Harry Lund

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.)

I've allowed myself in the last two weeks to be diverted from finishing the Loco Yard and its ashpits, onto developing the main running lines and the arrangement of fiddle yards along the back wall. The 1:50 incline is proving to present an operational challenge in that only the heavier locos can tackle them with 9 coaches on (Yes Tony, I know ...). So where to fit the Down Main storage yards? An 8 road yard will fit neatly into the top right corner, sitting under the Scarborough lines. Hopefully this adaptation of Andy York's trackplan gives a feel for the overall scheme. Here is a photo looking toward the bridge. The two lines on the right are a two very long sidings which will each take either a very long train, or two shorter ones. I'll post more once I work out how to stop them rotating 90 or 180 degrees. Any clues anyone? Giles

Goodness.

Morning everyone. I hope you are sitting down with a whisky to hand as I am about to confess a sacrilege We had a visit this weekend from the giant Finn MacCool riding the footplate of his On30 something or other. The loco was brought to me by a friend to see if I diagnose the cause of the rear truck derailing on tighter curves. Found and remedied. I then had the bright idea, as On30 gauge = OO gauge, of running it around York.... on the Up Main to avoid platform fouling. It ran perfectly....... but I forgot about the footbridge! (With apologies for the rotated image. I couldn't for the life of me work out how to sort it) Giles

Thank you Doug (hope I guessed that right). Giles

Hi. The walls are made from mounting card. I produced a template in card which Peter then built out with the retaining walls. Hopefully these photos tell the story. Giles

Hi everyone. I've kept stumm until now and left Peter's thread to Peter. He has long encouraged me to put my head above the parapet, and now the BRM article has been published, it seemed a good time to do so. Firstly, thanks so much to you all for following and taking an interest, it has been a real encouragement from the outset. There is still much to do on the layout, mostly on my side rather than Peter's, so I'll post photos as it progresses. It won't be at the same pace though without Peter to chivvy me along! In the meantime, here are a couple of Tony Wright's unpublished photos. A fine view of the coaling plant, and of the Tees-Tyne Pullman running through the station on the Up Main. The Up service did not stop at York, but the down service did. The photograph captures some of the detail of the wrought iron structure supporting the platform canopies at the southern end. The columns and brackets are 3D printed, Peter scratch built the rest. Giles