Mid-Cornwall Lines - 1950s Western Region in 00

[queensquare]

21 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

 

I'm still not too bothered, as it's not a race, but I do want to step it up a bit.

That’s very much my feelings on the Bath project - be nice to be a bit further on but at least I’m enjoying the ride!

 

Jerry

[Siberian Snooper]

8 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

That's an interesting question, Stu. When I started, I thought it would take about three years to get all the track laid and working plus another couple to get all the "functional" stuff like signals, lever frames and uncouplers completed. For various reasons, not just my slow rate of working, it's taken much longer. After 10 years I though I'd have at least the backscenes in place and most of the basic railway infrastructure (bridges, buildings, and so on) in place.

 

I'm still not too bothered, as it's not a race, but I do want to step it up a bit.

 

 

Have you thought about putting in a few night shifts?

 

 

[KeithMacdonald]

On 06/09/2024 at 21:07, ian said:

You would have a great deal of difficulty getting a Shackleton under a bridge.

 

Unless we accidently forget what kind of Shackleton we're talking about?

 

Quote

The expedition ship Sir E Shackleton sails through the open roadway of Tower Bridge

 

 

https://www.mediastorehouse.com.au/memory-lane-prints/mirror/0200to0299-00201/expedition-ship-sir-e-shackleton-sails-open-21398530.html

[Clive Mortimore]

12 hours ago, Tortuga said:

The main thing is whether you’ve enjoyed doing it and whether you’re happy with what you’ve actually achieved: did you and are you?

 

11 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Yes and yes! Just wish I'd been a bit quicker, that's all!

Remember it is a hobby, and supposed to be fun.

 

With my train set, should I be unable to play with it at some point in my life and it isn't finished who cares? I won't, at the moment building it and stock for it is the enjoyable part, it runs reasonably well so that is also enjoyable. It meets my needs.

 

I believe our Sainty is in much the same position as me, carry on John having fun at your own pace.

[Keith Addenbrooke]

17 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Checking my diary for something else reminded me that it's just ten years since our new garage (railway room) was completed.

 

Here are some photos of it in all its naked glory:

 

 

 

 

Layout construction didn't actually start until early 2015 but it's still interesting to reflect on how far the layout has, and also hasn't, progressed since then...

An encouragement in another way - there I was feeling bad for not having started on my (much, much, much smaller) layout a whole two months after moving into our new house.  Reading your post was the reality check (positive) I needed.  Thank you, Keith.

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

 

Remember it is a hobby, and supposed to be fun.

 

With my train set, should I be unable to play with it at some point in my life and it isn't finished who cares? I won't, at the moment building it and stock for it is the enjoyable part, it runs reasonably well so that is also enjoyable. It meets my needs.

 

I believe our Sainty is in much the same position as me, carry on John having fun at your own pace.

Broadly yes, although it would be nice to see more scenery and less plywood before I do drop off the hook (whenever that might be).

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

An encouragement in another way - there I was feeling bad for not having started on my (much, much, much smaller) layout a whole two months after moving into our new house.  Reading your post was the reality check (positive) I needed.  Thank you, Keith.

We moved into this house in early 2012, so it was two-and-a-half years before we'd had the old single garage demolished and the new double garage/workshop/carport structure completed.

[Gwiwer]

7 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Broadly yes, although it would be nice to see more scenery and less plywood before I do drop off the hook (whenever that might be).

I covered my wood in cork and card. Problem solved! 
 

I am also expecting a friend today. We met in school over 60 years ago. His third marriage has recently failed so we invited him down for space, time and a bit of quiet. 
 

He’s also not averse to muddling and had been a former operator of the erstwhile Pierhead Model Railway in Sussex which was a large commercial venture that at one time held the record for longest duration of continuous running. Multiple night shifts were involved.
 

Track is awaiting cutting and fixing. We can do that together.  Which will accelerate the process of “completion”. 

[St Enodoc]

50 years ago today, Monday 16 September 1974, a select band of school-leavers and graduates turned up at the British Rail School of Transport in Derby to join the Railway Family and take the first steps on their career paths. Among that group were that year's intake of M&E Engineering Scholars, of whom I was one.

Some of them are still in the British railway business, some in other parts of the world, some outside railways, some (like me) retired and some, sadly, no longer with us.

I raised a glass or three tonight to celebrate and to remember the great times I have had since then.
 

[Oldddudders]

58 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

50 years ago today, Monday 16 September 1974, a select band of school-leavers and graduates turned up at the British Rail School of Transport in Derby to join the Railway Family and take the first steps on their career paths. Among that group were that year's intake of M&E Engineering Scholars, of whom I was one.

Some of them are still in the British railway business, some in other parts of the world, some outside railways, some (like me) retired and some, sadly, no longer with us.

I raised a glass or three tonight to celebrate and to remember the great times I have had since then.
 

