iak Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 Very tasty Mike B) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portchullin Tatty Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 Excellant stuff Mike, the signals in particular are top notch. Look forward to seeing the layout out and about - I take it that it is intended to air it at some point? Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 Hi Mike. Looking forward to seeing this progressing for obvious reasons. You'll be modelling a 4mm Black Labrador being walked by a 1950's penguin presumably? Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 It's many a month since I posted anything regarding Hessle Haven, the layout, this simply because I haven't done anything to the layout. Having now largely completed the signals for both the existing sections and the third section, then it's now time to start work on that third section. Ever since I started this project, about three years ago now, much of the inspiration has been derived from those wonderful black and whote photos of the late fifties/early sixties. As I have oft times observed, I was very fortunate in finding a source of these photos and of various plans and drawings of this locale from which the model could be made. Thanks must go to my old mate, Mick Nicholson, for this material, without whose extensive archives, none of this would have been possible. As I've also mentioned before, this layout is unashamedly my attempt to re-create that place of my boyhood and youth where I and many of my mates first discovered the railway So, armed with the ex-NER white plan (this is the NER plan of the track and signal formations, detailed down to the yard, 36" yard), the signalling plan and some appropriate photos, I can now set about re-creating the real heart of this place, as it was in June 1950. I'll try and avoid any repetition of what has already been said but, if anyone is interested, then I will document the build of this section as thoroughly as I can. Additionally, there are a number of lineside structures to be built - Hessle Haven signal box, Hessle gasworks or some vestige of it and another bridge over the Haven itself, not forgetting the row of cottages, which is about all that now remains of the linesdie structures in the photo below. And, of course, there is a 4mm model of a very young 'Penguin of Doom' aka Sean, to place somewhere on the model, even if he didn't inhabit this locale in 1950. My intention is to scratch build much of the pointwork, using C8 and C9 turnouts wherever ppossible; the 'C' switches will be much kinder to the 8-coupled locos than 'B' switches, even if each turnout will be some 10 mm longer. So let me restart this thread with one of those black and white photos, this of one of Hull's ubiquitous Austerities bringing a freight into one of Hull's marshalling yards - mineral yard. One intersting aspect of this photo is how the track becomes 'pinched' from its 10', 6', 10' spacing, beyond the bridge, to 6', 6', 6' spacing towards the foreground. Not too many four track formations were so spaced, which is why there were no signals located within the bounds of the track formation from the bridge towards Hull. Cheers Mike 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Thanks must go to my old mate, Mick Nicholson, for this material, without whose extensive archives, none of this would have been possible. Mick's great! His archives are seemingly endless and he is very generous with it too And please do document this current stage - as a local I find the project very interesting! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 Just to add a little more context to this next section, the bridge in the photo above forms the end of the second existing section of the railway, so what will now be built is the section approaching the foreground of this photo from the bridge, around a scale 200 yards. So let me post one more photo, this one of the model of the bridge, for this place has a very special significance to me and a whole generation of local railway enthusiasts (we were train spotters) in the fifties and sixties. So this photo is simply called 'The land of lost content'. Anyone familiar with the poems of A.E. Houseman will recognise the reference, for the bridge and much of the railway has long since gone. Cheers Mike 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 Before the inevitable lapse in postings, as the new baseboard is built, let me add a couple more photos. I call the first picture 'Evening Arrival' simply because it was taken in the late sunlight of approaching evening. What turned out 'right' on this photo was the sunshine and shadow on that V2 and on the gresley coach, which is scratch built using MJT components. The second photo, taken a couple of years ago, shows the same location with an A1 60114 on a train of varnished teak. My intention is to re-do this picture, once the next section is done, with all of the additonal details and railway added. Such are the devices by which we gain and maintain the motivation to continue on these lifelong projects! Once the next section is built this V2 and A1 can advance another two hundred or so yards. Cheers Mike 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iak Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Gorgeous! Simply gorgeous B) Inspirational as ever Mike... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Was up by the cottages yesterday Mike. The two tracks that are left seem a tad boring compared to your piccies, so crack on!..... Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 Was up by the cottages yesterday Mike. Cheers. Sean. Pretty much all that's left of what was once an amazing place, Sean. Just memories now, merely memories. That and those few precious black and white photos to remind us of how it once was. Cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Simon Lee Posted January 13, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 13, 2011 I used to spend many hours on that bridge late 60's early 70's Grandmother and Aunts used to live in Hessle and there was only so much a young lad could take before he was allowed out to watch the trains and see what was being built at Dunstons !! I find the whole topic so evocative of that time. Regards Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 I used to spend many hours on that bridge late 60's early 70's Grandmother and Aunts used to live in Hessle and there was only so much a young lad could take before he was allowed out to watch the trains and see what was being built at Dunstons !! I find the whole topic so evocative of that time. Regards Simon Many thanks for that Simon. One of the very gratifying aspects of having started this project and this thread is the number of folks who knew this place and for whom the railway seems to have stirred and evoked so many memories. There are some downsides to building a model of a real place, not least the sheer size of what needs to be built. The upside, far outweighing any downsides, is when folk such as your good self recognise and identify the place and relate their memories of it. So let me post yet another of those wonderful black and white photos. This one, taken on a glorious June day in 1960, just speaks volumes of how I remember this place and the trains which passed through it. Cheers Mike 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Pretty much all that's left of what was once an amazing place, Sean. Just memories now, merely memories. That and those few precious black and white photos to remind us of how it once was. Cheers Mike Is it ok for me to yearn for the 31's that used to ply their trade round here? They're memories, and they're my memories. They all count. Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 Is it ok for me to yearn for the 31's that used to ply their trade round here? They're memories, and they're my memories. They all count. Cheers. Sean. Indeed they do all count, Sean. Given that this place didn't really change very much until around 1964, then I still want to take some photos of EE Type 4's, Peaks, EE Type 3's and Brush 2's (31's ?) and the other diesel classes which came through here. I might have to add a third rail, just to prop up the 16.5 mm locos but I did that on the A1 picture anyway, so that's no problem. Sunday excursions to Bridlington and Scarborough with all sorts of diesel locos in green with maroon Mk 1's. They're as much history, now, as the steam locos which they replaced. Cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Indeed they do all count, Sean. Given that this place didn't really change very much until around 1964, then I still want to take some photos of EE Type 4's, Peaks, EE Type 3's and Brush 2's (31's ?) and the other diesel classes which came through here. I might have to add a third rail, just to prop up the 16.5 mm locos but I did that on the A1 picture anyway, so that's no problem. Sunday excursions to Bridlington and Scarborough with all sorts of diesel locos in green with maroon Mk 1's. They're as much history, now, as the steam locos which they replaced. Cheers Mike Yeah, There's something not quite as exciting with a 158 unit! One day I'll walk over that bridge and catch a railtour passing by with Tornado, or even a Deltic at the helm. One day, one day..... Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 Yeah, There's something not quite as exciting with a 158 unit! One day I'll walk over that bridge and catch a railtour passing by with Tornado, or even a Deltic at the helm. One day, one day..... Cheers. Sean. Or an EE Type 3 pulling out of empty mineral yard with a load of empty 16 tonners. Same place, different motive power, same wonderfully evocative scene. Hell but that signal bridge was photogenic; so many photos taken with trains passing under that thing. And the models of that thing, and the one behind it, are all ready to install on the next section of the railway. Then we really can take some photos! Cheers Mike 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold John B Posted January 13, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 13, 2011 Mick's great! His archives are seemingly endless and he is very generous with it too And please do document this current stage - as a local I find the project very interesting! Seconded on both counts! As an ex-local I'm always interested in seeing this model develop. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 And as the final offering for these prototype photos of this place, at least for now, then this one has to be my favourite. Once again it's one of Mick Nicholson's and is, above any others, the inspiration for the model. This would make a tremendous painting; this will make a tremendous painting when I can find the time to do it. Cheers Mike 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 Not a lot has been happening on Hessle Haven, the railway, while I build signals and now locomotives. Still the railway does still serve as a photographic backdrop for the various models which have been or are buing built. So a very North Eastern feel to these photos with a T1, J71 and J72 and a part completed Q5/2 on the first and a J72 on the second. Once the current phase of loco building is finished and while I continue with more signal models then I do intend to build the next section of the railway; the section beyond the bridge. Cheers Mike 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Broadley Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 A magnificent effort - I too used to visit Hessle Haven in the late 1950's but not as often as I'd have liked 'cos going to Beverley Grammar entailed more homework than I'd have liked but I guess I didn't do too badly for kicks (I can't have done because one of the entries in my report book, from the Geography Master I believe, complained that I spent too much time on my [very worthy] hobbies and should attend more to homework. At the risk of getting another kicking (I had lots of those at school and still do - in fact I thrive on them because they're an indication that one is making an impression) may I suggest you consider using my Smartrax software to control your layout? regards, John Broadley (joined 7th May 2011) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 A magnificent effort - I too used to visit Hessle Haven in the late 1950's but not as often as I'd have liked 'cos going to Beverley Grammar entailed more homework than I'd have liked but I guess I didn't do too badly for kicks (I can't have done because one of the entries in my report book, from the Geography Master I believe, complained that I spent too much time on my [very worthy] hobbies and should attend more to homework. At the risk of getting another kicking (I had lots of those at school and still do - in fact I thrive on them because they're an indication that one is making an impression) may I suggest you consider using my Smartrax software to control your layout? regards, John Broadley (joined 7th May 2011) Thanks John. Have you been back to this place since those days? It is a mere shadow of what it once was, as so much of the railway of the 1950's and 60's is. But with a little more time and a lot more work then I should be able to recreate enough of it to remind me and, perhaps, one or two others of what it once was. E-mail me via the PM facility, if you would, as to how the Smartrax software works and what I would need to run it. Cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Mike, it's lovely to see a selection of NER locos going to Beverley Grammar Snap Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemeg Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 Anyone who knew this place, right up until the closure of Richard Dunstons shipyard, might remember that there was another bridge here, one which carried the road into the shipyard over the Haven itself. This bridge will be a feature of the next section of the railway to be built but the abutment is already there. It took quite a bit of peering at old photographs to determine that the wall between the two piers of the bridge was actually curved and was wood. Now someone's going to produce a detailed photo, taken at exactly the right period, to prove "Oh no it wasn't". Just for the record, all of the brickwork on here as on the wing walls, is hand made, using a sciber on soft card. The brickwork is then painted with various water colours, using a stippling pad before being sealed with a very dilute coat of matt black enamel diluted in white spirit. The coping stones are all individually made from various thicknesses of plasticard and then painted with Humbrol stone colour. Cheers Mike 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iak Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Wow - very nice Mike. And some splendid loco's as well Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwealleans Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Lovely, Mike. We seem to be spoiled with top notch bridge builders at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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