Peterborough North

[great northern]

Having consulted the oracle, Shakespeare, - no, no that one, he wasn't a railway modeller, ideas are in place as to how to provide some more scenic breaks to avoid skies which come down to the baseboards. One involves the purchase and building of an N gauge kit! Today though I have just been up to the loft and retrieved a backscene from the old layout, which has been propped up to see what effect can be achieved. That backscene has then been blended into a sky backgound, or nearly anyway. Here's the result, though I anticipate that the majority of viewers will be much more interested in the immaculate A3, which is running down from New England ready to take the 5.25pm slow to KX. This was for some reason a Doncaster duty, and that shed has purloined this ex works Haymarket engine today. At least twice in August 1958, according to contemporary magazines, Top Shed sent a Haymarket A4 which needed a minor repair having come Up on the Elizabethan down to Peterborough on the 2.00pm Newcastle, which changed engines there, and returning on this train. I bet if I'd ever seen it something I'd seen dozens of times would have been at the front.

 

[andyrush]

7/10 for the backscene - it definitely makes a difference. (0/10 for the direction of the light engine, though!)

[Guest Tom F]

Wow Gilbert, that is very convincing.

I would say that is the most believable photo I've seen so far of your layout. A literal case of doing a double take!

Edited November 18, 2012 by Tom F

[Mallard60022]

What a difference a few brown shapes make

Having been to the Retford Show today I've decided my backscenes are rubbish and will be replaced by this time next year (honestly).

What a beautiful A3 whichever way it is going; well they were all beautiful, even ' 55 with chimney wings

P@36E

[dunbrin-essdee]

Hi Gilbert,

 

I only came across this thread the other day and started to read it from the beginning, until I realised that it consists of 117 pages and over 2900 posts (and still growing). So I cheated and skipped to the last 5 or so pages and I have to say that I felt a bit like Howard Carter, i.e. the man who discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb. When he peered into the tomb for the first time and was asked if he could see anything, he famously replied “Yes, wonderful things”.

 

Apart from the fact that I admire your wonderful re-creation of a prototype location and positively drooled over the photos and video, I am particularly interested in your choice of location because I have, for many years, wanted to create a layout based on Peterborough. However, my period would be mid-1980s’, after the station had been redeveloped and renamed, the track simplified and steam locos replaced by the iconic HST.

 

I’m a relative beginner as a modeller, having only attempted one previous layout, and I do realise that, to achieve my goal, I will encounter many challenges. So far, I have yet to get possession of the attic space that has been promised for some considerable time, but I have developed a plan for the layout and will soon be converting the attic to accommodate this plan. (If you're interested I'll send the plan - assuming I can figure out how to attach it.)

 

The intention is to have two distinct scenic sections (due to space constraints); one for the area between the bridges over the March line and Crescent Bridge and the other between there and Spital Bridge, though I would also like to include the Diesel Maintenance Shed, which is just beyond the latter bridge. Lofty ambitions, I know (pun not intended)!

 

I also hope to include the Nene Valley Railway station, so that some steam trains can be run – possibly even Thomas the Tank Engine, if my grand-son (also Thomas) continues to take an interest.

 

One of the difficulties I have faced has been the lack of reliable and comprehensive information about my chosen prototype for the relevant period. The web has been a great help and I also have a copy of a 1984 book on Peterborough from the Rail Centres series published by Ian Allan, but living, as I do, in Dublin, I have little opportunity to view the real thing. However, I have been promising myself that I would visit the Warley Show one of these years and, spurred on by a modest inheritance, I am planning a trip this week, which will include a short visit to Peterborough to take some detailed photos and video. This should help me, eventually, to build representative models of the station, platform buildings, the various bridges (for road, rail and passengers), etc. etc. etc. Unfortunately, though, I won’t have space for a model of the Great Northern Hotel (and, at their prices, I’ve opted for the local Travelodge!), so I may just use a photo of it as part of the backscene.

 

Maybe, when I have made sufficient progress towards my goal, I will have the confidence to post some photos of my layout for others to view and pass judgement. As to my judgement on your layout – in my humble opinion, what you have done is nothing short of inspirational and if I can do half as well, I will have exceeded my expectations a thousand-fold.

 

As they say in Irish, Beannacht De ar an obair - God bless the work.

 

Stephen

[great northern]

7/10 for the backscene - it definitely makes a difference. (0/10 for the direction of the light engine, though!)

 

Who nicked those lamps? Oh dear, actually I did , I haven't yet got enough for all locos, so they move around. And as I now find thinking of more than one thing at once increasingly difficult, it's not surprising I'm afraid that the lamps were overlooked.

