Jump to content
 

Grantham - the Streamliner years


LNER4479
 Share

Recommended Posts

Just about to set off for Warley but just had to share this with you...

 

post-16151-0-91164900-1416563928_thumb.jpg

Turned up at the hire place to find they'd allocated me a LO-roof transit van, with all others booked out. I knew that 'O'-level in Transit van packing would come in useful some day. Like something out of the Krypton Factor...

 

But it's all in! See you there...

Edited by LNER4479
Link to post
Share on other sites

Just about to set off for Warley but just had to share this with you...

 

attachicon.gifIMG_2515.JPG

Turned up at the hire place to find they'd allocated me a LO-roof transit van, with all others booked out. I knew that 'O'-level in Transit van packing would come in useful some day. Like something out of the Krypton Factor...

 

But it's all in! See you there...

 

Hope you're remembered how it all goes in so you can repack it after the show!!!!  :jester:

 

Phil

Link to post
Share on other sites

Pictures and description of the home-brewed drive shaft extension would be of interest, along with findings regarding its performance.

Graham,

I will post full details when I get a chance, though it may be after Sunday.

I busy fettling the beast as time permits. Keep an eye on the other Forum as well, as it may appear there first, especially if I'm up in the night like last night!

Paul

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Just about to set off for Warley but just had to share this with you...

 

Turned up at the hire place to find they'd allocated me a LO-roof transit van, with all others booked out. I knew that 'O'-level in Transit van packing would come in useful some day. Like something out of the Krypton Factor...

 

But it's all in! See you there...

 

Mind to shut the van doors and hide that box, else people travelling behind you could panic, thinking they've run out of shopping days...

Link to post
Share on other sites

Graham,

I will post full details when I get a chance, though it may be after Sunday.

I busy fettling the beast as time permits. Keep an eye on the other Forum as well, as it may appear there first, especially if I'm up in the night like last night!

Paul

Just a quick post for Mr King and anyone else who might be interested.

post-20275-0-95385900-1416582865_thumb.jpg

The Worm gear has been fitted to a new drive shaft.

A bearing with retaining plate has been produced to fit in the back of the gearbox housing.

The section of tube is the drive shaft connector, which is retained with two 8BA screws as clamps.

Finally an additional motor bracket to keep the motor in place now that it is 29mm behind the gearbox.

 

It has been installed and it does work, which was a surprise, considering the Agricultural engineering involved!!!!

I would post the photo of the assembled driveshaft, but Yahoo Mail is playing up at the moment

 

Paul 4475

 

p.s. You'll find me at Warley with Robert the Devil on Sunday.  Look out for the big track straightener!!!

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Well a week to go (to Warley) so time for some last minute progress / preparations.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_2448.JPG

First job is to add some ballast to platform 5 (which is beginning to look conspicuously bare in photos). But before I do that, I wanted to replace the fixed uncoupling magnet with an electromagnetic version, as too many vehicles were uncoupling when they weren't supposed to(!) So everything is unceremoniously removed and ripped up.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_2449.JPG

Meanwhile, Mr Scenery returned for a welcome visit and, having expressed satisfaction at the newly-installed geology, wastes no time in covering it.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_2450.JPG

Aarrggh!

 

attachicon.gifIMG_2451.JPG

Obviously unimpressed, scenic work continues undisturbed.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_2452.JPG

Electromagnet prepared and hole ready

 

attachicon.gifIMG_2456.JPG

Flock drying after first application. A fence has appeared. I can tell you're not very interested in the uncoupler...

 

attachicon.gifIMG_2457.JPG

Uncoupler installed and track restored into position. A piece of grey card has been positioned immediately below the track to protect the electromagnetic gubbins from the imminent downpour of PVA and granite chippings.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_2458.JPG

This now allows the ballasting to be undertaken

 

attachicon.gifIMG_2459.JPG

Oh go on then - another 'green' shot. This is after the excess has been hovered off. Looking OK innit?

 

attachicon.gifIMG_2470.JPG

I was quite pleased with how the ballasting turned out. Station pilot and solitary coach sit over the nice-n-hidden uncoupler (which I'm pleased to report works fine - thought I'd spare you the wiring-up details)

 

More to follow, but I need to take a couple more photos yet so that's all for now folks ;)

Hi very nice work indeed.

 

Regards

 

David

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

And in my day was the way to get from work to the Railway Club for a  "quenching refreshment" , not necessarily the Blue Bull , though of course the "club" would'nt be there in the 30's .

I remember the old Club - we had our wedding reception there, 4th February 1978 after getting married at St Wulframs - it rained all day !

 

Wife's Grandfather was George Craft who worked at the station.

 

 

.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Very interesting to see  (some of) it in the flesh at the show today - the modified track spacing gives an excellent impression and the signals were a SPAD sight to behold.  Many thanks for showing it and nice to have a chance to chat to 4479 himself.

 

Edit to correct typos - I hope

Edited by The Stationmaster
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

 

Just sitting in front of Grantham as I type this, I was impressed by the pictures but in real life it is captivating. I look forward to seeing the whole layout as it just so happens to be the right period for me.

Not to mention lots of nice stock. Keep up the great work

Edited by Flyingscotsmanfan
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Nice to have time today and just stand and  gawp   enthuse with no pressure to be somewhere else in the hall.  Also good to finally put a face to a name.....

 

Looking forward to seeing the whole layout at Grantham.

 

All the best.

