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With my garage extended, insulated, new roofed and doored, electrified and lit I now have a reasonably civilised space to perfrom the more 'agricultural' aspects of layout building - such a baseboard construction.  For a while I have considered building a layout somewhat larger than 'Enigma Engineering' and now have the space to do it.  For many years I have fancied building something based on the Minera Lime Works near Wrexham which I used to visit as a lad and ride on the Beyer Peacock  loco that worked there.  There is a run of buildings that are very modellable and I took some photos around the early 70's while there was still track in situ so have a fair record of them, even if I didn't actually measure them.  Some are still extant and (I believe) stll lived in.  My layout will not be an accurate replica in any way but rather a potentially busy quarry site with wagonloads of stone etc. being exchanged with BR in a 50's/60's period setting.

 

I haven't setttled the track plan yet but I certainly have plenty of ideas!  Exchange sidings, a couple of tipplers, a branch to another quarry site with possibly a paddy train, industrial loco facilities are some of the features I would like to include. Until the baseboards are completed and I can work out the space available no decision will be reached.  The layout will be P4 and utilise the stud of industrial locos I have built up over the years together with the BR (ex GWR) locos to accompany them - all shedplated for Croesnewydd 84J and locos I saw in my spotting days.

 

The baseboards have been started and are based on an 'L Girder' configuration as I used on my 'Lower Pandy' layout back in the 90's.  Then I didn't actually have an 'L', I used some 40 x 25mm MDF on edge but now I have made proper 'L's' with some 12mm ply that I have had 'in stock' for years.  (Mrs 5050 has been trying to get me to 'dispose' of it for an equal number of years but I kept telling her it would come in useful one day - and it has!).  One foot is 50mm and the other 100mm for reasons that should become clear in due course.  The track bed will be 9mm MDF supported on 15 x 15mm cross bearers sitting on the 'feet' of the 'L's' (which are actually on top).  This provides a clear space for wiring, point rodding etc. to run directly under the board surface as the bearers can be positioned virtually anywhere and at any angle to clear such things.  There is a 1500 x 450mm main board with 2no. 750 x 450 end boards that will be hinged to the main board and fold over for storage and transport. All will become clear in due course!

 

Here are some preliminary photos of the boards under construction showing the main board 'skeleton' assembled and the components of one of the end boards awaiting their fate.

 

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The parts have been assembled 'upside down' with PVA glue and pins, using an old piece of white faced melamine as a flat surface.  The mating surfaces between pairs of boards will be faced with white hardboard bored and drilled to fit pattern-makers dowels and 6mm bolts.  Legs will be custom made to support the layout and also a lightweight lighting rig.

 

More photos as the project progresses.

 

Hopefully.........................

 

 

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Looking forward to this new venture.

 

Gordon A

So am I Gordon!  Hopefully a bit more succesful than the last aborted effort.

 

I hope the wood you're using is straighter than the shelf you gave me. I think it was made of wood from a banana tree. :onthequiet:

Sorry!  I wondered why it had been thrown out by someone else.  I've got plenty more if you still need some.  Straight pieces that is!

 

And just a quick progress report.  I realised last night when I put the completed boards together that I had made the two end boards (which are nominally each half the length of the main board) to long.  I had forgotten about the extra length needed for the ends, so they wouldn't fold over and meet properly.  I had to cut an inch out of one of them which was an interesting woodworking exercise!

 

Anyway, I've done it and all should (!) be well now.

 

I've also made the 4 hardboard end 'liners' which will take the pattern-makers dowels and fixing bolt holes.  These were all cut and drilled together in 'mirror image' pairs with the good ends and long sides carefully lined up and held in position with G-Clamps, the vice and some 6mm bolts and wingnuts.

 

post-807-0-00120900-1533315063.jpg

 

The dowel holes were cut with a brace and a 1" augur bit.  The hole was backed with a piece of scrap ply while cutting so that the augur broke through the back cleanly.

 

Next job will be to glue and pin them in position - hopefully with no more dramas!

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Looking forward to following this one! :) I was a huge fan od Enigma Enineering and also loved seeing Lower Pandy when it appeared in print (there was a write up in BRM if I remember rightly?).

 

Impressive woodworking efforts on show (despite the small setback!). It all sounds like a fascinating project and industrial steam will always get the thumbs up from me.

 

Thanks for sharing,

David

 

PS - is Enigma Engineering still in existence?

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With my garage extended, insulated, new roofed and doored, electrified and lit I now have a reasonably civilised space to perfrom the more 'agricultural' aspects of layout building - such a baseboard construction.  For a while I have considered building a layout somewhat larger than 'Enigma Engineering' and now have the space to do it.  For many years I have fancied building something based on the Minera Lime Works near Wrexham which I used to visit as a lad and ride on the Beyer Peacock  loco that worked there.  There is a run of buildings that are very modellable and I took some photos around the early 70's while there was still track in situ so have a fair record of them, even if I didn't actually measure them.  Some are still extant and (I believe) stll lived in.  My layout will not be an accurate replica in any way but rather a potentially busy quarry site with wagonloads of stone etc. being exchanged with BR in a 50's/60's period setting.

