Grantham - the Streamliner years

[Bazza]

I'm afraid being shorthanded is my fault. My wife fell down the stairs and is in hospital so I could not be on duty at Fareham Hope it hasn't been too stressful for the rest of the team. 

Bazza

[The Stationmaster]

9 minutes ago, Bazza said:

I'm afraid being shorthanded is my fault. My wife fell down the stairs and is in hospital so I could not be on duty at Fareham Hope it hasn't been too stressful for the rest of the team. 

Bazza

Wish her our best please Baz - it's a long while since she gave that important bit of assistance and support at just the right time.

[guspaul]

First time seeing the layout at Fareham.  Wow what an amazing exhibition layout! 

Firstly an excellent looking layout with lots passenger and goods operation.

 

And I have not seen a better operational layout...normally fully timetabled layouts don't have enough going on (IMO).  But this was great...lots happening all the time.  And I really enjoyed how all the moves were on the back of the flip charts so I knew what to look for.  I stood and watched the layout for over an hour which is unheard of for me.  Super stuff!

 

[31A]

3 hours ago, Bazza said:

I'm afraid being shorthanded is my fault. My wife fell down the stairs and is in hospital so I could not be on duty at Fareham Hope it hasn't been too stressful for the rest of the team. 

Bazza

 

Very sorry to hear of your wife's accident Bazza and hope she soon recovers.

 

However you can't take all the blame as I also have a guilty conscience.  I had been looking forward to being a part of Team Grantham, and attending a show in a part of the country I don't often get to, but decided earlier in the week that I had to cry off, as I have an injured knee.  Instead of going to Fareham I went to the Doctor who diagnosed a 'meniscular tear' (I think).  Having spent last Sunday riding on the NYMR, which was mainly sitting down but left me in some pain by the end of the day, I didn't think I should commit to spending a weekend mainly on my feet.

 

I hope the weekend has been enjoyable and not too stressful for those who did make it!

[LNER4479]

Thanks guys - really no need for apologies in either case. For the record, regular operator Craig and wife Vivienne, who were due Saturday mid-morning, had the road journey from hell, involving a breakdown, recovery and subsequent horrendous traffic on their second attempt, such that they only arrived in Fareham way after show close time. Hence my reference to 'on the day' issues.

 

With the injection of Craig into the operating team yesterday (Sunday), we stood a fighting chance and, if you were leaning on the barriers 1000-1230, you would have seen the layout performing at something approaching its best. I should also add my grateful thanks to Southampton exhibition manager David Barker and his wife Alison who stepped into the breach both days rather more than was originally intended.

 

Anyhow, here follows some pictures from an exhibition...

 

Firstly, some pix prior to show start. Roy Mears' meticulously observed 1938 Flying Scotsman set, with iconic motive power, glides above the rooftops.

 

Down at the 'new' shed, locos await their 'call to arms', as the Ambergate coal yard trip working is ready to leave. A further view of that clerestory - it's a rather nice etched brass kit build from what I understand.

 

A contrast of styles at the 'old' shed as my two London Road D2s (one superheated; one saturated) represent the 'old order', rubbing shoulders with one of Grantham's Gresley thoroughbreds, No. 2558 'Tracery', shortly to depart for pastures anew on the GC section.

 

And now some shed operator's eye views from that breathless morning session. Atlantics to the fore in this view, against the backdrop of my ex-GNR Howlden recycled Quint set in platform 5.

 

Doing what it says on the tin. The Silver Jubilee streaks towards London ...

 

... followed, on 'double block', by the West Riding.

 

My grateful thanks to the team that were able to support the layout at the show. The 'Team Grantham' spirit prevailed overall - Fareham '22 is certainly one we won't forget in a hurry!

 

[phixer64]

A few from me, from Fareham on Saturday. simply fantastic.

 

Regards Jeff

[jwealleans]

It does sometimes worry me that I seem to spend all my working hours on the layout in my little corner, but all too often in photographs, I'm not apparent.  I wonder where I go...?

