Prototype Tips For The Modeller.

[Mountain Goat]

Most of us know things we take for granted which others may not know. I thoughtbit would be an idea to share some statements to help others who may not know.
I will make a start.

Cows.
Generally, modellers who want cows should avoid black and white cows if one models in the pre WW2 era. I believe the Friesian breed was introduced into the UK after this date. Not sure the exact date but was after the war. Locally we have a breed specific to just one farm which look like Friesian's but are not, and they have an even better milk yield. They were a cross of three cow breeds. Is the farms secret!

Rough dating of GWR engines from photographs and also a modelling tip.
If the loco number is on the smokebox door the picture or model is based on a loco from 1948 onwards in B.R. days. Prior to 1948, all Great Western Railway engines had their front numbers painted on the bufferbeams. (Bufferbeams were red with yellow painted numbers).

[Maz066]

wondered why my Friesians kept falling over. Should get some nice Herefords to match the GWR livery

[LC&DR]

This is a great opportunity, a good topic.

Here is another tip to help people get their model in context.

ROAD SIGNS

Between 1933 and 1964 there was a distinctive design of road sign used in the UK. This consisted of a rectangular metal sign painted white with symbols and printing cast on and picked out in black. It was mounted on a black and white striped pole Above the sign was a red painted triangle (combined with a circle for Stop signs) . These were replaced by the signs we see today from 1964 onwards, very few survive nowadays.

The attached have been copied from the Highway Code. 1934, 1946 and 1961.

If your model represents any time before the end of steam it is a good idea to use these signs on your roads,

Something else to note. Today there are lots of painted road markings, white, yellow and red (and others) but in past times there was very little painted on the road. The most you got before the War was a white line painted in the centre of the road where there was a hazard, (bend or similar) and a 'Stop' line at the junction of a minor road with a major one. Down the centre of main roads might be 'Cats Eyes' but little else. Street lighting was also much less common. Sign posts were common but direction signs rare.

[jaysix]

Hi M.G
I have been saying for years that most of the layouts we see have FREISHEN/HOLSTIEN cows that SHOULD NOT BE THERE this breed only became popular in the U.K.in my life time.keep up the good work
jaysix

[Teedoubleudee]

Good idea for a thread.

So what colour should I spray my pre WWII cows?

[LC&DR]

Many farming practices changed during WW2. The combine harvester was very much a post War machine, during Pre-War harvests the corn was cut either by hand or a horse drawn reaper/binder and gathered into 'stooks' to dry before being fed into a threshing machine. The straw was built into haystacks loosely and not in neat 'brick' shaped bales of the 1960s or in those massive hay drums we see nowadays

We tend to forget that horse power was still just that in the 1930s and that petrol tractors were a new fangled device.

[Mountain Goat]

Originally Posted by Teedoubleudee

Good idea for a thread.

So what colour should I spray my pre WWII cows?

A few colours depending on breed. Brown is a safe bet.

[jaysix]

Hi TDD I paint mine B,R, wagon fitted stock bauxite, there is a webb site ( i cannot remeber how i got there) that list uk cattle breeds, there history, geographical locations, colors and some photos,Hope thir is of some use to you
jaysix

[Mountain Goat]

Originally Posted by LC&DR

Many farming practices changed during WW2. The combine harvester was very much a post War machine, during Pre-War harvests the corn was cut either by hand or a horse drawn reaper/binder and gathered into 'stooks' to dry before being fed into a threshing machine. The straw was built into haystacks loosely and not in neat 'brick' shaped bales of the 1960s or in those massive hay drums we see nowadays

We tend to forget that horse power was still just that in the 1930s and that petrol tractors were a new fangled device.

Someone I know used to do a lot of work with horses when he was younger. He had to really know the horses as out of all the horses (Seven) they had, only two could be used for ploughing, and they were not the strongest horses but they were the horses that worked well together that were chosen.
Right through into the 1970's (In my area of Wales) many narrow roads had the centre left as grass so horses pulling carts could be used.


Also, if one looks at some shunting yards one puzzles how they didnt get locos trapped behind wagons. Some places capstans (Same as used for securing large boats and ships) would be used with rope to the locomotives or simply a rope to the loco on an adjoining line, but with many yards wagons were simply moved by horsepower which had the big advantage of being able to walk off the line so not get trapped. In many yards, horses were the only way wagons could be shunted. Horses were certainly used in the early days of British Railways before the modernisation we know as the "Breeching cuts".
The last regular use I know of where horses were used for rail based traction was in colliery use in South Wales right up to the mid 1970's.

[Teedoubleudee]

Originally Posted by jaysix

Hi TDD I paint mine B,R, wagon fitted stock bauxite, there is a webb site ( i cannot remeber how i got there) that list uk cattle breeds, there history, geographical locations, colors and some photos,Hope thir is of some use to you
jaysix

Thanks J6. A tually my post was a tease as I dont have any cows (or room for any) on this layout. I expect it will help somebody though.