Peterborough- the end

[great northern]

As promised, though a bit late, here are some more images of the old layout, taken in its last days. All are courtesy of the photographer, Tony Wright, and by kind permission of British Railway Modelling. Part 1 of my articles on the layout is in the August mag, and the second part will be in next month. The photos below are some of those that didn't make it into print.

 

[great northern]

Having trouble with multiple images, so I'll try one at a time. The next one I really like, Mr Wright at his best I think. This is an Ivatt 4 drifting in to platform 2 with a M&GN local which will terminate here. In fact the whole of the M&GN was terminated just six months after the scene shown here.

 

[great northern]

And a few minutes later, A4 60023 Golden Eagle, seen waiting in the bay in the last photo has now backed onto a Kings Cross- Glasgow express and is leaving on its way North.

 

[great northern]

Finally for now, this is 60508 Duke of Rothesay on shed. John Houlden of Gamston Bank fame built this from the Crownline kit, painted it in immaculate lined green, and then at my insistence smothered it in grime. Why? Because Peterborough New England shed apparently had two cleaners in 1958, and an allocation of about 180 locos. Very few of them ever got cleaned, and this is the condition in which I all too often saw this engine. which is known affectionately as " the dirty duke". Sounds like something out of a tabloid newspaper

 

[MrSimon]

looks like an excellent layout; will there be a replacement?

 

Simon

[S.A.C Martin]

A beautiful layout, a shame it is going to the great scrapyard in the sky, but all good things must come to an end. Mr Wright seems to have done it a great service with some fabulous photographs.

[davidw]

Thanks for Posting - got any more shots?

[great northern]

Thanks for Posting - got any more shots?

 

A few David. I'll put them up as time permits. Menwhile, I've just put on a topic for the new layout.

[davidw]

A few David. I'll put them up as time permits. Menwhile, I've just put on a topic for the new layout.

Great - I take a look it's lunch time after all.

[ColinW]

Such a shame this layout has had to be broken up.

 

Colin

[HerbertHopkins]

Such a shame this layout has had to be broken up.

 

Colin

 

I quite agree Colin, but, having read Gilbert's post on his new layout and also his Article in BRM I understand his reasoning. It seems he's set out an achieveable set of parameters for the new layout which should result in a really first class model. Let's face it, we've all done things and then, with the benefit of hindsight, wished we'd done it differently. Gilbert is lucky in that he has the time, space and resources to undertake such a project.

 

Peterborough would be a dream location for someone like me who loves anything to do with the ECML, alas I doubt I will ever be in a position to even contemplate building anything like this, so I wish Gilbert well and look forward to seeing this layout progress.

[great northern]

Such a shame this layout has had to be broken up.

 

Colin

 

Well, yes in a lot of ways Colin, but it was equally a shame that for weeks on end I never even went up into the loft at all for various reasons but mainly the frustration involved in operating the thing. I want my hobby to be a relaxation, not yet another source of stress- there are quite enough of those all around us. I'm glad I built it. I learned a lot and I can take that forward. The great thing is that I walk into the new room and think " I really do want to be in here". That's priceless I reckon. And the next one will be better.... :D

[great northern]

I quite agree Colin, but, having read Gilbert's post on his new layout and also his Article in BRM I understand his reasoning. It seems he's set out an achieveable set of parameters for the new layout which should result in a really first class model. Let's face it, we've all done things and then, with the benefit of hindsight, wished we'd done it differently. Gilbert is lucky in that he has the time, space and resources to undertake such a project.

 

Peterborough would be a dream location for someone like me who loves anything to do with the ECML, alas I doubt I will ever be in a position to even contemplate building anything like this, so I wish Gilbert well and look forward to seeing this layout progress.

 

I am indeed a very lucky man, and I try to remind myself of that at regular intervals. 47 years of work should carry some rewards though. During all the years when family and cost considerations ruled, I never contemplated anything like this ever being possible, but hey, just shows life is sometimes good to us doesn't it? I shall certainly try to make the best of it.

