Upbech St Mary, Upbech Drove and Pott Row a journey through 00 and then into EM and 009.

[Edwardian]

Shunting continues:

 

The Claud comes off the mpd to remove the through coaches to the (off scene) carriage sidings.

 

5 Claud removes carraiges.jpg

 

The J15 returns with a mixed train.

 

6 J15 returns with mixed train.jpg

 

The service seems quite busy today.

 

7 passenger board mixed.jpg

 

And finally an overview showing the J15 in the station, the tramway service has now left and another J70 is shunting wagons.

 

8 overview.jpg

 

Great atmosphere, as ever, and it all blends perfectly.  When I see your layout pictures, I always turn up my coat collar against the chill east wind and the 'falling damps'.

[mullie]

Shunting continues:

 

If only this had been seen in reality. a J70 and Battle of Britain, what a contrast!

 

 

Having stabled the through coaches the Claud now couples up to its own train in the loop.

 

 

Having moved the carriages to the platform they are now loading up. Petrol is still rationed so the trains are busy.

 

 

Once this train has departed quiet returns to the station. Three passenger trains dealt with at a single platform takes quite a lot of organising. A J39 now rumbles in with a brake van to collect empty beet wagons.

 

 

This sequence of moves, combined with the previous post took around 45 minutes. Things move quite slowly at Pott Row, in fact I think it would make quite a poor exhibition layout as there is an overall lack of action, things happening at a slow pace as befits a steam worked backwater. 

 

 

 

[john flann]

Maybe nor for an exhibition Martyn but, you've had 45 minutes of enjoyment.

 

And isn't that the point?

[stewartingram]

J70 on the GE section?   Yes.

BoB on the GE section?   Yes.

 

There were 2 occasions in the early 50s when Light Pacifics were running on the GE in normal service. I think the 1st one was for trials, and the 2nd time to replace Brits with axle problems? I have managed to download off the net a number of pics of them in use, so as I have a favourite shot of 34057 at Cambridge, that loco is in my rostered fleet for Hunston Beach (aka summat-like-Hunstanton)!

 

Stewart

[mullie]

J70 on the GE section?   Yes.

BoB on the GE section?   Yes.

 

There were 2 occasions in the early 50s when Light Pacifics were running on the GE in normal service. I think the 1st one was for trials, and the 2nd time to replace Brits with axle problems? I have managed to download off the net a number of pics of them in use, so as I have a favourite shot of 34057 at Cambridge, that loco is in my rostered fleet for Hunston Beach (aka summat-like-Hunstanton)!

 

Stewart

Were they seen together at Ipswich, a place where both worked at the same time? Never seen a photograph.

Edited May 1, 2017 by mullie

[stewartingram]

No idea I'm afraid. Cambridge is another possibility, as they were staged through there on their journeys to & from Stratford. Long journey, and I'm told by drivers that did it, that the belt drive to the speed governor mysteriously disappeared on most trips!

 

Stewart

[manna]

G'Day Gents.

 

Did read of an account of a J70 running light to Stratford, was mistaken for a run away brakevan, and was signaled as such, it was doing about 50 MPH.

 

manna

Edited May 1, 2017 by manna

[Edwardian]

No idea I'm afraid. Cambridge is another possibility, as they were staged through there on their journeys to & from Stratford. Long journey, and I'm told by drivers that did it, that the belt drive to the speed governor mysteriously disappeared on most trips!

 

Stewart

 

G'Day Gents.

 

Did read of an account of a J70 running light to Stratford, was mistaken for a run away brakevan, and was signaled as such, it was doing about 50 MPH.

 

manna

 

I assume that a journey to Stratford was the original of the Rev. Awdry's story of Toby running out of water and getting stuck on the mainline.  I believe that all such stories were based upon real incidents, most famously the rotating turntable (Garsdale/Hawes Junc?).

[mullie]

G

 

G'Day Gents.

 

Did read of an account of a J70 running light to Stratford, was mistaken for a run away brakevan, and was signaled as such, it was doing about 50 MPH.

 

manna

Given how they were speed limited that speed if true is miraculous! 

[stewartingram]

G

 

Given how they were speed limited that speed if true is miraculous! 

 

Read my earlier post. Drivers disabled the speed limiter. We had guys in the Cambridge Railway Circle who actually did this.

 

Stewart

[mullie]

Locos on Pott Row spend a lot of time moving slowly or standing still so the ground around the track work needs to reflect this. The layout was actually looking pretty grey and the mpd and station boards didn't match in terms of colour. The effect below was achieved by painting with ground artists charcoal after which the layout was hoovered, track cleaned and hoovered again. The wooden platform has been repainted and weathered as it was looking too brown.

 

 

The above photo looks quite dramatic, must be a storm coming. Under normal lighting in actual fact the effect is more subtle as below.

