East Coast Giants of Steam ? Barrow Hill 8/9th Feb 2014

[gr.king]

Put the date in your diaries early. At Barrow Hill, Staveley, near Chesterfield, on 8^th and 9^th February 2014 don’t miss the opportunity to see recently restored A4 locos “Dominion of Canada” and “Dwight D. Eisenhower” in a real steam shed environment before they move North to Shildon on their way back to North America.

http://www.barrowhill.org/links/GIANTSOFSTEAM.pdf

With A2 “Blue Peter”, GNR large-boilered Atlantic No 251, and GCR Director “Butler-Henderson” normally in residence at Barrow Hill the A4s should be in good company. Full size Deltic locos are also scheduled for the event, bolstering the East Coast main-line theme.

 

Additionally booked to be in attendance and operating is the large, developing OO gauge model railway “Grantham – The Streamliner Years” by 4479 of this parish, with support from fellow LNER modellers.  This layout depicts Grantham circa 1937 and it is intended to run an intensive service of LNER trains appropriate to the area and the period. Whilst scenically far from finished, the layout already incorporates the main elements of the station, the loco shed and many correctly working models of the somersault signals specific to Grantham at the time. For more information about the layout see http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/58826-grantham-the-streamliner-years/page-28

 

The special LNER pre-war period operating sequence for this event is planned to include:

 

All 35 A4 class locos

W1 rebuild No 10000

Various Gresley A1 and A3 Pacifics

V2s

At least two of the LNER’s streamlined coaching sets

Several sets of authentically modelled LNER teak coaches

Local services featuring new and pre-group non-corridor coaches with locos such as D2s C12s etc.

Goods workings including coal, fish and general merchandise.

A whole host of other typical LNER locos on goods duties, in the loco shed, or assisting with passenger workings, e.g. A5, Robinson B4, Ivatt C1 & C2 large & small boilered Atlantics, D10, J3,  J11, J39, J52, K2, K3 (various types), O2, O4 (including O4/5 and O4/7 sub-types), P1 (possibly on a giant test train), Q2, Q3, and no doubt others.

 

Other LNER locos making rarer appearances at Grantham may include Raven A2, B16, C6 or C7, B12, C5, B3, B17, D11, D49, J6, J10, J41, J50, K4 (visiting Kings Cross for viewing by the directors)  Robinson L1, N2, Q4 and an interpretation of Gresley’s projected but never built 4-8-2.

 

Re-live the golden era of “Apple” Green, Teak and Garter Blue express trains plus the huge variety of less famous but vital black locos hauling trains carrying every conceivable commodity.

 

Following preliminary discussions with Hornby, it is also hoped to secure use (for trials or on a running-in turn from The Plant) of an example of Hornby’s new super-detailed P2 loco “Cock o’the North” (and possibly other P2 variants) for this event.

 

ALSO LEARN ABOUT BRITAIN’S NEW P2 STEAM LOCOMOTIVE, TO BE NAMED ‘PRINCE OF WALES’

 

As publicly announced on 14th November 2013, in honour of Prince Charles’s 65th Birthday, Britain’s latest and most powerful “new build” steam locomotive is to be named after the heir to the throne. Come and meet Mark Allatt, already known as one of the group responsible for building Tornado, the modern re-creation of the final LNER A1 Pacific type of locomotive. He will be able to provide details of the work about to begin on the building of a new example of one of Gresley’s iconic P2 class 2-8-2 heavy express locomotives.

 

 

If  Timewarp Tunnel is in use the odd Thompson loco or other unusual beast may be seen too.

 

Come along and reminisce, take pictures, get your spotting books out, or just enjoy the experience. If you have good knowledge of the details of Grantham in 1937, then please tell us if there are important little features that ought to be part of the model.

 

UPDATES AND IMAGES TO FOLLOW IN DUE COURSE………

[Guest 2750]

I shall be along operating on the Sunday, bringing these girls along for a good run.

 

A1 2548 'Galtee More

 

A1 2571 'Sunstar

 

A1 2577 'Night Hawk'

 

4901 'Capercaillie'

 

Other locos that hopefully will be also coming along which are in my workbench queue are.

