10th September 2019 - Ride Outs on Vincent 2019 - Nene Valley Railway

I feel trapped and lonely, So I decide to go for a ride  
Only thing missing was No Lynne with me  
But after filling up the petrol tank I head of towards Nene Valley Railway, via the back roads and have a nice relaxing ride  

And I finally arrive at a place that is very special to me  
I worked here under the Manpower Scheme, back in 81 or 82 and stayed on as a volunteer for a fair while afterwards.

I have been lucky in my working Life I have had a few jobs that hold nothing but great memories, great friends made, learned a lot and had a blast every day I was there  

So its fitting that part of my model layout will include Wansford Station and yard as a feature on my layout  

But here in lies my problem  

There has been a lot of changes, especially in the yard layout, including the track,

so today I hope to be able to start the plans for Wansford Yard as it was in 81 - 82

Nope none of this was here back in the early 80's !!

But I am not bothered altho it has been far too long, since I last visited I know I will always receive a great welcome and those who were there at the same time, we spend ages remembering happy times.
Like most places I love, when I go back these days there is always some sad news, with people passing on, but then I get introduced to the new to me volunteers/workers and regal them of stories of what we got up to back then.... 

Not sure if the gantry signals were here either ???
My biggest problem, is back in the 80s we didn't take pics like we do today, let alone be able to

Wansford Signal box, Probably something I am gonna have to make up  
Or at best maybe alter one if I can find something that's very close.

Level Crossing History board

But for me this level crossing holds a very special memory !
I was a Russian soldier in Octopussy, and one of the filmed sequences, I got shot as the vehicle I was in was shot up.
And I fell out and landed on the level crossing dead. (sadly I missed the cushion I was supposed to land on, a few bruises but back up and getting ready for the next scene I was involved with.)

yes I am in the film :) :) but you almost certainly will not recognise me as I was a 26" waste and weighed around 7 stone !!

I do not remember this gantry at all back in the early 80's !

But then As I was only Interested in working on Continental Locos and British ones at a push,

I would not have had any reason to take a close look at it.

If It was there, it would not have been attached to the building as it wasn't there then !

For me there is something Special about Continental Locomotives, that British locos,

just do not have !

I worked on another 2-6-0 Swedish loco 1028 ( I think)

And even tho I worked on it for 6 months in the loco shed,

it always talked to me everyday and gave me an idea that it had soul,

even tho not working till we had finished working on her

Lotta changes in the track layout of the yard and buildings !

I have taken several pics as I waddled around the yard,

and I do not feel confident,

That I can strip away the new or adjusted track/buildings current layout ???

Derek Crouch, in a very sad condition.
There is a rumour that at some stage he will be stripped n rebuilt.

Sorry about the Deltic, diesel lovers. They just leave me cold,
But I suppose that these days the early diesel's deserve to be restored as well.

I was trying to take pics of the turntable !!

Something don't feel right here,

I am sure its in the wrong place, but I wouldn't have thought Nene Valley have moved the turn table.

I have several turn tables all boxed up,

I am hoping one is close enough to be

Modelled on this one 

These pics give me the surface details, I will need to add to the turntable, I choose to use

The old Station Building, was in private hands in the early 80s

But Now Nene Valley have finally Brought it

and are now busy fundraising to get the money to repair it

and bring back to life as part of the station 

Lots of work going on all around the yard and station

And something I do not remember back in the early 80-s

are the flowers, that bring the station to life  
Many thanks to the volunteers  

The station footbridge has given me lots of head aches,

as I did not think it was stone steps back then.

But have since found a few pics on Google that say otherwise  

Again I have a few foot bridges, so if one is close, I will modify if not

then I will have to build one 

Helga, I loved this car back then and she brought back many happy memories today  

I do not know if shes still working,

but it would be nice to finally get a ride or maybe drive her  

Coaches & Wagons waiting to be repaired  

I do know that Nene Valley Railway are very short on wood workers,

so if you can work to a high standard and have a few hours a week spare,

please get in contact with them 

I stood at the end of the platform for over an hour,

as I just did not remember this brick bridge !
But It must have been there, as its got the A1 runs over it  

To The Right is The Coach workshop.

It does not look as if it is open today and I couldn't find anyone who knew either.

Hopefully if not open to the public they do open days,

as would be nice to go back inside and see some of the work,

that 98% will be never seen by the public  

Now My hearts beating and I can feel myself being drawn to the loco shed and locos  Where I spent many a happy hour :) :) 

But unfortunately my body just wont let me anymore  

This beauty has recently arrived and I believe fresh from either a major service or rebuild

and is under going trails and will hopefully see service very soon

Ok I have a grudging soft spot for British built 0-6-0's

and I suspect that is very much influenced on seeing kids reactions to Thomas The Tank Engine

I have been lucky enough to not only have worked on Thomas,

but also involved in a story or 2  

The yard line to mainline  
Coal and water stop is at the end

(but could not see anyone to ask If I could wander down there  )

Leading into the yard and its changed so much. I am struggling in envisage the layout from teh time period I will be modelling.

Its a lot wider than it was and more track & points now.
But I do not think I have the width on my baseboard in the attic to model The yard as it is today.

Shed to the right, is the original Loco Shed  
Shed left was only bare frames back in 81 - 82.
I think by the time I stopped going it had a roof but no walls ???

Helga again

I was looking at this boiler and got talking to one of the volunteers.

and I said that the boiler looks familiar

I guessed right!

Its the boiler for City Of Peterboro 

and the smoke box  

at max zoom, a shame I am not allowed in the shed as it looks very interesting

The new workshop from the viewing gantry.
We had nothing like this back then! I bet Allan & the loco volunteers would have loved to have these facilities.
But for me it just makes our time, just that bit more special for what we achieved back then.

Its Far better than what we had back in the early 80s

and great to see locos being worked on

and coming back together