diff --git a/src/timeline/component/TimeAxis.js b/src/timeline/component/TimeAxis.js
index eadafa86..3dffeb5d 100644
--- a/src/timeline/component/TimeAxis.js
+++ b/src/timeline/component/TimeAxis.js
@@ -238,14 +238,7 @@ TimeAxis.prototype._repaintMinorText = function (x, text, orientation) {
 
   label.childNodes[0].nodeValue = text;
 
-  if (orientation == 'top') {
-    label.style.top = this.props.majorLabelHeight + 'px';
-    label.style.bottom = '';
-  }
-  else {
-    label.style.top = '';
-    label.style.bottom = this.props.majorLabelHeight + 'px';
-  }
+  label.style.top = (orientation == 'top') ? (this.props.majorLabelHeight + 'px') : '0';
   label.style.left = x + 'px';
   //label.title = title;  // TODO: this is a heavy operation
 };
@@ -274,14 +267,7 @@ TimeAxis.prototype._repaintMajorText = function (x, text, orientation) {
   label.childNodes[0].nodeValue = text;
   //label.title = title; // TODO: this is a heavy operation
 
-  if (orientation == 'top') {
-    label.style.top = '0px';
-    label.style.bottom = '';
-  }
-  else {
-    label.style.top = '';
-    label.style.bottom = '0px';
-  }
+  label.style.top = (orientation == 'top') ? '0' : (this.props.minorLabelHeight  + 'px');
   label.style.left = x + 'px';
 };
 
diff --git a/src/timeline/component/css/panel.css b/src/timeline/component/css/panel.css
index 53f7e967..4c259f77 100644
--- a/src/timeline/component/css/panel.css
+++ b/src/timeline/component/css/panel.css
@@ -55,7 +55,9 @@
   width: 100%;
   height: 1px;
   box-shadow: 0 0 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.8);
+  /* TODO: find a nice way to ensure shadows are drawn on top of items
   z-index: 1;
+  */
 }
 
 .vis.timeline .vispanel .shadow.top {
diff --git a/src/timeline/component/item/ItemBox.js b/src/timeline/component/item/ItemBox.js
index 149b0da2..d97102d4 100644
--- a/src/timeline/component/item/ItemBox.js
+++ b/src/timeline/component/item/ItemBox.js
@@ -211,20 +211,14 @@ ItemBox.prototype.repositionY = function() {
       dot = this.dom.dot;
 
   if (orientation == 'top') {
-    box.style.top = (this.top || 0) + 'px';
-    box.style.bottom = '';
-
-    line.style.top = '0';
-    line.style.bottom = '';
+    box.style.top     = (this.top || 0) + 'px';
+    line.style.top    = '0';
     line.style.height = (this.parent.top + this.top + 1) + 'px';
   }
   else { // orientation 'bottom'
-    box.style.top = '';
-    box.style.bottom = (this.top || 0) + 'px';
-
-    line.style.top = (this.parent.top + this.parent.height - this.top - 1) + 'px';
-    line.style.bottom = '0';
-    line.style.height = '';
+    box.style.top     = (this.parent.height - this.top - this.height || 0) + 'px';
+    line.style.top    = (this.parent.height - this.top - 1) + 'px';
+    line.style.height = this.top + 'px';
   }
 
   dot.style.top = (-this.props.dot.height / 2) + 'px';
diff --git a/src/timeline/component/item/ItemPoint.js b/src/timeline/component/item/ItemPoint.js
index 9d1664ea..ebb74c28 100644
--- a/src/timeline/component/item/ItemPoint.js
+++ b/src/timeline/component/item/ItemPoint.js
@@ -183,10 +183,8 @@ ItemPoint.prototype.repositionY = function() {
 
   if (orientation == 'top') {
     point.style.top = this.top + 'px';
-    point.style.bottom = '';
   }
   else {
-    point.style.top = '';
-    point.style.bottom = this.top + 'px';
+    point.style.top = (this.parent.height - this.top - this.height) + 'px';
   }
 };
diff --git a/src/timeline/component/item/ItemRange.js b/src/timeline/component/item/ItemRange.js
index 859245b6..00a2b241 100644
--- a/src/timeline/component/item/ItemRange.js
+++ b/src/timeline/component/item/ItemRange.js
@@ -195,11 +195,9 @@ ItemRange.prototype.repositionY = function() {
 
   if (orientation == 'top') {
     box.style.top = this.top + 'px';
-    box.style.bottom = '';
   }
   else {
-    box.style.top = '';
-    box.style.bottom = this.top + 'px';
+    box.style.top = (this.parent.height - this.top - this.height) + 'px';
   }
 };