LNER4479

Ah, that's better. Right, here we go... On Friday evening, the visiting stock was unpacked ready for running. A 'delta wing' formation of top link Gresley machines await dispersal to their designated starting points. Meanwhile, down at the depot, couldn't resist this little line up. We now have - remarkably - no less that four various GN 4-4-0's to call on. And each are different (not just by number). L-R: D2 with straight running plate; saturated D2; D3 (rebuilt from D4); superheated D2. The latter is of course 'Sir's recent build and will be off to the paintshop following the Stafford show. I managed to take the occasional shot as we progressed through the schedule so, for those interested, I'll add the schedule details. Here (move 5), an empty meat train returning north regains the ECML (having been looped to allow the morning flight of expresses to get ahead) as the southbound Silver Jubilee sweeps into view. The SJ was not always headed by a silver A4 (especially after the silver A4s were repainted blue!) Move 11 sees the Up Flying Scotsman (with 4472 herself in charge) passing a northbound Newcastle service (1.10 off King's Cross; MTThO conveying through coaches to Tyne Commission Quay) The new D2 got her inaugural run on the 1.36 Leeds-King's Cross all stations, calling at Grantham 4.1-4.7, during which time a through van from Nottingham is attached to the rear (Move 14). That makes an eight coach assorted consist leaving the station - no problem for a loco just out of shops! On shed, a random collection of locos is caught for posterity as the natural cycle of the sequence positions engines where they just happen to be. Mr King's peerless Atlantic No.4413 takes centre stage alongside Grantham's 2545 'Diamond Jubilee'. On the following move, we recreate 4468's immortal 1938 high speed test train, accelerating hard following the infamous 25mph speed restriction through the station that was in place on the day. The winter scenic work in the goods yard shows up well here. It must be 5:45pm-ish as the northbound Scotch Goods clatters through. 'Klondyke' No.3254 is the southbound pilot (move 18) Moves 19-21 sees the station at full capacity as the 4.0 from King's Cross makes its station call and connects with three separate local services. In the middle of all this activity, a York (Clifton Sidings) to Hornsea Empty Stock train is due through and here it is, headed by Tony's newly completed D16 B16 (oops!). Much admired by all present, this loco will be in action at Stafford and Nottingham thanks to the generosity of its new owner (Tom Foster). Alongside, K2 is sitting with the empty stock of the 5.54 arrival from Burton, Derby and Nottingham. Arriving in platform 2, it has had to hastily pull its stock forward into the Up relief line to clear the up main for the van train. It then propels the stock back across to platform 5 before retiring to shed. The new Lee & Grinling malting buildings look impressive from this angle. A few minutes later and the K2 has completed its propelling move as two northbound goods trains await their paths forward along the Nottingham line. Finally (for now), at 7:0pm the Northbound Silver Jubilee (departs King's Cross at 5:30) passes through. King's Cross have obviously swapped out the Blue A4 for a silver one (the fox on the side gives away its identity). In the background, W.B.Harrisons takes a delivery of birch for their baby carriages - must be working late! If you were wavering as to whether to make the trip to Stafford and/or Nottingham then hope that's persuaded you! Otherwise, hope that was of interest irrespective. My grateful thanks to my fellow conspirators for their time freely given over the weekend to help ensure we're in good shape for the two shows.

I will - just as soon as the photo loading glitch has been sorted with the website! You're obviously one of the lucky ones... Thanks for sight of your pics.

Congrats on page 400, post 10,000 (although I think these two might be mathematically linked) and soon-to-be three-quarter million viewings. Curiously, the aggressive 'web-sense' software on this pooter forbids me to view your page 400 due to 'inappropriate content'!(?) Whatever could that be, I ask myself? I know e's celebrating but really! I'm off to find another computer...

#2260(!)

Grant uses ... ahem ... pins. Can you see 'em from 3 feet away?

I dunno - I think the second (larger) pic, showing the branch, shows that it IS quite neat. The ballast bed looks flat and even across the entire 4 track formation then drops away to form the shoulder. The corresponding shoulder for the branch then forms the Vee on lower level compacted ash / cinders (probably) in front of the signal box. Easily re-create-able using either the foam with the middle bits filled in or chamfered cork pieces and hand ballasted. Your choice! Incidentally, for those bits of Grantham away from the mainlines where I'm not using foam, the ballasting is being done as described by others by painted dilute PVA between sleepers and scattering the ballast / ash /cinders on top. Neat edges not so important for sidings, etc. Fortunately, I have a willing volunteer who seems to enjoy this work!

Dear Grantham Retard, Here is a handy glossary: Life before Computers: Memory was something you lost with age, An application was for employment, A programme was a show on TV, A cursor was someone who swears a lot, A keyboard was a piano, A web was a spiders home, A virus was the flu, A hard drive was a long trip down the motorway, A mouse pad was where a mouse lived, And if you had a 3-inch floppy...well you just hoped and prayed nobody found out.

As per ... ahem ... signature of my postings (sorry!)

Nice to be able to see all that detail that is normally hidden from view!

