• A North Lancashire Railway Album

    A North Lancashire Railway Album

    The railways in the Lancaster area, in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, were a mix of main Line, cross country and local lines carrying a fascinating selection of trains. Following on from his earlier compilation, A Cumbrian Railway Album, Leslie Gilpin has brought together a further selection of photographs illustrating these lines from the cameras of brothers Alan and Ian Pearsall. The brothers were keen on the railways of the area and captured both the commonplace and the unusual, often with an artistic eye on the surrounding landscape. The photographs cover the period from around 1945 through to the end of steam in 1968 and illustrate steam, early diesel and electric trains of the time. Some of the shipping activity in and around Heysham Harbour is also captured. The geographic area covered is the West Coast Main Line from north of Garstang & Catterall to Carnforth, the ‘little’ North Western line from Settle Junction to Morecambe and Heysham and the various branch lines in between.

    A North Lancashire Railway Album will appeal equally to the railway enthusiast, whether the interest is in the railways in North Lancashire, trains of the British Railways steam era or railways in general. The photographs are accompanied by informative captions and clear coloured maps of the area covered.

    112 pages
    Art board cover
    229 illustrations
    ISBN 978-0-9570387-3-8

  • Bigrigg

    Bigrigg

    by The Bigrigg Research Team

    The book covers a fascinating area of West Cumbria that has had little written about it. Situated between Whitehaven and Egremont few people today will be aware as to how important Bigrigg was during the Industrial Revolution, that its output of minerals was so important to the local economy and expansion of the area. The book delves into the past to bring the present alive and helps our understanding of the current topography of the area. It is amazing to see just how complicated the pits and railways were.

    Within the space of little over 1 square mile, there were over 40 pits in Bigrigg, and the vast majority were rail connected. Now, there are very few traces of this once busy scene. The history of this is complicated by the multiplicity of land owners, mineral rights owners, mine owners and mine lessees. This book details the extensive research which has been undertaken to unravel this history and relate the story of this branch and its mines.

    With numerous maps, photographs of both the area in its heyday and showing what remains today along with extracts from historical documents.

    112 pages
    Laminated card cover
    Illustrated
    ISBN 978-0-9570387-7-6

  • CRA01/2 – Furness Railway 4/7mm Etched Platform Seats

    CRA01/2 – Furness Railway 4/7mm Etched Platform Seats

    A pack of two brass etches to make the famous Furness Railway Platform Seats, in 4mm or 7mm scale, featuring the Red Squirrel and bunch of grapes. Solder or glue together. Requires paint to finish.

  • CRA03 – CAST BRASS AXLE BOXES – 4mm scale

    CRA03 – CAST BRASS AXLE BOXES – 4mm scale

    Aa part of the range of modelling aids is a set of four cast brass coach axle boxes produced by the lost wax process. They were used on a wide range of prototype vehicles and should appeal to all 4mm modellers working in the early period of railway history.Whilst these axle boxes are an essential component for the modeller who wishes to produce accurate models of the early rolling stock of a number of Cumbrian railways, they have a wider application. A number of vehicles were built by Joseph Wright & Sons (later the Metropolitan Railway Carriage & Wagon Co.) for a large number of railways in the United Kingdom. These axle boxes will, therefore, appeal to a very wide group of 4mm modellers.

    Joseph Wright started building carriages for railways in 1837 at his London Workshops. In 1845 he moved the works to Saltley in Birmingham where he found space to expand his business. The firm became the Metropolitan Railway Carriage & Wagon Company in 1863.

    Cumbrian railways using vehicles fitted with these axle boxes included the Furness, the Maryport & Carlisle, and the Whitehaven, Cleator & Egremont.

  • CRA04 – CARRIAGE SPRINGS IN LOST WAX BRASS – 4mm scale

    CRA04 – CARRIAGE SPRINGS IN LOST WAX BRASS – 4mm scale

    4mm Scale carriage springs in lost wax brass. The Stockton & Darlington Railway built a large number of coaches using these 7’ springs in the 1860’s and 70’s. They were used on 27’ 6” under frames for both 1st, 2nd and 3rd class coaches as well as smoking saloons, composites, 2nd brakes and clerestory brakes. The coaches were used on the Stainmore line and ran on the Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway. The coaches were taken over by the North Eastern Railway and at least one survives at Beamish Museum. The springs were also standard on coaches of lots of other railways of the time, including those that ran in Cumbria, so there is scope for lots of applications.To make use of the springs modellers will also need the Saddle Ends, which are available from Prickley Pear Products.

