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Would you ever model your local station?


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I quite fancy modelling Lichfield Trent valley higher station. Either in the mid 80s and pre OLE, plenty of DMUs (mainly 116s) but had the freight traffic using the curved line down to the Trent valley line. The upper station although being a through station was a passenger terminus. In pre OLE the dmu would pull out of the station up to the next crossover and then pulled back in to the opposite platform ready for departure. There was the fuel tanks in to Charringtons and Anglesea sidings.

 

The other option is to model it in the first few weeks of OLE. Still lots of DMUs but has a mix of EMUs, pre 323s. Everything from 308 in Manc colours, 310s, 312s, 304s. The second platform was mothballed, but the OLE also stopped outside the signal box, short of the crossover, used in years past. Also plenty of test were carried out on this line 143s, 210s etc plus plenty of load bank tests during the first ole years.

 

The layout of the station is really modelable due to it narrow nature. You can easily model a very small cross section of the the TV line below.

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and either Chelmsford or Ingatestone - the former would be an interesting challenge if you modelled it in the days of steam with the incline down to the post office and Hoffmans sidings.

 

David

 

Not just Hoffmans sidings but the main goods yard was there, with a small engine shed at the end of the headshunt.

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What was my most local station is just perfect: ECML four track, shed (34C) and carriage stabling for the country end of the inner suburban station and junction for three branchlines, busy goods yard with rail served industry, and compact enough to fit in a 30 foot long space in 4mm with no more than a light compression. Never seen a completed model of Hatfield Herts, but perhaps I haven't looked hard enough.

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My user name comes from the station that was closest to where I grew up. One day I will model it and considered it this time but there were a few factors which didn't make it practical, main one being space even though it was a tiny station.

 

Sandside was on the single line Furness Railway's Arnside - Hincaster route and had a single platform station, goods yard and quarry sidings (Sandside limestone quarry is still operating now). It sits on the banks of the Kent Estuary with vistas of the Lakes Fells across the water, and has a sizeable hill behind it (where the quarry is). Between Sandside and the next station at Heversham, there was a long, beautiful viaduct over the River Bela (not to be confused with Belah viaduct on the Stainmore route, although coke trains would have crossed both on their route from Co. Durham to Furness).

The station closed in 1948, the route was closed as a through line in 1963 and the last section from Sandside to Arnside was closed in January 1972.

 

Depending on the period modelled (and to keep it operationally interesting, that would be pre-1963 and possibly LMS or even FR days), you have the coke trains from County Durham to Furness, quarry traffic, pickup goods, ECS excursion stock running through from Lakeside to Windermere (I've seen a few photos of Jubilees hauling 12 coach trains over the Bela Viaduct - impressive looking for a single track branch line), short portions of the Lakes Express and the 'Kendal Tommy', a local service run from Grange -Over-Sands to Kendal.

 

Karl Crowther did use Sandside as inspiration for his Kentside layout, so I suppose I've been beaten to it in a way

http://www.trainweb.org/drs/Kentside.htm

 

Below are a couple of links to the Cumbrian Railway Association's photos of the line (and more specifically, Sandside). When I've got Bacup out of the way, I plan to build a model of the station building, just because I love it's over-the-top-for-such-a-small-village style. I watched the signal box being knocked down when I was a kid (our neighbour, who worked for the quarry, knocked it down with his digger)

 

http://cumbrianrailways.zenfolio.com/p430483186

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HI,

 

My current local station is West Drayton and while quite interesting does not appeal to me at all.

 

However being born just outside of Chesterfield I have given this a lot of thought previously, although trying to decided where is difficult as there is too much choice.

I have always wanted to model Chesterfield as I remember it in the mid 80's, a collection of old loco hauled locals and HSTs to Pancras. The freight aspect is absolutely never ending particularly steel and coal trains, parcels and also a lot of test runs from Derby.

A nice 4 track layout, not too large and if you model Tapton Junction to the North then you get a nice cross-over of all lines.

 

Barrow Hill was only 1 mile from my Parents house and this too would make a good model although not a station per se.

My other thought was to model Eckington and Renishaw on the old GC line, my (ex) true nearest station although I would have to do a what if it had survived type layout.

 

Cheers

 

Andy

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I have thought about modelling Llandaff for Whitchurch, the old Taff Vale station, or Saltash.

 

Either way I dont have the room!

 

There was a recent display model of Saltash in one of the shops in town, built to quite a small scale with the bridge etc, but even in a small scale, it filled the window!

 

Nice model tho :)

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I have thought about modelling Llandaff for Whitchurch, the old Taff Vale station, or Saltash.

 

Either way I dont have the room!

 

There was a recent display model of Saltash in one of the shops in town, built to quite a small scale with the bridge etc, but even in a small scale, it filled the window!

 

Nice model tho :)

Well at least you could put Saltash in a corner (quite a big corner!). Llandaff would be quite a project apart from the space it would take but I've got a couple of postcards somewhere and one of the arms off the Up Main Home Signal - but interesting with the Relief Lines crossing from the Downside to the Upside and the branch going off - then a few dozen 56XX to 'populate' it. (It used to be one of 'my' stations in a past life.)

