Gresley Junction

[trw1089]

Really been enjoying all of your posts Andy.  I too wish there was a CWN for goods stock, but I’ve still got a ways to go on the passenger side to get anywhere near yours and Gilbert’s accuracy.

 

I’m also very jealous of your West Riding formation, that is one I really do want to reproduce eventually, but those FO-FO twins on the front are rather difficult to get hold of.

 

Keep up the great work.

 

Cheers

Tony

[thegreenhowards]

9 hours ago, trw1089 said:

Really been enjoying all of your posts Andy.  I too wish there was a CWN for goods stock, but I’ve still got a ways to go on the passenger side to get anywhere near yours and Gilbert’s accuracy.

 

I’m also very jealous of your West Riding formation, that is one I really do want to reproduce eventually, but those FO-FO twins on the front are rather difficult to get hold of.

 

Keep up the great work.

 

Cheers

Tony

Thanks Tony,

 

The West Riding is a favourite rake of mine. I wanted to model an all ex streamliner & Thompson formation as I think they look very smart together but it seems that there were a couple of Gresleys in the formation until mark 1s appeared so that is what I’ve modelled - the 1951 formation. I actually cheated a little on the ex streamlined twins. I have two in the formation, the BTO/TO at the front and the RT/TO carriages 4&5. In between these is supposed to be the FO/FO But I have modelled it with a Thompson RFO. I understand from writings that this happened from time to time for maintenance reasons and particularly after the Huntingdon fire in July ‘51. I’ve never seen photographic proof though.

 

Should anyone be interested, there is more detail on the formation on my original post on the formation a year ago found here.

Andy

[thegreenhowards]

Today I feature the 1605 KX- Dringhouses Class C fitted goods. This was previously just another run of my scotch goods rake but Gilbert has been helping me with my goods rakes and I gather this would have had more cattle wagons and less (or no) containers. So I have done some juggling in the fiddle yard and we have a head of cattle wagons. I left a few containers on because of coupling issues but I may do some more tweaks on this rake in future.
 

Here  it is headed by top shed V2, 60814. This is a lovely performer - Nucast with a silent Portescap. 

 

 

This is a new angle. Don’t ask how the photographer avoided being run over!

 

 

...and finally a going away shot on the viaduct.

 

 

As is often the case, a video is the only way of seeing the whole train, so here goes.

 

[thegreenhowards]

Next up we have the 1345 Leeds/ Bradford to Kings Cross FO/ Q path. This was clearly a relief train being made up of side door Gresleys (according to the CWN) although as it was ‘made up’ it was probably not as uniform as the CWN would have us believe. Over the years it was shown consistently as 11 or 12 coaches, sometimes with a minimal amount of First Class and sometimes all third/ second. I’ve chosen to run it in early ‘50s guise with minimal First Class. It’s headed by 60110, Robert the Devil, one of the finer A3 names IMHO.

 

I ran out of side door Gresleys, so used a Tourist TO and a BSO to complete the rake. I imagine this could have happened in real life, but don’t take my word for it! This photo shows (most of) those three coaches.

 

Here is a view of most of the formation in the viaduct. As this is the early ‘50s there are still some teak liveried coaches.

 

And finally the video which shows the full formation.

 

 

[thegreenhowards]

This evening I feature the down Tees Tyne Pullman Headed by 60063, Isinglass.
 

 

This is the early ‘60s formation with Met Cams for most if the train and steel 1928 brake cars.

 

 

[Tony Wright]

14 minutes ago, thegreenhowards said:

This evening I feature the down Tees Tyne Pullman Headed by 60063, Isinglass.
 

 

This is the early ‘60s formation with Met Cams for most if the train and steel 1928 brake cars.

 

 

Good evening Andy,

 

Very impressive.........

 

My Tees-Tyne Pullman set is made up in a very similar same way.

 

 

My Pullman brakes are the older Hornby types, running on the correct 10' bogies (MJT). 

