Grantham - the Streamliner years

[great northern]

I don't know the answer to the Nottingham line conundrum either, but I think you are on pretty safe ground routing the trains into Platform 5. As you say, the amount of time the main line would be blocked if all trains used Platform 2 would be considerable, and on a very regular basis too. I would think that at the very least the advent of the Streamliners would have caused a rethink, and the work needed would not have been too expensive surely?

 

Now of course Platform 2 at Peterborough caused very similar problems, and nothing was done for many years, but so far as I can see Peterborough was always being looked at as a major reconstruction,and the expense of that was what caused it to be constantly shelved. In any event I entirely agree that on purely practical grounds you have to do it this way if the layout is to be exhibited successfully.

[LNER4479]

Thanks Tom - that looks superb. Just the effect I was after. This looks right to me, representative of a loco that had a regular cleaning gang to keep on top of her. Valve gear makes a dramatic difference too.

 

Looking forward to seeing her on Sunday!

[Guest 2750]

Thanks Graham, I'm glad you like her.

Certainly was an interesting job, and once I passed the nerves of weathering someone else's model, things seemed ok.

 

I'm certainly going to do the con rod effect on other locos, very effective.

[LNER4479]

Now of course Platform 2 at Peterborough caused very similar problems, and nothing was done for many years, but so far as I can see Peterborough was always being looked at as a major reconstruction,and the expense of that was what caused it to be constantly shelved.

Indeed GN, I nearly made that point in my diatribe. All trains were forced to reduce speed to little more than walking speed to negotiate Peterborough in steam days, a situation only resolved by major (expensive) rebuilding. At Grantham, by contrast, trains could already pass through at speed which made it much more suitable for the 'odd tweak' here and there (although I'm sure the signalling experts will point out that an 'odd tweak' to signalling arrangements is somewhat more involved than we give it credit for!). Maybe there were also some safety concerns - a brand new high speed train ploughing into a rake of coaching stock in a mainline platform due to a signalling error?

 

It is a well-recorded fact that the start of Mallard's 1938 record run was hampered by a 25mph speed restriction (due to engineering work) through Grantham before she could be 'let loose' - I wonder if that was an 'odd tweak' going on?(!)

[LNER4479]

As a PS to Tom's work on 4479, I though this was worth posting:

 

Before:

 

After:

 

[Guest 2750]

4479 now sat on York Shed waiting for a return working to Grantham....which I believe will be Sunday afternoon!

 

 

Edited September 21, 2013 by 2750

[gr.king]

Although the effect of the lighting, cameras, monitors etc is unknown in this context, my impression is that the weathering has greatly improved the credibility of the shade of the alleged Doncaster green.

 

 

PS e-mail and copy by PM sent.

Edited September 21, 2013 by gr.king

[61070]

Robert,

 

I've just uploaded a couple of photos recently borrowed that you may find of interest, especially in the light of 4479's recent upgrade in appearance.  Once back at the shed I'm sure these guys will make sure she's kept in good shape.

 

http://returntograntham.wordpress.com/loco-department-staff/footplatemens-photographs/

 

John

Edited September 23, 2013 by 61070

[LNER4479]

John,

 

Those are wonderful photographs, thanks ever so much for pointing me in their direction.

 

Really nice to add to the growing impression that 'Robert' was something of a pet loco, just look at how she glistens in that first photo. There's also a photo in the Frank Cossey book of the depot gang lined up in 'team photo' style against the backdrop of 4479.

 

Tom: we made her too dirty!!

Edited September 23, 2013 by LNER4479

[Guest 2750]

But we have depicted her having run a few hundred miles since she was cleaned that morning!

[LNER4479]

She's back!

 

4479 has been rostered to an ECML stopper as a way of getting her back to home shed.

 

An admiring(?) glance as she glides into the station.

 

That's as far as she'll go today. A K3 waits to train forward towards London

 

Having reversed through the down main, 'Robert' takes the Nottingham road at the north end to get access to the depot arrival road.

 

Making her way towards the depot, the nearly complete D2 temporarily breaks cover to head up a Lincoln train from the bay.

 

The depot cleaners get straight to work. They are somewhat bemused at the fact that a pristine engine went to works and a dirty one came back

[Alister_G]

Wonderful stuff. Tom's made a brilliant job of him / her.

