Dale End Lane - OO gauge Terminus

[43055]

Lazy day trainspotting at Dale End Lane (lots of cancelations due to staff sickness.....or football):
Mega combo 153374+153379+156406 waiting to start the days St Ives shuttle with the 0842 to St Ives while 158773 waits for the 0850 to Plymouth.


43304 with XC03 departs with the 0933 to Edinburgh while the two EMR sets lie idling in the sidings and will do for the rest of the day with most services in the hands of units.

 

[Peter C]

Lazy day trainspotting at Dale End Lane (lots of cancelations due to staff sickness.....or football):
Mega combo 153374+153379+156406 waiting to start the days St Ives shuttle with the 0842 to St Ives while 158773 waits for the 0850 to Plymouth.
View attachment 99539

43304 with XC03 departs with the 0933 to Edinburgh while the two EMR sets lie idling in the sidings and will do for the rest of the day with most services in the hands of units.
View attachment 99540

That 156/153/153 combo certainly is brilliant! The different colours look really cool.
That shot of seeing the HST leave is also really nice. Are those buildings new additions? I seem to remember you saying about some work you'd done (/were doing) on that area?

-Peter

 

[43055]

That 156/153/153 combo certainly is brilliant! The different colours look really cool.
That shot of seeing the HST leave is also really nice. Are those buildings new additions? I seem to remember you saying about some work you'd done (/were doing) on that area?

-Peter

Thanks. The buildings were added about a year or so back so not really a new addition. I was sort of working on the grass/parkland area in front just below the 'town' which is to the left of the bottom picture.

 

[Cowley]

Thanks. The buildings were added about a year or so back so not really a new addition. I was sort of working on the grass/parkland area in front just below the 'town' which is to the left of the bottom picture.

It’s all looking very good @43055. I like the variety of modern stock that you’ve accumulated it looks the business.

 

[Peter C]

Thanks. The buildings were added about a year or so back so not really a new addition. I was sort of working on the grass/parkland area in front just below the 'town' which is to the left of the bottom picture.

D'oh - sorry! Should have realised re: buildings. I'd definitely be interested to see the development of that area.

-Peter

 

[43055]

Added 4 new Metcalfe GWR benches to Platform 2 today.

 

[Cowley]

Added 4 new Metcalfe GWR benches to Platform 2 today.
View attachment 99884

Nice. That ground signal looks good too.

 

[Peter C]

Added 4 new Metcalfe GWR benches to Platform 2 today.
View attachment 99884

Very nice - are they easy to put together? They look good and I'd been looking at getting some for my layout. Having those two paired together is cool.

-Peter

 

[43055]

Nice. That ground signal looks good too.

Very nice - are they easy to put together? They look good and I'd been looking at getting some for my layout. Having those two paired together is cool.

-Peter

Thanks! They are relatively easy to put together with just 5 steps to take (if that). The worst part was folding the green legs which I didn't get right on one hence it having two legs instead of three.

 

[Peter C]

Thanks! They are relatively easy to put together with just 5 steps to take (if that). The worst part was folding the green legs which I didn't get right on one hence it having two legs instead of three.

That's good to hear. Looking online, there seems to be a fair number of GWR bench designs with just two legs so it's not unreasonable that a larger one like that would have one 'missing' (for want of a better word).

-Peter

 

[43055]

So with not much to do in the evenings this week while away in GWR land for work I finally finished the May-September edition of the Dale End Lane timetable. Some things have changed:

EMR now run all the London Paddington services with HST's.
Not to be left out, the GWR 800's now form a London Waterloo service similar to the old SWT extensions past Exeter but using the current GWR paths.
Unfortunately to allow for extra class 170 training the 170 is taken out of service during the day on weekdays causing a few services to be canceled. Also means a 153 mainline diagram. Fortunately it is not as bad on Saturdays at the moment with the extra London services.
Then there is Sundays. Due to reasons and things the union has called a strike affecting both the regional and intercity services meaning a limited service on both sides.

Not sure where I got some of the ideas from!

