Grantham - the Streamliner years

[jwealleans]

 

Sniggering at our errors?

Moi?  Derive amusement from the misfortune of others?  I will be the living embodiment of solicitude.

 

Sheet BL52 in John's range - I'll have to check if it's a 'variant' or not.  Second hand but unused so half price to you, guv.

[Barry O]

Moi?  Derive amusement from the misfortune of others?  I will be the living embodiment of solicitude.

 

in the words of the TUI beer commercials in New Zealand.... Yeh Right!

 

But a refresher with Sir wouldn't go amiss.....

Edited August 22, 2014 by Barry O

[gr.king]

I will be the living embodiment of solicitude.

We don't want anybody soliciting near the layout - think of our reputations Sir!

[great northern]

We don't want anybody soliciting near the layout - think of our reputations Sir!

No more invitations for me then.

[LNER4479]

Only a thought, but having widened the rear arch of the tunnel, fitting the "brickwork" sheet will now be more awkward. Would it be worth widening the middle arch in proportion to its distance from the mouth, so that you can then split the brick lining sheet along most of the apex (where nobody can see it) and simply have slightly divergent sides to the tunnel? That would be one way of avoiding conical sections in the brickwork and / or awkwardly angle joints.

Not a bad idea but - too late - it's already been done. Actually I cheated and only used the brickwork as far back as the middle arch (shh! don't tell anyone ); thereafter it's just plain card as no camera lens is ever going to reveal that far back. It's all about blocking out the light by that stage.

[jwealleans]

 

We don't want anybody soliciting near the layout - think of our reputations Sir!

But me going up and down on my shiny chrome stool while fiddling with myself is OK, is it?

 

I think 'B-' there, Mr King - confusing

 

solicit

səˈlɪsɪt/

verb

verb: solicit; 3rd person present: solicits; past tense: solicited; past participle: solicited; gerund or present participle: soliciting

1.

ask for or try to obtain (something) from someone.

"he called a meeting to solicit their views"

synonyms: ask for, request, apply for, put in for, seek, beg, plead for, sue for, crave, canvass, call for, drum up, press for; More

 

 

with

 

solicitude

səˈlɪsɪtjuːd/

noun

noun: solicitude

care or concern for someone or something.

"I was touched by his solicitude"

synonyms: concern, care, attentiveness, mindfulness, consideration, considerateness, thoughtfulness, solicitousness, carefulness

 

I think 6 of the best from Mrs King and extra study is called for.

 

Should we require anyone to solicit on a professional basis, Gilbert, I'm sure you'd be at the top of our thoughts.  Even if they have had the gall to label you 'former'.

[Barry O]

So a while ago Grantham gained a J11 of the Bachmann persuasion...so in response.....

 

 

Guess what it is...

 

Baz

Edited August 22, 2014 by Barry O

[gr.king]

Austrian 2-12-0?

 

If it will have to move any serious load would it be worth switching to a Can motor before the DS10 or equivalent is exposed for what it is?

[Barry O]

As its a J11/3 and it only needs to pull 14 16T and a brake on Herculaneum a DS10 should be fine ... and it came with the kit - so ..it was "free"

 

baz

[LNER4479]

Well, not a bad Bank Holiday (as measured by the hours of modelling time made available)....

 

With the tunnel pieces assembled, the structure of the hillside above can now be put together.

 

Here, the 'public-facing' side piece is cut to shape and tried for size. Location tabs at the bottom (not visible in this view) will ensure accurate positioning (this will be a removable section).

 

Now the central support and bracing pieces are added.

 

Here is the curved rear section which also forms part of the backscene. The bendy MDF has been braced with 9mm ply pieces on the inside; these will also provide a secure edge for the chicken wire to be attached to.

 

And attached to the rest of the frame, this produces the quadrant shape. A nice sturdy frame for the 'blank canvas' of hillside to be formed round (which I can then let my scenery gurus loose on!)

 

All reattached to the layout, the previously removed boards having been reassembled back into their usual position. With this scenery piece removable, it can now be detached and worked on at leisure. I think this angle shows the intended effect of a true 'tunnel'. The upturned plastic beaker(!) marks the position of an intended tunnel vent. A bit too close to the entrance I admit, but I think quite a nice feature to base this otherwise non-descript area around.

 

Next job is detailing of the tunnel portal and permanent attachment to the layout. Then it's chicken wire time(!)

Edited August 25, 2014 by LNER4479

[LNER4479]

A couple of requests for information (well, three actually), if I may, to assist me with this corner of the layout?

