Class 73 decorated samples

[Neil Dapol]

The decorated samples of the OO Gauge Class 73's have arrived and have been evaluated by the design team, feedback is currently being complied for the factory to make changes and or improvements where required.

A selection of photographs are provided for your viewing pleasure and as always constructive comment is welcomed.

[Neil Dapol]

73109

[Neil Dapol]

73202

[Neil Dapol]

73235

[Neil Dapol]

E 6002

[Neil Dapol]

E 6004

[JeremiahBunyan]

Those do look good. I especially love the Southern and Southwest ones! Looks good and the choice of colours seems spot on!!

Now where are those Class 86s?

[YesTor]

The black windscreen surround on the Network SouthEast 73109 is strange? https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/16297806368/

[JeremiahBunyan]

After an hour of trawling through photos I never found a single one with black surrounds. So that does need to change.

[Joel Dapol]

Yes, we agree, thanks for your input and observation, we will correct this.

[YesTor]

Also, looking at both the Network Rail and EWS examples and again the black windscreen surrounds are incorrect in both cases:

Network Rail livery:

https://hattonsimages.blob.core.wind...1_Qty1_cat.JPG

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dan700/4714184642/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/wagn1/6487957241/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/16085469804/


EWS livery:

https://hattonsimages.blob.core.wind...2_Qty1_cat.JPG

https://www.flickr.com/photos/richardajones/6172574279/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/105285...6/14190491732/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pkspho...y/31955602873/

cheers
Al

[Joel Dapol]

Yes, we have spotted these and reported them to Olivia trains who are reviewing the samples. Thank you again for the constructive observation, much appreciated

[YesTor]

And your version of Fragonset livery appears to have strange yellow/orange windscreen surrounds?:

https://hattonsimages.blob.core.wind...0_Qty1_cat.JPG

https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/17205790676/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/16438742386/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/11297279815/

[Joel Dapol]

This is an Olivia's Trains commission, so we have passed these comments on to them whilst they are reviewing their samples.

[YesTor]

Another question, in that has the shade of warning yellow been corrected from the first batch and lost that lemon tint? (it's difficult to tell from the photos)...

cheers
Al

[Joel Dapol]

We have tried our best on this contentious issue and have used TOC specified colours wherever we can. There is a degree of colours not quite scaling as they should, but we are happy generally with how the samples have turned out. One issue that has tested us, is the roof colours. Although we used TOC specified shades in a couple of cases, the NSE and ST versions we feel the grey may appear perhaps a shade too light and are looking to correct this if we can

[YesTor]

Hi Joel

Okay, whilst on the subject of roof colour and another thing I noticed is that it appears that the livery sample of the Network Rail version features a white roof... http://www.oliviastrains.com/wp-cont...67IMG_2318.JPG

Whereas again looking at a few online photos, particularly the first picture here (which shows an ex-works condition prototype) and the roof appears to be light grey...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/16085469804/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/wagn1/6487957241/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dan700/4714184642/

cheers
Al

[The Duke 71000]

Joel,
The JA versions look nice, I'm definately in the market for one of each.

Destination Blinds the SR rules.

However as usual there appears to be confusion over the SR system of route indicator blinds. As an ex BR driver who drove these and other SR traction, I can explain the following with regard to destination blinds on SR stock.

Within the boundaries of the Southern Region a headcode had to be displayed at the leading end. This means numbers, letters or white blinds or a combination. Generally headcodes using digits were passenger or ECS services. (ECS services used the regular route number for the route with the addition of a WHITE horizontasl bar above). Letters or combination letter and numeral were generally freight services. Before July 1967 some passenger services on the Bournemouth line were allocated mixed alpha numeric headcodes. A few examples I have listed below.

The most important rule relates to the RED blinds as seen on the models. RED blinds must NOT be displayed at the leading end when on running lines. If seen by a signalman he would immediately put signals to danger and attempt to stop the train. Because this indicates a "wrong direction run away train" and therefore a very serious potential disaster in the making.

