Peterborough North

[great northern]

That coach looks pretty good to me Gilbert. Sounds similar method I use on mine in that you are putting on and then taking off.

 

I look forward to seeing more.  Oh and I envy your photoshopping skills. I may have a good Canon camera now, but wouldn't know where to start!

My photoshopping skills are very limited Tom, and all owed to a very accurately titled video called " The very basics of Paint.Net" For once here is something which does exactly what it claims. Don't rush off and try to download Paint.net yet though. They need to sort out the damage that hackers have caused before it can be safely used.

[great northern]

The weathered Gresley looks fine though a little too mucky for my tastes... haha. Having seen and travelled in them, I would say that many in blood & custard also suffered peeling paint. Under the paint, if i remember correctly, was grey, but of course it could peel away from the wood taking varnish with it.

 

I agree with Larry - a bit too mucky, or rather a bit too 'stark' in the dirtiness and in any case far too mucky for frontline corridor stock.  But the dirt is very much in the right places for the panelled stock which must have been awful to try to keep clean with all the ledges, edges, and crevices where muck could collect.  Mk1 stock had its shortcomings for hand cleaning but nothing in the league of the Gresley vehicles I'm sure and although they'd gone by my time a number of my older Carriage Cleaners remembered the few that landed on the Western late on with less than enthusiasm.

I'm sure that I have read that sometimes under the peeling paint teak could be seen, but reproducing that that is way outside my capabilities at the moment. Previous attempts have convinced me that the dirtier they are the more the lack of tumblehome is concealed, which is why I've been fairly heavy handed with it. I wouldn't use this one in a frontline express, as my recollection is that the newer end door stock was preferred for those, though the recent Banks/Carter book seems to suggest otherwise. It will go onto secondary work, which may just about justify the shabby condition, but I'll keep looking at it, and I may still tone it down a bit more. Thanks to you two gentlemen, and all others who have made favourable comment, it is good to know that I'm not too far off getting it right.

[Donington Road]

No, I didn't, nor did I notice that the ladder was on the signal box side. I've delayed my reply while looking for an earlier photo, but I can't find it. It seems entirely logical though that it did indeed govern movements from the Up main into the complex of sidings and running lines at the North end. I reckon you have soved the problem. Many thanks.

Another photo here showing that indicator box.  The ladder and box are definitely on the signal box side of the post, so my previous theory of it facing the station was incorrect.  I really should not give suggestions as to its use as no doubt I'll be caught out again

BUT, could it have given a warning to certain services to stop and not continue through non-stop

 

mick.

[great northern]

It is now 8.42am, and the 5.59am from Grimsby has finally reached the end of its journey. I wonder how many people got up at some unearthly hour to catch it and endured the whole two and three quarter hours? Anyway, a Boston K2 is in charge this morning. I've said before that I am unconvinced by blue skies, and though these have been watered down as much as possible they still look too bright to me. Be prepared then for PN to be forever shrouded in gloom from now on. Probably fairly prototypical anyway. We've established that 1958 wasn't a good summer.

 

Oh, and the coaches aren't warped.

[Theakerr]

Yep that early morning stopper at all stations was a right pain.  When my Dad and I went to London, we would catch it at Waltham, get off at Louth, have breakfast and then catch the 07:30 (or whatever the exact time was) and go all the way through to Kings Cross on it.  

[New Haven Neil]

MMMMmmm, N5!

[great northern]

It is now just after 9.00am, and the Up Cleethorpes express has arrived, headed by the usual well kept Immingham B1. I wonder if Jim Theaker and his Dad, suitably refuelled at Louth, are on board? They could even have been joined at Boston by a 13 year old lad from Lincoln and his younger brother, on their once yearly treat to London with their Auntie Val. This was supposed to be educational - British Museum or the Zoo - but you can guess what part of the day we really looked forward to.

 

Predictably, the clouds have rolled in already. Noses are already pressed to window in our compartment, no chance of being allowed to stick heads out at the vestibule end, and nothing has passed on the Down since we joined the main line at Werrington Junction. That's about to change though....

 

The Down Fair Maid rolls by. Kings Cross - Perth this one, so young oiks will be hoping for a Haymarket engine, even though all the evidence of past trips says it won't be. And it isn't.   It is Wild Swan yet again.

 

 

Told you so.

 

 

The spotters at the other end can't see what it is yet, but there are two nearly complete repainted and numbered vans in the Up bay for them, and JWealleans, to look at.

 

 

Disappointment reigns down here too. What ungrateful little beasts we were. Wild Swan, what a lovely name, is long gone, but Auntie Val is still with us, aged 98. She could probably tell me what attraction we visited in London in 1958 too!

