Ashfield Common - A Low-Budget Mini-Inglenook

[HonestTom]

Hi all. After months of inspiration from other modellers, I thought I'd post about my own effort at a micro-layout. Now, because I'm new to this whole smartphone caper, I won't be doing a step-by-step account of the build, because I built the whole thing when I didn't have the ability to easily photograph it. To be honest, there's nothing particularly revolutionary about my scenic methods.

 

The layout is named Ashfield Common, set somewhere in West London, sometime during the BR steam era. It's a reduced Inglenook, 3 feet in length and 8 inches in width. As well as the length of the sidings, I have deviated from the standard Inglenook design by including a short siding with a coaling stage to store a second locomotive. The whole thing is intended to be self-contained.

 

One additional challenge was that I wanted the whole thing, including controller, scenic materials and stock, to come in at under £100. Just to keep things interesting. I should explain that my other hobby is theatre, working backstage. With a constrained budget, we often have to build our sets and props on the cheap, the challenge being to make them look good without spending a lot of money on them. I wondered if I could apply a similar philosophy here.

 

Next up: photos!

[HonestTom]

Righto, here are the first photos from Ashfield Common. As you can see, the motive power is on the cheap side. The 94xx is the main locomotive, supplemented by a couple of industrial shunters. The yard also sees visits from a Jinty and a 4F, which is currently awaiting weathering.

[Jerry1975]

Hi.

 

Very nice little inglenook, I'm considering one myself as I've always wanted one.

 

You have done well keeping it around the £100 mark, I buy second hand locomotives and wagons now as I'm finding new stuff is getting very expensive.

I have a good local shop that sells second hand toys and they have a good selection and a bargain bin that can yield good stuff.

 

Look forward to seeing more of your little layout.

 

Jerry.

[HonestTom]

Actually, I must confess that since "completion" of the layout, I've gone way over the initial budget with additional stock - partly because I've found I really enjoy turning cheapo stock into something more realistic. The layout as originally envisioned was to feature six wagons per Carl Arendt's reduced Inglenook concept and two locomotives, based on the idea that no modeller will settle for just one. My original budget breakdown is as follows:

 

Baseboard, track and electrics

Baseboard - free (old shelf being thrown out)

Controller - £5 (swap meet, came with a section of track with power connection)

Track - £6.75 (local model shop - actually, a couple of the smaller bits were free, thrown in as part of a larger purchase, but I thought it would be unfair to say "and you can save money by spending a lot more money elsewhere.")

Points - £12 (local model shop)

 

Scenic materials

Ballast - £3 (model shop)

Coal - £1.95 (exhibition)

Hanging basket liner - 50p (online retailer)

1 A4 sheet corrugated card - £1 (local art shop)

Offcut of mounting board - 10p (local art shop)

1 A4 sheet "Funky Foam" - 50p (art shop)

1 A4 sheet of foamcore - 95p (art shop)

Bag of matchsticks - 99p (online retailer)

PVA glue - 99p (W H Smith)

Figures - £1.50 (exhibition stand)

Ladders - £1 (eBay)

Oil drums - £2 (eBay)

Bridge - £1 (jumble sale)

 

Painting and weathering

Humbrol paints (brick red, BR crimson, black, white, primer) - £8.50 (online retailer)

Railmatch paint (frame dirt) - £2.95 (local model shop)

Eye shadow (black, white, light brown, dark brown) - £2 (Poundland)

Watercolour paints - £3 (Wilko)

 

Locomotives and stock

94xx pannier - £10.70 (eBay)

Diesel shunter - £7.50 (eBay)

Box van - came with 94xx

Mineral wagon (full) - £2.50 (jumble sale)

Mineral wagon (empty) - £3.70 (swap meet)

Prestwin - £3 (antiques shop)

Conflat - £3 (swap meet)

Tanker - £4 (exhibition)

 

Total - £88.08

 

The ex-Caledonian "Pug" you see in the photos cost £10 at a swap meet, on the grounds that the guy selling hadn't tested it (I decided to take a gamble, and in fact the loco ran sweeter than any loco of that vintage I've ever bought), so it is technically possible to get a third loco and still remain under £100. Or more wagons. Or more yard clutter (mine came from the scrap box).

Edited January 22, 2018 by HonestTom

[HonestTom]

Here are a couple more pictures, using only the layout’s original stock. The pannier takes on more coal while the diesel plays with trucks.

