unravelled

From what I've seen it wouldn't be a simple rebuild. No provision seems to have been made in the building. Looking at the plans and seing walls go up, there at a number of concrete walled compartments/rooms in the way of extension. I did find the plans on the Greenwich planning site, but my old link doesn;t work. I will try to find another lnk. Looking at the photos, there might be room for three tracks through the centre span of the slightly skew road bridge, but to get the bay road through that would mean a rebuild of the Crossrail side as the escalator/stairs are in the way. The easiest solution I could see is to demolish the block of flats tight against the bay line, widen the platform, and take the line through the next span. Four tracking the section up to Abbey wood has meant a lot of groundwork. The fact that room for four tracks was supposedly protected doesn't mean there is room for four tracks with segregation fencing and overhead supports. Perhaps the planned service east of Abbey wood could be satisfied by a partly single track extension... Thanks Dave

Cwr joints?

There is only one through crossrail platform at Abbey Wood. The second platform face is terminal one. Looking at the plans, and watching the construction, double tracking would need a lot of rebuilding. There are plenty of crossovers between the tunnel portal and station, so the two faces can be used flexibly. Looking at the space available on the siding, it's looks to be just overrun, to allow faster platform approaches. If it was used for stabling,presumably the platform approach woud have to be slower. I was isurprised to see the connection with the other lines. I quess it will allow works trains from NR to access crossrail at Abbey Wood or Plumstead.It is interesting that the overhead doesn't carry on very far, and the fencing between the two systems peters out too. Regarding future developments, presumably the Abbey Wood constraint would suggest a lesser frequency for any Eastern extensiom. It will be interesting to see what proposals are made. Thanks Dace

I hope this turns out well as I've been watching your threads with interest. Have you considered stealing a march on the big producers by skipping the points and working on the crossings and slips that they won't have for a while, and which modellers will be needing? Thanks Dave

I cycled out to Abbey Wood to take a few more pictures of delvelopments in the area. Latest images at start. https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157632675037925 Thanks Dave

I was sorting through some photos of Tebay taken in 1967, and found these examples. It's the double junction at the north end of Tebay station. The down line is still in use, but the crossing in the main up line has been replaced by plain track. Their use appears to require both sets of points to be operated together. I noted at the time that an amount of point unclipping was needed for these moves. Thanks Dave

It looks good to me. My father built hardboard engine shed walls with plastic (celluloid?) windows, in the 50s. Window bars were scribed or painted, (or both). Perhaps the plastic should be thin and slightly wavy to look authentically old... Something like OHP transparency sheet might be good. Thanks Dave

This album is a bit different. In June 1967, when I was 17, I spent a week at the Hotel by Tebay station. I've just spent several evenings matching the notes I took at the time with the photos, and here is the result. Steam only I'm afraid. I did record the passing of diesel services, but no numbers or photos. I restricted my travels to the immediate vicinity of the station, so nothing further up the bank then Loups Fell. I did cadge a couple of rides on the banker. The first can't have been very memorable as I had forgotten about it until I came across the noteook, but the second hs stuck with me. It was tipping down, with the near horizontal rain you sometimes get there. The train was 48289 with 42 unsheeted minerals,(salt was mentioned), so the load could have picked up extra weight from the rain. Anyway it was slow going, and we ground to a stop halfway up. After about 10 minutes, presumably for the train engine to rebuild pressure, we restarted, with much slipping, and made it to the summit. The one pictorial curiosity was seeing a Britannia banking a freight. I assume it was travelling north light engine, and was used to save a couple of moves by a Tebay banker. Tebay trip 1967 by David Harvey, on Flickr The album, sorted into approximate order: https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157683699421971 Thanks Dave

I took a walk along Factory Rd last Saturday. Most masts are up, but no overhead cables yet, though there are plenty on the walls... Photos in this album, https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157628656429811 , which i've reordered to put the new ones at the start. Thanks Dave

The one thing I'd want to alter is the arrangement of the two crossovers at the right hand side. If the crossover between the outer curcuit and goods area/headshunt could be moved below the crossover between inner and outer circuits, it would allow trains from the loops to access the inner circuit. This arrangement existed in the plan from post 7, but without the headshunt. Thanks Dave

