Hills of the North - The Last Great Project

[LNER4479]

Well, it is indeed 'out'.

 

Picked up a copy this morning and thoroughly enjoyed the read and the presentation. I can say that because, in this case, it wasn't me wot wrote it! Richard Foster came along with Chris Nervard on the shoot and, despite me leaping about all over the place, he patiently asked his questions and recorded the answers on a variety of aspects of the layout and its background and has turned this into the article that accompanies the photos. I think he has done a splendid job of this and am delighted at the result, which portrays not only my efforts but those of the Shap team that so readily contributed.

 

Definitely worth buying a copy if the layout floats yer boat.

[Earl Bathurst]

Superb layout and modelling. Very inspiring work.

Look forward to more photographs and updates of developments.

[Barry O]

Yes, the photos make some of my muddling look OK.  Great article though!

 

Baz

[Barry Ten]

I enjoyed the article, very well done to all involved.

[Dragonboy]

Thoroughly enjoyed the article and pictures. Look forward to the video in due course. Hint hint.

[LNER4479]

Look forward to the video in due course. Hint hint.

Several folks were kind enough to post videos on Youtube of the layout operating whilst at Warley.

 

This one is probably the best (but not if you like diesels as he stoically filmed steam only!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiXAfSzy44A

(our sequence starts at 34:08. Apologies for the attack of the gremlins at the summit!)

 

There is, I understand, a small video on the Model Rail site (Chris Nervard did a bit of videoing whilst he was here) but you might have to be a subscriber?

 

That's all I can offer for now. But a comprehensive video in due course would be nice, certainly.

[Barry O]

another video from Warley 2018

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRCE9czq0NM

 

starts at 4:05  ends at  9:27

 

Thanks to dcc125 for the video

Baz

Edited August 16, 2018 by Barry O

[coachmann]

Reading off a computer screen does my head in some days and so to save me plowing through the pages, I would like to know which track has been used please.  The rail section looks very fine. For some reason, I always thought LNER4479 used Peco Code 100 in foam, but I must have mistaken the user-name for another. An excellent layout all round.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Reading off a computer screen does my head in some days and so to save me plowing through the pages, I would like to know which track has been used please.  The rail section looks very fine. For some reason, I always thought LNER4479 used Peco Code 100 in foam, but I must have mistaken the user-name for another. An excellent layout all round.

 

He does on Grantham. But I think Shap is Code 75.

[Barry O]

Larry

 

Code 75. Concrete sleepered up the bank.  A little bit of the new PECO bullhead track is at the top of the Bank in one of the sidings.

 

Baz

[LMS29]

Well, it is indeed 'out'.

 

Model Rail front cover.jpg

Picked up a copy this morning and thoroughly enjoyed the read and the presentation. I can say that because, in this case, it wasn't me wot wrote it! Richard Foster came along with Chris Nervard on the shoot and, despite me leaping about all over the place, he patiently asked his questions and recorded the answers on a variety of aspects of the layout and its background and has turned this into the article that accompanies the photos. I think he has done a splendid job of this and am delighted at the result, which portrays not only my efforts but those of the Shap team that so readily contributed.

 

Definitely worth buying a copy if the layout floats yer boat.

 

Superb article and excellent photography. Really shows the best of the layout.

 

Tom

[coachmann]

Larry

 

Code 75. Concrete sleepered up the bank.  A little bit of the new PECO bullhead track is at the top of the Bank in one of the sidings.

Thanks Baz.

 

It threw me because the track looks like ultra finescale. Your track is food for thought right now I can tell you.

Edited August 18, 2018 by coachmann

[LNER4479]

Thanks Baz.

 

It threw me because the track looks like ultra finescale. Your track is food for thought right now I can tell you.

Hi Coach,

 

Yes, just to confirm - I used Peco Code 75 on Shap; partly because I came into possession of a quantity of Code 75 concrete track (which I wouldn't normally have considered but was actually correct for the time period being depicted on Shap 1967 as the route was being upgraded in preparation for full electrification) but also because I was keen to try it in terms of exhibition robustness. Only time will tell re the latter aspect...

[LNER4479]

Now then, this 1967 stuff with them smelly-boxes-on-wheels is all very well, but ...

 

Proper injuns! Drool, slaver, sober (etc)   It was always - and remains - the intention that 'Hills of the North' will be firmly rooted in the 1950s steam era so, after the layout's appearance at Leeds next month (yikes!), shows thereafter will feature 1950s steam ... and a bit of 1960s transition, if you really must! So, with that in mind, the focus for attention now is to build up the locos and stock accordingly.

 

A 1950s steam fleet is not as daunting as it sounds as this was the basis of my previous (ie pre-Grantham) layout so plenty of stock already in stock, so to speak. One of the notable exceptions to date, however, is the 'big stuff, specifically Stanier's imperious pacifics. If ever there was a signature loco for Shap they then were it.

 

So, in recent times, in the background, there have been several surreptitious acquisitions and here are two of them. Let battle commence ...

 

The Hornby 'Princess' is of course quite an old model and doesn't really 'cut the mustard' in several areas, notably the 'from a previous age' trailing truck which ludicrously chops the rear extension frames in half (ugh!).