[Crisis Rail]

Gilbert.

 

Just took in a good chunk of your thread - I take it you are not planning to move house........

 

 

Ian

Edited November 19, 2012 by Crisis Rail

[Mallard60022]

Gilbert.

Just took in a good chunk of your thread - I take it you are not planning to move house........

Ian

 

Gilbert might consider this when he decides to expand 'north' with the section between Peterborough & Doncaster and south to the Cross. He is probably going to have to do this to accommodate all the loco's he is accumulating and the coaches he will build over Christmas.

I believe negotiations are already underway to allow Mr. Jackson to covert his train set to OO so that G can inherit 'Retford' and save himself some modelling time. Not sure about the Grantham situation though as several models of that exist so competition could be hot to be the chosen 'fill in' bit. Donny's no problem as that won't take long to knock up, especially the 'Plant'.

Going south is going to be more of a challenge, but I hear that the Gresley Beat is up for auction and several members of the pop profession have already offered to fund the construction of the final section from Finsbury Park to the great terminus.

What a layout this is going to be. December 2013 could be when the 'opening' celebrations take place, or maybe a little later if G decides to use Teddy Bear fur for all his embankments.

Oh, that was good dream. Now where's pic of the day?

P @ 36E

P.S. happy to build the 36E Thrumpton Shed Foreman's office when required.

[CUTLER2579]

What a difference a few brown shapes make

Having been to the Retford Show today I've decided my backscenes are rubbish and will be replaced by this time next year (honestly).

What a beautiful A3 whichever way it is going; well they were all beautiful, even ' 55 with chimney wings

P@36E

 

As well as 55 there were 48,61 & 112.Just for those young kids like Tim & Tom. They sound like the title of a TV prog.

 

Regards.

[Guest Tom F]

 

 

As well as 55 there were 48,61 & 112.Just for those young kids like Tim & Tom. They sound like the title of a TV prog.

 

Regards.

 

Young indeed!!

Actually you do have a point. I thought they were next weeks lottery numbers!

[great northern]

Gilbert might consider this when he decides to expand 'north' with the section between Peterborough & Doncaster and south to the Cross. He is probably going to have to do this to accommodate all the loco's he is accumulating and the coaches he will build over Christmas.

I believe negotiations are already underway to allow Mr. Jackson to covert his train set to OO so that G can inherit 'Retford' and save himself some modelling time. Not sure about the Grantham situation though as several models of that exist so competition could be hot to be the chosen 'fill in' bit. Donny's no problem as that won't take long to knock up, especially the 'Plant'.

Going south is going to be more of a challenge, but I hear that the Gresley Beat is up for auction and several members of the pop profession have already offered to fund the construction of the final section from Finsbury Park to the great terminus.

What a layout this is going to be. December 2013 could be when the 'opening' celebrations take place, or maybe a little later if G decides to use Teddy Bear fur for all his embankments.

Oh, that was good dream. Now where's pic of the day?

P @ 36E

P.S. happy to build the 36E Thrumpton Shed Foreman's office when required.

 

Ok, who's the whistleblower? How did you get hold of all my top secret plans Phil? Actually, if all my nice neighbours would be kind enough to give up a couple of their bedrooms, that would give me another 100+feeet of length. I can soon get a few more connecting walls knocked down. The width would still be a bit of a problem too, and the funding come to think of it.

[great northern]

Gilbert.

 

Just took in a good chunk of your thread - I take it you are not planning to move house........

 

 

Ian

 

No Ian, I'm not, or not unless I win the lottery big time anyway. This project was thought through very carefully before I took any action at all, not just the layout, the whole thing. I'm fortunate to live in a house which is just right for me, and in surroundings I would find very hard to equal, let alone improve on. So, here I am, and here I stay until I get carried out, or god forbid, I can't look after myself, in which case I don't suppose model railways will be that important any more.

[Crisis Rail]

House bound at the moment as my car has gone for a major service. They've just phoned me as for some reason they expect me to pay for it. That bill, together with renewal of the layout insurance makes it an expensive day. Never mind, the sequence has thrown up two notable trains, so here are your shots of the day.

 

 

First we see the arrival of the Up Northumbrian behind Top shed A1 Sea Eagle. There are times when I wish the LNER hadn't been so fond of lattice post signals.

 

 

Two for the price of one! Golden Fleece is waiting in the bay platform to take over the Up Glasgow - KX, and Andrew K Mc Cosh has the Scotch goods again.

 

 

Number 3 rolls gently past a Boston K2 wating to depart with the 5.03pm to Grimsby, while the V2 pilot still waits for something to do.

