Lime Street Station

[Steve Hewitt]

Come along and meet us.........

 

This coming weekend, March 5/6th, Les Green, John Holden and myself will be demonstrating at the Preston show.

Not sure what the others will have on their tables, but I'll have the Route Indicator and other signals on my table if you want to examine them or discuss them in detail.

Any of us will be pleased to talk to you about Liverpool Lime Street or anything else to do with our modelling.

 

Please make your self known.

 

See you there.....

 

Steve.

Edited March 3, 2022 by Steve Hewitt
Correct date.

[Les Green]

Today the Lime Street crew hosted a visit by five gents from Folkstone, Manchester, and the Isle of Wight. The day started with a talk by John Holden about the history of the layout and the involvement with some of the operating crew. This was followed by the usual Lime Street crew operating the layout. After lunch at the local pub the visitors spent the afternoon operating the layout. A good day enjoyed by us all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 19, 2022 by Les Green

[lmsforever]

Those cakes looked good glad you all had a good day.

[Jon Fitness]

What an excellent day! On behalf of Simon, Andrew, David, Alan and myself I'd like to say a big thank you for letting us visit and have a go at operating your wonderful creation. We were made very welcome and kept supplied with plentiful brews and biccies.

You were smashing hosts and very tolerant of our efforts at operating which was helped by the superb running qualities of both locos and stock. The operating system and methods seemed intuitive and it all seemed to flow well thanks to your patience in teaching us the basics. 

Thanks again for a lovely day.

 

[Simond]

I’d like to add my thanks to Jon’s, we had a wonderful & thoroughly enjoyable day, thanks so much for the generous hospitality and warm welcome!

 

I posted an update in my Workbench thread in Western Thunder

 

https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/threads/simond’s-workbench.9440/page-14#post-245565

 

cheers

Simon

 

[Steve Hewitt]

Packing the Hotel..............

(Not packing up at the hotel)

 

The last few weeks, since our visitors from Down South spent a great day with us, have been quite busy.

All our crew have had a couple of days operating, to refresh memories and run-in several new additions to the fleet.

Probably the biggest change we have embarked upon is attempting to re-create a full days running from the 1947 Working Timetable.

Noel Coates has been the source of most of the reference information we have used and he has written the "script" for the activities.

These comprise the Arrivals and Departures of course, but also all the shunting and positioning moves at both the Station and on the Hidden Sidings - which represent the rest of the railways of Great Britain just prior to Nationalisation. (At least those parts which could be reached directly by train from Liverpool Lime Street).

Subsequently, I have interpreted the script into specific operating instructions for the three operators. Currently there are some 657 instructions for the pair of "Station" operators, and 725 for the "Sector Plate" man.

Progress is slow but steady.

We start with a 05:50 train to Leeds, and at the end of three days running we have reached about 3:20pm with an Arrival from Newcastle!

Fortunately, most of the pit-falls have been errors in the instructions and the layout has performed almost faultlessly!

 

However, all good things come to an end, or at least a pause.

Peter Goss will shortly be bringing another crowd of passengers and staff, and some technical alterations are required.

All this requires the layout to be partially dismantled, and the following little video shows John and Les making a start by removing the North Western Hotel and putting it away safely for a few weeks.

 

Hopefully we'll be able to report progress as the developments are made over the next few weeks.

 

Steve.

[Steve Hewitt]

A little progress......

 

Subsequent to removing the Hotel, John and I have partially dismantled the layout.

This is primarily to allow Pete Goss access to the areas of the station on which he will install his latest batch of figures.

 

This is the state of the layout now:

 

The first board is on the operating table:

This board 7A.

 

John has sent the following update:

 

"Board 7A complete so it’s on to board 8A .

Thought you might be interested in the first shot, this shows the relay board you normally can’t see (58 relays on board ! ), as its buried under the sound system board. I had to move the sound board out of the way so I could through cable a new video feed to the video switch on board 9A from board 7A for the new camera (The one that will look down on the turntable and signal box from the pelmet).

The relays on this board are used to provide power to all the individual sections of track in the station throat on this board. They are all controlled by the main processor in the Y box."

 

"This shot gives you the overall picture, you can see the white cable (co-ax) being fed through. The cable run goes vertically up the left side of the relay board then on to a plug at the left hand end of the board."

 

"Job done, ready to start the next job on this board providing the power supply for the front board (8B) for the sand drying plant and grounded coach body.

Finally there will be the electrics to provide for the pick axe man !"

