Bishop Auckland: A layout that was. (Now dismantled)

[The Black Hat]

Hello all....

Bishop Auckland. Home of a proud tradition of amature football, mining in south west County Durham, close to the birthplace of the railways and the traditional market town residence of the Bishop of Durham. The town can trace its history back many hundreds of years, to the Roman Fort at Binchester, and through the Medieval period, where the Prince Palatines ruled the north, by licence from the Monarch in the name of the church.

Today, its a town with the potential that few see and believe. While the town has moved on, the growth for tourism remains untapped. The towns rich heritage such as the Bishops Castle, and home of Stan Laurels childhood are either shut, or not publicised. Decades of inefficiencey and disorganisation from a Council blind to the obvious potential have seen the town centre mismanaged and loose its direction. When the railways moved out, Morrisons and B+Q moved in. While this brought much needed jobs it severed any chance of rebuilding a line that would be a great asset to the railways today. Bishop Aucklands rail connections are poorly served, and a train service to Durham and Newcastle would trounce a bus service today.

In 1993, the Cement Factory at Eastgate annouced it was switching to road transport from rail, so ending the use of the line west of Bishop Auckland. History would record that the line was mothballed and that little use was made of it afterwards. Promises from the likes of Mr's Mac Alpine and Watermann to build or place workshops or depots on the line or help on boards eventually either proved to be uneconomical or loose momentum. The lines preservation group ran out of steam and was replaced by another group. This then used too many staff and went bust... being in turn replaced by the American group now running the line with other interests nationally.

Today, the station appears as this:



The line is served essencially by class 142 units. While some dont think these are ideal, they have served the line well since their introduction, giving the town a service that otherwise would have been threatened. Quick off the mark and punctual the units rarely let passengers down, if ride quality thanks to old track isnt an issue...



The station building isnt the best. Rebuilt in the early 1990s it has been a short term fix for the station and now needs significant investment or better still, replacement. Here the newer building that is a traversty when compared to the triangle station that was its predecessor, is seen behind the rare sight of a Merseyrail liveried 142, which was sent over when Northern rail grouped 142s into a more common user pool.



Finally for all those diehard enthusiasts.... class 37s! Often seen working the cement trains, these were testing the line and recording with the equipement in the coach. The lack of other railway items can be seen. The station today is just a headshunt from the main line, which has now reopened to traffic.

While Bishop Auckland today is getting more traffic on the line through, being charters and soon to be tourist services from the dale to Bishop Auckland, the future seems better with the good chance of coal being taken out too. The station however will merely see trains pass through. As a result, I wished things have been different. My layout is a station where that is the case, and history turned out somewhat different.

Enjoy.....

[Sir Hadyn]

Looking forward to this David. Will you be back at our place again tomorrow? I'm trying to work out how to sneak out for a look at the Grand's show at the Masonic Hall...

[The Black Hat]

So, history has been altered thanks to that wonderful use of Modellers Licence. The Weardale Railway that didnt work actually did, and thanks to investment from busisness and railway connections a depot was built at Witton Park. Because of the improvements made in signalling, trains were to turn round at Bishop Auckland. As a result a better station and area was required. This layout becomes that, with a more detailed adaptation to follow:

 

This is the layout as it has been recently:

 

 

The layout has been built with the track in place and most of the wiring and scenery work done. Trains have been running and we are working out the opperations needed for the layout to be able to be run properly and as prototypically accurate as possible. The next few posts will show the work that has been made on the layout from its origins.

 

To begin with - the base boards. These were brought in from a company that made them from Bedale. White Rose Models, made the boards to order and the work they have done has been to a very high standard. If Rolls Royce were to make base boards, this company would give them competition. Made from chip-board thats enhanced not to soak water and humidity, the boards are better for the harsh conditions of the garage, where due to circumstance, my layout has to be kept.

 

 

The boards were already made with the hole measured for the turntable that Bishop Auckland is to have. Tracks were placed to gauge where the trains could run, making aproaches to junctions smoother, and that trains could run in easily.