 

 

[Richard E]

More than I can do, I lived in London in '58!

 

Is that a piece of scrap wire I can see in the 4' in front of the B1? Could be bit 'hairy' if it affects any ATC kit or am I out of the time period for that?

Edited September 9, 2013 by Richard E

[TheLaird]

Looks like there has been a spot of rain judging by the reflections on the north end of the platform!! Nice shots Gilbert. 

Any progress on the signals?

 

John E.

[tetleys]

I've just found time to catch up on Peterborough North after a couple of weeks doing things I can't now remember but I think some modelling might have been carried out.

 

Firstly I think the Hornby Gresley coach looks the part, with all those nooks and crannies formed by the teak panels it must have been a nightmare to clean and probably only ever looked right when out-shopped, a classic case of 'if it looks right' rather than sticking doggedly to absolute fidelity. Which brings me on to T.W.'s post, without Tony's breadth of knowledge we LNER / Easter Region modellers would be a lot poorer but I know from bitter experience that whilst ignorance is bliss once a fault is pointed out I have to correct it or as with my own Comet Thompsons with BR Mk1 roof profiles try and ignore it. Gilbert and Tony are both good friends of mine and I applaud them both for modelling prototypes but unless it's a 50m stretch of line in the middle of The Fens miles from a station it is impossible to get it 100% correct. Despite pressure from both guys I'm not sticking my head above the parapet so will NOT be modelling a prototype.

 

Dave S.

[great northern]

Looks like there has been a spot of rain judging by the reflections on the north end of the platform!! Nice shots Gilbert. 

Any progress on the signals?

 

John E.

About two thirds are working now John, and most of the rest are pretty simple and should get done when Tim next visits in a couple of months. The bracket at the South end of Platform 6 though is proving to be an absolute pig in every way possible, so Tim will have to keep polishing his thinking cap over that one.

[great northern]

I've just found time to catch up on Peterborough North after a couple of weeks doing things I can't now remember but I think some modelling might have been carried out.

 

Firstly I think the Hornby Gresley coach looks the part, with all those nooks and crannies formed by the teak panels it must have been a nightmare to clean and probably only ever looked right when out-shopped, a classic case of 'if it looks right' rather than sticking doggedly to absolute fidelity. Which brings me on to T.W.'s post, without Tony's breadth of knowledge we LNER / Easter Region modellers would be a lot poorer but I know from bitter experience that whilst ignorance is bliss once a fault is pointed out I have to correct it or as with my own Comet Thompsons with BR Mk1 roof profiles try and ignore it. Gilbert and Tony are both good friends of mine and I applaud them both for modelling prototypes but unless it's a 50m stretch of line in the middle of The Fens miles from a station it is impossible to get it 100% correct. Despite pressure from both guys I'm not sticking my head above the parapet so will NOT be modelling a prototype.

 

Dave S.

I've given up trying to get you to do so Dave, and at the end of the day we should all do what suits us personally. As a modeller, you should not be put in a straitjacket, and that is what being tied to a prototype would do to you. Stick to being an impressionist, which is what you excel at.

[Coldgunner]

It's strange to look at your layout and get a taste of what Peterborough North was like. I commute from Peterborough every day and get a good chance to study the station as it is. Again, it is in another major revamp with platform 6 and 7 being built, every week a little bit more is done. There are still a couple of remnants of the old days left though. The southbound bay platform, no.1, is still distinctly vintage. Joining railtours here is fun, seeing the inevitable pacific crossing the Nene and meandering its way through the junction to the platform (often no.4 heading northbound). To think I spend around 30 mins every day, mere yards from the famous 'victory' photo, really puts this new town on the map.

 

Maybe one day Mallard will re-visit Peterborough?

 

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/03/article-2354692-1A9DD7E1000005DC-321_954x600.jpg

 

 

I also stumbled upon this remarkable shot from Ron Fisher,

 

R0569.  MALLARD at Peterborough. 4th June,1961. by Ron Fisher, on Flickr

 

[Theakerr]

In 1958, we would probably be on our way the the Model Railway Show at Westminster Hall (for many years a Father Son outing) where I got my 1st Bilteze sheet or on our way to Gamages where for some strange reason where our parents always bought our bicycles.  Then, of course there would be the required stop at Hamleys

[JeffP]

My first bike came from Gamages, my dad picked it up at Waltham railway station.

My first train ride at three years old was Cleethorpes to Grimsby Town, my dad put me and my grandpa on the train and picked us up in Grimsby.

 

I went with Elliston Street School, where my dad taught, on an outing by train to London from Cleethorpes at age 5, 1957. No idea what time, or what hauled us, but it went by way of Louth.