 

I'll try to report progress as and when news of it becomes available.

 

Steve.

 

[Simond]

Steve,

 

good to see the latest news.  
 

I don’t think we touched on it during our visit, but I guess the documentation for the layout is a significant project in itself.  I’m thinking of;

 

mechanical drawings for the boards, transport/storage bogies, stock boxes

trackplans

wiring diagrams for subsystems;

   Controllers

   track feeds,

   pointwork, 

   Signals

   Sound system

   Video

   Trams & road traffic

   Scenic effects & lighting

   Display lighting

Timetables

stock rosters

and  

whatever else I’ve missed.

 

it’s not the “sexy side” of the model, but a few words might be of interest?

MCAD?

ECAD?

Templot?

What else?

 

cheers

Simon

 

Edited April 17, 2022 by Simond

[Steve Hewitt]

Thanks Simon for the interest in our "Documentation".

We are currently not having running sessions, but once they resume I'll gather together what I can and post it on here.

 

Steve.

[Steve Hewitt]

More progress....

 

John has reported:

 

"Layout Progress ;

So all the wiring upgrades are now complete and as the attached photos show all the “A” Boards are now back up.

 

 

Les is hoping to produce some new gateposts on his 3D printer, these will be for the gates (always left open) that were across the road between platforms 7&8.

I have now moved on to fabricating the end screen that was on the end of Platform 7/Siding D.

 

I’ve now completed the framework for the end screen. So many lap joints to make, good job I have the milling machine!

 

 

In actual fact since taking the photos I have fitted the two end panels, the main one will be done tomorrow.

Although it looks too tall, it is in fact the right height ( as measured against the adjacent pillars).

 

 

So the screen is now finished!

 

 

Just got to let Rob get his hands on it for the obligatory pigeon poo etc.

After that it can be permanently fixed to the baseboard.

John."

 

More to report soon, I believe...........

 

Steve.

[Simond]

4 hours ago, Steve Hewitt said:

Thanks Simon for the interest in our "Documentation".

We are currently not having running sessions, but once they resume I'll gather together what I can and post it on here.

 

Steve.

Hi Steve,

 

I wasn’t trying to make work for you!  Really just wondering how you & the team keep track of what must be a massive data set.

 

all the best

Simon

[Steve Hewitt]

Some more to report.......

 

John has reported more progress:

 

"Well that’s all the planned work done now ready for Peter Goss coming tomorrow.

Les called yesterday to help me put the hotel back.

 

As you will see I have left two boards out to allow Peter access to platforms 7 to 10.

 

Thought you might also like a look at the sand drying plant and the grounded coach body now they are fitted with the lights working.

 

Had a great day today as you will see from the attached pictures. Peter arrived on time and was soon at work adding to our population! 

 

Firstly we set out all the figures where they needed to be.

 

I have taken a number of pictures but here are a few .

We now have a bus queue on Skelhorne Street.

 

Here we have a group of sailors who have just arrived and are in transit to Birkenhead to man a new ship. On the far platform you can see the postal workers Peter has provided. Rob and I will be “planting” them at a later date once we have all the post office vehicles done.

 

We have a lady just about to get in the front taxi, whilst other taxi drivers are having a chat. A queue of other passengers wait.

 

An overall view the platforms 

 

That's all for now."

 

For the next few weeks John has a lot on, so I'm not sure when there will be the next update......

 

Steve.

 

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

On 17/04/2022 at 00:28, Steve Hewitt said:

A little progress......

 

Subsequent to removing the Hotel, John and I have partially dismantled the layout.

This is primarily to allow Pete Goss access to the areas of the station on which he will install his latest batch of figures.

 

This is the state of the layout now:

 

The first board is on the operating table:

This board 7A.

 

John has sent the following update:

 

"Board 7A complete so it’s on to board 8A .

Thought you might be interested in the first shot, this shows the relay board you normally can’t see (58 relays on board ! ), as its buried under the sound system board. I had to move the sound board out of the way so I could through cable a new video feed to the video switch on board 9A from board 7A for the new camera (The one that will look down on the turntable and signal box from the pelmet).

The relays on this board are used to provide power to all the individual sections of track in the station throat on this board. They are all controlled by the main processor in the Y box."

 

"This shot gives you the overall picture, you can see the white cable (co-ax) being fed through. The cable run goes vertically up the left side of the relay board then on to a plug at the left hand end of the board."

 

"Job done, ready to start the next job on this board providing the power supply for the front board (8B) for the sand drying plant and grounded coach body.