 

One difficulty is the different renditions of umber/cream by Bachmann and Hornby. A 'layout train' in my case, even though it's anomalous. The Met-Cam cars didn't appear until after Little Bytham station was demolished. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[thegreenhowards]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Good evening Andy,

 

Very impressive.........

 

My Tees-Tyne Pullman set is made up in a very similar same way.

 

 

My Pullman brakes are the older Hornby types, running on the correct 10' bogies (MJT). 

 

One difficulty is the different renditions of umber/cream by Bachmann and Hornby. A 'layout train' in my case, even though it's anomalous. The Met-Cam cars didn't appear until after Little Bytham station was demolished. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

Thanks Tony,

 

Trust you to tune in on a day where the train I show is almost all RTR! Most of the previous Few days have contained a good percentage of kit built stuff.

 

The Mark 1s are Bachmann and the front brake car is the new Hornby version. The rear one is the older Hornby type, converted to Car 81 by removing the ducket and switching the bogies to Gresleys (car 81 and Belinda, plus maybe one or two others acquired Gresley bogies).

 

Andy

 

 

[thegreenhowards]

Here we have the up Scotland to West Thurrock cement empties headed by A2/3 60513, Dante.

 

The loco is a DJH kit bought ready made from Rails at Warley a couple of years ago.
 

This train is very much still work in progress. the weathering needs to be harmonised between the wagons, and I need to add a few more yellow ones to represent an early ‘60s look. I have a batch of Airfix presflo wagons in various states of disrepair which will be brought up to standard and incorporated into the train. I will then probably sell on the two grey wagons as they were a later addition.
 

My understanding of this working is that it was introduced in c. 1960 with Presflos. It was then changed to Cliffe-Uddingstone in 1961 when the Cemflo wagons were introduced. Haulage seems to have been predominantly 9Fs and V2s in the presflo era, with 33s replacing steam fairly early (but not immediately) in the Cemflo era. There is a popular story about A2/3s working the train inspired by a comment in one of Pete Townsend’s books. I suspect this was In the Cemflo era and very much the exception rather than the rule, but my normal V2 refused to move yesterday, so I had to use my A2/3. 
 

There is a good discussion about the ECML cement workings in this thread for anyone interested.

Here’s a video of the cement.

 

 

[thegreenhowards]

Today, by pure coincidence, the sequence has thrown up the 1700 KX- Peterborough/ Cambridge. This is the opportunity for me to give a first run to some of my proudest achievements of the year, C2, Henry Oakley and my Gresley steel panelled five set.

 

For those less familiar with ECML history, the two Ivatt Atlantic’s were brought out of retirement in 1953 to work a series of rail tours in conjunction with the centenary of Doncaster works. I’d love to model the railtour itself one day but it requires two x 6 bay Gresley BSOs, 6 Gresley D.186 TTOs, a Thompson RK and Thompson buffet car all in Blood and Custard livery and while I have about half of that formation in other liveries, I have precisely zero in Blood and Custard. So that is definitely a long term project! Luckily for me they also worked some ‘warm up’ service trains. In particular the 1700 From KX as mentioned above. So this is the train I have chosen to run them on.

 

I have based the formation for this train on the CWN and a photo on P86 of ‘East Coast from KX’. It is formed of a Gresley steel panelled 5 set for Peterborough and 6 all door Gresleys (BTK,SK,FK,SK,SK,BTK) for Cambridge. The photo shows certain coaches still in teak livery and that is what I’ve represented. Headstock has convinced me that the steel CK was actually a GE shorty on the day (according to the photo) but I’ve only got the steel version so that will have to do.

 

Here is the train emerging from ‘canal tunnel’

 

 

Now at rest having stopped at Gresley Jn.
 

 

..and rounding the reverse curves.

 

 

...and finally an ‘airship shot’ of the viaduct.

 

 

As it’s a special train and a special day, I’ve prepared a bumper video showing their journey round the layout. 
 

Merry Christmas to all followers of Gresley Jn.

