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Ballasting on the 'Brighton


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Sir,

 

Upon glancing across the esteemed 'Oak Hill' thread, as penned by the honourable director of Uckfield Model Railwayac Club, Mr Gary 'Blue' Lighting, I noticed the detail regarding the matter of ballasting.

 

I therefore ask the honourable members of this parish if they can inform such an ignoramus as myself as to when the LBSCR ceased to place ballast across the tops of its sleepers?

 

I ask as I intend my planned model railway to be able to play host to stock ranging from 1900 - 1966, albeit primarily to represent the era prior to 1914.

 

Good Evening,

 

E. Missenden, Esq

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I believe officially 1900. I have left them covered on Oak Hill as it took time for this to spread out across the whole network. but I believe it was quite rare if not completely gone by 1910. THe did continue to use the shingle from Eastbourne beach after that though!

 

Gary

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I intend on ballasting with shingle regardless, just wanted to know the official date. The small station on the layout (The already built Salvington) is already ballasted over the sleepers, but I'll do the main station 'conventionally'given the above. I'll probably signal the small station with split post and the larger one with lower quadrants.

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They did go through a period before uncovering all sleepers where one sleeper in 4 (not always an exact given) was left uncovered.  

 

It stems from a series of incidents (generally; not necessarily LB&SCR) in the late 1800s where derailments were tracked back to rotten sleepers that could not be properly inspected by the gangers because they were buried.  The intermediate 1 sleeper in 4 exposed seems not to have provided adequate improvement.  

 

 

Edited to add that given the timescales and the amount of work involved, it is highly likely that many lines went from buried to completely exposed without going through the intermediate step.

Edited by Andy Hayter
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post-33498-0-45796900-1518646532_thumb.jpg

The current trackplan for the proposed layout: the section shaded green has already been built and ballasted over the sleepers, forming a small station (For motor trains and for extra shunting), then going (via a scenic break) into a larger terminus station which will be conventionally ballasted, the theory being that - as a larger station - it has received the modernisation sooner. With some careful planning I should be able to swap out buildings, etc, to represent later eras. The use of LBSCR lower quadrant signalling on this section should also facilitate this.

 

Criticism of the trackplan is most welcome!

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