Edited September 10, 2013 by JeffP

[great northern]

More than I can do, I lived in London in '58!

 

Is that a piece of scrap wire I can see in the 4' in front of the B1? Could be bit 'hairy' if it affects any ATC kit or am I out of the time period for that?

Ah yes, that white thing. I hoped none of you would notice that. I didn't, or not till it was too late anyway. Just a bit of random plasticard, which I reckon floated in on the breeze just as I pressed the shutter.

[coachmann]

Lovely shot by Ron Fisher there Coldrunner. Replicating the waist lining on 4mm scale etched and plastic coaces can be a nightmare as the yellow lining sits astride the raised beading. I cheat to create a similar effect, in fact a maroon Gresley is going through the shops at the moment so I was particularly pleased to see the photo.

Edited September 10, 2013 by coachmann

[Richard E]

Ah yes, that white thing. I hoped none of you would notice that. I didn't, or not till it was too late anyway. Just a bit of random plasticard, which I reckon floated in on the breeze just as I pressed the shutter.

Sorry!

[JeffP]

I was GOING to ask if it was on the negative, I even started typing it.

 

I think that shows my age.

[great northern]

Sorry!

No need. I finally remembered to go and check, and discovered a very fine sliver of plasticard, literally no wider than a human hair. Hard to see with the naked eye, but the camera of course picks up on it immediately. Just one of those things, but I now realise why I didn't see it before I took the photo.

[tetleys]

Lovely shot by Ron Fisher there Coldrunner. Replicating the waist lining on 4mm scale etched and plastic coaces can be a nightmare as the yellow lining sits astride the raised beading. I cheat to create a similar effect, in fact a maroon Gresley is going through the shops at the moment so I was particularly pleased to see the photo.

Firstly, the crew of Mallard and the Inspector plus other LNER employees would have probably retired at 65 so how come they all look as if they are in their seventies? I've noticed this with a lot of those old images and the women were old by thirty, how lucky we are or was it their lifestyle?

 

I have to admire the Gresley teak coach in maroon I cannot recall seeing another photograph that shows such a clean and shiny version of these coaches, good luck in recreating the lining Larry. 

 

Dave S.

[micklner]

     We dont realise how lucky we are!! 1920's and 1930's were very tough and before that time . No central heating etc etc most never even had electric !!.

    How many people did actually ever retire in those days??  no Old age pension , no idea how many jobs were pensionable then either?.

    The poor bloke to the right of the inspector looks totally exhausted !! Cracking picture though !!

 

 

 

From wikepedia

 

Duddington, then aged 61, climbed into the cab, turned his cap around (as had George Formby in the contemporary film No Limit), and drove Mallard into the history books. He had 27 years on the footplate, and had once driven the Scarborough Flyer for 144 miles at over 74mph (average speed), considered at the time to be the highest speed ever maintained by steam in the UK.

 

 

I think if i had done 27 years on a footpalte in all weathers  I would be a bit cream crackered too

 

 

 

 

Edited September 13, 2013 by micklner

[jwealleans]

The poor bloke to the right of the inspector looks totally exhausted

The current LNER Society magazine suggests - although they stress they have been unable to verify the story - that he was a goods guard who was co-opted onto the run at the last minute at Grantham and had never travelled over 40 mph in his life before. He's probably in shock.

[great northern]

At last another operating session, though nothing glamorous this time. The 9.57am arrival from Doncaster is a Parliamentary train which has been running for over 100 years, but it will not do so for much longer. It is the last train carrying Class B lamps on the Up main, but as the stations it purports to serve will all be closed at the commencement of the Winter timetable, there will be no further need for it to run. It is a long train, but mainly composed of non passenger carrying stock, and as you can see it is well within the capacity of a B1. You may also notice that some idiot has let the ****** who has been nicking vac pipes out on bail.

 

Some nice shots to be had down this end, but a lot of digital manipulation is required. At the South end, on the other hand,much less is needed. Here is a short parcels train, which arrived a little while ago and was shunted into number 1 bay. In a little while it will trundle down to East.

 

The B1 has reached the end of its journey, and will rest a while before taking its stock down to Nene sidings.

 

This is one of the latest Bachmann B1's, and will comfortably haul this train of 12 vehicles. The other one I have though struggles to cope with 5.

[The Stationmaster]

The current LNER Society magazine suggests - although they stress they have been unable to verify the story - that he was a goods guard who was co-opted onto the run at the last minute at Grantham and had never travelled over 40 mph in his life before. He's probably in shock.

I would go along with that idea - he looks to be wearing a Guard's uniform and he definitely isn't smart enough to be a Passenger Guard.