Grantham - the Streamliner years

[jwealleans]

If there is one!

[andyrush]

Small steps, Gilbert, small steps.... now you've all that extra space, what about starting with a footex?  Nice old York B16 bulled up, load of nice ex-NE coaches from the far back end of Holgate sidings where they've been since the Coronation weekend...

 

Then we can get you on to Atlantics... the 'Plant Centenarian' would be a good place to work from.... you'll find yourself back in 1947 in no time.  I'm sure Peter can rebuild that arcade for you in an afternoon.  Then, well, wartime was terribly dreary.  You really ought to carry on back to the 1930s.  Blue, silver and green locos.... 'brake tests' on a Sunday with the Dynamometer Car....

 

You know it all makes sense.

I've tried to tempt Gilbert with some Parkeston Quay West to the north east BAOR leave trains and return with various exotic engines requiring changing at PN. It would give him a proper excuse to have a Colchester B17 on show.

 

Nice to see your stuff populating Grantham, by the way (even if you did perpetuate loaded coal wagons heading north.... ). It looks like it is already a seriously interesting train set to play with!

 

Andy

[jwealleans]

you did perpetuate loaded coal wagons heading north

Nothing to do with me, guv... mine were the 10 empties at the back.

[LNER4479]

Those were the coals heading to Newcastle   One day, when I've saved up enough pocket money, the plan is to have two rakes, one full, one empty....

 

Thanks guys for all the complimentary comments over the last few days. It was certainly rewarding seeing the layout come to life with the influx of stock. I only hope that I haven't 'peaked' too early - it sure does look a bit empty now that Jonathan has gone home!

 

Can't wait to do the north end bay area (platform 1) myself Dr G-F! Current workplan is to get the depot reasonably operational (including turntable) then drop onto platform 1. The most time consuming aspect will be construction of two new signals in conjunction with this, including their integration into the control system, so I reckon that should see me through to Xmas.

 

Yes Jason, some ballast has appeared! Did a trial section prior to Nottingham show and I quite like it so will probably carry on in a similar manner, as and when time allows...

[manna]

G'Day Gents

 

Having a great time watching Grantham take shape (worked a few trains through there in my time, diesel days thought)

 

manna

[LNER4479]

Hey - we just went through 500 posts!

 

Here's a bit of video to celebrate. My take on the piece of archive film footage 61070 recently unearthed. Hope you like it.

 

 

(edited due to posting wrong link - sorry!)

Edited July 26, 2013 by LNER4479

[Mallard60022]

I've just been having another butchers at the visitation of the Jonno. Looks like he is just beaming in in that first pic.....

Just a quick question. Is P5 still there (not now as Platform 5 I know).

P

[workev2000]

Really good to catch up with you at our initial Return To Grantham meeting on Wednesday. A renewed interest in your layout will obviously now happen!

 

I will drop you an email in the next few days....

 

Will have to get up to see the layout some time!

 

Ian

Edited July 27, 2013 by workev2000

[LNER4479]

I've just been having another butchers at the visitation of the Jonno. Looks like he is just beaming in in that first pic.....

Just a quick question. Is P5 still there (not now as Platform 5 I know).

P

Yes sir. Put simply, plats 2 to 5 remain, now numbered 1 to 4. That makes Nos 1 & 2 the ECML up and down, No 3 the north end bay and No.4 (the old no.5) the down relief through platform. When I was there on Wednesday, the EM Cl.153 for Skegness rolled into the bay (No.3) and the EM Cl.158s (Norwich-Liverpool) routinely use plat 4.

 

Site clearance was also taking place in the old up goods yard so that you can make an exhibition of yourself over the weekend of Sept 7/8th

[JCL]

When I was there on Wednesday, the EM Cl.153 for Skegness rolled into the bay (No.3)

 

I think one of the most uncomfortable rides of my life was on one of those leaving that platform - standing room only, screaming kid and no buffet! Although that's just a dream away, where I am now we do have a passenger service, I think it comes through in June, and they don't like it if you get on the train here (a bit like Watford going south on the WCML).

 

Also I've looked through my last few posts, it seems I have a fixation with small rocks, sorry about that! (looks good though! )

 

-- Edited to remove a para that could cause the thread to go wildly off-topic. --

Edited July 26, 2013 by JCL

[LNER4479]

Apologies folks - posted a 'duff' link in #506 above. Think it should work OK now - enjoy

(thanks to 61070 for pointing this out to me!)

[jonny777]

Apologies folks - posted a 'duff' link in #506 above. Think it should work OK now - enjoy

(thanks to 61070 for pointing this out to me!)