(Apologies for the background by the way - my workspace is also my library)

Edited January 21, 2018 by HonestTom

[HonestTom]

A Short History of the line to Ashfield Common

Ashfield is a location in the suburbs of West London with little to distinguish it. Its location is often described as "out of the way" and "intentionally vague." While its Central Line counterpart West Ashfield is well known to commuters, Ashfield Common remains fairly obscure.

 

In the 19th century, the area was largely rural aside from the small village of Ashfield and a couple of canalside factories. The Ashfield & Metropolitan Railway Company was, it's fair to say, not exactly founded with noble intentions. The hope was that it would stimulate suburban development (as had been the case with other suburban railways) and that they could poach business from the Grand Union Canal. They managed to persuade the Great Western Railway and the Metropolitan District to come on board, possibly through a certain amount of deception.

 

As construction began, the District fell into dispute with the AMR over a change to the proposed route, which would actually bypass Ashfield itself completely. As the District was a constantly-broke company, their entire reason for coming on board was passenger traffic from Ashfield. It later emerged that the reason for the change in route was the recent purchase by two of the company directors of several parcels of land along the new route which they hoped to sell on for a profit. Fearing the total collapse of the venture, the AMR agreed to a spur to Ashfield itself. However, in the event, even this stopped short of Ashfield proper, hence the station being named Ashfield Common.

 

The line opened in 1885 with passenger traffic being operated by the MDR and goods by the GWR. From the start, it totally failed to meet expectations. The line was not a very attractive prospect for commuters, being slow and indirect (thanks in large part to the deviation). An enterprising coachman began an omnibus service from the centre of Ashfield to the Great Western main line, which further impacted passenger numbers. So poor was the traffic that a single carriage was sufficient. In 1904, the GWR built West Ashfield on the New North Main Line which, ironically, would stimulate suburban development away from the AMR. By 1933, passenger services were being operated by a one-car shuttle operating only in mornings and evenings. When London Transport took over in 1933, they were keen to rid themselves of this white elephant, and the proposed extension of the Central Line through West Ashfield as part of the New Works Programme sealed its fate. The last passenger train ran in June 1938, with the tracks being lifted a couple of years later as part of the war effort. The remains of the route are depicted crossing the goods line on the left side of the layout.

 

Goods traffic was more profitable, as the line directly served a number of factories. However, this traffic too was hampered by the indirectness of the route, and so inevitably the railway suffered with the rise of road haulage. The railway limped along, finally officially closing in 1983. The goods yard depicted here is now part of a retail park. So ends the sad story of the AMR.

Edited January 22, 2018 by HonestTom

[Jerry1975]

I do like this little layout and very interesting history too, are you going to put on a backscene on or leaving it?

 

I like the simplicity, not over done and it's small size.

 

Jerry.

[HonestTom]

Many thanks. The history is cobbled together from bits and pieces of real railways. One of my other hobbies is going for long walks, exploring the city, and it was a combination of walking along the Grand Union Canal near Old Oak Common and the bargainous 94xx that convinced me to set it in West London.

• The concept of a joint line between the GWR and the MDR came from the Metropolitan Railway and the GWR getting involved in the Hammersmith and City Railway.
• The line being routed to allow the directors to profit from land purchases also came from the H&CR, which similarly didn't see the level of suburban development its directors hoped.
• There are countless examples of lines that don't really serve the communities they claim to. My favourite that almost happened was the LSWR at Surbiton, which was originally going to be called "Kingston-Upon-Railway."
• The District line really was quite poor and keen to get involved in any scheme to extend their reach. At one point, they even jointly ran a service down to Southend.
• The spur to Ashfield Common was inspired by the similarly poorly patronised and inconvenient South Acton branch.
• The GWR station at West Ashfield was inspired by Greenford, which is notable for having some original working GWR signals still in situ.
• London Transport did dispose of a number of their more pointless services when they took over the Underground companies, with many services being moved over to other lines. The Central Line really was extended into West London as part of the New Works programme, albeit after the Second World War, so presumably the good people of Ashfield were without a Tube service for the duration.
• West Ashfield is a fake station owned by TfL for staff training. I just thought, "What if there was a real place called Ashfield?"

This is probably far more history than a tiny micro with very little to identify it in geographical terms needs. I think I got a bit carried away. Of course, the history is liable to change if I find something I want to run that can't currently be accommodated...

 

Re the backscene, I wasn't planning on having one. However, I am aware that the layout looks quite unbalanced with a factory and embankment at one end and nothing at the other, so I may well be adding one. Or at least, some low-relief buildings to balance things out.

