The layout is a secondary routing out of Leeds Central and the main trains operating are local ones going to and coming from surrounding towns.
Whenever I feel like it I can operate diverted main line trains. Thus giving variety and believability as it did actually happen in real life on secondary routes.
Here is one such train. Class 55 D9014 'The Duke of Wellington's Regiment' on a diverted Edinburgh to Leeds Central 'North Briton' Pullman Service. It is passing Leeds Sovereign street Station.
IMG_5916 by David Harrison, on Flickr
Being a secondary route it means freight trains use it more, giving relief on the Main Line for faster trains.
Here is Class 25 25237 on a Northbound freight to Leeds New Station Goods Yard. It is near The Calls Junction.
IMG_5918 by David Harrison, on Flickr
By keeping a believable history of a railroad and mixing a lot of actual fact and a little fiction. A living model railroad grows.
Adding little scenes that have nothing to do with railroading ------
Jimmy Rickleton is working on some machine he has just purchased. Perhaps he should spend some time cutting back the bushes. Maybe he is like me in liking the overgrown look.
IMG_5902 by David Harrison, on Flickr
Thanks for looking.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
The signal box controlling Clarence Dock Goods Yard.
IMG_5911 by David Harrison, on Flickr
The fog is sweeping in.
IMG_5920 by David Harrison, on Flickr
What is nicer when the scenery is done, than running trains.
First train of the day. A Wakefield Kirkgate to Leeds Central DMU
At the Junction.
IMG_5893 by David Harrison, on Flickr
It is only a glimpse as it passes Charlie Marston's Yard.
IMG_5894 by David Harrison, on Flickr
A little snow is lingering at Leeds Sovereign Street Station. Is there more to come?
IMG_5895 by David Harrison, on Flickr
A slightly new look to the backscene and scenery at the Junction.
A Leeds Central to Dewsbury Market Place DMU waits at the signal
IMG_5873 by David Harrison, on Flickr
and passing the Junction.
IMG_5871 by David Harrison, on Flickr
Overall view from the control area looking towards Charlie Marston's Yard and beyond.
IMG_5875 by David Harrison, on Flickr
In my last post I mentioned the light coming in the window plays tricks.
Photographs taken about 1215pm U.K. time today. No altering of pictures whatsoever.
Good fun though!
Thanks for looking
hon30critter Hi David, I don't think that there is anything that turns me off more than faded, dusty scenery Dave
Hi David,
I don't think that there is anything that turns me off more than faded, dusty scenery
Dave
Thank you Dave for your comments. They are much appreciated.
I do like to 'sruce up' the layout every so often. 'New trees and plants growing' just like real life. I then have the same scene looking different.
As for lighting? It is generally poor. I am too old to start renewing the electrics. Having said that; many a time the light coming in through the window plays many a trick. Tricks I like.
Now I am off to sort out the scenery. Will post pictures later.
NorthBritSome of the scenery on the layout is rather old and beginning to look tired and jaded.
I don't think that there is anything that turns me off more than faded, dusty scenery (that and dusty rolling stock!). One thing I will have to do is change the lighting in my garage where the layout is. It is currently all florescent lighting and I know that it will fade the scenery if I don't change it. LEDs it will be!
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Not much going on at Leeds Sovereign Street. I did manage to clear out old items of scenery I thought I would use in the future. They were beginning to clutter the place.
Some of the scenery on the layout is rather old and beginning to look tired and jaded. A pleasant job to do in the New Year.
Leeds Sovereign Street Station
IMG_5865 by David Harrison, on Flickr
and near the Junction. Tired and jaded.
IMG_5866 by David Harrison, on Flickr
hon30critter Hi David, Thanks for explaining what you did to convert the carriage to a Director's Saloon. I had looked at your before and after pictures on the other thread but with my limited observation skills the only difference that I noticed were the running boards. Obviously there was much more to it. Cheers!! Dave
Thanks for explaining what you did to convert the carriage to a Director's Saloon. I had looked at your before and after pictures on the other thread but with my limited observation skills the only difference that I noticed were the running boards. Obviously there was much more to it.
