Marcus' Model Railway Journey

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Singapore Stamps

In the spring of 1967 we all flew out to Singapore, my Dad had been posted to RAF Seletar.

I was 5 years old at the time, turning 6 later in the year.

We used to travel around Singapore and it's neighbouring islands at the weekends.

It was on such a trip that my father observed my obsession of picking up the huge amount of used bus tickets at the bus stop on the Yio Chu Kang road.

I was amazed at all the colours.

My father decided then to introduce me to stamp collecting, buying me my first stamp album on my 6th birthday.

I caught the bug and I collected stamps up until 1989.

I still have them up in the loft.


These stamps were in use when we arrived in Singapore.

Arachnis “Maggie Oei" (orchid) 1c. multicoloured
Yellow Seahorse 2c. brown and green
Tiger Barb 4c. black and orange-red
Orange Clownfish 5c. red and black
Archerfish 6c. black and greenish yellow
Vanda “Tan Chay Yan” (orchid) 8c. multicoloured
Harlequinfish 10c. red-orange and black
Grammatophyllum speciosum (orchid) 12c. multicoloured
Black-naped Tern 15c. multicoloured
Copper-banded Butterflyfish 20c. orange and blue

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I also remember seeing these stamps in 1967, but they were issued in the previous year.

First Anniversary of Republic
9 August 1966
Commemorative

Workers 15c. multicoloured
Workers 20c. multicoloured
Workers 30c. multicoloured .

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National Day
9 August 1967
Commemorative

6c. rosine, brown and slate
15c. reddish purple, brown and slate
50c. bright blue, brown and slate

“Build a Vigorous Singapore” in Chinese, Malay and Tamil in addition to the English inscription.

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Second Afro-Asian Housing Congress
7 October 1967
Commemorative

10c. multicoloured
25c. multicoloured
50c. multicoloured

Skyscrapers and Afro-Asian Map

The above were originally scheduled for release in 1966, and when finally issued were overprinted with the new date and a black oblong obliterating the old date.

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British Rail Class 27​

The British Rail Class 27 is a diesel locomotive built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (BRCW) during 1961 and 1962.

They were a development of the earlier Class 26; both were originally classified as the BRCW Type 2.

The Class 27s were numbered D5347-D5415.


D5349 was new in 1961 and became 27003, the photo is either 1961 or 1962.
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Original allocations were D5347–D5369 to Glasgow Eastfield, D5370–D5378 to Thornaby and D5379–D5415 to London Cricklewood for Tilbury Boat trains and Cross-London freight services.

In the period September to December 1963, some of the Cricklewood allocation were transferred to Leicester and the Thornaby allocation was also nominally transferred to Leicester to join them in December 1965.

Traffic changes, combined with reallocation of Class 25s, led to the gradual transfer of the Leicester and Cricklewood locomotives to Scotland during 1969; this concentrated the whole class within Scotland and being part of the replacement fleet that allowed the withdrawal of the poorly performing Clayton Class 17 locomotives from traffic.

For many years, they were extensively used on the West Highland Line.

By September 1986, the final vacuum brake only locomotives had been withdrawn, regular duties on passenger services had ceased and only twenty-one of the class remained, allocated entirely to Eastfield depot.

A mass withdrawal in July 1987 due to the presence of blue asbestos left 27008 as the last in service.

Its final working was on 13 August and the loco was officially withdrawn on 19 August 1987.

The Class 27s were actually outlived by the older Class 26s, whose less powerful engines were more reliable.


D5401
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By the late 1960s, the Swindon-built inter-city DMUs operating the Edinburgh Waverley - Glasgow Queen Street express service were becoming unreliable.

In 1970, the decision was made to replace them with locomotive-hauled carriages.

So between 1971 and 1973, twenty-four Class 27s were fitted-up with dual (vacuum and air) brakes and reclassified Class 27/1, while 36 Mark 2 carriages (7 brake second opens, 22 open seconds and 7 corridor firsts) swapped their vacuum-operated shoe brakes for air-operated disc brakes and were though-wired with Blue Star control cables to enable top and tail push-pull working.

It was later decided that as the Mark 2 stock was dual (steam or electric) heated, to convert half the 27/1 fleet to electric train heat, by replacing the train heating boiler with a Deutz 8-cylinder, air-cooled diesel engine and alternator.

The conversions were then classified as Class 27/2 and were used on one end of the train, with a 27/1 on the other.

The very intensive 90 mph (140 km/h) push-pull service was demanding on the locomotives and reliability started to suffer.

The 27/2s appeared prone to fire damage, especially from their electric train heating alternators.

