LNER4479

Thanks Jonathan for the updates Yes, it has been possible to put up bits of the layout in turn, to attend to a few ailments. Here's the north end, surrounded by the general chaos in the chapel with TWO large exhibition layouts effectively being stored in here between shows. Once Bristol has been and gone, it'll return to some semblance of normality. Here's an example. One or two of the boards have developed 'ski jump' ends, which have periodically been attended to. This piece of track was noted as being particularly bad at York so up it comes for due attention. Above it is the errant Signal 20. Most folks might not have even noticed but we've had multiple signal motor failures which spoils the authenticity of the operation. So ... Now you see 'em ... ... now you don't! Is this a light on the road to Damascus moment? Well, initially not as me and Andrew between us manage to upset 3 out of the 4 replacement servos. However, they eventually settled down and Signal 20 has been signed off as working satisfactorily. With the useful byproduct that the one good recovered Veissmann motor has been used to replace a further 'dud' on South box Signal 3. It now has to pass the 'does not twitch' test when locos of all makes and origins pass by it. And very much a test bed for future projects rather than the start of a campaign change out on Grantham per se. We'll see ...

I clearly remember riding a train such as this to Barnstaple and back in March(-ish) 1987 with a fellow BR colleague. We were doing a mad 24 hour rail travel competition and caught the WR sleeper from Reading at midnight (Fri night) and decanted at Exeter at something like 4am (Sat morning). There was then this 4.30am service to Barnstaple, 33 + MkIs. I'm pretty certain it conveyed newspapers in the luggage compartments (off the sleeper? Or maybe a separate newspapers train from London?). It was then something like 6am back off Barnstaple as more of a bona fide passenger service back into Exeter. I'll have a record of the loco somewhere but not the MkI formation (sorry!). My decade of interest is the 1950s and the 'classic' 3-coach ordinary passenger formation (branchline or otherwise) was BSK-CK-BSK, as others have stated. In fact, pre-1956, more accurately stated as BTK-CK-BTK. Typical 4-coach would be BSK-SK-CK-BSK. I would agree that use of MkIs on such services in the 1950s would be highly unusual; however, add MkI BCK through coach to add interest, ie BCK / BSK-CK-BSK. You need a lot of brake coaches when modelling the 1950s! Finally (for now - and as it's a modelling forum) my 'Festival of Britain' MkI 'Royal Scot' set that we run on Shap. It's slightly reduced formation (11 vs 13) but otherwise correct, including the full kitchen and the RTO vehicle (Comet sides on Lima donors). Rest are bog standard Bachmann. Love MkIs!

All very much in the forefront of our minds at the present time! Firstly, I've been putting double insulators in everywhere with the idea that only the train you want to drive will be live. An overriding factor is that the loops being laid will eventually be hidden from view (either partially or totally) so there needs to be a certain amount of automation in terms of stopping and starting trains. Whilst we'll have DCC to drive the trains, we won't be using it to change points, etc. That'll be conventional electrics, push buttons, relays, etc - we're as one with that. Just a preference, but one I'm comfortable with in terms of being within my competence. Each (of the four) circuits will be a 'district' and switchable between DCC and DC. There are many locos(!) and it will be a long process to chip them all. In fact, there's probably some kit built ones that will never get chipped!

Thanks for comments / concerns. FWIW The room is an inside room, ie no wall is an outside wall. So it's inherently dry and pretty constant temperature in there. Layout is only partly supported by the units; rest is conventional legs (3 x 1) as you can see. These areas are designed so as to be able to store the plastic boxes beneath, as you describe Lengthways, longitudinal beams are also 3 x 1. Bought in a pack of 4 from a well-known DIY store, of orange hue (other DIY stores are available). Yesterday, I opened a new pack (itself chosen from others in the rack as being the best I could see) and selected the two straightest and truest to be the longitudinal beams. They were dead straight and true to my eye. They'd also been in the room for a month and thus had time to adjust to the climate. I do use 9mm ply for similar beams on my exhibition layouts, where weight is a consideration. These (Doncaster) boards are designed to be removable if required which is also influencing the method of construction. I'll keep my eye on things but no concerns so far (although I do understand that some of the effects you describe are of a more longer term nature).

https://westcoastrailways.co.uk/news/the-jacobite-back-in-service West Coast's own statement would appear to imply that they've found / fettled some additional CDL-fitted stock ... EDIT - apologies as most of that is repeated in the earlier RailAdvent post. For completeness sake, therefore.

Yes, it's relying on switchblade contact. I know there's the Taliban out there for whom that is anathema; but it's not a red line for me for a simple set of dead end sidings. I do have 'red lines' on other things, mind ...

