Peterborough North

[great northern]

A last look at 60515 as it gets on its way again.

 

This gives a better look at the subtlety of Tim's weathering. There is actually just a hint of green visible under the grime.

 

60515 was rapidly replaced by Copley Hill's A1 Kittiwake, slowing for its last stop before London with the 7.50 Leeds.

 

Rather lacking in character when compared with 60123.

[Mallard60022]

Not so easy Phil. I'll take a picture later to illustrate. It is in a vital position between other trackwork, and it took Tom Wright and I a very long time to get the geometry to work when we first laid it. I'm very worried that lifting and replacing might upset things even more.

 

Oh, not the one we were looking at then?

P

[CUTLER2579]

Gilbert / Phil,

 

Excuse my Simplicity.

 

Why not just replace the Tortoise ?

 

Regards,Derek

[great northern]

Gilbert / Phil,

 

Excuse my Simplicity.

 

Why not just replace the Tortoise ?

 

Regards,Derek

It is a Cobalt Derek, and a very elderly one, analogue, in fact. They aren't available any more, and for some reason the newer types don't want to work with my NCE system. I can get my existing ones refurbished, and they then work fine, but that means I have to strip out a motor, and that in turn brings more problems with roads that can't be used.

 

I did suggest to Tim that we just use a Tortoise instead, but sod's law comes into play there, as there isn't room for one.

[CUTLER2579]

It is a Cobalt Derek, and a very elderly one, analogue, in fact. They aren't available any more, and for some reason the newer types don't want to work with my NCE system. I can get my existing ones refurbished, and they then work fine, but that means I have to strip out a motor, and that in turn brings more problems with roads that can't be used.

 

I did suggest to Tim that we just use a Tortoise instead, but sod's law comes into play there, as there isn't room for one.

 

 

Not even with their extra linkage ?

 

I think I know the answer -- Still not enough room.

 

Just another thought,not cheap ,but may be a solution. Peco Catalogue Product No. PLS-100  £72.50

 

This would have to include a Product No. PLS-135 as well.   £17.50

 

Now that's £90 I have spent for you,but you have 4 Servo's so capacity for any future problems ,then if you wanted still get the Cobalt repaired for future use.

Can't help on the DCC angles as like to Tony W,  it is not a language I speak or understand. 

Edited December 14, 2018 by CUTLER2579

[Anthony]

Gilbert

 

Have you looked at the Tillig point motor?  It is very small and flat, and I have used them in many places where space is limited, very.  I confess they are the very devil to adjust to get the right throw, but once you have achieved that, they work really well.

 

https://www.trainshop.co.uk/electrics/11995-under-mounted-motor-for-tillig-elite-points-4012501861123.html

 

is a link to one supplier.

 

Another advantage - they are not all that silent, so you can hear if you have changed the point successfully!

 

Anyway, just a thought.

 

Best wishes, and as ever so many thanks for your inspiring photographic posts.

 

Happy Christmas to one and all.

 

Anthony

 

 

 

It is a Cobalt Derek, and a very elderly one, analogue, in fact. They aren't available any more, and for some reason the newer types don't want to work with my NCE system. I can get my existing ones refurbished, and they then work fine, but that means I have to strip out a motor, and that in turn brings more problems with roads that can't be used.

 

I did suggest to Tim that we just use a Tortoise instead, but sod's law comes into play there, as there isn't room for one.

[Mallard60022]

Presumably it needs to be DCC thing for your macros and is it surface mounted?

[great northern]

Presumably it needs to be DCC thing for your macros and is it surface mounted?

Here's what it is Phil.

Useless photo, but hand held and leaning over while balancing precariously on a small step, so the best I could do. To the right of the number 67 you can just see a crank. That is the only above baseboard evidence of the existence of the dead motor, which has to be squashed into a corner of one of the sub baseboard compartments.

 

I've looed on E Bay, and found a cobalt that may be a direct replacement. I'm waiting a reply as to whether it is one of the same age as mine. If it is, I get it, send it to DCC Concepts for refurbishment, and fit it when it is returned. They provide very quick service. If it isn't, I'll keep looking, and manage without two roads in the meantime. Anyhting else is going to raise possible compatibility problems with my NCE system, and probably foul up the macros.

[great northern]

You've had plenty of looks under Crescent Bridge, but very few along it. We shall put that right.

It's a bit bare at the moment. Needs a bit more traffic and some people.

[chaz]

You've had plenty of looks under Crescent Bridge, but very few along it. We shall put that right.

5 bridge.JPG

It's a bit bare at the moment. Needs a bit more traffic and some people.