 

You'll have to explain to the cleaners that she's done a fair bit of mileage on the way back from the works...

 

Lovely photos mate,

 

Al.

[Guest 2750]

I do like the 3/4 shot of her, one from the bottom.

 

But I'm somewhat biased!

[Markeg]

I was wondering how it would look from the three feet eye level view (punter's view).  Apparently very well.

Nice set of photos too.

 

Mark in OZ

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

 

IMG_8010.JPG

Having reversed through the down main, 'Robert' takes the Nottingham road at the north end to get access to the depot arrival road.

 

 

 

looks like Robert's about to get into a spot of bother at the next set of points.... The curse of Cartazzi strikes again!

[LNER4479]

looks like Robert's about to get into a spot of bother at the next set of points.... The curse of Cartazzi strikes again!

Aaaaaarrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhh

 

Or, in the words of Captain Mainwaring (prefaced by an embarrassed cough): 'I wondered who was going to be the first to spot that'(!)

[great northern]

Aaaaaarrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhh

 

Or, in the words of Captain Mainwaring (prefaced by an embarrassed cough): 'I wondered who was going to be the first to spot that'(!)

One thing is for sure - it will never be the photographer who spots it first.   Doncaster shed will have borrowed Robert for a couple of weeks after he came out of Plant, and will have used him only on Northbound trains so you wouldn't find out. There will be some excuse about a hot box if you complain.

[gr.king]

Flanged Cartazzi wheels? I shall have to look more closely on my next visit, in case you've found a better way to fit them than have I.

[Guest 2750]

Flanged Cartazzi wheels? I shall have to look more closely on my next visit, in case you've found a better way to fit them than have I.

 

I noticed them when weathering.... I did fit some to a Hornby A3 but found they derailed on my large radius peco points on Leaman Road.

[LNER4479]

Well, she seems to be OK on Grantham   (provided you put her on the track correctly in the first place!), with minimum 3 foot radius. It's just the slips that can be a bit 'tight'.

 

A bit 'daft' I suppose, as the only time you actually notice it is when it derails

[gr.king]

My minimum radius is 3 foot too. I could only make the flanged wheels work in all conditions (which must include setting back through crossovers in my case) by "gutting" the space within the Cartazzi frames and mounting the wheels in a lightly sprung pony truck within that space. I've only dealt with one Hornby Pacific in that manner so far. I'm putting up with the flangeless dodge in others.

[gr.king]

Given that when seen in the flesh, on its own, I thought that Tom's weathering of the Pacific had moved the Hornby colour nicely in the direction of a truer Doncaster green, it is interesting to see the remaining contrast with the green on the Atlantic. I must remember to take a couple of samples with me when I see the shade of green currently applied to Hornby's pre-production P2s. Yet another thing that I need to try to remember. Does anybody have some spare plug-in human memory for sale?

[LNER4479]

Please to advise that those nice folks at the East Midlands Group have invited me back to the Nottingham show next March (dates below) 

 

The idea is to build on this year's 'Trackwork Techniques' demonstration (at which I had just one of the main boards on static display) and show something more. So it has been agreed that I will take three consecutive boards (comprising the north end of the station). It'll still focus on trackwork, but this time we'll have things 'livened up' and be able to move trains back and forth over the modified pointwork (to prove that they do actually work!).

 

With luck, it should look something like this:

 

Well that gives me an incentive to work on the north end signalling between now and then

Edited September 30, 2013 by LNER4479

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

Oh I so hope I get to the show this time

 

...and you have to finish the north bay track, two double slips in there if I remember correctly!

Edited September 29, 2013 by Dr Gerbil-Fritters

[bigwordsmith]

 

If your track is robust enough and securely fixed, I would certainly recommend 'jointing the track', including all of the additional rail joints through pointwork. I have done this on my layout http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/34460-whinburgh-and-slitrigg/, which uses SMP code 75 plastic based and paxolin track construction, stone ballast fixed with diluted PVA, which results in a rigid base. The effect is superb. I must work out how to upload a sound video to demonstrate the effect for you.

 

 I did this on my last 'big' railway - we had a 24 foot length of double track and cut notchesinto the line at 12" intervals - as we were using Peco flexible it meant two cuts er yard of track, which near enough equates to 6-' in rel life. The sound, especially when running a rake of Wrenn pullmans was amazing.