Ronchatt

Pete, I like. From 60 year old memory's you have got the essence of the scene. If I had the ability I could paint you a back scene from that memory thanks Mate. Ron

Sorry Pete I'm looking at gauge 1. not ho/oo . with the right loco 10 or so would look good running around a garden railway. repaint and new decals would not be a problem Later Ron

Thanks for that Bryan Nice to know the fires where still burning, I had left by then Pulling trains across Australia. Tom. or any one else. Will you look at Argyle Loco Works or Trackshack web sites in there gauge one offerings are some 4 wheel tanks are they same as the ammonia tanks ?? Later Ron.

G,day all Tom. Found the book, found the photo, so it has happened. The project may go ahead yet. Anyone any idea of the cause of the deviation, the date doesn't ring any bells ??. Later Ron.

Thanks for that info Tom. I Think I have that book somewhere in my library [for library read pile of books in back room ] as for access to the coal drops. don't remember a ladder there in the 50s. I think it would have been long gone by then, every kid in the area would have felt the need to climb it . Later Ron.

G'Day All, Tom, I do believe you could not have done better, as you say with the restricted space it says it all. When I say I am working on a tank train I mean if I can raise the cash, it will be July, Aug next before I can do anything. things keep getting in the way ,like power bills and house repairs, but it is some thing to work towards. lets call it my pipe dream. As for the coal drops, all my books on Ilkley history show nothing. As I recall, large timber beams laid across the stone piers, not too large as locos were not allowed on there, timber walkway on the road side Wrought iron post and rail railings on the outside. Sorry mate that's the best I can do. Later Ron.

Hey. Andrew that would make a good model. Red Yellow and Green bridge with a film crew there. Thanks Brian, that kills a lot of theories. Andrew, are You alright after that latest quake ?? I am working on a tank train in one scale, tanks, open wagons and guards van at available , getting a live steam loco is still a problem , would an 8F or a black 5 do ?? Thoughts please Later Ron.

Gday Folks I've been meaning to write this for the last 4 days but every time I start I get a memory overload and have to give it away , sorry about that First, Thank You Tom , for posting that photo .It is magic, yours is o/k our kid, but that is magic Andrew, I think is right , the original privies probably went the same time as the foot bridge end, to widen Springs Lane . In the 40s 50s the toilets were water closets and no sign of being anything else, I cant see the Midland Railway putting that in when they built them in the 1880s. The coal bunker was behind the toilet with the wash house next door. The house was as David says 2 rooms down stairs 3 up The lean too at the back was a scullery and porch the front just a porch The only features in the gardens was a shed at the bottom of our garden the 4th or no 7 and a large cherry tree at the bottom of no 3. If you wanted to model the houses in November in the 50s ?. There would have been a very large bonfire built on that area between the gardens and the first track All the local kids would collect firewood from as far away as Crossbeck Rd for bonfire night ,we always had the biggest fire in the district . I had better post this before I lose it all again if you want more just ask Later Ron

Goday Folks Tom Only one word to describe that photo, [to quote from Darling buds of may] 'PERFIC ' thanks mate. Simon Those photo tell the whole tale. Near heritage railings and no protection! The mind boggles As for Kingmoor I should call myself Romboldsron . I think I spent more time up there than I did in school , probably why I finished up as an engine driver in Australia instead of a doctor or engineer, BUT, no regrets Later Ron

Goday All Thanks Kingmoorkid [is there nothing shorter we can call you] I checked with the Gazette, it looks a real mess, lets hope someone finds a good welder to put it back together. Tom. Those tanks do look good I would love to see a photo on a train going under the footbridge

G,day All Did I not read somewhere that the railings or hand rails around the subway slopes had bean reused between platform 2 & the car park ?? If not, it should have, instead of scraping it all. The more I look at all the Photos of the dereliction of the station from the late 70s the more I think, the supermarket and other changes, was a good idea. It keeps the back bone of the original structure . Tom Did you know The original W H Smith book stall was against the wall between platform 1 &2, underneath the big clock until the early 50s when it burnt down Later Ron.

G'Day Folks Sorry Andrew, that's the yard crane also hand operated but built on a plinth about knee high. The one Tom is looking for came in abought once a year to load the logs dumped in the area between railway terrace and the tracks, using the two short tracks to the right of that crane on the plan. I do believe Kingmoorkid has got the answer to brick/stone conundrum. {I hope. } Later Ron.

G'day All The shed, there is a Fred Smith photo inside of the shed, to me, the floor is clearly brick paved, and smaller than the stone/brick in the wall behind it, my thoughts, please check. I will find and post if nobody has it Tom. I can only remember one crane ever used at Ilkley at any one time gray painted, strait lattice jib, hand operated. The crane was moved by hand up and down the first track, the wagons to be loaded on the second track. 'Piggy lane' is the only name I know for that lane way, the piggery's where war time allotments' between the lane and Backston Beck. The effluent was washed into the beck. nice thought. Later Ron.

G'day All Take a few days away and look what happens . The access to the loco shed was via "Piggy lane " , a laneway off Little Lane near Backstone Beck, took you up to the rear of the shed, Also a pathway, part of a public right of way that ran from the top end of Mayfield Rd past the turntable . Access via the station platform could only mean the original shed . So one mistake or two ?? . Brick or stone ? I could be proved Wrong but I still think stone. Tom. Those tanks look the real thing especially with that background. Later Ron

G'day all Sorry Tom can not help any more, even Fred Smith in his book has a photo of an ammonia heading from Heysham to Haverton Hill on page 44 but. But on page 46 a diesel hauled train heading from Teesside to Heysham , mind you, it only shows the engine and brake tender, not the train. My only argument is there is only a need for buffer wagons on a loaded train not an empty. The mind boggles on how you are going to model an ice bound tanker. You could wet it and put it in a freezer for an hour before you use it but then the wheels would freeze in the bearings Later Ron.