CAPROTTI MODELS ! The "British Caprotti" as opposed to the original "Italian Caprotti" was a separately Patented British "improved" version (By a Railway Engineer called Tom Daniels of locomotive valve gear). First fitted to a number of the Black 5's. But there were a number of greatly and very visually differing variations of this equipment on the "Black 5s". Hornby have chosen to model the early variant (Numbers 44738-55). This initial application to British locos revealed a minor issue in operation. These locos were found to be poor at low speed acceleration, but develop higher outputs and acceleration as Speed increased. Hence they were most suited to secondary express passenger work, in that form. Further being a 4-6-0 type for "Mixed Traffic" (BR rated them as 5MT) they were NOT in any case suited to heavy or "unfitted" type freight train use. Which raises a slight issue with this model ! Hornby have oddly fitted the Model with "Headlamps" for a Class 8 "unfitted" freight. A type of train usually limited to 30mph ! And a class of train it would NOT have been wise for such a loco to haul. Further putting a tail lamp on the rear centre bracket is another minor problem. As it sadly reveals Hornby have no comprehension of the rules governing Headcodes or tail lamp usage. The model would be more accurate if it came with a Class 1 (Express Passenger headcode) or a Class 2 (Stopping train Passenger headcode). Further tail lamps were rarely if ever hung on the centre rear lampbracket. Further a tail lamp is totally prohibited on the rear of ANY locomotive, unless the loco is to unusually make a "light engine" movement along a "Running Line". Such as from a station (where it has left its coaches) to a loco shed a couple of Miles away. And a tail lamp left on the rear of a loco hauling a train, would be stopped by the first signalman or railwaymen to spot it ! This is a serious violation of the Railway Safety Rules ! FREIGHT TRAINS - A FEW BASIC REQUIREMENTS. "Unfitted" (Class 8) freight trains were formations of wagons that had NO train brakes, only a hand operated parking brake on each wagon. BR painted such wagons normally Pale Grey, to clearly indicate this seriously hazardous issue. "Fitted" wagons, that's ones with train operated brakes (from the loco). And in the steam age this meant Vacuum Brakes, were wagons that were painted Red Oxide/Brown. This fact alone reveals why so much shunting of wagons was necessary at EVERY Stations Goods Yard or "Marshalling Yard" back in the steam era. And why there were more steam Shunting 0-6-0T engines than ALL other types put together. Because any "Brown" wagons had to be coupled immediately behind the loco, and any Pale Grey wagons had to be coupled behind the Brown ones, with of course a Guardsvan at the rear of EVERY freight train. Such a combination was called a "Part Fitted freight" as the locomotive could get help when braking from all the brown wagons, while any Pale Grey ones on the rear, were simply a serious and uncontrollable menace ! Trains of only "pale grey" wagons (Unfitted freight trains) were therefore normally the preserve of specifically Freight locomotive types. Most commonly a 2-8-0, or even 2-10-0 type, as these locos had slightly more "Brake Force", than a six coupled (0-6-0) type ! Although or in spite of the fact heavy locos are never the best type of vehicle for stopping any train in a hurry. (Not even modern traction today). XP RATED WAGONS Brown wagons marked "XP" (Express Passenger) were usually of the "Van" type, such as Perishables (Meat, Fruit or Vegetables) or even Horse Box wagons. And could therefore be included in a Passenger train, within limits. Such wagons had to be placed between the loco & the coaches, with a maximum of 5 allowed. But any such wagons included meant the whole train was limited to 60mph. So were not normally included in Express passenger trains, as the wagons presence would most likely make the train late ! Happy Modelling 😀
great vlog of great loco thanks for share on channel keep up the great vlogs on channel
Thanks Steve. Happy New Year to you Sir. Regards Alan in Dover UK
Happy New Year to you too Alan
CAPROTTI MODELS !
The "British Caprotti" as opposed to the original "Italian Caprotti" was a separately Patented British "improved" version (By a Railway Engineer called Tom Daniels of locomotive valve gear). First fitted to a number of the Black 5's. But there were a number of greatly and very visually differing variations of this equipment on the "Black 5s". Hornby have chosen to model the early variant (Numbers 44738-55). This initial application to British locos revealed a minor issue in operation. These locos were found to be poor at low speed acceleration, but develop higher outputs and acceleration as Speed increased. Hence they were most suited to secondary express passenger work, in that form. Further being a 4-6-0 type for "Mixed Traffic" (BR rated them as 5MT) they were NOT in any case suited to heavy or "unfitted" type freight train use. Which raises a slight issue with this model !
Hornby have oddly fitted the Model with "Headlamps" for a Class 8 "unfitted" freight. A type of train usually limited to 30mph ! And a class of train it would NOT have been wise for such a loco to haul. Further putting a tail lamp on the rear centre bracket is another minor problem. As it sadly reveals Hornby have no comprehension of the rules governing Headcodes or tail lamp usage.
The model would be more accurate if it came with a Class 1 (Express Passenger headcode) or a Class 2 (Stopping train Passenger headcode). Further tail lamps were rarely if ever hung on the centre rear lampbracket. Further a tail lamp is totally prohibited on the rear of ANY locomotive, unless the loco is to unusually make a "light engine" movement along a "Running Line". Such as from a station (where it has left its coaches) to a loco shed a couple of Miles away. And a tail lamp left on the rear of a loco hauling a train, would be stopped by the first signalman or railwaymen to spot it ! This is a serious violation of the Railway Safety Rules !
FREIGHT TRAINS - A FEW BASIC REQUIREMENTS.
"Unfitted" (Class 8) freight trains were formations of wagons that had NO train brakes, only a hand operated parking brake on each wagon. BR painted such wagons normally Pale Grey, to clearly indicate this seriously hazardous issue. "Fitted" wagons, that's ones with train operated brakes (from the loco). And in the steam age this meant Vacuum Brakes, were wagons that were painted Red Oxide/Brown.
This fact alone reveals why so much shunting of wagons was necessary at EVERY Stations Goods Yard or "Marshalling Yard" back in the steam era. And why there were more steam Shunting 0-6-0T engines than ALL other types put together. Because any "Brown" wagons had to be coupled immediately behind the loco, and any Pale Grey wagons had to be coupled behind the Brown ones, with of course a Guardsvan at the rear of EVERY freight train. Such a combination was called a "Part Fitted freight" as the locomotive could get help when braking from all the brown wagons, while any Pale Grey ones on the rear, were simply a serious and uncontrollable menace !
Trains of only "pale grey" wagons (Unfitted freight trains) were therefore normally the preserve of specifically Freight locomotive types. Most commonly a 2-8-0, or even 2-10-0 type, as these locos had slightly more "Brake Force", than a six coupled (0-6-0) type ! Although or in spite of the fact heavy locos are never the best type of vehicle for stopping any train in a hurry. (Not even modern traction today).
XP RATED WAGONS
Brown wagons marked "XP" (Express Passenger) were usually of the "Van" type, such as Perishables (Meat, Fruit or Vegetables) or even Horse Box wagons. And could therefore be included in a Passenger train, within limits. Such wagons had to be placed between the loco & the coaches, with a maximum of 5 allowed. But any such wagons included meant the whole train was limited to 60mph. So were not normally included in Express passenger trains, as the wagons presence would most likely make the train late !
Happy Modelling 😀