Peterborough North

[St Enodoc]

They might have been servicemen who'd been with the Allied Forces,  they might have been DPs (Displaced Persons) who had headed west to avoid the Russians, or they might have been ex-PoWs. There was an incident where large numbers of Poles, who had served with distinction in Italy, were sent back to the Eastern Bloc (and, at best, a Gulag) after VE-Day, but such a furore was raised that many more were allowed to stay.

 

RE : Train headboards etc.

I remember in my early days cleaning at Grantham , 1957 , there was a stand with various train headboards near the bike shed/time office area . They were'nt transferred on the platform , I'm pretty sure .

 

As for cleaners at KX Top shed . Again through personal memory , I remember when on my 2-year stint on loan there , during Peter Townend's time , there was a gang of polish men who cleaned the engines , polished the front buffers etc. under their foreman , Dick Ball , I think his name was . They always seemed a hard working happy band .

 

A little story ; I once had to go see Mr. Townend , cap in hand  I was advised , for a rollicking . I had pulled some points over in the loco and waved my driver back into a shed road and the tender came off the road before he could bring it to a stop . It appeared there was a bit of coal in the point blades and they had'nt gone fully over , resulting in a bit of bumping on the sleepers !!

P.N.T. told me I'd be back at Grantham if I did'nt behave myself .

I read that as polish as in polishing the buffers, not Polish as in from Poland. Must be an age thing...

[St Enodoc]

One of the nicest blokes I worked with, when I was a spotty student on a large building site outside Plymouth in 1968 I think it was, was a Polish bricklayer. His favourite phrase was " Scrape it up" with reference to the 'muck' I was mixing for him. Those were the days. (Sorry Gilbert, OT as usual).

Oh yes, my Ford Popular 100E got fittted with a Straight Through and Small Sports, leather bound steering wheel + two yellow front fogs. How sad is that? (Gilbert knows what I'm on about).

Phil

The only Straight Through part on mine was the hole in the boot. Sorry Gilbert, I've hijacked your thread now as well as Phil's.

[great northern]

A couple more images this morning, before going out to get very cold.

One more of the J50, now nearly able to get off the Up main and into the yards.

And just to show that I do try to cater for all tastes, here is the big green shiny thing which was the reason for its haste. The driver, who of course can't be seen, is yelling insults at the signalman in North box, as he has been held for a couple of minutes at Westwood because some ***** allowed a ******* trip working to go through in front of him. I suspect he may be shouting at the wrong man, as I doubt North box was responsible, but hey, if the right person isn't available to be shouted at, just pick on the closest available.

 

These North end views may have to be postponed for a while, as they are getting far too time consuming. The problem I think is that the sun is still at an angle which means it shines directly in, and it is creating background colours which are as good as identical to the roofs of buildings, and the side of the water tower. I've had to bin a couple, as my hand just isn't steady enough to do ruler straight lines by hand, and if you look closely, which I hope you won't, there are some very dodgy ragged edges on these two.

 

Hermit, by the way, to save you looking up 60109, and the train is the 1230 Doncaster- KX semi fast. And it has the nice new small lamps.

[landscapes]

A couple more images this morning, before going out to get very cold.

J50 4.jpg

One more of the J50, now nearly able to get off the Up main and into the yards.

109 2.jpg

And just to show that I do try to cater for all tastes, here is the big green shiny thing which was the reason for its haste. The driver, who of course can't be seen, is yelling insults at the signalman in North box, as he has been held for a couple of minutes at Westwood because some ***** allowed a ******* trip working to go through in front of him. I suspect he may be shouting at the wrong man, as I doubt North box was responsible, but hey, if the right person isn't available to be shouted at, just pick on the closest available.

 

These North end views may have to be postponed for a while, as they are getting far too time consuming. The problem I think is that the sun is still at an angle which means it shines directly in, and it is creating background colours which are as good as identical to the roofs of buildings, and the side of the water tower. I've had to bin a couple, as my hand just isn't steady enough to do ruler straight lines by hand, and if you look closely, which I hope you won't, there are some very dodgy ragged edges on these two.

 

Hermit, by the way, to save you looking up 60109, and the train is the 1230 Doncaster- KX semi fast. And it has the nice new small lamps.

 

Hi Gilbert

 

I must say I do like that J50, is it the new Hornby version, it looks weathered to perfection, I wish I could have justified one being at Haymarket but as far as I know its a big No, although I do believe about half a dozen were based in the Glasgow area in the late fifties.

 

Do I spy the new lamps on 60109 Hermit?

 

A couple of nice photos and a good selection of motive power as well.

