Peterborough North

[great northern]

The Longueville parish name refers to a local Norman French landowning family, and can be traced to the Domesday Book. Inscriptions using the spelling appear in the parish church. I suspect that Longville is simply a phonetic variation or simplification for convenience - spelling was often a matter of opinion rather than fact, until quite recently.

 

The nearby housing development of Botolph Bridge was formerly a parish variously spelt as Botolphbridge and Bottle Bridge, depending on source, and there is no Bridge there, or ever was. It is presently attributed to a local saint (from Thorney, as it happens) variously also spelt Botwulf, Botulf or Botulph, but the former church on the site was called All Saints.

 

NVR names vary considerably. Ferry Meadows is currently renamed Overton

 

F0B9AF6C-1871-4F6E-BE06-AD1F631398FC.jpeg

 

... although it isn’t on the site of the former Overton Station. It was called Ham Lane at one time and some locals still use the name, it being the name of the new level crossing.

 

The present Orton Mere Station is a 100 yards or so from the former, now vanished Orton Waterville Station.

Presumably the same St Botolph as is commemorated by Boston Stump, in my home town?

[FarrMan]

From the photos I have seen, Spital Bridge doesn't look wide enough for two way traffic?

Spittal Bridge was wide enough for two way traffic. One problem was the steep gradient on the East side, with a give way at the cross roads just at the bottom.

 

Lloyd

[great northern]

Another look at the WD as it clanks by, but if you prefer, there is the A4 to look at instead.

Every time I take a photo from this angle, I wish that I had made the baseboard a bit wider, so that the whole of the engine shed could have been included.

[rockershovel]

Presumably the same St Botolph as is commemorated by Boston Stump, in my home town?

The very same, unless it actually means a completely different town in Suffolk

 

http://www.botolph.org.uk/who-was-st-botolph/

 

A much travelled man, by the looks of it

[great northern]

The WD now plunges under the overall roof, and our man at the far end gets this view.

 

The time has also come for Lord Faringdon to head for Grantham, with the crew having a rare easy time for the next 29 miles.

Very shiny engines do create their own problems.

[great northern]

An ancient GN coach sits quietly in the evening sunlight.

and another WD creeps round the curve and under Crescent Bridge.

This was taken mainly to capture the sheer bulk of the bridge, and to show that painting of the platform extension is now complete.

 

There was actually quite a curve under the real bridge, though nothing like as severe as I have to allow, of course. I've been having another look at Colin Walker's album on Peterborough in the Trails of Steam series, and I was surprised at the curvature shown by some of the photos. I can't share them on here though, owing to copyright issues.

[great northern]

We are still watching the WD's slow progress along the Down slow.

 

with the added bonus of another look at the D16 as the goods passes by.

[great northern]

Tim is today's visitor, so there should be developments to report later. In the meantime, that WD has got a bit further.

 

There is good news, or maybe not, for the crew, as signals are off for the yard, so they will get home quicker, but the overtime payment will be missing. By way of variety, we then have a short Up Doncaster, which, except on Fridays had only six coaches. Our own Mons Meg is the loco.

On Fridays this train was used to get stock for a SO service to Skegness down to London, and included eight Gresley TSOs. That means that temporarily at least, it isn't Friday at PN.

 

The roof of the building which grows out of the first carriage is unfortunate, but sadly unescapable. There is so much going on at this end that another angle, or a slight movement of the train, only brings in another similar problem.

[JeffP]

But that was real life for the railway photographer, Gilbert. Your modelling just reflects it.

[great northern]

Plenty of good progress today, but no time to take photos, so that will have to wait till tomorrow. We have one last image of the WD continuing its slow but steady progress.

and another angle on Mons Meg as she runs in on the Up.

[great northern]

Time to get on, and to record yesterday's events, but first there are two more pictures of one of Mr Thompson's finest, or not, depending on your personal views about his creations.

