Thrup Knee Bit (mini blog 1)

1937 Was A Big Year

In May King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (later known as The Queen Mother) were crowned.

Also the first three pence pieces were minted intended to supplant the "silver" three pence coin.

The new coin was a regular duodecagon (12 sides) and made of brass, the reverse showed the thrift plant ...

... but this was later changed to a portcullis.

The coin (worth one eightieth of a pound, and thus closest in value to today's 1p) disappeared with decimalisation in 1971 ...

... but was well remembered in the design of the latest version of the pound coin.

One of Two Trains.

The Coronation Scot ran from Euston to Glasgow from 1937 to the outbreak of WW2 in 1939. 

The train was commemorated in music.

The tune was written by Vivien Ellis and he revealed that the idea of using the rhythm oi the railway's wheels came to him on a train from Taunton to Paddingon. But in Coronation year the later name was more appropriate and probably more profitable.

The tune became even more well known as the signature tune of Paul Temple crime stories on the wireless.

The train ran in blue and silver but other streamlined Coronation class locomotives were bedecked in maroon and gold.

It was found that the "streamline" casing did not significantly increase speed or improve coal consumption but but did impede maintenance, so the can was removed.

But, in 1937, we still had something of the competitive desire of the two big operators on the Scotland Run.  The London Midland and Scottish had their Coronation Scot running via the West Coast route whilst the London and North Eastern had their Coronation.

Of which more on  Saturday .

Hornby has recently reintroduced a streamlined Coronation loco ...

... and accompanying coaches, but fbb has had to put up with a cheaper and older coach model for Peterville Quarry Railway.

The newer models are better, but that old version is more than adequate for fbb's lighter attitude to the hobby.

 Next Frustration at Furzton blog : Fri 17 Jan