Wheal Imogen 1980s China Clay in P4: Thoughts on a possible Cameo Challenge Entry:

Entry posted by The Fatadder April 19, 2017

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Wheal Imogen: 1980s/1990s China Clay Cameo in P4

Its been a long time since my last exhibition layout, getting close to 10 years since Blackcombe Torr’s first (and only) exhibition. But thoughts have now turned to a replacement.

My main focus is towards a long term project set around South Brent station in 1947 South Devon, but historically most of my modelling was based around Cornwall in the late 80s / late 90s. Reading the rules for the new MRJ “Cameo Layout Challenge” I have been sufficiently inspired to have a crack at it.

The aim is threefold:
Ø To give me somewhere to run my P4 stock
Ø A canvas on which to experiment with new techniques for ground covering, trees and structures which can be refined before covering much larger areas on Brent
Ø To get back onto the exhibition circuit for a couple of shows a year, having been away from the scene for the past ten years.

Location
To that end I have started to come up with the concept of Wheal Imogen. First of all its rather difficult to come up with something which is both imaginative, realistic and interesting to operate without looking like a clone of some of the great layouts which have come before (in particular Wheal Elizabeth). In particular when they are inspired by the same locations that I am naturally drawn to, the two main small 1980s works: Pont’s Mill and Carbis Wharf.

The problem is that they are both too simple in terms of track layout, so a little refinement is needed (ever conscious of avoiding the trap of recreating exactly the same track changes others have made in the past). To this end I have started with Ponts Mill, added a run around loop (which I may yet remove) along with adding an additional siding with a slurry loader. The siding in which the Royal Train was once stored has been reinstated as a through line (which may be for passenger services and / or may be just serving another works further up the line). One thought here is that Wheal Imogen will be the main works in the area, while the second works further up the line does not have a runaround (and hence the occasional train to works 2 will need to be propelled, adding a little more interest.)

To further differentiate it from previous clay layouts, which always seem to operate from a left hand fiddleyard into a right hand works. I have swapped the plan around so that trains approach from the right.

In terms of the structures, as with Blackcombe the intention is to design my own buildings based upon features seen at a number of works. For the main loading dock there will be at least one section for loading vans with palletised clay, and another with a top loader to handle Clay Tigers / PRAs. Further research is required to see if it will be possible to design the main drier in such a way that I can realistically use Clay Hoods ./ CDAs as well as the tigers (which would be the preference.)
The second loader would be for slurry tanks, both TTA based and Silver Bullets depending on the period being ran. Again it’s a tough one to work out the model as if the works had somehow managed to survive to 1997, you would expect an enclosed shed (as per Blackpool Driers). I haven’t quite worked out how I would manage to handle this and fulfil my aim of making the layout cover a long period of time.

The front half of the main building is being reused from Blackcombe, expanded to full depth and heavily rebuilt. My intention is to reclad with SE Finecast random stone, add the buttresses between the original loading docks and then rebuild the roof / covers over the new loading areas.

The canal and bridge to access Ponts Mill will also be retained into this plan.

Time Period
As previously mentioned I want to encompass three different time periods for the layout, early 1980s (Cornish Railways 37s, blue peaks, Large Logo 50s along with clay hoods, PRA boxes, ex Bowaters slurry tanks and LWB vans). 1987/88 (Grey / Railfreight General 37s, NSE on the 50s, transition between hoods and CDAs, Clay Tigers) and 1997 (Transrail / EWS 37s, CDAs, silver bullets, Tigers, Cargo Waggons)
The initial focus will be on one of those periods, which will be decided nearer the time (but is more likely to be 1980s based)

Presentation:
The layout will be circa 5ft long (scenic) with approximately a 3ft cassette fiddleyard on one end and a 2ft cassette on the other, the depth is still tbc but may well end up in a triangular arrangement deeper on the left hand side than the other). The backscene will have curved corners, while the frontage will be at some sort of angle (with a facia plate working along the slot principle.)

My intention is to work on the track plan over the next couple of weeks, refining it in Templot while I am working away from home. Then get the track built once I have finished the fiddleyard points for Brent. (the logic being the best time to build the P4 points for Wheal Imogen will be after I have just finished a large batch of OO points, and my track building should be at the peak of the learning curve.)

Finally the name:
Fairly simple really; I wanted to have something which immediately said China Clay, so Wheal something immediately came to mind. My eldest’s name Evie didn’t really work, but my youngest’s name worked rather well and its just stuck since. Evie will no doubt at some point end up on the side of a works shunter…
There was one other reason, I figured (correctly) that naming the planned second layout after one of the children would smooth the process of getting the wife to agree to it.

A very rough initial sketch of the plan is below…