Heaton Lodge Junction

[Growling]

45 minutes ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

Yes thanks to you I had a conversation with Mr Hughes who has promised to have a 4 car blue/grey class 124 ready for late next year. 
This one will be as they were in ‘84 minus an engine and griddle car. 
Cheers 

 

It wasn't me that gave you the lead for the 124, that credit goes somewhere else.

 

But I did kick off that important discussion regarding the rolling stock. ;-)

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

I just hope there is never a fault with the sprinklers!

 

Mike.

[Velocemitch]

What a deeply impressive project, I stumbled across your thread on Pistonheads, so followed it over here to catch up.

I also used to spend some time sat on the same grass bank during the same era. Having cycled down the Canal towpath from Huddersfield. I will have photos but finding them will be a challenge!

[HeatonLodge40]

1 hour ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

I just hope there is never a fault with the sprinklers!

 

Mike.

I sprayed paint over them so doubt they will work anyway.

They were disconnected years ago I believe 

[Simond]

Simon,

 

this is, I think always will be, a landmark, something so out of everybody’s experience.  It’s totally, wonderfully, staggeringly amazing.

 

Thanks for sharing your triumphs and tribulations over the last few years & good luck with 2020!
 

HNY

Simon

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

A bit of a question from the psychiatrists chair!

When the layout is set up at shopping centres, given that probably 90% of punters won't be model railway enthusiasts, how will it seem to you personally that very few of them (except probably if it's set up in the Leeds/Wakefield area) will appreciate the amount of work that has gone into it, and the degree of accuracy which the area is portrayed?

I realise you are somewhat of a missionary and this is the part of the raison d'etre of the project.

 

Mike.

[Satan's Goldfish]

1 minute ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

A bit of a question from the psychiatrists chair!

When the layout is set up at shopping centres, given that probably 90% of punters won't be model railway enthusiasts, how will it seem to you personally that very few of them (except probably if it's set up in the Leeds/Wakefield area) will appreciate the amount of work that has gone into it, and the degree of accuracy which the area is portrayed?

I realise you are somewhat of a missionary and this is the part of the raison d'etre of the project.

 

Mike.

 

Hmmm, interesting point: if for example it was set up in Swindon, despite the model being geographically wrong, would class 50s be more familiar and relatable to the otherwise non-enthusiast public in that location?...

[HeatonLodge40]

2 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

A bit of a question from the psychiatrists chair!

When the layout is set up at shopping centres, given that probably 90% of punters won't be model railway enthusiasts, how will it seem to you personally that very few of them (except probably if it's set up in the Leeds/Wakefield area) will appreciate the amount of work that has gone into it, and the degree of accuracy which the area is portrayed?

I realise you are somewhat of a missionary and this is the part of the raison d'etre of the project.

 

Mike.

It’s a very good question Mike. 

The answer is the public won’t appreciate the fact it’s modelled on a real location although all along the length of the model at the front, will be information boards pointing out various features and facts and things for them to look out for.

 

I do think they will appreciate the detail, just as people enjoy looking at detail within old painting in galleries for example.

However the main draw to the public will be seeing long heavy trains approaching from a distance complete with sound and smoke etc. It’s the entertainment experience I guess.
Prototypical running will take a back seat with the public unfortunately.

I’ll just have to hold my nose and count the money on the gate 

[HeatonLodge40]

11 hours ago, Velocemitch said:

What a deeply impressive project, I stumbled across your thread on Pistonheads, so followed it over here to catch up.

I also used to spend some time sat on the same grass bank during the same era. Having cycled down the Canal towpath from Huddersfield. I will have photos but finding them will be a challenge!

Dig em out! I probably saw you there..And thanks

[teaky]

Impressive and inspirational.  I'm looking forward to seeing further progress in 2020.  Happy New Year, Simon.

[millerhillboy]

I think the back story of you appearing in the photograph is just fabulous and I can understand why that has energised you into this project.

It must bring back memories of childhood friends, childhood adventures, sounds and smells even from hanging about the railway.

 

Just incredible.

[Tony Teague]

On 31/12/2019 at 18:34, Satan's Goldfish said:

 

Hmmm, interesting point: if for example it was set up in Swindon, despite the model being geographically wrong, would class 50s be more familiar and relatable to the otherwise non-enthusiast public in that location?...

 

If they are non-enthusiasts, would they know the difference between a class 50 and a Pacer?

[rocor]

I have been following this thread over the Christmas holidays, all 46 pages of it. An incredible piece of model making, both in build quality and its size. I was just musing on how much space Heaton Lodge Junction would have taken up built in T scale. The answer turns out to be lengthwise, 19 feet.

[HeatonLodge40]

20 hours ago, Tony Teague said:

 

If they are non-enthusiasts, would they know the difference between a class 50 and a Pacer?

In all honesty and with all due respect to the public I doubt they’d realise anything was wrong if an HST power car was pulling a freight train. 
But..the public is where the big gate receipts are.

Warley for us modellers.
The shopping malls for the public.

[Enterprisingwestern]

11 minutes ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

Warley for us modellers.

 

Hmmmm.

 

Mike.

