Drew's Sidings (formerly "Inglenook Wagon Repair Pad")

[HillsideDepot]

I’ve long liked the brilliant simplicity of the classic 5:3:3 “Inglenook Sidings” type layout, a liking which stems back to my introduction to the form through an article in a magazine handed on to me by my uncle, way back in the 1980s. That magazine is long gone, but through the power of the internet the lure of the Inglenook has lived on and, indeed, grown.

 

 

But there is a problem with the classic Inglenook: it needs a variety of wagon types to work. And I model the 1970s, when wagon load was in serious decline and even so-called “wagon load” operation often meant a string of identical wagons in a train, rather than the “everything goes” (one wagon at a time) principle of the Common Carrier era railway.

 

However, two possible scenarios did occur to me where it was possible that every wagon to be shunted could be different, and could be realistic. One was a Civil (or Signal) Engineers’ materials depot where a train would be made up for the job in hand, and the other is a wagon works. Earlier this past autumn I came close to building a Civil Engineers’ Depot, so close in fact that I bought the pointwork, and most of the sheet material for the buildings.

 

Then this photo appeared on RMWeb in the “16t minerals” topic.

 

http://DBR3-131

by Jamerail, on Flickr

 

What a fascinating location, full of modelling potential: I was hooked!

 

A search around Flickr soon revealed that the photographer Paul James (Jamerail on Flickr, Swindon 123 on here) had a number of other very useful photos of the location, and the attractiveness of the site grew and grew, aided by the fact that the picture in the 16 tonner thread happened to be the top post on the page, so for a period of time whenever I viewed the latest post in the topic that photo appeared briefly before the latest post was displayed. It was if it was saying “you know you want to”!

 

The wagons in the photo suggested that the site was of manageable proportions, and a look at Google Earth allowed an estimate to be made of the sizes. The photos therein weren’t too clear, but I wasn’t aiming for a 100% scale model, more something that looked right and could be the basis for the Inglenook shunting puzzle.

 

A plan was drawn up, but it was immediately apparent that real the sidings were much longer than the 5:3:3 lengths of an Inglenook. But elsewhere on the Jamerail Flickr gallery are photos of an ancient GWR crane and match wagon at Hereford, and of similar hand cranes on the middle siding of my intended layout. As luck would have it such a crane features in the Cambrian kits range, and what is more, its length matches the excess siding space on the middle road. The original photo shows spare wheelsets on the middle siding, but if those are moved to the rear siding that is half of the space filled. A stores van seemed a suitable addition to the rearmost siding, extra storage for the compound and shed, and a rummage through my stock boxes revealed an excess in “Big-4” designed box vans, so one could be repurposed for a less active role.

 

So, something a bit different, and a simple project which could be completed in a fairly short time span.

Edited May 1, 2017 by HillsideDepot

[HillsideDepot]

While the cogs were whirring and my mind was developing the layout plan, Peco made the first delivery of the new Bullhead track to my local shop, so, despite having some C&L lengths in stock I decided to take the opportunity to try the newcomer on this project. Also new to me is Peco’s “Bi-block” track, which I first discovered on Chris Nevard’s “Brew Street”, so a yard of that was purchased as well, with a view to replicating the GWR’s war-time concrete pot track. It’s not that much like the GWR version, but then 16.5mm isn’t that much like 4’ 8½”, so compromises all round. Effect before accuracy is my principle.

 

The photo from Google Earth was measured up, and the dimensions converted to millimetres on the model. It's not very clear, but good enough when used in conjunction with Paul James' flickr photos.

 

 

I’d already decided that the overall scenic size would be 2’ x 1’ with a fiddle yard of the same size. However, the micro-layout itch is something which will need more than one scratch, so I want a Universal Fiddle Table which will serve a number of scenic modules. I did consider having some sort of multi-track section between layout and table, but discounted that as layout two would no doubt want an arrangement which couldn’t be accommodated. So I decided on a short “drop-in” scenic section which would be a form of 'translator coupling' between the  Universal Fiddle Table and the layout. This also allowed be a little more length as I don’t need the whole 2’ for fiddling (although a cassette could overhang the end by 6" or so if that lets a scheme go ahead).