 

 

The junctions would have to be able to handle trains and run locomotives needing to shunt. As a result, the track plan needs to accomodate the possible moves needed to get locomotives to where they are needed, without making junctions over complex or having to have a head shunt away from the running line. While some might have thought it was a good idea, the running line can be used as a head of shunt while there is a train in the section between Bishop Auckland and the nearest loop and end of section, being Witton Park. Thanks to better signalling, the same works for the end towards signalling. Having another head shunt would mean either another board on the end, but also more points and extending the junction. The alternative would be for slips to get the head shunt next to the running line. This would make point work more complicated, and given the idea that the layout is to run to a time table, its not needed given the amount of traffic that will be run.

 

Following the gauging trails that were worked out, it wasnt long before points were being sited and drilled ready for adaption to the boards.

 

 

Bachmann point decoders have been fitted to the boards. These then hook up to the Peco point motors, thanks to some help and advice from Edward and a working session with him, myself and bro. With points in place, the track could then be put down and trains run on it for testing the various clearences and adapting the wiring needed to ensure everywhere got a supply. Isolating sections have been used after the ends of all lines on the track, with pick ups in the sections before the point and afterwards.

 

 

The layout was soon starting to take shape. Trains were run to attempt to see how the layout would need buildings and siting the items that would surround the areas where trains would run and thus adapt the area towards focusing events on the railway, while enhancing the feel for the station and environment.

 

 

The station area is actually two stations rather than one. The privatised station on the main network is on the side opposite of the layout from the viewing public. The preserved station is on the side closest to the viewing public. In the photo above, the building represents a building that is said to be fabricated in a similar way to those new build at Beamish to set an environment that looks authentic. With the preserved railway running into this station, the trains on the main platform use the adjacent lines to run round the coaches in the platform. The bay platforms next to the station building mean that shuttles and small services can be held in the lines there. It also means that the loop next to the bay can hold engines going to the area needing to be serviced. In the above photograph the Black five is seen in the area ear marked for the start of the loop from the bay platform to the loop, where the points are seen.

 

In the next updates, how the electric scenery and ballasting was started....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The Black Hat]

So, with the boards positioned and the track work agreed. It was time to put down the track permamently. However, detail was something that I wanted to impress upon. As a result, the track was painted with Humbrol paints, so that the sleepers were shown to be a wooden brown, in two different shades, as well as brown rustic colour for the rails. This became time consuming and at times laborious, even if the steady work meant that there was time to relax when doing this.

 

 

With the tracks being painted, preperations were made for drilling the holes needed. The track which had been previously laid was lifted, and the drilled holes cut into the board. Then with the point motors attached to the under side of the board, the points were placed down with the track and then tested before being put into position and tested again. Most are now working fine, save one which has a loose connection.

 

In the photograph below, Andrew my brother is seen drilling the holes needed.

 

 

With the tracks painted and the sleepers covered, it was begining to look more and more like a model railway, away from the train sets previously. Here the tracks can be seen painted, laid in position to form the running line through the station, the adjacent loop and the two lines for the platforms that make up the two stations.

 

 

But before ballasting could start in earnest, there was another system for electrics that had to be installed - signals!

 

More on these later...

[Steve Taylor]

Any chance of a track plan for this? I know something of the old B'p Auckland layout so am curious as to how you've chosen to interpretate things. Go on you know you really need the old Bishop Auckland North box in there too!

[The Black Hat]

I will try to get a track plan done soon. The old Bishop Auckland station would have been a wonderful model to make, but its far too much of a big layout to make. Even this railway, with an engine plus 5 coaches means that the run rounds are quite big and the platforms are getting long to fit onto the boards. This layout is very much an end to end move on and run round layout. The idea is to eventually run it to timetable, which I will describe in detail and show how its worked out. Given that theres DCC sound and lights on the layout, if theres not much moving then there will still be something moving to the servicing area or something switched on.

[The Black Hat]

here is the track plan of Bishop Auckland.

 

 

Darlington and network rail trains move off to the left. This is viewed from the operators side and not that of the viewing public. This would also include engines moving from Shildon, the Locomotion Museum to Weardale for operations.

 

Weardale Trains move to the operators right, and then are brought back on when the timetable has them returning.