Further RED blinds at the rear of the loco are ONLY allowed IF the locomotive is running "light engine". If the red blinds are displayed on the rear of the loco when hauling a train, and this is noticed by staff or signalman, the train MUST be stopped, and the blinds changed. This is because, should the locomotive become detached from its train with red blinds displayed at the rear, no one would realise it had lost its train, which could lead to a serious accident !!! BLACK blanks were supposed to be used on the rear of the loco when hauling a train.

RED BLANKS were ONLY allowed to be used as a "tail marker", on stock that had a safe capacity to illuminate such blinds by Battery power for at least 24 hours continuously. (For EMU's this included all "1951" stock onwards. So certainly 4SUB and 5BEL units even when fitted with roll round blinds still had to carry a tail lamp.) Otherwise a tail lamp was required on the end of the train. Further RED BLINDS were NOT tolerated on ANY other Region (because no other region had made any alteration to its operational rules to permit such blinds). So even after the Southern Region had effectively re-claimed the Salisbury to Yeovil line. Trains found arriving at Exeter St. David's, using red blinds (Class 33's and TC stock most frequently). Found themselves "Impounded". The train was NOT allowed to move again until a red lamp was hung on the rear of the train, for the return journey at least as far as Yeovil.....

The situation as explained, therefore means the models need a selection of optional headcodes to be fitted by the user !!!!

Some example headcodes typically seen on Class 73 locos.
Note: Southern headcodes because they were route and stopping pattern sensitive,allowed their use for part of the journey only, unless a specific headcode had been allocated. Example 93 seen below was often only used as far as Basingstoke or Bournemouth. This is a hangover situation from the Southern steam headcode disc system.

Two white blanks: When the driver had no given headcode these were normally used. This was often also displayed once headcodes were abolished.
One white and one red: Only used when shunting on, or too and from "Running lines" (i.e lines over which passenger trains operated).
Two reds: ONLY on REAR of Loco when running LIGHT Loco.
A2 Waterloo - Basingstoke semi-fast (or in reverse direction) . Used 1965-67.
2A Waterloo - Poole - Hamworthy (perishables) 1965-67 (also used by Class 33 before the third rail was switched on)
7A Feltham - Eastleigh freight. - Just the sort of job the ED's were built for. i.e diesel traction into/ out of the yards and electric for the main journey.
B1 Waterloo- Bournemouth (used 1965-67).
B9 Southampton Western Docks - Waterloo (Ocean Liner Boat train)
C2 Waterloo - Bournemouth (express) 1965-67
G9 Waterloo - Lymington this direction only 1965-67
9G Lymington - Waterloo this direction only 1965-67

From 1/4/67 new headcodes introduced on South Western Division, in preperation for electric services beginning 10/7/67. Available for both directions of route shown.
90 Waterloo- Weymouth Quay Channel Islands Boat trains.
91 Waterloo - Bournemouth - Weymouth Fast. Also seen frequently on Class 33 and even Class 47 on the "Bournemouth Belle"
92 Waterloo - Bournemouth - Weymouth Semi-fast
93 Waterloo - Bournemouth - Weymouth slow (rarely used by locomotives as the regular 4VEP EMU's covered this service reliably from Day 1)
95 Waterloo - Southampton Eastern Docks (Ocean Liner Boat trains)
96 Waterloo - Southampton Western Docks (Ocean Liner Boat trains)
97 Waterloo - Lymington Pier (Length limit 9 coaches due to restrictions on the branch) Isle of Wight ferry connection (summer only).

Central Division
12 Victoria - Brighton via Redhill (pre 1978 in addition to being a passenger headcode also used by Class 73 for newspaper, parcels and Mail traffic).
13 London Bridge - Brighton via Redhill (pre 1978 as above).
16 Victoria-Hove-Worthing-Littlehampton via Quarry line (pre 1978, used by Class 73 for Newspaper traffic as far as Hove).
17 London Bridge - Worthing - Littlehampton via Quarry line (as 16 above).
20 Victoria - Gatwick Airport via Quarry line (1990's Class 73/2 "Gatwick Express")
30 Victoria - Gatwick Airport via Redhill (as headcode 20)

Obviously as I'm building Basingstoke as my exhibition layout, most of my info on headcodes is for the South Western Division.