  • CRA06 – FR 8’6″ wb. No 2 axlebox and 9 leaf springs 4mm one wagon

    CRA06 – FR 8’6″ wb. No 2 axlebox and 9 leaf springs 4mm one wagon

    Furness Railway No 3 axlebox + 9 leaf spring + buffer guides. 4mm scale (for one wagon)

    Diagram 15 wagon 607

    History

    These FR No 3 grease axleboxes were fitted to many 19th century Furness Railway wagons, underneath 9 leaf springs.

    They are likely to date back to the 1860s and were fitted to new wagons until 1902, after which oil axleboxes were used. Wagons built before about 1890 were fitted with a single wheel brake (see separate parts available from the CRA).

    A few wagons fitted with No 3 axleboxes were rebuilt with FR No 9 oil axleboxes after about 1910, usually with the fitting of 5 leaf springs and more modern brakes at the same time, but many continued to use these grease axleboxes until after the Grouping in 1923.

    It is not certain what differentiated the FR No 2 and No 3 grease axleboxes, but it is notable that the only surviving photos of No  3 boxes are on wagons of types which were only rated to 6 or 8 tons capacity, while the No 2 appears on photos of wagons rated to 10 tons.

    Using the wagon diagram book numbers prepared by the FR for the incoming LMS in 1923, wagons built with grease axleboxes rated to 6 – 8 tons that were probably built with these axleboxes were open wagons of Diagrams 15, 16, 17, of which around 1500 survived until 1923. Diagram 15 was the  most numerous wagon type on the FR.

    Copies of these Diagrams are available for download from the CRA website.

    You are advised to check a prototype photo if you wish to ensure you use the correct combination of axleboxes, springs, brakes and number.

    NB: the book about FR rolling stock by RW Rush uses a different diagram numbering system based on drawings produced over a decade after Grouping in the 1930s.

    Using these parts

    These 3D prints have been produced for the CRA by Rumney Models using high quality resin. They have been removed from their support structure but may benefit from further filing.

    The axleboxes are designed for model wagons fitted with etched W irons including those with sprung bearings, as they have a slot to allow the bearing to move. They can also be fitted to W irons giving a rigid or compensated chassis.

    It is recommended to glue the combined axlebox and spring to the underside of the solebar and to the outside face of the W iron, using a sparing amount of epoxy resin (such as Araldite) or a thicker cyanoacrylate “superglue”.

    If your prototype requires a different combination of spring and axlebox, these parts can be separated by careful cutting using a very fine piercing saw blade.

    Painting

    On leaving the workshop after overhaul, FR axleboxes and springs were painted black, but they were never cleaned in service, so would have become dirty with spilled grease, oil and rust, dust from the wagon’s loads and smuts from the locomotives.

  • CRA07 – Furness Railway No 2 axlebox + 9 leaf spring + buffer guides. 4mm scale

    CRA07 – Furness Railway No 2 axlebox + 9 leaf spring + buffer guides. 4mm scale

    History

    These FR No 2 grease axleboxes were fitted to many 19th century Furness Railway wagons, underneath 9 leaf springs.

    They are likely to date back to the 1860s and were fitted to new wagons until 1902, after which oil axleboxes were used. Wagons built before about 1890 were fitted with a single wheel brake (see separate parts available from the CRA).

    A few wagons fitted with No 2 axleboxes were rebuilt with FR No 9 oil axleboxes after about 1910, usually with the fitting of 5 leaf springs and more modern brakes at the same time, but many continued to use these grease axleboxes until after the Grouping in 1923.

    It is not certain what differentiated the FR No 2 and No 3 grease axleboxes, but it is notable that the only surviving photos of No  3 boxes are on wagons of types which were only rated to 6 or 8 tons capacity, while the No 2 appears on photos of wagons rated to 10 tons.

    Using the wagon diagram book numbers prepared by the FR for the incoming LMS in 1923, wagons built with grease axleboxes rated to 6 – 8 tons that were probably built with these axleboxes were open wagons of Diagrams 13, 14, of which around 1500 survived until 1923.

    Copies of these Diagrams are available for download from the CRA website.

    You are advised to check a prototype photo if you wish to ensure you use the correct combination of axleboxes, springs, brakes and number.

    NB: the book about FR rolling stock by RW Rush uses a different diagram numbering system based on drawings produced over a decade after Grouping in the 1930s.