 

Andy

[John Tomlinson]

It may be a mere two and a half minutes of video, but there's a mind boggling amount of work gone into that lot!

 

A happy Christmas to you, and thanks for posting your videos that have given me, and I'm sure many others, such pleasure over the year. Dare we hope this will continue in 2021?

 

John.

[thegreenhowards]

1 hour ago, John Tomlinson said:

It may be a mere two and a half minutes of video, but there's a mind boggling amount of work gone into that lot!

 

A happy Christmas to you, and thanks for posting your videos that have given me, and I'm sure many others, such pleasure over the year. Dare we hope this will continue in 2021?

 

John.

Thanks John,

 

I daren't show my wife your comment because she'll remind me about all the housework that didn't get done!

 

I'm sure they will continue in 2021 - it gives me an incentive/ excuse to 'play trains'! I don't promise to keep up a daily delivery once the current sequence is over though. And there will definitely be a pause in the Summer when it's too hot to be in the loft.

 

Andy

 

PS. I meant to say that the Xmas card photo on the end of the video is of Knoydart in the NW of Scotland - one of my favourite places. It was taken by me on a climbing trip in Feb 2012.

[thegreenhowards]

Today we have the 1700 Hitchin- KX. This train is in an early ‘50s pre Mark 1 look with a selection of Gresley twin and Thompson single non corridor coaches and lead by a D.120 van. It is hauled by long time Hitchin resident B1, 61097. Here we see it drawing into platform 5.

 

 

and now at rest.

 

 

Edited December 26, 2020 by thegreenhowards

[jwealleans]

Wasn't there a Hitchin service which was double headed by an L1 and B1, or had that gone by this time?

[great northern]

53 minutes ago, jwealleans said:

Wasn't there a Hitchin service which was double headed by an L1 and B1, or had that gone by this time?

No, still going Jonathan. It split at Hitchin, one portion going to Cambridge, and the other to PN. The B1 would normally go forward to Peterborough.

[thegreenhowards]

2 hours ago, jwealleans said:

Wasn't there a Hitchin service which was double headed by an L1 and B1, or had that gone by this time?

Still going as Gilbert says. Exactly which service depends on which year we’re talking about. My Hitchin service above was an up service so relatively short and pre Mark 1 so very much early fifties.
 

In the early fifties, Gilbert is spot on. The 1752 KX-Cambridge and Peterborough was double headed to Hitchin where it split With the individual locos taking their portions forward. This was generally either a pair of B1s (p65 of Yeadon vol 6) or a B1 and a B17 (see a Power of B1s middle of book -61392 & 61657) with the B17 for Cambridge.
 

Later on, the double heading changed to the 1739 KX- Baldock as far as Hitchin using the loco which previously piloted the 1752. The 1739 was a standard non corridor 6 set with three strengthened so quite a load for the single L1 previously rostered. Reading between the lines I think it was often late and held up the 1752 so they switched the pilot loco over.  I know of two pictures of this train. One on p29 of Book of GN vol 1 and the other on p72 of Yeadon vol 6. The latter is wrongly captioned as being of the 1612. But the 1612 never had a Cambridge portion and was not formed on non corridor stock, so I’m pretty sure that the photo is of the 1739 to Baldock. Both these photos are dated 1957. I’m not sure whether the double heading on this train lasted very long or perhaps reverted to the 1752. The L1 on this double header seems to have been bunker first - look out for this on Gresley Jn fairly soon.

Andy

 

[thegreenhowards]

Today’s entry is a bit of fiction, so any purists out there had better look away. This is the return of the pick ups goods on the Stirling branch headed by J52, 68863 (I assume the outward trip went out in the morning before my sequence starts).

 

It pulls  into the loop alongside platform 6, drops its brake van in the trailing siding. It then takes the back half of the train and deposits it in the fan of sidings on the other side of the layout. This is assumed to wait to be picked up by a northbound pick up goods the following day.