 

As the new Peco bullhead flexi track doesn’t yet have accompanying pointwork, and as 4’ overall isn’t huge, I’d already decided that the connections between the sidings would be off-stage, so for its first outing the Universal Fiddle Table would have a sector plate, rather than a cassette system which I suspect subsequent layouts will use.

 

I have a simple spreadsheet set up for planning, which saves much time running up and down stairs and searching stock boxes when I am “what-if?” mode.

 

 

After a degree of too-ing and fro-ing on the planning fax machine paper roll I settled on a 'translator coupling' length of 3”, and a sector plate length of 19”.

No matter how much planning you do, there comes a time when the saw has to make a close acquaintance with the wood and work begins.

[Melly]

Good luck with this - Hereford Yard is a interesting location for late speedlink era . . . . plenty of variety of wagons needing work. 

[Andrew P]

Wow Adrian, plenty to keep you busy there mate, it looks extremely interesting.

 

All the best, I'll be watching with interest.

Edited February 10, 2017 by Andrew P

[HillsideDepot]

Good luck with this - Hereford Yard is a interesting location for late speedlink era . . . . plenty of variety of wagons needing work. 

 

Thanks Melly.

Although the photos of Hereford do indeed show plenty of variety in the air-braked era, I'll be representing the mid-1970's with the model as I already have plenty of stock for that. I also plan to move the facility to the ficitious city of Westonmouth, where my other layouts are imagined to be. I've yet to decide whereabouts the wagon repair facility was, but like Hereford it will be to the side of a larger installation.

 

Wow Adrian, plenty to keep you busy there mate, it look extremely interesting.

 

All the best, I'll be watching with interest.

 

Thanks Andy. Compared to Brit Vic though, this is almost bucolic!

I hope that it will be interesting, as I said in the introduction, that photo really grabbed me as being an ideal subject to model, it has so many elements going for it, all backed up with excellent photographic coverage. 

[Stubby47]

What are you planning to use for couplings ?

 

I've added 3 electro magnets to Tinner's Forge (another inglenook), but due to the necessity to leave the 5, 3 or 3 wagons in the sidings the magnets are very near the points - not prototypical of where wagons would be left for unloading/loading.  I'm considering adding a delay feature to the tension locks, or switching to Dinghams, to allow a more realistic look when not in inglenook mode.

 

Stu

[ess1uk]

I like the look of this.

[HillsideDepot]

Thanks for the further "likes" and positive comments - no pressure to get it looking right then!

 

What are you planning to use for couplings ?

 

I've added 3 electro magnets to Tinner's Forge (another inglenook), but due to the necessity to leave the 5, 3 or 3 wagons in the sidings the magnets are very near the points - not prototypical of where wagons would be left for unloading/loading.  I'm considering adding a delay feature to the tension locks, or switching to Dinghams, to allow a more realistic look when not in inglenook mode.

 

Stu

 

Stu, I've been wondering about this, and haven't reached a conclusion yet. I usually use 3-link/instanter on freight stock, so it would be obvious to just draw on that pool of stock. However, I'm thinking that i might revert to tension lock for this layout, as it needs so few wagons, and I quite like the idea of audience participation (even if it doesn't get invited to any shows, it is likely to been seen and operated by Scouts and Explorer Scouts at Groups where I volunteer) . While an electro-magnetic system might offer more finesse, it perhaps moves away from the "I could do that" aspect of RTR standard couplings. I'd need one of Captain Kernow's patented Horrocksford Shovels ^[TM] to do the uncoupling, but that's my preferred option at the moment.  

[Stubby47]

If you're sticking with standard RTR tension locks, a simple lever to raise a ramp would also work, and stay within the KISS principle.

 

A bike spoke is ideal, the rounded end fits under the ramp and the other end sticks through the front edge of the layout, and is either bent for a lever or has a drawer knob added to ease rotation. 

[The Bigbee Line]

In the early 80's plain bearings were common on minfits and vacuum braked coal hoppers, the traffic was still common. Plus traffic from the Kent pits, there would have been plenty of wagons detached with hot boxes.  Detatched a few myself...  Then there would have been various civil engineering projects so the wagon potential is enourmous.