 

It is also very 'gappy' at the front end. Here is some work ongoing to attend to that, simply some plasticard sheet cut to shape and then carved and filed back to suit.

 

The front bogie does it no favours either, with the ugly front extension to accommodate the front coupling. (double-heading a Stanier pacific? The very thought!). Here is a 'before and after' comparison. Not only have I cut off the front piece but I've cut further back to allow the front guard irons to be fully portrayed. Further plasticard enhancements has added the bogie transom and side bearers.

 

For the - ahem - rear end, I have fashioned this unit for the frames (soldered nickel silver pieces) ...

 

... together with some severe hacking about on the trailing truck

 

Putting it all together ... ahh! That's better.

 

Then it was a quick trip to the paint shop before putting her before a critical eye of one of the best Stanier pacific aficionados I know - my Dad! He saw them all - frequently!

 

This of course allowed us to pose her alongside my scratchbuilt 46208 (of 1987 vintage)

 

An interesting comparison. One thing Dad pointed out was the difference in the front end appearance in terms of the built up 'skirt' underneath the smokebox - it shouldn't be there; the arrangement on 46208 is the correct one. Now he's pointed it out, it 'grates' with me so will have to do something about that.

 

Otherwise, it 'got the nod' so I can proceed with confidence (the visit including running round his tighter two foot radius curves - no difficulties experienced). She will undergo an identity change to become 46206 (as per first photo), for which an indication of a coal pusher in the tender will be necessary.

 

Meanwhile, there's a Duchess - or 2 - to be worked on as well ...

Edited September 4, 2018 by LNER4479

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

Smashing work, Sir.

 

Now, how about building one of these using your stock of bits and your manifest plastic wrangling skills?

 

 

Its what Ivatt would have wanted...

[LNER4479]

Hmm!! I'd worry about that poor ol' front pony truck - that's an awful lot of locomotive behind it to persuade not to keep carrying on in a straight line every time a curve is encountered (which is quite often in the northern fells). A mechanical stoker would also be a 'must', methinks, to prevent leaving a trail of dead firemen in its wake.

 

Now, were it a 4-8-4, then you'd be in business...

 

(Apparently, there was some serious thought given to a 4-6-4 Duchess with a 70ft grate and 300psi boiler - but the war put pay to such notions. I suspect it would have been a bit touchy on its feet, though!)

Edited September 5, 2018 by LNER4479

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

Now, were it a 4-8-4, then you'd be in business...

 

ahem...

 

 

Original by Corbs of this Parish, I merely 'Ivattized' it.

 

See these beauties 

[Barry O]

Not sure why you would build such large locos? New infrastructure required, would they be faster than a Duchess? How would the civil engineer see them?

 

 

Just have more Duchesses, Lizzie, rebuilt Scots, Jubilees and, of course, Black 5s.......lovely!

[Enterprisingwestern]

 (the visit including running round his tighter two foot radius curves - no difficulties experienced).

 

If, with your, in relative terms, reasonably simplistic modifications you can achieve that, it makes you wonder why Hornby could not do something similar?

 

Mike.

[St Enodoc]

If, with your, in relative terms, reasonably simplistic modifications you can achieve that, it makes you wonder why Hornby could not do something similar?

 

Mike.

Because the Hornby model is intended to be able to run round Radius 2 (438 mm) curves without modification.

 

We should, I think, be thankful that modern Hornby locos are no longer expected to be able to run round Radius 1 (371 mm) curves

Edited September 6, 2018 by St Enodoc

[LNER4479]

I also think we should put the Hornby model into the context of the times (1990s). Prior to that, there was only the Triang Princess!! Otherwise, it was a kit or scratchbuild if you wanted one.

 

For it's day it was a good model, dimensionally accurate in overall terms. And with correct rivetted tender versus the welded one for the Duchess.

 

But it's fallen behind now. You watch - Hornby will announce a brand new tooling now I've gone and hacked this one about

Edited September 6, 2018 by LNER4479

[jwealleans]

This popped up on my desktop this morning. You might find something of interest in there.

[Clive Mortimore]

This popped up on my desktop this morning. You might find something of interest in there.

Hi Jonathan

 

The caption says it is a freight train, it appears to be carrying class headcode and mostly formed of parcels stock. I believe some parcels trains were permitted to carry class one headcodes. Edit, on making the photo bigger I can see the central lamp and what I thought was a lamp was the OLE warning flash. It is a parcels train. The two tank wagons are milk tanks. The lead LMS van looks like it was built new with vacuum brake gear, the brake handle looks like a short LMS one also for the period it retains its roof ventilators and has not received the diagonal strapping which many did in the BR period. 

Edited September 6, 2018 by Clive Mortimore

[LNER4479]

This popped up on my desktop this morning. You might find something of interest in there.

Stop it! I'm trying to get things done here ... !!

[Barry O]

Thanks JW..loads of pictures of a super loco.. none of these namby pamby A1,A3s or A4s.....hat, coat, start the tuk tuk!

 

Baz

Edited September 6, 2018 by Barry O