gresley

Gilbert,

All this talk of loco crews is OK, but, are they on strike ? I've spent quite a boring day sitting on the platform waiting for some traffic to pass through, but not a thing has appeared. This takes me back to 1955 and the rail strike.

Stuart

Huddersfield town is only a cock stride from Greenfield, so you set me wondering if a triumph for historical accuracy might be heading my way. Sadly its a likely as Owdham Latics winin' the cup.

Larry, don't know what your period is, but if it was prior to 1954, you could have Huddersfield Town over Woodhead to Guide Bridge, then returning via Stanedge to Eastern metals. That way it would pass Greenfield.

gresley

Gilbert,

To be quite honest, I don't think I paid much attention to the sky when I was spotting.

Stuart

Gilbert,

There's a simple answer to this. All you have to do is to visit Coachman in N Wales. They have fantastic skies up there, even when it's raining !!!

I know 'cos I had an aunt who lived in Prestatyn.

Stuart

Now then Gresley, you should know that Gateshead used to polish their loco's till they dazzled on shed, but by the time they ran over to Central Station they were covered in c**p such was the air quality of the area at the time. Even I know that's why the ECML was renowned for fast running south of the Tyne Bridge as loco's tried to escape the area before they just turned black

 

Strangely the bods at Heaton just used to run a feather duster over their steeds (and loco's) and lo and behold they were bootiful; must have been the direction of the local winds with Heaton being closer to the coastal run to Edinburgh and the lovely fresh, sea air. I know this as I was told by my Great Grandad who lived there.

The condition of loco's off New England and Grantham is a different tale altogether and the following will explain this mystery that has baffled us lads for years and years and years and...............

Grantham used to collect Top Shed loco's and pretend they were theirs, hence the superb finish. New England's method was much, much more complicated and rather a sad tale. The Foremen from 34E in the later 50s had been abducted mistakenly by aliens and were shown a scene of the future where old bods mature modellers would be seen desperately trying to paint and weather loco's so that their model railways would look authentic. So, when they were returned to Earth (34E) they could remember only this strange vision of filthy loco's and thus they ordered a zero cleaning regime. So there it is and I know this because I read it in the Old Testament.

Oi Matron, how do I undo these big straps on this white suit and why are there duvets stuck to my walls in this small room.................?

P @ 36E

The mind boggles at the amount of research you have done in order to explain the difference in attitude. Those poor blokes at Heaton must have prayed that the prevailing winds stayed that way. I suppose that you can't really blame the Grantham boys for making the most of their chances when Top Shed sent them some nice shiny ones. We would probaly have done the same !!!

Yes, those men in their white coats are coming along the corridor - WATCH OUT !!!

gresley

Gilbert,

Were those A3s really so dirty and woebegone in '58 ? Glad I saw them when they were much easier to identify !!!!

Yes, I know that Gateshead was famous for dirty engines, but this !!!!!!

Stuart

Gawd, but I needed that. Just about to show the first withdrawal signs.

Thanks Gilbert.

gresley

Gilbert,

You MUST have a B 16/1 !!! RCTS Part 2B, Fig 161, (opposite page 132), shows "61410 passing Grantham on an up Class H goods, August 1958."

Surely, if it has passed grantham, then it must at least arrive at Peterborough.

One more to add to the list. I believe that at the time it was a York (50 A) loco.

Stuart

Gilbert,

Thanks. You've made my day with those "blue 'uns".

gresley

May I propose a toast to Gilbert ?

Thankyou for the wonderful nostalgic experience. You have brought pleasure to many people. Long may you (and we) enjoy the world you have created. Those of us old enough to have "been there, done it" can wallow in fond memories. Those not so old can maybe get a taste of what they have missed, and be spurred on to be sufficiently curious to want to know just what it was like in the "good old days". Keep the pics and comments coming. We're all awaiting the next episode.

Cheers, Gilbert.

gresley

Gilbert,

Absolutely breathtaking. "Just like the real thing" takes on a completely new meaning !!!

Stuart

Hi Dan,

Must say, your OHLE is very, very good. In fact, it's the most realistic model form I have seen. I grew up on this route, from steam days through to the full electric services. Lost interest when things went Blue.

