68. London's Burning, or at least the current version, at Mckinley Railway.

[@E_73]

Moin David! That's a very nice layout. Unfortunately, I don't know the original but I can imagine now. Thank you for your explanation. Best regards from Germany 🇩🇪 Emma

[@markstafford5586]

As always, thankyou for the inspiration David

[@dattouk]

My pleasure!

[@alanmusicman3385]

More than a little heart-breaking to have to tear down something, but all in a good cause and knowing you guys the end result will be well worth it! Thanks for the update.

[@SimonHP]

“Exciting train movements” your words David, don’t let your public down they have been waiting way too long to see some trains running. Great video great update can’t wait for the next video

[@dattouk]

Are you going to come down and lend a hand?

[@SimonHP]

@@dattouk Anytime :)

[@ngaugefouroaksstreetstatio6932]

Wow, I can understand that once you have new technology you want it throughout the layout. What an amazing project.

[@thomasm1964]

I thought, when this video started, I would have to watch through my fingers as you hacked London to pieces. Thank God you were only describing what has to be done. I may need to miss the next few videos .....

[@TheDaf95xf]

Evening David. Unbelievable it’s 20 years old and still working 😀 That’s a credit to the team who initially built it. So the refresh is going to be awesome 👏🏻 Can’t wait for that video showing the new bits 👍🏻 It’s a bit like network rail doing a possession at a weekend on the network lol 😆 Looking forward to seeing a running session too 😀 Cheers Stevie.

[@dattouk]

Having the resources of Network Rail for the weekend upgrade. That did make me laugh... Maybe I could give them a call.

[@merrystoneequestrianfarm]

What an incredible facility

[@nordbahn2655]

Brilliant and well thought through as always. London, Manchester ... can't wait to see the "grand modellrailway" running, but some updates on the progress in the meantime will be absolutely fine too!

[@peterkazmierczak7273]

Goodness me! Good luck with the refurb, David. Sometimes I'm glad the layout I'm currently building is only 5ft long...

[@dattouk]

You and me both!

[@djburland]

Amazing as always.

[@andrewbriton9036]

Looking forward to seeing trains running on this amazing layout.

[@tomandrebekahwatkiss9395]

Can't wait to see your layout move forward! Love watching your layout and getting pumped for slowly working on my own :)

[@mikeuk1954]

Exciting stuff but an immense undertaking! I wish you and your team all the best on this upgrade. As a follower I can't wait for a very long video on this layout running. 👍

[@dattouk]

Fingers crossed!

[@JamesPetts]

I also look forward to exciting train movements - and the Paddingtonesque roof.

[@dattouk]

Me too. The Eagle cut-away is going to be my favourite.

[@wamgoc]

David, I've enjoyed watching your layout being built for a long time now and I can't wait to see some good long running sessions, after you've finished the updates! It's going to be exciting!

[@dattouk]

We will be running trains on the extension pretty soon. Just training the operators and then off we go for 6 months with the extension leaving for London, Manchester and Birmingham to get upgraded and come on-line.

[@jasonfernee2401]

The Goods yard could be modelled slightly on the Bishopsgate Goods yard, which was a couple of hundred yards before London Liverpool Street, which burned down in the 1960s and is still largely undeveloped to this day. As always, my mind boggles at this behemoth of a layout.

[@dattouk]

Thats a good idea Jason. I'll have a peek at the pictures.

[@stephenpike3147]

Good to see you getting all the proven hardware that you will ever need in now. Leaves plenty of time to develop the software further at your leisure. Really nice ideas on how to force the realistic refuelling etc of the locos, perhaps in the future you could automate that process in the whole of the engine shed area (perhaps on a FIFO basis coupled with the operating schedule). Amazing how long the kit has lasted for. Best regards Stephen.

[@dattouk]

Hi Stephen, yes the hardware has proved to be remarkably resilient. Hopefully this refurb will keep it all sweet for the next 20 years. Finger crossed.

[@MalcolmCrabbe]

Looking forward to seeing how London gets remodelled... one thing I often see on large layouts is the lack of people on the platforms of major terminus stations. Maybe this is something you can add to the to do list as London is looking deserted at the moment.