[Sandhole]

Time to get on, and to record yesterday's events, but first there are two more pictures of one of Mr Thompson's finest, or not, depending on your personal views about his creations.

504 close.JPG

504 rear.JPG

Great shots of a lovely model.

Weathering is perfect.

I've always had a soft spot for Mr Thompson's 'odd' pacifics.

I think I read somewhere, a story from Mr Townend the 'Top Shed' man, that they were, in the right hands, very capable heavy fast fitted freight haulers.

I wish I'd seen that!!

               C.

[great northern]

Great shots of a lovely model.

Weathering is perfect.

I've always had a soft spot for Mr Thompson's 'odd' pacifics.

I think I read somewhere, a story from Mr Townend the 'Top Shed' man, that they were, in the right hands, very capable heavy fast fitted freight haulers.

I wish I'd seen that!!

               C.

The A2/3s were OK, but I've not seen any really positive comments about the A2/2s. The work they did from New England seems to confirm they weren't up to much.

[great northern]

Time for an update on what happened yesterday. Tim volunteered, well sort of anyway, to lay the track for the Midland sidings, and duly spent hours in very confined circumstances doing so. This is as far as we got.

Despite what the camera alleges, this is all ruler straight, and a very fine job indeed. It took hours, but the attention to detail certainly paid off. Ballasting and general fettling will have to wait, but enough has been done to enable me to get these lines doing the job I intended them to do.

I went looking for second hand wagons at a recent exhibition, but the prices were so eye watering I finished up getting some new Oxford Rail ones instead. Their view of what constitutes weathering and mine do not coincide, so eventually I will do something about that, but as a rake to push up and down as needed, they are satisfactory.

Very difficult light conditions today, but it can be seen that the required effect can be achieved.

 

Apart from the work he did on the day, Tim also brought with him the latest locos to receive his painting and weathering transformations. We are gradually working through the A4s and A3s, a process that will now continue till all have been dealt with, as those in factory finish now look awful in comparison. Our first subject is A4 60021 Wild Swan. She had been on Elizabethan duties in July 58, and so would then have had a finish as good as anything Donny paint shop could turn out. The photos we found showed that she wasn't quite that good by August, and it has to be remembered that just one long journey in inclement conditions could have a considerable impact, but we reckon this is about right, and Tim has captured it very well, as always.

These shots don't quite to it justice, as the light was changing literally every few seconds, and I didn't manage to get exactly the right exposure, but you can get the general impression.

 

There is more to come, both from Tim, and indeed from another source. The postman knocked earlier, only once, as I had remembered to change my hearing aid batteries, and handed over another goodie. I'm off to see the Osteopath though, so the rest will have to wait.

[great northern]

Time for Tim's other goodie. I know I said I don't need more Pacifics, but this one was such a good price. It has been transformed into Grantham's 60065 Knight of Thistle, an engine I remember seeing many times. Tim was up to the challenge of producing yet again something subtly different from what I have had before.

Anyway, A3s are soooo nice aren't they. Resistance is futile.

[great northern]

Back to ordinary PN happenings now, and the arrival for its penultimate stop of a Midland service from Leicester. The loco is one of Spital Bridge's stud of B1s.

 

From the opposite direction, local V2 60875 approaches the end of its journey, which started at KX at 4.19pm.

[Donington Road]

I went looking for second hand wagons at a recent exhibition, but the prices were so eye watering I finished up getting some new Oxford Rail ones instead. Their view of what constitutes weathering and mine do not coincide, so eventually I will do something about that, but as a rake to push up and down as needed, they are satisfactory.

Midland 4.JPG

midland 5.JPG

Very difficult light conditions today, but it can be seen that the required effect can be achieved.

 

I would take off all the couplings on the wagons and buffer them up, they will look so much more prototypical in future photographs.

[trw1089]

Such beautiful work by Tim yet again, especially on that A3, just superb.

 

Cheers

Tony

[great northern]

I would take off all the couplings on the wagons and buffer them up, they will look so much more prototypical in future photographs.