Possibly not the sort of station you are looking for, but the platforms at Lewisham Station cross the Ravensbourne. RIMG0135 by David Harvey, on Flickr RIMG0999 by David Harvey, on Flickr Dave

I'll be interested to see this as an extended bunker 61xx is something I've considered building. Thanks Dave

That looks similar to one of the Rmweb Innovation challenge entries of a few years back! Dave

As always I'm enjoying the build process and progress. I did wonder whether it would be possible to add another point where the double track enters the shed, making a trailing crossover from the double section. Then take one or more of the window side loops of the fiddleyard off that, making them longer. It would lose some flexibility of operation, as an anticlockwise running train couldn't access the window side loops, but could usefully increase storage. Thanks Dave

One of the silly problems for me is that with handed coaches, used as intended, I can only appreciate one side on my layout. In reality, by BR days, would these coaches still be corridor south (?) or would some have got turned in use? Thanks Dave

I have been using something similar to these led 12v strips to improve the light my workshop. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5PCS-100CM-12V-18W-SMD5630-72LED-Rigid-Light-Strip-Tube-Bar-Lamp-White-1800LM-UK-/182337433715?hash=item2a74287073 They have an aluminium backing and a flimsy transparent cover. They are so bright that they need some sort of shade to keep direct light out of your eyes. I have bought a "proper" led power suply for them to be on the safe side, as I don't know whether a train set 12v supply would be smooth enough. My preference is for the daylight white version. Dave

Radipole Halt, 1965 Upwey Wishing well Halt St Mary's Crossing Halt, 1964 Thanks Dave

I think there are some tunnel ring samples, even a complete ring, at the Acton depot museum. I have a book with some drawings of the Greenwich foot tunnel design, stated to be similar in size to one of the the early tube lines. I can scan and post if interesting. Thanks Dave

This is my very dilapidated Moko loco and wagon. I rediscovered them in the garden shed recently. I dug them up some years ago and they must have been in the ground for a decade or so. I think they are past restoration! Thanks Dave

For those interesdted in bridge repair, my reference is Railway Bridge Maintenance Turton, Frank Published by Hutchinson Educational Ltd, London (1972) ISBN 10: 0091089204 ISBN 13: 9780091089207 I bought it, and a companion volume on (then) current railway bridge construction many years ago. This is a sneaky photo of the image of mining subsidence support using similar needles. Unfortunately the photo distortion hides some og the subsidence movement. Going back to the original photo, an alternative possibility is to do with flood risk rather than mining subsidence. Being able to support the arches at short notice after a flood has compromised foundations might be useful. It looks as if the side arches were provided to prevent restriction to flow under flood conditions. Thanks Dave

According to one of my books, they are termed needles, and as has been said are potential supports for centering. Possibly installed because of a fear of problems with subsidence, they would allow rapid installation of temporary support for the arches. They need to be well below the springing of the arches to allow the centering to be jacked into position and released. Hth Dave

It was originally by the entrance from the Whitgift cantre, but moved a few months ago. It is now a bit deeper inside the store, under the stairs/gallery. If you walk about 5 counters in from the Whitgift entrance and look to your left. you should see it against the back wall. Hth Dave

As I was in Oxford for a family get together over Easter, I cycled out to catch up on progress at Aristotle Lane and Wolvercote. Nothing much has changed at Aristotle Lane, though the footbridge link to the allotments has been put in place, and the piers are being brick clad. Pictures (newest first) at https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/sets/72157640353126193 At Wolvercote there have been some changes since I last visited at Christmas 2015. Surprisingly some of the track on the loop has been lifted 2017 2015 Walvercote pictures (newest first) at https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/sets/72157640353126193 Thanks Dave

Oxford shed, around March 1966 Most locos there had the connecting rod cut just clear of the slidebars, but in this case it looks like the piston rod being cut Dave

Some genuine old fashioned pictures. These show my father and his younger brother playing trains in the garden of their home in Oxford. The date would be about 1930. Sometimes the layout was relocated to the front garden. As far as I know, none of these trains remained in the family, and my father restarted with gauge 1 in the 50s. Thanks Dave