Castle Aching

[ChrisN]

But you can have too many figures.

 

At least you now know how to model the oiks stealing the signal cables...

 

Simon,

I am not sure I do know how to model the oiks, but I will have some prisoners being transferred on my station. 

 

You can over populate I agree, unless you are modelling Brighton, or even Barmouth Beach, but am sure that you can keep on experimenting with figures until your set is as unique to you as you can make it.

[Edwardian]

But you can have too many figures.

 

 

 

Not for what I have in mind ....!

[runs as required]

A young Edwardian woman (hopefully!), converted from a 1920s Preiser aircraft passenger.

 

The skirt is made from masking tape, a technique suggested to me by the gentleman behind Ravenscar Pier, who had to evolve ways of making Edwardian ladies in the pre-Stadden era!

 

Hat is paper, section of sprue and a masking tape ribbon.  I have attempted an Edwardian blouse with Greenstuff.

 

I should probably add that ChrisN of this Parish is an influence here, and I may well have absorbed some of his ideas, too!

I'm delighted you made mention of Ravenscar Pier.

I really enjoyed talking to Gordon Bulmer about his wonderful creation, I think, at an exhibition at Gateshead Stadium a year or so ago.

I enjoyed subsequently finding that his account of the emergence of Edwardian Ravenscar very nearly came about (see Wikii on Ravenscar).

 

Those generally well received  "Coast" programmes on TV seemed to ignore the sad places that tried and failed to claim "A Place in the Sun".

Seaham Harbour and Seaton Carew (of Canoe fraudster fame) are two notable 'misses' in the North East; the other sad corner are the Thames creeks and mudflats of north Kent.

I've always enjoyed the way places like Peacehaven profited by the the cheap selling off of unwanted Southern carriages from Lancing works as the 1920s electrification spread.

Thorpeness, I suppose, could almost be counted a GER success.

 

There is a page here where Gordon Bulmer talks more about crafting his figures.

dh

[ChrisN]

Masking tape appears so much easier than DAS or Milliput, I will have to try it.  One of those gentleman has appeared on my layout, twice I think as his coat is very skirt like.  I do not know why I never thought of using card with a hole in it as a hat, and then their head.  I have tried most other things and have failed as they are to bulky.  Much to think about when I get back to doing figures.

[Nearholmer]

RaR

 

I'm glad those never-quite-made-it seaside places have another fan; I love 'em.

 

Hard to pick a favourite from among the many along the coast from the Thames Estuary, right round the corner and along the Sussex coast, but Rye Harbour is probably it, for multiple reasons. In that case, the ambition was more cross-channel ferry port than seaside resort, but the result was a similar collection of old carriages, sheds, and bungalows, with the addition of several concrete works and a tar distillery, with Martello tower and lifeboat station. It even had the hulk of an old ship, acting as a prison, at one point. A sort of blot on the landscape oozing charm (and high-grade industrial pollution).

 

Surely the WNR needs a branch to a place like this, where the guano processing plant might be located.

 

Kevin

[Northroader]

And the Camber tram..

[Nearholmer]

Technically, I don't think that the R&CT is in Rye Harbour, because it is on the other side of the river, accessed by a rowing boat that masquerades as a ferry. IIRC the R&CT station was called "Camber", not "Rye Harbour".

 

I know that in terms of parishes, Rye Harbour is in Icklesham Parish, but the other side of the river, for reasons lost in the mists of time, is actually in Winchelsea Parish!

 

In terms of railways, Rye Harbour itself had a very interesting standard gauge branch (goods only), plus an absolute mass of c2ft gauge lines associated with the shingle/concrete/boulder industries, and more c2ft, and possibly earlier 3ft, at the tar distillery.

 

It is a place crying-out to be represented I model form.

 

Kevin

Edited July 12, 2016 by Nearholmer

[Edwardian]

OK.  I had two coastal destinations planned on the north coast.  Birchoverham Staithe, the silted up little coastal port, and Birchoverham Next the Sea, the burgeoning, but genteel, resort.

 

Unfortunately, neither will be modelled because the available room will only permit parts of the WNR's Southern Section to be represented.  The planned ... no, "planned" is too strong a word, and contrary to all the traditions of the WNR thus far!  The anticipated stations on the layout would be Castle Aching, Flitchinham Junction and Achingham.

 

Now, it seems, I need to strike the coast at a further point!  At least this will not need modelling either, but it will need to be thought through; these offstage places must all exist as sources of traffic.

 

I must get round to the requested map.  It is becoming confusing trying to contain all the invented geography, its relationship to real geography, and the growing network of railway lines, in my head.