 

The station area has a main through line, for freight such as stone, and eventually Coal. Stone trains will be the main freight flows out of Weardale, as the wagons are there from the manufactuers to model such workings and that my previous layout was based on a north east quarry, so I have the stock already.

 

There is also a holding line for trains to be stabled in, as its single line between Bishop Auckland and shildon. It also means that platforms can be vacated to let in other services as the need arises.

 

Note that on the Darlington end, there are two ways for the train to leave the layout. The lower line, off the Bishop Auckland service platform, has a line straight ahead. This line is for Asda to be serviced by rail, as there were plans for the company to attempt to supply some by Rail. DRS have the contract.... but Im only letting DRS 37s onto the layout... although a 57 might be purchased too.... eventually..

 

More updates soon...

[The Black Hat]

Following from the track going down, final gauging of trains was done to test the approaches to platforms. Also the length of trains was measured so that trains could be checked into their positions and their operations would need to be considered. As a part of this, the headshunt on the main preservation platform was included by adding the point for the headshunt rather than the track and line rejoining the mainline. By including this, a full express locomotive would be able to detach from its train and roll forward, giving enough room in the platform for the train to stand and another locomotive be attached on the rear ready to take the train back up the line to Stanhope.

 

 

Here seen above, amongst the carnage and malestrom of activity is a Black 5 on the turntable and an HST in the platform for gauging and length tests.

 

 

Here, diesel locomotives have been placed on the Asda siding line following testing. Coaches straddle the junction, a sign that gauging for the swing of the coaches over the junction is being checked.

[The Black Hat]

Following the trackwork, the signals were next to be installed. The signals were sourced from the Traintronics range, and despite attempts to wire them up using DCC equipment with the Dynamis and Bachmann decoders, it proved unsuccesful. Despite this, a switchbank was made to allow analogue control, which for operations will make things much simpler for the operator to see as the switches show which signal is set.

 

 

The signals, seen below, were wired up and connected, allowing the junction to now show some of its forthcoming promise. In the picture below A4, 60009 Union of South Africa is being piloted by 76079 while other steam engines are seen on shed.

 

 

Then, with the signals in place, and the trackwork tested, nailed down and points connected to motors, it was time to start ballasting. Various shades, purchased in biblical quantities were mixed and used to create the different areas on the layout. The stabling area was almost completely black, with clinker and ash mixing with the ballast to create the feel of the stabling point. Where engines would recess, various areas of black deposits were left, to show the oil and ash that evenutally drips down onto the track. On the network side of the railway, one line had been laid using new Peco flexitrack, which has clear sleepers denoting concrete sleepers, rather than wood or metal. In this case, new grey ballast was used to show this line had been relaid, while other areas were more dark grey and brown, even mixed with some black. In all, the various areas of the railway soon took shape and looked effective.

 

 

[The Black Hat]

The signals on the layout were not the only areas of the layout that were designed to be lit. Indeed, various other areas of the layout are to get lighting to give the station area that realistic sence of being a working station, when you add the sound of the locomotives as well.

 

The first areas of the layout that were lit were some of the buildings, in particularly the repainted Hornby Eastern style signal box and the water tower. Soon, the station building and the houses on top of the bank near the station bridge will follow. But, with some good timing from the Danish manufacturer Heljan, some station and street lights were made and purchased to put into the station. They are quite a bright and garish white light, somewhat brighter than the standard lampost, but given that this is to be a modern station, rather than a one from a older time period, they fit in quite well. Even lamp posts over the station area car park light up, as well as those leading to the main road.

 

 

 

The other area that has got working lights includes the area where locomotive are to stable waiting for the chance to return to work the next diagram. Here the lights on the gantries over the stabling point were purhcased from CR signals which made the hand-made lighting gantries. With them creating and more realistic effect for the stabling area, a few rough shots were taken to get the general atmosphere right and position the lights for the right angle of the light to be used on the trackwork.

 

[Arpleymodeller]

This looks brilliant! B) B)

Any further progress?

[The Black Hat]

Thanks for the nice comment. Yes theres been more progress on the line. In fact the line itself is a fair bit more advanced than the topic here, which is waiting for me to keep taking pictures and write updates.