Sometimes you sleep on things and ... not so much 'two steps forward ...' as maybe trying to avoid ploughing on regardless. Nothing drastic, but ... You might not have picked up on this but the partially laid fan of points for Upperby goods sidings was bothering me so ... up they came! To be replaced by this rather more simpler arrangement. Now installed, with sidings adjusted and relaid to match. One factor is that these points are right under the operator's nose so are not motored. Prototypically, they would have been set out thus so that the shunting staff are on the outside of the sidings and not stepping over rails to change points. The alternative of having three curved points on the furthest siding wasn't really working geometrically. It does however alter which siding becomes the longest ... Sidings now being extended in the Carlisle direction. Your eye will no doubt be drawn to the suspicious card circle, however! Yes, second 'thunks' has resulted in the decision to include the outside, 60ft turntable (as per prototype). It fits, just ... but only by curtailing one of the goods sidings! So, Upperby yard is now 4-and-a-half sidings rather than 5. Thinking here is that, without this turntable, everything that needs turning has to use the roundhouse turntable ... perhaps not the wisest of ideas? With this decision, the track plan for the depot is finalised. Let's take a tour: 'Country' end. Locos will (normally) enter the depot via the Y-point behind the 3-way point. They then take the left hand route over the following Y point to take them on to the ash disposal road, followed by the coaler. This will be the normal sequence of moves round the shed - but it can be bypassed by taking the RIGHT hand route through the Y point. To the right, just plonked for now, is the pointwork that leads to the depot EXIT (in normal circumstances. Between that and the wall are a series of stabling roads and two roads of the carriage shed. Work is proceeding in laying the roundhouse roads. 16 down; 8 to go. As well as the furthest away roads not being full length, note how three roads in the 5 o'clock corner (as viewed) are also slightly shorter, so as to allow the outside roads a little more room to breath. Won't be readily apparent at normal viewing angles. In total, and not including the entrance / exit roads, 7 of the stabling roads are still full length and will thus take a Pacific. And the remainder of the yard looks like this. Having had ashes disposed and been coaled, all locos (apart from Pacifics) can turn and then run back (to the right) using the crossover onto the through line. Otherwise, locos continue on towards the siding and headshunt area that was curiously known as the 'Burma Road'. Above the 60ft turntable is the area where many pictures of my beloved Duchess Pacifics were taken, with the roundhouse in the background. Very keen to replicate that! Compromise, as ever, is the watchword; however, I do believe that this finalised layout does capture the main features of the old 12A and provides capacity for up to 40 locos. The most notable omission (perhaps?) is the old coal hole - felt it would have just have been too cramped to fit it in. Onwards and upwards 🤓

Latest report is a combination of two visits - the first was curtailed due to a ... er ... industrial injury 🤕 Anyhow, here's work on the last ladder of points in the fiddle yard, the Up entrance points, seen here temporarily laid out top left. And now laid out for keeps, with the down exit line being installed beneath. Meanwhile, down at the other end of the room, further baseboard construction. And thus we have the final board in place for Doncaster station itself 🙂 It's quite a long way down to the other end. With this progress, we're within an ace of starting to lay track in the scenic area. So this stretch of cork has been painted, in preparation. This is the south end junctions board. Next visit, hopefully 🤓

Yes, another jolly day in BarryO's model railway room. Shock! Horror! Diseasels!! We did nonetheless identify this corner, alongside the approach tracks of the main station, as a potential site for diesel stabling sidings, maybe even a small depot? The sort of thing the ER was rather better at doing than the LMR (the latter all too often trying to adapt existing steam facilities rather than purpose building something new) Anyhow, here is the result of a day reaching over, drilling square holes etc. Room for up to ten of the things, more if shunting locos are let loose. I'm sure it'll be bulging at the seams before long🤨 Whilst I had the camera out, went for a roam round the rest of the layout. Goods sidings full of trains. The NCB exchange sidings and colliery branch (RHS) is the next (last?) task. Loco depot full of proper engines. Some of them even moved when threatened with a controller. And the main station, now looking rather good with platforms. And looking the other way, towards the goods depot. A very pleasant day; thanks to my host for supplies of tea, bacon sandwiches and evening meal prior to my departure 🤗

Nice vid. Jesse. Enjoyed watching that! 😀

Good grief - that really is someone's kit mountain (looking thru adjacent lots as well). Trying to be 'good' here so that mine isn't too tall, come the day ... Thanks for highlighting.

So .... Tracklaying proceeds at Upperby. Following the installation of the adjacent slip point, the goods lines are being laid. Note the point rodding runs under the tracks, for those points where a point motor cannot be directly installed. And following round to the removable section. Meanwhile, the five roads for Upperby goods yard are also being laid. This then accurately sets the space left for ... ... Upperby shed (12A). Here are the first three points, constituting the depot entrance (off the Y-point beyond the three-way point) It's all going on.