 

[Peter C]

Just had a quick look at that timetable and I'm amazed at the amount of work you've put into it (in a good way )! Things like EMR into Paddington and 800s to Waterloo are things you don't see on most modern-image layouts (in fact I'd bet you'd struggle to find it on most), but they are really interesting and show how much can be achieved with just a little bit of imagination.

Love the bit with the union too - it wouldn't be the railway without a strike or two somewhere!

-Peter

 

[43055]

To keep my thread alive here are some pictures from the weekend:

43055 (With yellow front ) prepares to depart for London whilst the 158 heads off to Cardiff.


The weekend strengthening on the St Ives branch continues. The 153's prepare to couple to the 156 before spending the day as a 4 car set.


68019 and 68008 lie idle in the sidings. Rumer has it that they are here for driver training for a future service.


57603 and 37405 prepare to depart on a railtour.


2 voyagers at once is uncommon these days at Dale End Lane with the reduced Cross Country timetable but due to engineering north of Newcastle the weekly HST becomes a voyager.

 

[Cowley]

To keep my thread alive here are some pictures from the weekend:

43055 (With yellow front ) prepares to depart for London whilst the 158 heads off to Cardiff.
View attachment 103180

The weekend strengthening on the St Ives branch continues. The 153's prepare to couple to the 156 before spending the day as a 4 car set.
View attachment 103181

68019 and 68008 lie idle in the sidings. Rumer has it that they are here for driver training for a future service.
View attachment 103182

57603 and 37405 prepare to depart on a railtour.
View attachment 103183

2 voyagers at once is uncommon these days at Dale End Lane with the reduced Cross Country timetable but due to engineering north of Newcastle the weekly HST becomes a voyager.
View attachment 103184

Excellent photos. I love the one with the 68s parked up.

 

[Peter C]

To keep my thread alive here are some pictures from the weekend:

43055 (With yellow front ) prepares to depart for London whilst the 158 heads off to Cardiff.
View attachment 103180

The weekend strengthening on the St Ives branch continues. The 153's prepare to couple to the 156 before spending the day as a 4 car set.
View attachment 103181

68019 and 68008 lie idle in the sidings. Rumer has it that they are here for driver training for a future service.
View attachment 103182

57603 and 37405 prepare to depart on a railtour.
View attachment 103183

2 voyagers at once is uncommon these days at Dale End Lane with the reduced Cross Country timetable but due to engineering north of Newcastle the weekly HST becomes a voyager.
View attachment 103184

I can only echo @Cowley really but those are some lovely photos. Such a wide range of stock - love it!

-Peter

 

[fourtytwo]

Great pictures Much better depth of focus than I get with my point & poke, I have been told the fix is arc lights
What make & size of ballast is that ? I am considering N scale (on an OO layout) of unknown parentage.

 

[Iskra]

Very nice pictures! I'm always happy to see your layout and rolling stock, it all looks so nice, keep them coming. Now, I need an excuse for a GWR Green Class 57, that could be a tough one...

 

[43055]

Excellent photos. I love the one with the 68s parked up.

I can only echo @Cowley really but those are some lovely photos. Such a wide range of stock - love it!

-Peter

Thank you both.

Great pictures Much better depth of focus than I get with my point & poke, I have been told the fix is arc lights
What make & size of ballast is that ? I am considering N scale (on an OO layout) of unknown parentage.

Thank you. The ballast is woodland scenics medium ballast (Gray blend).

Very nice pictures! I'm always happy to see your layout and rolling stock, it all looks so nice, keep them coming. Now, I need an excuse for a GWR Green Class 57, that could be a tough one...

Thanks. Just the class 57 is on a long term hire to West Coast Railways and then you can take it anywhere

Might need some security around this train. Passengers might start bringing the cans to the station!


Took a trip to a local exhibition this morning and got a couple of things. One is a second WH Smith stall which is now installed alongside the original on platforms 1/2.


153374 and 156410 pause at Duffield on there way to and from Matlock.

