Engineering trains 1950-60's
 

OK

Simple question about Engineers trains

for Rail changing
for Signalling
for PW maintainance

what would they be formed of
Would they be painted or just slowly rotting wood

I have red as the livery for my BDT
BUT as I have a steam crane do I need to include a coal truck in the consist

You could look at some of the old British Transport Films (Many in B&W I'm sorry to say)

this is one reason I'm asking
A almost all the archive is B&W
B/ I can't remember anything except the OHL Trains


Oh Yes getting a new late logo green loco (an A3 with smoke deflectors) so can move a weathered Class 7 over to haul it or use a 3F tank (Jinty or J52)

I've got to ask

Did no-one bother with wagons and especially departmental ones back in the 60's ??????????????

There are some good photo's out there in Google land but there are so few that are in colour

Now wish I had, had a camera when I was a kid spotting the photo's would be rubbish but the subjects would be priceless today

As far as I remember, track maintenance was carried out manually with equipment being ferried to site by any available wagons. Rail was in 60 foot sections so were easily handled by small cranes and pushed off the wagons at site. (before HSE). Ballast was not usually renewed and washed as it is today. Track was expected to last for 20 years on main lines and recycled to minor lines where it is expected to last forever! Sleepers were replaced individually as required. Remember that gangs of men were employed to keep their "length" in tip top condition.

I can remember the posters from the 50's about "Permanent Way"
But I do remember seeing some trains mostly Black wagons but I can't remember details thanks to recent illnesses (laid up again right now)

I am looking to model a 6-7 wagon train of 2-3 bolsters for track and 2-3 ballast waste wagons and an Oyster Brake van
Also a similar one of just Dogfish and maybe two Oyster Brakes

I have some details for the Oysters as they were LMS designed but it's the bolsters I now need to get more details on although with your comments a few Bolster A might be all I need

As a group we support the NYMRs Civil Engineering fleet.
A number of the wagons in there are from the period you are looking at and basically Black is the order of the day.
http://www.yorkareagroup.co.uk/wagons/wagon-photos/

From the list of our stock I reckon that
The Walrus hoppers, Dogfish Hopper, Shark Ballast plough, Grampus and Borail would suit.
The Borail does have a modern modification with the Side Rail lifters, easily removed though. (original offload by leaning bars against the wagon side and tipping rails off )

As for publications This might suit:-

Civil Engineers Wagons by David Larkin
Vol 1 British Railways 1948 - 1967
Kestrel Railway Books
ISBN 978-1-905505-23-4
£14

Brian

Thanks for the photo's link and help there I am in the process of putting stock together although I do know one little extra that around here Black wasn't used as much as Olive Drab (weird Colour a very dirty green ) but still every little bit of info helps

Mermaids were another regular wagon.
We aren't bothered about those though as they are designed for side tipping ballast on a 2 track railway, not much use on a single line.
However to tip them the guys used to have an enormous wheel that was attached to the winding mechanism on the side away from the tip.
The wheel, if I remember right, was about 6ft diameter. Replaced in the 80s with a small powerpack and large socket, made the job a lot quicker.

That's why (I think) another forum calls them the "Days of Black and White"

Seriously though, i began using colour around 1963 and the photos have got very discoloured over the years, though It has been possible to correct for my needs with Picture Publisher but not for professional use.

There is an earlier BTF film from the fifties when replacement of track in complete panels was introduced called "Making Tracks"

Just for interest: "Groundwork for Progress", "E for Experimental," "Day to Day Track Maintenance "(Part 1 and Part 2),

And how the lads used to relay by hand mostly.
How many tons of spoil into the trains?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...LnLzQ2FsI&NR=1

An interesting film. There are probably more men employed on that one job than are nowadays employed West of Bristol.