Oh, you lucky people! Well, you have been very patient whilst the layout's been partially un-mantled ... and now the wait is over. The 'big stuff' is back in town so seems as an appropriate way as any of showing off the newly-developed Up Goods Yard. We start with a helicopter view as the down Coronation sweeps through. If you can tear your eyes away from the train then there is the entire length of what the Ormesby team have been working on in the background. I did promise one of our viewers from across the pond that this particular loco would feature so here she is, complete with ceremonial bell. I quite like this viewpoint and there are many and various pictures taken from here over the years, each providing its own tantalising glimpse of the scene in the goods yard such as this. Meanwhile, what's coming the other way? A somewhat improbable view as the Scotsman would have to have been two and a half hours late for this chance meeting to occur! But - hey - we are enjoying ourselves here Looks even better from outside the helicopter(!) A silver A4 on the Flying Scotsman? When did that ever happen... Couldn't resist it! Perspective isn't quite right, it isn't the right A4, the headboard should be on the top lamp bracket. But otherwise, here is a first crack at recreating THAT pre-war colour picture. Whew! Far too much excitement in one go. But, sincerely, my grateful thanks to Paul B, Tom D and Craig who have worked so hard on enhancing this part of the layout over the last few months.

Do you know what that (excellent) pic reminds me of? There's a picture in one of the Colin Walker Great Central books, along with a description, of 60104 Solario waiting to leave Marylebone with the night mail/newspaper train. It's so atmospheric - and so is your picture of 60106. You can almost imagine the moonlight dancing on the rails ahead...

But what happens when you want / need to do some cleaning with the sucker-upperer thingy...?

Well I'll stay silent on an opinion overall as I think you'll know what it would be - whichever way, sweeping curves ye shall have! Just a comment re the depth of ballast shoulder, particularly near the tunnel. It would be quite deep. Reason? Drainage! Tunnel entrances are notoriously wet places and, having both researched and been educated about such things myself recently, I'll bet a pound to a penny that there's a drainage channel running along the top of Stubby's lovely wing walls which will depositing a constant stream of water right down by the tracks! Hopefully good drainage will take it away thereafter but the rails would be set well above this height 'just in case'.

I like it! Didn't mean to give the wrong impression Did I? Good heavens! Well you learn something new every day... Unintended radio silence last night as I was busy reactivating the layout into a running railway after several months of scenery goings on. The Up Goods Yard is now looking really well set in context with the rest of the layout; should be a nice backdrop for pix of trains south of the station. So busy, I didn't even take any photos. I'll try and rectify that this evening...

Great to see progress! Not a bad idea to adopt different track treatment on the country section at the two sides of the loft are completely separate. Just to say re the foam ballast. My experience is that it does disintegrate - eventually. However, oldest length on Grantham is now 10 years old with no sign of decay. And even when it does, it doesn't take that long to replace it (and you get to re-use the track!) The tunnel with wings looks ready for take off!

I've been called worse...

But I'd have to replace me signals ... so that they were ALL somersaults! Mind you, think of all them ECJS 12 wheelers Jonathan'd have to build...

Thanks Jason. Yes, had the pleasure of hosting our North American visitor over the weekend. In his honour (sort of!) I decided it was time to crack on with another platform canopy. Firstly, the six support stanchions are soldered up using a jig for repeatability. These are then mounted on a piece of softwood (which will eventually be part of its carrying case) and the longitudinal pieces added. The basic structure is temporarily placed in its intended location (Plat.5). Soldering now complete. Now with roof pieces added. Bit of a opportunity from adversity here. The model shop I called in at was a bit short on white plasticard sheet but did have 30thou (the thickness I was looking for) in black. As this will have tile sheets stuck on them then seemed like the ideal colour in the end! Now, here's where Jason's contribution comes into play. Some while ago we'd corresponded and he'd used his wizzo Silhouette cutter to produce some cut-outs for the valances and ends that I could use to add the detail. He's also provided some sheets for the rather distinctive and unique bracketry that adorned / adorns GN stations on the 'towns line' (I've noted the same style at Newark). Here I'm reinforcing the delicate parts with flange strips along the top and side. Here they are attached to the first support stanchion - four per column! A bit of effort involved but achievable. Jason put the stopwatch on me and I assembled four such brackets (ie one column's-worth) in just under 23mins! And here is the man himself (with some other fella ... and a strange red engine) To atone for that previous image, here is a loco more appropriate for Grantham! Unfortunately (for Jason), GNR No.1 had 'flew the nest' back to the main NRM the previous month. However, the 4mm scale version (that was seen briefly at Grantham last April - page 80 I think) was still there in the Locomotion case. Hoping to have this canopy all finished and painted ready for the Stafford show. Another temporary mock-up consigned to the dustbin!

I know it's only a model at the end of the day but there's a real sense of 'something special' with those pics. Not only the unusual-ness of the loco depicted but the impression of the lovely gloss finish - just look how the tender side reflects the edge of the platform opposite! After pages of grubby B1's and other local locos it is indeed 'something special'. There's a lovely picture, taken by John Aylard, of ex-works 60068 heading north out of Wood Green tunnel on the 4.5 Class C goods from King's Cross. Undated but has double pot and electrification stickers (why?!?!). Bet that caused a stir as it went through PN. Oops, sorry - keep forgetting that you're a recovering locoholic...

I only pressed like for this post because of the first picture - the rest were rubb15h!! (Only joking - but I do like the aerial view and the glimpse it gives us of the work of Peter the roofer)

Standing by wiv me hammer and nails ... er, precision track alignment kit!

Saw them at a Scout camp in Crediton. They may still be there...

Blimey - Middle East peace talks are better mannered than the track thread!

Oh no! He's losing it - all them teak coaching stock vehicles taking their toll, no doubt.... Nurse! Quick - administer some wagon kits at once