Peterborough North

[great northern]

Isn't something like a squirrel a ................................................................squirrel?

 

Martyn

 

 

G'day Folks

 

Is'n't a Squirrel with a shaved tail.......A rat or a Punk rocker.

 

manna

 Grey squirrels are, of course rats with cute fluffy tails. That lovely maple I showed the other day nearly died a couple of years ago because they gnawed a lot of bark off it. They breed like rats as well, so get zero tolerance if they come into my garden.

[great northern]

Front on view of fish clattering through.

 

Good attempt to put the lamp in the wrong place, this being a Class C working.

 

Then we have the obligatory Ivatt backing on to the 8.30 to Melton Constable.

 

We are back to either no light or far too much at present, so, short of moving the house to face in a different direction, I am out of ideas.

[JeffP]

For gilbert: 

[great northern]

For gilbert: 

Priceless!!! Thanks Jeff. Is there a kit available to make one, do you think?

[great northern]

The good news. My partner and I may be in the prizes. Not so good news, on a down slope in pouring rain my feet went from under me and I landed right on the base of my spine. Ouch.

 

More coal, and another WD, which is given the close up treatment.

I really do like WDs.

 

Then we have the 5.52 from KX, the regular return trip for B1 61282.

 

Ibuprofen time.

[great northern]

Bruised but unbowed, the day commences. The 5.05pm Up Newcastle puts in an appearance.

 

while from East comes a short parcels working on a very short journey, with a March K1 having an easy time.

[Bogie]

Front on view of fish clattering through.

fish 2.JPG

 

Good attempt to put the lamp in the wrong place, this being a Class C working.

 

Then we have the obligatory Ivatt backing on to the 8.30 to Melton Constable.

Ivatt and C12.JPG

 

We are back to either no light or far too much at present, so, short of moving the house to face in a different direction, I am out of ideas.

 

Is it coincidence or do passengers desert the platforms when the fish train comes through?

 

Love the squirrel catapult too.  Would need to be slighty bigger for possums in Australia I imagine.

[JeffP]

Priceless!!! Thanks Jeff. Is there a kit available to make one, do you think?

 Not as far as I know, but detailed plans available cheap, so if you have simple tools...

[great northern]

Is it coincidence or do passengers desert the platforms when the fish train comes through?

 

Love the squirrel catapult too.  Would need to be slighty bigger for possums in Australia I imagine.

My recollection is that you would need to get a lot further away to avoid that smell.

[great northern]

 Not as far as I know, but detailed plans available cheap, so if you have simple tools...

I have simple fingers, but it would almost be worth getting my joiner to make one. Mind you, I'd have to be careful with angles, so that they didn't get catapulted to somewhere which might upset the neighbours. It really is very tempting......

[great northern]

 A lot more parcels trains now, and through the night. The K1 has very little more to do,

but this 9F is taking its load as far as York.

[great northern]

Another Fridays only train is first up today, an amalgamation of portions from Newcastle and Bradford. 60030 has the job.

Whether in colour or b&w it proved impossible to disguise that nasty flat green, so Golden Fleece must move higher on the list to get the Tim treatment. It's getting to be a long list though.

 

The last train of the evening down the E Lincs is about due too, and we see a tired looking Immingham B1 backing on.

 

One day I will get a lamp to sit straight.

[trw1089]

Been enjoying catching up on the latest series of pics Gilbert, especially Silver Link, it looks sublime.

 

Hope your back is on the mend after your recent slip. You need to look after yourself man!

 

Cheers

Tony

[great northern]

Been enjoying catching up on the latest series of pics Gilbert, especially Silver Link, it looks sublime.

 

Hope your back is on the mend after your recent slip. You need to look after yourself man!

 

Cheers

Tony

Tim's latest A4s get even better, don't they?  The back is improving thanks, it is just bruised, I think. We were hit by a sudden very heavy shower, and I was trying to put on my waterproofs and control my trolley at the same time, which left little concentration to watch where I was putting my feet, so a downslope was my undoing. These things happen, but probably more often as one gets older.

[TrevorP1]

Commiserations with the back Gilbert. I tweaked mine again the other week - by picking up a shirt off the bed...

 

But what can really do for it is fall such as yours whilst out with the dog. With the advantage of four paw drive she can go anywhere on a slippery path, not so her two legged partner! 

[great northern]

The Colchester - Edinburgh is due shortly, and will be taken on by our regular grubby Gateshead A4, still with single chimney. At least the crew won't have to coax it to any really high speeds. Having come up the engine line, Golden Eagle now crosses to the Down side.

and is soon safely tucked away in the bay, alongside the pilot.

 

I've now reached the end of the sequence again, though you have some catching up to do as far as pictures are concerned. This time it took 155 days to get through it, longer than usual, but it seems like no time at all since I last set everything up to start afresh. You'd think that only getting through it about twice a year would prevent boredom creeping in, but I'm finding it is all getting a bit predictable. How can I freshen it up though?

[manna]

G'day Gents

 

Late trains, some many hours late, so everything is out of sequence, Just like the real thing !!! Pacific's on mineral trains, a J6 on the 'The Flying Scotsman, 'Odd stock' train with a spotless pacific ' Running In'.......

 

manna

[great northern]

I still don't understand the need for this train. Grimsby-KX parcels, which was rostered for four vehicles as far as Spalding, and then just two from there to KX. Here it is, K3 hauled.

 

Then in comes the Colchester - Edinburgh behind Cambridge B2 Framlingham.

 

Very early to doctors surgery this morning, which avoided the usual long wait, but has thrown me out of normal routine. All systems OK though, which is good.

