Upbech St Mary, Upbech Drove and Pott Row a journey through 00 and then into EM and 009.

[mullie]

As well as shunting the branch freight, the 08 also needs to shunt the sugar beet branch. Here, the loco is placing the wagons in the former tramway loco depot whilst it shunts the rest of the train.  Ethel is sat on the bench waiting for the tramway replacement bus service that pulls up behind the hedge. It hasn't turned up yet again. The trains were so much more reliable!

 

 

The turntable is no longer used but a coal wagon is available, along with water to top up any steam locos that happen to come down the branch.

 

 

The mid morning DMU service has failed and this was all that was available, two old Gresley carraiges.

 

 

 

 

 

[mullie]

How different the yard looks now, gone are the open wagons of beet and coal. Being a relatively small beet factory the raw product is now delivered by road from local farms. The railway is used to deliver the bagged end product for which vans have to be supplied. Trains have to be propelled the short distance to the factory and as there is now no run round a brake van is used for the propelling movement. The track was upgraded in the process of rationalisation to allow 08s to be used.

 

 

 

The container wagon is for another destination.

 

 

[john flann]

Martyn, that's a good and credible story line you are developing/following.

 

It all makes sense.

[mullie]

Could this have happened?

 

In order to find coaching stock to replace the failed DMU an ex LNER all third still in teak livery has been found. A poor substitute for the shiny new DMU the locals have got used to. The brake coach is in blood and custard.

 

[manna]

G'Day All

 

Seeing that the Ex GE area was the first to be dieselized, I supposed there is a possibility that there was still the odd Gresley  teak coach floating about.

 

In the movie, 'Inn of the sixth happiness' made I think in the mid 50's, there is a longish shot of Liverpool St, showing teak stock, it also shows a 'goodbye' scene where the heroine boards the train that is still in teak.

 

manna 

[mullie]

M & GN freight 1960s style. To be honest we are a little bit too far east for this type of service but it is my train set. First, the freight service arrives and sets back into the loop to allow a passenger service to pass.

 

 

The loco then goes to take water. The station is no longer as busy so there is no rush.

 

 

Having collected wagons from the sugar beet branch the service is seen mid shunt.

 

 

Eventually it will head back.

 

 

 

 

[mullie]

I can't quite manage a full set of ER locos so it is assumed this is on trial for some bizarre reason, perhaps because the railbuses used in other parts of East Anglia are inadequate for the mileages involved and are unreliable.

 

 

Hornby model, detailed buffer beam and interior, weathered and should change the destination blinds but until it knows where its going not much point.

 

In other news, I am battling with an EM gauge double slip in copperclad for Rickett Street. Reasonable progress but work is very busy and the garage is cold so I can only work in short bursts.

[The Bigbee Line]

.........work is very busy and the garage is cold so I can only work in short bursts.

That sounds all too familiar....

[Tony Davis]

Six toes is the norm round here!

With webbing!

[mullie]

Parcels train calls at Pott Row late in the day.

 

 

 

 

The Fruit D will be taken down the branch tomorrow when one of the daily freights arrive. Because the mpd is now closed there is no shunter to get it there sooner.

 

 

S&W couplings are quite scary this close up!

[The Bigbee Line]

S&W couplings are quite scary this close up!

Close up photographs are a nightmare, showing things that you cannot see at normal viewing distance....

[john flann]

Martyn, don't look at the mud but the stars.

 

Yes, far from proto-typical but what about the weathering. That's spot on.

[mullie]

First wagons in EM

 

A pair of Ratio coal wagons picked up cheap on Ebay some time ago. They only have brakes on one side and this type apparently survived until 1946 which may well fall into the time frame of the rebuilt layout whenever that happens. Pre war liveries did survive the war though these probably need fading more.

 

 

 

The Lochgorm kits Cov B van, an etched brass starter kit. The glossy patches around the numbers are because the Prefix transfers weren't working well so I put on some decal fix to make sure they are secure. This will be lost when weathering is completed.

 

 

The van needs spoked wheels and in fact the three wagons simply run on re gauged 00 wheels.

[mullie]

Been dabbling with the idea of a small layout loosely based on Snape Maltings though perhaps with a slice of the quayside at Wells Next the Sea, even Wisbech. Inspired by the Hintock saga this would be an extension and development of Pott Row rather than starting again

 

The famous front view. The first two views taken from Google Maps

 

 

The not so famous back view.