The push-pull sets were replaced in 1979 by single Class 47/7s at one end of a rake of Mark 2 carriages and a DBSO.

The Class 27/1s and 27/2s were then renumbered to 27/0 and could often be found on Edinburgh-Dundee semi-fast passenger services, until their replacement, briefly by Class 101 and subsequently by Class 150 Sprinter diesel multiple units (DMUs) in 1987, whilst the remainder were largely used on freight.


27001 formerly D5347
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Preserved locomotives​

Eight examples of the class have been preserved at various heritage railways in Great Britain.

Two members of this class were rescued from Vic Berry's Scrapyard in the 1980s:
  • D5410/27059 in September 1987
  • D5401/27056 in October 1987.
Numbers
(current in bold)		TopsLiveryLocationCondition
D534727001
BR Blue​
Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway​
Fully operational​
D535127005
BR Blue​
Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway​
Stored, awaiting restoration​
D535327007
BR Green​
Caledonian Railway (Brechin)​
Stored, awaiting restoration​
D537027024ADB968028
BR Green (with yellow warning panels)​
Caledonian Railway (Brechin)​
Serviceable​
D5386271032721227066
BR Blue​
Barrow Hill Roundhouse​
Stored, Running​
D53942710627050
BR Green (no yellow warning panels)​
Strathspey Railway​
Serviceable​
D54012711227056
BR Blue​
Great Central Railway​
Under Repairs​
D5410271232720527059
BR Green​
UK Rail Leasing, Leicester​
Under Restoration​
 
27th May, 2025

Class 69 locomotive to be named after North Norfolk Railway​

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GB Railfreight 69010


The North Norfolk Railway has announced that a Class 69 will be joining them for their Rails and Ales event.

The locomotive will be joining their spectacular line-up of steam and diesel locomotives on the 13th, 14th, and 15th June.

In celebration of the heritage railway’s 50th anniversary, GB Railfreight have agreed to name the Class 69 “North Norfolk Railway”.

At the current time, the exact locomotive identity is yet to be confirmed, but it will be at a special ceremony on the 13th June for the naming.
 
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GB Railfreight 69010


The locomotive will be one that has entered service over the last 12 months, meaning that this will be its heritage line and public passenger train debut.

This special train is the fourth announced visitor and will be joining a few other locomotives.

GBRf stablemate 66714 ‘Cromer Lifeboat’ and Class 40, D213 ‘Andania’ will be visiting courtesy of Locomotive Services Limited.

Also joining will be DRB Railbus E79960, which has previously worked on off-peak services when the Poppy Line reopened.

80080 will be making her North Norfolk Railway debut and will appear alongside a secondary steam locomotive, three railcars which will be working in a six-car formation and four home diesels.

A specially brewed ale called the ‘Golden Poppy Ale’ will be on sale to further celebrate the decades of progress.

The Rails and Ales event will also see the return of the Breakfast Train, details of which can be found on NNR’s website.

Advance booking for the event is recommended so that visitors can receive a 15% discount.



“We are very grateful to GBRF for supporting Rails & Ales with two of their modern locomotives – a Class 66 and a Class 69 – and thrilled that they have chosen to name a Class 69 after the Railway. It is an absolute honour in our 50th Anniversary Year.

“We’re also delighted that both GBRf locomotives will haul some of our services across the three-day event, both types are an extremely rare sight on passenger trains so this is a real opportunity to ride behind modern freight engines”

General Manager, Graham Hukins
 
27th May, 2025

Vertical-boiler steam locomotive to visit the Severn Valley Railway​

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Chaloner at the Penrhyn Quarry Railway


The Severn Valley Railway has announced that Chaloner will be visiting them for their Through The Ages Event.

The event is part of Railway 200 and will tell the story of the railways.

Chaloner will join 60163 Tornado in visiting for the event, as well as an unnamed mystery second narrow gauge locomotive.

An intensive timetable will be in operation during the weekend of 6-7th July 2025, with Chaloner running outside The Engine House at Highley.

Chaloner visits thanks to the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways.
 
27th May, 2025

Historic locomotive model donated to Yorkshire railway​

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Blenkinsop's Locomotive on display


A working model of locomotive ‘Salamanca’ has been donated to The Middleton Railway.

The locomotive model is special to the railway as it’s a model of their very first steam locomotive.

The model was built by Mr H Murray in 1939 and is believed to have last worked in 1960.
 
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1939 edition of the Model Engineer showing Blenkinsop’s Engine


The model had been stored by his family members for years.

They decided to offer the model to Leeds Industrial Museum; however, as they already had some of these models, they recommended that the family offer it to The Middleton Railway.

