Peterborough North

[great northern]

Nearest triangle was the loco turning one at New England Loco - location of my first footplate ride in early 1953, on 60103, I was not yet three years old!

 

Regards

Chris H

Oh, lucky man!

[great northern]

"Scrotty - Co Durham lingo?"   Us Cockneys also include the word in our lexicon. ("Yor wott??? 'Aving a larf mate!) But "scrotty" is not apposite ("there you go agin") for that V2 - easily de-scrotted by a 34A cleaning gang.

Actually, if you look closely, today's V2 pilot is a rather clean green machine, unlike those of the past few days. That of course does not guarantee its mechanical condition, but surely that would be taken into consideration when allocating loco to duty in the first place?

[great northern]

Nearly time to go and put on clothing more appropriate to February than May before venturing onto the golf course, but first, your morning happenings.  First up, Ivatt 4, journey over, waiting for passengers to disembark.

and then a close up of the South end pilot.

[Liam]

Gilbert the other day I stumbled across a Hornby Magazine edition with a layout feature on PN. I read that all the track was handbuilt by a company called Just Tracks. I quite like the look of their track - can they come and build it for you on your layout and is it expensive?

[chaz]

Nearly time to go and put on clothing more appropriate to February than May before venturing onto the golf course, but first, your morning happenings.  First up, Ivatt 4, journey over, waiting for passengers to disembark.

43084.JPG

and then a close up of the South end pilot.

IMG_7243.JPG

 

I really like those two pictures, especially the close-up of the 0-6-2T. I don't know why that should appeal to me (it's certainly not the loco' which is well out of my territory) but I think it may be that it's exactly the sort of snap I remember taking with an assortment of Box-Brownies. Somewhere I have enprints (remember those) of, amongst others, an M7 at Waterloo, an O2 at Shanklin, (guess where we used to holiday) and an A3 on a stopper at WGC. Keep 'em coming.

 

Chaz

[chaz]

Nearest triangle was the loco turning one at New England Loco - location of my first footplate ride in early 1953, on 60103, I was not yet three years old!

 

Regards

Chris H

 

Footplate rides? When I was a short-trousered oik my father used to take me to Liverpool Street to see the trains on Saturday mornings. On one occasion (I would have been about six) we were admiring a shiny (and probably fairly new) Britannia at the buffer stops. The driver asked us if we would like a ride down to the platform end. Did we? It was quite a climb for me up into the cab - and for my dad, for he was a bit of a short-*rse.

Mum wasn't that impressed though when we got back and I blurted out in my excitement what the morning's high point had been. I rather think Dad would have got an ear-bashing.

[New Haven Neil]

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Man of taste!

 

He made another post before I sent this!

Edited May 9, 2017 by New Haven Neil

[great northern]

Gilbert the other day I stumbled across a Hornby Magazine edition with a layout feature on PN. I read that all the track was handbuilt by a company called Just Tracks. I quite like the look of their track - can they come and build it for you on your layout and is it expensive?

It depends what you mean by expensive. If you compare with the price of Peco, yes it is, think five or six times more for pointwork. For what you get, it is excellent,as can be seen from the pictures on this thread, but excellence does not come cheap, nor should it. Putit this way Liam, it would have been beyond my means until fairly late on in life.

[great northern]

The camera focused yet again on the misplaced A2/3, and once again, having done the work on it, I'm not about to just delete it.

But then a short trip goods from East appeared on the Down slow, and diverted everyone's attention.

 

A visit by Tim tomorrow. Goodies? You'll have to wait and see, as shall I.

[Liam]

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Man of taste!

 

He made another post before I sent this!

You might think me stupid, but are you talking about Chaz's footplate ride?

 

Thanks for that info Gilbert. Might have to wait for at least 25 years!

[Market65]

That first photo' of that A2/3 looks so real, and I thought it was at first! The signal looks totally real, and I wonder if you could repeat the exact photoshopping on the next B&W photo'.

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

[Metropolitan H]

Footplate rides? When I was a short-trousered oik my father used to take me to Liverpool Street to see the trains on Saturday mornings. On one occasion (I would have been about six) we were admiring a shiny (and probably fairly new) Britannia at the buffer stops. The driver asked us if we would like a ride down to the platform end. Did we? It was quite a climb for me up into the cab - and for my dad, for he was a bit of a short-*rse.

Mum wasn't that impressed though when we got back and I blurted out in my excitement what the morning's high point had been. I rather think Dad would have got an ear-bashing.

Grandfather was a signalman at Westwood Box - they lived in a railway house on Lincoln Road - so he knew a lot of drivers and what was going on.

 

We went from London for a weekend and I had had a brand new "light" coloured coat - took lots of coupons (still on rationing). As we arrived Grand father took Father and me - with pushchair - over the bridge into New England Loco and along the path to the Coal-Hopper where 60103 was. Then we were invited up for the ride round the triangle. Memory of the event is vague - but details filled in by parents - but I have two reliable snippets which have been confirmed:

- On the path alongside the track to the coal-hopper a loco started to move, enveloping us in the steam from the open draincocks. Quite an image when you are only knee high and a little bit. I've tried to paint this memopy, but it is probably unreliable!

- Being lifted up and told to grasp the big leaver. Then being pulled to make the loco go - magic.

 

I don't have any memory of the subsequent state of the new coat - but I have been advised that Mother was not best pleased.

 

Regards

Chris H

 

[great northern]

That first photo' of that A2/3 looks so real, and I thought it was at first! The signal looks totally real, and I wonder if you could repeat the exact photoshopping on the next B&W photo'.

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

I'll do my best Rob, but they always vary a bit, depending on the light at the time, and my ability to remember what settings I used last time. I do it instinctively really, when I think it looks right it gets saved.

