Grantham - the Streamliner years

[LMS29]

Hope that you guys have a good show. I will be having a bit more exercise than 3279. Look forward to seeing the photographs.

 

Tom

[jwealleans]

Bracing myself for the short trip to AP today. Jesse, you certainly should get hold of a copy as you do feature. Tom (Airline Tom), you were in the first cut I saw but I have a feeling you may now be in the outtakes.

 

No cakes and no tea ladies this weekend, so do forgive us if the privations all become too much.....

[grob1234]

Bracing myself for the short trip to AP today. Jesse, you certainly should get hold of a copy as you do feature. Tom (Airline Tom), you were in the first cut I saw but I have a feeling you may now be in the outtakes.

 

No cakes and no tea ladies this weekend, so do forgive us if the privations all become too much.....

 

I'm disgusted....! I thought my fees were eminently reasonable....

[jwealleans]

It's to do with the falling pound, I believe.

[Gilwell Park]

Hi  I have followed this topic for ages and today saw the layout for the first time at Ally Pally. Not my era or location but a fantastic layout, definitely best in show!  Roger.

[Al.]

Saw the layout again at Ally Pally. Looking superb, as always.

 

Did try to grab a word with you Graham, but you were busy. Will have to catch up at the next show...

[Chuffer Davies]

Hi  I have followed this topic for ages and today saw the layout for the first time at Ally Pally. Not my era or location but a fantastic layout, definitely best in show!  Roger.

Hi Graham,

Likewise for me it was a pleasure to meet you at Ally Pally and the layout did not disappoint. How on earth you get it all into a single long wheelbase Transit is a mystery to me. Sorry I didn’t get to meet Baz the Ballast but perhaps I’ll see him at Wakefield in November.

 

Hope the rest of the weekend goes smoothly for you.

 

Frank

[ilovetrains6]

Hi

 

I too saw the layout at Alexander palace today and agree totally on what has already been said. The layout is amazing. Well done

 

Johan

[Atso]

Dear 'Mr Devil'

 

It was great to see you again yesterday and brilliant to be able to see the progress made on Grantham since I last saw it. The layout is really something very special and congratulations to all the contributors to this fantastic project - without a doubt my favourite layout at Ally Pally!

 

I also enjoyed being able to see Mr King's P2 conversions up close; even though the builder wasn't present (and hopefully enjoying a restful weekend!).

 

All the best with the final day of the show.

[gr.king]

Just about to drink more tea here at home, after two comfortable nights in my own bed, rising each morning at a thoroughly civilised hour....

[Atso]

Just about to drink more tea here at home, after two comfortable nights in my own bed, rising each morning at a thoroughly civilised hour....

Yes, but waking up and drinking tea minus some P2s, K2s and other lovely items of stock....

[gr.king]

Oh, somebody will look after them, I'm fairly sure.

[Atso]

Oh, somebody will look after them, I'm fairly sure.

Well, I would have looked after them with pleasure but I don't think you'd have been impressed by having to travel far south of the Trent to get them back!!!!!

[gr.king]

I hope you volunteered to do a 3 hours unassisted operating session managing North Box and Yard Box together when you visited the layout. They would have been ever so grateful.

[Flyingscotsmanfan]

After visiting the layout many times over the last two days, I finally had the chance, tonight, to watch the DVD after purchasing Saturday morning. The layout is fantastic and the DVD shows the love and care that went into making it. Thank you for finally allowing me to see the whole layout. My favourite time of visiting was Sunday morning withTony Wright on the shed. While he was operating he was talking to an acquaintance of his and giving a little bit of a commentary, Tony should do a commentary for the entire running sequence.

[LNER4479]

Just a quick post for now, as Grantham beds down for its overnight stop at Little Bytham, courtesy of the Wrights. A memorable show; thanks for all kind comments, both here and on the Ally Pally show thread. A fuller report to follow shortly.

 

Thanks also for interest shown in DVD. Rest assured that all PMs and other expressions of interest duly logged and will be attended to once Grantham is safely back home.

[enginelane]

Looking forward to seeing it exhibited at Wakefield in November.

[LMS29]

Hi Graham,

Likewise for me it was a pleasure to meet you at Ally Pally and the layout did not disappoint. How on earth you get it all into a single long wheelbase Transit is a mystery to me. Sorry I didn’t get to meet Baz the Ballast but perhaps I’ll see him at Wakefield in November.

Hope the rest of the weekend goes smoothly for you.

