Hills of the North - The Last Great Project

[LNER4479]

More excitement at Upperby:

 

 

I'll just leave this here for now ...

[Portchullin Tatty]

36 minutes ago, LNER4479 said:

More excitement at Upperby:

 

 

I'll just leave this here for now ...

 

With the absence of a line serving the turntable, i suggest you have no choice!

 

Edited October 7, 2023 by Portchullin Tatty
spelling correction

[LNER4479]

So - yes, we now have the start of the all-important Upperby roundhouse, as part of Upperby MPD, part of the Upperby complex. Why install this now, in isolation? Simply, that this is the most inaccessible corner of the complex, necessitating crawling about on the board itself. So, better to do it now rather than trampling over other freshly laid track.

 

There was a conversation some way back up thread about a suitable turntable. In the end, there was only really one show in town and I duly acquired a Heljan HO 90ft 'table (cat no. 89121). That's approx 79ft in 4mm.

 

Did I pay full price? No I didn't! I bided my time and eventually plumped for a 'pre-loved' example for half RRP. It claimed to have been hardly used and that appears to be the case (mercifully!). Some minor damage to one of the turntable rails (easily repaired); otherwise G.A.N., much still in original packaging.

 

No going back now! As you might recall, I've already marked everything out on the trusted lining paper. So, all I had to do was to tape the Heljan template in the right place? Well, almost - there was just the little matter of adjusting the orientation to ensure that the 'no track' zone was not where I didn't want it to be (if that makes sense)

 

With the pit in position, I had a fun session mapping out the possible track plan in the allotted space - previously, I had just left a suitable area.

(For avoidance of doubt, although it'll be a full roundhouse, the stalls at the back are not full length - some only able to take a 0-6-0T 'Jinty'. That's just to balance out the space available. But at least half should be full length to host my beloved pacifics)

 

The 'Carlisle in France' files, made available to me by one Mr Mike Edge, proved invaluable in this exercise and I think I'm tending towards a trackplan which, although much compressed, contains sufficient features as to be (potentially) recognisable.

 

Edited October 7, 2023 by LNER4479

[LNER4479]

Meanwhile ...

 

I've laid the first lengths of the down goods lines, here demonstrated by a Black 5-hauled parcels train.

 

Come on! Hurry up and get the rest of it laid ...

[St Enodoc]

On 13/09/2023 at 09:32, St Enodoc said:

Great progress. At this rate, everything will be finished by the middle of November...

 

7 minutes ago, LNER4479 said:

Meanwhile ...

 

I've laid the first lengths of the down goods lines, here demonstrated by a Black 5-hauled parcels train.

 

Come on! Hurry up and get the rest of it laid ...

I was only joking, guvnor...

[Barry O]

Look at all that ballasting.. woohoo!

 

Baz

[Michael Edge]

12 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

So - yes, we now have the start of the all-important Upperby roundhouse, as part of Upperby MPD, part of the Upperby complex. Why install this now, in isolation? Simply, that this is the most inaccessible corner of the complex, necessitating crawling about on the board itself. So, better to do it now rather than trampling over other freshly laid track.

 

There was a conversation some way back up thread about a suitable turntable. In the end, there was only really one show in town and I duly acquired a Heljan HO 90ft 'table (cat no. 89121). That's approx 79ft in 4mm.

 

Did I pay full price? No I didn't! I bided my time and eventually plumped for a 'pre-loved' example for half RRP. It claimed to have been hardly used and that appears to be the case (mercifully!). Some minor damage to one of the turntable rails (easily repaired); otherwise G.A.N., much still in original packaging.

 

No going back now! As you might recall, I've already marked everything out on the trusted lining paper. So, all I had to do was to tape the Heljan template in the right place? Well, almost - there was just the little matter of adjusting the orientation to ensure that the 'no track' zone was not where I didn't want it to be (if that makes sense)

 

With the pit in position, I had a fun session mapping out the possible track plan in the allotted space - previously, I had just left a suitable area.

(For avoidance of doubt, although it'll be a full roundhouse, the stalls at the back are not full length - some only able to take a 0-6-0T 'Jinty'. That's just to balance out the space available. But at least half should be full length to host my beloved pacifics)

 

The 'Carlisle in France' files, made available to me by one Mr Mike Edge, proved invaluable in this exercise and I think I'm tending towards a trackplan which, although much compressed, contains sufficient features as to be (potentially) recognisable.

