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Furness Railway layout ideas for the Lakeside Branch


Guest nzflyer

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Guest nzflyer

Hello all!

 

 

A big thank you firstly to all those whose helpful suggestions on my previous forum (BR Class 28 layout ideas) as they gave me a lot of inspiration. The forum topic was about my intended purchase of a BR Class 28 and ideas for a layout for it to run on. I have narrowed down my suggested layout idea to one based on the Lakeside branch line of the former Furness Railway where BR Class 28s (also known as Metropolitan-Vickers Type 2 or “Metrovicks”) shared the work load with Fairburn tanks, which is a nice but quite large branch terminus with the lake alongside. The railway is a former branch line of the Furness Railway (FR) and was opened on 1 June 1869. The line was served by local passenger trains which started their journey at Ulverston on the FR’s main line from Carnforth to Barrow-in-Furness. The FR branch trains travelled east to the triangular junction at Plumpton and then turned north via Greenodd and on to stations at Haverwaithe, Newby Bridge halt and Lakeside. The FR’s weekday’s passenger service in July 1922 comprised eight trains in each direction. There were advertised train-to-boat connections that were established in 1869. During the summer season, excursion trains from Lancashire and elsewhere used the east-to-north side of Plumpton Junction to reach Lakeside, where their passengers joined the boat sailings ion the lake. British Railways closed the line to passengers on 6 September 1965 and to all traffic two years later.

 

I would have to search for some ‘OO’ gauge Fairburn tanks (I think Bachmann produced some) and do some more research! I reckon running an old Furness railway locomotive on the layout would be a nice change, if any survived into British Railways ownership beyond 1951, otherwise I would quite happily run a pre-Grouping train on the layout for a difference. A tank engine in Furness Railway red livery and a couple of blue and white carriages dotting along behind would be quite nice.

 

As I live in New Zealand research material is scarce but it would be quite nice for some help on these inquests!

 

 

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I'd suggest that the Cumbrian Railways Association be your first port of call. I'm not a member but in my dealings with them I've found them to be most helpful. They have some cracking photos lodged here. I think your choice of the Lakeside branch could make for a stunning model and I wouldn't want to divert you from this, but you may not be aware that the Metrovicks (or at least one of them) worked on the demolition trains on the Coniston branch. Steam to Coniston in BR days included 3F tanks, 4Fs and Ivatt class 2 tanks.

 

I for one would be very interested to see photos of layout progress once you get beyond the research stage.

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Loco that were used on the Lakeside branch, Ex. M.R. 1 - 4Fs 0-6-0s,  Ex. Y & Y 0-6-0s, Ex L.N.W.R 0-6-0s (Cauliflowers) Ex. M.R. 2Ps 4-4-0s, Ex. F.R. D5s 0-6-0s (the only F.R. class to get B.R.Nos.) some of these were rebuilt with L & Y bellpair boilers. L.M.S 2-6-2Ts & 2-6-4Ts from Fowler, Stainer and Fairburn. Black fives, Crabs and I think that a Jubilee may have got there on occasion. 

 

The sort of locos that you may have seen on the Lakeside branch (maybe not 20153)

post-8920-0-10855200-1375026579_thumb.jpg

 

Diesels, classes 24, 25, Clayton's?, Metro. Vics. and maybe a class 108 D.M.U.

 

The Cumbria records office at Barrow maybe able to help with some of the drawing for the buildings at Lakeside.

 

OzzyO.

 

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Hi NZflyer,

 

Nice choice. I am toying with Haverthwaite when money allows.....

 

There is a copy of Railway Modeler from the 60's with it in, I did have a copy somewhere!!!!!

 

Likewise, I have some other bits that may be of use, please PM me with your email address if you want them.

 

Kind regards

 

Ian

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ISTR there was also a "Plan of the Month" based on the Lakeside line by Stanley Jenkins in RM at some point in the 1980s. 

