Peterborough North

[Tony Wright]

Good evening Gilbert,

 

Point rodding on Peterborough North?

 

 

Not much visible here, though I imagine there's a lot emanating from Crescent Junction 'box. 

 

 

A fair bit to the left of the W1, increasing towards North 'box I'd imagine, and two runs towards the camera. 

 

If a lot of it is in trunking or boarded-over, it should be easier to represent.

 

Having made over 30' of the stuff for LB, I'm not interested.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

[great northern]

15 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Good evening Gilbert,

 

Point rodding on Peterborough North?

 

 

Not much visible here, though I imagine there's a lot emanating from Crescent Junction 'box. 

 

 

A fair bit to the left of the W1, increasing towards North 'box I'd imagine, and two runs towards the camera. 

 

If a lot of it is in trunking or boarded-over, it should be easier to represent.

 

Having made over 30' of the stuff for LB, I'm not interested.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

There must have been a great deal of it Tony, but it doesn't show up much except in photos taken from a higher level. The one from Spital Bridge is a very good example. Incidentally that photo has always had me wondering about the identity of the A4 which presumably is on the Scotch goods. It is certainly the right time of day, assuming the W1 is itself on time or nearly so.

 

The point rodding won't get done, and nor, I think will the signal cable runs. There is more than enough of that visible in the second photo alone, and between the A4 and the Midland lines it ran the whole length to Crescent Bridge and beyond. I'd only keep catching it with my hands or the camera if I did put it in.

[richard.h]

11 hours ago, jwealleans said:

You've mentioned loco crews, Gilbert; ModelU are also doing some very good members of the general public if you fancy a scattering along the less well used platforms. 

 

Depending what make they are, taking some of the cars apart, spraying a satin or even matt varnish and filing small flats onto the bottom of the tyres helps.... twist the front wheels slightly so they're not quite perfectly straight on also helps.   Light dusting of powder just to emphasise body seams. 

 

To pick up on a theme from elsewhere, point rodding?

 

Mentioning Loco Crews and Figures I have always bought  ModelU figures in the past and they are excellent products but when they increased the price from £3.00 to £4.50 each I decided to look at alternatives.

I found Hardies Hobbies £3.00 each and packs of 8 for £18.00 so that's where my latest crew came from and they are equally up to the job, both good products from good companies, just pay your money and make your choice.

[great northern]

Staying with our Heaton A3, we can watch it running slowly along the platform...

 

 

and then at a stand, preparing to come off and to go on shed.

 

 

and finally, tender first to New England.

 

 

[Tony Wright]

14 hours ago, great northern said:

There must have been a great deal of it Tony, but it doesn't show up much except in photos taken from a higher level. The one from Spital Bridge is a very good example. Incidentally that photo has always had me wondering about the identity of the A4 which presumably is on the Scotch goods. It is certainly the right time of day, assuming the W1 is itself on time or nearly so.

 

The point rodding won't get done, and nor, I think will the signal cable runs. There is more than enough of that visible in the second photo alone, and between the A4 and the Midland lines it ran the whole length to Crescent Bridge and beyond. I'd only keep catching it with my hands or the camera if I did put it in.

A pragmatic approach, Gilbert.

 

One thing which strikes me about the picture of the W1 is that Peterborough North in 1958 (encompassing all the sidings) was probably as wide as it was long! 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[great northern]

Another lovely sunny day to enjoy. Photos now from nine days ago, which show 60514 having backed on to the train vacated by 60088. I think I must have been zooming again, though I honestly can't remember, as these are the two images in the folder.

 

 

 

 

The second one hits the spot for me. For some reason I've also kept the JPG version of this. Maybe it was so that others could have a go at it if they wished, so if anyone does want to do some manipulation, just let me know.

 

[great northern]

7 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

A pragmatic approach, Gilbert.