 

I've attached a photo of a painting that's been hanging on my dining room wall for the last 30 odd years.  The subject is Minera Lime Works and the loco to which you referred 'Olwen' can bee seen in the background.  The artist, the late Tom Shuttleworth was a friend of mine and he spent a lot of time around the former G.W. lines between Birkenhead and Barmouth. He even wrote a few articles about train working in the area for GWJ.  Co-incidence or what!

Cheers,

Ray.

post-23517-0-88249800-1533391319_thumb.jpg

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Looking forward to following this one! :) I was a huge fan od Enigma Enineering and also loved seeing Lower Pandy when it appeared in print (there was a write up in BRM if I remember rightly?).

 

Impressive woodworking efforts on show (despite the small setback!). It all sounds like a fascinating project and industrial steam will always get the thumbs up from me.

 

Thanks for sharing,

David

 

PS - is Enigma Engineering still in existence?

Yes, Enigma is still extant - but not now owned by me.  It was sold earlier this year.

 

You may find that industrial diesels may outnumber the steam locos.

I've attached a photo of a painting that's been hanging on my dining room wall for the last 30 odd years.  The subject is Minera Lime Works and the loco to which you referred 'Olwen' can bee seen in the background.  The artist, the late Tom Shuttleworth was a friend of mine and he spent a lot of time around the former G.W. lines between Birkenhead and Barmouth. He even wrote a few articles about train working in the area for GWJ.  Co-incidence or what!

Cheers,

Ray.

attachicon.gifIMG_1554a.JPG

That's lovely.  The buildings I was mentioning are the ones in the background and the chimney is from the large Hofmann Kiln that was still there when I visited but very derelict.

 

This is one of the views I took, taken from a bit further along the line compared to the painting.

 

post-807-0-27133300-1533591884_thumb.jpg

 

I have several more that in total show all the buildings.  The kiln in the distance is the prototype for the one on Geoff Kent's 'Black Lion Crossing' layout.

 

'Olwen' is the loco that I used to ride on.  She was listed for preservation at one time in Casserely's book but sadly it never happened.  I think the Beyer Peacock works shunter that the Cambrian Society have (had?) is very similar.

Edited by 5050
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it was a few years ago now, i do remember once being on a MoSI (manchester science museum) run website with lots of BP and garratt works photos, but cant remember what that website was called or if it still exists, sorry. I also have various works photos scrounged from all over the web including a really good flickr user called Historical Railway Images

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it was a few years ago now, i do remember once being on a MoSI (manchester science museum) run website with lots of BP and garratt works photos, but cant remember what that website was called or if it still exists, sorry. I also have various works photos scrounged from all over the web including a really good flickr user called Historical Railway Images

 

Thanks for the information.

 

It would help in future if you could indicate the source of images which are not your own, so that other members can investigate the original source - there may be other similar images to view or additional information which would be of interest.  Thanks.

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Yes, Enigma is still extant - but not now owned by me.  It was sold earlier this year.

 

You may find that industrial diesels may outnumber the steam locos.

That's lovely.  The buildings I was mentioning are the ones in the background and the chimney is from the large Hofmann Kiln that was still there when I visited but very derelict.

 

This is one of the views I took, taken from a bit further along the line compared to the painting.

 

attachicon.gifMinera 72.1.A.jpg

 

I have several more that in total show all the buildings.  The kiln in the distance is the prototype for the one on Geoff Kent's 'Black Lion Crossing' layout.

 

'Olwen' is the loco that I used to ride on.  She was listed for preservation at one time in Casserely's book but sadly it never happened.  I think the Beyer Peacock works shunter that the Cambrian Society have (had?) is very similar.

The ex-Beyer Peacock works shunter 1827/1879 is now based at the Foxfield Railway and, whilst it has simliar lines to Olwen, actually started life as an 0-4-2 crane tank with rear frame extensions for the crane and pony truck which were subsequently removed.

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The ex-Beyer Peacock works shunter 1827/1879 is now based at the Foxfield Railway and, whilst it has simliar lines to Olwen, actually started life as an 0-4-2 crane tank with rear frame extensions for the crane and pony truck which were subsequently removed.

 

OLWEN still retained the lower set of buffers in 1958, but these had been removed when I saw it in 1964.  It was scrapped shortly after.

 

5050 - If you're considering a model of OLWEN at any time, I sold a collection of plates for a friend some time ago and this included a nameplate and works plate from OLWEN.  I didn't photograph them unfortunately but i do have their overall dimensions if that would help.

Edited by PGH
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Thanks for the photos and the offer.  If I did build an 'Olwen' it would be a long time coming!  I've got to many other projects in the pipeline.

 

However, I'm trying to remember where the line that 'Olwen' is standing on left the 'main'line.  My distant memory is telling me that it could have been the remnants of the siding that served the kilns and that the old wagon that stood on it for coal was an old PO wagon.  A buffer is just visible in your photo.  I think the loco is standing somewhere between the last house in the run of buildings and the kiln.  The siding wasn't there when I visited in '72 and it was a long time before that when I went there as a young lad - and it is now around 60 years ago!.