The Duke 71000

[The Duke 71000]

The Question of yellow....

It must be said that the Class 73 locos during BR times often went through the variuous carriage washing plants on the Region. The Carriage washers would happily spray both the front and the rear of the loco as well as the train they were hauling. However the wipers and brushes did not reach much more than the corners of the cabs !

As these carriage washers used a strong acid (since banned by Health and Safety), to try and remove ingrained brake block dust in glass. The acid was not washed away effectively on cab fronts. The locomotives cabs and therefore the yellow paint was both slowly faded, and actually burnt away. This began to reveal the LEMON undercoat, as rolling stock in those days was painted in a more traditional fashion. EMU's were of course even more prone to the problem as they went through washing plants at approximately 2-3 day intervals.

Below can be seen some idea of the original undercoat and top coats making a good comparison....


Above: Inside Selhurst Depot in the late 1970's. Two 4SUB units during a "C6" repainting. On the left unit 4277 appears ready to return to traffic, while on the right Unit 4290 has only received its LEMON colour undercoat. The colour reproduction (being inside a shed) is pretty reliable. It does however reveal the udercoat that often began to show through thanks to the viscoius carriage washing plants..
Photo credit: Chris Evans.

The Duke 71000

[Finsbury Park]

Joel,
The JA versions look nice, I'm definately in the market for one of each.

Destination Blinds the SR rules.

However as usual there appears to be confusion over the SR system of route indicator blinds. As an ex BR driver who drove these and other SR traction, I can explain the following with regard to destination blinds on SR stock.

Bachmann produced the best compromise by producing the 2EPB and MLV with double white blanks at both ends. When they were in motion, a bi-colour LED behind the headcode at each end lit white at the front and red at the trailing end. It wasn't perfect and people started moaning that you'd only see double white blanks on an EMU on an ECS working, but it was still better than any alternative.

Certainly a lot easier for the operator than having to dick about with the Great Hand From The Sky taking the thing apart every few minutes to change headcodes, with bits falling off and the resultant finger marks all over the bodywork. In my opinion it was the ideal, and most realistic, compromise.

Dapol's problem is less with understanding the issue of red blinds and much more with the fact that it is consistently getting the typeface for two character headcodes wrong.

More than once I have explained to Dapol that:
1. The typeface used for BR-era two and four character headcodes was a bespoke design and is not, and never has been, a commercially-available typeface.
2. A more condensed style for SR two-character headcodes was brought in, post-privatisation.
3. I would be more than happy to supply - free of charge - high resolution scans of all the characters of both SR numeric and alphanumeric two-character headcode blinds, of both pre- and post-privatisation styles (as well as numeric and alphabetic blinds for four character headcodes), given that I have a number of examples of all types of these headcode blinds in my possession.

But Dapol is evidently not interested and is happy to continue getting this simplest of details wrong, as the latest attempt (see 73109 at the top of the page) demonstrates. I'll just have to take my EDs apart and fix it myself, something I really shouldn't have to do.

It's so frustrating, because otherwise I think the 73 is a fantastic-looking model of the real thing. But if Dapol is determined not to listen, what can you do? (hits head on desk).

[The Duke 71000]

"Finsbury Park"
Double white blanks, were only used if the driver either didn't know what route number was allocated. Or it was not a regular route for which a number was allocated i.e a special working for which control had not issued a headcode and nothing was shown in the "late notices". That was until headcodes were abolished at which point "White Blanks" were used if no other means of illumination at the head end was possible.

ECS workings originally used the relevant route headcode PLUS a White Bar above the number(s). There were also two dashes and four dashes included on the roll round bliind above the numerals, but I can't remember what they were actually allocated for, as it must be now over 50 years since they were abolished.

In the photo of the 4SUB EMU's in Selhurst depot (my previous post) . You can see above the white glass for the headcode stencils, another horizontal smaller space, now painted yellow. This was the space where the single white bar was positioned to indicate ECS, or dots/dashes for other odd workings.

The Duke 71000