I take a particular interest in the design and architecture on Mass Transit systems. How do you make station buildings on the same system conform to a standard so people find them familiar and recognisable, whilst still maintaining their own individual identity? It’s this challenge of organisation verses individuality that I find so fascinating.
There’s a lot to be seen that we as commuters often miss through our hectic dash across the city. Continue reading
The 1960’s brought about much destruction of buildings of architectural merit in the name of ‘progress.’ The UK government and town planners of the time are often accused of being guilty of this crime, particularly with train stations and former railway owned buildings. Sadly it was just as common Stateside, with Penn Station in NYC getting the Euston treatment in 1963, with similar plans for the stunning Grand Central..
A Point of View: Grand Central, the world’s loveliest station, from the BBC.
The Great Train Robbery modelling the Class 40 hauled Travelling Post Office train has been recreated by Luton Model Railway Club in O gauge. This report from the BBC.
Some classic British Government footage of Tinsley Marshalling Yard in the 1960’s – at the time one of the most advanced in the world. Almost tragic that it’s use was so short lived.
[youtube.co.uk=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUguvy54HkE]
Curiously models of hump yards, or rather British Image hump yards, seem to be few and far between. This is strange in a way as they would be relatively simple to build, giving a huge amount of operational interest for both modeller and onlooker as well as removing the need to rearrange wagons by hand in a fiddle yard.
I have however found one notable example, Hazlebury Yard from Blyth & Tyne Model Railway Society, seen in the clip bellow.
[youtube.co.uk=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da2BgZ4NFTQ]
Video by o0poindexter0o
Some anti-HS2 campaigners have taken a slightly different approach to grab the public’s attention… although I’m not sure about the garish re-spray of the Class 373…
[youtube.co.uk=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfRN-ZFaxh4]
Calling All Stations 