My father was plant manager with Balfour Beattie who got the contract for the new tunnel. Was able to go in the pilot tunnel when being drilled, both at Woodhead and Dunford. Later was apprentice at Dukinfield. Metrovicks were installing electric equipment in the locos in the next bay to us and I spent my lunchtime breaks wandering around the workshop.

Although my interest is really in steam, I have an EM 2 and will also obtain an EM 1, purely for nostalgic reasons. The "powers that be" made some awful decisions about the railways, and one of the most stupid ones was to close the Woodhead route, another one was to hand the tunnel over to the CEGB.

gresley

No golf today as I have somehow managed to strain ligaments in my wrist. So instead, a bit of operating, and some more action shots. We start at 1011 am with the arrival of the 7.43 York - KX.

 

 

Sun Stream again, and the cleaners haven't been anywhere near it.

 

 

 

 

Copley Hill have done rather better with Aboyeur, and so they should, as this is the Up West Riding.

 

 

On the Down line, gentle work for an old lady. 62613 has a light load formiing the shuttle service from Peterborough East. I built these Kirk Gresleys many years ago, so they have sentimental value, but having seen the one TW did, how long can they last?

 

 

The old lady is now at rest.

 

 

And is passed on the Up slow by another load of coal for London behind a local WD. The kink in the platform is a trick of the lens, not bad workmanship.

 

 

Is there a competition for filthiest loco between York and New England? Duke of Rothesay is backing onto the stock for the 1033 slow to KX.

 

 

And is now negotiating the dogs leg curve as it departs.

 

 

It is followed by a borrowed 04/8 with more coal, but this time destined for Little Barford power staion near St Neots. No run round facility there, so the loco will return tender first, and there are brake vans fore and aft. Thanks again to AndyRush for pointing out that this was the kind of train for which New England would borrow someone elses loco. In this case it belonged to Retford shed. Some way back in the thread is a prototype photo showing an 04/8 on this working.

 

 

We've had the grime, now here comes the glory. As the 04 trundles South, passing a B17 in the bay waiting to take over the Birmingham - Ely through train, Commonwealth of Australia, very recently ex works, swings under Crescent Bridge with the Down Elizabethan. As usual we shall follow this prestige train through the station.

 

 

 

 

 

Passengers in the front seats of the Louth DMU get a grandstand view as their train waits at signals.

 

 

 

The sharp eyed among you may have noticed that the boards came off just in time!

 

 

And that is the end of today's bumper edition. In 1958 you would have seen all of this in just thirty five minutes.

Hello Gilbert,

Those signals did NOT come OFF in time !!!!

Must say that the Thompsons behind those 2 Mk 1s really make a difference. Somehow those Mk 1s don't fit the train. I know, it's my old fashioned nostalgic view of things, but they just don't seem right for me.

gresley

This is where I'm completely envious of the older generation. My memories of ECML in it's heyday are DVD's of amateur footage, books and wonderful layouts like Peterborough North.

I'd do anything to just spend a day in the 1950s at either York, Peterborough, Doncaster etc

 

Those of you of that age who saw Eastern Region Steam (or any Main Line Steam) really do have some special memories.

Tom, yes, you are quite right. Those really were The Days. My memories of the ECML as well as WCML and the various routes between Lancashire and Yorkshire/Derbyshire are absolutely fantastic. 1947 - 1955 was my particular period. As a schoolboy, one did not always appreciate some of the things one saw at the time, but with hindsight, it was a period of very important happenings. I'm glad I was there to enjoy it.

gresley

Unsurprisingly, as a former Durham School pupil, 60860 is my "pet locomotive". I wasn't sure about the nameplate on Bachmann's though - should it be all black at the bottom? Were the nameplates painted black too during the war? Yeadon's has it in red, and the only colour slide I have of it has it in red (I think).

According to the book "Nameplates of the Big Four" by Frank Burridge, page137 shows a small black & white photo of this nameplate. The background colour to the name appears to be black, whilst the area below the name is a very light colour.

Hope this is of help.

gresley

Hope this is of some help.