 

One thing which strikes me about the picture of the W1 is that Peterborough North in 1958 (encompassing all the sidings) was probably as wide as it was long! 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

If not wider Tony. Norman Saunders told me very early on that he was having more difficulty with compressing width than length, and we agreed straight away that a lot of the sidings which splayed off on the Up side would have to go, including the turntable and the C&W buildings. On the Down, The Midland had to be abandoned as well, though the two sidings have been put in much later.

 

The pitch of the overall roof, and the over high in relation to width Crescent Bridge also show where there was compromise.  The ability to get all the main running lines in, and thus to be able to get somewhere near to running the trains in sequence meant that compromise was acceptable for me at the time, and I haven't regretted it. It does look quite like the real thing, as I think is confirmed by the monochrome picture above.

[FarrMan]

It does look quite like the real thing, as I think is confirmed by the monochrome picture above.

 

Gilbert

 

It does look very like the real thing from memory. The width would be a real problem for modelling. To model the full width to scale would probably make it difficult to reach over the model far enough to attend to any problems in parts of the model! You would need to model a 'removable sky' that you could lay down on and remove sections of 'sky' to access them! (I just noticed that I spelt Sky with an 'e' out of habit, having lived on the Isle of Skye for about 13 years!) Using the nearest of the Midland lines as a scenic break is a brilliant way of overcoming that, and that bit of widening that you did was well worth the effort. The shrinking that you have done appears to be very well disguised, as from my memory of often looking at the real thing around that time, I have not noticed any.

 

Thank you and all your contributors again for sharing this wonderful model with us, and for some of us, bringing back many pleasant memories.

 

Lloyd

[CUTLER2579]

Of course just further north at New England I assume it got even wider proportionally to length.

 

Crikey I thought I had porridge for breakfast not the Oxford Dictionary using words like " Proportionally" and spelling it correctly.

[FarrMan]

5 minutes ago, CUTLER2579 said:

Of course just further north at New England I assume it got even wider proportionally to length.

 

Crikey I thought I had porridge for breakfast not the Oxford Dictionary using words like " Proportionally" and spelling it correctly.

Cutler, Alias Oxford English Dictionary

 

It depends on what you take as the length. The yard and shed spread for quite a distance along the line, most of the way back to the station. If you were just to tale the loco depot, it would probably be wider than the length.

 

Lloyd

Edited April 17, 2020 by FarrMan

[great northern]

20 minutes ago, CUTLER2579 said:

Of course just further north at New England I assume it got even wider proportionally to length.

 

Crikey I thought I had porridge for breakfast not the Oxford Dictionary using words like " Proportionally" and spelling it correctly.

Absolutely Derek. The size of New England yards plus MPD on one side, and the Midland and the M&GN on the other  was immense. As to your spelling, apart from getting that correct, typing it correctly as well is even more impressive.

[great northern]

Definitely no way of reaching the centre if we had made the baseboards any wider, at least without putiing some form of removeable hatch in. It's academic anyway, as the room is not wide enough for more. In fact, it seems to have shrunk a bit in width over the winter, as the distance between outside wall and baseboard edge is smaller, as I find when I'm trying to squeeze along there.

[great northern]

Gosh, it's gone 11 00 already, and I've done nothing yet.  Haven't finished my cup of tea yet though. Another forecourt picture to be going on with.

 

 

[geoff west]

2 hours ago, great northern said:

Another lovely sunny day to enjoy. Photos now from nine days ago, which show 60514 having backed on to the train vacated by 60088. I think I must have been zooming again, though I honestly can't remember, as these are the two images in the folder.

 

 

 

 

The second one hits the spot for me. For some reason I've also kept the JPG version of this. Maybe it was so that others could have a go at it if they wished, so if anyone does want to do some manipulation, just let me know.

 

I agree Gilbert, that second one is excellent. Nothing wrong with the first one either.

[great northern]

Afternoon tea break, out of infrastructure pictures, so we will look at the Hitchin pick up goods at the start of its marathon journey.