 

Leaving aside our staffing issues, it was a shame both for the club and those unable to visit that the rail strike affected numbers on the Saturday.   This was a really high quality show with not a duff layout to be seen.   Can't remember the names, but the SECR pregrouping one, the Swiss layout which I think won best in show and the Norwegian (how many Norwegian layouts do you see?) were all excellent.

 

Personally it was an up and down weekend too - I came back with a fault list as long as my arm, although some of them are items I spotted or had forgotten from previous shows.   I do like to take something new to every show and had a few extra locos with us this time to test, including the two Hitchin Atlantics which have been on my workbench thread.   3272 would not respond at all to the Gaugemaster controllers and is probably in line for a new drivetrain.    3255 on the other hand performed well and went into service for the show.   It was not so happy on the depot and will need tender pickups adding to join the full service fleet, but for mainline work it fitted in well.

 

 

Here it is in the fiddle yard on Sunday about to take a Lincoln (I think) train into Grantham from the north.  Regular or previous operators may recognise the usual rear of house detritus.

 

 

Here on shed in a posed shot with the previous in the series, 3254, which is a DJH/Tony Wright production.

 

Another ex-Hitchin loco is O2 3498, now in the custody of Roy Mears.   This is the subject of a fairly well known article, Last Tango in Hitchin which covered the build of the loco.   Now awaiting refurbishment it had a brief spin round which revealed that it needs some additional sideplay to wind its way through the goods loops.

 

 

Around 1937, Grantham acquired a number of very small foreign 0-6-0s, for a purpose which we have yet to discover.   For our purposes they're handy for the Ambergate trip (local coal working) among other duties and make a change from the usual selection of Ivatt 0-6-0s.

 

 

J15 7515, here on just that working in the down yard, is nothing more exotic than a renumbered Hornby example.   

 

 

J21 1806 was one of a number of this class which wandered all over the LNER system.   This is another new loco at this show and performed very well.   It is from a London Road kit and was originally built by Ron Goult of Little Engines fame.   The covering letter to him from the West Coast Kit Centre is still in the box.   I acquired it from Tony Wright but had to make a new chassis as the original was built with EM spacers and OO wheels, so there was no sideplay at all.

 

Last new loco was another C1.   This was a lockdown purchase, a DJH kit with a Portescap.  Here it is as bought, running on Graham's Shap layout.

 

 

It was a decent puller, so with a repaint and some extra weight I had some hopes of it performing like a bigger loco.   On Friday night we discovered that the steps I'd had to fabricate to replace the missing ones were out of gauge to the platforms.   By Sunday afternoon I'd tweaked them and she ended the weekend of a bit of a high for me, positively galloping round with the 11-car Flying Scotsman set.

 

 

Link to video of 3255 and 4432.

 

I had a stroll along the front of the layout on Sunday morning - I'm always interested to see where my locos have got to as I never see many of them from Friday night to Sunday afternoon.

 

 

Roy's Gresley K1 based on a NuCast K2 and some GK resin magic.

 

 

LRM 521 series J6 - this build was shown on my workbench last year.

 

 

NuCast (possibly Ks) J3.   This was tarted up for Barrow Hill and has worked the layout ever since.  It recently had lamp irons and after taking this photo I've decided I may treat it to a whistle and a weathering.

 

 

3276 on the down Peterborough.  This is a DJH model of the loco involved in the famous Grantham accident of 1906.   This train departing is one of the first moves in the operating sequence, which we had neatly finished at the end of proceedings on Saturday.

 

 

4529 (SEF/Tony Wright) in the pilot spur.

 

 

This is a minor mystery which has already been picked up on.  ECJS 12w all 3rd, of a type which I also own a model of.  Mine was cut and shut from two Kirk kits with a GK resin roof.   This one is metal and Roy doesn't know it's origin.  I have since wondered whether the sides are Trevor Charlton as they're too thick to be brass.  Nice looking carriage, wherever it came from.

