Peterborough North

[Flying Fox 34F]

Gilbert,

Good to see some of Dave's loco's back in service. Here's something to ponder, was the A4 that he referred to as "Mucky Duck" was actually 60021 Wild Swan. Is that one missing from you collection?

Paul 4475

[great northern]

Nice to see you back in harness Gilbert. I know you've been busy with other matters recently but I, for one, have missed regular updates on PN. I was speaking to 600067 the other day who told me that you seemed very down at Dave's funeral. I hope you are feeling more like your old self now.

 

Get out on that golf course, it'll do you the world of good!

Hi Rob,

 

Yes, I'm fine thanks, and the work involved in disposing of Dave's layout is winding down now that most has been sold. Golf is still on the agenda, even some practicing is taking place! And, I'm hitting the ball better than I have for years.

[great northern]

Gilbert,

Good to see some of Dave's loco's back in service. Here's something to ponder, was the A4 that he referred to as "Mucky Duck" was actually 60021 Wild Swan. Is that one missing from you collection?

Paul 4475

He said that when he saw it it was always filthy, so I reckon that must have been in 1963 when even Top Shed stopped cleaning engines. I reckon it is one of the loveliest names in the whole class, and so it was one of the first renamings I did, and of course it is in 1958 Top Shed condition.

[great northern]

Over a fortnight ago I purchased some more fish vans, which alas no longer have anywhere to run, following the sale of Stoke Summit and Charwelton. These are all kit built by Rob Kinsey of Wolverhampton MRC, and very nice indeed. They have been languishing in the box since Rob brought them over here, but today I finally managed to get them railed up, or nearly all of them, and admire them in a proper setting.

 

I now have three cassettes full of fish vans, so I will be able to run a fairly impressive 36 wagon train, or ring the changes on shorter ones. Here they are, with the appropriate immaculate Top Shed B1 at the head. As is now almost obligatory, I failed to notice the one that I hadn't railed up properly.....until it was too late.

 

I will get back to running the layout again soon, I hope. Why is it though that just sitting in front of a PC for hours is so tiring? It takes more out of me than a full round of golf. Still, the sale of Tetley's Mills is progressing well, and that is all that matters.

[Mallard60022]

Remember Gilbert that I have the ability to provide smellaroma for your fish vans (no sniggering at the back please......).

By jove they look very Grim(sby)

Quackers.

P.S. I'm jealous of your lovely signals.

[Theakerr]

hi Gilbert,

My memory may be corrected by facts but as I remember most of the fish trains that came through Grimsby on there way to London were only about 20 wagons, so you can almost run two trains up to London or one empty back

[Tony Wright]

Very little has been happening at PN lately, as my attention has been elsewhere. I did have a visit from our duck the other day though, and we spent a happy hour or two running some trains, nearly all of which ran nice and smoothly when asked.

 

For some days now, a box has sat in my railway room, but I haven't felt the time was right to unpack it. Somehow though, today I just feel differently, so I shall share with you a couple of the contents. First though, a bit of background information. Back in late 2012, I decided to get my mate Dave Shakespeare a layout warming/ Christmas present. It wasn't something we were in the habit of doing, but having seen the lovely new house completed, and the work in the railway room already started, it seemed like a good idea. So, I acquired a Hornby B1, and asked Tim Easter to transform it into a down at heel early 60's Wakefield loco, which he duly did. Unfortunately it had been considerably over oiled, and Tim found out just before he was due to deliver it that the oil had soaked through and caused patches on the boiler. Somehow, he managed to put it right, and four days before Christmas I was able to present it to Dave. It was the only time in our long friendship that I saw him lost for words! He soon recovered though, and asked if he could see it running, which we did. Typically, he sent Tim a lovely e-mail of thanks.

 

Of course within a month came the dreadful diagnosis, and Dave's request to me to dispose of the whole of his railway collection. He asked me though to keep the B1, and run it on PN, but not to change its identity. He also insisted that I take a complete train, so I came home with a WD and loaded minerals too. Later in the year though, when things looked so promising, I took it all back to him - never was there a happier task. In the end though, the B1 has come back to me. Julie kindly told me to take whatever I wanted as well, saying that Dave would like to think that his stock was on PN. As you will see, I did take rather more, but despite Julie's refusing to accept payment, I shall donate to Cancer Research as so many of you have so generously done.

1023 1.jpg

1023 2.jpg

 

On his visits to PN, Dave invariably commented on the fact that a particular A4 was never to be seen. He was four years younger than me, and so it was in the early 60's that he saw steam. He remembered seeing the occasional A4, though he claimed it was always the same ones. One of them was 60017 Silver Fox, and another what he always referred to as "Mucky Duck". I can't find that one in my combined volume for some reason, but I'm sure he wasn't referring in derogatory terms to one of the most frequent visitors to these pages. Anyway, Dave had Silver Fox, and now he no longer needs her, she has also come to grace PN.

17.jpg

Gilbert,

 

The B1 is a beautiful piece of work, and looks so natural. 