 

 

The front of the train is then shunted back to the goods loop between platforms 4 and 5 to await the Ivatt pick up goods to which it will be attached to return to Ferme Park.

 

Here it’s at rest in the loop.

 

 

You will have to wait for tomorrow for the Ivatt goods and the completion of this move. I don’t know how realistic this sequence is but it does give me a chance to use an 0-6-0T, of which I have plenty and I see several pictures of them on short trip goods in books. It also gives me a chance to use the fan of sidings on the far side of the layout which is otherwise neglected - I had to clean the track to get this move to work!

 

Any comments welcome. For those new to the thread, ‘Ivatt’ is my equivalent of the Dunstable branch from Hatfield and ‘Stirling’ the St Albans branch. 

 

Andy

Edited December 27, 2020 by thegreenhowards

[thegreenhowards]

Today it’s the turn of the Ivatt branch pick up headed by Hornsey’s J6, 64223 (SEF). This was one of the first kits I built from the beginning and I’m pleased with the outcome ( although I must try to lose those decoder wires!).

 

 

Here’s a video of it arriving.

 

 

Having arrived in platform 5, the J52 takes the brake van off the back.

 

 

...and picks up the wagons from ‘Stirling’ to add to the rear of the train.

 

 

Once this is done the J52 retreats to the fan of sidings to continue shunting and the J6 stands in platform 5 ready to depart for Ferme Park.

 

 

 

Edited December 28, 2020 by thegreenhowards

[thegreenhowards]

Today I feature the 1315 from Harrogate to KX. This was a secondary express With just 8 coaches and no catering. I have modelled the 1958 formation. It had portions from Leeds and Bradford and as a result had three each of CKs and BSOs testing my supply to the limit. I had to use my two of my Southern Pride BSOs of the type featured on Write Wrights recently (for those who follow that thread). It is headed by A2, 60533, Happy Knight.

 

No video today but plenty of photos to compensate. Here we see it crossing ‘Welwyn’ viaduct.

 

and a close up of the loco.

 

out of the tunnel and past the farmyard.

...and finally leaving the station area, passing the J6 which is still waiting for the road.

 

[thegreenhowards]

Today we have the up Sheffield Pullman heading by Falcon. Falcon was based on the ER for a few years in the early ‘60s and was a regular on this service from late 1961. Here she is leaving 'viaduct' tunnel.

 

And here rounding the gasworks curve. I believe the head code should be 1B21 so I’m close!

 

The rake is formed from my Tees Tyne Pullman rake. I remove a couple of Mark 1 Pullmans and change one of the brake cars over to this one which is a renumbered Hornby. It has Master Cutler coach boards on the other side but I haven’t tracked down Sheffield Pullman ones yet.

 

The loco is Heljan but I have fitted the excellent Youchoos sound project (recorded off a western with Class 47 horns) and managed to squeeze a large speaker into the fuel tanks which gives it good bass. Here is a video which hopefully showcases the sound.

 

 

Edited December 30, 2020 by thegreenhowards
Adding final photo

[thegreenhowards]

This is the down Yorkshire Pullman headed by 60062, Minoru.

 

Those who follow Wright Writes will have had a sneak preview of the following photo but this shows almost the whole train and by using my DSLR (rather than the normal iPhone) I've managed to keep it in focus.

[thegreenhowards]

Firstly may I wish all followers of this thread a Happy New Year.

 

Now to the business and today we feature the 1706 Broad St to Welwyn Garden City which is a rare opportunity for my quad art to pass through Gresley Jn. and continue further North as normally it features on the terminating all stations stopper. Therefore I have taken a few pictures of it in different settings. Here we see N2, 69498 and the quad arts entering the station from canal tunnel and heading for Platform 2 instead of across the slips to platform 4 as normal.

 

...and now at rest in platform 2.

 

Finally we see the service rounding Gasworks curve with the J52 still shunting its wagons.

