Jump to content
 

Peterborough North


great northern
 Share

Recommended Posts

Oh how I wish I could. If I had the space it would be there on a lower level, with the connecting spur....and the bridges over the Nene, and the Midland lines behind North..... :yes: :rolleyes:

 

Gilbert,

 

Never say never.

 

We'll do a building survey on my next visit, I can visualise going through the floor and having Peterborough East just above the fish tank in the lounge and therefore tropical fish swimming in the River Nene, we may need to consider a spiral or scaffolding to access the new station but just think of the extra space for storage and we did agree you still needed another 80 plus B17's.

 

Ancaster Dreamer

Link to post
Share on other sites

Gilbert

 

If your distance between support legs allows, could you get your willing chippy (!) to make you up a 4ft 3in wide (approx) chest of drawers on wheels to allow you to store the cassettes lengthways under the north end of PN. My drawers (if you will forgive the expression  :O ) are set at 3 inch pitch and I can get 4 cassettes in each drawer. Your cassettes are taller, and I think, narrower than mine, but you have top 'handles' which means you don't need 'finger room' between them like I do. So, say your drawers are at 4 inch pitch and you can get 5 cassettes in each, and there is 3 feet of usable height (allowing for the wheels), that makes a lot of cassettes!

 

Just thoughts, don't know how practicable it would be.

 

Andy

:devil:

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Sensible suggestion: could you add a small 'loop' of (whatever) to each cassette end to use as a 'lifting' aid?

Not so sensible suggestion: as for spirals and lifts, my SWMIBO is an expert on things like lifts in houses for those with mobilty impairment. Now I know that you G are not yet impaired (apart from some areas of the game of golf and in thinking about the SR) but an internal lift system could be considered for whatever reason. Distance between your 'support legs' is not necessarily an obstacle and neither are your drawers :no:

P

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Gilbert,

 

Never say never.

 

We'll do a building survey on my next visit, I can visualise going through the floor and having Peterborough East just above the fish tank in the lounge and therefore tropical fish swimming in the River Nene, we may need to consider a spiral or scaffolding to access the new station but just think of the extra space for storage and we did agree you still needed another 80 plus B17's.

 

Ancaster Dreamer

Mustn't upset the fish Dave, they're a bit delicate you know, Nene water might be a bit cool for them, and they wouldn't like the pike. And there were never as many as 80 B17's. :nono:

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Many thanks for the ingenious and helpful suggestions chaps. Now, I'm not sure how to say this, but a sudden rush of common sense and analytical ability occurred yesterday. It went like this. The baseboards are 3ft 6 high. The highest cassettes are at a lower level than that, so they can't be hitting the baseboard top when they are pulled out. What then are they hitting?

post-98-0-47161800-1373815878_thumb.jpg

 

Well, until I saw sense they were hitting the chest of drawers and loco repository seen above. All I needed to do was to move them back a bit. They can still be accessed, so no problem there, and the only remaining immovable obstacle is one baseboard leg, and things can be manoeuvred around that. I can also set the cassettes on the top level of the far trestles at an angle, as seen blurrily below. I can't hold the camera still for a two second exposure, and couldn't be bothered with the tripod.

post-98-0-61782700-1373816179_thumb.jpg

And as Andy suggest that empty space can still be used, as some cassettes can also be set at an angle in there.

post-98-0-81155500-1373816303_thumb.jpg

 

Given the state of my back, I don't want to have to bend down any further than necessary, so I shall get a local joiner to construct something appropriate. Angling the top cassettes and making room for getting those in the photo above will mean less cassettes in other places, but there still seems to be room for more than I am ever likely to be able to fill, so disaster looks to have been averted. I will however have to find a way to add weight to some of the goods stock, as it takes very little jolting at present to cause derailments. And we won the Test match. :D

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

Gilbert

 

It's all very well, all this chat about cassettes and the like, but if your back is messed up, all bets are off!!

 

Have you read 'Treat Your Own Back' by Robin McKenzie (I got mine on Amazon)?  It is a completely different approach to the standard, accepted methods of back treatment, and it worked incredibly well for me, until I got over-confident and lazy, so I am now being a good boy again, and am gradually on the re-mend.  Although there are practitioners of the method, the book seems pretty comprehensive to me - one can only assume the practitioners are for those who can't/won't read!

 

I am sure I am not the last person to build a layout assuming that I would always be as fit as when I started!

 

Once you have read it, you will see how apt the method is for your particular application - it relies on the 'lean back' principle, or perhaps streaky?

 

Anthony

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

 

Have you read 'Treat Your Own Back' by Robin McKenzie (I got mine on Amazon)?  It is a completely different approach to the standard, accepted methods of back treatment, and it worked incredibly well for me, until I got over-confident and lazy, so I am now being a good boy again, and am gradually on the re-mend.  Although there are practitioners of the method, the book seems pretty comprehensive to me - one can only assume the practitioners are for those who can't/won't read!

