York station in the 1950's.

[Rowsley17D]

Thanks for letting me know. I did a similar thing with the fan window in my station, didn't think to give it a coat of vanish though!

[kirtleypete]

It's very effective - it's great for shops and the like where you can see the interior or the window display. That fan window would have been a real challenge to make conventionally and it looks really convincing. 

 

Peter

[simontaylor484]

Fantastic !modelling looks like.York has been hit by a shrinking ray

[Blandford1969]

17 hours ago, Rowsley17D said:

Thanks for letting me know. I did a similar thing with the fan window in my station, didn't think to give it a coat of vanish though!

Wow that fan is good and a nice view of Buxton Midland, are you doing a thread on it?

[Rowsley17D]

1 hour ago, Blandford1969 said:

Wow that fan is good and a nice view of Buxton Midland, are you doing a thread on it?

 

Sorry to highjack your thread Peter, but my thread layout link is in my signature "Derwent Spa".

[kirtleypete]

Feel free Jonathan, I'm enjoying watching your layout develop. 

 

I've done a bit more to the tea room, but that's it now until more materials arrive:

 

 

While I'm waiting I've begin work on the old signal box and WH Smith's stall.  I was lucking in finding this wonderful picture from the 1953 film:

 

 

The structure is still there, and WH Smith still use the ground floor but the signal box is a Costa cafe! 

 

 

On this side access is from the footbridge.

 

 

For the model I began with a shell made up from pieces of 2mm thick clear plastic:

 

 

Sticking it to a base makes it much easier to keep the shape correct.

 

 

I then began building up the framing and windows, but it was hard to see because the whole structure is transparent, so I glued in pieces of black card.

 

 

All those glazing bars will have to be stuck on individually, so it does help if you can see them! 

 

Peter

Edited November 25, 2020 by kirtleypete

[Rowsley17D]

Never realised in all my journeying to and from York that it was originally a signal box! Blame my MR/LMS upbringing.

[kirtleypete]

It's one of those things - when someone points it out it's obvious, but not until then. 

 

I've done another screen capture on the 1953 film and got this wonderful picture which is going to be invaluable in modelling this area.  The signs are all LNER era or even earlier, but by 1959 they would all have been replaced with BR tangerine enamelled ones. 

 

 

Those posters on the end of WH Smiths cry out for some authentic headlines.  

 

The model is coming on, with the bookstall taking shape:

 

 

I'm looking forward to doing the arrivals indicator on the far end, just the sort of thing to gives a model loads of character.

 

Needless to say, if anyone knows of other pictures in this area please do share them. They do seem to be thin on the ground.

 

These stills from the fil aren't all that clear but they'll be useful all the same:

 

 

 

 

Peter

 

 

Edited November 25, 2020 by kirtleypete

[john new]

Although it hit the buffers on one of the central platforms do any of the news images of Columbo's crash (1958) include the opposite side of the station? These on the York Press website don't but they might have some more.

Edited November 25, 2020 by john new

[kirtleypete]

Thanks John - I've found these two which both have useful details:

 

 

 

Peter

[iands]

3 hours ago, kirtleypete said:

Thanks John - I've found these two which both have useful details:

 

 

 

Peter

The only other photo I'm aware of of Colombo is this one which I posted in another link previously. Unfortunately not the view you are looking for, but ma also provide some useful detail.

1003215403_York60036Colombo.jpg.edd21755a584ba21993b2c903ba4ebe0.jpg (1500×1150) (rmweb.co.uk).

 

Peter, 

Have you seen/have access to "Rail Centres No.2 York" (Ken Hoole). Page 98 has a rather nice shot of the Tea Room & Café, albeit a tad earlier (1906) than the period you are modelling.

[73c]

Don't know if this is of any help/interest, another Smith's looks possibly under the footbridge.

Must have been quite a busy box to work.

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-england-yorkshire-york-york-station-wh-smith-shop-147269769.html

[kirtleypete]

Brilliant, that's exactly the sort of picture I need - thanks,

 

Peter

[kirtleypete]

I've been working on the book stall today:

 

 

The basic outline has been built up in plastic around the base of the signal box.

 

 

This is the side with the access door from the footbridge.

