LMS29 Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 It's lovely to see the well-modelled wooden building next to the top/new shed. It had a more vital function than as a shed for lifting tackle, however, because it was Grantham Loco's 'Class Room', a facility used for the training of cleaners and loco crew etc. by Loco Inspectors, and also for the more informal Mutual Improvement Classes (MICs). The lean-to annex at the back was a bike shed. This is gleaned from a large scale plan dating from GNR days, the relevant area of which can be seen about a third of the way down this page on Tracks through Grantham. For the fastidious among us, the building which was there in the 1950s/early 60s, and therefore appears in Keith Pirt's photos, was a replacement class room in a slightly different location nearer the 'shears' (...or maybe it was the original one simply moved along a bit), because the eastern apex of the turning triangle had to be built right where the class room originally stood (i.e. where it appears on the GNR plan and in the Britain from Above pix). Roy@34F recalls using the [relocated] class room on one of his pages so he'll be delighted to see it on the layout, I'm sure - a corner appears at extreme right of the first picture on the page linked to. John I could not help noting that just to the north of the 'classroom' building that Paul has so skilfully modelled is a small building for sand and in one of the aerial shots there was a wagon with a pale load (sand?) alongside the coal wagons. Would that have existed in the 1930s and if it did is there room for another of Paul's excellent buildings? Tom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwealleans Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Which aerial photo, Tom? I'd be inclined to think a paler wagonload would be ash, but maybe not. The Britain from Above site looks as if it shows the sand dryer round the back of the new shed looking down on the road where it ducks down under the main lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apbolton Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Looking at the Britain from the air photo it looks like the sand drier is on the left about level with the start of the New Shed, the ground and track in front of it certainly looks a lot lightrr in the photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwealleans Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 With the circular tank? I thought that was water treatment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS29 Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 With the circular tank? I thought that was water treatment. One of the maps annotated the building as sand. You may be right about the ash. Will do a bit more research and perhaps we can discuss at the Lincoln show. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROY@34F Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 It's lovely to see the well-modelled wooden building next to the top/new shed. It had a more vital function than as a shed for lifting tackle, however, because it was Grantham Loco's 'Class Room', a facility used for the training of cleaners and loco crew etc. by Loco Inspectors, and also for the more informal Mutual Improvement Classes (MICs). The lean-to annex at the back was a bike shed. This is gleaned from a large scale plan dating from GNR days, the relevant area of which can be seen about a third of the way down this page on Tracks through Grantham. For the fastidious among us, the building which was there in the 1950s/early 60s, and therefore appears in Keith Pirt's photos, was a replacement class room in a slightly different location nearer the 'shears' (...or maybe it was the original one simply moved along a bit), because the eastern apex of the turning triangle had to be built right where the class room originally stood (i.e. where it appears on the GNR plan and in the Britain from Above pix). Roy@34F recalls using the [relocated] class room on one of his pages so he'll be delighted to see it on the layout, I'm sure - a corner appears at extreme right of the first picture on the page linked to. John Thanks John. Yes I am looking forward to seeing the latest additions to Grantham. I well remember the classroom, and the sand drier; but not in LNER days of course Hope to see all the happy gang at Newark, all being well and I don't catch the wife's 'flu, a really bad strain it is an' all ! Roy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post LNER4479 Posted February 14, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted February 14, 2018 (edited) Been away again, hence another period of radio silence. This time though, not just another European jaunt, somewhere much further away and exotic... India! As my 'retirement' present to myself, I booked on the joint Darjeeling Tours / Steam Railway tour to experience the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a far away railway I've always been fascinated by but never had the chance to visit. Until now. Apart from the upper, mountainous section, all regular trains (not that there's many of them!) are diesel-hauled so the only way to do the whole line by steam these days is to be part of an organised tour that includes chartered trains. Here is our train, being readied for its 54 mile journey to Darjeeling, a trip that will take two days(!) This is Siliguri, where broad gauge meets narrow gauge. We are at a mere 400ft above sea level; Darjeeling lies at 6812ft a.s.l. and the summit of the line is even higher. Some serious hill climbing lies ahead for No.782, our