The railway is delighted to have received the model and will have pride of place on display in its museum.


“We were delighted to be given this superb model of a Blenkinsop locomotive and we will conserve it and have it displayed in our museum to help tell the story of these pioneering machines”

Middleton Railway Trust Chairman, Charles Milner
 
28th May 2025

First visiting Class 37 locomotive announce for Severn Valley ‘Tractor’ gala​

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Class 37 No. D6948 stands outside the shed at Toddington


The Severn Valley Railway has announced one of its visiting locomotives for its upcoming event.

The railways Autumn Diesel Event, which is being held from the 2nd to the 5th October, will be celebrating 65 years of the Class 37.

Many of these versatile Class 37s remain in mainline service today, and over 300 were built.

The first visiting locomotive will be D6948 (37248) courtesy of The Growler Group.
 
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English Electric Type 3 Class 37 No. D6948


This particular locomotive has undergone an extensive restoration to get it as close to its original condition as possible.

Now it is ready to appear at the Severn Valley Railway and is expected to be a popular visitor during the event.

Further information on visiting locomotives and other activities for the event is planned to be released in due course.

Pre-booking for the event is currently available and can be found on Severn Valley Railway’s website.
 
28th May, 2025

Marcus & Cleo Have Another Bus Adventure into Cardiff!

We went to 'The Great Western' for a couple of drinks, Cleo is now drinking Vodka Raspberry Crush with lemonade.

I had a pint of 'Shipwreck' and a pint of 'Rhymney Export'.

I popped into my model railway shop and I found a few items to buy.

Then we went clothes shopping and Cleo bought some items.

We then went back to 'The Great Western' and had some lunch.

Spicy chicken wings, spicy meat feast pizza and Chicken kebab loaded chips.

A couple more drinks an then it was the bus home.


The bus into Cardiff was Cardiff Bus/Bws Caerdydd 261, Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro 200 Classic, CN64 FWJ
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29th May, 2025

Steam locomotive 60163 Tornado to pass through West Yorkshire this Saturday​

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'Tornado' sits outside Wansford shed on 27th August 2016, waiting to move forward into the bay platform after bringing in a train from Peterborough during the Nene Valley Railway's 'East Coast Revival' gala.


60163 Tornado is to pass through West Yorkshire this Saturday (31st May 2025) as it hauls The West Yorkshireman.

Departing Bradford Forster Square at 08:51, the locomotive will pass through Shipley (08:57), Keighley (09:12), Skipton (09:30), Hellifield (09:47), Settle (10:46), Ribblehead (11:17), Appleby (11:53) and Carlisle at 12:49.

After time in Carlisle, the train departs at 16:05 and passes through Oxenholme Lake District (17:31) on its way to Carnforth South Junction, where Tornado is taken off the train.

From Carnforth, a diesel will take the train back to Bradford and will pass through Carnforth (18:33), Bentham (18:56), Giggleswick (19:12), Hellifield (19:26), Skipton (19:40), Keighley (19:53), Shipley (20:05) and Bradford Forster Square (20:20).
 
29th May, 2025

Update on steam locomotive 72010 Hengist – including Greatest Gathering news​

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72010 Hengist inside the works


The Standard Steam Locomotive Company has sent an update on construction work that has been taking place recently.

The locomotive’s rear cylinder covers, which have been sponsored by The Worshipful Company of Ironmongers, have been delivered recently and are now going through Non-Destructive Testing to ensure there are no hidden defects.

Also delivered recently are the leading pair of driving wheels, which leaves the final pair to be delivered once proof machining has been carried out.

William Cook Cast Products sponsored the wheels and they have been painted in green anti-corrosive primer.

The components for the sand chutes have been delivered and these form the filler pipes for the sand boxes.

Work is ongoing as some of the parts need to be formed to make the correct shape before assembly.
 
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Sand Pipes for 72010 Hengist


Once the parts are formed and returned, the company can assemble the shutes and get the metal painted ready for installation.

At the moment, work is focussing on taking the complete assembly of the front bogie so that this can be taken alongside a pair of driving wheels to The Greatest Gathering in Derby.

As part of this, an order has been placed for the copper pipe needed to complete the lubrication system of the bogie.
 
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Painting the driving wheels in primer


As part of the recent open day, the Silvertown lubricators were taken out and displayed on the loco frames – these are now undergoing overhaul to ensure they are ready for use.

Finally, work has been progressing to paint the main frame of the loco in green primer.
 
29th May, 2025

LSL Class 57 locomotive set to visit The Greatest Gathering!​

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Class 57 No. 57003


Class 57 No. 57003 is to visit The Greatest Gathering in August, subject to operational availability.