 

 

The yard at the side of the Ruston Hornsby works, looking very pristine to my eyes.   Great North Road behind and the plate wagons are 51L, I think.   Barry will be pleased to see that we do still use them.

 

 

Finally the engine works in the arch under the Harlaxton Road bridge.   This is developing into an interesting little cameo scene.

 

I'm afraid I have no idea whose the following photos are, but they seem to have attached themselves to my post so I'm leaving them here.   They aren't mine as for once I do seem to be doing my job.

 

 

 

Red Leader will know where in the sequence this is - I can't read the number on the operating sheets.  Loaded coal heading for London, Quad set in one bay platform and another local set in the other, A4 looks as if it's just come on shed and been turned and the down perishable empties are in the loop, so we're in the earlier part of the whole thing.

 

 

I like these shots as I can spot my locos and stock.   Can't see what's on the perishables (the Z or the A2?), but the J11 (Bachmann) has found it's way onto the down goods.  Mucky O4 (could be any of them), then Roy's K1 still on shed, Galtee More (Hornby, weathered by Tom Foster), C1s 4412 (WSM, by Phil Giffen) and either 3275 or 3276 also awaiting duty.

Edited October 4, 2022 by jwealleans

[JamieR4489]

1 hour ago, jwealleans said:

for a purpose which we have yet to discover.

'The Great Central in LNER Days' by Jackson and Russel has a chapter on the Highdyke workings and I seem to remember it mentioning that the J15s might have been brought in to be trialled on the branch alongside the more usual J3/4s as O4s were banned from going beyond the exchange sidings.

[St Enodoc]

9 hours ago, jwealleans said:

West Coast Kit Centre

I bought several kits from Alan Bunn over the years. The extra few quid for lathe-turned Romfords and gearboxes ready-mounted on the motors was money well spent. In fact, I've still got a Nu-Cast 2021 waiting to be built. When I do so I'll certainly be following @Barry Ten Al's hints and tips above.

[jwealleans]

I remember his adverts from the Modeller in the 1970s.  Mr. Goult clearly didn't take either option, the wheels were Gibson and the motor mount/gearbox had been built into the frames.   It all ran very well, but only in a dead straight line.....

[phixer64]

Erm Hi, the photos that have somehow got attached, are from myself, take at Fareham on the Saturday . I did try and add a few more, but, somehow. it kept up coming up with file size errors. So, in the end, I came out of thread and back in, and they weren't there.
 

Sorry for any inconvenience, and again. Such a pleasure to see this excellent layout.

 

Regards Jeff

[jwealleans]

No problem, or inconvenience, Jeff.  They just came as a surprise when they appeared there.  

 

Saturday morning fairly early?   Not long after we managed to get the layout working, then, all the points and signals having failed at five to ten just as we started running.   In the top picture Tom has just drawn the goods out of the lie-by, but more interestingly, just in front of the kid in yellow, the bus stuck at the traffic light and successive vehicles then piled into it, as the lorry has just done.   I'm not sure of the exact sequence of events but the billboard ended up being demolished and the steam lorry may have gone to the ground?

 

 

Typical Saturday morning fare, really.   It had been running beautifully while the railway was temporarily halted and we'd been explaining how it worked to several visitors.

Edited October 5, 2022 by jwealleans

[BWsTrains]

Graham,

 

This is awesome, as a follower of the HotN build, I can't understand how I've never managed to discover your Grantham thread before.

I'm amazed your team can get this from A-B, set it up and operate etc., my regret being 12,000km too far away to ever see it in the "flesh" The videos will have to suffice.

 

Regards,

 

Colin

[Dragonboy]

Having seen Grantham in the flesh a few times it is an incredible layout Colin.

 

A few years ago Graham had a professional video made at one of the shows and I was actually there wondering who the guy was taking up so much space with his equipment and blocking my view. If Graham has any left I can heartily recommend it - purely as a very satisfied customer.

 

Brian

[LNER4479]

Whilst the layout itself slumbers for now, thought this might be as good a place as any to post these:

 

From within the bowels of a famous station, a familiar sight (and sound) hoves into view.