 

 

I've use a mixture of printed panels and dark green paint for the book stall. The paint won't be glossy, it was still wet when I took the picture.

 

 

Using paper makes the curved panels much easier. I should finish this building tomorrow, and the things I need for the tea room have arrived so that can be completed too.

 

Peter

[Phil147]

I've lived in York for most of my life and used the Station on countless occasions. Somewhere in the back of my mind I did know that the WH Smiths building was once a signal box but it is only when looking at the pictures in this thread that I've realised how really obvious it is that it was a signal box once. Next time I'm there I shall take some time to look at this building in a bit more detail rather that walk briskly past it.

Great modelling and looking forward to seeing more!!

[hmrspaul]

It's interesting to see the fencing and ticket control on that old film.  I wonder when York became an open station. Quite recently the train companies wanted to make it closed again and install automatic barrier machines, as almost every where else. There was such a local outcry that they backed down and York remains open. And even more recently the length of the open concourse has become a through pedestrian and cycle route (with dismount) as the new pedestrian Scarborough bridge goes straight onto the station and comes out on the ex Motorail platform and across the station car park to a new exit into the housing estate of Holgate Road. 

 

I've never understood how the signal box mechanical linkages worked and where they would have gone!

 

Great modelling as always. 

 

Paul

[kirtleypete]

Fortunately we don't have to worry about that! 

 

With the adjacent footbridge this was a very 'public' signal box, you'd be working in full view rather than isolated as in most boxes. 

 

Peter

[waggy]

3 hours ago, kirtleypete said:

Fortunately we don't have to worry about that! 

 

With the adjacent footbridge this was a very 'public' signal box, you'd be working in full view rather than isolated as in most boxes. 

 

Peter

I have a niggling feeling in the back of my mind that when i spotted at York in the late 60's early 70's the signal box had a Stationmaster Metal Sign on the door from the footbridge, i wonder if anyone can confirm this.

 

[Phil147]

14 hours ago, hmrspaul said:

It's interesting to see the fencing and ticket control on that old film.  I wonder when York became an open station. Quite recently the train companies wanted to make it closed again and install automatic barrier machines, as almost every where else. There was such a local outcry that they backed down and York remains open. And even more recently the length of the open concourse has become a through pedestrian and cycle route (with dismount) as the new pedestrian Scarborough bridge goes straight onto the station and comes out on the ex Motorail platform and across the station car park to a new exit into the housing estate of Holgate Road. 

 

I've never understood how the signal box mechanical linkages worked and where they would have gone!

 

Great modelling as always. 

 

Paul

I used to trainspot at the station in the early 80's and remember having to buy a platform ticket to go through the ticket control. Can't remember if this changed whilst I was still spotting (I stopped sometime around the mid 80's).

[Neil]

14 hours ago, hmrspaul said:

It's interesting to see the fencing and ticket control on that old film.  I wonder when York became an open station. ....

 

30 minutes ago, Phil147 said:

I used to trainspot at the station in the early 80's and remember having to buy a platform ticket to go through the ticket control. Can't remember if this changed whilst I was still spotting (I stopped sometime around the mid 80's).

 

This image dated 1981 shows the updated ticket barriers. Weirdly though I can remember the earlier version I can't the updated ones. Other useful images, tea room and topping up an A3.

[kirtleypete]

I must admit I'm beginning to have doubts about whether it was a signal box, and I can't recall why I thought it was.  It seems odd having the arrivals board on the end of a signal box for one thing. and I can't quite picture the locking room sharing space with WH Smiths! Does anyone know for sure? 

 

Anyway, by our period it was certainly in other use because the colour lights came into use in 1951.  The model is pretty much complete apart from weathering which I'll do at the same time as the tea room. 

 

I made myself a simple paper fold up kit for the ticket collection huts:

 

 

 

The newspaper adverts are all from photo's of the bookstalls at Kidderminster and Horsted Keynes.  It is just possible to read some of them. 

 

 

This side will largely be hidden by the footbridge. I was wondering if there was a departures indicator at the other end - does anyone know?  It would be easy enough to add it if necessary.

 

 

This view will be impossible when the overall roof is in place, of course. 