[great northern]

Here are a few more.

 

 

 

 

 

This is my favourite B17. March shed used it more than any other on the Harwich- Liverpool boat train, and it was always immaculately turned out. 10 years ago I had a brush with cancer, and to cheer myself up I ordered this loco from a "professional" builder. It was absolutley appalling, and the valve gear seized up the first time I tried to run it. I contacted Tony Wright who I had never met, and asked him if he would build for me. He said no, as he had a full order book. I told him about my disappointment, and six months later he presented me with this, built by him and painted by Ian Rathbone. Friends like that are very rare.

[great northern]

 

 

 

We are now looking across the shed yard. On top of the embankment are some of Allan Downes' marvellous creations.When I asked him to do the buildings for this area he said " Gilbert my boy, what I can do for you is three fantastic mansions". He was most put out when I vetoed that on the ground that no millionaire in his right mind would build his luxury pad overlooking a steam loco depot. I said I wanted railway workers cottages, two up two down and no frills. Look what I got.Bay windows!

[ColinW]

Well, yes in a lot of ways Colin, but it was equally a shame that for weeks on end I never even went up into the loft at all for various reasons but mainly the frustration involved in operating the thing. I want my hobby to be a relaxation, not yet another source of stress- there are quite enough of those all around us. I'm glad I built it. I learned a lot and I can take that forward. The great thing is that I walk into the new room and think " I really do want to be in here". That's priceless I reckon. And the next one will be better.... :D

Hi Gilbert,

 

Apologies but I hadn't been able to read either the Brm article or the other thread on here when i made the comment. I made the comment as I can appreciate the time that has gone into the building of the layout. Hopefully your new layout will prove to be another inspiration for modellers, and I fully agree that as a hobby it should be something to take away stress not increase it.

 

Colin

[great northern]

 

 

 

The shed building, with quite a lot of power on view. It is nice to have these lovely pacifics, but the K2 and 02 on view here which are recent arrivals to me really sum up the steam railway as it was. The very clean A3 is 60090 Grand Parade, based at Haymarket and rare as rocking horse **** down South. Whenever I was able to see the afternoon light engine on trial from Doncaster plant it was always a Kings Cross or Grantham engine I had seen many times before, but one sunny afternoon Grand Parade steamed slowly through Retford in this condition, so here she is. John Houlden achieved the finish by using T cut.

[great northern]

 

 

At the other end of the scale, this is what most Gateshead locos looked like in the '50's. I swear that telegraph pole was straight just before the photo was taken.

[great northern]

 

 

You can't do much to improve a Hornby A4.

[great northern]

 

 

 

Finally, a D16 Claud Hamilton with a local train.62613 was the last survivor, and fortunately was based at Peterborough Spital Bridge in 1958. Handsome loco or what? I've been trying to persuade Simon Kohler to do one of these. I've no idea if he will though. Behind is the real Peterborough North signal box built for me by our own Gravy Train. This will feature on the new layout. For those of you who haven't got, or seen, or don't buy BRM I'll put the photos from there up after the two editions of the magazine have been out for a while.

[gordon s]

Hi Gilbert, it still looks great...

 

Which month's BRM featured your layout? I must have missed it...

[great northern]

 

 

Nearly forgot this one. ex GCR A5, built from the Craftsman kit, and a regular at Boston shed when I was growing up. My uncle was a driver there so I got fairly regular and legal access there as opposed to the many others I got chased out of.

[great northern]

Hi Gilbert, it still looks great...

 

Which month's BRM featured your layout? I must have missed it...

 

It's in the latest one that came out last week Gordon, and part 2 will be in the September edition.

[gordon s]

It's in the latest one that came out last week Gordon, and part 2 will be in the September edition.

 

Thanks Gilbert, guess where I'm off to....

[Theakerr]

Thanks for the pictures. My attempt at modelling is my imagination of what the Grimsby to Peterborough line would have looked like if it had been upgraded to handle A4. A3, etc as an alternate route to London from Doncaster. So these picture are most appropriate.