 

 

And an older view taken in 1995, freely available on the internet so I assume I am not breeching anyone's copyright.

 

 

There are some quite major differences in door and window positions as well as the older shot having an extra chimney. The back view could be a great way to enter from the fiddle yard. The confined nature of the setting could also lend itself to being built in a box file or three.

 

I've used Google maps to count bricks and build a mock up of the main gate house and it was built using old cereal boxes. I already know the archway is too high but as it is a mock up it doesn't matter.

 

Back view

 

 

Front view

 

 

Track work would be copper clad in EM gauge, inset,  and a natural home for the J70s. Thoughts are already turning toward recreating the shunting tractor used on the site. A wagon powered by a High Level wagon motorising kit could be coupled to a tractor, not sure how to make it work but would make an interesting talking point. Any layout would be portable so could be exhibited.

 

The building is relatively small on its own but obviously forms part of a vast complex of buildings now famous for its musical connections with Benjamin Britten and the Aldeburgh Festival.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tony Davis]

Good to see more being added to this layout, East Anglia too!

 

I happened across Pott Row  (the location, not the layout) last week when visiting a garage near there, SWBO couldn't understand why I was so delighted when I saw the sign.

[NHY 581]

Splendid stuff Mullie.

 

Looking forward to this Snapey thing developing.

 

 

Have you seen how Chris Nevard has enlarged Brew Street?

 

 

Rob.

[mullie]

Splendid stuff Mullie.

 

Looking forward to this Snapey thing developing.

 

 

Have you seen how Chris Nevard has enlarged Brew Street?

 

 

Rob.

 

No I haven't but will be looking it up ASAP. Thanks for the tip.

[NHY 581]

Here you go....

 

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sj4ruX54KRY/Wc9D6kT7qwI/AAAAAAAAdLk/ddDNFwHz1z4_cci5dov2C2LQg0vnSqEpgCHMYCw/s9999/170928-J15-IMG_2441_full.jpg

 

Rob

[NHY 581]

Sorry, meant this.

 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nevardmedia/sets/72157675485996726/

 

 

Rob.

[mullie]

Sorry, meant this.

 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nevardmedia/sets/72157675485996726/

 

 

Rob.

 

As expected those Chris Nevard photos are stunning, thanks for the link.

 

(Corrected spelling of Chris's surname -why does Safari think it knows best!)

 

Martyn

Edited December 22, 2017 by mullie

[mullie]

Happy Christmas and a prosperous new year to all of you kind enough to follow my meanderings through 2017, it is much appreciated.

 

Martyn

[NHY 581]

Merry Christmas to you and yours Martyn. Looking forward to further developments at Mullie Towers.

 

 

Rob.

[mullie]

Although I will post updates on my threads when new things happen I'm seriously cutting down my time on RM Web as I have been finding it is taking up a significant part of my evening. I'll still be around just not every day. Not much has happened on Pott Row lately as my main focus currently is re building Rickett Street in EM. I think it will be the summer at least before any significant changes, I have plans to build 'Pott Row quayside;' the other end of the tramway based on such places as Outwell, Snape and Wells in EM.

 

I have secured funding from Heritage Lottery for a railway related social history project as part of my community arts work, something I'm really looking forward to starting. The project is about memories of the railways of Portland Dorset and Andy York has kindly allowed me to create a thread on here so RM Webbers can have an input so watch this space as they say.

 

Regards and thanks for your interest.

 

Martyn

[john flann]

Martyn, I shall miss your companionship on here but I do know how much the project means to you, and there you have my every good wish for its success.

 

My regards,

[mullie]

I've started a new thread tonight connected with the railways of Portland, Dorset, where I live. As part of my community arts work I have secured Heritage Lottery funding for a social history project connected with the railway line that ran from Weymouth to Portland.

 

The thread can be found here

 

If you don't know a lot about Portland more information can be found here though I'm sure you will know about the very famous lighthouse at Portland Bill.

 

This is also a good site with some photos of Easton station on this page. I will walk over the bridge at the back of the station photos tomorrow morning to buy my Sunday paper.

 

Martyn