[great northern]

Quick pictures today, as Tim's train is even now speeding towards Grantham, and I shall shortly be off to pick him up at Bingham.

Two GN locos in one shot, but perhaps not from the most attractive angle. Next train due on the Down main will attract a ripple of interest from the younger spotters, who still hope anything going to or coming from Edinburgh might bring a Scottish loco. The Flying Scotsman is of course a KX turn, and today has the latest modern power.

[Liam]

Sorry Gilbert, who is Tim on RMweb?

[jwealleans]

Tim. Edited May 10, 2017 by jwealleans

[New Haven Neil]

You might think me stupid, but are you talking about Chaz's footplate ride?

 

Thanks for that info Gilbert. Might have to wait for at least 25 years!

 

To clarify:  I am a great fan of Gilbert's N5 - it has become a bit of a running joke on this thread, and Gilbert is good enough to humour me on occasion. Another person showing enthusiasm for it is of great taste in my book.

 

I always prefer the more workaday locos to those fancy Pacifics that folk like so much, and 0-6-2 tanks in particular are a favourite.

[great northern]

Any visit by Tim is awaited with anticipation, and I am never disappointed. Today though, he exceeded all expectations, and I have  been fortunate enough to acquire not one but four great additions to PN. All have been recorded, but I shall not reveal all at once, as I don't want people getting over excited.

 

Some months ago I bought a new loco, but never saw it, let alone handled it, as it went straight to TIm for him to work his magic on it. From photos it looked yet another terrific model from Hornby, but the reality is even better.

As usual, the loco was chosen by referencing a prototype picture, and in due course I shall show that, together with my attempt to recreate something similar. Tim has captured it beautifully, and isn't the loco in itself a stunner?

[davidw]

Any visit by Tim is awaited with anticipation, and I am never disappointed. Today though, he exceeded all expectations, and I have been fortunate enough to acquire not one but four great additions to PN. All have been recorded, but I shall not reveal all at once, as I don't want people getting over excited.

 

Some months ago I bought a new loco, but never saw it, let alone handled it, as it went straight to TIm for him to work his magic on it. From photos it looked yet another terrific model from Hornby, but the reality is even better.

1558 2.JPG

As usual, the loco was chosen by referencing a prototype picture, and in due course I shall show that, together with my attempt to recreate something similar. Tim has captured it beautifully, and isn't the loco in itself a stunner?

Fair does its excellent...

Go on what are the others?

[trw1089]

Beautiful work by Tim, and a glorious looking engine as well!

[chaz]

Quick pictures today, as Tim's train is even now speeding towards Grantham, and I shall shortly be off to pick him up at Bingham.

C12 and J50.JPG

Two GN locos in one shot, but perhaps not from the most attractive angle. Next train due on the Down main will attract a ripple of interest from the younger spotters, who still hope anything going to or coming from Edinburgh might bring a Scottish loco. The Flying Scotsman is of course a KX turn, and today has the latest modern power.

201 1.JPG

 

Pedant hat on.

 

Surely that J50 is not one of the original batch of GN engines? I suspect it is a GS machine, it's certainly got GS buffers. Correct me if I am wrong but were not only ten of the class finished before the grouping?

 

 

No, you want one of those - my 221 series model - if you want a genuine GN J50. (The lack of a vacuum brake is another clue!)

 

GNR signal included, just to rub salt into the wound.

 

ATB

 

Chaz

Edited May 11, 2017 by chaz

[great northern]

Fair does its excellent...

Go on what are the others?

Patience, dear chap, patience. All will be revealed. Eventually.

[great northern]

The B12 was inspired by this image, reproduced courtesy of peterboroughimages.co.uk.

It was a Cambridge engine, and on that diagram we have seen many times before now which left the loco in this position for photography. I suspect the service was the afternoon Harwich turn, but I can't be certain. Anyway, there was a lovely clean B12 in late 50s condition, so it was the prime candidate. My effort was very hasty, and nowhere near, so I shall see if I can do better when I have more time.

Being a generous chap, I shall give you another shot of every day life as well, again featuring the Flying Scotsman.

[chris p bacon]

Gilbert the other day I stumbled across a Hornby Magazine edition with a layout feature on PN. I read that all the track was handbuilt by a company called Just Tracks. I quite like the look of their track - can they come and build it for you on your layout and is it expensive?

 

 

It depends what you mean by expensive. If you compare with the price of Peco, yes it is, think five or six times more for pointwork. For what you get, it is excellent,as can be seen from the pictures on this thread, but excellence does not come cheap, nor should it. Putit this way Liam, it would have been beyond my means until fairly late on in life.

As someone who was so taken with the trackwork on PN that he ripped up a complete layout of Peco to start again, I can vouch for Norman Saunders at Just tracks. It was following a conversation with Gilbert that I contacted Norman and I'm so glad that Gilbert encouraged me too and that I did. 

As Gilbert states it is not cheap, I wouldn't say it's expensive though, I'd say it's Value For Money. If you want some top quality work then you can't go wrong. I commissioned mine in a different way to Gilbert in that I did all the plain track myself while Norman constructed all the turnouts to an agreed and shared plan which I then weathered, wired and fixed in place. This was over a period of 12-14 months. 

Am I happy...Yes......would I do it again.....Yes.  I'm confident enough to say that Gilbert thinks much the same way as Normans work is superb, the only difference is that I can't take such excellent pictures of it!

[Mallard60022]

In a normal life I would have swooned when spotting that Beast (2), however life is not normal and so all I can do is look at it; the T Pole in case anyone is confused.

Nice loco by the way

Edited May 11, 2017 by Mallard60022