 

....and there was me thinking you couldn't get out of the house because of the blasted layout.

Edited November 19, 2012 by Crisis Rail

[great northern]

Today has been spent doing a rush job on an N gauge terraced house kit, in order to see what it looks like as a backdrop to the coaling stage and water tower area. I've also attached the photo that Tim's dad took again as a convenient reference point without having to scroll between the two.

 

 

 

At the moment I'm concerned only with the relative sizes of the structures, so the photoshopping was as rushed as the building construction. My first reaction was that the houses were far too small, but having looked again at the prototype image, I think that they are not as far out as I thought. I've a nasty feeling though that built to 00 gauge they would be too big and obtrusive. Your views really would be appreciated folks. I'm thinking of having a go at scratchbuilding some low relief stuff myself, but I fear that having to do it other than to a recognised scale would be beyond my abilities, so, as I said, any suggestions/views will be much appreciated.

 

I should explain that these houses were in fact some distance away. There was a fair bit of railway land behind what I have room for, and then Westwood Road, these being on the far side of that. I am of course limited by the edge of the baseboard, so going furher back isn't an option, unless I put a backscene on the board the other side of the operating well. That I think would have to be absolutely flat.

[KevinWalsh]

For what it's worth Gilbert, they look the part and appropriate scale/size from this angle. What do they look like when photographed from the level of the bridges?

[Grafarman]

I remember reading an article in the not-too-distant past about using smaller-scale buildings at the back of layouts and forcing the perspective; this to me looks spot-on, although your houses bring a whole new meaning to the term 'vacant possession' lols

 

David

 

Edited for spelling, duh!

Edited November 19, 2012 by Grafarman

[CUTLER2579]

Gilbert, It would be fairly easy to scale these up to 3mm (TT scale )from 2mm but I think they would then look too close.At presnt the lokk in perspective to me and enhace the photographs. I think doing anything on the other side of the operating well would look as though Westwood Road was in Glinton and that there was a huge void in between the railway and Westwood Road. Just my opinion of course, but then you did ask.

Still love this layout as it is,without any improvements. I think the money you have invested with the "magician" on the buildings was money very well spent.

Kindest Regards,Derek. (wearing his sensible head for a change.)

[Oldddudders]

Compressing perspective is difficult for those of us who aren't actually trained artists - they do it all the time, given their 2-dimensional canvas. The instant response to your picture is that you are going very much in the right direction - but that the impressive depth-of-field you are managing in your recent shots needs to be reduced when those background structures appear in-shot. I feel the houses in Tim's dad's shot look less sharp than the loco in the foreground, and that adds to the depth.

 

Whatever, this continues to be a stunning example of how your modelling just moves ahead all the time - and your continuing search for improvements does you great credit.

[andyrush]

How about photographing a line of mineral wagons in front of the houses (at scale) and then tinkering around with the size/brightness/contrast in Photoshop?

[andyrush]

Sorry, I don't think I explained that very well. Here is a quick crude mock up of what I mean, with apologies for the butchery of your photo.

[great northern]

Doesn't time fly when you are (not) having fun? I decided to take just one more photo from a slightly different angle, by which time there was little light left. The result was that just about everything came out in shades of grey. Try photoshopping that! Certainly beyond me, as you will see, but having expended so much time, and so many expletives, I'm going to post it anyway, after which I shall give proper consideration to all the very helpful replies that have already come in about the houses.

 

 

The Ivatt 4 has reversed the stock of an M&GN arrival into the North carriage sidings, and now awaits release to take the engine line to New England.

[queensquare]

I think that works very well, certainly in the photos. Copenhagen Fields makes extensive use of diminishing scales toward the backscene to give an element of forced perspective which I think is very effective.

Are the terraces to be a permanent addition to the layout or are they simply to be used as a photographic backdrop?

 

Jerry

[great northern]

For what it's worth Gilbert, they look the part and appropriate scale/size from this angle. What do they look like when photographed from the level of the bridges?

 

Thanks Kevin. I'll have a go at that tomorrow, when hopefully there is some light.

[great northern]

I remember reading an article in the not-too-distant past about using smaller-scale buildings at the back of layouts and forcing the perspective; this to me looks spot-on, although your houses bring a whole new meaning to the term 'vacant possession' lols

 

David

 

Edited for spelling, duh!

 

I think the demolition men have moved in David. I'm an impatient so and so, and so I just rushed at this job in my eagerness to get a photo. I didn't notice I hadn't put the doors on until too late...

[fishytrains]

I think the terraced houses work and that the photos look better for that additional perspective. I also agree with the comment about the depth of field. All in all your pictures are getting better and better.

 

Mike