 

 

Even my grumpy Mother-in-Law - 91 next month and still boringly lucid - who is a retired physiotherapist, had to admit that the McKenzie Method is about as good as it gets in this field.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Can I just say be careful until Back and Neck problems are properly diagnosed? My ongoing upper back and neck issues are caused by crushed vertebrae (yep, a youth of abuse, too many jumps and assault courses).  It would be too easy to make the situation worse.....

Just be careful.

 

Best, Pete.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

 

And we won the Test match.  :D

Just!

 

Neat solution to the storage G . KISS usually works don't it.

 

Quack

 

Alas Phil, today has thrown up two further problems. First, the position of the second trestle not only restricts access to the rear of the layout, it also considerably reduces the places I can get to for photography. I just have to think about this one, it can be solved, either by accepting the situation or by coming up with plan B. The second problem though cannot be resolved. That's not me being negative and giving up too soon- there just isn't an answer. So what is the problem? Well, the cassette spur gives access to just one storage road, and I've realised now that from that road I cannot get trains onto the Down slow. :scratchhead: :ireful: Nothing can be done to remedy that, there just isn't room for another crossover at the South end. There's no problem with my existing coal empties, which are in the Down side of the fiddle yard, and for the same reason there was no problem with my so called Class F/H train. However, nearly all Down goods trains were now intended to be loaded onto the layout from cassettes, and the majority of them should run via the Down slow. I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do about this.......Bad language doesn't help, I've tried that. No way can I get another spur onto the Down side by the way. There will be a solution, and I reckon it will have to involve permanent storage of some Down goods trains on the layout, but I shall ponder for some time before I make any decision.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Can I just say be careful until Back and Neck problems are properly diagnosed? My ongoing upper back and neck issues are caused by crushed vertebrae (yep, a youth of abuse, too many jumps and assault courses).  It would be too easy to make the situation worse.....

Just be careful.

 

Best, Pete.

X rays have shown a compressed disc Pete, together with some mild arthritis in my shoulder. Nothing can be done I'm told. I'm grateful for your words of caution, and I shall talk to my physio before I do anything else. Simple exercises that help to keep me from seizing up completely would be great though.

Link to post
Share on other sites

X rays have shown a compressed disc ... Nothing can be done I'm told. 

 

Ouch. I have the same thing. An excellent osteopath got things unseized and reasonably realigned, but years of it being out of whack (with tendons flopping around like loose guy-ropes on a tent) had led to the back muscles becoming overdeveloped with a tendency to freeze catastrophically, although I did get a course of diazepam as a result of one attack and I have very, very happy memories of that.

 

I must say I think acupuncture is complete nonsense, but it has totally transformed the flexibility of my back which is now largely pain-free.

 

Diff'rent strokes, diff'rent folks, etc, etc.

 

Good luck with it.

 

Paul

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Yesterday I decided to get a joiner in to make some bespoke shelving for cassettes. Support your local trader, I thought, so rang a chap who put his flier through my letter box a while ago. I'll come over later, said he. I sat here all day, no show. Rang him again this morning, he claimed an emergency, but will definitely call today. I sit here again, and once more so far no show. Clearly he doesn't have any financial problems or need the work. Anyway, stuck here so I ran some trains and took some photos. Both of the trains featured now live in cassettes, and I can't believe how much easier that makes things. All local trains will now be treated that way, so much time and hassle is saved. We start with an early evening Leicester - Peterborough East stopper, which can, now peak traffic is over, stop here rather than sloping past on the Midland line.post-98-0-47688500-1374073902_thumb.jpg

A Derby based Compound in its last days, framed by the slowly disintegrating overall roof, and probably falling apart itself. A reminder that scenes like this were soon to be gone forever.post-98-0-24078700-1374074106_thumb.jpg

 

Looks nice and cool under the roof doesn't it? The CCT in the bay by the way was a very generous gift from JWealleans on his recent visit. You can tell it isn't one of mine, as it is properly piped.post-98-0-30133900-1374074241_thumb.jpg

The stock is vintage too, one LMS and two ex Midland Railway carriages built for me by Coachmann.post-98-0-03041800-1374074355_thumb.jpg

And one last view. I love Victorian/Edwardian 4.4.0's, so this model and Bachmann's D11 are among the highlights of my recent acquisitions.post-98-0-03561600-1374074506_thumb.jpg

Again framed by the roof, but at the other end this time, the 4.18pm stopper from Kings Cross reaches the end of its journey, behind Top shed's A3 Minoru. Previous instructions for setting up this train ran to about six lines of text. Now it's just put cassette in place, loco from stock box, and two macro key presses. Lovely!

