Jaggzuk

Well, it took two evenings, but all my photos are now re-uploaded after the data loss. And to think its been over two years since my last post!! Wow Anyway, the layout is still there, a lot more rolling stock and locos have accumulated on the layout, thanks to Christmases. The fiddle yard is full, and so are many storage boxes. It all needs a good tidy up and a clean. Not much has happened on the layout construction wise, life does that to you and the boys have discovered Nintendo Switch and other tech. But, the layout still get a bash once in a while, when mates come round and they fancy “real” things to play with and not screens. Anyway, hope to pick up some of the many modelling projects this winter. Oh yes, I also converted a nice big van into a Campervan for the family, so that took my focus the last two years!! Great to be back

A useful and simple tool to help find files on a PC. Very fast and effective. Making the job of finding photos to re-uplaod a bit easier, I for one have stored them all over the palce in folders. https://everything.en.softonic.com/

And if they had considered the visual aspect, then there would be two huge castellated turrets on both sides of the "tunnel" portal and beautiful brickwork too.

Hi Pete, has there been any more progress on this epic build?

First welcome to RMweb Louisa and I am sure you are not the only Mummy on here, but great to have to with us. There is plenty of helpful info and people on here. But I can totally appreciate your "where do I start" issue. There is a SCARM topic, you may find useful Kind regards Paul

Balfour Beatty High Output New Track Construction (NTC) Machine. "Self-powered machine within possession." See page 54 https://www.balfourbeatty.com/media/317250/rail-plant-services-overview-a.pdf

There are hidden operators everywhere! The "driver" following the orange line The sleeper delivery unit, has a driver Then this person underneath, I guess has somehting to do with the rail placement. Then there are the opertaive walking along the side with remote controls

Are these Pandrol Fastclip FC type ? Screen grab from your 11th July top down video https://www.pandrol.com/product/fastclip-fc/

Harsh and slight offensive to those of us that actually do work on the railways and highways!! Having to engineer a project around a live and very busy railway line is extremely tough and requires huge effort and expertise both in terms of planning and work, there is nothing substandard about it whatever. It is a testament to the way we work now, particularly on the railways, that rail engineering is a very safe industry. The working practices during the ECML electrification work will shock most these days when compared to todays methods and equipment used. There are a lot of reasons why things are done in a particular order and to a set program in engineering, but to the lay-person this can appear confusing, odd and even questionable. As an aside, the line appears to have a 20mph speed limit on is (if you look at the photo), so any track alignment issue (if there is one) has been considered by applying such a slow speed limit.

The Leica Prism (there are other products/manufactures out there) is used to co-ordinate a Total Station which used for engineering survey and setting out. The prism is at a known co-ordinated point with x, y and z position and is used by a Total Station to reference known points. https://leica-geosystems.com/en-gb/products/total-stations

It is an amazing model. How you have managed to get the right look and feel, even with a cut down version is fantastic. For me you have got the roof curve spot on!! It just looks right and comparing it with current views, everything about it says York. Well done.

A couple of views of the arch enternace

A bit of light relief

Ok your speed of modeling Peter is bonkers!!! I do feel sorry for the Station Manager having to reside in a "shed" at a such a major station. I will send some archway views shortly

The building on the right has had many incarnations depending on what era it is you are wanting to portray. Originally it was two story building with a general waiting room facing the track and “Ladies Retiring room” behind. Post war, it was just a wall facing the main concourse area, as it was badly damage during the WWII bomb raid and was so all demolished. The Station Master had an office behind this wall which was a large timber shed affair. The wall remained as a wall until early 80s where a single storey building was then rebuilt. In 1987 it had a railway Travelers Fare and a Waitng room. Today it houses Burger King and ATM Coffee. So, if you are modelling post war but pre 80s, then there was no building. Pre war it was two story structure, sorry if that is not quite what you have modelled so far. Early plan pre war 1967 plan 1982 plan 1987 Plan Post War, showing timber Station Managers office behind the wall 198 1981 https://yorkmix.com/13-wonderful-old-photographs-that-show-how-york-railway-station-has-changed-down-the-years/

Hi Peter Am I right in observing that you have intentionally omitted the archway entrance from the portico on to the main concourse? As I cannot see this in the middle of wall in your top pic?

A few pics I found on the web a while ago, so cannot remeber the sources. This one from "North Yorkshire Moors Railway Preservation Society York Group" which shows the stove pipe from the Signal Box passing up through the roof. I think this ties in with the pic of the guys painting the roof. This one shows the steam tender water pipe opposite the current Gents toilets on the now Plat 3/4. https://www.flickr.com/photos/blue-diesels/10740413313/ This one shows the water pipe in use on Plat 5 https://yorkmix.com/13-wonderful-old-photographs-that-show-how-york-railway-station-has-changed-down-the-years/

Not sure how many of the cantilever signal gantries you intend to add, but adjacent to the main gantries at the northern end there were two large water pipes suspended from the roof over the tracks to supply water for steam locomotive tenders. There were located next to the current Gents toilets on Plat 3/4 and at the north end of Plat 5. These actual lasted in place till the late 60s, early 70s

I think this is the roof barrel over the main concourse and the internal station buildings, so is likley to be from one for the buildings, possibly from the orginal signal box at the end of the footbridge.

Have you come across these two iamges of the orginal roof skylights? https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/the-annual-cleaning-and-painting-of-the-york-station-roof-news-photo/106889413 https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/resources/images/1971763/?type=responsive-gallery-fullscreen

Hi Pete This is a fantastic model and a VERY good repetition of York station!! Awesome work and with such build speed too. Your end screens and the internal wind bracing form of construction are great to see as there are not many photos of the wind bracing out there. I may be able to offer some further details on the various footbridges. The first bridge was a "temporary" construction and as you say it was suspended from the roof barrels. From the drawings I have seen it would appear to have been structurally made from timber. It was replaced by, I believe, by the current version sometime before 1930. This was then extended to the current platform 11 circa 1936. There was a temporary span over the 4 track main lines, which was again suspended from the barrel roof, after the war damage until it was repaired. I do not believe that a "new" bridge was rebuilt. But I would be very interets to know what you have found regarding this? The extension outside to Plat 11 was covered and clad at a later date to form the box footbridge we have today. Incidently, if you walk along the footbridge over Plat 5, you will notice that they cut away the bottom of 2 intermediate ribs to provide head clearance for pedestrians on the bridge. As with all things, railway history, I still have some gaps in the timeline and form of construction, but in Ken Appleby's book York, Britain's Rail Super Centres, you can see photos of both the first an and the wartime temporary versions. One thing that I learnt recently, which has always bugged me on my pre Covid daily commute to York, was what the small round room which protrudes out over the current Platform 8 was for. It was part of the 1952 power signal upgrade. there is a corresponding one looking out along to Plat 9. These were observation rooms for the single box. To me they look like the outposts on a ships bridge. Watching the project with great interest. Paul

I guess to answer your question Chuffed 1, you only really buy Hunt for "Fixed Rakes". Whereas Kadee are ideal, as one of the many manufactured/homemade options, for hands free shunnting and uncoupling. As for the price, £7.00 is good (since the price hike of late), but at the prices you quoted it still it works out at £1.19 per Hunt and £1.75 per Kadee. Which when converting a lot of fixed rake stock, will start to be a notable finacial saving, going for Hunt. There is no "right" couping system for everyone nor is there one universal fxing method for "all" the rolling stock out there.

Hi Does anyboty know the make/maufacturerer of the GRP modular building? Thanks #

Love the long lens views up the mainline.

That's impressive progress, can't wait to see some action video footage.