[@ianjames1352]

Look forward to seeing the railway layout running. Thanks for sharing

[@dattouk]

Good point. Only dilemma is what do we do for the midnight hours.. You've made me think about moveable cameo scenes. People, mail bags, Brute wagons... What this space. :-)

[@sparky107107]

wow that is going to be lots of work. but like you said do it all now and hope it is the last time

[@bobstrainroom]

Another exciting revamp. Being a key feature, have you considered bringing the whole London scene forward so it is over those main tracks by the aisle, enabling a backdrop that is not so steep - possibly redoing the whole baseboard may prove easier in the long run. I do look forward to your progress updates.

[@dattouk]

Bob... OMG The answer is a definite no. This is supposed to be a revamp not a rebuild... The tracks running by in front is one of those key things for McKinley - Watching trains go by. I take your point about the slope but once we put a scenic back scene in place the slope softens considerably to the extent that it just blends in.

[@tjfSIM]

Exciting plans David, looking forward to seeing it all come together. I've really enjoyed the recent weathering videos from Ivana, are there any more of those to come?

[@dattouk]

might be..... :-)

[@tjfSIM]

@@dattouk 😉

[@donsharpe5786]

Eek! The thought of breaking up a working station would terrify me. However, what you say is correct. You are correct that you need to service equipment before it fails. So it makes sense to upgrade Paddington. to the same standard as the others at the same time as re-vamping the track. I agree with you that a high value refrigeration and bonded warehouse would make an interesting feature. Will you be including a parcels area?

[@dattouk]

Hi Don, The parcels will be the mainline platforms 5 and 6. They will service Royal Mail travelling Post Office, Newspapers and daytime parcels trains.

[@mikehebdentrains]

A London back scene is an interesting project in itself - given that the Clean Air Act came in in 1956 and so at the start of the Time Machine the famous Smog was clearing to allow the sights to be seen. Many of the instantly recognisable landmarks would already have been there, but others would have appeared as the Time Machine ticks through. I wonder whether a base 1956 scene could be developed, with developments added by a digital projector** as time passes. For example, Centre Point, Nat West Tower, BT Tower all arrived during your timescales but it would be wrong for them to appear too early and their absence might be noticed in later years. ** You could try a magic lantern, but the fumes might be a problem. Best of luck! It'll be interesting anyway. Mike

[@lassunsschaun6859]

As the station is made up "London Kings Park", the buildings in the background can be anything londonish time fitting with a park somewhere 😉

[@RobinDDTripp]

How is the railway going

[@lassunsschaun6859]

You only mentioned Birmingham, as it´s beeing without it´s own video (as fare as I seen) is it the station to be seen on the "Midland Pullman London to Manchester" video around 5min? How is the industial area (that having the Manchester sidings in front) called and will it be upgraded/redone? From the video viewer perspective parts of the old layout are more or less unknown, trying to put the diverent given views combined to a complet layout in the mind can end up looking like as if someone did a jigsaw puzzle with an hammer -> may complet the series of (introduction) videos of the old stations 😉

[@dattouk]

Good point. We will do a video on Birmingham and Manchester PDQ. Thanks for the prompt.

[@vandyFixer]

I would have thought that a local graphic design firm would be a good start for a new back scene. They could compose it and it could be printed on a large format printer on a suitable substrate, similar to advertising posters or the like.

[@dattouk]

Printing isn't the issue. Its getting the stock photography at the right viewing angle and then stitching it together to look plausible from the operators viewing angle. I went to the GMRS at Gaydon the other weekend and got a couple of good connections. I just hope they have some London aerial scenes from the 1960s.

[@Pastalive2025]

How does one estimate the value of railway for insurance purposes. McKinley must be 40-65.000 in value of replacement. Would this be covered under a average home contents policy.

[@George-br3nc]

Hi David I will be building a15x10 oo digital layout can you give me some advice on turntables. Kind regards George

[@mauriziomoris769]

alwais nive video. in many videos you speak about to join 2 layouts. which are these 2 layout? ty very much

[@larryboswell6783]

What I have done on some tortoise switch machines is add micro switches on the tortoise instead of changing them out.

[@Pastalive2025]

Would you ever consider remote users driving trains via a app no matter where you live in the world.

[@dattouk]

yes we would - SIM World here we come. Only trouble is.... we haven't figured out how it could work ... yet :-)