 

Peter

 

 

 

[coronach]

3 hours ago, waggy said:

I have a niggling feeling in the back of my mind that when i spotted at York in the late 60's early 70's the signal box had a Stationmaster Metal Sign on the door from the footbridge, i wonder if anyone can confirm this.

 

The signal box would have closed in 1951, when York power signal box opened - construction started before WW2 but was delayed for the duration.  The power box was also accessed from the footbridge through a side door above (old) platform 13.  The station announcer was located in the bay window above platform 13.

 

The relay room is the brick structure above (old) platform 14.  It was full of floor to ceiling shelving containing glass cased relays and because it was on a curve, it was not possible to see one end from the other.  The cables descended to cable tunnels that ran the length of the platforms - it was quite scary to access them from platform manholes and crawl along them when looking for faults -  50 v electric mesh fences were installed to discourage rats.  The points were air operated (60 psi) and the pumping engines were opposite platform 14 north end, behind the goods lines to the left of Leeman Road.  They had a distinctive sound when running.  One of the weekly tasks on Fridays was to polish the pumps and bleed water from the air main, which was done by opening a stop cock and blasting the jet of water across the goods lines.

 

Edited November 27, 2020 by coronach

[iands]

4 hours ago, coronach said:

The signal box would have closed in 1951, when York power signal box opened - construction started before WW2 but was delayed for the duration.  The power box was also accessed from the footbridge through a side door above (old) platform 13.  The station announcer was located in the bay window above platform 13.

 

The relay room is the brick structure above (old) platform 14.  It was full of floor to ceiling shelving containing glass cased relays and because it was on a curve, it was not possible to see one end from the other.  The cables descended to cable tunnels that ran the length of the platforms - it was quite scary to access them from platform manholes and crawl along them when looking for faults -  50 v electric mesh fences were installed to discourage rats.  The points were air operated (60 psi) and the pumping engines were opposite platform 14 north end, behind the goods lines to the left of Leeman Road.  They had a distinctive sound when running.  One of the weekly tasks on Fridays was to polish the pumps and bleed water from the air main, which was done by opening a stop cock and blasting the jet of water across the goods lines.

 

Totally agree. I was an S&T trainee at York 'box in 1976. Cleaning & polishing in the Power House was  nice little job on a Friday. As 1976 was one of the hottest summers on record, with all the relays, transformers  etc., and no ventilation (apart from opening the doors at either end) the relay room soon became a rather hot and stuffy place to be. So much so that the electrical installers carrying out modifications "downed tools" in the afternoons to go and cool down. I tried to join them one day, but the 'box lineman on 'afters' (late shift 2-10) this particular week, insisted I was to remain and finish the task he had given me - cleaning the glass on about 30 shelf relays with a chamois leather. Not my favourite lineman that week! 

Edited November 27, 2020 by iands
Spelling correction

[kirtleypete]

I've replaced a couple of the adverts with something more local! 

 

 

The parts have arrived for the booking hall roof, so I can finish that off now as well. 

 

 

Peter

 

 

[kirtleypete]

The roof beams for the booking hall roof turned out to be too wide so I had to cut them in the middle and reduce the width. 

 

 

The gaps would be covered in due course. 

 

 

The sides of the roof were added from 2mm plastic, covered underneath with planking in BR ivory (even though it will be impossible to see it!). The gable ends were also cut out and covered in brick paper. 

 

 

The roof sections were covered with slate paper and the edges painted black. Beams of plastic were stuck between the laser cut parts, covering the gaps and forming a supports for the glazing. These beams are not there on the real think but on the model I think they are necessary and it will be very hard to see them unless the glazing is removed. 

 

 

The glazed area was cut from 2mm clear plastic and the glazing bars added.

 

 

Finally the glazing was given a wash of dilute matt black to tone it down; this might need another coat, but I want something to be visible through it. The glazing isn't fixed, it just stays in place under it's own weight so that it can be lifted off in order to see the booking hall interior. 

 

It's nice to have made this area much more accurate, despite the reduced size. 

 

We have decided that the arrivals indicator on the WH Smith's models probably did have a partner at the other end for departures, so adding that will be the next job. 

 

Peter