 

 

then in close up

 

 

and finally in silhouette.

 

 

 

 

 

[great northern]

This morning, having searched the internet in vain for a book entitled 101 interesting ways to photograph an Ivatt 4, I found myself considering the M&GN. Why? Well, it is surprising how often the sequence tells me an M&GN service is due, and unless I cheat occasionally, every one is Ivatt hauled. It was a very well filled schedule for a railway which, a few months later, was to be closed because it was hopelessly uneconomic. Was there really absolutely no consideration given to profitability until so late?  It looks as though these trains were run just bcause they had been run for a century. Or was there still genuine consideration of social need? Parts of the system were very remote, and not that many people had cars.

 

A liitle later I saw that there is a programme on channel 5 this evening in the Walking Britain's Lost Railways series, and the subject is....the M&GN. I shall be watching that.

[great northern]

A tank engine. We don't see many of those. This one has paused to pick up passengers while on its way to Leicester.

 

 

[great northern]

Right, having got completely out of synch with the photo gallery, to the extent of thinking I'd lost some images,( I hadn't),

order has been restored, and we next see the Stanier tank moving off, and passing Gladiateur, waiting in the bay.

 

 

The passengers on the Leicester may have become aware of a gleaming apparition  to their right soon after passing under Spital Bridge, and shortly afterwards it glides towards the spotters. Lord Faringdon took the Yorkshire Pullman to Leeds last evening, and after lodging overnight, the crew bring  number 34 back with the 1000 Up.

 

 

And we can have another glimpse through the arch from Platform 6.

 

 

[Bogie]

On 17/04/2020 at 01:30, great northern said:

One of our cameramen has just sent in a very interesting photo, taken on the forecourt at around 2.00pm today. Two ladies feature, the one on the right being old Mrs Miggins, who has had honourable mention before on here when E. Lincs trains have been held up to allow her to get on board. Today she is half an hour early, so perhaps the Stationmaster has had a word with her.

 

The other lady is one who visitors to Clive's Sheffield Exchange will be familiar with. Yes folks, this is the fabled lady in boots who features in Clive's posts so often. She has come up from Louth for a morning's shopping, and she too will take the 2.33 to get home. Why though is she giving Mrs Miggins a Nazi salute?

 

 

 

I suspect the protocol is for the junior member of whatever neo-Nazi organisation they both belong to salute the more senior.  Must say I would never have picked Peterborough as the location for such an organisation.  The things you learn on RMweb

[manna]

3 hours ago, Bogie said:

 

I suspect the protocol is for the junior member of whatever neo-Nazi organisation they both belong to salute the more senior.  Must say I would never have picked Peterborough as the location for such an organisation.  The things you learn on RMweb

 

 

G'day Folks

 

Well known Hive of National Socialism.........LOL.

 

manna

[great northern]

4 hours ago, Bogie said:

 

I suspect the protocol is for the junior member of whatever neo-Nazi organisation they both belong to salute the more senior.  Must say I would never have picked Peterborough as the location for such an organisation.  The things you learn on RMweb

I think they may belong to the Alford branch, or possibly Mablethorpe.

[great northern]

Wet and cold here this morning. I suppose it does make for a bit of a change. Non photographic activities are called for, but there are still many images waiting. Number 34 having left, Number 33 arrives with the  1100 KX-Glasgow, one of my recently refurbished rakes, which now runs very smoothly.

 

 

Our man on the bridge then leant out rather perilously, and got this shot.

 

 

He's a bit further down Thorpe Road, incidentally, so he can get this angle.

 

Seagull is then swiftly uncoupled, and is soon on its way to New England.

 

 

[bigwordsmith]

Semi off topic...

 

when all this virus rubbish is over, what’s going to happen to Hornby, Bachman et al?

 

Hornby has been in and out of financial difficulties as long as I can remember, so if there is the kind of economic slowdown being predicted , then I’m sure I’m not the only one wondering  how will they survive?