 

 

I do plan to make some additions to the scenics over the next few months. The J65 is progressing very slowly at the moment, nothing to report really.

[mullie]

In the absence of anything new the layout continues to be operated and things were busy this afternoon. the J39 is positioning a van having removed it from the back of a local passenger train.

 

 

 

 

This loco is around 20 years old and still running on its original split chassis with a TCS decoder and is a very reliable performer. The tender runs on a Mainly Trains chassis. I plan to build a new chassis for the loco at some point in the next year.

[mullie]

And of course in black and white

 

 

 

[Edwardian]

That loco looks as tired as I feel!

 

Great realism.

[mullie]

That loco looks as tired as I feel!

 

Great realism.

Me too, felt rubbish all week as has the rest of my family.

[mullie]

A very long time since I've shot any video and although the layout still has a long way to go (even after  9 years), it has come a long way. The Silver Fox J70s running on Bullant chassis are good performers as seen here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mullie]

I'm only posting sporadically because real life is getting in the way but I am snatching odd bits of modelling time. The water tower has Wills bits at the top with the frame soldered up from scrap brass. The close up shows the crudity of the design and is cruel, it is not so apparent at normal viewing distance.

 

 

 

I'm building the worlds smallest mpd based on a superb photo in Railway Bylines of Upwell where the trams were serviced. Water crane has also been scratchbuilt, waiting for hose to be added.

 

I've also been putting in the walkways across the line, made from Ratio parts with a bit of infill added. It will need to be fully bedded in.

 

 

Photos not great as they were taken with my phone.

 

Martyn

[john flann]

Snap Martyn, those Wills bits make up nicely don't they.

[Edwardian]

I'm only posting sporadically because real life is getting in the way but I am snatching odd bits of modelling time. The water tower has Wills bits at the top with the frame soldered up from scrap brass. The close up shows the crudity of the design and is cruel, it is not so apparent at normal viewing distance.

 

20170616_205930.jpg

 

20170616_210051.jpg

 

I'm building the worlds smallest mpd based on a superb photo in Railway Bylines of Upwell where the trams were serviced. Water crane has also been scratchbuilt, waiting for hose to be added.

 

I've also been putting in the walkways across the line, made from Ratio parts with a bit of infill added. It will need to be fully bedded in.

 

20170616_210301.jpg

 

Photos not great as they were taken with my phone.

 

Martyn

 

The additions are excellent, and already skilfully blended in to the scene.

[mullie]

Whilst I've not been paying attention this thread has gone past 50,000 views, thanks everyone.

 

There will be updates soon as the J65 chassis is awaiting fitting of pick ups and the scenics around the branch are largely complete, photos soon.

 

As I've said previously work and real life keep getting in the way , haven't had a weekend free for ages and it is at least a month until we finally get one. Have to say there are some nice things happening though, a good distraction.

[Edwardian]

Whilst I've not been paying attention this thread has gone past 50,000 views, thanks everyone.

 

There will be updates soon as the J65 chassis is awaiting fitting of pick ups and the scenics around the branch are largely complete, photos soon.

 

As I've said previously work and real life keep getting in the way , haven't had a weekend free for ages and it is at least a month until we finally get one. Have to say there are some nice things happening though, a good distraction.

 

We look forward to it.

 

This evening, out with the dogs in the gloaming, there was a fine drizzle, the sort that looks nothing, but steadily soaks you.  Made me think of shivering at dusk on a Pott Row platform!

[mullie]

Been building the world's smallest loco servicing point based on a  fantastic photo of Upwell in Railway Bylines from April 2001 (We still lived in Essex then!). The trams lay over in the siding next to the branch so it made sense to install a small ash pit and water crane all scratch built out of bits and pieces of plastic and brass. The locos will need a means of coaling and that is yet to be built, needless to say it will be simple.

 

 

Tram in repose.

 

 

From normal viewing positions the water tower helps to hide the branch entry/exit, useful as bridges and tunnels are rare in this area.

[mullie]

And in black and white.

 

 

[mullie]

Put a Ratio walkway in to connect the two sides of the station and allow the signalman to collect the token as trains come out of the single line section. These photos have been given a slightly different retro treatment.

 

 

 

 

The signal box area is next for development as neither the platform nor the signal box are properly bedded in. Therefore, the walkway isn't bedded in at the nearest point.

[Fenman]

OT ramble...

 

I found myself in Pott Row a couple of days ago, walking the dogs along the route of the M&GN south from Grimston Road towards Gayton Road. For a while the route runs alongside the gloriously named Cliffe-En-Howe Road (no idea about the derivation of that), which is one of Pott Row's dozen or so roads.

 

The landscape is beautiful woodland on often marshy fenland, before suddenly bursting out onto the heather-covered sands of Roydon Common (now a National Nature Reserve, so a far cry from your mpd).

 

Spectacularly lovely in the summer sunshine. Anyway, it made me think of your fine work.

 

Paul