Cheers!!
Dave. There are many variations of Director's Saloons. Nearly every Railway Company had one. Depending on how wealthy a Company was depended on how 'grand' it was.
Everyone I have seen has been a brown color. Finding a suitable 'donor' carriage was not easy. The one I was after was a popular model and quickly sold out. Eventually I found one in a store and purchased it.
My daughter saw it and took it away. "It's your Christmas present," she said.
The conversion was easy to do. Nothing complicated. Definitely something different on the layout. Forum colleagues on a U.K. site I am on are 'pinching the idea'.
Merry Christmas everyone.
In years past a number of Railway Companies had carriages made specially for the Directors' of the Company.
A Director's Saloon seen at 'Locomotion', Shildon, County Durham.
I have always wanted one, but none are commecially available. Therefore I have had to make one. A simple way is to alter a commercially available carriage.
A four wheeled carriage from a Christmas present.
Director's Saloons come in various guises. With my donor carriage I dismantled the body from the chassis. Removed the seating and plastic windows. I then cut away the supports for three windows and filed them level with the body.
Some decals were removed. New plastic windows inserted.
The seating was altered to open plan. The parts reassembled, New footboards added. One Director's Saloon. Total time to do conversion. Less than one hour.
Thanks Dave. All we did was put some Christmas multi-colored lights up and she played around with the control buttons until she had the color she liked.
Then asked to switch off the room lights. "It's nighttime," she said.
Simple really.
NorthBritOur five year old granddaughter is staying here for the weekend. She played around with the lighting at Leeds Sovereign Street Station. "You have to use your imagination," she said.
I think your granddaughter is very creative!
Our five year old granddaughter is staying here for the weekend.
She played around with the lighting at Leeds Sovereign Street Station.
"You have to use your imagination," she said.
Track fiddler As always, great layout scenes David. Those buildings you do look just as old as the freight cars I would have to say I think most of those UK freight cars had more character than many of the older ones we had over here. I had mentioned that to Ulrich a time or two as well Back-in-the Day. TF
As always, great layout scenes David. Those buildings you do look just as old as the freight cars
I would have to say I think most of those UK freight cars had more character than many of the older ones we had over here. I had mentioned that to Ulrich a time or two as well Back-in-the Day.
TF
Thank you for the kind comments, TF. They are much appreciated.
The buildings at the real Leeds Sovereign Street in the 1950s/early 60s were old and dark forboding ones; not helped by the dismal street lighting. Smoke from the chimneys added to the gloominess.
Being a lad of seven years of age making my way to Sovereign Street to go to Dewsbury (every weekend almost) I was captivated by the overall 'darkness' that enveloped me. It frightens me now thinking about it; the fact I wasn't frightened at all, then.
Now Sovereign Street is a up and coming place to live. Bright lights, apartments, cafe's and restaurants. Not for me. No room to run trains.
As for freight cars; the variety before The Great War was huge. Many, many Private Owner Companies had their own and the Companies on my layout are no exception.
Private Owner cars (not owned by a Railroad Company) were very common up to around 1948. This gives variety to model layouts in a timescale before that.
Here am I saying this and am envious of the variety of boxcars, hoppers etc. your side of the pond.
In the 1920s you could put your car in a boxvan and it would travel with you to your destination.
Here is a London & North Western Railway Motor Car Van (original) built late 1919, model 1920 vintage on a modern wheelbase.
At Clarence Dock I put old railway sleepers forming the dock wall. This was in case any grandchildren broke them the sleepers were easy to replace. As I am the only one to break them it is time to replace them.
New dock wall at Clarence Dock in keeping with the real Clarence Dock.
Victorian stone paving was the only thing I found that looked right.
A cold Winter's morning. Class 25 25237 with a train of empty cattle trucks passing Leeds Sovereign Street Station.
The same train on its way north to Wetherby. Charlie Marston's Yard on the right.
The trucks have all been 'weathered' using Dawn's old make-up powders she didn't use. I have nearly used them up. I hope she has some more.