[HillsideDepot]

Ideas and inspiration for a mini-layout project have come from numerous sources, it might be unfair to pick out any in particular, but Marc Smith’s “Minimum Space O Gauge” was one clincher, especially this photo. Rob nhy581’s “two Lak shelves with some track on” (his words, at the recent Cardiff small layout show) is another brilliant example of the genre, both proving what can be done in a small space, and how spacious things can look in carefully taken photos. 

 

So, returning to Hereford, there was still some design work to do to transform the inspiration into a layout plan. The road bridge makes a good scenic break at the left hand end, but with nothing on the right I had to ‘invent’ a footbridge. It does have a partial inspiration at Hereford though, as the road bridge there has a footbridge alongside it, but not in this position.

 

The store hut/workshop fits nicely for length, but is a little deep for the space I have, so it will be reduced by one section, as will the adjacent compound.

 

The saw mill at Hereford has been replaced on my Inglenook. By strange coincidence I had already used the dust extraction cyclone at Hereford as part of a small extension on my Mortimore’s Yard layout, so I didn’t want to repeat that here, not that I had the space for the saw mill anyway, as fascinating as it would be to model. I do like the "garden fence" and that will appear on the model.
 

What would fit in the space, I decided, was a couple of old garages/sheds which stood behind the church I am part of.

My imagination isn't capable of thinking up such fascinating buildings, so I am always on the alert for interesting structures to record for possible future projects, often not knowing when they will fit the bill. Another quick check on Google Earth for the sizes (even easier than another site visit!) and this building found itself on the plans.

Piece by piece things are coming together, and forming a nice plan.

[Stubby47]

Loving those sheds.

[Signaller69]

Lovely little prototype basis there, look forward to developments.

[Signaller69]

"Wagon Repairs Ltd" (a BR offshoot possibly?) had depots throughout the country primarily concerned with repairs to wooden bodywork, the one at Melton Mowbray being not dissimilar in layout to your plan, with the advantage-thinking in backscene terms-that it was next to (and possibly accessed under) the main line on a brick viaduct. There appears to have been be no road access. A motley collection of sheds, a stack of timber and lots of weeds is about it, plus wheelsets lying around, although there is no crane/hoist in evidence. It has a lovely, run down atmosphere and was in use until at least 1971 as per the good photo on p.9 of "British Railways Goods Wagons in Colour" (R.Hendry, Midland Publishing Ltd) which shows the site well.

[Fat Controller]

"Wagon Repairs Ltd" (a BR offshoot possibly?) had depots throughout the country primarily concerned with repairs to wooden bodywork, the one at Melton Mowbray being not dissimilar in layout to your plan, with the advantage-thinking in backscene terms-that it was next to (and possibly accessed under) the main line on a brick viaduct. There appears to have been be no road access. A motley collection of sheds, a stack of timber and lots of weeds is about it, plus wheelsets lying around, although there is no crane/hoist in evidence. It has a lovely, run down atmosphere and was in use until at least 1971 as per the good photo on p.9 of "British Railways Goods Wagons in Colour" (R.Hendry, Midland Publishing Ltd) which shows the site well.

'Wagon Repairs Ltd' were a private company, partially owned by several of the major wagon builders. They  were later amalgamated with Marcrofts. They had many depots and outstations throughout the UK; from large ones like Stoke and Swansea, to simple sidings such as that in Melton Mowbray.

[cobbler]

I have built a small wagon repair depot based on the one in Northampton Yard in the 1980,s

Wooden sleeper work surface, grounded van bodies, mish mash of huts and sheds, wagon bits and wheels everywhere etc

 

It was featured in Rail Express last year,

 

Journey down memory lane for me as I visited the yard taking photos, it's all gone now.

 

Have also built a small 4ft shunting layout, again based on Northampton memories, a small fan of Sidings used by the Signal Engineet for loading materials,

 

Very much enjoy both layouts, enjoyed the research and building

 

Richard

[HillsideDepot]

Thank you all for your continued interest in my little project.

 

Martyn - I dug out my copy of the Hendry book and found the photo of Melton Mowbray; what a great place! Rather different to Hereford, and somewhat larger, but overflowing with atmosphere. I have squirreled away in my "ideas" folder a plan of Marcroft's Radstock Works, so maybe something larger will materialise in the future.