 

I've left till last the continuing saga of the cassette difficulties, so that those who aren't interested can stop here. As I suspected, the only answer to the impossibility of getting from the cassette road to the Down slow was to put some goods trains permanently in the Down side of the fiddle yard. A bit of analysis revealed that luckily not many trains caused a problem, so only three or four need this treatment. I've tried several different uses for the two sidings I couldn't resist putting in this convenient alcove at the South end, none of which worked, and they looked like staying empty, till this dilemma arrived.post-98-0-83399700-1374075172_thumb.jpg

 

Now though, what would have been cassette S will live here, the other spur to be occupied by a rake of coal empties. The stock shown by the way is just whatever came to hand to fill up the siding, not the proper train.

post-98-0-55067600-1374075501_thumb.jpg

 

Down t'other end now, to the spurs vacated by the local passenger stuff which has gone into cassettes. I was going to use these for loco storage, but the goods problem caused another change of plan, so the second part of the train shown above will live here, and the two will be joined by hand shunting when needed, which is only twice in an operating day. The down side is the need to lift more locos on and off the layout, but I can't have everything, so I'll just have to be careful. Passenger stock is much less prone to derail while in cassettes than very lightweight wagons, so I actually benefit from this unexpected difficulty. :sungum:

  • Like 16
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

I sat here all day, no show. Rang him again this morning, he claimed an emergency, but will definitely call today. I sit here again, and once more so far no show. Clearly he doesn't have any financial problems or need the work.

 My "pet" plumber and builder are like this because they are so good at what they do.  They have no need to advertise and getting a "slot" for a job is like getting a good table at the Ivy.  However, mine usually phone when they can't make it. or have been called away to an emergency.   Take this as a positive sign.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

I hope he's alright when he does arrive Gilbert.  In the meanwhile I'm still waiting for a blacksmith who promised to 'be round on Friday to measure up' (for a gate) - so far he's missed three Fridays since he said he'd be round - I wonder if his order book finished up in the forge?

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Artisans that say they are coming and then don't and also don't contact you, maybe busy but they are bl**dy rude and I wouldn't entertain them I'm afraid. That's because I have read the V. Meldrew book of How to Hire an Artisan :rtfm:

There will be someone good hiding out there but most have gone to their Villas abroad and won't be 'available' until Octoberish.

Great that the storage 'problem' has been almost solved G. It did turn out to be a case of KISS.

Just love the Compound and Larry's coaches - what can one say eh! 

....'properly piped'..... could start a whole new discussion on statements that could be misunderstood :sarcastichand: (JW does create a mean van though don't he just).

Oh yes, I should mention that a certain pack of three is slowly moving towards the top of the I'm going to do that soon pile :secret:

Enjoy the 'Open'.

P

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Hello Gilbert,

 

I just had a thought while reading about your trestle/cassette trouble - if you make a unit for the cassettes why not put the unit on wheels, so you can move it out the way for taking photos, and move it up to the layout for swapping the cassettes over.  You can get wheels/casters that they use in theatre scenery that are smooth-wheeling but also have locks.

 

Hope that helps

 

Simon

Link to post
Share on other sites

Like you Gilbert, I too have had trouble trying to extend my fiddle yard. I did manage to squeeze and extra couple of sidings in but they have to be curved to get 3 coaches and loco so the cassette option is a no-no. Ideally cassettes on those sidings would solve the problems you have encountered but as it is I have to change 4 trains lock stock and barrel. It would be so much more convenient if I could just lift a cassette out and replace it with another.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Hello Gilbert,

 

I just had a thought while reading about your trestle/cassette trouble - if you make a unit for the cassettes why not put the unit on wheels, so you can move it out the way for taking photos, and move it up to the layout for swapping the cassettes over.  You can get wheels/casters that they use in theatre scenery that are smooth-wheeling but also have locks.

 

Hope that helps

 

Simon

 

That's about what i have in mind Simon. Whatever goes under there has to be removeable to get at all the wiring under the baseboards if things go wrong. I strongly suspect that the best way to ensure things do go wrong is to make it impossible to get at them. It should be possible to get something purpose built that fits nicely into the corner, which then would not interfere with access to the windows or photography at all, but the "gentleman" who has now let me down twice without even the courtesy of a phone call will not be getting a third opportunity, so i'll have to see if i can find someone else.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Gilbert, I suspect you have got one of the very few 'joint project' Thompson corridor brake thirds designed by the late John Fozard. Glad I got one of his Excursion open brake thirds.

I shall treasure it Larry, as a memento of a very fine modeller, and a great loss to the hobby.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Like you Gilbert, I too have had trouble trying to extend my fiddle yard. I did manage to squeeze and extra couple of sidings in but they have to be curved to get 3 coaches and loco so the cassette option is a no-no. Ideally cassettes on those sidings would solve the problems you have encountered but as it is I have to change 4 trains lock stock and barrel. It would be so much more convenient if I could just lift a cassette out and replace it with another.

I gave up one storage road to get the space to fit the cassette road in Alan, and it has saved me far more than I lost. I don't know if you could or would contemplate tearing up some of what you already have, but it certainly paid off for me.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...