 

1. Tunnel brick colour. Red or blue (black)? ie the colour of the brick as originally constructed. From a variety of colour pictures, it looks to be red, but so heavily weathered/stained as you could believe it to be blue brick. All other railway construction on the area seems to be from red brick though so it seems logical for it to be red.

 

2. Down either side of the wing walls appear to be some channels which I assume to be for drainage(?) Furthermore, in the cess leading up to the tunnel appears to be an open drainage ditch (with cross pieces at regular intervals, for bracing - presumably) - see picture. This seems to be a feature of various other ECML locations in LNER days. By later BR days this can't be seen, so presumably it's been replaced by a closed drainage pipe below the surface (with drain covers periodically spaced). If I'm right about the drainage channels down the sides of the tunnel mouth then presumably they connected into these drains?

 

3. I'm shortly to build a distinctive somersault 'gallows' signal and install it outside the entrance (ie for trains on the down line). The picture below (a Maurice Earley picture, which is available on the web at www.locodriver.co.uk ) shows this - but also in the background is a new colour light signal which is about to replace it. I would quite like to replicate this (ie a new signal, covered up waiting to be commissioned) as a little cameo. Trouble is, I know very little about modelling options for colour light signals - even less for an old type signal like this. Can any of you point me in the right direction? All I need is the basic structure of the signal - it doesn't have to work!

 

Thanks, in anticipation.

 

Edited August 26, 2014 by LNER4479

[Flying Fox 34F]

Graham,

The south portal of Peascliffe Tunnel is mainly red brick, but with blue brick repairs.

I have just checked the picture I have of it here in the office. There appears to be more blue brick on the wing walls than the portal face.

As a contrast I've also looked at Gonerby tunnel. This is completely blue brick, is a different shape, has a buttress either side of the portal plus curved wing walls. It will make a nice contrast to Peascliffe on the model.

I'll see if I can upload the pictures

Paul 4475

[LNER4479]

Thanks Paul,

 

So I need to paint it brick red as a base colour then pick out groups of bricks in 'blue'? - great (not!)

 

Yes - I have already clocked the distinctly different and Midland-esque nature of the Gonerby tunnel portal, as befits the elaborate name of the original builders of that route (the first into Grantham) - the Ambergate, Nottingham and Boston and Eastern Junction Railway. This was right at the height of 'Railway Mania', the first earth removal for the tunnel taking place in 1847, with rails laid towards the end of 1849 - but not before the original northern end gave way, resulting in a longer cutting and shorter tunnel. Before long, this hopelessly over-optimistic small concern was eclipsed by the arrival of the mighty GNR in the town and it duly became part of the latter's network.

 

But you're dead right - two adjacent tunnels of different architectural is a 'gift' to the modeller.  We have had a wander round and got reasonably close to the northern portal, enough to take some photos to build a model from - but, as always, the more the merrier.

[Mallard60022]

Comet do a little etch for a C/L signal. You might be able to fettle that rather than spend quite a lot on an Eckon style product? (They are nice though, the Eckons)

Phil

[The Stationmaster]

Comet do a little etch for a C/L signal. You might be able to fettle that rather than spend quite a lot on an Eckon style product? (They are nice though, the Eckons)

Phil

Is it 4mm scale Phil - the PH ones are 7mil and very modern (well 1990s) while I suspect the one 4479 is after is a somewhat earlier design although it looks like it might be 3 aspect but I'd be far from sure about the post and that definitely won't be like the later types.

[Mallard60022]

I think there is a pic of the etch on Comet site. It needs a post (brass or plastic tube). It's 4mm

I wonder if that Dapol plastic gantry kit signal head would be any good or were the old ones just two aspect?

 

P

Edited August 26, 2014 by Mallard60022

[The Stationmaster]

I think there is a pic of the etch on Comet site. It needs a post (brass or plastic tube). It's 4mm

I wonder if that Dapol plastic gantry kit signal head would be any good or were the old ones just two aspect?

 

P

If it's still the original Airfix moulding the signal head is grossly overscale (it is however 3 aspect).  LNERGE might have some drawings and he might have a signal head somewhere in the vicinity of his 'garden railway'  (I wish NR would tidy the embankment undergrowth etc so we can get a better view of it as we pass on the train).

[The Blue Streak]

Whew, well I've managed to get through the whole Grantham Blog.

( I've been moving back and forth between Grantham and Peterborough)

As wonderful as it is to look at the fabulous engines and rolling stock from pre war LNER that you have throughout the thread, I have to say how much I enjoy the "How To" sections.

Everything from constructing motorised semaphores to building pit's. Thanks for showing us how these little tricks are done. I can't begin to tell you how much these tips will help me out.