 

We only had room for a small segment of the Upperby roundhouse, no turntable (or track for that matter) in ours. These photos taken in 2014, this part of the layout is still very unfinished, track not even painted yet although it's all working.

The roundhouse would be more than 4ft in diameter to scale and this part of our layout isn't, there's a good deal of compression south of St Nicholas bridge.

We did have room for the outside 70ft turntable though - originally built for Leeds Victoria more than 40 years ago.

Close up of the building, constructed by the amazing Ukrainian modellers who did most of our buildings. Sadly and worryingly we haven't heard from them for over a year now.

[LMS29]

5 hours ago, Barry O said:

Look at all that ballasting.. woohoo!

 

Baz

 

..... and the scenic potential!

 

Tom

[LNER4479]

8 hours ago, Michael Edge said:

We only had room for a small segment of the Upperby roundhouse, no turntable (or track for that matter) in ours. These photos taken in 2014, this part of the layout is still very unfinished, track not even painted yet although it's all working.

The roundhouse would be more than 4ft in diameter to scale and this part of our layout isn't, there's a good deal of compression south of St Nicholas bridge.

We did have room for the outside 70ft turntable though - originally built for Leeds Victoria more than 40 years ago.

Close up of the building, constructed by the amazing Ukrainian modellers who did most of our buildings. Sadly and worryingly we haven't heard from them for over a year now.

Thanks Mike. I've seen the plans in your files for this segment of the depot but don't think I've actually seen photographs of it.

 

Once it became clear that I couldn't include Upperby AND Kingmoor on my scheme, I concentrated on Upperby, with the roundhouse being a key part, fitted into the corner as it is (but not quite the full building). One of the main features of the scheme will be the operation of locos on and off shed, following diagrammed workings, home locos, visiting locos, etc.

 

I'm hoping that at least some aspects of the depot will be recognisable, even though - like yourself - there's considerable compression going and, at least in my case, quite a bit of distortion because of the corner plot.

 

I thought the outside turntable was a 60ft example? That's what the captions in my reference works say!

[Michael Edge]

You can find photos in a folder of “layout photos” but there’s a lot to wade through. Ours is 70ft anyway, it’s one of three I built for Leeds Victoria, the 60ft one is now at Brunswick, this one was for the loco shed and is 70ft and the Victoria one (65ft) was given to the club for another project.

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, Michael Edge said:

You can find photos in a folder of “layout photos” but there’s a lot to wade through. Ours is 70ft anyway, it’s one of three I built for Leeds Victoria, the 60ft one is now at Brunswick, this one was for the loco shed and is 70ft and the Victoria one (65ft) was given to the club for another project.

Was that the one that went in the middle of Hartford Junction's fiddle yard? If so (or if not), where is it now?

[Barry O]

7 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Was that the one that went in the middle of Hartford Junction's fiddle yard? If so (or if not), where is it now?

It is now on Bournemouth West..a layout that has just resurfaced from a l9ng storage stint. Looks like this could end up being.... finished...

 

Baz

[LNER4479]

More running ...

 

Goods train arrives, northbound from Dentonholme, as Royal Scot 46159 sets out with a WCML relief express.

 

At Bog Junc. ...

 

... it meets the inbound Waverley express off the S&C route.

 

Classic Shap Wells view.

 

I've temporarily set out the backscenes here as they need a little bit of tidying up prior to GETS Milton Keynes show this coming weekend. See you there if you're coming along. Going to be a bit of a WCML-fest by all accounts. Nowt wrong in that.

[LNER4479]

Hornby (mag) GREAT ELECTRIC TRAIN SHOW REPORT

 

Shap safely back home after attending first show of the season. The Marshall Arena at Milton Keynes (part of the MK Dons football stadium complex) is quite a venue; this is the view of the main hall from the second floor balcony. We're top right but pretty indistinct from this distance. Dominating the view is the remarkable 'Making Tracks' combined three layouts, all 150ft of it. Anyhow ...

 

Here we are at closer quarters. It was a very well attended show, both days and we had a good crowd round us most of the time.

 

Despite us being a couple of hundred miles away from Shap itself, there were those there who were familiar with the location and could relate to the prototype. Always gratifying to talk over the backscene with such folks - a couple were ex-railwaymen who had worked with former Tebay shed banker drivers.

 

Couple more pix to follow ...