 

A lovely gesture as well to present it to Dave, and I'm sure it will be now cherished as much on PN as it would have been (but for this ghastly disease) on the new TM.

 

As for the oil 'problem', it might have something to do with Hornby's formula for lubrication, not necessarily to do with too much of the stuff. I renumbered/weathered two Hornby O1s a couple of years ago. Neither seemed over-oiled at source, yet both now have shiny patches on the footplate/boiler where oil has crept up (it can't have seeped through, can it?). Since one started out with a deliberate 'sheen' to its weathering, the further effect isn't too bad but I'm concerned more for the all-matt one as the 'creep' seems relentless. I haven't added more oil at any time.

 

I have a Hornby B1 being weathered at the moment, so we'll see if that is affected in the same way. 

 

Thanks, too, for all your hard work over the last few weeks in finding new homes for Dave's model railway stuff.

[great northern]

We have now reached the stage where less time is spent on the disposal of Tetley's Mills, so I set aside this afternoon for playing trains, and ending the drought of new stuff on here. Having said that, both my eyes and my back are telling me that I'm spending far too much time in front of the PC, so although you have plenty of images to look at, if you so wish, I have photoshopped only those which I know can be done quickly. It is still late afternoon at PN, even though it is ages since we visited, and the latest arrival is an all stations working from Hitchin. If one traces the previous, and subsequent duties of the stock though, it turns out that it formed a KX- Hitchin working, waited there for an hour or so, then formed this train, and will later form a Peterborough - Grantham service, so it is in effect a very slow indeed KX- Grantham train.

 

We arrive in time to see the loco, a very presentable named Hitchin B1, 61027 Madoqua, running forward to New England after detaching from its train.

Hopefully, this is the worst photo of the lot. Next a station pilot has buffered up to the stock, and will propel it down to Nene Sidings. I think this is the first shot in which all three station pilots can be seen together.

And we will follow its progress for a while....

On the Up line, we see the 4.27pm transfer goods from New England to Peterborough East, though there seems to be very little need for it today. The shedmaster has taken the opportunity to get a Leicester 3F back down to East, probably to take another goods train back to its home.

Again, we will follow its rather wheezy progess for a while.

Yes, but where's the big green stuff? I hear some of you say, The 3.10pm KX- Newcastle is due, headed by the first post war double kylchap A3, and the first I ever saw at PN, coming under the same bridge.

We like A3's, don't we, so again we will follow her northwards.

Swinging the camera round,we can see that lovely rear three quarter view which suits an A3 so well.

In fact, it is so nice that I took a close up too, though I baulked at photoshopping those lattice posts.

Following on the Down slow are the returning empties of a coal train to Little Barford power station. The shedmaster has taken the opportunity to get a few miles out of a March 01, as its rostered return working isn't until late evening.

I wasn't too happy with that one, so I tried this, which I think is a new view.

And I liked it sufficiently to take another, having first straightened that top lamp.

While the 01 is slowing gradually, as the signals governing entry to New England yard are, predictably, on, the 4.27pm arrival from Harwich makes its way into Platform 6.

The 01 is out of focus, but I can't see a way to avoid that. Otherwise I rather like this, but I must get rid of those huge lamps. I decided to try another, the B17 now stationary, while the 01 continues to avoid snapping couplings by over fast braking. The light would indeed have been from the right at this time of day, but probably not this much.

The next Up train was an eleven coach Leeds-KX service.Now a while ago, Tony Wright posted on his thread that he didn't personally think that any ECML station could be properly modelled in a space less than 30 ft long. I was miffed, and a discussion ensued. TW made it clear that he was just expressing his opinion as to what degree of compression he would find acceptable in his shed, which is fair enough, and invited me to post my views on his thread in response. Well, until now I haven't had the time, but I shall now do so, using the photos you are about to see. I thought they might as well go on here as well.

And so we see Great Central running in from the North, and then a variety of views of her at rest at the South end.

I'll explain what the discussion was about later, but now it is tea time, and anyway, there is quite enough to be going on with. Too much, did I hear you say? I was about to express my deep thanks to the PC for not fouling any of this lot up, till it decided the last photo was a thumbnail. Why? it was loaded exactly the same as all the others. I am not going to mess about with it any more though.

Edited September 21, 2014 by great northern

[Grafarman]

Absolutely cracking pictures Gilbert; of course we understand the solemn and necessary reasons for you being occupied elsewhere, but it's good to have you back behind the controls at Peterborough North again.

 

I do like the 'new view' of the O1 under the bridge - yet another good spot for pictures there...

 

 

David

[Mallard60022]

Oh I am so pleased to have seen that lot and with my lovely Wollywinder as the star A3. A superb shot G. Thank you.

The rear 3/4 of the A3 is just so right & the nicely weathered 01 is excellent in the under the bridge (new) shot; brilliant.

Made my day and I shall now have some more rouge vino and then pretend to be studying my reference material to confirm the design of SR lamps in Seatonish Junctionish west yard when in actual fact I shall be asleep.