Finally there will be the electrics to provide for the pick axe man !"

 

I'll try to report progress as and when news of it becomes available.

 

Steve.

 

 

It would be a lot simpler if you converted to DCC, only 2 wires dontcha know?!!

 

Mike.

[LMS2968]

On 08/05/2022 at 05:05, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

It would be a lot simpler if you converted to DCC, only 2 wires dontcha know?!!

 

Mike.

Nah, make it Hornby three-rail. Effective self-isolating points!

[Steve Hewitt]

Another small step............

 

Those familiar with the history of Lime Street Station will know that it has undergone several extensions and changes during its long life.

Our model is based on "up to 1947" - just prior to Nationalisation.

One of the first changes in BR days was the istallation of the Power Box, replacing the large manual Box we have, and allowing further extension of Platform 7.

The Power Box would be placed on the South side of the tracks, where we have our Turntable.

In our model, the surveyors are laying out the footprint for the larger replacement turntable which would come as part of the re-signalling project.

 

John reports:

"I have now made and fitted the stakes around the circumference of the “new “ turntable pit.

 

In the centre is the chap with his theodolite and his mate holding the pole.

 

We even have two nuns as well now !

 

These are all new figures from Peter Goss."

 

Steve.

[Siberian Snooper]

Which nun, is Robbie Coltrane?

 

[Simond]

Sister Josephine…

[LMS2968]

As an aside to show how much the station grew, the original 1836 footprint is shown in blue and the 1947 (and current) footprint in red.

 

 

Edited May 13, 2022 by LMS2968

[Rumblestripe]

On 12/05/2022 at 18:28, Siberian Snooper said:

Which nun, is Robbie Coltrane?

 

Nun of the above... 😉

[Worsdell forever]

On 12/05/2022 at 20:50, Simond said:

Sister Josephine…

 

That would explain all those policemen in their grim limousine...

[Steve Hewitt]

DISASTER ! ................

 

The following message from John arrived this morning:

 

"This morning I have woken up to find we have been burgled, or more accurately the shed has been broken into.

Whoever has done this has forced open the up and over door.

I have spoken to the police and am not allowed into the shed until they have been. I had to go in to close the up & over door and from what I can see ALL the locos’ have been taken. The shed is in a right bloody mess ,The cheeky have used some of the stock boxes to take the stuff."

 

Later in the day he was allowed into the Railway and is now prepairing an inventory of all the missing items. He wrote:

 

"I’m allowed in the shed now, so here are a couple of shots of the carnage!

 

 

 

They missed three of the loco’s, only tank engines I’m afraid, and the rail motor.

Thankfully they had no interest in the coaching stock. Apart from the locos’ the laser and a portable amplifier I had have gone and for some reason the large alloy box the trams are kept in. I have pictures of all but the latest locos added to the fleet (sorry Steve) Pauline and I will now start to make as complete an inventory as we can.

Surprisingly the layout seems unharmed, they even lifted out one of the roof sections to get at the locos and carefully put it down next to the roof box.

This could not have come at a worse time having the family here. At least my grandson did get some running time!"

 

We would appreciate any assistance from our RMweb friends in tracking down the stolen items, which also include some 0 Gauge items out of a display cabinet and a Loco Headboard.

We can't believe they have been targetted by an EM gauge modeller, and the thieves probably don't know they are not 00. They might have some unsatisfied "customers" if they try to move them on.

 

We'll keep you informed of any developments when possible.

Please send any information you come across to me as a PM on RMweb.

 

Thank you,

Steve Hewitt.

 

 

[A Murphy]

So sorry to hear this. It is unlikely, but should I hear anything, I will be right back to you. 

 

Alastair

[AY Mod]

So very sorry to hear this Steve; you must all be upset, particularly John and the family.

 

It may be worth publishing a list of locos/liveries/numbers to raise awareness.

 

If any information leading to recovery can be given by any RMweb member to you I could offer a token reward.

 

[richard i]

I will watch through eBay searches. 
I have no time for people like that. 
no words we say can ease the pain of having such treasured possessions taken. 
in our thought

richard 

[Simond]

Steve, John,

 

what a horrible thing to happen.  Fingers crossed the stock will appear and the police will do a decent job of tracking down the perpetrators..

 

I’m sure the Folkestone mob will join me in offering our sympathy.

 

I have linked Steve’s announcement to a thread on WT.  more eyes…

kindest regards

Simon

Edited May 31, 2022 by Simond