 

Regards Ted

[LNER4479]

If it's still the original Airfix moulding the signal head is grossly overscale (it is however 3 aspect).  LNERGE might have some drawings and he might have a signal head somewhere in the vicinity of his 'garden railway'  (I wish NR would tidy the embankment undergrowth etc so we can get a better view of it as we pass on the train).

Is it one of these? (referred to as the LNER 'searchlight' type, I believe). This restored example is being installed at the Epping & Ongar Railway. Apparently this one is four aspect - I read somewhere that the aspects were changed by moving lens of different colours in front of the bulb (bardic style).

[The Stationmaster]

Is it one of these? (referred to as the LNER 'searchlight' type, I believe). This restored example is being installed at the Epping & Ongar Railway. Apparently this one is four aspect - I read somewhere that the aspects were changed by moving lens of different colours in front of the bulb (bardic style).

P1020948_LR.jpg

I suspect not - enlarging the pic you posted it looks most likely to be a 3 lens multiple aspect head - somewhat different in shape from a 3 aspect searchlight and I doubt it would have been a 4 aspect (although there were some in odd places on the GN mainline and it might have been of that sort although I think not).  If you have any pics which show it more clearly it would be easier to pin down the type.

 

But the good news is that the post and mounting were most likely very similar to those in the Epping & Ongar example you have posted as they are typically LNER/BR(ER) style.

[Barry O]

Just played a flying visit to see Grantham and to collect Mr Worsdell..

 

Scenery work looks great... tunnel portal immense... turntable - classy... and "sir" even had a proper engine on the layout for a moment or two....

 

The layout is coming together well.

 

Baz

[LNERGE]

Is it one of these? (referred to as the LNER 'searchlight' type, I believe). This restored example is being installed at the Epping & Ongar Railway. Apparently this one is four aspect - I read somewhere that the aspects were changed by moving lens of different colours in front of the bulb (bardic style).

P1020948_LR.jpg

The EOR searchlight is on the wrong base (the base it's on is fit for purpose i'm sure) and should look like this with tapered sides..

 

 

The section from Granthan to Barkston South Junction was track circuit block. One of my diagrams shows the first signal north of Grantham as a four aspect multi lens signal. The illuminated diagram extension shows four aspect seachlights nearly to the tunnel..

 

Edited August 28, 2014 by LNERGE

[LNER4479]

I suspect not - enlarging the pic you posted it looks most likely to be a 3 lens multiple aspect head - somewhat different in shape from a 3 aspect searchlight and I doubt it would have been a 4 aspect (although there were some in odd places on the GN mainline and it might have been of that sort although I think not).  If you have any pics which show it more clearly it would be easier to pin down the type.

 

But the good news is that the post and mounting were most likely very similar to those in the Epping & Ongar example you have posted as they are typically LNER/BR(ER) style.

Thanks Mike,

 

Had a quick scout round and found these two pictures:

 

This was a complete fluke as the book just 'fell open' at this page. This close up of a 1937 Gordon Hepburn picture shows a new colour light about to replace a similar somersault at Barkston south. This is therefore part of the same signalling project to reduce the number of mechanical boxes between Barkston and Grantham North (as cost saving exercise) and is the searchlight type (is it not?). Note that it sports the same appendage to the right and below the signal head (a control box of some sort?) as in the picture of the Peascliffe one I wish to replicate. Note also the loose hanging cloth(?) as the cover to blank off the signals until they are commissioned.

 

This is a close up of a photo from the Pirt book. Frustratingly, he didn't see fit to include 'my' signal of any of his photos of southbound trains exiting the tunnel; however, this view taken in the other direction shows the head of the corresponding signal in the Up direction, which again will have been part of the same (1937) scheme - that's gotta be a searchlight hasn't it?!

 

Surely therefore, if all these signals were installed as part of the same scheme then they would have been of the same style?(!) Given that my signal needs to covered up (as per the Hepburn picture) then the fine details aren't that critical in any case.

 

Any further comments/views welcome.

Edited August 28, 2014 by LNER4479

[LNER4479]

Just played a flying visit to see Grantham and to collect Mr Worsdell..

 

Scenery work looks great... tunnel portal immense... turntable - classy... and "sir" even had a proper engine on the layout for a moment or two....

 

The layout is coming together well.

 

Baz

Thanks Barry,

 

For any who may not have seen it on the Wright Writes thread, here is the visiting engine (and very nice too) on the Grantham turntable.

Edited August 28, 2014 by LNER4479

[Mallard60022]

That's not the one off EBay that went for ******** is it?

P