OPC lists from the 1970s and later

[Dog Star]

In the 1970s OPC started to make microfiche images of prototype drawings so that OPC could offer copies of those drawings to modellers and historians. OPC produced catalogues of what had been put onto microfiche; there was, for example, a catalogue of GWR engine drawings, a catalogue of GW carriages / wagons... repeated for Southern Railway, LNER, LMSR. All of those catalogues are referred to generically, as the OPC lists. The NRM has the microfiche and a set of lists...

I may be wrong, I thought that OPC made copies of architectural drawings; if that was the case then there is no mention of those copies in the NRM catalogue of OPC microfiche.

I have been given this past week a photocopy of a "copy" of a GW&GC Jt drawing for High Wycombe, an architecture's drawing of the cartweighoffice. One can read at the edge of the photocopy the phrase "PRO Euston" and that sets a bell ringing relating to the OPC venture. If the NRM does not recognise (yet?) OPC lists and / or microfiche for building drawings then what was the process by which my GW&GC Jt drawing was made available to the public?


Can anyone expand upon this matter?

Dave @daifly, does this ring any bells with your wide knowledge of past modelling rabbit holes?

regards, Graham

 

[daifly]

Dave @daifly, does this ring any bells with your wide knowledge of past modelling rabbit holes?

Of course!
I have an OPC drawings order form from the early-1980s which has 20 lists of drawings. List GW/13 covers GW track plans from the Civil Engineers Dept and List GW/14/16 covers GW Architectural plans and Midland track plans. I do have copies of both lists but, unfortunately, High Wycombe doesn't get a mention in either.
Dave

 

[david bigcheeseplant]

I am not sure where the microfilm OPC copies went but many of the drawings are now available from Network Rail in full colour and better quality, if they are not showing on there lists then I have emailed there ask the archivist and in a short time have been sent copies. These are free but watermarked although you can pay for non watermarked copies. Also there are many more drawings than listed on the old OPC lists.

David

 

[JimG]

Also, maybe to add to this discussion, I attach an Excel spreadsheet of what I believe are all of the BR/OPC drawings. I got this many years ago and have used it do get Caledonian drawings. I have found out that the cataloguing can be a bit haphazard in places with some company drawings appearing under the wrong company heading.

 

[Dog Star]

What Jim has provided looks like the same catalogue as available at NRM and appears to correspond to an aggregation of Lists 1 to 12 - no sign of Lists 13 to 20 in the current NRM on-line catalogue.

All rather puzzling as somewhere out there is a holder of microfiche for dwgs of railway buildings as evidenced by the dwg that was sent to me and the drawing referenced by Colin - note those two drawings have microfiche references of 85xxx so not a small collection.

 

[simond]

I have a feeling that the RSSB may have archive copies of much of the BR drawing database. I shall ask & report back.

 

[GrahamMc]

but many of the drawings are now available from Network Rail in full colour and better quality

That's a great resource, thanks and here's the link for anyone who missed the post.

 

[Stephen Freeman]

I do remember the lists and even obtained a couple or so photos via the OPC option. I used to know someone who worked for Network Rail and my club acquired a very useful historic map of a station we were interested in. Of course, he has retired and things have moved on, so may not be quite so easy to obtain such things for free.

 

[david bigcheeseplant]

If you can't find what you are after email AsktheArchivist@networkrail.co.uk They are really helpful and I have found many things that I was after.​

David​

 

[Tim V]

Just dug out the following indexes to the lists:

 

[Mike W]

I remember taking to Jim Russell in the shop at Bournemouth about the glass plate negatives. They were selected very much by what he found interesting and thought would sell, so pictures of station seats or bridges were discarded (unless they were GWR!). In short, the original plates at York (I assume) will have a lot more than were ever on the lists.

Mike