Frank

 

The secret for van packing, like the rest of the layout, is maticulous planning and everything has its appointed place. I helped pack it last Thursday.

 

Tom

[jwealleans]

Well, back to grim reality after a weekend back in in the 1930s... I expect I'll have caught up on my sleep just about in time for York.

 

Ally Pally is always an enjoyable weekend away in my experience, it's just a shame they couldn't have put it somewhere a bit more central. Nonetheless it will be memorable, if only for the fact that, if our statisticians are correct, we went right through the operating sequence in 2 hours 15 on Sunday. That's at least 30 minutes faster than we've ever managed before. It certainly felt like hell on wheels at the time.

 

So, some images for those who weren't there or have already blanked it from their minds. We did have the official photographer present, so there will be more and better images along in due course.

 

Setting up on Saturday:

 

 

Either someone has stolen Tony's phone, or he's superglued his hand to his ear and Baz is telling him where the first aid post is.

 

 

Red Leader looking very determined to hoover something up.

 

 

... and now with its clothes on. This was before opening on Sunday. They all seem to be wondering where I've gone.

 

 

I'm afraid Barry hadn't had his medication yet.

 

 

Small details are still being added. I hadn't noticed this bench outside the shed before.

 

 

3275 (Ks) alongside Mr. Wright's new SEF J6 which dealt more than capably with the down minerals on Sunday.

 

 

Two ex-GN vans which stood in as window dressing in the absence of Mr. King's Margate rebuilds.

 

Edited May 4, 2018 by jwealleans

[St Enodoc]

 

I remember queuing for about six hours outside the doors under that clock for the Led Zeppelin concert at Christmas 1972.

[St Enodoc]

I'm afraid Barry hadn't had his medication yet.

Don't give him too much or he'll fall over in the bathroom.

[Mallard60022]

It was a bit unfair that Grantaham was designated as a facility for ladies but at least the colour of the sign was correct.

Made up for by the Craft Beer and Pasties; neat layout placement there then, however more in keeping with Treneglos?

So glad all went well and that venue looks stunning; I've never been there. I suspect the overnighter at Bytham was a Godsend too after all that work and having to escape from the Smoke.

Phil 

[jwealleans]

Some of us had to escape all the way home and then drag ourselves into the office this morning. Luckily the traffic was light and I was home not long after midnight.

 

Very remiss of me not to thank all the people who came to see us and make positive comments, most especially those who purchased the DVD. Steve (Atso) showed me some incredibly clean and detailed resin castings of fish vans in 2mm, which would go well with Tim Watson's beautiful P2.

 

Nice to see Pelmet Tom Palmar as well and I was sorry not to be able to introduce myself to Stationmaster Mike, who was roped into Yard Box for a while, I noted.

 

Thanks, of course, to Nick Freezer and the MRC for looking after us so well - the new accommodation, contrary to what I'd been told, was much closer than the former establishment - and the friendly, smiling AP staff, who could teach one or two other venues a thing or two about civility.

 

Edit - and Clive Mortimore, whom I had not met before, but is a top man and with whom I enjoyed a very convivial lunch on Saturday.

Edited March 26, 2018 by jwealleans

[The Stationmaster]

Some of us had to escape all the way home and then drag ourselves into the office this morning. Luckily the traffic was light and I was home not long after midnight.

 

Very remiss of me not to thank all the people who came to see us and make positive comments, most especially those who purchased the DVD. Steve (Atso) showed me some incredibly clean and detailed resin castings of fish vans in 2mm, which would go well with Tim Watson's beautiful P2.

 

Nice to see Pelmet Tom Palmar as well and I was sorry not to be able to introduce myself to Stationmaster Mike, who was roped into Yard Box for a while, I noted.

 

Thanks, of course, to Nick Freezer and the MRC for looking after us so well - the new accommodation, contrary to what I'd been told, was much closer than the former establishment - and the friendly, smiling AP staff, who could teach one or two other venues a thing or two about civility.

 

Sorry we didn't get to have an intro Jonathan but Graham more than made up for it (the other Graham that is) as we ran through a long list of mutual friends, acquaintances and past colleagues.  An excellent time was had by me without, hopefully, disgracing myself and it was very enjoyable to briefly take part in operating such a wonderful and very prototypical railway (almost rude to call it a 'layout').

[Mallard60022]

Some of us had to escape all the way home and then drag ourselves into the office this morning. Luckily the traffic was light and I was home not long after midnight.

 

 

......but isn't your office a Model Railway?

Silly Billy