 

Regards

 

David

[Oldddudders]

The smaller lamps are such an improvement. They now become a detail of the loco's appearance, rather than dominating it.

 

The eternal struggle between signalmen and drivers was a feature of my time in Control, now more than 40 years ago. Suitable advice was regularly offered by each to the other, and on occasions the signalman would demand that the driver's words, lost on the wind in many cases, be repeated to him. Some diplomacy was called for!

[Mallard60022]

11/10 for new lamps. 

 

I read that as polish as in polishing the buffers, not Polish as in from Poland. Must be an age thing...

Ah, it may be me as it was polish not Polish. Perhaps they were actually called the polish gang?

 

Was a bit 'off in the clouds' yesterday and forgot to say brill job with the water crane G. Much improved so far.

Phil 

Edited March 5, 2016 by Mallard60022

[CUTLER2579]

Roy,

 

Indeed the Cleaning foreman at Top Shed was Dick Ball. My dad  (Fitter) spent time at 34A working under  P.N.T. whilst Black 5    44911 was there from Chester &  several Standard Class 5's including 73157,8 & 9 were also  there in the late fifties.They were transferred from 34D Neasden in about 1958 when Neasden  came under Midland Region control.   as the Cross fitters were unfamilar with both classes. My father worked with Bill Stanton (also from Neasden like father) Peter Smith who was very short.That's about all I remember about  him.

 

Regards,Derek.

[gresley]

A couple more images this morning, before going out to get very cold.

J50 4.jpg

One more of the J50, now nearly able to get off the Up main and into the yards.

109 2.jpg

And just to show that I do try to cater for all tastes, here is the big green shiny thing which was the reason for its haste. The driver, who of course can't be seen, is yelling insults at the signalman in North box, as he has been held for a couple of minutes at Westwood because some ***** allowed a ******* trip working to go through in front of him. I suspect he may be shouting at the wrong man, as I doubt North box was responsible, but hey, if the right person isn't available to be shouted at, just pick on the closest available.

 

These North end views may have to be postponed for a while, as they are getting far too time consuming. The problem I think is that the sun is still at an angle which means it shines directly in, and it is creating background colours which are as good as identical to the roofs of buildings, and the side of the water tower. I've had to bin a couple, as my hand just isn't steady enough to do ruler straight lines by hand, and if you look closely, which I hope you won't, there are some very dodgy ragged edges on these two.

 

Hermit, by the way, to save you looking up 60109, and the train is the 1230 Doncaster- KX semi fast. And it has the nice new small lamps.

Gilbert,

 

Please can you refresh my knowledge.   What/which are those new lamps on Hermit ?   Certainly a big improvement, or should I say small !!!!

 

Stuart

[great northern]

Hi Gilbert

 

I must say I do like that J50, is it the new Hornby version, it looks weathered to perfection, I wish I could have justified one being at Haymarket but as far as I know its a big No, although I do believe about half a dozen were based in the Glasgow area in the late fifties.

 

Do I spy the new lamps on 60109 Hermit?

 

A couple of nice photos and a good selection of motive power as well.

 

Regards

 

David

Yes , the Hornby J50 David, beautifully weathered by Tim. LMS lamps on Hermit, but placed in front of the irons, as they really are very difficult to drill out.

[great northern]

Gilbert,

 

Please can you refresh my knowledge.   What/which are those new lamps on Hermit ?   Certainly a big improvement, or should I say small !!!!

 

Stuart

From Lanarkshire Models and Supplies, Stuart.

[Richard E]

The only Straight Through part on mine was the hole in the boot. Sorry Gilbert, I've hijacked your thread now as well as Phil's.

Mine ended it's life in the side of a Mini. It was replaced with a 107E which acquired Capri Struts, disc brakes, 105E half shafts, Lotus Cortina Wheels and a 1200 Cortina engine in place of the standard 997. Oh, and wipers off a Mini to replace those dreadful vacuum ones that went slower the faster you went.

[bigwordsmith]

Apart from a single company car, I never owned a Ford until I was 33 and bought  a Granada Estate from an old friend - what a bus that was!

Actually I lied - I owned a Zephyr ( dagenham Barge) which went through four head gasket in as many months. AT month 4.5, with a working head gasket, it got sold. I nought a Saab 95- three cylinder 2-stroke! What fun that was with a neurotic girlfriend trying to get  up Succombes Hill with the gearbox gently disintegrating - we ended up getting up there in reverse!

Edited March 5, 2016 by bigwordsmith

[great northern]

And so to tonight's picture.

