Harry Lund

Just taken delivery of the first batch of signals from Absolute Aspects. Works of Art. I didn't think I was going to get round to signalling for months, if not years. But I met this firm at Warley and was very impressed, so took the plunge. The York team is joined by Roger, a retired work colleague, who knows little about trains but a whizz with electronics and programming, so hopefully this massive job on the to do list will progress in parallel with completing the baseboards and trackwork Here are the first two, 160 and 161 just placed on location. They will be weathered, and set down into the board in due course. They are handmade to the specification set out in the 1951-3905 signalling record, and from photos. Eventually they will be controlled from a PC so an operator can set routes and interlock signals showing correct aspects. Plus train occupancy detection to enable the PC to manage block signalling as trains progress down a route. Trains will still be controlled manually. I am not intending to attempt any form of automation, except possibly a shuttle running from the Scarborough fiddle yard line into platforms 6 and 7. Giles

David. As best I can by flowing the backscene all the way through to the stairs and beyond. At the moment it stops by the signal box. Everything behind the backscene is then 'working area', eg fiddle yards, reverse loop, dumping area etc.

By east, I mean north north east!

Slow by steady progress on the Scarborough lines. Overview of the section running east from Bootham Lane junction (as it is now known in the model version). Some jiggery pokery required to fit the alignment around a staircase. That section slides out easily for access to the upper floor. Looking east towards Scarborough Looking back up the line. The junction, not real, is to access the reverse loop and 3 road fiddle yard. The signals are from a dismantled layout. The junction signal dolls are the wrong way round, so will need rebuilding in due course. Another thing to add to a very long list! I'm getting practiced at building points and slips on a curve .... ! A view of the junction looking East. With apologies as always for the poor photography. Giles

There is a very nice letter in this month's BRM, entitled 'Memories of York' and written by 'Brian M'. If anyone knows Brian, would you pass on my thanks, and those of Peter and William too. Thanks so much. Giles

Hope this is bringing back good memories

Bootham (Lane) Junction is progressing. York is of necessity like a jigsaw. Most boards are modular. In this section the boards are generally fixed, but the upper levels are removeable firstly to make them easier to work on, and secondly to allow access to the fiddle yard under. Above we can see the cradle onto which the junction board sits. B16 61441 with a York - Hull stopped just in time .... And below the junction board on the workbench. Track down and ballasted, electrics being fitted under. View under, electrics in progress And back in position in the cradle. The train is taking the Hull line (Hull and Scarborough lines are reversed on the model). Signal box to a GNR design from a previous layout, just for size.

I've quite a few photos of rebuilt MNs around York in the rail tour era; this is the first I've seen of an unrebuilt Bullied pacific. Handy, as I have one or more of each type (MN, WC/BoB, Unrebuilt, Rebuilt) from the days, 20 years ago, when I was thinking about modelling the Southern Region. My neighbour, in his 80s and with no obvious interest in railways, came to inspect the party wall between our properties a couple of years ago, and there happened to be a rebuilt MN, sound fitted, running around my previous layout. As he walked through the door, and before he knew what was inside, he said 'that is the unforgettable sound of a MN'!

Thanks so much John. My instinct is that you are right that the bridge was doubled in anticipation of a future development. And here we have it - a revised location for Bootham Junction!! Giles

From Google Earth - for modelling purposes the Scarborough lines will use the right span, the hull lines the left (so reversed). But I'm not clear on what went under the LH span .. Ah. Just twigged. Is that a stream/brook, plus weir......? Giles

Thanks for the tip about the Crichton Avenue bridge. I've had a look on Google Earth (3D is amazing). It looks just the ticket for the scenic break, not least because it has two spans, one occupied by the Scarborough lines, and the other ......? Any ideas? Has anyone got photos handy of the bridge in the 1950s? Giles

An education! From the layout point of view, I will be modelling the signal box but am cogitating over the level crossing - I have to find a way of disguising the Hull lines where they disappear behind the backscene. I had wondered if a bridge would work, but like the idea of the crossing, on principle, and I have a rather nice set of GNR gates from a dismantled layout that either I could adapt, or not and spin a yarn about the GNR spreading up towards Hull/Scarborough. At which point, touch paper lit, I will retire... More seriously, thanks as always for the interest. Giles

Thank you so much John. Those will keep me going! And Ian, thanks for the idea about how to play in the odd Rowntrees 'special'. As ever, Giles

John. Would love to see more photos of Bootham SB and crossing .... Giles

With track diagram, based on the 1951 signalling layout

Thanks both of you for this. I am not modelling the Foss Islands branch with its junction at Burton Lane. On the layout Bootham Junction where the Hull line splits off is hard up against the double crossovers which are just north of the Ouse bridge, where is in reality it was some way up the line. And thanks for the photo of the Bootham signal box, I have been looking for one. This whole section is very emerging thinking. In my original thinking, it was all to be hidden behind a backscene, but time to cogitate late last year led me to the conclusion that it would be a shame not to make this section scenic if at all possible. Hence the contrived narrative (aka Rule 1 as TW would put it) and alternative reality in terms of what lines go where. Giles

