Hills of the North - The Last Great Project

[LNER4479]

There we go - a new page!

 

Anyhow ...

 

Carrying on with the new fiddle yard construction

Here is a new board with the legs being fitted, together with hinged bracing piece.

 

This shows how this works - three 'back flap' hinges are used, to allow it all to fold away without any need for detachment.

 

To try and simplify set up and strip down, I'm hinging the boards together in two pairs. I needed a pasting table hinge, an item that the big orange DIY store doesn't seem to stock in the hardware section. An hour or so's messing about with some 30mm ally strip and a nut n bolt resulted in this.

 

This should give a better idea of the hinged assembly. The reason why the rear one is a conventional flap hinge will become clear in due course.

 

Hinging in action.

Edited February 5, 2019 by LNER4479

[LNER4479]

Working on stock as well

 

For the 1950s 'Royal Scot', we need a dining triplet featuring the original 1951 'Festival of Britain' anthracite all kitchen vehicles - Dia.700. Only a few built but we can of course legitimately run the 'Royal Scot' train on Shap. Wizard (ex-Comet) parts duly acquired and a suitable Lima donor body awaits treatment (one of them ridiculous 64ft 'stretched' full brakes - should be 57ft vehicle ... but you knew that!)

 

And after the plastic mice have been at it!

 

Also need to do the Restaurant Third; Bachmann did the Rest First and we have one of those available.

 

The 1950s Royal Scot will be a full blood n custard rake, compressed slightly to 11 bogies (should be 13), with a blue Duchess lined up to be the staple motive power. Should be quite a sight on Shap Fell.

Edited February 5, 2019 by LNER4479

[mark axlecounter]

I've done that method on bucks lane, so the 4 fiddle yard boards split Into 2 sections and fold over so its better for taking to shows. 

[LNER4479]

Well, it's been a little while since the last update ... but work has been proceeding nonetheless.

 

With the new boards made, modifications were required to the north end corner boards. These were made in 2017 to link up with the Grantham fiddle yard boards but this is not now of course required. The main alterations was to change the alignment of the rear raised boards; this required it to be removed and repositioned, as shown here.

 

Here is a close up showing the work involved. One issue previously was a rather tight curvature even in combination with the curved points so I've taken the chance to ease things a little.

 

Now with the new track formation starting to appear.

 

A hangover from the use of the Grantham fiddle yard will be the rear section of the yard being raised (and no doubt forever known as the 'Nottingham roads'!). It does have the slight advantage of being slightly easier to reach across, being raised; hopefully however there should be no need to reach across as it will be fully automated. The arrangement shown here includes a 2 inch overlap so it's 2ft 10ins total width, six roads on these rear roads, 17 roads in total with space for 33 trains, most roads having two trains.

 

Although my preferred arrangement of sliding fishplates is retained in certain places, the prospect of 17 times 2 for each joint along the straight run of the yard seemed worth avoiding if at all possible. Here I'm using copper clad sleepers, pinned to the board ends and laying the track straight across before soldering and cutting through.

 

And here is more or less where we're up to at the moment. Tracks about half laid, with just the south end corner board to make. Need to pick up the pace a little though if this is all going to be ready for the forthcoming season.

 

Talking of which, need to start getting the stock sorted for the 'new' 1950s trains. Here is the likely formation for the mid-1950s Liverpool-Glasgow/Edinburgh express. This train did not receive MkI stock till the end of the decade so will be a nice counterpoint to the all MkI 'Royal Scot'. The 12-wheel restaurant car needs lowering on its bogies.

 

More soon.

 

Edited July 21, 2019 by LNER4479

[Jesse Sim]

Looking good Red Leader, 

 

Hope you’ve been well, see you in November! 

[Buhar]

A bit tangential but to mark the 175th Anniversary of the line over Shap there are a number of events in the village over the next month or so.  I've done an entry in events link here

It's a shame Hills of the North won't be there, but I think it might have filled the hall completely!

 

Alan

[LNER4479]

Yes, I saw that. I'd otherwise not clocked that the L&C is 175 years old(!)

 

200th perhaps?(!)

[LNER4479]

More fiddle yard progress, this time down t'other end.

 

The final board to be constructed . This of course essential to have the rest of the layout up to ensure an accurate fit for a portable, roundy-roundy layout.

 

Now with top boards being put in place. I've tried to set this out on as generous curves as possible to minimise any running problems (= minimise pregnant pauses round the front viewing side at exhibitions!)

 

That just leaves one more board to fill the final gap, a 1 foot wide, 4 foot long piece for the south end of the 'Nottingham' lines.

 

Milestone moment 1 - All boards in place. Final cork sheets being laid out.

 

Meanwhile, Tom (LMS29) visited a few days ago, armed with his Dremel (that isn't really a Dremel, apparently). We soon got into a double act routine to attend to the baseboard joints that won't be sliding fishplates, me soldering and Tom slitting.