 

theres also the question of ‘made in....’

 

Personally I’m not keen on supporting the Chinese after they effectively unleashed WW3, so would prefer stuff made in the UK. With so much automation in manufacturing, one has to wonder if there’s an opportunity for them to re-shore production?

 

In terms of immediate buying, should we all be buying up those ‘Marginal’ purchases now, especially with the deals around from Rails et al, or wait for the day when Hornby has a fire sale? I’ve already got way too much stock, but I do wonder what lies ahead...

 

maybe Andy Y, or Tony W could put this to Simon Koehler?

[Tony Wright]

53 minutes ago, bigwordsmith said:

Semi off topic...

 

when all this virus rubbish is over, what’s going to happen to Hornby, Bachman et al?

 

Hornby has been in and out of financial difficulties as long as I can remember, so if there is the kind of economic slowdown being predicted , then I’m sure I’m not the only one wondering  how will they survive?

 

theres also the question of ‘made in....’

 

Personally I’m not keen on supporting the Chinese after they effectively unleashed WW3, so would prefer stuff made in the UK. With so much automation in manufacturing, one has to wonder if there’s an opportunity for them to re-shore production?

 

In terms of immediate buying, should we all be buying up those ‘Marginal’ purchases now, especially with the deals around from Rails et al, or wait for the day when Hornby has a fire sale? I’ve already got way too much stock, but I do wonder what lies ahead...

 

maybe Andy Y, or Tony W could put this to Simon Koehler?

I assume I'm the Tony W mentioned?

 

Though I've helped Hornby recently (over the last two and a bit years) with the development of the firm's forthcoming Thompson Pacifics, and I know Simon Kohler very well, I don't think there's anything I could advise him on with regard to the current world situation. 

 

Regarding 'marginal' purchases, one thing that has happened of late has been a huge increase in the number of folk ordering stuff to BUILD (sorry for shouting). Stuff to build (themselves) which is manufactured in this country. Speaking with Dave Ellis of SE Finecast recently, he's never been busier, as have DJH. So has Wizard/Comet/MSE. 

 

Though the circumstances bringing this about are appalling, at least it gives some hope for the future where we might see a return to actual railway modelling, not just the mass-purchases of the latest RTR piece of wonderment. 

 

I don't have anyone's 'ear' in the business (though I am helping other RTR manufacturers), but I can't see much of the predicted RTR stuff announced from the Far East arriving any time soon. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[great northern]

56 minutes ago, bigwordsmith said:

Semi off topic...

 

when all this virus rubbish is over, what’s going to happen to Hornby, Bachman et al?

 

Hornby has been in and out of financial difficulties as long as I can remember, so if there is the kind of economic slowdown being predicted , then I’m sure I’m not the only one wondering  how will they survive?

 

theres also the question of ‘made in....’

 

Personally I’m not keen on supporting the Chinese after they effectively unleashed WW3, so would prefer stuff made in the UK. With so much automation in manufacturing, one has to wonder if there’s an opportunity for them to re-shore production?

 

In terms of immediate buying, should we all be buying up those ‘Marginal’ purchases now, especially with the deals around from Rails et al, or wait for the day when Hornby has a fire sale? I’ve already got way too much stock, but I do wonder what lies ahead...

 

maybe Andy Y, or Tony W could put this to Simon Koehler?

Some questions there that on a broader front a lot of Governments would like to know the answers! Far too early to speculate, in my view, Peter. The media will of course give us gloom and doom, and the worst case scenario, but the truth is that no-one really knows the answers.  Viruses do mutate, and often weaken as they do so, and we have the team at Oxford University saying they have a vaccine which thay are 80% certain will work, and be available this year. What a difference just those two things would make.

 

Wait and see, dig in and cope, it is what it is for now, but may differ soon. One thing we've already learned is the value of having a creative hobby, so maybe demand will be greater in the future?