Peterborough North

[great northern]

The 9.25 is not ready to go yet, so the WD is allowed through and back to the Up. We have a manon the bridge to record that.

and there is another one at ground level near the signal box.

 

I've just checked the WTT to see what the margin was for the 9.25, as even that would surely take precedence over a Class H.  Much to my surprise, I found that it stopped at Abbots Ripton, which was being run down for closure, before it got to Huntingdon, so there was time to get the WD into a loop without inconvenience to passengers

[great northern]

Thane of Fife is on its way, next stop Abbot's Ripton.

Then we have the 7.50 KX-Skegness, which was the only train to Skeggy which ran non stop on the main line part of the journey. I think it is a good bet therefore that this is the Butlin's express. There is no headboard, but the Top Shed B1 has been given special treatment.

[great northern]

On we go towards Skegness. Weather forecast is 57f, wind NE 20mph, light drizzle, and don't even think about the sea temperature.

and hope Mrs McStingy, the landlady, doesn't live up to her name.

Are we nearly there yet?

[30368]

18 minutes ago, great northern said:

and hope Mrs McStingy, the landlady, doesn't live up to her name.

 

She probably will Gilbert, based on my memories of those far off days.

 

Kind regards,

 

30368

[great northern]

Another of those trais we see every day of the week now appears, this one being that short parcels train from New England to East, which will spend quite a while in Number 1 bay. Local J6 64177 has the job today, and we have two views of it on the approach to the station.

 

I do like a J6, especially one that has come half way round the world to get here.

[great northern]

Now the Down expresses start to appear much more frequently. Copley Hill A1 Aboyeur has the 8.00 Leeds.

The J6 is now out of the way while parcels transfers take place, while Aboyeur negotiates the dogs leg curve.

[trw1089]

15 hours ago, great northern said:

I do like a J6, especially one that has come half way round the world to get here.

Glad to see it still earning it's keep.  Always brings a big smile to my face when it makes an appearance!

[great northern]

8 minutes ago, trw1089 said:

Glad to see it still earning it's keep.  Always brings a big smile to my face when it makes an appearance!

And to mine Tony, it upset me when it wasn't in service.

[great northern]

One more of Aboyeur this evening. I have photographed the whole formation, as it is slightly unusual, and I will post all of those in the morning.

[great northern]

The formation of the 8.00 Leeds/Bradford.

Mk1s to start with.BSO CK.

 

MK1 SK, two compartments reserved for passengers joining at Hitchin, who back then would almost certainly those compartments empty, whereas now they would be full of sullen looking interlopers, who would refuse to move. Then an all door Gresley SK.

Another all door SK and a BSK, these two and the previous SK to be secured by KX.

FO and RK, the latter one of the few to be seen in 1958. These came off the previous days 1145 Up Leeds.

Now the Bradford portion. CK, again one compartment reserved for those joining at Hithchin, and a BG.

Finally, MK1 TSO. For some reason on Bradford portions these were often placed outside the brake vehicle. Bonus J6 as well.

[great northern]

The A1 has now nearly passed through the station.

and we are back to rationing, as most days recently have featured lovely early sun, but cloud filling in before it shines into my windows. It comes out again mid afternoon, too late to be of use to me.

 

[trw1089]

19 hours ago, great northern said:

Bonus J6 as well

Always a bonus!

[great northern]

Aboyeur again, just a little futher along.

and one from the other side.

A much better impression of the length of the layout, a bit more light where it is needed, so why don't I stick with photos from this side? Probably because there are so many lattices to deal with, and the south end can be a pain when photoshopping if the light is less than perfect.

[AndyB]

FWIW I think the way you've captured the scene is really well composed. In particular the rather subdued colour palette is very effective. 

Thanks for sharing. Andy

[great northern]

Here is the 9.30 to Yarmouth, which has additional cars for anticipated Saturday traffic. That makes it too long for the bay, and so it occupies Platform 6 today. As always there is an Ivatt 4 in charge.