 

It was a somewhat convoluted plan involving a high-level terminus and a low-level continuous run/reversing loop. Can't remember how big it was.

 

The plan was notable in being one of the rare occasions where you can get away with a waterside terminus on the highest part of the layout!

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Loco that were used on the Lakeside branch, Ex. M.R. 1 - 4Fs 0-6-0s,  Ex. Y & Y 0-6-0s, Ex L.N.W.R 0-6-0s (Cauliflowers) Ex. M.R. 2Ps 4-4-0s, Ex. F.R. D5s 0-6-0s (the only F.R. class to get B.R.Nos.) some of these were rebuilt with L & Y bellpair boilers. L.M.S 2-6-2Ts & 2-6-4Ts from Fowler, Stainer and Fairburn. Black fives, Crabs and I think that a Jubilee may have got there on occasion. 

 

The sort of locos that you may have seen on the Lakeside branch (maybe not 20153)

attachicon.gifCopy of Carnforth MR shed 2.jpg

 

Diesels, classes 24, 25, Clayton's?, Metro. Vics. and maybe a class 108 D.M.U.

 

The Cumbria records office at Barrow maybe able to help with some of the drawing for the buildings at Lakeside.

 

OzzyO.

Hi Paul and every one else,

 

Kendal office hold them, I have been looking at various FR buildings and Haverthwaite plans. There are details on CRA's web site

 

Full list of drawings http://www.cumbrianrailways.org.uk/PDFs/CRA%20plans%20list.pdf

 

CRA's resources and services web pages http://www.cumbrianrailways.org.uk/Resources_&_Services.php

 

Cumbria Records Office http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/archives/

 

One other thing to remember is that the remaining platforms where reduced in length when they built the fish museum, sorry Aquarium of the Lakes  during winter 2000/2001.......

 

Mike (The Stationmaster)... Leaver No.1 the station gong.... My dad and uncle (as lads) used to have their hair cut in Lakeside box...... Must ask him what they did in winter as it was a summer only line...

 

On the other hand Greenodd could also be a good one.... Same station building as Haverthwaite.

 

Kind regards

 

Ian

 

Ian

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A few other things with Lakeside (or Windermere Lakeside) is it had a 42ft turntable, a single road engine shed 11B (a sub shed of Barrow (note location change on Ozzyo,)), and had a long siding that could take the stock of up to 5 excursion trains if I recall? There was a track behind the signal box to the slipway, and a narrow gauge track to coal the boats from the goods yard to the pier, and it had its own gas works...... And the boats Swan, Teal, Turn and Swift were built by Barrow shipyard and taken by rail in bit and built up at Lakeside.

 

NZflyer, got your PM thanks will email you some bits within the next few days.

 

Ian

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1612864_6b91d4dd.jpg

 

Found this image dating to 1968 on the internet at http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1612864

 

I seem to remember a conversation one night about an engine going to Lakeside working a train, than an observant signal man spotting it was to heavy for the line (well Greenodd viaduct), I think it may have been a Britannia or a Clan. Its tender got emptied of coal and water and got removed, the engine had the boiler drained and side rods removed. My dad at the time thought it was true....... But it could be an urban myth????????

 

Ian

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If you wanted to a roundy roundy but keeping the F.R. connection you could adapt these.

 

Coniston. The lines going off to the right only went to the copper mines, "but" and you would have to move the station down the hill by a few hundred foot.

post-8920-0-04368400-1375282039_thumb.jpg

 

Ramsden Dock station was on the channel side wall and can give you a roundy roundy, with a bit of license. The station is the block to the right of the words Walney channel.

post-8920-0-94055400-1375282071_thumb.jpg

 

A view from the water side.

post-8920-0-83095700-1375282086_thumb.jpg

 

Or you could use Lakeside and call it Mereside as Windermere is not technically a lake but a Mere ( that sounds like another place in the lakes).

 

OzzyO.

 

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