 I'd already decided the tension locks have to go Mick, but I'll try to arrange something less obtrusive, because being an idle old ******. I'd rather be able to move them all as one unit.

[great northern]

Off to play golf next to the GC main line today, though it is in deep cutting, so I'll only get to see any trains as we come in and out along the approach road. Any guesses as to where it is?

 

Two quick photos, the first being another angle on that V2.

 

The V2 was followed by an arrival from Cambridge, giving us a chance to look at another lovely GE veteran.

[Donington Road]

 I'd already decided the tension locks have to go Mick, but I'll try to arrange something less obtrusive, because being an idle old ******. I'd rather be able to move them all as one unit.

 

Push the end one against the rest with the hand of god. it's called shunting.

Use a long stick if you cannot reach easily.

Edited May 11, 2018 by Donington Road

[St Enodoc]

Off to play golf next to the GC main line today, though it is in deep cutting

Must be fun playing golf in a deep cutting...

[landscapes]

Time for an update on what happened yesterday. Tim volunteered, well sort of anyway, to lay the track for the Midland sidings, and duly spent hours in very confined circumstances doing so. This is as far as we got.

midland 1.JPG

midland 2.JPG

Despite what the camera alleges, this is all ruler straight, and a very fine job indeed. It took hours, but the attention to detail certainly paid off. Ballasting and general fettling will have to wait, but enough has been done to enable me to get these lines doing the job I intended them to do.

midland 3.JPG

I went looking for second hand wagons at a recent exhibition, but the prices were so eye watering I finished up getting some new Oxford Rail ones instead. Their view of what constitutes weathering and mine do not coincide, so eventually I will do something about that, but as a rake to push up and down as needed, they are satisfactory.

Midland 4.JPG

midland 5.JPG

Very difficult light conditions today, but it can be seen that the required effect can be achieved.

 

Apart from the work he did on the day, Tim also brought with him the latest locos to receive his painting and weathering transformations. We are gradually working through the A4s and A3s, a process that will now continue till all have been dealt with, as those in factory finish now look awful in comparison. Our first subject is A4 60021 Wild Swan. She had been on Elizabethan duties in July 58, and so would then have had a finish as good as anything Donny paint shop could turn out. The photos we found showed that she wasn't quite that good by August, and it has to be remembered that just one long journey in inclement conditions could have a considerable impact, but we reckon this is about right, and Tim has captured it very well, as always.

Swan 1.JPG

Swan 2.JPG

These shots don't quite to it justice, as the light was changing literally every few seconds, and I didn't manage to get exactly the right exposure, but you can get the general impression.

 

There is more to come, both from Tim, and indeed from another source. The postman knocked earlier, only once, as I had remembered to change my hearing aid batteries, and handed over another goodie. I'm off to see the Osteopath though, so the rest will have to wait.

 

Hi Gilbert

 

Thats a very nice finish Tim has achieved for you on Wild Swan.

 

It also looks like Tim has created the start of metal corrosion to the A4 streamlined casing just by the R/H Lamp iron as well which gives another realistic look to the model.

 

Job well done.

 

Regards

 

David

Edited May 11, 2018 by landscapes

[ROY@34F]

Gilbert, I just tried to catch up with your thread today, after some time, and I hate to put a spanner in the works, but a few posts back the very fine picture of a Grantham A3 "Knight of thistle"....well I'm sure it had a round dome.  But then, who would know. I'm sure TW would though if he saw it.

 

Best regards,  Roy.

[davidw]

Gilbert, I just tried to catch up with your thread today, after some time, and I hate to put a spanner in the works, but a few posts back the very fine picture of a Grantham A3 "Knight of thistle"....well I'm sure it had a round dome. But then, who would know. I'm sure TW would though if he saw it.

 

Best regards, Roy.

I thought that too. But it acquired a round 94hp boiler post 61 and deflectors. I believe its correct for 58.