I had been there 12 months before as a Traffic Management Trainee, but I think we were still having occasional sessions there in late 1974, so we may have dined together! The Dickensian style of the place, with all those mature blonde serving ladies standing in a line at dinner etc. was simply ridiculous. 

[Keith Addenbrooke]

Don’t know if it was different in the 70s, but when I went to Derby in 1986 to start my own working life at Rolls-Royce (Aero Engines), many of us were given digs at the YMCA on London Road - along with the Railway apprentices, one of whom went on to be the Usher at my wedding (my brother being Best Man).  As @St Enodoc says, many happy memories started there, Keith.

[GMKAT7]

Good afternoon folks,

 

Six degrees of separation and all that. 😅

 

 

September 4th marked 46 years since I went to Derby as a Technician Apprentice at the RTC.

 

I stayed at the YMCA for a number of years, and met a large number of BR and RR apprentices, sponsored students, etc.

I think it was easy for BR and RR to put people there, saved having to find digs for people all across Derby.

Also easy to get to both FE/HE colleges as well.

 

H£lls teeth, where has the time gone? (Cue Sandy Denny).

 

Cheers, Nigel.

[5BarVT]

2 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

50 years ago today, Monday 16 September 1974

Hope you can cope with the anticipation, I’ll be posting something similar next year!

Paul.

[Northroader]

 

crikey, Saint, you got me digging in my dairy for dates! 17th September, 1956, I find, and I suppose it’s the 17th by now where you are. Durhh, er, sixty eight years and counting. Letsh have another glass of wine.

[Clive Mortimore]

I never was a BR apprentice or went to Derby but it was 51 years ago yesterday I started my apprenticeship with the Central Electricity Generating Board at Brighton power station training centre. We were housed in a hostel in Southwick that had been Max Wall's home at one point in time.  Going up and down the stairs I found out how he developed that daft walk.

 

The week before the training centre had an open day and we also visited the hostel, so our parents knew where their little darlings were going to stay. Two events on the journey to and from Hove station.

Number one, we were in a 4 CIG sat along that half compartment in DTC. My mother had lent her handbag against the door. We stopped at East Croydon and this geezer opened the door, he got in as the handbag fell out. I jumped out and laying on my belly reached down and rescued the said handbag.  Well at sixteen you are invisible and don't realise how stupid and dangerous things can be. 

Number two was on the way home the train stopped short of Victoria station, on the bridge over the Thames. We waited what seemed a long time before entering the station. When we got off the train we were whisked to the underground station by the railway staff and police. It wasn't until we got home and watched the evening news that we learnt an IRA bomb had gone off in Victoria Station as our train was approaching the station. That was the first time the IRA missed me, they had more attempts later on.

It is hard to believe that 51 years ago there were 10 major bombings in England in September , along with dozens of letter bombs. Was life better back then?

Edited September 16 by Clive Mortimore
A mathatical error.

[TheSignalEngineer]

8 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

That was the first time the IRA missed me, they had more attempts later on.

It is hard to believe that 51 years ago there were 10 major bombings in England in September , along with dozens of letter bombs. Was life better back then?

They missed me a few times in Birmingham. One night we had been visiting relatives and got off the bus on Navigation Street and walked past New Street PSB to get the one out to our house. The IRA had put a bomb in the rubbish bin outside and a few hours later it blew the street level doors off the signal box. Next morning I was due to be working in the office and we were diverted on the way in as another unexploded device had been found near where we had waited for the second bus. On another occasion Wakefields shop on New Street was fired during the night when I had been in there earlier.

None were as close as my sister however. She used to meet up with friends in the Tavern in the Town  on a Thursday night. That particular evening they were a bit early so went into a pub on Hill Street on the way. They were still in there when the bombs went off in the Tavern and the Grapes.

It seems we have a bit of family history in that direction. Mom escaped two bombs in one night in 1940. First their house took a direct hit just after they had left for the shelter rather than sit in the Morrison cage under the table. On finding all that remained was a pile of rubble they walked down to her gran's house only to meet gran coming in the other direction as there was an unexploded parachute mine hooked on the fence in the yard. It had stopped a foot above the ground. They were directed to a local hall but when they got there it was chaos so they set off to her other grandparents a couple of miles away. During the walk there was a second raid and the hall took a direct hit. She went past it on the way to work the next morning and saw bodies being carried out. She joined the ATS in the same week as the late Queen. She told us that HRH turned up to collect here uniform and papers then quickly disappeared, allocated to a transport job as she could already drive. The following day the camp was strafed by a German fighter. Fortunately it had been spotted and everyone got out of the way into the safety of trenches in time. 

[Keith Addenbrooke]

4 hours ago, GMKAT7 said:

Good afternoon folks,

 

Six degrees of separation and all that. 😅

 

 

September 4th marked 46 years since I went to Derby as a Technician Apprentice at the RTC.

 

I stayed at the YMCA for a number of years, and met a large number of BR and RR apprentices, sponsored students, etc.

I think it was easy for BR and RR to put people there, saved having to find digs for people all across Derby.