    Using these parts

    These 3D prints have been produced for the CRA by Rumney Models using high quality resin. They have been removed from their support structure but may benefit from further filing.

    The axleboxes are designed for model wagons fitted with etched W irons including those with sprung bearings, as they have a slot to allow the bearing to move. They can also be fitted to W irons giving a rigid or compensated chassis.

    It is recommended to glue the combined axlebox and spring to the underside of the solebar and to the outside face of the W iron, using a sparing amount of epoxy resin (such as Araldite) or a thicker cyanoacrylate “superglue”.

    If your prototype requires a different combination of spring and axlebox, these parts can be separated by careful cutting using a very fine piercing saw blade.

    Needs long brake lever and guard from Wizard Models to complete.

    Painting

    On leaving the workshop after overhaul, FR axleboxes and springs were painted black, but they were never cleaned in service, so would have become dirty with spilled grease, oil and rust, dust from the wagon’s loads and smuts from the locomotives.

  • CRA08 – FR 9’6″ wb. No 2 axlebox and 9 leaf springs + buffer guides. 4mm one wagon

    CRA08 – FR 9’6″ wb. No 2 axlebox and 9 leaf springs + buffer guides. 4mm one wagon

    Furness Railway No 3 axlebox + 9 leaf spring + buffer guides. 4mm scale (for one wagon)

    Diagram 15 wagon 607

    History

    These FR No 3 grease axleboxes were fitted to many 19th century Furness Railway wagons, underneath 9 leaf springs.

    They are likely to date back to the 1860s and were fitted to new wagons until 1902, after which oil axleboxes were used. Wagons built before about 1890 were fitted with a single wheel brake (see separate parts available from the CRA).

    A few wagons fitted with No 3 axleboxes were rebuilt with FR No 9 oil axleboxes after about 1910, usually with the fitting of 5 leaf springs and more modern brakes at the same time, but many continued to use these grease axleboxes until after the Grouping in 1923.

    It is not certain what differentiated the FR No 2 and No 3 grease axleboxes, but it is notable that the only surviving photos of No  3 boxes are on wagons of types which were only rated to 6 or 8 tons capacity, while the No 2 appears on photos of wagons rated to 10 tons.

    Using the wagon diagram book numbers prepared by the FR for the incoming LMS in 1923, wagons built with grease axleboxes rated to 6 – 8 tons that were probably built with these axleboxes were open wagons of Diagrams 15, 16, 17, of which around 1500 survived until 1923. Diagram 39 (most wagons) Diagram 15 was the  most numerous wagon type on the FR.

    Copies of these Diagrams are available for download from the CRA website.

    You are advised to check a prototype photo if you wish to ensure you use the correct combination of axleboxes, springs, brakes and number.

    NB: the book about FR rolling stock by RW Rush uses a different diagram numbering system based on drawings produced over a decade after Grouping in the 1930s.

    Using these parts

    These 3D prints have been produced for the CRA by Rumney Models using high quality resin. They have been removed from their support structure but may benefit from further filing.

    The axleboxes are designed for model wagons fitted with etched W irons including those with sprung bearings, as they have a slot to allow the bearing to move. They can also be fitted to W irons giving a rigid or compensated chassis.

    It is recommended to glue the combined axlebox and spring to the underside of the solebar and to the outside face of the W iron, using a sparing amount of epoxy resin (such as Araldite) or a thicker cyanoacrylate “superglue”.

    If your prototype requires a different combination of spring and axlebox, these parts can be separated by careful cutting using a very fine piercing saw blade.

    Painting

    On leaving the workshop after overhaul, FR axleboxes and springs were painted black, but they were never cleaned in service, so would have become dirty with spilled grease, oil and rust, dust from the wagon’s loads and smuts from the locomotives.

  • CRA09 – Furness Railway No 9 oil axlebox + 5 leaf spring + buffer guides 4mm scale

    CRA09 – Furness Railway No 9 oil axlebox + 5 leaf spring + buffer guides 4mm scale

    History

    These FR No 9 oil axleboxes were fitted to later Furness Railway wagons, underneath 5 leaf springs.

    The first drawing featuring a No 9 axlebox is dated late 1906, and they were used on new build 110 and 12 ton wagons from 1907 until the end of the FR in 1923.

    They were also fitted to some older wagons during rebuilds in Barrow works, usually with the fitting of 5 leaf springs and more modern brakes at the same time.

    The only surviving FR wagon, one of the Diagram 43 bogie rail wagons of 1918, carries No 9 axleboxes to this day.