And another ... And, given that we have all 35 to call upon ... ... she'll be in this little lot somewhere.

Hi 60093(!) Great to see you back up and at 'em in the loft 😃 All the best for your continued recovery; can't have been an easy last 12 months for you. Funnily enough, I was watching a Waverley route video just the other day and that featured a Crab, allegedly stopping for a blow-up at Shankend, on the southbound climb to Whitrope. Either a case of mistaken identity ... or that's at least two recorded instances? Like you, I hadn't previously associated the class with the route; however, one suspects in the general 1960s rundown under the LMR, anything went.

I came across the attached some years ago and keep a careful hold of it. A reminder of how far we've come ... and to question by return the all too common 'elf n safety gorn mad' accusation. In the research for Grantham (trying to maintain some relevance!), I came across interesting snippet that, back in the day, the ground floor of the water tower opposite Grantham main station was designated as the local railway morgue ... Railway Safety Report 1972.pdf

Aargh - sorry to have missed you 😔 It’s very easy to ‘zone out’ in the middle of a show - priority is always on trying to put on a good show and keep things moving … a constant challenge on a layout like Grantham. Glad you enjoyed your visit nonetheless and hope to catch up on a future occasion😉 Thanks for the photo.

SO .... Back home with the layout after being part of the York show. No pictures from me, I'm afraid - I think a few others might be on the way - but the ever-excellent and prolific 'DCC125' graced the layout on Saturday afternoon (by the looks of it). That wasn't actually our best day but DCC125 has given us a nice record of the event nonetheless and has captured some of the more ordinary trains in the middle of the schedule, which makes a nice change: Thanks - as ever - to all members of 'Team Grantham', those who stopped by to say 'hi'. And a special mention to @Clive Mortimore who kindly mucked in with the team during the thankless task of packing it all away after show time 😇

I think you'll find JW that 2550 is Blink Bonny and is ALSO on the Grantham roster! Here's Galtee More in the classic platform end viewpoint at Grantham. If nothing else, a gratuitous plug for this weekend's York show 😃

And now with the full circuit up, stock set out in full swing. Not quite sure what happened here with the camfone?! Instinct was to delete it but decided it was a bit arty-farty so here it is. It was really intended to show the stage at which main layout is up but with front depot boards still to add (they are over on the right hand side) See you tomorrow 🙂

And a perfect cue for some pix of mine ... Here it is all in the back of the van. Backed up for unloading. This is how close we were to the unloading point. Those familiar with the venue will know where we are. Set up proceeds steadily.

Now you really shouldn't go around saying things like that; it only prompts me to post even more photos ... Here's a slightly more three-quarter view of the thing. They are not without their charm, although the older, more rounded examples are more aesthetically pleasing. One of these days, we'll configure a trip so as to have at least an overnight in Nordhausen, where the HSB rails form one tentacle of the town's tram system. Have done it once before but it's over 10 years ago now. Only one steam working being the main disincentive!

No problem at all - fascinating to see the railway in the immediate post-DR era. Clearly today's HSB is much modernised, well-polished etc. But I stick to my guns in saying that it's a working railway, not a preserved one. I can only experience this version of 'real' steam as it is in the 21st Century. Envious of anyone who was able to visit the railway in more workaday times.

Yes, 222 seems to get used turn and turn about with the others. We saw it a lot on this visit. I've seen it in the past on the TraditionZug. According to previous news item, the green Mallett is due back for the summer but not sure whether they'll be using that on its own, unless a reduced formation?

Ooh - nearly forgot. A bit of video: Our train back down the Brocken on the Monday was slightly late (shock horror!). This delayed our entry into the passing siding and so the uphill train was caught at the signal. Here it is doing an impressive re-start on the 1-in-30. In truth, loco well within itself with the standard winter formation of 7 carriages (8 in summer) and light passenger loading, not to mention dry rail. Still impressive enough though?

At Alexisbad, we went our separate ways, Dave and Steve continuing by railcar to make the connection at Eisfelder for the steam back to Wernigerode. We simply headed back to Quedlinburg, with the sun obliging most of the time. Time for a quick snap at Gernrode to capture more of the station site. Orignal station building on the left. Quedlinburg is the other UNESCO town in the area, with an almost unbelievable 2000+ wooden frame buildings listed as scheduled monuments. These are a couple of towers along the wall of the NEW town area (ha!) 'New' as in 13th(-ish) century. Successfully rendez-vous'd back in Wernigerode, dining at the Altora 'Restaurant 1835' where the train delivers drinks to your table. Good trains, good company, good beer ... LOTS of good beer(!) Right - about this show ...