Peterborough North

[great northern]

The 'mystery' post on the down platform north. You have mentioned recently & several times the strict 20mph limits at the station. Might that post and attachment have been a speed limit light? If its' identity has already been established earlier I shall remove this speculative thought.

Philth.

Which one do you mean Phil? We've had a lot of discussion about the one at the North end of the Up platform, but we've also discussed others. I think the speed limit indications were a bit more low tech, as shown on this rather nice image, copyright of Andrew C Ingram, and shown on the usual terms.

[31A]

I've now reached Friday's images, and so have a bit more idea what is going on. An Up Leeds, the 9.47 from that City, is headed by Grantham A3 Enterprise.

111 1.JPG

And here is another of the Spital Bridge shots.

from SB 2.JPG

I've left this unadulterated, for those who prefer such things. Another idea occurs to me. That area of brown either side of the water tower is the fascia on the fiddle yard side, which just tidied the baseboard edge up, and looks quite nice. But couldn't I also put some sort of photographic background along there, which would complete a backscene for this sort of image?

 

 

I suppose the 'brown' area is roughly where Bourges Boulevard is now?  I don't remember what was there before that and the Queensgate Centre were built but it should be possible to get an idea of the former 'townscape' from old photos and perhaps make some sort of backscene to represent it, perhaps just an outline of buildings in muted greys?

[Mallard60022]

Which one do you mean Phil? We've had a lot of discussion about the one at the North end of the Up platform, but we've also discussed others. I think the speed limit indications were a bit more low tech, as shown on this rather nice image, copyright of Andrew C Ingram, and shown on the usual terms.

001.jpg

Oh sorry, was it on the up? Can't remember now.  Post #4476 P 180 shows it clearly but only the rear. OK so maybe a 'fog light speed limit sign'?

Edited October 31, 2016 by Mallard60022

[great northern]

I suppose the 'brown' area is roughly where Bourges Boulevard is now?  I don't remember what was there before that and the Queensgate Centre were built but it should be possible to get an idea of the former 'townscape' from old photos and perhaps make some sort of backscene to represent it, perhaps just an outline of buildings in muted greys?

It is Steve. First photo I found is suitably hazy.

Image by Ben Brooksbank, and reproduced under common licence.

 

As usual, the angle at which the photo was taken dictates what is in view, but this is about perfect for "from Spital Bridge" shots. Please note the 02 on the Down slow. Tagalie, the A3, has the late crest, so this is definitely my period. What more justification could I ask?

[great northern]

Thid seems as good a time as any to post my last Spital Bridge shot, taken from as far over on the Midland side as I could get, and requiring not only contortions but also ducking down very quickly while the camera was on delay to avoid being in shot.

just needs the Cathedral in the background now.

[31A]

It is Steve. First photo I found is suitably hazy.

003.jpg

Image by Ben Brooksbank, and reproduced under common licence.

 

As usual, the angle at which the photo was taken dictates what is in view, but this is about perfect for "from Spital Bridge" shots. Please note the 02 on the Down slow. Tagalie, the A3, has the late crest, so this is definitely my period. What more justification could I ask?

 

 

Something like that would look good as a backscene.  I think the tall chimney on the skyline may be the power station that used to be on the east side of the line near the Nene bridge - you can still see the footings of the conveyor that used to cross the line from it, adjacent to Nene Sidings.  Interesting to see a 3-car Metro Cammell DMU which presumably at that time would be on an LM service; none were allocated to the ER until much later.

[great northern]

Something like that would look good as a backscene.  I think the tall chimney on the skyline may be the power station that used to be on the east side of the line near the Nene bridge - you can still see the footings of the conveyor that used to cross the line from it, adjacent to Nene Sidings.  Interesting to see a 3-car Metro Cammell DMU which presumably at that time would be on an LM service; none were allocated to the ER until much later.

That is the power station chimney as you say, and very visible in photos taken from this end. From the South end though it can't be seen at all. I've tried a cardboard cut out, but it doesn't work at all, so I think it will have to be omitted. The Met Cam is stabled in one of the Midland sidings, which would be logical, but I've seen photos of ER DMUs stabled there too. It is nagging at my mind though that there may have been some MetCams in East Anglia early on, but I'm no authority on that subject.

[great northern]

 Another rear three quarter view of 60111 tonight, though in black and white for a change.

and coming the other way are the Aberdeen fish empties, unusually with a March K1 at the head. Andy Rush told me that 31B K1s were pool engines for most of the year, and I've seen reports of them at KX on Cambridge trains, so that must be how this one got down the end of the ECML. Perhaps it will come off in New England yards, but we can't see that far, and so we shall never know.

Chamossaire has sneaked down into the bay while you weren't looking.

[chrisf]

. It is nagging at my mind though that there may have been some MetCams in East Anglia early on, but I'm no authority on that subject.

 

There were - the very early ones that would only multiple with the original Derby lightweights.  I'm not sure that they got as far as Peterborough though.