 

 

Wot! No camber?  Doesn't look much like a road.... sorry, just one of my pet hates.

[great northern]

Wot! No camber?  Doesn't look much like a road.... sorry, just one of my pet hates.

Wouldn't a camber have given Peter a lot of problems though, considering the way this had to be constructed?

[great northern]

Now for a new departure, literally. The 1033 KX has been switched to Platform 6.

 

We have a head on shot as well.

 

All to get the train to its new fiddle yard spur, of course.

[St Enodoc]

It is a Cobalt Derek, and a very elderly one, analogue, in fact. They aren't available any more, and for some reason the newer types don't want to work with my NCE system. I can get my existing ones refurbished, and they then work fine, but that means I have to strip out a motor, and that in turn brings more problems with roads that can't be used.

 

I did suggest to Tim that we just use a Tortoise instead, but sod's law comes into play there, as there isn't room for one.

Gilbert, PM me as I use modern Cobalts with NCE DCC. I'll try to help with some long-distance diagnosis.

[great northern]

Golf today. It's a competition, so can't cry off. Forecast is feels like -5C, 20 mph winds, and 95% chance of freezing rain. For some reason I am not looking forward to this.

 

At PN in August, it is fine, though it will as usual be bracing if visiting the East coast. 60514 is still waiting to set off for London.

 

and another WD has been allowed through on its way to Ferme Park.

This is what the camera is telling me to be perfectly exposed, but it feels too dark to me, and only works at all in b&w. Your comments would be welcome, please.

[FarrMan]

You've had plenty of looks under Crescent Bridge, but very few along it. We shall put that right.

5 bridge.JPG

It's a bit bare at the moment. Needs a bit more traffic and some people.

Gilbert

 

From memory, it was not very common to see pedestrians crossing Crescent Bridge, and traffic in those days was much less than it is now, so adding more would probably make it inauthentic. Three or four years later and it could be me on that push bike - possibly with a suitcase balanced on the handlebars!

 

You have a very realistic photo there, and very much of that time. Keep them coming, please.

 

Lloyd

[Metr0Land]

1 WD.JPG

This is what the camera is telling me to be perfectly exposed, but it feels too dark to me, and only works at all in b&w. Your comments would be welcome, please.

 

Assuming you're using the onboard light meter in some kind of average mode (as opposed to taking a reading at some specific point) then the meter is probably seeing something like 60pct or more of light sky and 40 pct or less of darker area and giving an average which suits neither light nor dark areas.  It's difficult to be specific but for a shot like this I would more than likely expose for the sky and then lighten the dark areas in Photoshop.

 

I'm still using PS Elements 10.  My go to starting efforts would be Enhance > Adjust Lighting > Shadows/Highlights .... and fiddle about  A starting point for me would be Lighten shadows 10pct, Darken Highlights zero, Midtone contrast zero.   Some pics just won't go right but this would be my starter for 10.

[jazzer]

Now for a new departure, literally. The 1033 KX has been switched to Platform 6.

6 514.JPG

 

We have a head on shot as well.

7 514 far.JPG

 

All to get the train to its new fiddle yard spur, of course.

That's interesting, a Pacific at the head of what appears to be a semi fast of only five coaches ( presumably it's the one that was moved to a departure time of 9.52 by 1960 ( according to my timetable ) . If I have got it right the departure in your photo woukd be stopping at Huntingdon, St Neots, Sandy , Hitchin , Welwyn Garden City, and KX. I had no idea these semi fasts (3 per day I think) were Pacific hauled. I presumed it would be a B1, or something similar, and no idea they were such short trains.

A tiny piece of information but once again your pictures paint a clearer picture of services out of PN at that time.

 

A. Norak.

[great northern]

That's interesting, a Pacific at the head of what appears to be a semi fast of only five coaches ( presumably it's the one that was moved to a departure time of 9.52 by 1960 ( according to my timetable ) . If I have got it right the departure in your photo woukd be stopping at Huntingdon, St Neots, Sandy , Hitchin , Welwyn Garden City, and KX. I had no idea these semi fasts (3 per day I think) were Pacific hauled. I presumed it would be a B1, or something similar, and no idea they were such short trains.

A tiny piece of information but once again your pictures paint a clearer picture of services out of PN at that time.

 

A. Norak.

 The New England A2s spent a lot of their time trundling up and down on these stoppers. In fact most of them were either Pacific or V2 hauled. There was just one regular B1 duty, which was a lunchtime Up service, returning early evening. Nearly all of these trains had five sets, usually like mine using artic twins and a central CK. Some had a BG or two added, but none of them really needed the sort of loco they got.