Brian - I'm assuming the Hereford installation (if that's the right name for a slab of concrete a shed and a compound!) was BR's rather than a contractor's. I'm describing it as a "Repair Pad", as "Works" seems to grand a title, but am I using the correct terminology? My references and track plans books don't show the facility, so I haven't been able to pick up name from there. I wonder how railwaymen would refer to it, possibly just "Number 10 siding" (or whatever number road it was)?

Richard - yes, I know your two layouts, from photos in magazines. And yes, they have been inspirations too, all part of that mass of images, ideas and thoughts which have culminated in this project. As I said in the opening post, I came close to doing a Engineer's Depot, and will almost certainly return to that idea. It was based on Ashton Meadows in Bristol, but very much "inspired by" rather than any attempt at "a model of". This layout is my second which has been closely related to a real location, my first venture into modelling an actual place was the loco sidings which used to be at London Liverpool Street. I found that modelling a real place is great as you don't have to think about what would be there, just how to replicate it. I'm not suggesting for a moment that I achieved a scale replica, but I think I have captured the atmosphere of the place as people recognised it when I've exhibited it - even if my Western bias in the locos which appear causes some confused looks!

I've been busy with buildings this week, so hopefully there will be something new to show over the weekend.

[Fat Controller]

Thank you all for your continued interest in my little project.

 

Martyn - I dug out my copy of the Hendry book and found the photo of Melton Mowbray; what a great place! Rather different to Hereford, and somewhat larger, but overflowing with atmosphere. I have squirreled away in my "ideas" folder a plan of Marcroft's Radstock Works, so maybe something larger will materialise in the future.

 

Brian - I'm assuming the Hereford installation (if that's the right name for a slab of concrete a shed and a compound!) was BR's rather than a contractor's. I'm describing it as a "Repair Pad", as "Works" seems to grand a title, but am I using the correct terminology? My references and track plans books don't show the facility, so I haven't been able to pick up name from there. I wonder how railwaymen would refer to it, possibly just "Number 10 siding" (or whatever number road it was)?

 

Richard - yes, I know your two layouts, from photos in magazines. And yes, they have been inspirations too, all part of that mass of images, ideas and thoughts which have culminated in this project. As I said in the opening post, I came close to doing a Engineer's Depot, and will almost certainly return to that idea. It was based on Ashton Meadows in Bristol, but very much "inspired by" rather than any attempt at "a model of". This layout is my second which has been closely related to a real location, my first venture into modelling an actual place was the loco sidings which used to be at London Liverpool Street. I found that modelling a real place is great as you don't have to think about what would be there, just how to replicate it. I'm not suggesting for a moment that I achieved a scale replica, but I think I have captured the atmosphere of the place as people recognised it when I've exhibited it - even if my Western bias in the locos which appear causes some confused looks!

 

I've been busy with buildings this week, so hopefully there will be something new to show over the weekend.

Hereford was a BR facility. 'Pad' simply refers to the concrete apron around the track, added in a lot of locations in the 1970s to improve comfort and safety for the workforce. Previously lots of locations had just whatever the yard was ballasted with, though sometimes the area was covered with sleepers, laid parallel with the rails. There were a lot of wagon repair facilities around into the 1970s; my home town (Llanelli) had three, whilst nearby Burry Port had two.

Hereford seems to just be identified as 'No 4 Siding' in Quail, though other locations, elsewhere, are marked 'Cripple Road' or 'Wagon Repair Siding'

[ess1uk]

I have built a small wagon repair depot based on the one in Northampton Yard in the 1980,s

Wooden sleeper work surface, grounded van bodies, mish mash of huts and sheds, wagon bits and wheels everywhere etc

It was featured in Rail Express last year,

Journey down memory lane for me as I visited the yard taking photos, it's all gone now.

Have also built a small 4ft shunting layout, again based on Northampton memories, a small fan of Sidings used by the Signal Engineet for loading materials,

Very much enjoy both layouts, enjoyed the research and building

Richard

Big fan of Down Sidings, not seen the other layout yet.

[cobbler]

Cripple Sidings was featured in Rail Express last year. Will be at DEMU show at Burton in June.