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The other option is to model it in the first few weeks of OLE. Still lots of DMUs but has a mix of EMUs, pre 323s. Everything from 308 in Manc colours, 310s, 312s, 304s. The second platform was mothballed, but the OLE also stopped outside the signal box, short of the crossover, used in years past. Also plenty of test were carried out on this line 143s, 210s etc plus plenty of load bank tests during the first ole years.

 

And don't forget the Eurostars tested nightly: onto the Cross-City at TVHL and then working up-line to the cross-over by Jockey Road bridge, Sutton, reverse and back to Trent Valley...

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And don't forget the Eurostars tested nightly: onto the Cross-City at TVHL and then working up-line to the cross-over by Jockey Road bridge, Sutton, reverse and back to Trent Valley...

 

Yes I'd forgotten about those tests, that'll add a good few feet to the fiddleyards :O

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Not my current local station, but I am building (slowly) a model of my old local - Whitehaven in 2mm. Or at least a compressed version of it as it appears now in its rationalised form ie single track + bay platform. Station building is pretty much complete. Still got to ballast the track and fit the platforms, then add all the trackside furniture and grot.

 

Cheers, Mike

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Well Par or Lostwithiel would be quite modellable - Indeed Ive seen examples of both - but to do them justice requires a lot space for the goods loops.

You could just about fit them down opposite walls of a long garage in N scale - that would be a good "pipe-dream" layout.

 

I've a nice sketch of Lostwithiel as a do-able (for a small group) OO scale exhibition layout, I found the trick to getting it all in is to only model the end of the goods loops West of the road bridge (scenic break) - the rest of the loops is in the fiddle yard area. ;)

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For me, it depends how you define local. If it is the station I travel to and from the most then no, but if it is the station closest to where I live then quite possibly yes.

 

The station I use when catching the train is Loganlea:

 

post-11907-0-06371100-1331295921.jpg

 

Two platforms; Northbound and Southbound, and a natural scenic break to the east (Loganlea Road overbridge). Depending on what side of the tracks you are looking from, there isn't much to use for a scenic break on the western side. South of the tracks, there is a housing development with a row of townhouses next to the tracks but on the north side, there is only a small ridge with a few trees.

 

Operation wise, all trains stop here except for the Gold Coast/Brisbane Airport services which run express during peak hour. There is also a cattle train or two that pass through once in a blue moon (loaded southbound for the meat factory in Beenleigh, empty northbound). Finally, there are the occasional units passing through on driver training.

 

The station closest to where I live is Bethania: (ignore the click here to view... the computer was having a moment)

 

post-11907-0-85217900-1331296739.jpg

 

Three platforms, No.s 1 and 2 are used the most although 3 does have OLE. I think this station would actually make a good model in either current or steam age guise. Platform 3 is there because Bethania is where the branch that used to run out to Beaudesert joined the mainline. Just northwest of the station is a level crossing but there are no natural scenic breaks either side of the station for quite a distance.

 

Present day operation would be the same as Loganlea except the Gold Coast/Brisbane Airport services does not stop here at all. However, just out of shot there is a short siding where track maintenance machinces are stored when work is being carried out. As the Beaudesert branch was for a brief period operated as a preserved line, this is a perfect excuse to run steamers on a layout with OLE. If it were to be set while the branch was still in service during the steam age, there would be a lot more freight appearing.

 

The only reason preventing me from actually building a model of Bethania is that fact that there is very little choice of QR locos and EMUs available to run it with sufficient variation in stock to keep me interested. Last time I checked, available in kit and/or RTR are models of the original EMUs, 220 Class SMUs, PB15s and C17s, plus numerous diesels (although I'm not sure if diesels were used down this far on the system) and various wagons and coaches.

 

 

Matt.

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Staines Central on the SR was my local station when I were a lad. It could make a nice club model. A tri-angular junction with freight unloading yards at both ends of the station, and three mileage sidings through the road overbridge - could be a scenic fiddle yard (this was replaced by EMU sidings in Feb. 1974). Even what appeared to be a single road loco shed as a bay to the platform. The country end finished in bridges across the Thames - even a wartime link to the GWR which could be used with modellers licence - If the SR could have been convinced to accept the West Drayton branch trains into Central the line might have remained open - Staines West was the route my Dad took to his job at Paddington until he moved on to Marylebone HQ - morning and evening there were through trains to and from Paddington.

 

Although Central was EMU operated from the later 1930s there were trains which split and joined there. Initially 4 trains an hour, this has increased in recent years with the drop off in freight. But until the late 1960s the freight just went on and on and on - basically everything that worked from the South West, Southampton etc. to Feltham and Nine Elms. Streams of S15s and sometimes the special SR 4-6-2T and 4-8-0T that were built specially for Feltham. Q1s on the local shunt/pick up (later Ws, Birmingham type 3s and Electro Diesels. And empty mainline coaching stock workings. I just wish I had taken more photographs, not many have been published - Keith Jaggers did some in Steam World some years ago.