 

Now working on the all-important connections on the south end link board. Existing tracks are in the process of being lifted and put into new positions. What you can see here on the right hand side are two exit roads from the 'down' (uphill) fiddle yard converging. On the right, is the link from the six, double roads (on the 'Nottingham' boards) for single headed trains not requiring banking. The left hand one is for trains out of the three, double length banked roads. The ideas is, as before, the fiddle yard operator draws the next train forward into position as soon as the preceding train has gone, including positioning the banking engine at the ar$e end; this new arrangement however should mean that the Shap operator always has TWO trains waiting rather than just the one.

 

Milestone moment 2 - you'll have to trust me on this one but we now have a complete circuit again! It was the three banked roads that got connected first so here is a raft of 29 wagons (c. 30 SLUs) in position on the afore-mentioned banked train release position. There is room for a loco at the business end, clear of a train on the adjacent road, together with a banking engine at the rear, clear of the final point (which can just be seen extreme bottom left). This was one of the objects of the exercise. It looked good on paper but always reassuring to see it translated into practice.

 

Here is a bit more stock! Enough track laid now to get it all out and start to see what we have to hand. Similar to Grantham, the Shap stock list is a combination of several people's collection. although in the case of Shap I'm providing a slightly higher percentage, approx. 30-40%. As always, not enough goods wagons ... but folks do like to see express trains.

 

I'm on a roll now as I have designated this week as Shap work week with the aim of having all tracks laid by the end of the coming weekend, when the wiring up team are due to make a start.

Edited August 6, 2019 by LNER4479

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

Meanwhile, Tom (LMS29) visited a few days ago, armed with his Dremel (that isn't really a Dremel, apparently). We soon got into a double act routine to attend to the baseboard joints that won't be sliding fishplates, me soldering and Tom slitting.

Nice work Graham. I use a larger diameter cutting disc - about 1.5 inches - which makes it easier to get a nice vertical cut.

 

By the way, I can tell a good story about the ar$e end of a train if you need a space filler - or by PM if you like.

[LNER4479]

1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

By the way, I can tell a good story about the ar$e end of a train if you need a space filler - or by PM if you like.

Oi! No swingers on here - this is a good clean website, is this

 

Tell away - we're all ears...

 

(PS - the disc did start out at approx. 1.5 inches. We didn't realise how much it was wearing until we changed it! That photo was towards the end of its usefulness)

[St Enodoc]

7 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

Oi! No swingers on here - this is a good clean website, is this

 

Tell away - we're all ears...

 

(PS - the disc did start out at approx. 1.5 inches. We didn't realise how much it was wearing until we changed it! That photo was towards the end of its usefulness)

If you insist...

 

Many years ago at Derby, trains were running "by the calendar" due to disruption somewhere. The announcers were working ad-hoc, with train information being passed on as soon as it became available. Once of the announcers, who was clearly relaying exactly what the supervisor was telling her at the time, announced something like "The xx.xx to London St Pancras will now depart from platform 6. First Class accommodation will be at the ar$e end of the train".

 

Then silence for a good minute or so...

[Barry O]

More stock delivered tonight. Fiddle yard looks very impressive!

 

Baz

[Jesse Sim]

Looking good Graham, need any station supports glued on soon? Tehe

[5BarVT]

10 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

If you insist...

Which gives me an opportunity to relate a Paddington anecdote:

Train announcers at Padd were two shifted so after 22:00 the station supervisor did announcements.  An Oxford stopper was being announced . . . Didcot, Culham, Radley, Ooh buqqer missed out Appleford . . .!

Paul.

[Clive Mortimore]

Another station announcement which sticks in my mind was a platform change at Waterloo....."The So and so train will now be departing from platform x so all passengers in the queue at platform y are requested to move to platform x."  short pause " That includes the bald man looking very lost". The mic had been left open.

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

1 hour ago, Clive Mortimore said:

...platform change

 

 

c'est magnifique locomotives à vapeur

[D1059]

3 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Another station announcement which sticks in my mind was a platform change at Waterloo....."The So and so train will now be departing from platform x so all passengers in the queue at platform y are requested to move to platform x."  short pause " That includes the bald man looking very lost". The mic had been left open.

 

My fave was from Oxenholme. While waiting for a northbound service while on an Area 2 runabout, summer 1978 - Typical Lake District 'summer' weather - it was absolutely p*ssing it down.

A southbound service is announced, followed by 'Second class accommodation on this service is at the EXTREME rear of the train...........beyond the station canopy' 

[Ramblin Rich]

When I was commuting between Wolverhampton and Birmingham in the late 80s there was an all stations service about 17:20 from New Street to Altchringham via Stafford, Stockport and Manc. Piccadilly. The station announcer at Wolves used to try to reel off the entire list of stops; the EMU was usually on the move before they'd even got to Piccadilly and they would rapidly gabble 'andallstationstoAltchringham' as it disappeared....