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by LNER4479

[LNER4479]

Bit of a Duchess fest but - hey

 

My new Hornby 'Hornby-Dublo' 46234 tackles the grade unassisted with the 10-coach Birmingham-Glasgow.

 

 

And to complete the colour palette:

 

'Sir's' maroon 46245 crests the summit with the  'Caledonian'.

 

Layout settled down reasonably quickly and we generally went round the chronological schedule of 39 trains in 35-40 minutes so there was usually something moving most of the time.

 

Also had a layout photo shoot Friday evening for Hornby mag for a future edition.

Edited October 16, 2023 by LNER4479

[gwrrob]

17 minutes ago, LNER4479 said:

Bit of a Duchess fest but - hey

 

My new Hornby 'Hornby-Dublo' 46234 tackles the grade unassisted with the 10-coach Birmingham-Glasgow.

 

 

And to complete the colour palette:

 

'Sir's' maroon 46245 crests the summit with the  'Caledonian'.

 

Layout settled down reasonably quickly and we generally went round the chronological schedule of 39 trains in 35-40 minutes so there was generally something moving most of the time.

 

Also had a layout photo shoot Friday evening for Hornby mag for a future edition.

 

Would have voted for this had I known as the quality of stock and long trains running continually ticked my boxes. No wonder there were crowds round it all weekend.

[BMacdermott]

Hello Graham

 

I very much enjoyed seeing the layout on Sunday.👍

 

I would have said 'hello' but you were tied up and my visit time was restricted, precluding any return.

 

All the best.

 

Brian

[LNER4479]

Hello Brian,

 

Ah, that's a shame to have missed you. Thanks for taking the time to post your message. Glad to hear you enjoyed your visit to Shap(!); another time, maybe?

 

Graham 

[BMacdermott]

Thanks Graham

 

As many who know me will already be aware, my wife is disabled and going to shows has to be limited to 90 minutes or so - and that includes travel there and back! I have to be 'highly focussed'!🤓

 

Fortunately, we have four very good shows here in Milton Keynes each year: MKMRS in June; Silver Fox in August; the very much smaller 'local show' at Olney in September; and GETS in October.

 

Sadly, that time also precluded me meeting up 'gwrrob' this time.

 

Brian

[thegreenhowards]

Graham,

 

I enjoyed seeing HOTN again. Your sequence of trains through the ages is a great way of running such a layout - one I intend to follow when I get that far with my Glenfinnan layout. I really appreciate the well researched and put together formations which raise the layout above the norm.

 

I found the show as a whole unpleasantly crowded. Between 1100 and 1400 on Sunday it was hard to move. But it was worth the effort as there were a lot of good layouts there. 
 

Andy
 

 

[gr.king]

Barriers right up against the layout? As much use as a chocolate fireguard. They offer no protection from finger-poking, clumsiness or theft!

[Sasquatch]

Thank you for giving us a show report Graham. It's very much enjoyed by those of us too far away to get to shows. This years one and only show has been cancelled this coming up Thanksgiving. Shame because I was very much looking forward to exhibiting with Dunster after a two year break on my part due to (dare it be mentioned) COVID19. Sounds like a great time was had by all those involved.

 

Regards Shaun.

PS. I do the time period thing with Dunster: Great Western on Saturday and BR trains on the Sunday!  

[Bloodnok]

7 hours ago, thegreenhowards said:

I found the show as a whole unpleasantly crowded. Between 1100 and 1400 on Sunday it was hard to move. But it was worth the effort as there were a lot of good layouts there. 

I agree. I didn't manage to get in to see any layout until about 2:30. I did manage to get in and see a few layouts (including 'Hills of the North') after that, but with only an hour and a half until closing, I couldn't hang around to see the full sequence as I had wanted to do...

[LNER4479]

Anyhow, no time for laurel resting - there's a layout to be built.

 

Carlisle No.13 laid, bar the shouting ...

 

Heljan turntable powered up and tested. All seems to work OK (phew!) Even managed to work out how to programme the stopping positions.

 

So now it's just this little lot to get laid and working 

😵‍💫

[St Enodoc]

15 minutes ago, LNER4479 said:

Heljan turntable powered up and tested. All seems to work OK (phew!) Even managed to work out how to programme the stopping positions.

Judging by the experiences of some folk round here, that's quite an achievement (for the avoidance of doubt, not me - the MCL doesn't need a turntable).