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However, I'm trying to remember where the line that 'Olwen' is standing on left the 'main'line.  My distant memory is telling me that it could have been the remnants of the siding that served the kilns and that the old wagon that stood on it for coal was an old PO wagon.  A buffer is just visible in your photo.  I think the loco is standing somewhere between the last house in the run of buildings and the kiln.  The siding wasn't there when I visited in '72 and it was a long time before that when I went there as a young lad - and it is now around 60 years ago!.

 

Yes, you are correct, the kilns were just off the photo to the right - location shown by the red arrow on the plan below

 

post-14569-0-82502500-1533804413.jpg

 

There were two old PO wagons, the one next to OLWEN was a 5 plank with slightly raised ends, no lettering visible and the door propped open in the horizontal position.  The second was a 4 plank with Minera Lime Co. still visible, which I photographed.  The line in front of OLWEN was still in use to access the second wagon loading bunker, the first being shown on the above plan.

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Thanks for the plan.  It is how I remember it.  Now you have mentioned it I do remember 2 wagons and the fact that one still had the 'Minera' lettering.  Any chance of seeing the photo of it?  I have photos of the loading facility up the line from the 'stabling' point and, from what I remember, this was the only one in use at the time of my early 'schoolboy' visits.  Have you drawn the track plan etc. off to the left?  I took a photo of the remains of the bridge that carried the kiln loading line over the spur to the bottom left that served a quarry area.  I'm not sure if the kiln loading line was standard or narrow gauge.

 

There were the 'remains' of a Fowler diesel down the line you have shown to the 'bins' but when I was starting to walk down to look at it a jobsworth nobbled me and kicked me out - even though I had asked for and got permission to be there.  Thankfully by this time I had seen most things - and I didn't let on that I had been around and in the Hofmann Kiln!

 

I'll post some moer of my 1972 photos in due course.

Edited by 5050
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Here's a few more of my 1972 photos.

 

First is the run of buildings starting at the north/east end -

 

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The loco shed sited on the upper level above the big Hofmann Kiln -

 

post-807-0-70309500-1533824991_thumb.jpg

 

The bridge mentioned above -

 

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The offices and, in the distance, the back of the Fowler cab -

 

post-807-0-59877900-1533825136_thumb.jpg

 

The loading 'chute' used by tipper lorries from the quarries -

 

post-807-0-75983200-1533825076_thumb.jpg

 

And the exchange loops looking north/east -

 

post-807-0-13931100-1533825198_thumb.jpg

 

I've had a go at drawing the buildings to 'scale', counting bricks, door sizes etc. and I reckon that the whole run will be not much short of 3 foot. Having the hillside behind them makes a good scenic feature immediately in front of the backscene.  The bridge could be a nice scenic break into a small fiddle yard.  If I could fit the loco shed in somewhere it would be good.

 

There was a loop between the old kiln and the tippler chute which doesn't seem to appear on old maps but the start of it could be to the left of PGH's plan.  I remember that it was probably on a slight uphill grade and there was a hinged stopblock on the outside rail before the northern/eastern turnout, to hold loaded wagons.  'Olwen' took a couple at a time up to the chute and, once loaded, dropped them into the loop and went for a couple more.

 

I will try and incorporate the 'New Brighton' branch into the scheme for an aditional source of traffic - and possibly a chance to run a Paddy train.

Edited by 5050
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A comparison may be of interest ?

 

attachicon.gifBP 1827.jpg

 

attachicon.gifBP 5408 OLWEN.jpg

 

 

 

 

 I can't help feeling that aside from the cab and some very minor details that looks uncommonly like an L&Y puggy, especially the shape and proportions of the saddle tank.. The original design for that one came from the Vulcan Foundry - was there any connection between Vulcan and Beyer Peacock

Edited by Caledonian
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Some good photos here on the Disused stations website -

 

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/features/minera/index.shtml

 

I've often wondered if an L&Y Pug could be 'bashed' into a reasonable representation of 'Olwen'.

 

But as a P4 modeller, I'm not sure that 'bashing' would be approved of.........................

 

And just found this -

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rgadsdon/8246023405/in/photostream/

 

Which says the loco was an RH not a Fowler.  Must check my IRS Handbook!

Edited by 5050
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attachicon.gif2705B Minera Wagon.jpg

 

Photo of PO wagon as requested

 

 

attachicon.gif2706B Minera RH 224338.jpg

 

The loco which replaced OLWEN was a 48DS Ruston 4wDM RH 224338/44.  It actually appears on the web - well partly - on the Truck Net website:-

 

http://www.trucknetuk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=107741&start=0

 

Second Post, 4th photo down

 

No excuse not to have a Judith Edge 48DS now, Paul!

 

Edit: Gordon got there before me. Note to self: scroll down all the way before posting - D'oh!

Edited by Ruston
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So Paul, a Judith Edge kit?

 

 

48DS_tn.jpg

 

 

 

Gordon A

Don't forget this layout will be 'influenced' by Minera and not an accurate replica.

 

However, if a P4 one happened to come my way...................................

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