 

A1 2568 'Sceptre'

A1 2569 'Gladieteur'

A4 4499 'Pochard'

 

 

[LNER4479]

Preparations continue for Barrow Hill. Most of it is boring wiring up of point motors but here is a more exciting moment. Can you tell what it is yet?

 

This is the 'bottom half' of the Silver Jubilee set, a concerted effort now underway to have this ready for Barrow Hill.

 

The builder is Roy Mears. Here is a close up of the interiors of the A-B twin, including pictures above seats.

 

A few tweaks required but otherwise it ran successfully in both directions. Ironically, although next Feb's event is geared around 35 LNER A4's, I didn't have a single one to hand to undertake the test running!

[gr.king]

Less than three weeks to this event now and preparations are well in hand.

 

Calling all LNER pilgrims.......

[jrg1]

I shall be along operating on the Sunday, bringing these girls along for a good run.

 

A1 2548 'Galtee More

_MG_6550.jpg

 

A1 2571 'Sunstar

_MG_6713.jpg

 

A1 2577 'Night Hawk'

_MG_6808.jpg

 

4901 'Capercaillie'

_MG_6871.jpg

 

Other locos that hopefully will be also coming along which are in my workbench queue are.

 

A1 2568 'Sceptre'

A1 2569 'Gladieteur'

A4 4499 'Pochard'

Could you provide a description of the weathering, please?

[Guest 2750]

Could you provide a description of the weathering, please?

 

My weathering methods can be found here in my weathering thread. Four of my locos will be running at Barrow Hill.

[LNER4479]

Just in case you haven't found it in the layouts section, here are some pix from the 'dress rehearsal' weekend just gone. Stripdown of the layout has now commenced!

 

A loco spotting list has also been produced, which can be downloaded here

Grantham spotters list Barrow Hill Draft Final update.pdf

[Barry O]

Strip down????  leave the track on ..........

[great central]

Calling all LNER pilgrims.......

 

Then make tracks  for Nottingham on 15th-16th March,

 

In addition to 'mini Grantham' we have;

Leeds Central

Kimberley ex GN

Bostcroft, a fictional ex LNER layout set in Lincolnshire

Melton Mowbray North ex GN

and Woodhead, well, it's ex GC and the locos were (more or less) Gresley designs

[gr.king]

Spot the minor revisions - and no need to wait for a pdf to open this time....

[PenrithBeacon]

I get the impression that there is just one layout at this event, is this true?

 

Regards

[gr.king]

No.Deepcar, best known as a Woodhead electrics layout, is also hosting a special running session for the whole class of Deltics, in order to fit in with the East Coast Giants theme.

[great central]

No.Deepcar, best known as a Woodhead electrics layout, is also hosting a special running session for the whole class of Deltics, in order to fit in with the East Coast Giants theme.

 

Deltic on MGRs anyone?

[Guest 2750]

Five days until Grantham's first exhibition (first time in its full entirety).

[gr.king]

THE BIG EVENT draws close. Come on LNER fans, what would you rather do? Sit at home? Wander around Doncaster racecourse exhinition center looking at loads of box-shifter's stalls and non-LNER modelling? Orrrrr, come to see some real LNER locos and pure LNER modelling????

 

I think you ought to know the answer.......

[gr.king]

Setting up is well under way. Come on folks, you know you'd be better off looking at East Coast Giants, both full size and in miniature, rather than doing all those other things that make up a dreary winter weekend.

 

Starts tomorrow a.m.   See you all there.

[RedgateModels]

parking's a bit dodgy though

[Barry O]

Ian

 

Parking today was fine if you get there early!

 

Cold in the roundhouse but layout went well apart from one or two glitches due to cold and a bit of dirt.

 

35 A4s to get through and this should be achieved tomorrow.

 

When I get 5 minutes I will upload some photos..