Edited January 22, 2018 by HonestTom

[d&h]

Many thanks. The history is cobbled together from bits and pieces of real railways. One of my other hobbies is going for long walks, exploring the city, and it was a combination of walking along the Grand Union Canal near Old Oak Common and the bargainous 94xx that convinced me to set it in West London.

• The concept of a joint line between the GWR and the MDR came from the Metropolitan Railway and the GWR getting involved in the Hammersmith and City Railway.
• The line being routed to allow the directors to profit from land purchases also came from the H&CR, which similarly didn't see the level of suburban development its directors hoped.
• There are countless examples of lines that don't really serve the communities they claim to. My favourite that almost happened was the LSWR at Surbiton, which was originally going to be called "Kingston-Upon-Railway."
• The District line really was quite poor and keen to get involved in any scheme to extend their reach. At one point, they even jointly ran a service down to Southend.
• The spur to Ashfield Common was inspired by the similarly poorly patronised and inconvenient South Acton branch.
• The GWR station at West Ashfield was inspired by Greenford, which is notable for having some original working GWR signals still in situ.
• London Transport did dispose of a number of their more pointless services when they took over the Underground companies, with many services being moved over to other lines. The Central Line really was extended into West London as part of the New Works programme, albeit after the Second World War, so presumably the good people of Ashfield were without a Tube service for the duration.
• West Ashfield is a fake station owned by TfL for staff training. I just thought, "What if there was a real place called Ashfield?"

This is probably far more history than a tiny micro with very little to identify it in geographical terms needs. I think I got a bit carried away. Of course, the history is liable to change if I find something I want to run that can't currently be accommodated...

 

Re the backscene, I wasn't planning on having one. However, I am aware that the layout looks quite unbalanced with a factory and embankment at one end and nothing at the other, so I may well be adding one. Or at least, some low-relief buildings to balance things out.

This area of London is full of railway interest. The District Line even went to Windsor for a short period. There is a photograph on the London Transport Museums site of an engine at Acton Town with a Windsor Head Board. 

 

https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/collections-online/photographs/item/1998-87323?&apiurl=aHR0cHM6Ly9hcGkubHRtdXNldW0uY28udWsvcGhvdG9ncmFwaHM/c2hvcnQ9MSZza2lwPTAmbGltaXQ9NDgmcT0rdHJhaW4rdG8rV2luZHNvcg==&searchpage=Y29sbGVjdGlvbnMvY29sbGVjdGlvbnMtb25saW5lL3Bob3RvZ3JhcGhzL3BhZ2UvMT8mcT0rdHJhaW4rdG8rV2luZHNvcg==

[HonestTom]

The foreman at Ashfield Common was kind enough to let me photograph some of the rolling stock today. From top to bottom: Lima vans; a Lima open wagon and Triang mineral wagons; a Hornby Prestwin and Triang brake van being shunted by a Hornby Jinty. All have been weathered and some have been completely repainted. At normal viewing distance, you can’t tell that the wagon markings are just blobs of white paint.

Edited January 23, 2018 by HonestTom

[andyram]

This is a very nice little layout and I am very impressed that you kept below budget for the initial build.

[Wendell1976]

Nice Inglenook layout! I have a 4-3-2 Inglenook layout(with a two-car plus locomotive capacity for the switching lead) using six cars. While living in The States, I love Inglenook layouts better than Timesaver layouts.

 

Wendell

Idaho, USA

[cklammer]

Sorry if this inquiry exposes my ignorance : In the last picture with the 47458 on the left and the brake van on the right what kind of wagon is the wagon between 47458 and the brake van?

 

I know very similar looking wagon from the German prototype in era III and IV used for lignite or coal dust.

 

Best Regards,

Christian

[Hesperus]

That is a Prestwin http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/20165-prestwin-wagons/

[HonestTom]

Sorry if this inquiry exposes my ignorance : In the last picture with the 47458 on the left and the brake van on the right what kind of wagon is the wagon between 47458 and the brake van?

 

I know very similar looking wagon from the German prototype in era III and IV used for lignite or coal dust.

 

Best Regards,

Christian

 

As Hesperus notes, it's a Prestwin cement wagon. It's fair to say that this version by Hornby isn't a great model, being highly compressed in order to fit on to a standard wagon chassis. I mostly bought it because it was cheap, approximately of the right era and distinctive.