P

Edited September 21, 2014 by Mallard60022

[gwrrob]

Superb work all round but I'm curious to how you get your lamps to stay straight.They're very good.

[Mallard60022]

Superb work all round but I'm curious to how you get your lamps to stay straight.They're very good.

You have seen my lamps?

P

[Anotheran]

Fantastic pictures once again, and I really like the commentary as to what is where and when... and why!

 

The 01 is out of focus, but I can't see a way to avoid that.

 

As you're clearly adept at Photoshop (something I've not yet mastered) you may want to take a look at Andy York's thread on pictures for the magazine.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/84168-whats-involved-with-processing-an-image-for-the-magazine/

The first entry has links to some videos he made on techniques used. The first video is all about layering to get a greater depth of field. I've not tried it, but it looks to be exactly what you're after here.

 

I have to say, I like them as they are. But if you want that depth of field it may be of use!

 

Kind regards, Neil

[great northern]

Remember Gilbert that I have the ability to provide smellaroma for your fish vans (no sniggering at the back please......).

By jove they look very Grim(sby)

Quackers.

P.S. I'm jealous of your lovely signals.

An explanation is called for. When the duck came to help us parcel things up last Tuesday, he kindly brought with him a number of boxes, which proved very useful. Two of them though needed no written description as to what their previous contents had been. I honestly can't remember which lucky purchasers are getting their goods encased in those.

[Mallard60022]

OK I own up..........Fishcakes from Grimsby* (boxes from....). I suggested that the Tetlys Mills' fish vans should  could be dispatched in those, thus providing smellaroma vans!

I suspect Dave would have liked the idea of DCC Smellaroma so that one could programme a waft of stinky fish as the train rushed through PN [when I say rushed I mean negotiated expertly the speed limited section(s).] In fact smellaroma could catch on but that is not for discussion here.

(Other fishcake suppliers are available, however these are really 'andsome cakes   )

Thank you for your patience.

Duck of 36E

Edited September 22, 2014 by Mallard60022

[Oldddudders]

Some years ago a US concern offered a product called "Olfactory Airs" for layouts. I do not recall that special Grimsby odour being an option.

 

Gilbert - while the big green glamour girls may be the signature of a fine railway, it was the humble 0-6-0s and station pilots that secured the bread and butter for those elegant locos to pull. More pics of the "ordinary" railway will never go amiss.

[Mallard60022]

Superb work all round but I'm curious to how you get your lamps to stay straight.They're very good.

Oh.....those lamps.......doh!

P

[great northern]

Looking again at those images I posted yesterday, it occurred to me that one in particular might look quite nice in good old fashioned black and white, so I've had another fiddle around with it. The hoped for effect is that slightly "muddy" effect that one got when developing a print, and trying to minimise the burnt out sky, thus making it rather too contrasty. Altogether a bit retro?

[Mallard60022]

Lovely.

P

[New Haven Neil]

Catching up a little.....lovely shot of the pilots, I hadn't seen the old girl for a while!  I'm also in agreement with M'learned Duck about the rear 3/4 of the A3 - magic.

 

May I add my thanks regarding your task of dealing with your friend's matters - I have done that also, and it's not an easy task.  Shame about that J50 though - beyond my means!

[great northern]

Superb work all round but I'm curious to how you get your lamps to stay straight.They're very good.

Is that loco lamps you are referring to? If so, the simple answer is that usually it is a fluke. I use tacky wax to hold them in place, but it is all too easy to knock them askew I'm afraid. Fixing them permanently would be better, but then of course they would be restricted to one type of train. I've already got some like that........

[great northern]

Some years ago a US concern offered a product called "Olfactory Airs" for layouts. I do not recall that special Grimsby odour being an option.

 

Gilbert - while the big green glamour girls may be the signature of a fine railway, it was the humble 0-6-0s and station pilots that secured the bread and butter for those elegant locos to pull. More pics of the "ordinary" railway will never go amiss.

 I was brought up with the humble stuff Ian, and have always had a sneaking regard for it. As you say, it was those filthy WD's and O4's that I saw at Lincoln that earned the money, and there were plenty of them. One green engine a day was our ration. It did look very nice though.

[The Blue Streak]

Gilbert, that picture of the 01 just as it's gone under crescent bridge, is an absolute cracker !!!!!

[7APT7]

Hi Mate

 

Great B&W photos and I have to say that your layout is superb and look huge... a very good length that we all want to have in our spare room...

 

Thanks for sharing those with us...

 

Jamie

[great northern]

Hi Mate

 

Great B&W photos and I have to say that your layout is superb and look huge... a very good length that we all want to have in our spare room...

 

Thanks for sharing those with us...

 

Jamie

   To get more length in your spare room........... look at dividing wall between it and adjoining room, then find large lump hammer, and demolish said wall.

 

Health warning.

 

Do not attempt this

 

 a) unless the dividing wall is not load bearing.

 b) you have no "domestic authorities" to deal with. If you have, the lump hammer would probably be used on you, for even suggesting it.....