Harry Lund

Thanks Tony. Giles

Tony. Quick diversion. I'm putting together my 'Elizabethan'. The CWG which you kindly lent me lists BG, FK, RF, SO, etc. Can you shed light on the Diagram no of the RF? As ever, Giles

After 3 weeks away over Easter, I'm back on tracklaying at the southern end. Lines left to right: Normanton Up & Down Doncaster Up and Down Leeds up and Down, which almost immediately join the Doncaster lines - not enough room to carry both through Line into the south shed, which will be a 2 road representation Leeds goods up and down. These join the southbound main lines just round the corner. Looking norh. The left hand pair, Leeds down and up goods will branch off into a much, much diminished representation of Branches yard. progressing .... Giles

The Down Main, Up Hull and Down Hull Fiddle Yards are all operational now. Just need connecting into the rest of the layout at the 'south' end, ie through the hole in the wall. To that end, the last weeks activity has been to finish the three lifting sections and fit the hinges. The closest flap will carry the Up and Down Mains, and the Up and Down Hull, although at the point at which they duck through the wall they become the Down and Up Normanton respectively. Don't ask! The second, and lowest flap carries the Down Scarborough line through to a 4 road fiddle yard, round the reverse loop and returning as the Up Scarborough. The flap in the distance carries the York Station southern throat. And with each open in turn I learned with the temporary lifting section that it was very easy to knock it, so it would come crashing down and the stock would come merrily off the rails. Like me some say. So I've experimented with a gas 'soft close' strut. This one is 200N, not quite string enough to a 'hard landing', but good enough to hold at about 30 degrees from the vertical. I might add a second and see how that works. Once I've fitted the gas struts to the two nearest flaps, it will be time to get to work on the track. Giles

Sorry. 1st pic looking in the Down direction; 2nd pic in the Up.

Its been a couple of weeks of dull but necessary work on the non scenic boards, trackwork (Peco) and electrics. This is the Hull Fiddle Yard looking down (1st pic) and down (2nd pic). The Hull yard is directly under the stairs; the yard by the wall is the Down Main, with a relatively sharp decent down into it. You might just make out the Up Main ascending a rather gentler incline. I had originally planned for 4 up and 4 down lines for the Hill yard, but the geometry would have been challenging given the curving space, the hole through the wall, and the stairs. And running quality must be top drawer a) in principle and b) as these are hidden behind the backscene, and monitored by a combination of cameras and occupancy modules. Going for 3 in each direction just frees everything up. In this area Track Bus, Accessory Bus, 12v DC, 16AC are fed from the centre to 'service' boards, with feeds taken off to the fiddle yard in sections. Occupancy status is reported through Lenz LRB08 feedback modules fitted to the service boards, like this one. The numbers 36, 24 and 23 are the board numbers, with feeds out. #91 is the DCC base address for the feedback module. Giles

The leaning building has nothing on the half relief coaches! The backscene isn't fixed yet, so its all a bit wobbly. Giles

Paul Bambrick spent today on site. We fitted the Leeman Road 3D backscene. Peter's original buildings front and centre, with the 3D backscene tucked behind. The terraces and larger buildings are about 3cm in depth. Clifton stretches out into the distance. And one of Paul at work. There are just a few finishing touches to go. Next stage will be along the section behind the loco yard with carriage sheds and parked coaching stock in low relief, and open countryside beyond. The two larger buildings to the right of the scene are just placed temporarily, so that Paul can size up the carriage sheds, and adjust. Giles

Tony. Apologies if I have missed any discussion about the future of OO Gauge DJH kits. Geoff West visited York today. The subject came up so we rang DJH. The range has been sold to Ellis Clark Trains. Giles

Thank you David. So sorry to hear of our RM Web pal Jonathan Oldfield's passing on 9 Jan. Derwent Spa is a fabulous layout, and he was a wonderful correspondent, and such a positive supporter of both York and Glasgow Queen Street. Giles

The news I have been dreading. So sorry to read of Jonathan's passing. Please add my condolences to all of those here. As ever, Giles

Its been too cold to work in the railway room for the last few days. The boards are more or less done, just the supporting framework to go. So I have moved operations into the house and have been building the trackwork for the southern end. Most of the pointwork is recycled from either a previous layout, or the redundant storage sidings from the Scarborough branch. I have only needed so far to make two new crossings. Although there is a gale raging outside, the railway room is at least habitable, so I spent the last hour mocking up the trackwork. A few photos below. Giles

The sad news. The article in yesterday's Saturday Telegraph And, in contrast: The enthusiasm shown by Cat Cowan yesterday for our hobby on her Saturday morning show on BBC Radio York. From 2:39 to 2:47 in. Kat Cowan on BBC Radio York - 13/01/2024 - BBC Sounds (Couldn't work out how to copy the link, but just cut and paste into Google takes you to the show recording). Giles

Thanks Michael. The main problem with track on York is not dirt or even dust, but tarnish. I find it gradually tarnishes when not run for a while. The lightest pass with a fine track rubber, an old one which I bought from I cannot remember where, but no longer available, removes the tarnish and polishes the rail. It takes about an hour to give the whole layout the treatment, which I do about once every 6 months. re dust, its a fact of life in the outbuilding in which the layout resides. The scenery so far, ie buildings and track/ballast texture are quite robust enough to be hoovered. The scenery being put together by Paul and Neil, particularly the Scarbrorough section, will not be less so so will need to have some sort of curtain/dust protection when the layout is not in use. Hence pressing on with the joinery and the mess creation now. Over time, the scenery will degrade. C'est la vie. Giles

Tony I've been an avid follower of your thread for a couple of years. Thank you so much. And to everyone who makes it such and avid read! May I share this article in yesterday's Saturday Telegraph. And, in contrast: The enthusiasm shown by Cat Cowan yesterday for our hobby on her Saturday morning show on BBC Radio York. From 2:39 to 2:47 in. Kat Cowan on BBC Radio York - 13/01/2024 - BBC Sounds (Couldn't work out how to copy the link, but just cut and paste into Google takes you to the show recording). Giles