[w124bob]

Perhaps a couple of sort of "front of house guides" to answer questions from joe public, even better if they have Mirfield local knowledge or are ex footplate(not that I'm hinting at anything!). One of my old traction inspectors started his career at Sowerby Bridge then Mirfield, Healey Mills before crossing the Pennines to Manchester Victoria. He also runs a monthly railway club somewhere in Mirfield and likes nothing better than talking about railways, someone like that could be very useful.

 

[BWsTrains]

3 hours ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

In all honesty and with all due respect to the public I doubt they’d realise anything was wrong if an HST power car was pulling a freight train. 
But..the public is where the big gate receipts are.

Warley for us modellers.
The shopping malls for the public.

I'm surprised that there are Malls with enough available floor space in or outside.

 

Our SC central spaces here are crammed full of competing coffee shops, phone case sellers and the like as SC owners chase to extract every last cent of rent. Outside the car parking is always crammed however big they make it by endless additions. 

[HeatonLodge40]

42 minutes ago, BWsTrains said:

I'm surprised that there are Malls with enough available floor space in or outside.

 

Our SC central spaces here are crammed full of competing coffee shops, phone case sellers and the like as SC owners chase to extract every last cent of rent. Outside the car parking is always crammed however big they make it by endless additions. 

Things have moved on since the original marquee outside a shopping mall idea.

It’s now going in a number of redundant BHS stores countrywide to clarify. 
The landlords get a huge rebate from business rates if the railway is in there for 30 days. And it’s totally free for me. And they have access for trucks etc for unloading.

So it works for both parties  

[Tony Teague]

8 hours ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

Things have moved on since the original marquee outside a shopping mall idea.

It’s now going in a number of redundant BHS stores countrywide to clarify. 
The landlords get a huge rebate from business rates if the railway is in there for 30 days. And it’s totally free for me. And they have access for trucks etc for unloading.

So it works for both parties  

 

What an excellent idea!

And no marquee required, nor time to put it up.

Brilliant!

[jcarta]

9 hours ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

It’s now going in a number of redundant BHS stores countrywide to clarify. 

So it works for both parties  

 

Damn ...... Primark  took over the BHS in Milton Keynes 

[4630]

10 hours ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

Things have moved on since the original marquee outside a shopping mall idea.

It’s now going in a number of redundant BHS stores countrywide to clarify. 
The landlords get a huge rebate from business rates if the railway is in there for 30 days. And it’s totally free for me. And they have access for trucks etc for unloading.

So it works for both parties  

BHS in Huddersfield is available and pretty close to your current base so could be convenient.  Also handy, as you know, for any visitors wanting to call in at the real Heaton Lodge Junction to check on the current state of play on the railway. 
 

As it’s my current home town I’d be  very happy to pitch in with any assistance that might be required. 

[Denbridge]

15 hours ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

In all honesty and with all due respect to the public I doubt they’d realise anything was wrong if an HST power car was pulling a freight train. 
But..the public is where the big gate receipts are.

Warley for us modellers.
The shopping malls for the public.

Many of us modellers will be heading to shopping malls to see this amazing layout, rather than spend extortionate amounts of money, together with the hassles associated with what isnt really a show deserving the 'National' title.

[sparkey1957]

16 hours ago, w124bob said:

Perhaps a couple of sort of "front of house guides" to answer questions from joe public, even better if they have Mirfield local knowledge or are ex footplate(not that I'm hinting at anything!). One of my old traction inspectors started his career at Sowerby Bridge then Mirfield, Healey Mills before crossing the Pennines to Manchester Victoria. He also runs a monthly railway club somewhere in Mirfield and likes nothing better than talking about railways, someone like that could be very useful.

 

That must be Barry Lacock you are on about, I have his number if you need to contact him.

[HeatonLodge40]

7 hours ago, Denbridge said:

Many of us modellers will be heading to shopping malls to see this amazing layout, rather than spend extortionate amounts of money, together with the hassles associated with what isnt really a show deserving the 'National' title.

Point taken. 
The car parking there at £16 annoys the hell out of me.

When I get done firm venues and dates I will let everyone on here know.

 

[HeatonLodge40]

Last few days have seen plenty of cork & track laying. Priority is to make the connection from the fiddle yards to the scenic side via the wide curves to create a U shape. 

 

As I’ve said this track work will eventually form the snapshot of Healey Mills with double tracks at opposite edges of the boards to allow the sheds & fuel points to be modelled in the middle. The odd length of concrete sleepered section I throw in now and again.
 

 

The loop I’m creating is for steam charters and curves around for about 35ft. The points used here are by Marcway who constructed them with a 30’ radius curve in FB rail.

They aren’t the easiest to match with Peco track since the sleepers on the points are scale thickness which isn’t the case with Peco.

Therefore they need packing to correct the height difference and the cork underneath the slide bar sanding so it can move freely.
Plus the wiring has to be thought through a bit more as they are copper clad construction.

I’m going to buy some individual plastic chairs to somehow add to the rail sides to improve the appearance. 
 

Last pic is a Hattons warwell of which a few will eventually run carrying tractor units..just testing it you understand