 

I do hope you enjoy this, as it took me rather a long time. I didn't notice that early on Paint.Net decided to eat the roof of the first coach until I'd done rather a lot more. 68 more actually, so that's how far I had to go back to correct it, and then of course do all the rest again. And why did I bother? I think I was just feeling obstinate.

[great northern]

And so to tonight's picture.

I do hope you enjoy this, as it took me rather a long time. I didn't notice that early on Paint.Net decided to eat the roof of the first coach until I'd done rather a lot more. 68 more actually, so that's how far I had to go back to correct it, and then of course do all the rest again. And why did I bother? I think I was just feeling obstinate. Now I'm feeling tired. Goodnight all.

[great northern]

A few more pictures before I go and get on with things.

I can confidently say that you haven't seen this view before, and remembering the contortions necessary to get it, you may not see it again.  The WD is pulling away having got the road, passes under Spital Bridge, and on the real thing would now block the ECML completely while crossing into the yards.

 

Next, we are in the dark, where I frequently find myself these days.

 

And finally a view often seen, but I think it is a very nice one. Hermit now waits time at the South end of platform 2.

 

[Clearwater]

The shot I the dark under the canopy is truly brilliant. Somehow the lack of light and focus on the figures gives them more animation. The figure look like they're walking forward to be ready to board their train as it stops

 

David

[great northern]

Today's big job was to get a fair amount of stuff on E Bay. Any attempt to do that however results in them telling me how embarrassing this is for them, but the quick listing tool isn't working. So back to the railway, and in view of our car related discussions, it seems appropriate to feature this, and appropriate also that it should be in black and white.

Not a very good model, but  I suppose it does sit up and beg. I'm now trying to remember the reg number of mine, so that I can renumber this one. *** 229 is as close as I can get. In response to comments about lack of people on the layout I put in a few more, but for goodness sake, doesn't that bloke lurking by the lamp post look awful! That poster advertising the film Dunkirk brings back memories - my father took me to see that when it came out. I must have nagged him something rotten, as I can't recall him going to the pictures either before or since.

[JeffP]

Gilbert, the film I nagged for was "The Vikings".

 

Saab 3 cyl 2-stroke...oh yes! A mate had one at college, it stank of two-stroke oil and could lay down a smoke screen when charging along.

Three individual Amal carbs, if my memory serves me?

[great northern]

Switch on TV to watch Rory McIlroy, and what do I get? Trump.    We are reminded that we are  at the Trump Doral course, on the Trump National golf complex, and then we get the "great man" himself. " Gee, thanks Mr Trump for spending time with us.....  So I've done another picture instead, and hopefully we shall than have seen the last of him, for today at least.

Tempsford - New England Class F, headed by a borrowed 04/8, which isn't due to head back home until the small hours, so that's all right really.

[drmditch]

I do like 04/8s. (Mine is hybrid of Bachmann 04 and B1 parts with some scratchbuilding)  I think they look as an NER 2-8-0 would have looked, had Vincent Raven decided to build one!

[great northern]

A rather frustrating day really, as almost everything I wanted to get done hasn't been done, through no fault of mine for once. One more photo though to finish the day.

Another look at the 04/8, and it does look rather nice, I must say. Some elegant pre grouping classes were ruined by rebuilding, but the 100A boiler and side window cab look right on this to me. No turning faclities at Tempsford, hence the need for brake vans at front and rear.

[Mallard60022]

G, do you think that Trump bloke is aware that he is named after a very 70s/80s schoolboy term for a large outletting of stinking warm gas? If not then he should be made aware ASAP.

That middle shot in #10490 is superb. I hadn't twigged the increase in passenger numbers in there.

Phil

Edited March 7, 2016 by Mallard60022

[JeffP]

His name is an Americanisation of Drumpf.

 

I reckon when they changed it, they didn't do research, since the only American use of "trump" that I can find, is like in cards: the suit that beats all others.

 

Otherwise he might have chosen "Drum".

[great northern]

G, do you think that Trump bloke is aware that he is named after a very 70s/80s schoolboy term for a large outletting of stinking warm gas? If not then he should be made aware ASAP.

That middle shot in #10490 is superb. I hadn't twigged the increase in passenger numbers in there.

Phil

My own view is that the man fits the description very well. He, being a complete megalomaniac, neither knows nor cares. He'd probably want to have me waterboarded if he read this.

[great northern]

We may be straying a bit close to politics here, so lets have some more pictures to take our minds off such things. I decided to see what an under the roof shot would look like from the other end, but it isn't as easy to see the viewfinder when composing the shot, so I got this.

Which actually looks rather better now than when I first saw it. I then ran the train on a bit.

which gave something a bit nondescript, so I moved it closer still.

I've now decided I prefer the first one. What do you think?