Also easy to get to both FE/HE colleges as well.

 

H£lls teeth, where has the time gone? (Cue Sandy Denny).

 

Cheers, Nigel.

 

4 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

Hope you can cope with the anticipation, I’ll be posting something similar next year!

Paul.

 

2 hours ago, Northroader said:

 

crikey, Saint, you got me digging in my dairy for dates! 17th September, 1956, I find, and I suppose it’s the 17th by now where you are. Durhh, er, sixty eight years and counting. Letsh have another glass of wine.

Going back to Derby and the YMCA, I carried on living there in the newer flats (bedsits) out the back after Graduating from University, meaning my Banns of marriage were read at St. Osmund’s Church (next door to the old training centre).  I did move out before getting married though 😀, Keith.

[GMKAT7]

Good evening Keith,

 

Snap, 1984 to 1991 (Flat 107) then bought my first house just across London Road (Bowmer Road).

 

A friend of mine got married at that church  (The first time round).

 

Small world time!

 

Cheers, Nigel.

[TheSignalEngineer]

Never based at Derby but I used to go to quite a few meetings there when doing jobs on the Midland lines. 

And then there were courses at the school. The Bursar in my days kept 30 different single malts behind the bar. We had snooker tournaments to 3 or 4am and who remembers the Pink Coconut?

[Keith Addenbrooke]

34 minutes ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

who remembers the Pink Coconut?

I’ve spent nearly forty years trying to forget about it…🤩

[Bob-65b]

36 minutes ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

Never based at Derby but I used to go to quite a few meetings there when doing jobs on the Midland lines. 

And then there were courses at the school. The Bursar in my days kept 30 different single malts behind the bar. We had snooker tournaments to 3 or 4am and who remembers the Pink Coconut?

 

Who could forget it? - The opening night was something else :)

 

Bob

[Bob-65b]

11 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

50 years ago today, Monday 16 September 1974, a select band of school-leavers and graduates turned up at the British Rail School of Transport in Derby to join the Railway Family and take the first steps on their career paths. Among that group were that year's intake of M&E Engineering Scholars, of whom I was one.

Some of them are still in the British railway business, some in other parts of the world, some outside railways, some (like me) retired and some, sadly, no longer with us.

I raised a glass or three tonight to celebrate and to remember the great times I have had since then.
 

 

Quite right, I hope you enjoyed them! I started shortly before you on the 5th August 1974 but only had to go a few miles from home to St.Rollox to start my apprenticeship.  Like you, I'm retired and enjoying the benefits of a railway pension.

 

Bob.

[St Enodoc]

12 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

I had been there 12 months before as a Traffic Management Trainee, but I think we were still having occasional sessions there in late 1974, so we may have dined together! The Dickensian style of the place, with all those mature blonde serving ladies standing in a line at dinner etc. was simply ridiculous. 

Yes, what with having to stand when the Principal (Leslie James, at that time) entered the dining room and being issued with a silver napkin ring and a linen napkin (which had to last you all week). Different times.

 

12 hours ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

Don’t know if it was different in the 70s, but when I went to Derby in 1986 to start my own working life at Rolls-Royce (Aero Engines), many of us were given digs at the YMCA on London Road - along with the Railway apprentices, one of whom went on to be the Usher at my wedding (my brother being Best Man).  As @St Enodoc says, many happy memories started there, Keith.

 

11 hours ago, GMKAT7 said:

I stayed at the YMCA for a number of years, and met a large number of BR and RR apprentices, sponsored students, etc.

I think it was easy for BR and RR to put people there, saved having to find digs for people all across Derby.

Also easy to get to both FE/HE colleges as well.

After the first week, we moved across the road to the YMCA where there were, as you say, sponsored students/technician apprentices and graduates from BR and Royce's, plus a number of other characters. Most of the time we all got on well.

 

To distinguish us from the others, and being the youngest group, we were of course known as the Railway Children.

 

Opposite the SoT was the Navigation Inn where we would repair most evenings (except Thursday, which was Baileys' night). In the lounge bar were service bells that allowed you to order from, and have your order delivered by, the formidable Flo (think Les Dawson...).

[St Enodoc]

9 hours ago, Northroader said:

17th September, 1956

I was three months and one day old...

 

3 hours ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

The Bursar in my days kept 30 different single malts behind the bar.

That was probably Charles Underhill, who was also a fine railway modeller.

[GMKAT7]

Good morning St E,

 

The Navigation is still there but a shadow of its former self.

 

In my time it served a fine pint of Bass, a step up from the Home Ales at the Portland (corner of Deadmans Lane), the closest watering hole to the RTC.

 

Our other lunchtime option was the Kimberley Ales pub, close to Midland House on Nelson Street.

 

SWMBO worked in the Plastics Development Unit at the RTC. They preferred The Dog & Duck at Shardlow, but that's a car ride away.

 

The Pink Coconut was another thing altogether 😁

 

Cheers, Nigel.