping some with larger wheels were still running in the 1950s.

 

[Flaxfield]

One a more serious note, does anyone have the dates the V4 vans were converted from 3’6” wheels to 3’ wheels? It seems to be early BR but I haven’t seen enough clear photos to be sure. The ‘spotting item’ is timber filler strips added between the top of the springs and the solebar. I am hoping some with larger wheels were still running in the 1950s.

This image, and accompanying caption, is on the initial release information. My knowledge of NER wagons is not good so I cannot comment either way re. wheels.


NER V4 brake van No. 61445, built at York April 1923, at Ayr MPD in May 1957.


 Rob

 

[Overseer]

This image, and accompanying caption, is on the initial release information. My knowledge of NER wagons is not good so I cannot comment either way re. wheels.

View attachment 256140
NER V4 brake van No. 61445, built at York April 1923, at Ayr MPD in May 1957.


 Rob

Yes, that photo shows the smaller wheels and the blocks (presumably 3” thick) between the solebars and the spring hangers.

 

[Ian@StEnochs]

That is not Ayr MPD.