Wondering And Wandering At Whitby 2

But Before That ...

Wondering About Tanks!

... fbb will show you the end of the box. Yikes, the old bloke is sounding just like a Sams Trains video!

Some years back, Bachmann produced a boxed threesome of tank wagons, under the title of "Tank Traffic Classics".

In fact the "Classics" bit referred to the three liveries of tank wagons (above) produced by Hornby Dublo in 1939, with production being restarted post WW2. The red and green tanks used fictitious but plausible liveries, namely red for Royal Daylight and green for Power.

The Esso wagon might have been "right" as early wartime regulations required that "Spirit" oils (i.e. petrol!) would be conveyed in buff coloured wagons with a red stripe.

Heavy oils (diesel, heating oil etc.) were to be carried in black tanks.

Later the lighter petrol tankers were allowed to be silver with a red solebar.

fbb can find no on-line illustrations of a buff tank with red line and huge Esso in blue. He thinks it was also a Hornby fake; but he is far from being a tank wagon expert.

Time did not permit fbb to find and unbox his ancient Hornby Dublo tanks in Royal Daylight red and Power green; but he is now looking for a reasonably priced Esso in buff to complete his Hornby Dublo set.

It will likely cost more than 2/6 (12.5 new pence)!!!

So here's the box as delivered with tanks in their little nests.

And here are the three separately, and close up.

The detail is so much better than in 1939, especially of the underframe and brake rigging; which on the Dublo models was, to be kind, rudimentary.

But, fbb, you told us that you did not collect livery variations, just examples of each type of manufactured tank wagon - and surely you have a Bachmann one like these three.

Indeed; but fbb has always thought that the Bachmann trio should be part of tank wagon history. Sets of three appear for sale but rarely and all previous appearances were a little too pricey. The above set of three cost much the same an any Bachmann tank wagon would cost today - there appeared to be no rarity surcharge.

The models are close to being brand new, unused, or very hardly used.

They will join the new tank wagon display of which more tomorrow.

And Wondering About Trains.

Way back in the early 1960s, there were FOUR train routes to Whitby. You could go from York via Malton, from Scarborough, from Middlesbrough via Redcar and from Middlesbrough via Battersby.

And what luxury might you have today as you travelled excitedly to a holiday at the coast?

Not that long ago you might have a much derided Pacer which would squeak and squeal round the tight corners of the Esk Valley line (via Battersby) and probably shake rattle and roll you into a state of gibbering anxiety.

More recently the stock might be a Northern Trains 156.

And what sort of frequency might you get for this, admittedly, picturesque and quaint ride. Here is the full Monday to Saturday timetable of a paltry five trains each day. (there are just four on a Sunday).

And don't think, as a resident of Whitby, that you might let the train take the strain as you travel to work each day in Middlesbrough.

The first train from the seaside arrives in the big city at 1015!

There used to be an earlier train taking the kiddies to the big Comprehensive but that was too expensive to run so they go by bus now and clog up the narrow roads even more.

Good Innit?

There is one occasional but expensive train service that brings you to Whitby. In recent years trains on the North York Moors Heritage line have run all the way, rather that stopping at Grosmont.

fbb has ridden the NYMR, but not to Whitby, and found the experience rather disappointing.

For most of its length, the line is in cuttings and deep valleys ...

... with splendid views of hedges, fields and trees and not a lot  else. There is now a bit more scenery as you approach Whitby!

Tomorrow, we look at the closed routes and an intriguing "what might have been"!

 Next Whitby & Variety blog : Sun 27 July