Edited August 7, 2019 by Ramblin Rich
can't spell Altchringham!

[LNER4479]

19 hours ago, Ramblin Rich said:

 'andallstationstoAltchringham' as it disappeared....

I can spell Altrincham - it's on my birth certificate!

Love all the announcement stories

 

21 hours ago, Dr Gerbil-Fritters said:

 

c'est magnifique locomotives à vapeur

 

Bien Sur.

 

Talking of which, this tracklaying lark is all very well but how about this little trio to stir the soul of all red blooded LMR fans?

Royal Scot 46146 'The Rifle Brigade' makes steady progress up the bank with a Birmingham-Glasgow express c.1958

 

46256 purrs past Shap Wells with the lightweight 'Caledonian' express (introduced in 1957)

 

Can you hear it shouting to the surrounding moorlands? Patriot 45543 'Home Guard' makes some three cylinder music at the head of a Euston-Perth express

 

I've said it before but isn't RMWeb a wonderful family? I've not wanted to make any presumptuous posts before now but I am now delighted to introduce another rolling stock contributor to the Shap project, Mr '92220' of this parish. Thanks to his generous offer of making some of his currently idle '1B Camden' stock available, we instantly have these three further expresses in the roster, each filling a sizeable gap in the late 1950s/early 1960s timeframe.

 

As a result of this and Barry's visit on Tuesday, the fiddle yard is rapidly starting to fill up - and I haven't even laid all the tracks yet!

 

The 'down', non-banked roads (right hand side) are starting to fill up quite nicely now. Starting over on the right hand side (Road 1), so far we have:

Road 1 - Nine out of the 11 vehicles of the 1950's 'Royal Scot'. LMS train behind (stock just stabled there for now)

Road 2 - Birmingham-Glasgow. Caledonian behind

Road 3 - Empty (but not for long)

Road 4 - Crewe-Carlisle parcels train

Road 5 - 1967 Birmingham-Glasgow

Road 6 - 1967 Royal Scot. Freightliner behind

 

Last two trains are Barry's and it would be very remiss of me not to mention three further distinctive rolling stock contributions from the man himself (as recently seen on his kitbuilding thread). I'll ensure they get properly photographed at the weekend but they are two LMS Period 1 and one LMS Period 2 coaches, all kit built in blood n custard. One of them can be seen as the second vehicle of the 1950s Birmingham-Glasgow.

 

More soon - if you will excuse me, I have some track to lay!

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

Roads 5 and 6.

Now you really really have my attention! (Not that you didn't previously!).

 

Mike.

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

road 6 - only proper train in sight

 

hat, coat, gets mugged on the way out.

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

I can spell Altrincham - it's on my birth certificate!

"I bought a new pair of trousers from a tailor in Cheshire"

 

"Altrincham?"

 

"No, they fitted perfectly."

 

I thank you.

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

Road 6 - 1967 Royal Scot. Freightliner behind

When did they start double-heading with D400s?

[LNER4479]

56 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

When did they start double-heading with D400s?

1971 ... I think. Accelerated timetable, following route improvements, as a prelude to the wire scrapers in 1973.

 

No doubt someone who knows more about such things will correct me. I'm happier answering questions about hiss n p1ss locos...

[Enterprisingwestern]

27 minutes ago, LNER4479 said:

1971 ... I think. Accelerated timetable, following route improvements, as a prelude to the wire scrapers in 1973.

 

No doubt someone who knows more about such things will correct me. I'm happier answering questions about hiss n p1ss locos...

 

The history of double headed D400's is a bit spongey, but from memory they were intended to be used as d/h power from Crewe on the Glasgow trains from the outset, as the LMR operating division wanted a 4000hp + locomotive, (Kestrel anybody, did you wonder why it was tested North of Crewe quite a bit?), to get up the hills a tad quicker than the existing diesel loco's then available, ie Brush 4, EE type 4.

Due to issues with mu control equipment in the early days and general reliability not all trains got 2 of them, many setting forth from Crewe with only 1, (hence one of the reasons in later life they started to become a little ragged round the edges as they had been thrashed as single units from an early age).

The announcement in March (?) 1970 of the accelerated timetable in 1971 went hand in glove with a new maintainence regime for the loco's to improve reliability, so from the start of the new timetable a bigger percentage of the Glasgows were d/h but by no means not all the scheduled ones, resulting in single D400's or Brush 4's taking the trains on.

Whilst steam loco sounds and pyrotechnics are liked by many, one of my favourite performance was the departure from Crewe of said d/h trains with what seemed to be a binary control handle, by the time the last coach, usually of 12 I think, had cleared the platform end it seemed as though it was up line speed already.

 

Mike.