 

Richard

[HillsideDepot]

Thanks Brian; looks like I'll go for the name of the Yard and add "Wagon Repair Siding". As my other layouts set in a city inspired by the Bristol/Avonmouth/Weston-super-Mud area, I'm looking at Queensland Road (Bristol has Kingsland) or North or South Depot (Bristol has East & West Depot).  

My preferred method of layout building is to complete most of the buildings and structures before I cut any wood for the baseboards. I’m not sure why I do it this way, perhaps it’s a form of 3-d planning, but it does mean that things make rapid progress once the boards are made.

 

 

The road bridge is Wills vari-girder (far from original!) with some Ratio handrails on top supported on a fairly chunky abutment. This is another advantage of copying an actual location, rather than modelling what I think should be there - I'd not have built anything as robust, left to my own ideas. The old sheds are pretty much done, as is most of the BR shed (one half of the roof is just placed on at the moment waiting for me to do the sky-lights. Finally the footbridge. This is the Ratio station foot bridge, and us causing me all sorts of problems as it isn't high enough (it's intended to be platform mounted), nor long enough to span 3 tracks. But the lattice sides look good, and the ready make steps are a boon. I'm just rather concerned that more of the kit is going to end up in some 16t minerals as a scrap metal load than I really would have liked.

 

Anyway here it all is, in place on the plan:

 

 

The rolling stock merely a selection of those items which were standing in the sidings on my Mortimore's Yard layout, the 37 is merely there as a filler to reduce the length of the "mainline" to Inglenook size, likewise the two box vans taking the place of the crane and match truck on the middle siding, while the rear siding is just 3 wagons to see how they look without any consideration of filling spare length. But I think I'm heading in the right direction.

[HillsideDepot]

Cripple Sidings was featured in Rail Express last year. Will be at DEMU show at Burton in June.

 

Richard

Excellent!

 

DEMU Showcase is in my diary for this year, hope to see you there.

[Stubby47]

The old sheds look great - not the sort of building one could make up, but plucked from reality it just looks right.

[Fat Controller]

The yard at Hereford is named in Quail as 'Barr's Court'- at one time, there were several more yards, originally ex-Midland, ex-LNWR and ex-GWR. Railwaymen in earlier times sometimes gave quite picturesque names to sidings, either individually or in groups. There were lots of 'Klondikes', 'Jubilee' and 'Sebastapol'; less obvious were 'Garden Sidings' at Canton and the 'Elephant House'(why?) ,next to the cripple sidings at Westbury. 

[HillsideDepot]

Thank you Brian for the further ideas for a name for the layout. I'm now thinking that the sidings will have a name of some sort, as well as being part of a larger yard. Nothing is decided yet though - it'll probably come to me when I'm thinking about something completely unconnected!

Anyway, progress has been steady rather than spectacular, but then this isn't work, so no rush to get things done.

The "glorious concoction of tin, asbestos and wood” AKA the "Big Green Shed" which I felt it was well worth preserving in model form, even though the original is now gone, has now had a coat of paint. Compared to the photo of the original the model has one of the windows in the tall shed left uncovered (they were still there, but boarded up) while the other has a sheet of ply over it. The smaller shed appeared to have patches on which could have been windows, so that's what I have modelled. 

 

 

“Inspired by”, rather than “an accurate representation of” but I’m happy with the way it’s turning out. There is still some more detailing to do, before a degree of weathering. Not as much as in the photo, but it certainly needs to look "lived in". The older members of the church think that the premises may have been used as a car repair shop years ago, but they do know that they were owned by a Mr Drew. A suitable sign will be made to be attached to either the building or the boundary fence to advertise his business. Even though no such signage really existed, it's a nice link to the past.

 

One other thing which I have done, and it's well out of logical order with the jobs I should be doing(!), is I have made some pictorial cards for when the time comes to use the layout as a shunting puzzle. I have more wagons than the puzzle needs and the range of stock is quite wide, it should probably be 50% 16t minerals, but as a puzzle for those who don't know a Van from a Vanwide from a Palvan vehicles that are obviously different are needed.

 

 

I'll mount them on thin card before cutting them up and then see if I can get them laminated at work to increase their life-span.
 

Finally, while waiting for things to dry on one part of the project I have started on the Cambrian kit for the ancient GWR crane, but now the initial sub-assemblies of that are hardening off before I bring them together.