 

http://paulbartlett..../stainescentral

 

Paul Bartlett

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I lived in France for many years. There, it is quite commonplace for clubs to model their local station or line.

 

For my own part, I am quite tempted by a model of Semley which was the local station for Shaftesbury. It had quite a quirky track layout and plenty of opportunities for shunting including a busy dairy siding. It is also quite suitable for a bit of selective compression to fit into a reasonable space. I am told that a local group of S4 modellers is building a model but I don't have any more knowledge of that project. If I do build it, will definitely be early BR as carmine and cream coaches look far better against a green background than green ones do.

 

I have also considered modelling a might-have-been branch to Shaftesbury: either a light railway branch from Gillingham (which would be perfect for a Kernow Beattie Well Tank) or an SDJR branch from Sturminster.

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ive aquied some plans of the abandoned station where i grew up in clowne,built by the ld&ecr it suvived into the late 60s so gives a good scope of engines,so will have to make a start!

 

A good choice. I would go for it in LD&EC days when, as well as their own fleet of charming tank locos, there were other companies with running rights. It would make for interesting, and colourful, operation.

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....For my own part, I am quite tempted by a model of Semley which was the local station for Shaftesbury. It had quite a quirky track layout and plenty of opportunities for shunting including a busy dairy siding. It is also quite suitable for a bit of selective compression to fit into a reasonable space. I am told that a local group of S4 modellers is building a model ......

 

They've already completed it, and the layout was featured in a recent issue of Model Railway Journal.

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The answer is yes but only if the question had been asked pre 1989!!

 

To explain, we moved to Cheltenham as a requirement for work on the day the 1989 recession began and now have long routes in the town. Before the move we lived in Radstock in Somerset and with 2 dogs I often found myself exercising them amongst the wagons, then either stored in the old GWR yard or awaiting repair at the nearby Marcroft wagon works. Work committments precluded any modelling time until last April when I took the decison to retire early which has enabled me to start the EM gauge model of Radstock West which has been kicking around in my mind for a good few years. The plan is to model the site as the North Somerset line might have developed in the mid to late '60's if through traffic had continued beyond the 1959 closure, so some modelling license will be allowed.

 

I have used the Old Maps site to set out the yard from the A367 Level crossing to the end of the Marcroft main workshop building without too much compression. So I'm at the start of what I hope will be a long journey and which is fuelled by a clear memory and a desire the recreate the Sunday afternoon dog walks in minature. A large number of wagon kits await construction along with 30 odd bespoke turnouts. The best news is that I do now have lots of that limited resource.......time [Now I've caught up with the decorating and garden for SWMO]

 

You will gather this is my first posting and I suspect I may not have got to the starting line if I had not been reading about and viewing some magnificant layouts over the past 12 months. Added to which many of you have unselfishly shared your knowledge and expertise for which I thank you, it will come in very useful in the months ahead. I'd like to thank Paul Bartlett personally for help both with photo's of wagons in Radstock yard as well as his comprehensive web pages.

 

Finally a plea if I may. Despite reasonable success in researching the area which supplements the few photo's I took mid to late '80's, if anyone has any photographs of Radstock West, the GWR station, the yard or Marcrofts from the mid '50's onwards, I'd be really pleased to hear from you.

 

Once I've made some tangible progress I may well start a blog but until then I have baseboards to build and oh ............. 2 dogs to walk....

 

Doug

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Yes I have, but as Mike had pointed out, most of the Taff Vale stations of my childhood were far too large and complex to allow me to build it in a reasonable time frame.

 

However, taking that wonderful instrument called modellers licence, I've taken a local junction and moved it a few miles to the east and transposed it onto a section of the long closed Cardiff Railway.

 

I'm now in the process of completely re writing the history about the long running dispute of the Taff Vale and the Cardiff Railway in order to make this possible. Of course both the Rhumney and the Barry Railways will also have a say in this fictional saga.

 

In a nutshell it will mean that the Cardiff railway swings east and joins up with the PC&NR hear Nantgarw and gets into Pontypridd via PC&N Junction rather than try to use the congested site at Treforest Junction. (Armchair Modeller might find this of use for modern day Valleys line).

 

Regards

 

Richard

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Poole is one of my local stations and have been considering doing a layout based on it for some time now, am at the information gathering stage and have plans for some of the buildings that would feature. Looking at early to mid 90's NSE and probably in N gauge using some existing baseboards.

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Yes Ive modelled the local station and despite some ups and downs it been a very rewarding experience. No compresion in any plane, or short cuts, its modelled exactly as it was in the early - mid 60s. the distance between the two effective scenic breaks - the bridges at Huddersfield road and two bridges Road measures in a midges dick under 14 feet, making a very reasonable to model 15 feet of scenics (excluding the end curves).

 

If you enjoy research and dont get frustrated by blind alleys and lack of information on certain bits, then its a good move.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/album/2015-new-hey/

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