November « 2009 « clecklewyke

So that’s Royston Vasey

November 17, 2009

Here are a couple more pictures of Royston Vasey, my entry into Workington MRC’s five square feet challenge, which I will be exhibiting at Workington this weekend. Many thanks to Stephen Pauling of the Cumbrian Region Area Group of the Scalefour Society for painting the signals and level crossing gates. And yes, the bases of the signals will be hidden by the weekend!

: Canal View

: Dusk

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Just like the real thing

November 17, 2009

On a Saturday in October the CRAGgies (members of the Scalefour Society Cumbrian Region Area Group) operated Preston station for three hours. By the end of the shift, even though trains were running half an hour late there were no complaints from passengers, for this was Mike Norris’ accurate scale model of Preston, 1:76 full size, built to P4 standards; a remarkable and, to me at least, daunting achievement. Filling a large room, the statistics tell their own story: six running lines, nine platforms and five signal boxes: one with 162 levers, all fully interlocked, including the facing point locks, using DCC logic. As novices it was no surprise that we were so much slower than the real signalmen, who would have been able to pull the right levers without thinking and set up several non-conflicting moves simultaneously. In contrast we had to scrutinise the track diagrams to identify the levers for every move and had to do things step by step, one train at a time.

But in one respect, at least, we did find the virtual world of the railway modeller coinciding uncannily with that of the real operators: the antipathy between drivers and signalmen, who seemed always to delay their trains by failing to set their routes in time, was tetchily replicated, as drivers complained repeatedly that their trains had been forgotten and were sitting too long at a red signal. Only rarely were the signallers able to counter by surreptitiously setting up a route when the drivers were not looking, then gloating at their embarrassment.We left considering whether this might be the most remarkable P4 layout in the country. It is an immense achievement, largely the work of one man who keeps his light hidden under a bushel, a classic example of ‘show don’t tell’: Mike’s works speak for themselves, and he never courts publicity. He has concentrated on getting the layout working before turning his mind to the scenery, and it performed just about perfectly on our visit: the only two derailments were due to signalmen’s errors. For the moment the wonderful array of ex-LNWR lower quadrant signals for which Preston was famed have been represented by colour lights – much quicker to set up – but Mike’s plan is eventually to replace them with proper mechanical signalling. Similarly, the station buildings are currently card mock ups but there’s no doubt Mike’s insistence on the highest standards will be reflected in the appearance of the layout when the buildings and signals are replaced. Again, for speed, trains are currently re-wheeled RTR electrics and diesels. Many do not even have any compensation, the wheels simply being fitted into the existing bogies, but they run – beautifully. Eventually all this will be replaced by 1930s steam, the LMS at its very best before the depradations of WW2.

The session was followed by a pie and pea supper in good northern fashion, and I left not just marvelling at what Mike has achieved but greatly encouraged to continue with my own plans in P4 – large P4 layouts can be made to work well – and determined to improve my wiring. Mike’s wiring is immaculate and looks like the inside of a 1970s main frame computer – not surprising since he has just retired from a senior post with Hewlett Packard – not the snakes’ honeymoon that graces my own, less ambitious, layout. The photographs below, by my cousin Stuart de Boer, give some idea of Mike’s work. No way will I let him photograph my wiring for comparison!