venerable 1899 built 0-4-0T, a product of Sharp, Stewart in Glasgow, before it became part of the North British empire. And we're off! It really is true - people routinely live by the railway and use it as a right of way. Those broad gauge tracks are open to traffic! Everyone is pleased to see the train, irrespective and much whistling ensues. Stops for water are frequent, owing to the limited capacity of the small saddle tank and front well tank. This delightful spot is after the start of the serious hill climbing, twisting and turning through a forest. Getting ever more dramatic, this is reverse No.3, below Tindharia - if you look carefully you can see the other parts of the reverse where it crosses the road (centre) and the approach track further over to the right still. The lineside bus for photographers is bottom right with said photographers gathered near the road crossing. Houses of all shapes, sizes and colour cling precariously to the hillside, which often suffers landslides during the monsoon season, sometimes severing the railway for months on end. Leaves are being blasted from the trees by the fierce exhaust of the loco. This is some railway! Journey's end for the first day, as No.782 catches her breath at Tindharia, a classic example of a hill railway station. The main loco works are located here, in this dramatic location. We returned in the road coaches to our hotel in Siliguri for the night. (I should clarify that, in its heyday, the journey to Darjeeling was done in a single day. We were taking it leisurely, being on holiday!) Resuming our journey the following day, with the same loco, we have just negotiated the famous 'Agony Point'. Not a brilliant pic and the site is more afforested than it used to be but hopefully you get the idea - we are crossing over the track that we went round a few moments earlier. Not so much a water stop as a sand stop! The crew apparently spotted a pile of gravel alongside the road and helped themselves to a few shovelfulls to replenish the hand sanding bin on the front of the loco - either that or there are strategically placed piles along the road? There is evidence here of recent landslide repairs as we appear to be on a concrete raft at this point. This road is open for road traffic! It comes as something of a shock, after all that remote hillside railway, to encounter the bustling town of Kurseong (4844ft a.s.l.). We were due a loco change here but the driver didn't like the look of his replacement loco so elected to carry on with plucky No.782 and here she is making her way slowly through the classic street scene at the town. Apologies for the lighting but the mist had rolled in big time this day. At Sonada (6552ft a.s.l.), we were caught up by the service train. This should have got past us at Kurseong but was probably delayed - as usual - by the late arrival of the overnight Darjeeling Mail from Kolkata (Calcutta) that it makes a connection with. This was to have unfortunate consequences, because... Disaster! Our attempt to reach Darjeeling comes to an ignominious end with No.782 in the dirt, thrown off by a particularly violent lurch rounding a curve. Some thought the driver was trying a bit too hard to keep out of the way of the diesel. Whatever, we finished our journey, somewhat subdued, in the road coaches. Completing the route by steam would have to wait until a following day. (to be continued) Edited February 14, 2018 by LNER4479 33 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwealleans Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 If you hadn't left that giveaway text in the rear of the first picture, I'd have believed this was real. Top modelling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denbridge Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 If you hadn't left that giveaway text in the rear of the first picture, I'd have believed this was real. Top modelling. 'Toy train' is how the Indians refer to the DHR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Good to see the LT roundels for the station nameboards! Stewart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr.king Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 (edited) DSC00500_LR.jpg Disaster! Our attempt to reach Darjeeling comes to an ignominious end with No.782 in the dirt, thrown off by a particularly violent lurch rounding a curve. Some thought the driver was trying a bit too hard to keep out of the way of the diesel. Whatever, we finished our journey, somewhat subdued, in the road coaches. Completing the route by steam would have to wait until a following day. (to be continued) It all comes of not taking the Ballastmeister with you. It looks as if they need to be introduced to the idea of ballast on certain stretches of that line.... Edited February 15, 2018 by gr.king 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS29 Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 Great photographs. Do I feel a narrow gauge model coming on? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwealleans Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 Bit bigger hill than the last one he built..