 

How lovely that she was routed into the main 'up' platform, allowing her homeward bound pax to board in style.

 

Can't say that the current (temporary) livery does much for me but nothing detracts from that instantly recognisable profile. Streak!

 

A classic loco in a classic location ... where's she's stood countless times before.

 

And providing continued inspiration for young and old alike.

 

(Stand by for the departure)

Edited November 17, 2022 by LNER4479

[LNER4479]

After standing longer than planned, due to late running trains all around ...

 

... No.7 gets the road

 

A momentary slip ...

 

... and then she's got hold of it, purposely accelerating with each exhaust beat.

 

And disappears off into the night, just as countless A4s have done so over the last 85 years (and counting).

 

With thanks to JamieR4489 of this parish who gave me a great excuse to linger at York, having handed over his B7 kit to him! 

Edited November 17, 2022 by LNER4479

[Ramblin Rich]

Wow! That backlighting with the smoke and steam is so atmospheric!

[JamieR4489]

5 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

And disappears off into the night,

...arriving at King's Cross 6 hours later after a blistering run making up over twenty minutes of delay between York and Doncaster.

[gr.king]

That first image from York put me in mind of a Heiron painting.

[The Stationmaster]

On 17/11/2022 at 18:15, LNER4479 said:

After standing longer than planned, due to late running trains all around ...

 

... No.7 gets the road

 

A momentary slip ...

 

... and then she's got hold of it, purposely accelerating with each exhaust beat.

 

And disappears off into the night, just as countless A4s have done so over the last 85 years (and counting).

 

With thanks to JamieR4489 of this parish who gave me a great excuse to linger at York, having handed over his B7 kit to him! 

Same class, same place, different time of day - oh and a different century (one of the photos I took on my first ever colour film)

 

[LNER4479]

Very nice! Proof, if proof were needed😁

[LNER4479]

Now then me hearties - an unexpected, last minute invite means that Grantham will now be rudely awoken from its prolonged hibernation somewhat sooner than planned. 
 

The dates for your diary are:

Friday March 10th and Saturday March 11th and the event is Model Rail 2023 https://www.theeventsoffice.com/ at the Great Yorks showground, Harrogate.

 

From what I understand, this is a long-established Model ENGINEERING exhibition, previously held in York, to which a model railway element is being added. You might think we’d be one of the larger exhibits but not so - the show also features a certain humongous, recently completed O gauge layout that requires 3 articulated lorries to transport it!

 

Anyhow looks like it’ll be a good show so hope to see you there if you can make it. Jesse’s coming all the way from Oz to be part of it so there’s really no excuse(!) (with apologies to those for whom circumstances dictate that they really can’t attend)

Edited January 10, 2023 by LNER4479

[Jesse Sim]

3 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

Now then me hearties - an unexpected, last minute invite means that Grantham will now be rudely awoken from its prolonged hibernation somewhat sooner than planned. 
 

The dates for your diary are:

Friday March 10th and Saturday March 11th and the event is Model Rail 2023 https://www.theeventsoffice.com/ at the Great Yorks showground, Harrogate.

 

From what I understand, this is a long-established Model ENGINEERING exhibition, previously held in York, to which a model railway element is being added. You might think we’d be one of the larger exhibits but not so - the show also features a certain humongous, recently completed O gauge layout that requires 3 articulated lorries to transport it!

 

Anyhow looks like it’ll be a good show so hope to see you there if you can make it. Jesse’s coming all the way from Oz to be part of it so there’s really no excuse(!) (with apologies to those for whom circumstances dictate that they really can’t attend)

We haven’t discussed payment yet for two days work…..

[chris p bacon]

Just now, Jesse Sim said:

We haven’t discussed payment yet for two days work…..

Have you said what you're willing to pay?

[Jesse Sim]

21 minutes ago, chris p bacon said:

Have you said what you're willing to pay?

Ahhh I see you’ve played knifey spooney before!