 

Excellent stuff. Its a shame that the quality of the video couldn't be a bit better, but I love those somersault signals. How did you ever get those completed? I have some MSE kits for just the single post somersaults, but some of the brass bits for the wire and arm linkages are so tiny I can hardly see them, let alone pick them up with anything and then get them to stay in the right place.

 

I might get them to a non-operational stage, but having them working as efficiently as that? I can only dream.

[LNER4479]

Excellent stuff. Its a shame that the quality of the video couldn't be a bit better, but I love those somersault signals. How did you ever get those completed? I have some MSE kits for just the single post somersaults, but some of the brass bits for the wire and arm linkages are so tiny I can hardly see them, let alone pick them up with anything and then get them to stay in the right place.

 

I might get them to a non-operational stage, but having them working as efficiently as that? I can only dream.

Thanks for kind comments. How do I get them completed?! Er... well... no 'secret' really, but I will admit that they require a lot of patience. Sometimes I just have to walk away and do something else before tackling it again

 

I hope to be doing some more in the autumn so I'll post progress as I go along.

 

And yes, I really ought to get something a bit better than camfone if I'm going to post videos

[LNER4479]

After all the excitement of Jonathan's visit and the marvellous rolling stock parade last weekend, we've been pleased to host further visitors this weekend.

 

First of all, to prepare for the visit, I undertook some hasty, temporary work in the north end, east side bay:

 

Yes, we have a platform 1! The D2 has turned white as a ghost  thanks to a coat of grey primer, but otherwise waits for the road as a lengthy northbound express speeds through.

 

Pre-war, platform 1 was covered by a canopy, so I hastily knocked up this mock-up to be going on with for now. There will be another line alongside which is part run round and part siding leading to loading dock. The original canopy collapsed soon after the war, during a wintry spell when the weight of snow proved too much for it(!) I'm not sure mine would take much additional load either   The trailing connection in front of the D2 was also removed post-war to allow the platform to be extended at this end to create the configuration that I guess will be more familiar to those of you with memories of the place..

 

I meant to take a close-up of the additional trackwork but forgot! You should however get some idea from this shot. The king pin is yet another single slip (with - yes you've guessed it - a curve added to it!) where the trailing connection (for attaching/detaching horseboxes, etc) and platform 1 cross each other.

 

Just in time for our guests to arrive. So who is the mystery man wielding that rather professional looking camera equipment....?

 

Why, it's none other than Mr Tony Wright himself.

 

I took one or two myself in between the master lensman going about his business. Here is a view across the (nicely crowded!) depot and goods yard, showing another sighting of the down Coronation (obviously of much interest to Tony given his current research for the Golden Age project).

 

A closer view on depot, with a nice gathering of GN front ends.

 

For something a bit different, I decided to run this train, a loose homage to the 1953 'Plant Centenarian' railtours. A K2 'gets in on the act' in platform 1.

 

Here it is departing after its photo stop at Grantham(!) Tried to get the position of this something like the shot that Andy Rush posted some pages back (#331). Don't they just look 'the business'.

 

It was a pleasure to host Tony & Mo for their visit - I think a good time was had by all? And thanks to Tony for all the effort in taking the new set of pictures; all being well, these should illustrate a follow-up article to the piece in the 2013 BRM Annual.

 

'Robert'

Edited July 29, 2013 by LNER4479

[Barry O]

Great to see the photographs and also Tony out and about.  Things are moving on well here Robert so keep up the good work.

[jukebox]

Love the overall view in Photo #6 - perfectly captures the universal look of a spotting location "where we can see what is going past, and wish we could get closer but can't" that always seemed to be the case...

 

Cheers

 

Scott

 

PS: That camera sitting on the track must be a good test for benchwork "flex"!

[Alister_G]

More marvelous photos and excellent work.

 

You forget, when viewing your close-up shots, just how big this layout is, and the overall view in image #4 reminds us forcefully how lucky you are.

 

Great stuff!

[ROY@34F]

Coming along very nicely "Robert".Your work makes us all a little envious of the speed of your progress.Very inspiring,and I found your take on headlamps particularly interesting.

BUT is the North Box facing the right way ? Just a small nitpick.

Nice to see you at Grantham meeting last week..and nice to see Tony Wright about again.

Regards,Roy.

[micklner]

Tony Wright has two different T shirts on ??

[Mallard60022]

Tony Wright has two different T shirts on ??

Must have got warm! I would doing that job and also because I'd overheat in excitement when viewing this excellent project. Great Picks 4479; I especially like the signals.