 

Chris

[stewartingram]

That is the power station chimney as you say, and very visible in photos taken from this end. From the South end though it can't be seen at all. I've tried a cardboard cut out, but it doesn't work at all, so I think it will have to be omitted. The Met Cam is stabled in one of the Midland sidings, which would be logical, but I've seen photos of ER DMUs stabled there too. It is nagging at my mind though that there may have been some MetCams in East Anglia early on, but I'm no authority on that subject.

 

As a Cambridge trainspotter, I can vouch for only the 79xxx Met-Cams being East Anglian initially. Around about 1964 (probably due to post-Beeching) we inherited a number of units from elsewhere, including 101s. Prior to that the only 101s that I have records of are on the Leicester/Birmingham services to Cambridge. Of course there was always the odd "special" working, for whatever reason, but these were not the norm.

 

Stewart

[stewartingram]

There were - the very early ones that would only multiple with the original Derby lightweights.  I'm not sure that they got as far as Peterborough though.

 

Chris

 

I have ridden on them to Peterborough, usually via the St.Ives loop. They were more common east of Cambridge though.

 

Stewart

[great northern]

Just time for one quick image this morning, the last one of 60111. I'll catch up later.

[31A]

There were - the very early ones that would only multiple with the original Derby lightweights.  I'm not sure that they got as far as Peterborough though.

 

Chris

 

 

There were indeed (numbered in the 79xxx series), but they were only two car units and the front ends were slightly different, with jumper cables below the windscreens, and a 'skirt' below the buffer beams.

[Bedders]

just needs the Cathedral in the background now.

 

"Paging Allan Downes.  Allan Downes to Peterborough North please"

[great northern]

"Paging Allan Downes.  Allan Downes to Peterborough North please"

Yes, I can imagine the conversation. " Gilbert, what you need my boy is.....gargoyles".

[Alister_G]

Yes, I can imagine the conversation. " Gilbert, what you need my boy is.....gargoyles".

 

Just don't mention the windmill...

 

Al.

[great northern]

Thanks for all the contributions regarding the Met Cam DMUs. I succeeded in finding some Steam World articles on the Peterborough- Northampton and Peterborough - Rugby lines, from which it seems that DMUs of any type were not used on either until the 1960s. That is borne out by photographic evidence, which shows all to be loco hauled services, even when diesel power did appear. Of course it is possible that photographers just didn't "waste" film on DMUs, but they do seem to have been rare.

 

They were used on Saturdays on the Grantham - Peterborough locals, but those wouldn't have been Met Cams, so it is a bit of a mystery where the one in the photo appeared from. Tim's Dad took a photo of units in that siding, which seem to have been crew training, so I suppose that is a possibility.

[Market65]

That is an interesting photo'. I know it is a crew training run, but you have a fascinating combination of cars there. They are all class 114, as the Derby Heavyweights became, and are marshalled as follows: DMBS + DMBS + DTCL. I was not aware you could couple class 114 cars in that way, and that only a DMBS could couple to a DTCL. It was, apparently, something to do with the inter-car wiring.

 

Regards,

 

Rob.

[great northern]

That is an interesting photo'. I know it is a crew training run, but you have a fascinating combination of cars there. They are all class 114, as the Derby Heavyweights became, and are marshalled as follows: DMBS + DMBS + DTCL. I was not aware you could couple class 114 cars in that way, and that only a DMBS could couple to a DTCL. It was, apparently, something to do with the inter-car wiring.

 

Regards,

 

Rob.

I know very little about DMUs, Rob, but the combination did seem curious even to me. Hopefully someone will come along and tell us what it was all about.

[great northern]

Returning hastily to a subject about which I have at least some knowledge, tonight's photos again feature the K1, and are another attempt to vary the now familiar viewpoints.

This one came out a lot better than most of my against the light efforts.

and this is one I really am pleased with. Some days they come off, others, they don't

[chrisf]

That is an interesting photo'. I know it is a crew training run, but you have a fascinating combination of cars there. They are all class 114, as the Derby Heavyweights became, and are marshalled as follows: DMBS + DMBS + DTCL. I was not aware you could couple class 114 cars in that way, and that only a DMBS could couple to a DTCL. It was, apparently, something to do with the inter-car wiring.

 

Regards,

 

Rob.

 

I reckon that picture dates from 1957.  Around that time it was discovered that these units were underpowered and were not able to haul vans as had been hoped.  Accordingly several driving trailers were placed into store and the power cars attached to other units as illustrated.  From 1958 the power cars went through shops to emerge with 230 hp engines, a significant advance on the 150 hp engines.  Various snippets in Railway Observer and Trains Illustrated tell the tale.

 

Chris 

[Mallard60022]

 

Does this help in any way with the Water Crane pump position and fixing?

Phil

[great northern]

Just don't mention the windmill...

 

Al.

Or the steelworks.

[great northern]

post-98-0-37014100-1478027490_thumb.jpg

 

Does this help in any way with the Water Crane pump position and fixing?

Phil

It does thank you Phil. Absolute confirmation. What's more, I think I may have at least one unused Mike's Models kit, and so may be able to replicate this, using the "31A method".

[great northern]

I have for you this fine morning one more picture of the K1.

And then we are back to the big stuff, as the only Heaton turn to get this far South arrives behind A3 Book Law, this being the 7.53am from Sunderland. 60514 waits to take over.