 

 

These photos were taken on my Nikon D80 DSLR. The depth of field is much better than the normal iPhone pictures but I don't like the colour balance despite fiddling with the settings on the DSLR and it doesn't seem to be as sharp on the in focus bits on the iPhone. So I'm having a dilemma about which to use going forward - comments welcome.

 

Here is the video (iPhone) of the train departing platform 2.

 

 

[thegreenhowards]

It's New Year resolution time and I had a vague recollection that I set some for Gresley Jn. last year so I went back and looked. Sure enough there were three (see below) and sadly, I don't seem to have completed any of them although progress has been made.

 

On the first (Finish ballasting the track), I made a lot of progress and have finished the track through all the platforms in the station area as well as relaying some of the track (just to make things more difficult!). The main reason this didn't get finished was that I ran out of ballast and thought that I'd buy some more next time I went to an exhibition....that obviously never happened. 5/10

 

On the second (Replace the station buildings and get the scenery in the station area up to the standard of the rest of the layout), quite a bit of progress was made with a new station building, the overall roof, ballasting, the signal box and the retaining wall. But there's quite a bit left to do. 6/10

 

On the third (Install at least 2 more working signals) I failed completely. I'm sure you will have noticed the brass base for a signal at the end of platform 3/4. I did that in February but have made no progress since. That will need to be rectified. 2/10

 

Overall 13/30 - must do better!

 

So this year, I will set the same three resolutions and add a fourth, which is to sort out better backscenes so that I have some convincing sky behind my photos rather than a white wall.

 

But I'm conscious that I don't always see the obvious defects in the layout and I welcome any constructive criticism. So is there anything which shouts out to you that I need to fix sooner rather than later? I have a thick skin so don't be shy.

 

Andy

[Tony Teague]

53 minutes ago, thegreenhowards said:

It's New Year resolution time and I had a vague recollection that I set some for Gresley Jn. last year so I went back and looked. Sure enough there were three (see below) and sadly, I don't seem to have completed any of them although progress has been made.

 

On the first (Finish ballasting the track), I made a lot of progress and have finished the track through all the platforms in the station area as well as relaying some of the track (just to make things more difficult!). The main reason this didn't get finished was that I ran out of ballast and thought that I'd buy some more next time I went to an exhibition....that obviously never happened. 5/10

 

On the second (Replace the station buildings and get the scenery in the station area up to the standard of the rest of the layout), quite a bit of progress was made with a new station building, the overall roof, ballasting, the signal box and the retaining wall. But there's quite a bit left to do. 6/10

 

On the third (Install at least 2 more working signals) I failed completely. I'm sure you will have noticed the brass base for a signal at the end of platform 3/4. I did that in February but have made no progress since. That will need to be rectified. 2/10

 

Overall 13/30 - must do better!

 

So this year, I will set the same three resolutions and add a fourth, which is to sort out better backscenes so that I have some convincing sky behind my photos rather than a white wall.

 

But I'm conscious that I don't always see the obvious defects in the layout and I welcome any constructive criticism. So is there anything which shouts out to you that I need to fix sooner rather than later? I have a thick skin so don't be shy.

 

Andy

 

Happy New Year Andy!

You did about as well as I did - but it's good to have goals

(and we both did better than Crossrail!)

[St Enodoc]

8 hours ago, thegreenhowards said:

So is there anything which shouts out to you that I need to fix sooner rather than later?

Fettle up the station running-in boards, which to me are the most prominent pieces of station furniture. The boards themselves look fine but the posts would, shall we say, benefit from some improvement.

 

All the best for 2021.

[thegreenhowards]

1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

Fettle up the station running-in boards, which to me are the most prominent pieces of station furniture. The boards themselves look fine but the posts would, shall we say, benefit from some improvement.

 

All the best for 2021.

Thanks.that would never have occurred to me as a priority - don’t you like my matchsticks?!

 

On a serious note, I’m aware of Southern and GW Running in board post kits but not LNER Ones. Does anyone know of a source?

 

Andy