 

In 1958 it was more of a question of where the train didn't stop. It even called at Abbot's Ripton, which I believe was that station's only train of the day. It didn't stop at Tempsford, but otherwise it was all stations to Hitchin, except Yaxley and Holme, and then called at all the outer suburban stations too. Journey time was three minutes short of three hours for the 76 miles.

 

By 1960 many of the stations North of Hitchin were closed, of course. These trains are yet another reason why I find PN in 1958 such a great place to model.

[Tony Wright]

A last look at 60515 as it gets on its way again.

4 515 4.JPG

 

This gives a better look at the subtlety of Tim's weathering. There is actually just a hint of green visible under the grime.

 

60515 was rapidly replaced by Copley Hill's A1 Kittiwake, slowing for its last stop before London with the 7.50 Leeds.

5 120.JPG

 

Rather lacking in character when compared with 60123.

But with far, far superior bogie wheels.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

Golf today. It's a competition, so can't cry off. Forecast is feels like -5C, 20 mph winds, and 95% chance of freezing rain. For some reason I am not looking forward to this.

 

At PN in August, it is fine, though it will as usual be bracing if visiting the East coast. 60514 is still waiting to set off for London.

8 514 close.JPG

 

and another WD has been allowed through on its way to Ferme Park.

1 WD.JPG

This is what the camera is telling me to be perfectly exposed, but it feels too dark to me, and only works at all in b&w. Your comments would be welcome, please.

Good evening Gilbert,

 

How many shots do you take of each scene? I take at least three/four, at different exposures, then choose the best. I switch off everything which the camera wants to do by itself (a Nikon Df) and, as you know, counteract too-deep shadows by using pulses of fill-in flash. Exposures are, typically, at 100 ASA between five-ten seconds at F32 - less if I'm using my photo floods, but ambient room lighting is usually enough. What is your camera's minimum aperture, please? 

 

Just some thoughts.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited December 15, 2018 by Tony Wright

[great northern]

Good evening Gilbert,

 

How many shots do you take of each scene? I take at least three/four, at different exposures, then choose the best. I switch off everything which the camera wants to do by itself (a Nikon Df) and, as you know, counteract too-deep shadows by using pulses of fill-in flash. Exposures are, typically, at 100 ASA between five-ten seconds at F32 - less if I'm using my photo floods, but ambient room lighting is usually enough. What is your camera's minimum aperture, please? 

 

Just some thoughts.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

I do as much as I can manually, but of course I know far less of the technical side of things, so it is all very basic stuff. I generally fiddle about until I get what looks on screen to be right, and then just take one shot, though occasionally I will try something a bit different. The camera doesn't go below f8, so I am fairly restricted anyway. You've experienced the vagaries of the light in the room, so you know how very quickly it can go from .3 of a second exposure to eight seconds or more.

 

Incidentally, I haven't forgotten the advice about a lens hood, but haven't sourced one yet.

[great northern]

Golf was a horrid experience today, just far too cold, even with five layers of clothing. 12 holes was far more than enough. I got home before the freezing rain set in though.

 

 In the shadows beneath the roof, the WD lurks.

Own up, who turned the lamp with the platform numbers the wrong way round? The WD clanked onwards, and met an ancient 3F on its way up from East with the shuttle service.

[CUTLER2579]

So do we Deduce that your a Fair Weather Golfer, Gilbert.     

[great northern]

Assuming you're using the onboard light meter in some kind of average mode (as opposed to taking a reading at some specific point) then the meter is probably seeing something like 60pct or more of light sky and 40 pct or less of darker area and giving an average which suits neither light nor dark areas.  It's difficult to be specific but for a shot like this I would more than likely expose for the sky and then lighten the dark areas in Photoshop.

 

I'm still using PS Elements 10.  My go to starting efforts would be Enhance > Adjust Lighting > Shadows/Highlights .... and fiddle about  A starting point for me would be Lighten shadows 10pct, Darken Highlights zero, Midtone contrast zero.   Some pics just won't go right but this would be my starter for 10.

That's more or less what I've been doing, using Digital Photo Pro and Paint.Net.  Really just, as you say, fiddling about till I get something that looks passable. I think I'll stick to that.

[great northern]

So do we Deduce that your a Fair Weather Golfer, Gilbert.     

 Definitely not, Derek, but occasionally the conditions are so bad that even the best clothing can't keep it out. Yesterday I couldn't hear because the wind was clattering in my hearing aids, couldn't see because my eyes kept watering, and couldn't feel my hands because they were frozen. That is "Why am I doing this?" time.