P

[61070]

Here's a bit of video to celebrate. My take on the piece of archive film footage 61070 recently unearthed. Hope you like it.

 

A great bit of filming.  Hope you had an Inspector with you in the North box!

 

 

Pre-war, platform 1 was covered by a canopy, so I hastily knocked up this mock-up to be going on with for now. There will be another line alongside which is part run round and part siding leading to loading dock. The original canopy collapsed soon after the war, during a wintry spell when the weight of snow proved too much for it(!) I'm not sure mine would take much additional load either

 

Robert - I don't think I've drawn attention before to this newsreel clip (apologies if I have), which records (00:42 to 00:49) the demise of said canopy:

 

http://www.movietone.com/N_POPUP_Player.cfm?action=playVideo&assetno=83124

 

T'was the winter of 1947: 'The weather deteriorated badly on Monday, February 3, and that evening ‘blizzard’ conditions developed throughout the northern half of the Southern Area, and in parts of the North Eastern Area. The following day, the heavy snow accompanied by winds of gale force drifted to depths of several feet in many places, causing great interruption to signalling and telephone communication. In the Manchester district, conditions were particularly bad and all services had to be suspended as the main line between the city and Sheffield, and the Oldham, Glossop and Macclesfield branches were completely blocked. Blockages of lines and interruption of communications were frequent also in Leeds, Doncaster, Nottingham and Lincoln districts. The East Coast Main Line was kept clear almost continuously but on February 4, the weight of snow caused a platform awning at Grantham Station to collapse and both the up and down lines were blocked for nearly five hours.' reported the LNER Magazine.

[gr.king]

Tony Wright has two different T shirts on ??

 

Well I suppose he could have had two T-shirts on at one stage, and only one at other times, according to how warm he felt.

 

I wonder where the photographs are destined to appear - assuming they were not simply taken for his own enjoyment.

[micklner]

or even three

 

Pics would be for BRM at a guess as layout is in current annual

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

Tony Wright has two different T shirts on ??

 

There are actually two identical Tony Wrights.  It's how 'he' has made so many locomotive kits that actually work.  Not many people know that.

[LNER4479]

Thanks for various comments folks,

 

To answer in turn:

BUT is the North Box facing the right way ?

Well spotted Roy! I actually only have one signal box(!) which normally sits as 'Yard' box; however, I cut the hole in the cork (for now) for North box to the same footprint so I was swapping it back n forth according to where Tony was pointing his camera. So I think it was positioned there for a shot viewed from the west side... I will get round to sorting out the signal boxes properly in due course.

 

 

Robert - I don't think I've drawn attention before to this newsreel clip (apologies if I have), which records (00:42 to 00:49) the demise of said canopy:

 

http://www.movietone.com/N_POPUP_Player.cfm?action=playVideo&assetno=83124

 

T'was the winter of 1947: 'The weather deteriorated badly on Monday, February 3, and that evening ‘blizzard’ conditions developed throughout the northern half of the Southern Area, and in parts of the North Eastern Area. The following day, the heavy snow accompanied by winds of gale force drifted to depths of several feet in many places, causing great interruption to signalling and telephone communication. In the Manchester district, conditions were particularly bad and all services had to be suspended as the main line between the city and Sheffield, and the Oldham, Glossop and Macclesfield branches were completely blocked. Blockages of lines and interruption of communications were frequent also in Leeds, Doncaster, Nottingham and Lincoln districts. The East Coast Main Line was kept clear almost continuously but on February 4, the weight of snow caused a platform awning at Grantham Station to collapse and both the up and down lines were blocked for nearly five hours.' reported the LNER Magazine.

Thanks John - in actual fact, I picked up the above clip from your thread on the LNER forum, that was how I knew it collapsed! But thanks for the additional info. My hunch would be that it was probably in poor condition due to years of build up of 'attack' from engine soot, exacerbated by low (no!) maintenance during the war time and the weight of the snow was simply too much for it

 

Well I suppose he could have had two T-shirts on at one stage, and only one at other times, according to how warm he felt.

 

I didn't spot the Tee-shirt swap. The real reason for overheating would be the tremendous amount of hot air generated discussing the various detail differences between Thompson pacifics...   (thankfully a minefield I don't have to tread through).

 

 

Pics would be for BRM at a guess as layout is in current annual

Article is submitted, trackplan is done, so Tony's pics will hopefully be the last piece in the jigsaw for a forthcoming appearance in BRM. Don't want to count chickens though, editor's prerogative and all that...