Trains in the scenery.
There are many times in real life I know there is a train, but can hardly see it?
Translate that to a model railway.
I know the Leeds Central to Dewsbury Market place DMU is there.
Passing Crown Point Yard looking from Roseville School.
Passing Ash Farm Lake (behind the houses.)
At the signals behind Charlie Marston's Yard
Keep it fun. Thanks for looking.
SpaceMouse Lastspikemike Creating a sensation of reality that appeals to our memories or experiences is what modelling is all about.
Lastspikemike
LastspikemikeCreating a sensation of reality that appeals to our memories or experiences is what modelling is all about.
It is for me.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
Thanks Lsm.
Lastspikemike Creating a sensation of reality that appeals to our memories or experiences is what modelling is all about. That is what we hope to achieve. There are memories of Yorkshire, Cumbria, Nothumberland and Scotland both for my grandchildren and I. All in a space of 11ft by 8ft (or thereabouts). David
Creating a sensation of reality that appeals to our memories or experiences is what modelling is all about.
That is what we hope to achieve. There are memories of Yorkshire, Cumbria, Nothumberland and Scotland both for my grandchildren and I. All in a space of 11ft by 8ft (or thereabouts).
Thank you, Dave for your kind comments.
It was only when I made a list of what I actually wanted on the layout scenery wise that it has 'come together'.
An unkept look as Nature 'fights back'. I dislike the 'everything is perfect' look. Life is not like that (imo).
I wanted a scrap yard that was different to others I had seen. Hence a locomotive graveyard.
An Industrial Estate for my road haulage vehicles.
A canal scene. Here in the U.K. modelers like building locks. I just want a nice quiet scene like many I have seen on my travels.
There are other things on the layout, small and incidental in their own way. Yet are scenes I see in real life.
For the purist there are many things wrong, but I don't care. I (and my grandchildren) are having fun.
A scene after the rainfall at Clarence Dock.
The debris of coal fallen after being unloaded. Someone will 'help themselves' to a few pieces and take them home for their coal fire.
You are amazing! You pack so much detail into such small spaces!
Sometimes you see a picture differently in black and white.
Just a picture of a 45t crane perhaps?
Looking inside Taylors & Sons Transport.. The building is low relief, the inside is on the backscene. The old, small single deck buses. Any large, modern ones would overpower the scene. A double deck bus would not be able to fit in.
J.H. Thompson Timber Merchants. Although it is nearly in the corner, workmen are busy. Are the getting some planks of wood down, or putting them up?
Beyond the timber merchants are some sheep and cattle. They are difficult to see, but they are there.
Yes a picture of a 45t crane in a little scene.
A scene where Nature is fighting back. Overgrown grass, weeds and flowers. Trees and bushes. Are they birds in the sky?
A locomotive scrap yard.
Are they birds in the sky? A sky a mix of blues and white.
Oh! There is a train of containers on their way north.
In the 1920s/30s some members of Dawn's family were in the Management Team at Consett Iron Company. a little while back I purchased some Consett Iron Company models. Although far from the area modelled they get a journey round the layout occasionally.
Class 47 47404 'Hadrian' in charge as it goes onto the lift out bridge. Clarence Dock Goods Yard to the rear.
Passing Roseville School. Hornby made mainly green wagons. The red ones were a short supply run. When British Steel took control another short run of their wagons was produced in brown.
wickman David you are doing some incredible work.
David you are doing some incredible work.
Lynn
Present Layout progress
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/290127/3372174.aspx#3372174
Some new carriages arrived. My daughter quickly took them as they were a preaent for me for Christmas. She allowed me one to run on the layout now.
A four wheeled carriage in Leeds, Scarcroft & Wetherby livery. Here on her first run on the layout.
The backscene at the entrance to Clarence Dock is mad up of three pictures.
On the left - A typical Leeds style warehouse. The middle picture is of a building to be seen North Leeds. The picture on the right is Hyde Park Picture House (Cinema). Plans are hopefully to restore it to its former glory.