The Class 57 is mainline registered and visits thanks to Locomotive Services Group.

The event will take place at Alstom‘s Derby Litchurch Lane Works between the 1st and 3rd August.

The locomotives confirmed to attend are (Alstom have also noted that examples from the same class may substitute):

Steam
  • LNER A4 No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley – courtesy of the Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust and Locomotive Services Group
  • SR Merchant Navy No. 35018 British India Line – courtesy of West Coast Railways Co
  • LMS 6P No. 46115 Scots Guardsman – courtesy of West Coast Railways Co.
  • LMS Jubilee No. 45596 Bahamas – courtesy of the Bahamas Locomotive Society
  • SR Merchant Navy No. 35028 Clan Line – courtesy of the Merchant Navy Locomotive Preservation Society
  • LMS Black 5 (specific loco TBA) – courtesy of West Coast Railways Co.
  • Furness Railway No. 20 – courtesy of The Furness Railway Trust
  • Coal Tank No. 1054 – courtesy of the Bahamas Locomotive Society
  • GWR Hall No. 4930 Hagley Hall – courtesy of the Severn Valley Railway
  • LMS Stanier Mogul No. 13268 – courtesy of the Severn Valley Railway
  • GWR King No. 6023 King Edward II – courtesy of the Didcot Railway Centre
  • LMS No. 46203 ‘Princess Margaret Rose’ – courtesy of the Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust
  • BR Standard 5MT No. 73129 – courtesy of The Midland Railway – Butterley
  • BR 9F No. 92214 – courtesy of the Great Central Railway
  • Locomotive No. 1 – courtesy of the National Railway Museum
  • Midland Railway No. 1000 – courtesy of the National Railway Museum
Diesel
  • BR Class 37 No. 37501 ‘Teesside Steelmaster’ – courtesy of Rail Operations Group
  • Class 50 No. 50049 Defiance – courtesy of the Class 50 Alliance
  • Class 57 – courtesy of Direct Rail Services
  • Class 66 No. 66301 – courtesy of GB Railfreight
  • Class 69 – courtesy of GB Railfreight
  • Class 60 – courtesy of DCRail
  • Class 108 DMU – courtesy of the Severn Valley Railway
  • Class 47 – courtesy of West Coast Railways Co
  • Class 50 No. 50033 ‘Glorious’ – courtesy of the Class 50 Alliance
  • Class 35 D7076 – courtesy of the East Lancashire Railway and Bury Hydraulic Group
  • Class 55 No. 55009 “Alycidon” – courtesy of Deltic Preservation Society
  • Class 55 No. D9015 “Tulyar” – courtesy of Deltic Preservation Society
  • Class 55 No. 55019 “Royal Highland Fusilier” – courtesy of Deltic Preservation Society
  • Class 40 No. 40106 – courtesy of the Class 40 Preservation Society / Severn Valley Railway
  • Class 43 No. 43159 (2+4 Formation – other powercar TBC) – courtesy of The 125 Group
  • Class 33 No. 33012 – courtesy of 71A Locomotive Group
  • Class 31 No. 31108 – courtesy of A1A Locomotives Ltd
  • Class 57/0 – courtesy of West Coast Railways Co.
  • Class 26 No. 26007 – courtesy of Victor Korzeniewicz
  • Class 58 No. 58023 – courtesy of Edward Stevenson
  • Class 20 No. 20007 – courtesy of Michael Owen
  • Class 20 No. 20205 – courtesy of Michael Owen
  • Class 70 No. 70008 – courtesy of Freightliner
  • Class 42 No. D821 – courtesy of the Diesel Traction Group
  • Class 47 No. 47715 – courtesy of Rail Engineering Solutions
  • Class 67 No. 67005 ‘Kings Messenger’ – courtesy of DB Cargo UK
  • Class 52 No. D1015 ‘Western Champion’ – courtesy of the Diesel Traction Group
  • Class 66 No. 66004 – courtesy of DB Cargo UK
  • Class 44 No. 44004 ‘Great Gable’ – courtesy of Peak Locomotive Company Ltd
  • Class 66 – courtesy of Freightliner
  • Class 37 – courtesy of West Coast Railways
  • Class 23 No. D5910 – courtesy of The Baby Deltic Project
  • Class 142 No. 142013 – courtesy of Midland Railway – Butterley
  • Class 40 No. D213 – courtesy of Shaun Wright / Andania Engineering
  • Class 43 HST Powercars x2 – courtesy of RailAdventure
  • Class 37 No. D6700 – courtesy of the National Railway Museum, Great Central Railway and Heavy Tractor Group
  • Class 50 No. 50035 Ark Royal – courtesy of the Class 50 Alliance
  • Class 50 No. 50044 Exeter – courtesy of the Class 50 Alliance
  • Class 47 No. 47593 Galloway Princess – courtesy of Locomotive Services Ltd
  • Class 45 No. 45118 The Royal Artilleryman – courtesy of Locomotive Services Ltd
  • Class 57 No. 57003 – courtesy of Locomotive Services Ltd
Electric
  • Class 507001 – courtesy of the Class 507 Preservation Society
  • Class 390 Pendolino No. 390119 in its Pride livery – courtesy of Avanti West Coast
  • Class 91 No. 91110 Battle of Britain Memorial Flight – courtesy of London North Eastern Railway
  • Class 331 – courtesy of Northern
  • 4VEP No. 3417 – courtesy of the Bluebell Railway
  • Class 91 No. 91101 Flying Scotsman – courtesy of London North Eastern Railway
  • Class 465 No. 465908 James Green – courtesy of Southeastern
  • Class 720 No. 720506 – courtesy of Greater Anglia
  • No. 12 Sarah Siddons – courtesy of Transport for London
  • Class 350 – courtesy of London Northwestern Railway
  • Class 92 No. 92011 – courtesy of DB Cargo UK
  • Class 323 No. 323221 – courtesy of Porterbrook
  • Class 90 No. 90040 – courtesy of Freightliner
  • Class 85 No. 85006 – courtesy of AC Locomotive Group
  • Class 83 No. 83012 – courtesy of AC Locomotive Group
  • Class 730 – courtesy of London Northwestern Railway
  • Class 87 No. 87002 – courtesy of Locomotive Services Ltd
  • Class 86 No. 86101 – courtesy of Locomotive Services Ltd
Bi-Mode
  • Class 93 – courtesy of Rail Operations Group
  • Class 755 – courtesy of Greater Anglia
Hydrogen Power
  • Class 799 Hydroflex No. 799201 – courtesy of Porterbrook
Coaches / Wagons
  • JNA-T Wagon – courtesy of DCRail and Cappagh Group
  • Gold IIA-D wagon – courtesy of Drax Group
  • Railway 200 Exhibition Train – courtesy of GBRTT / National Railway Museum / Railway 200 Team
  • LMS Saloon No. 45029 – courtesy of Transport for London
  • 4 car 4TC set – courtesy of Transport for London
Other / Non-Rail Based Exhibits
  • G-NLSE, a Aerospatiale AS355F2 Ecureuil II – courtesy of Network Rail
  • Front bogie and pair of driving wheels for 72010 Hengist – courtesy of The Standard Steam Locomotive Company
 
