pippindoo

Next up, the curved level crossing, and my unusual bridge!

As I said, I'd decided end to end, so I could play trains, station, goods yard etc, sorted! The extras I dreamed up were a canal interchange of some sort, an unusual bridge (??), a curved level crossing (just gotta do it!) some country lanes, drystone walls, maybe...a loco shed. A few more photos? OK then

Greetings! Well, this CoVid milarky has no doubt caused lots of us to try and pass our 'stay at home' time in a way which is of some benefit to us, and it's pretty much the same here. This little portable layout was initially started around 2 years ago as a little project to keep me busy. The basic plan had been in my mind for a while after thinking about what I wanted out of it, what I fancied modelling, what I was capable of! and what was available. The single baseboard, which measures 6' X 1' was 'available' in that there were suitable lengths of timber in the garage and enough ply to put a top on it. Initially that's how it was, 6' X 1', and perfectly flat. Cork underlay was laid, Peco flexi track was laid, ideas came into my head, track was moved and relaid, jigsaws came into play, one or 2 trains ran for a bit........and then I lost interest! So, back to this weekend! The board had been put in the loft and when a neighbour asked if I'd anything to put in his skip, I went up there to retrieve an old carpet which meant moving the baseboard. As these things do, my interest was piqued, the board was brought back into the daylight, an over just a couple of days all-sorts has happened! They say a picture paints a thousand words, so here for your delectation, I present.....THE HOLLYCROSS RAILWAY COMPANY!! First up, a track plan....of sorts. Everyone likes a track plan, see what's going on etc...

What a gorgeous little loco, and a stunning reproduction you've made. Superb work!

Just been rummaging in the loft and discovered these long forgotten gems. 1956-1996 catalogues plus a few Track Plan books. Some interesting reminiscing coming over the next few evenings methinks!

Here's a blast from the 'long ago' past, anyone remember Ben Cavill's shop in Armley, Leeds? Next door to the old Sammy Ledgard's bus place. Downstairs was mostly bikes, but up the steep dimly lit wooden staircase was an emporium of Hornby Dublo, Triang, Trix, etc, a gem of a place and the man himself always wore a brown warehouse coat, the original Arkwright. Or how about The Train Shop Supermarket in Lumb Lane Bradford? It always looked as if any deliveries had just been opened and tipped out in piles but it was great to rummage around there. Happy Days!

Worked for BEATTIES in Leeds for almost 18 years, when I started they had 4 shops, when I left they had 72! The model railway memories from back then!.....

Very impressed!! Ordered a brand new Hornby J15, at a bargain £75, late Saturday afternoon, email received within 20 mins saying item packed and posted. Tuesday morning, 7.20am, postman arrived with a very well packed J15. Given Tuesday was Christmas Eve, I think the service was exceptional!

Do any of the guys 'in the know' have any thoughts regarding the possible withdrawal of the Azuma fleet pending the results of an enquiry? Would this even have been considered? Just asking out of interest. I was a Leeds Driver for 31 years prior to retirement, and must have gone that way on to Neville Hill thousands of times, and indeed, moved up towards the dolly behind other moving trains, albeit slowly as the rails were often quite slippy there due to idling trains. Interestingly, it's also been the site of other derailments when stock has run away, in the opposite direction, off the depot and collided with the buffer stops on the adjacent headshunt. Cheers

Looks like there's a handbrake on half way down the coal train, just saying!....Happy Days when such trains were such a regular feature

I have an identical lamp and always understood it was intended to fit inside the housing on top of a level crossing gate, hence the light showing in 4 directions. The main housing would have 2 red and 2 white lenses dependent on the gates being open or closed. I may be wrong of course....

Wow, those price tags bring back some memories! I spent almost 18 years working at the Leeds branch of BEATTIES, Happy Days, and when a train set WAS a train set. I remember those particular coaches were a bulk buy promotion, we couldnt move for the bl**dy things!

Well, just IF anyones interested, heres a stocklist! Ive spent the day, stripping down, cleaning and oiling the locos and can report all ran straight away, the Jinty, Brush 2, Spam Can and DMU are virtually silent, but 1 of the 2 BRITANNIAs has some valve gear missing on one side, though it still runs fine. The coaching stock and wagons have been stripped and washed, buildings, platforms, etc are all scrubbed clean though 2 of the 3 Engine Sheds are missing their smoke stacks. Theres a LOT of Type A track so its odds on that a layout of some sort will materialize before too long. Its been such a FUN day with many memories rekindled, the sparking wheels, the smell of warm carbon, laying on the floor making train noises.....Bliss!!

Possibly so Dava, theres 9 locos, around 30 coaches, 3 dozen or so wagons and allsorts of bits of track and accessories etc. I'll have to have a good sort out and set up a circuit of track and have a running session! That'll be the start of it.....

What a fascinating post! As a long time resident of Leeds, and ex LMRS member, I well remember spending hours in the Corn Exchange watching trains running on Lydney Town, and after reading some very interesting posts here, I decided to do a quick recce as I have a 'few bits' of Tri-ang TT hidden away. Some great memories revived..... .....its a bit late to go digging in the garage but I'm sure theres a lump of 12mm ply in there, and I'm sure its at least 5'x3'..... Hmmmm!.....

Ahem! If I (James) may.... I spent 18 years working for Beatties Leeds branch, and as a large retailer of model railways, we often got ex catalogue or export sets to clear out and I remember the Flying Scotsman sets well. They did indeed contain Super 4 track and some, though very few, even had the teak effect clerestory coaches inserted into the box tray instead of the Thompson coaches! Another gem was the Salmon bogie bolster wagon which had 2 R600 straights held on with rubber bands and was cheaper than 1 single R600 section of track! Many locos we returned when the 'chuff' failed and the Dads were gobsmacked that it only needed the sandpaper arm bending in a bit.Happy Days indeed, and great to remenice. Somewhere on the site is a post I started about Beatties which generated some fine reading!