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted February 16, 2018 Author Share Posted February 16, 2018 (edited) Do I feel a narrow gauge model coming on? We already model in narrow gauge, don't you know, OO being only 4ft 1.5ins ... perhaps we shouldn't go there? Perhaps we should go here instead: The iconic Windamere Hotel in Darjeeling, a relic of the Raj, the old colonial hotel where all Brits gravitate to, open coal fires in all rooms and good ol' meat n two veg on the menu! For our first day based here, we had a freight charter and the weather was, initially, quite kind. Unfortunately, it too fell of the rails. However, on this occasion, partly due to it coming to rest right alongside a pile of old rails, we had it back on in about 90mins and we were on our way again, with loco sounding distinctly off beat! At Ghum (summit station at 7407ft a.s.l.), a flat wagon was attached and we boarded that to complete the final leg of the journey to Darjeeling in a most novel manner. A general view of Darjeeling shortly after we arrived. If you look carefully, our train is plumb dead centre. Loco shed to the right. A closer look inside the shed reveals several of the legendary 'B' class locos in residence. The next day we rode the regular 'Joy Trains' from Darjeeling to Ghum, the highlight of which is the stop at the famous viewpoint at Batasia Loop, nowadays adorned with a Ghurka monument. This was the brightest, clearest we saw it at this spot so, alas, no views of the Himalayas. Lack of stunning views notwithstanding, I hadn't come all this way not to have a 'record' shot! Ghum is home to an excellent museum, featuring both indoor and outdoor exhibits One of many fascinating pictures, which puts the DHR into context in more ways than one. Back at Darjeeling, all life passes you by. This appears to be a furniture delivery man. Captions invited. (more to come yet...) Edited February 16, 2018 by LNER4479 19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted February 16, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 16, 2018 Unfortunately, it too fell of the rails. However, on this occasion, partly due to it coming to rest right alongside a pile of old rails, we had it back on in about 90mins and we were on our way again, with loco sounding distinctly off beat! 90 minutes? All the gangs I ever worked with would have fixed that in about 10. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwealleans Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 Now that's a proper box shifter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manna Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 G'Day Folks Wonderful pictures, but I like the one with the roof of the engine shed taking pride of place, I am really surprised that it's still standing. manna 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted February 16, 2018 Author Share Posted February 16, 2018 (edited) 90 minutes? All the gangs I ever worked with would have fixed that in about 10. Ah yes, but you've never worked with gang like THIS. Nor would you ever want to; they made the Keystone Cops look organised. Somebody found a screw jack. A passing lorry driver offered them the loan of a hydraulic pump jack. A couple of them wandered off to find some older sleepers for packing. Great entertainment but beyond belief that they didn't have any proper kit with them, given the propensity for derailment. Old pictures show all locos carry a stout re-railing beam along the side of the saddle tank - you can see the bracket for this purpose on the left hand side of the loco - but they seem to have abandoned doing that. Edited February 16, 2018 by LNER4479 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted February 16, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 16, 2018 Ah yes, but you've never worked with gang like THIS. Nor would you ever want to; they made the Keystone Cops look organised. Somebody found a screw jack. A passing lorry driver offered them the loan of a hydraulic pump jack. A couple of them wandered off to find some older sleepers for packing. Great entertainment but beyond belief that they didn't have any proper kit with them, given the propensity for derailment. Old pictures show all locos carry a stout re-railing beam along the side of the saddle tank - you can see the bracket for this purpose on the left hand side of the loco - but they seem to have abandoned doing that. Many hands make light work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 Question is, why is Steve Martin visiting the DHR? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted February 16, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 16, 2018 90 minutes? All the gangs I ever worked with would have fixed that in about 10. Agree, except for the Bath Road gang mob - however I see a picture of a team organised very like Bath Road's breakdown gang has subsequently appeared in Post No.4043 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted February 16, 2018 Author Share Posted February 16, 2018 Many hands make light work? Too many cooks spoil the broth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted February 16, 2018 Author Share Posted February 16, 2018 Question is, why is Steve Martin visiting the DHR? post-16151-0-24847400-1518741123_thumb.jpg download.jpg Makes a change to being likened to Mr Bean I suppose? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr.king Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 Do those poor chaps who ride shotgun on the front steps dive clear when the loco derails, or do they have to be scraped up after the loco is re-railed? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted February 16, 2018 Author Share Posted February 16, 2018 Well they seem to survive the FOUR derailments that befell us (yes - there's more to come!) which suggests that they might be quite used to needing nothing more than a fresh change of underwear by now. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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