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29th May, 2025

Firebox appeal launched for steam locomotive No. 7822 Foxcote Manor​

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Foxcote Manor


The Foxcote Manor Society (FMS) has launched a new appeal to raise funds to manufacture and fit a new firebox to the locomotive.

Two years ago, the Society revealed that No. 7822 Foxcote Manor had to undergo a full overhaul after the ex-BR welds in the copper firebox failed.

Although its boiler ticket was set to run until 2026, the failure meant that the ticket had to be stopped.

The Great Western Railway 7800 ‘Manor’ Class locomotive was only two years into a five-year spell at the West Somerset Railway.

Up until that point, Foxcote Manor had seven years of running, including at the Llangollen Railway, the Battlefield Line, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Kent and East Sussex Railway, the Mid Hants Railway and the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, as well as the West Somerset.
 
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Plans for the loco’s overhaul


The Society is in talks to move the loco’s chassis from Foxcote Manor’s current location at Tyseley, near Birmingham, to Williton at the West Somerset Railway (WSR).

A team of volunteers at Williton will carry out some cosmetic work on the chassis.

It will also do a few mechanical jobs with the support of the WSR engineering team.

Meanwhile, the team of volunteers at Tyseley are removing the old firebox in preparation for its replacement with a new box that is under construction.

The Society is gathering the necessary components for the work.

It has already taken delivery of a new 3/4 flanged steel doorplate from the South Devon Railway.

It has also ordered the flanging of the copper tubeplate and doorplate from the same firm.
 
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Foxcote Manor


Completing the work will, however, cost more money, so the Society is asking for donations to its Foxcote 50 appeal.

Its plan is to complete the overhaul of Foxcote Manor, with a new firebox and painted in green.

This will be the fifth boiler overhaul since the loco was rescued from Barry scrapyard and entered preservation in 1975.
 
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