Happy New Year Jonathan. I've been following your thread for a couple of years now. Wonderful modelling and a great credit to you. Giles

Its the top left section of the hand drawn plan on page 31. Its not so easy to follow I know, and just to obscure things further, the track plan doesn't show the double crossovers. Those were an afterthought once I had worked through how the junction needed to work operationally, and having consulted Ken Hoole's book on York which usefully has photos and explanations of the movements in and out of the station on the Scarborough line. And like many other features of the layout, lastminutethinking.com Giles

Happy New Year everyone. I've been working over the break on the new section of line over the Scarborough Bridge, which will now be scenic for much of its length. Once the baseboards and track are installed (a few months yet), it will be over to Peter to develop the backs to Earlsborough terrace and a second terrace behind, all on a removeable lightweight base to give access to the Down Main fiddle yard under. This photo gives an overall view of the track layout in this area, with the lines wrapping round the back of Earslborough terrace and over the Scarborough bridge top left, and Bootham junction in the foreground. Bootham junction, where the line from Hull joins the line from Scarborough, is on the model much closer to the bridge than in reality. Below is a view looking back towards the bridge. The branch off to the right doesn't exist in reality - it is the start of a reverse loop and 3 storage roads. This is the view looking the other way towards Bootham junction. The lines out of the junction are actually reversed on the model - the lines to the right are the Scarborough lines, and to the left will run into an 8 road fiddle yard for Hull trains. The pair of crossovers that enabled Up trains to enter the station over the bridge on the Down line, and to allow trains leaving the station on the Up line to cross over to the Down line are both modelled, being essential for representative operations. I'm still faffing around with the alignment of the 8 roads of the Down Main fiddle yard on the lower level, so as to fit around the supports for the Scarborough line. The incline rising from the left foreground is the Up Main. I have learned my lesson from the 1:50 incline on the Down main (by the retaining wall) - which is too steep. This one will be about 1:80, so that trains running clockwise will be less constrained in terms of train length, engine tractive effort etc. The backscene will run along the left edge of the upper level boards with the Scarborough line. The gap to the right will be filled by the extended terrace diorama. With apologies for some fuzzy photos ... Giles

A few more of Tony Wrights unpublished photos. A2/2 Earl Marischal with an up express drawing into Platform 8. Most photographs of York's trainshed are taken from the south, so this is perhaps a better known perspective than those of the north end in the BRM article. I'm not sure why I overlooked it. An overall view showing the platforms 2,3,8,9,10,11,14 and a glimpse of 15 south of the trainshed, much foreshortened. Platform 1 is not modelled. I am considering narrowing platform 2 so as to fit a middle road, thus providing a partial representation of the two carriage and van storage roads adjacent to the wall under the smallest arch (not modelled). The view also shows the Hydraulic Power Station, next to the loco shed, as it was in 1957 with tower and chimney still in place. These we both removed in 1958 when the shed was rebuilt. My father, who knew little about railways but much about creating 'a canvas' often said to me 'height, go for height on a layout'. He was right and so we exercised modellers' prerogative and included them. Another view over the hotel, booking hall and trainshed roof this time looking south. The view provides a glimpse of the southern throat, which is work in progress. The lifting section and temporary fiddle yard can also be seen. The whole area from the lifting section through to the fiddle yard will be re-aligned to the track plan schematic on page 31. This task is working its way up the to-do list. D20 62335 waits for the off in platform 7 with a York to Hull stopping service. The D20 is from an Arthur Kimber kit, with twin beam compensation on the drivers. This is possible between the relatively narrow frames in OO thanks to a HLK gearbox less than 9mm wide. With traction evenly distributed across all 4 drivers, this loco pulls well above its weight. I have rebuilt all my 4-4-0 and 0-4-4 chassis, (and a C12 4-4-2) to this design, and seen a dramatic improvement in performance and current collection. and another fine view of Peter's fabulous model of the station hotel. Giles

For what it is worth. From about 48 mins to about 55 mins in, sandwiched between Peter Collins and Panic at the Disco https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0d945sq?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile Only available for the next 29 days. I had a long list of things to say and people to thank... but in the end just went Jonathan took me.

When I say all the locos, I meant most of them. The heaviest ones don't seem so affected by dirty track. I had a two hour running session yesterday, and only had to get the track rubber and cleaning fluid out a couple of times.

Natural weathering! Sheeting it would be impractical, so I just let it happen and get the hoover (with a soft brush nozzle) out occasionally. All the locos have stay alives which makes them fairly tolerant of dirty track.

The problem was the housing cover for the kadee coupler had been installed back to front, so fouling the bogie in tighter curves. All good now.

View of yard throat without the Scarborough line over. The servo control system is by Megapoints, which I thought I would tryout for the fiddle yards. Very easy to set up once I got the hang of it. And with the Scarborough lines over. Next task is to complete the point and slip providing access to the reversing loop from both Up and Down Scarborough lines. Giles (Thanks to Peter and Andy, (and Irfan), for helping me sort out the rotation problem.)