Lovely day at Stafford yesterday, renewing acquaintance with old friends and meeting new ones. Cakes were excellent too. And I did not leave empty handed. You will have noticed with mounting incredulity that it is a long time since I introduced you to a new loco. No emoticons today for some reason, so please imagine an appropriate one. Anyway, thanks to Tom F, another single chimney/GN tender A3 has come my way. As usual there was much agonising as to its new identity. I've always wanted to have number 88, firstly because the name fits in with my profession, and secondly because I remember seeing her in 1958 at Newark on one of my first ECML outings. Now why can I remember that very clearly, but not what I had for lunch today. Come to think of it, did I remember to have some lunch? I feel a bit peckish. I digress. the problem is that 88 was a Heaton engine, and rarely seen down South. In fact I reckon I didn't see her more than a couple of times after that first sighting. I already have a Heaton A1 to cover the one duty that shed had to Peterborough in 1958, but it wouldn't be the same loco every day would it? I mean, even if 52B rostered the same loco to the train, it would get stopped for boiler washouts and such like wouldn't it?

 

Well, I convinced myself anyway. And you are a bit unkind if you say that I don't seem to need much convincing. Anyway, here she is, posed purely for photograhic purposes. Tim's weathering skills go from strength to strength - he has captured exactly what I asked for once again - not clean, but the green still showing under the grime. You can see it has been raining hard on the journey from Tyneside, some things don't change, and I think Tim has done the streaks of water on the tender particularly well. So, another great addition to the fleet.

 

I also need number 92 really, as she is appropriate to my other hobby. I was on a fairway once..... green it was....... Excuses for yet another Heaton loco will be welcomed folks. Enough waffle, here are the photos.

 

 

 

 

 

I look at these and ask myself again, is there anything to beat an A3 for sheer grace and elegance from any angle?

Gilbert,

Short answer - NO !!!!!!!

Stuart

Gilbert,

According to my WTT, that J6 was on a parcels.

gresley

just going back to the mysterious signal discussed a few pages back, looking at this shot by Ben Brooksbank. is there another one behind the loco?

 

 

Mike

Mike,

Not sure about the signal, but can you please explain the "Q" at centre of buffer beam ?

gresley

Those shots of the A3s are pure magic. Also the interior of the signal box. What's that I hear ? 4 bells ??

gresley

I am surprised that no one has mentioned the article (with photo and drawings) of the LNER Push-Pull sets used for the Manchester - Glossop - Hadfield and the Oldham - Ashton - Guide Bridge services which appeared in the Railway Modeller, Nov 1968, pages 338/339.

As a boy I travelled on the Glossop service regularly on my way to and from Manchester London Road for spotting trips.

The locos used were Push-Pull fitted Class C 13 4-4-2 tanks.

These sets were only ousted when the first phase of the Woodhead electrification was introduced and the then new EMUs took over.

gresley

Gilbert,

10 out of 10 for effort. 9.5 out of 10 for result.

Stuart

Gilbert,

Those pics of Victor Wild are wonderful. That's just how A3s should look.

Stuart

How can I criticise such a wonderful layout, but those engine lamps......

 

Gilbert, I wonder if anyone makes any in 3mm scale? They might be worth a try if they do.

 

Regards,

Peter

How about the 3mm Society ?

gresley

Ian,

I have been trying to obtain information on this subject for ages. Apparently, there is no paperwork available to build on, and I expect that it was one of those items which "like Topsy, it just grew and grew " from the early beginnings. Obviuously at some point it must have been laid down in some form because the allocation of motive power to the various depots would have been based on the requirements of those depots to fullfill their respective duties. I did at one time write to Peter Townsend, asking about this subject, and his reply was to the effect that "nothing appears to have been saved", and that he personally had no official information other than that which he had included in the revised edition of his book "Top Shed". In the revised edition, there is a chapter devoted to the Diagramming of Locos to duties, purely as it affected the running of Top Shed, but nothing about the allocation which I think was done by the District Control who must also have decided on which depots were responsible for which workings, thereby allocating the necessary motive power.

I hope that I am wrong, and that someone will pop up with some information on the subject.

Stuart

60022,

Where is the B 16, please ????

gresley