    Using the wagon diagram book numbers prepared by the FR for the incoming LMS in 1923, wagons built with FR No 9 axleboxes and 5 leaf springs include:

    • Open wagons of Diagrams 1, 2, 3, 4 and most of Diagram 5 (some Diagram 5 were built earlier with grease axleboxes)
    • Ore hoppers of Diagrams 27, 28, 29, 30
    • Plate/Rail wagons of Diagram 40 and 43
    • Loco coal wagons of Diagram 51
    • Goods brake vans of Diagram 54 and some of Diagram 55

    Copies of these Diagrams are available for download from the CRA website.

    You are advised to check a prototype photo if you wish to ensure you use the correct combination of axleboxes, springs, brakes and number.

    NB: the book about FR rolling stock by RW Rush uses a different diagram numbering system based on drawings produced over a decade after Grouping in the 1930s.

    Using these parts

    These 3D prints have been produced for the CRA by Rumney Models using high quality resin. They have been removed from their support structure but may benefit from further filing.

    The axleboxes are designed for model wagons fitted with etched W irons including those with sprung bearings, as they have a slot to allow the bearing to move. They can also be fitted to W irons giving a rigid or compensated chassis.

    It is recommended to glue the combined axlebox and spring to the underside of the solebar and to the outside face of the W iron, using a sparing amount of epoxy resin (such as Araldite) or a thicker cyanoacrylate “superglue”.

    If your prototype requires a different combination of spring and axlebox, these parts can be separated by careful cutting using a very fine piercing saw blade.

    Painting

    On leaving the workshop after overhaul, FR axleboxes and springs were painted black, but they were never cleaned in service, so would have become dirty with spilled grease, oil and rust, dust from the wagon’s loads and smuts from the locomotives.

  • CRA27 – Furness Railway wagon buffer guides 4mm scale

    CRA27 – Furness Railway wagon buffer guides 4mm scale

    History

    These FR buffer guides were fitted to most Furness Railway wagons. They are first seen on wagons built from about 1870 and were used until the end of the FR in 1923.

    Using the wagon diagram book numbers prepared by the FR for the incoming LMS in 1923, the following were NOT built with these standard buffers:

    • old wagons generally from the 1850s and 1860s which had been built with wooden dumb buffers, or with sprung buffers mounted in wooden housings. Some of these were rebuilt with metal sprung buffers but these had the buffing spring within the buffer guide (“self contained buffers”) which meant the guide was of a larger diameter
    • bogie rail wagons to Diagram 42 also had self-contained buffers as there was no room for buffing springs under the body due to the bogies
    • FR goods brake van, to Diagrams 56, which had larger conical buffer guides, it is thought to provide a smoother ride for the guard.

    Copies of these Diagrams are available for download from the CRA website.

    You are advised to check a prototype photo if you wish to ensure you use the correct buffer guides.

    NB: the book about FR rolling stock by RW Rush uses a different diagram numbering system based on drawings produced over a decade after Grouping in the 1930s.

    Using these parts

    These 3D prints have been produced for the CRA by Rumney Models using high quality resin. They have been removed from their support structure but may benefit from further filing.

    The buffer guides are designed for both sprung and fixed buffers.

    It is recommended to glue the buffer guide into the headstock using a sparing amount of epoxy resin (such as Araldite) or a thicker cyanoacrylate “superglue”.

    They can be sprung using various systems available for 4mm models including those from Rumney Models and Alan Gibson Workshop.  These should be fitted following the relevant instructions. The hole through the buffer housing might need easing out slightly using a drill in a pin vice turned gently by hand. Note that the guide has a hole of uniform diameter all the way through, so if using a product that has the spring inside the buffer housing, bushes such as those sold by Gibson will be required.

    Painting

    On leaving the workshop after overhaul, FR axleboxes and springs were painted “lead grey” (a mid grey) along with the rest of the wagon body, headstocks and solebars, but they were never cleaned in service, so would have become dirty with use.

  • Cumbrian Railways Volume 10

    Cumbrian Railways Volume 10

  • Cumbrian Railways Volume 11

    Cumbrian Railways Volume 11

  • Cumbrian Railways Volume 12

    Cumbrian Railways Volume 12

  • Cumbrian Railways Volume 13

    Cumbrian Railways Volume 13

  • Cumbrian Railways Volume 14

    Cumbrian Railways Volume 14

  • Cumbrian Railways Volume 15

    Cumbrian Railways Volume 15