Even an Ivatt looks quite good with that backdrop.

[great northern]

Attention switches back to the Up, as another A1 approaches. It is another Copley Hill engine too, Kittiwake this time, bringing in an Up Leeds, which will stop here for five minutes.

[great northern]

Opened the curtains to another cloudless sky, and the forecast said the cloud would take over by noon, so I changed my routine, and went to run trains at 1030. The clouds arrived at 1040. So one image at a time again, and this one is a rear three quarter view of Kittiwake slowing for the stop. Not taken today, of course.

Edited April 26 by great northern
spelling

[great northern]

Back to the other side, and to one of the most familiar views of an arriving Up train.

One of the reliably good places to take a photo though, I find.

[great northern]

Seagull now arrives with the 6.40 KX-Grantham slow. As always, the next part of the diagram will be something more challenging.

 

[great northern]

Seagull runs alongside Platform 6, but still has a little way to go before finally stopping.

This evening we shall have a look at what is behind the tender.

[great northern]

So here is what was behind the tender on a Saturday in July 1958.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[davidw]

37 minutes ago, great northern said:

So here is what was behind the tender on a Saturday in July 1958.

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's seems a very unusual rake for an A4. I think I've seen something in a book that's similar. Would any available motive power and rolling stock be used os a Summer Saturday?

Slight digression. Have you bothered with the Thompson BG - hope you don't mind me asking.  I've looked through Robert Carol's Pdfs there didn't seem any include in a passenger rake except the Elizabethan but the solebars on those are deeper.

[great northern]

59 minutes ago, davidw said:

That's seems a very unusual rake for an A4. I think I've seen something in a book that's similar. Would any available motive power and rolling stock be used os a Summer Saturday?

Slight digression. Have you bothered with the Thompson BG - hope you don't mind me asking.  I've looked through Robert Carol's Pdfs there didn't seem any include in a passenger rake except the Elizabethan but the solebars on those are deeper.

When one looks at the article in the HMRS Journal, it becomes clear that this happened regularly, and not just on Saturdays. The 5.50 KX-Grantham had A3s on three days out of five, and the 6.40 two A3s, 60015 on the 9th July, and V2s on the other days. The 7.20 Down Peterborough had two A4s, 60010/15, and three A3s out of six days recorded. That was a steel five set, with a couple of added BGs. 60033 itself was on the 7pm Peterborough-KX on two consecutive days, 9th and 10th July. On 10th July the formation was PMV (southern) BCK TSOx2,BCK BG. These workings were commonplace, but I suspect rarely photographed. I suspect also that in almost every case either the previous or next working for the loco would have been on an express.

 

I do have some Thompson BGs, and again have learned from the survey that what the CWN says often differed from what actually appeared, so they do get used in passenger trains as well as in parcels.

[davidw]

23 minutes ago, great northern said:

When one looks at the article in the HMRS Journal, it becomes clear that this happened regularly, and not just on Saturdays. The 5.50 KX-Grantham had A3s on three days out of five, and the 6.40 two A3s, 60015 on the 9th July, and V2s on the other days. The 7.20 Down Peterborough had two A4s, 60010/15, and three A3s out of six days recorded. That was a steel five set, with a couple of added BGs. 60033 itself was on the 7pm Peterborough-KX on two consecutive days, 9th and 10th July. On 10th July the formation was PMV (southern) BCK TSOx2,BCK BG. These workings were commonplace, but I suspect rarely photographed. I suspect also that in almost every case either the previous or next working for the loco would have been on an express.

 

I do have some Thompson BGs, and again have learned from the survey that what the CWN says often differed from what actually appeared, so they do get used in passenger trains as well as in parcels.

Thank you Gilbert.  I'd not considered the HMRS Journal. 

I've seen the Thompson BG but resisted temptation.  I can now justify to myself if not Ruth why need them.

 

[great northern]

Having seen what is behind it, back up front for another look at our A4.