Les

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Well I have just spent a very busy day working Grantham Station panel at Warley. I was made very welcome by Mr & Mrs Robert the Devil and also by Simon. It was rather intense at times and after the initial training and occasional reminder, we settled down to regular movements required for operating as a terminus. Most delicate operation of all was the reversing of a loaded coal train through the North Junction ladder from platform 2 onto the Down Notts line. I did this about half a dozen times and only on two occasions did the same wagon in the rake misbehave, but it was caught in time.

As for the Mountain, it runs, ratherly quietly and yes, she fits on the turntable. Unfortunately, the pick ups need adjusting and the power connection to the tender refitting, she is also slightly cab heavy, but all part of the process. The desired effect was achieved, with several observers query as what locomotive she is?

It was noticeable how many questions were being asked about the track, many not believing that it is Peco code 100 with foam underlay. We have the feeling that at least one modeller was going to go home and rip up his track and start again.

The general reaction to Grantham is very positive and I for one, will be more than happy to continue to be part of the operating team.

Finally, one for Mr King, the research folder now has an extract from the 1947 Sectional Appendix for Grantham, including all the whistle codes for all the possible shunt moves. It will definitely put anyone off DCC sound if you were to slavishly follow it!

Goodnight all

Paul 4475

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

PICTURES FROM AN EXHIBITION

 

Phew! Just coming round from a tiring but exhilarating weekend (just dropped off the hire van). More in hope than expectation, took the camera with me; fortunately, due to slight surfeit of operators on the Saturday, I was able to take a few snaps that day. They really were just 'snaps' though so apologies in advance for the lower-than-normal quality:

 

post-16151-0-29057900-1416820282_thumb.jpg

General(-ish) view of us set up and operating in the demonstration area. Off scene (to the left) was the 90deg bend into the first two boards of the fiddle yard, which allowed us to operate quite effectively as a fiddle yard to terminus configuration. The depot operator (LNER4479 senior) appears to be having difficulty in making himself heard(!) At the main controls (oblivious to his calls) is my long time railway colleague Andrew Burchell who, as expected, had the main control panel sussed in an instant and - aside from the usual trading of insults(!) - was able to give lots of valuable feedback during the day.

 

post-16151-0-90749400-1416820303_thumb.jpg

Demonstrator's viewpoint (this was where I was to be found most of the time). Two star attractions here, both the work of other people: in the foreground, Mr King (3279)'s iron ore rake (now with loads), including his own quite beautiful resin cast Appleby-Frodingham hopper wagons; in the background Paul Bolton's nearly-complete Lee & Grinling warehouse, instantly recognised by those visitors who knew the Grantham of old. Harvey (Head of Security) looks on in the background!

 

post-16151-0-47863900-1416820324_thumb.jpg

Obviously a busy day for running-in turns off Donny works! A brace of P2's grace Grantham shed, again the work of Mr King (those of you who have been following his own thread(s) will need no introduction to these machines). Naturally, they ran as well as they looked.

 

post-16151-0-78663800-1416820345_thumb.jpg

Also given a spin was 3279's 'fresh off works' 4 x 4 Atlantic. Hidden from view, is the cunning gear train driving the rear (Cartazzi) axle. This also ran beautifully. If I may also be permitted to give a mention to the turntable(!) which behaved impeccably all weekend and also attracted interest and gracious comments. Despite the somewhat basic optical alignment arrangement(!) I don't believe anything actually derailed itself in the process of mounting and departing from the turntable deck which was quite pleasing. The signs are therefore promising that this should work quite well as a focal point at the very front of the layout.

 

 

Thanks to all the above RMWebbers who have already commented - it was great to meet you all and put faces to names. I'm tempted to try and list others who I saw and / or who were kind enough to come up and say 'hi' - but I'd almost certainly miss someone out so can we just say 'you know who you are'(!) Also great to be surrounded by other 'experts' including Mike Edge and Mick Bryan (New Bryford), not to forget the over-seeing presence of Herr DemonstratorFuhrer himself Barry O!

 

My grateful thanks to my various helpers throughout the weekend; in addition in the above-mentioned, Paul (Flying Fox 34F) yesterday (who also took to the panel instantly) - many apologies therefore that the camera-man was absent whilst the Mountain visited the shed - and also Simon Roberts who was able to stay on after show finish for the thankless task of pack-up (and was thus was a life saver). And of course, not forgetting Mrs4479!

 

Finally, looking ahead, I was pleased to 'seal the deal' on the one remaining 'tentative' enquiry for 2016. So I can now reveal the forward programme for the layout's future show appearances as a full layout:

 

Grantham Rail Show (September 2015) (as already declared)

Stafford (February 2016)

Nottingham (March 2016)

Woking (REC Farnborough) (September 2016)

Warley November 2016)

 

In additional Graham (Great Central) Clarke has invited us to bring mini-Grantham (ie exactly as it was at Warley) to the 2015 Nottingham show and Barry would like us to do 'something' again for Warley next year - so there hopefully there should be a reasonable spread of opportunities to meet up with us if you were unable to make Warley this time round. Onwards and upwards...

Edited by LNER4479
  • Like 15
Link to post
Share on other sites

Have you painted some of the temporary surfaces green or did the lighting just give it a funny cast?

Lighting was not overly bright so camera was struggling - in auto mode it was typically 20th sec on ISO640 - so that's probably got as much to do with it as anything. Nothing was temporarily painted green! The only 'temp' thing of that ilk was the corrugated card backscene which was painted light blue.

Link to post
Share on other sites

A positive success... but Harvey looks concerned .. had he spotted a sound fitted Type 2 on the track(!)...

 

runs and hides!

 

He probably thinks he's seeing things, with that big blue bunny in the background...

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...