 

[43055]

With engineering works forcing a shuttle service today it is the perfect time to 'soft launch' the newest regional train ready for the December timetable where they will work the longer distance services freeing up more DMU's. The 68's will temporarily work top and tailed with 4 mk3's until new coaches arrive.

 

[Iskra]

*books trip to Dale End Lane*

That’s an attractive service! Are you waiting for new MK5’s to go with the 68?

 

[Cowley]

With engineering works forcing a shuttle service today it is the perfect time to 'soft launch' the newest regional train ready for the December timetable where they will work the longer distance services freeing up more DMU's. The 68's will temporarily work top and tailed with 4 mk3's until new coaches arrive.
View attachment 105602

That’s a great looking train in a great looking setting.

 

[43055]

*books trip to Dale End Lane*

That’s an attractive service! Are you waiting for new MK5’s to go with the 68?

Even better with the droplights down! Certainly waiting for the Mk5's. Also thought about Mk4's with EMR branding the other week when the Hornby show was on to go with the Red ex LNER HST set.

That’s a great looking train in a great looking setting.

They certainly are great locos both in model and full size.

 

[43055]

Dale End Lane advent day 1:

As the Dale End Lane fleet is much the same as last year I decided to have a picture from the layout instead (unless you want to see the fleet again or a bit of both). Anyway here is 37405 departing Dale End Lane on a route proving trip on Saturday morning after the storm.

 

[Peter C]

Dale End Lane advent day 1:

As the Dale End Lane fleet is much the same as last year I decided to have a picture from the layout instead (unless you want to see the fleet again or a bit of both). Anyway here is 37405 departing Dale End Lane on a route proving trip on Saturday morning after the storm.

View attachment 106378

That looks like a lovely engine. The buildings look really quite nice too - the retaining wall seems to be very well-built.
I personally wouldn't mind seeing pictures of the layout - it's a very interesting design!

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

Dale End Lane advent day 1:

As the Dale End Lane fleet is much the same as last year I decided to have a picture from the layout instead (unless you want to see the fleet again or a bit of both). Anyway here is 37405 departing Dale End Lane on a route proving trip on Saturday morning after the storm.

View attachment 106378

That’s a really nice scene with the retaining walls next to the line.

 

[43055]

Dale End Lane advent Day 2:

I'm a power car get me out of here!! 43304 and 43357 sit on the depot waiting for the return to service fortunately it gives the opportunity to give the power cars a onceover.

 

[Cowley]

Very nice.

 

[Peter C]

Dale End Lane advent Day 2:

I'm a power car get me out of here!! 43304 and 43357 sit on the depot waiting for the return to service fortunately it gives the opportunity to give the power cars a onceover.
View attachment 106414

Those look very nice. Only seen the one XC HST in real life but they are certainly impressive when going at speed only a short distance from you!

-Peter

 

[43055]

Those look very nice. Only seen the one XC HST in real life but they are certainly impressive when going at speed only a short distance from you!

-Peter

They certainly are impressive at speed even when doing 30-40 coming into Derby and still stopping before the end of the platform! Defiantly prefer them to the voyagers and whenever traveling on Cross Country I do try to time the journey to get a HST.

Dale End Lane Advent day 3:

Something different today. We have a view of the station front showing the small car park area and the bus stop today with 2 buses with the Notts and Derby one on rail replacement duties and the Lothian one on the town service.

 

[Peter C]

They certainly are impressive at speed even when doing 30-40 coming into Derby and still stopping before the end of the platform! Defiantly prefer them to the voyagers and whenever traveling on Cross Country I do try to time the journey to get a HST.

I saw one at Bromsgrove (I believe) in September and it was quite the surprise. Certainly nice to see though!

Dale End Lane Advent day 3:

Something different today. We have a view of the station front showing the small car park area and the bus stop today with 2 buses with the Notts and Derby one on rail replacement duties and the Lothian one on the town service.
View attachment 106452

Very nice. It's detailing away from the railside which makes a layout look so much more realistic. Liking the liveries on those buses too!

-Peter