 

Meanwhile, people.  I like the Little People.  I will not necessarily use all of those painted on CA thus far; I like a pool.  I plan other projects and need not make my selections until CA is far more advanced than it is now.  For instance, I might not use the Aidan Campbell at all on CA, as they clash with the superior Staddens.  The latter will probably bear combining with Dapol-derived and suitable Monty's figures.  Stadden do HO versions and these may well combine well with period Preiser figures.  I bear in mind that I have built much of the village in perspective, so will need HO figures towards the back. 

 

Nevertheless, I hope to do justice to a good number of the little blighters.  This is, after all, no MRJ Marie Celeste layout, and neither is it a Gone-to-Seed Colonel Stephens affair, charming though those subjects undoubtedly are.  No, this is heyday modelling.  The optimism and prosperity of mid-Victorian Britain still lingers in this corner of Norfolk.  The line is busy within its modest limits, and remains relatively prosperous, as does its neighbourhood.  As I envisage 3 stations, part of a bustling village and the edge of a bustling market town, I might find I need a surprising number of folk.  

Edited August 30, 2018 by Edwardian

[Donw]

I am assuming the Bircham bits are inspired by Holkam/Wells next the Sea but  on the wash coast between Kings Lynn and Hunstanton possibly close to Snettisham (i.e west of Great Bircham). If you really feel you need another harbour may I suggest Dersingham Harbour sort of silted up on the edge of the wash as though Dersingahm had been the original port but as land was reclaimed the harbour had followed the coast out. It would have course never been a great success especially as Boats became larger.

Don

[Nearholmer]

However much of the WNR empire makes it into physicality, it would be good to have "coal specials" from this coastal place, because it seems very likely that most of the coal for the district would have come by sea, rather than rail. Might even justify a "goods engine", a small-wheeled 0-6-0, deal with the traffic.

 

Does "staith" in Norfolk place names imply a coal unloading point?

 

K

[Donw]

A staith comes from Norse hence is used in the east of the country and refers to a landing stage for the loading/unloading of cargo boats. I don't think the cargo is defined although in the North East coal would have been common. In Norfolk it may be more of just a place for unloading rather than a platform. 

Don

[Donw]

Sounds more like Burnham to me, Don.

An obvious one would be to pay homage to one of Norfolk's finest, and have "Burnham Nelson".

Or for those who like terrible puns, "Burnham Down".

 

I do like "Dersingham Harbour", though.

 

As for "staithe", Kevin, I think "coal staithe" is a specific use, which has seen the adjectival part dropped through frequent usage. It has thing to do with the coal bins on most layouts! Staithe is simply a word for wharf or quay, for the transfer of goods from land to water, and vice versa. It is its use for goods and not passengers which I think is the key (quay, geddit?) difference.

 

Burnham Deepdale and Brancaster Staithe was something I considered but the Location of Castle Rising, Castle Acre and Great Bircham plus the West in WNR suggested the Wash coast to me. I am sure James will have his own ideas.  Dersingham Harbour appealed because I don't think there was one which avoids trying to model a real place.

Don 

[Edwardian]

Will have to do map.  

 

In the meantime, I am working on 5 figures (circled in blue below) from the Preiser Pilots, Ground Crew and Passengers, 1925 set, which is 1/72nd Scale.  So, they are a little tall, but the sculpting is reasonable and the heft a good match for the Stadden, Monty's and Dapol ranges.

 

All need to be converted.  For the chaps, the conversions are minimal.  The lady you have already seen; she will take a few extra stages. 

Edited July 12, 2016 by Edwardian

[Nearholmer]

Thanks for the "staithes" info, Gents.

 

I wasn't actually thinking of the CJF-plan-type staithes, but the ones in the NE, where coal was transferred from rail to ship, when I asked the question, wondering if the word had come south with the coal.

 

But, now we are onto those CJF-plan ones: was the term actually used to describe them, before railway modellers got involved?

 

I ask, because I think that they were actually called "bins" or "cells", but this may be another case of regional variation.

 

Kevin

[Edwardian]

However much of the WNR empire makes it into physicality, it would be good to have "coal specials" from this coastal place, because it seems very likely that most of the coal for the district would have come by sea, rather than rail. Might even justify a "goods engine", a small-wheeled 0-6-0, deal with the traffic.

 

Does "staith" in Norfolk place names imply a coal unloading point?

 

K

 

Coal traffic would be a great idea; it would give the WNR an excuse to own some mineral opens, perhaps including dumb-buffered wagons?

 

There will, I hope, be a Fox Walker 0-6-0ST.  However, with a turntable at CA, the intention in the fullness of time would be to run small tender engines, probably with 4-wheel tenders.  Of course, Victorian 0-6-0s were often regarded as mixed traffic or intermediate classes.

