iands

The one on the right appears to have worn tyres, thus it is sitting a bit lower than the one on the left (which doesn't have worn tyres).

Tramp?

Quite possibly 'Skerne Leys' at 18m 36c. Shown as a Bridleway crossing in the LNE Xings database I have a copy of (sorry, I can't share the database).

Mmm... Good question. I'm afraid I don't have an answer for you as such, but the BR Eastern Region photographic unit was bought out originally by Andrew Dow (I think) with the help of Jarvis Infra Co. When they went bust, the assets of the photographic unit passed to/were bought by Fastline. And there is now some link with TeleRail, who I believe may hold the copyright for the ER photos etc., (I think I've got that in the right order). So a word of caution, unless you can prove that the BRB/LMR photographic units were just dissolved rather than sold to another party (who would now retain the copyright), it would be worth doing a bit of research if you can, just to avoid any future potential wrist-slap.

One question re the 'dynamic coupling' (at speeds of ~120km/h), if it ever gets the go-ahead, who would hold the 'go to jail' card when it goes wrong?

I agree that the first photo (of the second batch) is York.

Hi Russ, The bell sounded the moment the amber light came on and stopped the moment the barrier arm reached the horizontal position.

Hi Russ, yep, all three original installations (Turnhead, Riccall South and Riccall York Road) had the loud sounding bell fitted.

Hi Dave, nice photos as always, but I think the engine in J2515 is a class 40.

Would anyone know of a source for M&H lattice signal gantry drawings? Either on the web or book format which give some detail on dimensions etc.? Many thanks in anticipation.

I thought he reverted back to Cat Stevens a few years ago.

From the 'Behind the Scenes' DVDs (I've got all 4 volumes). Very interesting and informative.

Hi @HGR, as you rightly say, over the years many things 'evaporated away' over many decades, and not just 'recent decades' either. As well as the "Signalling Centres in the North East: No.1 York", NERA have also produced another book "North Eastern Railway Engine Sheds", don't know if you have/seen a copy? There are a handful of photos and diagrams of the 'south end'. It is difficult to interpret one diagram against another, and against the various photos, because of all the changes over the years, but one of the 'circles' mentioned in the fruit dock area might have been where a 'steam coaling crane' was located (that's my interpretation after looking at a 1932 diagram shown in the 'Engine Sheds' book mentioned above.) Of course, by 1932 only two of the roundhouses remained at 'south end', the 3rd having been demolished by this time, which again makes it a little difficult when comparing diagrams, because not only has the 'building' gone, but the track work has been altered and new buildings appear. As for the signal on the cattle dock, it is difficult without a corresponding signalling plan, but the signals are probably for the 'Down Independent Goods, 'Down Normanton Goods', and 'Down Doncaster Goods'. The sub signal in your last photo will be 91 signal.

Ah, thanks for that @Nearholmer, sounds interesting.

Many thanks for that @jamieb, much appreciated.

Hi all, I have a visit to Brighton coming up shortly and just wondered if anyone could recommend a railway model shop in the area? Particularly interested in O gauge stuff at the moment. Many thanks in anticipation. Ian

Hi @HGR, apologies for not replying sooner, but I've been digging through photos, maps and things. The attached photo is cropped from an aerial shot, dated from around 1961. The building outlined in yellow is the P.Way cabin (as shown in the photo you posted on 6th July). The wording at gutter height says 'York Station Length'. The building outlined in green is the S&T building. There are one or two other interesting features in the photo. In the vicinity of the Fruit Dock there are two buildings (one slightly taller than the other) with what looks like a concrete apron adjacent to the lower building. On that apron can be seen two circular 'imprints'. Not sure what they are/were. Could have been bases for some sort of 'silos' or small gasometers? (I don't remember seeing them in my time at York). Not sure which used to be the 'WWII shed' the BR chap was referring to, so it could be this area when he talked about 'tanks', it might be what he was referring to I wonder? ('Tanks' had me confused at first, but I assume he meant 'a large vessel for holding liquids, gas, grain etc.,' rather than 'a tracked military vehicle'? Document_2023-07-15_174504 York South End mark up.pdf Hope this helps

These may also help. Relevant pages from "A Guide to Road Learning, York, Chaloners Whin Junction to Skelton Junction, Including Scarborough Branch and York Yards Up and Down Routes" (dated 1969). GN.pdf 6a.pdf 6b+6c.pdf 6d.pdf 6e1.pdf 6e2.pdf

Hi @HGR. Is this any good? Not certain of the date but I think it is from the mid-late 70s. York Yard South.pdf

Hi @HGR, yes, I'm fairly confident the brick building in the above photo is the P. Way accommodation. The S&T accommodation was of concrete type construction.

Hi @HGR. You may already have a copy of the 1951 diagram, but I attach a copy anyway. I also attach a hand drawn copy of the station layout which I think dates from the 1970s, which shows that the former 'Up Reception Line' is no longer available from the north, but now is a dead-end siding accessed from the south (the '1970s' date ties in with a copy of 'A Guide To Road Learning York' (dated 1969) that I have, and it no longer shows a route out 'north' of the former 'Up Reception Line' as signal Y138 has been abolished. You will see that to the north of the Fruit Dock the 1970s plan shows 4 x dead-end sidings with a hand written note '3 rds' which suggests that that at some point one of the sidings has been lifted. As to the 'brick building' you refer to, can you post the image you have? I may be able to confirm if it was the S&T South End linemans room, or the Station Length P.Way cabin (I was an S&T trainee at York in the 1970s so I may be able to identify the building). York Station Plan (1951).pdf York Station Plan (1970s).pdf

J3904. Interesting to note that there is a pole route either side of the single line. Try modelling that and not attracting adverse comments!

Ah, the old conundrum, "to avoid mistakes you need experience, to gain experience you need to make mistakes!" BTW, pole-shunting was also permitted once upon a time, not sure when it was 'banned', possibly the early years of BR.

Clifton Carriage Sidings were at York.

Hi Paul, It was useful for all sorts of rubbish. I've thrown a few buckets of trash into that very wagon in my time with the Selby S&T Linemen. I had thought about the ash being 'tripped' to Barlow, and it may well have been. Equally, the ash could have gone to numerous other 'landfill sites' (old quarries etc.). I did wonder if the ash could have been used during and immediately after WW2 to help 'in-fill' bomb craters? Not wishing to side-track Giles' great thread, I do wonder where all the ash from all the steam depots ended up, there must have been millions of tons of the stuff produced over the years.