The geocache is not at the stated co-ordinates.
HISTORY
The first locomotive shed in York, later to known as York South, opened in 1847 six years after opening of the second railway station in York. This railway station was situated at the junction of Toft Green, Tanner Row and Station Rise inside the city walls. The station was built by the York & Midland Railway to primarily serve the companies trains from the Midlands and the south. This was era of great railway growth and it soon became obvious that this railway station wasn’t in the ideal location for trains originating or destined for the north or east of York because it was terminus station. Trains from London to Newcastle and beyond calling at York had to reverse out of the station to continue their journeys, southbound trains had to reverse into station to drop off and pick up passengers before continuing their journey, an inconvenience to railway staff and passengers.
A new through station, the present York railway station, was built outside the city walls, opening in 1877. One year later a new locomotive shed was opened by the North Eastern Railway, it was located to the north of the new station. For ease of operations it was built at the north end of the station as many trains changed locomotives at York. It also had good access to the freight yards and the carriage sheds located at Clifton.
When it opened, the shed consisted of three roundhouses each with 45-foot turntables linked to a coaling stage. As the railways expanded the size and number of the locomotives based at York grew to cope with the extra number of the passenger and freight trains. Consequently York North locomotive shed grew in size and by 1915 it had 4 roundhouses each with a turntable, the largest of which had a 50 foot diameter.
The Railway Act 1921 enacted by the coalition government of the time intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies by grouping them into 4 major regional companies.
In 1923 operation of the shed became the responsibility of the London and North Eastern Railway.
In 1932 further modernisation took place with the fitting of a 70-foot Mundt type turntable so that the new larger locomotives could be turned around for their next duty. A new mechanical coaling plant was also built at the time. Prior to this the coaling would have been done by hand.
The North shed eventually contained four roundhouses. Locomotives were stabled around these under cover and would move off the shed onto their next duty.
The importance of York North shed rose and York South shed fell as a result of the 'Big Four' railway companies formed from the 1923 organisational re-structuring of the railways and this continued with the later nationalisation of the railways in 1948
The shed code of 50A was allocated to York North by British Railways in 1949 and it was the main shed for the York area.
Rebuilding of the shed followed in 1954 with roundhouses 1 and 2 being demolished and replaced by a straight shed. Roundhouses 3 and 4 were re-roofed and the 70-foot turntable in roundhouse 4 was renewed.
The roundhouses were closed to steam traction in 1967 and the straight shed became York diesel depot.
Following renovation of the roundhouses, the premises reopened in 1975 as part of the Science Museum Group exhibition centres. When the diesel depot closed in 1983 this area was also incorporated into the exhibition and restoration area.
THE CACHE
All the information you require to be able to calculate the final co-ordinates of the cache can be found by diligent research. Certain answers will not be found by only using a well known online encyclopedia.
It is not necessary to go to the exhibition centre to find the answers but I can certainly recommend a visit, no entrance fee is payable. The Science Museum Group has the status of a non-departmental public body (NDPB), operating within the public sector but at arm’s length from its sponsor department, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
If you intend to visit the museum please check their website for details of the current admissions policy, pre-booked (free) tickets maybe required for admission.
All the information you require to be able to calculate the final co-ordinates of the cache can be found by diligent research. Certain questions require answers that won't be found on a well known online encyclopedia webpage.
A & B = The stated co-ordinates are close to the 70 foot turntable installed in 1954 by John Boyd & Co (Engrs) Ltd, Annan Scotland. You are interested in the numbers in the top left hand corner of the builders plate on the turntable - A / B
C = The number of 'roads' radiating from the turntable
D = In April 1942 the shed was hit by a bomb during an air raid, how many letters in the name of the LNER A4 locomotive damaged beyond repair
To the south of the stated co-ordinates is a Great Western Railway tubular steel type signal gantry. The gantry represents the signals placed at Northolt Junction (near South Ruislip station) which opened in 1908 on the Great Western Railway. The signals controlled the approaches to the junction where the line for London Paddington divided from the Great Central line to London Marylebone. The gantry spanned all the tracks at the junction. It hosted signals to control the movement of trains that went into and came out of London
E = The number of Stop signals on the gantry
F = The number of Distant signal posts displaying a proceed at caution, be prepared to stop at the next stop signal
G = The number of signal posts on the gantry
H = The colour of the lower shade in the Distant signal, number of letters in the colour
Close to the stated co-ordinates is O.V.S. Bulleid's 4-6-2 Merchant Navy Class locomotive 35029 'Ellerman Lines'
J = How many large yellow flues have been sectioned in the boiler barrel
Also close to the stated co-ordinates is the power unit from a British Railways Class 24 diesel-electric locomotive. The 1960 built six cylinder diesel engine is of Swiss design but was built by Vickers Ltd at Barrow-in-Furness under a licence agreement with Sulzer Brothers.
K = The third number in this type of diesel engine
The cache can be found at N53 57.X W001 06.Y where
X = (2 x B) - (A - F)
and
Y = (J x K) + (C + D) + (E x G) - (E x H)