 

The area around the preserved station building comes next in the saga, with the bridge over the railway at the Darlington end having to be scratch built out of plasticard. Following this, the landscape was made using polystryene matts, to then shape the area, being covered with pollyfiller. This lightweight solution makes the area durable but also easy to life being lighter and thus transport is less awkward.

 

 

In these pictures you can see the layouts main bridge taking shape. The cross bars under the bridge are accurate for the scale (ish) if not in number, but most people wont see that so Im not to fussed. The bridge itself is somewhat more troublesome to create, owing to its original construction and has since been replaced in Bishop Auckland.

 

 

This final pic below shows the bridge in situ, for where it should stand on the layout, with some minor work needed to size the sides of the bridge to the right height.

 

 

More on the layout soon....

 

 

[Class 67001]

Do you know if the lights you used will fit on the Heljan Tackley Halt Kit

[The Black Hat]

Think the lights that you get might need to have a hole cut, but given how easy they are to install shouldnt be too many problems for you.

[The Black Hat]

A lot more progress has been taking place on the layout to the extent that its almost ready for its exhibition debut!! This thread just simply hasnt been keeping up, as work on the line has taken preference. In the meantime too, things ready for the lines operation are being put together. Things like a timetable have been worked out and I'll put down details of those later.

 

Whats left to do is the privitised station building and lights needed for that. The turntable needs a little bit of TLC to make sure its working fine. and then some boards adding to hide the traversers and create the backscene. Then its just a little bit of tidying up and the layout is done.

 

Will endeavour to get pics of the work thats been done over the coming weeks, but let me know what you think thus far....

 

Cheers

[The Black Hat]

Better get some more pics uploaded, as this one is almost ready. The points are all but finished and the electrical work is done. The scenery is looking great with just a few areas to tidy and finish.... will endeavour to get some photos done soon....

[The_Cuckoo]

I'm looking forward to seeing the latest progress.

[davec.hh]

I'm also looking forward to the photographs showing the latest progress (so no pressure there!)

[The Black Hat]

Sorry to disapoint but back in from Cubs and got some essay work after Uni tomorrow. So will update it on Wednesday evening, when I have the chance to unwind - and take photos in the dark, where all the light comes from the layout!

[The Black Hat]

As promised, here are some more pictures of the layout nearing completion. Apologies for the lack of stock on the layout, or where the locomotives have been parked up, but a few have just been testing things to see how its running. As a result theres a few diesels on the layout and few steam engines.

 

Here resident Pannier 7779 a Newcastle built example (which DID survive from London Transports guise as L96 and live on in preservation) stands outside the preserved station building on pilot duty.

 

This time a view from the overbridge area, which has a little amount of scenic work left to do.

 

Its a busy day next to the stabling area, what with a class 31, 47 and A4 waiting turns. In reality it would be rare to see two diesels running from the stabling area like this, as its hoped access to the turntable should remain clear.

 

The preserved station has a long access road which takes people arriving down to a car park, just convienently off scene! Here you can see looking back towards the station and main road.

 

Another view from the side the public would watch from. Sorry for the slight blur....

 

Now this view shows the main passing roads off the end of the preserved platform. These road would hold trains from the national network that arrive and run round or hold them to await their path for going up to Weardale.

 

Hope they look the part... feed back would be great!!

[ECML180]

Some good progress there, well done! It's nice to see other people modelling preservation too!

[The Black Hat]

And now for something completely different!

 

One of the repainted engines on the line is none other than 50040 currently named Victim Support. This is one of the engines which should provide a bit of varied interest for locomotive hauled working on the branch and network rail side of events. Even iff the period doesnt match slightly....

 

 

 

 

However, one of the best parts of the layout is that it comes to life in the dark given the amount of lighting on the layout. Here you can see how: will get more pictures of this soon:

[davec.hh]

The lights do give a bit of atmosphere. Nice photos.

 

DaveC

[Ed-farms]

Snapped a few pics of this line today before the doors opened. Not sure if David got any but this will do ifnot.

 

 

 

[Arpleymodeller]

This layout is really coming together, I like the trackwork weathering too B)

Regards

Lewis