[Mr Brunel]

Here are some of my photographs from the event:

 

'Giants of Steam' at Barrow Hill Roundhouse (8th February 2014) by 6000KingGeorgeV, on Flickr

 

'Giants of Steam' at Barrow Hill Roundhouse (8th February 2014) by 6000KingGeorgeV, on Flickr

 

'Giants of Steam' at Barrow Hill Roundhouse (8th February 2014) by 6000KingGeorgeV, on Flickr

 

'Giants of Steam' at Barrow Hill Roundhouse (8th February 2014) by 6000KingGeorgeV, on Flickr

 

'Giants of Steam' at Barrow Hill Roundhouse (8th February 2014) by 6000KingGeorgeV, on Flickr

 

'Giants of Steam' at Barrow Hill Roundhouse (8th February 2014) by 6000KingGeorgeV, on Flickr

 

'Giants of Steam' at Barrow Hill Roundhouse (8th February 2014) by 6000KingGeorgeV, on Flickr

 

A very nice weekend (a bit cold and windy though, to say the least...)

 

[colin penfold]

I have to say the comments about parking suprise me. For the barrow hill live event they had a massive site a 5 minute walk from the gates with a shuttle bus for folk who couldn't manage the walk. There is a smaller car park right by the door but I thought you weren't meant to use that unless you had mobility issues.

[PenrithBeacon]

Just got back. Parking OK in the overspill car park but the car park on the site was just a morass, so I was directed to the overspill.

 

I had an interesting afternoon as I've not been to Barrow Hill before. The place isn't really a roundhouse except in ancestry, just a large workshop for diesel restoration with line upon line of derelict diesels outside, (why can't Cl37s just be allowed to fade away instead of rotting away) but there were some gems there amongst the shunters. One special thing was a diesel's carriage heating boiler on show, pretty sure I haven't seen one before. Activities included two trains running up and down, both top-and-tailed and giving some nice views. It was good to see the 'Director' again (a long time since 1974 at the GCR!), 'Blue Peter' (last seen at Derby c 1975), but I saw DDE and DoC in May, so not such a surprise. One thing though, has DDE got replacement wooden nameplates? I noticed in the Great Hall at NRM last May that they were a bit wavy, confirmed today.

 

Good place, friendly people and the site could be the venue for a superb model railway exhibition along the lines of the Swindon STEAM event, but this wasn't it; sorry.

 

Regards

[298]

To be fair to Barrow Hill (having seen it decline as a stabling point and then re-grow into what it is today during my time as a weilder of sanding discs and paint), the commercial work now takes place in the new sheds and of course subsidises the heritage activities in the Roundhouse, so those groups inside pay a reduced rent. There have been "proper" model railway exhibitions in the past, and I believe another is planned for the autumn.

 

I took my Dad along yesterday as I was operating Deepcar in the DPS shed, he was thrilled after getting a cab ride in Bittern, but for me the futility of the ongoing cycle of restoring and painting something, only to see the weather take hold was poignant and certainly puts "toy trains" into perspective.

[RedgateModels]

I have to say the comments about parking surprise me.

 

Sorry Colin, just my warped sense of humour - I was having a gentle dig at Graeme in response to his parking queries about Midland Railex last year

[gr.king]

I'll readily admit that the car parking arrangements would not have been ideal, especially in consequence of the recent return of monsoon conditions. I hope the sign-posting for arriving visitors was okay for this event.

(When I went to BH Live aas a paying punter last September I personally found such direction signs to the car parks as I could see were "unhelpful" for those approaching through Barrow Hill past the local school rather than directly from the "centre" of Staveley. I initially followed a sign directing "visitors" away to an overspill car park, believing the implication that the on-site parking was already full, but I couldn't find that car park and finished up heading out into open countryside as one critical turning wasn't as far as I could see sign-posted. When I disregarded the signs and headed back to the main site the car parks were nowhere near to being full anyway).......Ahem....

 

As for the experience of operating the Grantham layout in public for the first time, I'll also admit without hesitation that many rough edges were on show in terms of operator skills and various technical features that did not perform as reliably as is necessary. I think any member of the operating team would admit to the same. BUT....we didn't get lynched, or run out of town, we did (with time to spare) manage the objective of working all 35 A4s into the operating sequence over the weekend (the sequence itself being a challenge to manage, even without 30+ guest A4s to work in), we had a healthy number of spectators throughout all of the busy periods for the event as a whole, and not too many enquiries about whether the the trains would soon be running! We CAN improve on this for future appearances, and thanks go to all who either organised, staffed or attended the event for contributing in one way or another to the cause of rail preservation and to exciting new-build projects such as the P2.