[TrevorP1]

 

 

 

I've now reached the end of the sequence again, though you have some catching up to do as far as pictures are concerned. This time it took 155 days to get through it, longer than usual, but it seems like no time at all since I last set everything up to start afresh. You'd think that only getting through it about twice a year would prevent boredom creeping in, but I'm finding it is all getting a bit predictable. How can I freshen it up though?

 

 

 

 

As Manna has suggested, maybe a couple of trains severely delayed with others 'put inside' to let them pass. I'm wondering if this could be randomly generated by a computer?  Possibly an engine having to be replaced because of a failure, maybe with the affected train arriving with something totally inappropriate. Football specials? Different day of the week? I would say a night sequence but I know you've considered this and the expense... Wrong line working due to engineering work? 

 

Just random thoughts.

[Denbridge]

The Colchester - Edinburgh is due shortly, and will be taken on by our regular grubby Gateshead A4, still with single chimney. At least the crew won't have to coax it to any really high speeds. Having come up the engine line, Golden Eagle now crosses to the Down side.

8 23.JPG

and is soon safely tucked away in the bay, alongside the pilot.9 23 and pilot.JPG

 

I've now reached the end of the sequence again, though you have some catching up to do as far as pictures are concerned. This time it took 155 days to get through it, longer than usual, but it seems like no time at all since I last set everything up to start afresh. You'd think that only getting through it about twice a year would prevent boredom creeping in, but I'm finding it is all getting a bit predictable. How can I freshen it up though?

maybe just abandon the sequence for a while and run trains that you want. You can always go back to the sequence whenever you want. I used to do that fairly often on my old layout when things got a bit stale.

[Mallard60022]

Diversions and some extras; it is summer after all.

Phil

[Tony Wright]

The Colchester - Edinburgh is due shortly, and will be taken on by our regular grubby Gateshead A4, still with single chimney. At least the crew won't have to coax it to any really high speeds. Having come up the engine line, Golden Eagle now crosses to the Down side.

8 23.JPG

and is soon safely tucked away in the bay, alongside the pilot.9 23 and pilot.JPG

 

I've now reached the end of the sequence again, though you have some catching up to do as far as pictures are concerned. This time it took 155 days to get through it, longer than usual, but it seems like no time at all since I last set everything up to start afresh. You'd think that only getting through it about twice a year would prevent boredom creeping in, but I'm finding it is all getting a bit predictable. How can I freshen it up though?

It would seem, Gilbert, that you operate your layout (to the sequence) entirely by yourself in the main. 

 

May I make a suggestion, please? Why not get mates round on a regular basis to operate it as a team? I know when I've been round with the likes of our chums from Wolverhampton, we hardly seem to run any trains at all (or very few). I know I'm usually tinkering with something, but I'm out of the way at the south end, so wouldn't impact on the running. 

 

With regard to Little Bytham's sequence, it's far less comprehensive than yours, but, to me, it's much more interesting, if I may be so bold. As you know, I've got a selection of 50 or so different 'typical' trains, and it takes around two hours to run through the whole lot (if we concentrate). I never operate it by myself (I'm too busy making things) but have many visits by innumerable friends. Some of these are regular operators, and between/among us we run the sequence. There's never time to get bored.

 

Tomorrow, the three 'old gits' (four with me) will operate LB. We start in the morning (two on the far side, two on the near side). The pair on the far side (the slowest!) operate the Down fast and Down slow lines respectively. The pair on the near side operate the Up fast and Up slow lines, the scenic-side signals and points, and the fiddle yard. All of this is made 'relatively' easy by having four separate controllers (which can be linked by cab-control if necessary), a panel for the scenic-side signals and points, and a panel for the fiddle yard (it all keeps me fit!). Lunch is provided by Mo (tomorrow it's home-made soup!), and the sequence is completed in time to go home for tea. A fifth operator can drive the M&GNR bit if they so wish. 

 

I assure you it's all 'fun' and not in the least bit boring (unless, as during last Saturday, when I ran into the back of a mineral train, didn't check properly that I'd put it all back on, thus causing it to derail - inevitably - in the least-accessible spot when it was its turn to run. Not fun, but definitely not boring!). 

 

After a sequence is over, I'll change all the locos, so a different 'procession' of ECML big stuff is their to see for the 'spotters next time.

 

If you're free tomorrow, please pop over. George Stephenson (not the GS), who's been to see PN, will be over in the afternoon as well, so, please, join in if you can.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

[great northern]

Many thanks for the very useful suggestions so far received. There is plenty of food for thought there. I've also taken note of a passage in East Coast from Kings Cross, by Eric Neve, which goes like this " In the closing weeks of the 1958 summer service, it was obvious that the depots were hard pressed to find suitable steam power to cover daily diagrams, with failures occuring, and engines being borrowed from other depots. Part of my problem stems from my desire to get things "right", which has meant that I know in advance what engine is going to work quite a lot of the turns. A bit more diversity would certainly help, and there appears to be evidence that allows me to do it. I'm still thinking though, and further suggestions are welcome.

[New Haven Neil]

You could always go 'LNER' Gilbert.....worked for Tony!

 

Do be careful though with the back, I almost lost half of my left foot (literally) last year just slipping on a muddy path - it's too easy, and I'm a wee bit younger than yourself.  It's taken two years to mend, not fun.

 

Of course if you do slide to another time, you won't need that N5. 

[great northern]

You could always go 'LNER' Gilbert.....worked for Tony!

 

Do be careful though with the back, I almost lost half of my left foot (literally) last year just slipping on a muddy path - it's too easy, and I'm a wee bit younger than yourself.  It's taken two years to mend, not fun.

 

Of course if you do slide to another time, you won't need that N5. 

Naughty boy.