 

Burnham Deepdale and Brancaster Staithe was something I considered but the Location of Castle Rising, Castle Acre and Great Bircham plus the West in WNR suggested the Wash coast to me. I am sure James will have his own ideas.  Dersingham Harbour appealed because I don't think there was one which avoids trying to model a real place.

Don 

 

Yes, the new coastal outlet would be the Wash! 

[Donw]

I think the coal staithes and railways grew together. Wooden trackways were used to move coal to the harbours and the staithes became more elaborate to tip the coal out of wagons into ships. The wooden trackways became railways and the staithes grew to huge structures (see those around Tyneside) far removed from the original idea of a staithe. Since the dock staithes unloaded coal from a wagon it was natural to use the same name for the structure used to unload coal into at stations. 

 

Today there is little sign of the former WNR harbour on the Wash

 

Although the Lagoon just back from the beach is still there

 

A little more is visible at Bircham next the Sea (aka Wells)

 

Don

 

ps the first two are at Snettisham

 

 

 

 

[Edwardian]

Birchoverham Staithe:

[uax6]

How about Sandringham-on-sea? There's a good valley (well its a sort of depression really) running inland just north of Castle Rising, which would be a good route for a railway. Could be called Wolfringham-next-the-sea I suppose...

[Nearholmer]

Seconded. I've only been there once, but remember that the trees in the area are really superb (although they might only have been sticks in 1905!).

 

Extract of 6" map of c1905 indicates "Coalyard Creek", which looks as if it might have been a coal-landing place, and looks to have water at low tide.

 

Add a guano store, plus models of an elderly Edward VII and Queen Alexandra surveying the scene and the WNR would be an even better place.

 

K

 

PS: the more I look, the more I find. It seems that the spot actually was Woolferton Harbour, and here is a picture of a WNR train of empty coal wagons on its way down there.

Edited July 13, 2016 by Nearholmer

[uax6]

You live and learn! Looks like you could have some traffic in salt too, so will we see roofed open wagons too?

 

If you have ever visited the sea at Wolferton, it reminds you of the film of 'Great Expectations'...

 

The pumping station there is interesting, having a couple of early horizontal Ruston single cylinder engines for driving the pumps, only used as standby sets now.

 

Andy G

[Edwardian]

Many good thoughts, photographs and maps.  Very much agree with where you are all going. Many thanks.

 

Incidentally, Wolferton is one of my half a dozen short-list want-to-do prototype layouts. I would choose the turn of the century, so the new 'Royal' station would be modelled, but I would span the change-over from the Royal T19s and the Royal Clauds.  The Royal Train would be the only GE bogie coaches on the line (probably on the GE) at the time!

[uax6]

How about killing two birds with one stone then and model Wolferton as a junction? Maybe an extra platform on the downside, and bobs your uncle......

 

Andy G

[Nearholmer]

Andy

 

These Ruston engines: how old are they?

 

Surely not hot-bulb engines still in service???

 

If they are, how does one arrange to visit and worship the spirit of Mr Akroyd-Stuart?

 

Kevin

 

PS: Googling is spookily good/easy ........ Diesels, 1943. Questions answered.

Edited July 13, 2016 by Nearholmer

[Edwardian]

People Again

 

The Horse Holder

 

Back in 2013, when I was set on making a start on this project, the money hadn't yet run out and I was able to pick up some accessories, like the Stadden figures.  As I wanted a forge (the arrangement to be like Docking, next to the village pond, but with the forge building based upon Honing)  I thought I could defend a 'cameo', so bought the Wills Village Blacksmith set.  See picture below (taken from the Gaugemaster site (where it is in stock!).

 

On considering the set for painting this week, it seemed to me that, while the shoeing blacksmith might pass muster, I doubted that the horse holder would.  He is not the best sculpt, is rather short compared with the Staddens, and, appears to be wearing wellies. Wellies were relatively rare in photographs of agricultural workers in the inter-war period, so they were out for c.1905.

 

Below is a shot of the Wills character (right) and a Stadden chap (left).  It would have been the easiest thing in the world to reposition the latter's right arm, but I saw an excuse for playing about with one of the Preiser 1/72nd figures pictured on page 49.

 

He is a little taller than the Stadden, but not too tall, I would say.  

 

Usual process of removing any front trouser crease.  A scalpel was used to render his overalls as a waistcoat, with Greenstuff used to give points to the waistcoat and to turn his cap into a flat-cap.  

 

I am now having doubts about the Wills horse, however ...

 

Edited July 13, 2016 by Edwardian

[uax6]

The Drainage Board have a museum of tat sorry artifacts that I believe is open by application. I visited it years back, and it was packed with bits and bobs....

 

Andy G