I would suggest the roof is made of felt, looks like that in the pictures I took there in the 70s. Lead would be too heavy. I can't post pictures on your blog to show you!

I would suggest the roof is made of felt, looks like that in the pictures I took there in the 70s. Lead would be too heavy. I can't post pictures on your blog to show you!

Yes thinking about it lead would have been too heavy. I have an old copy of Steam Days which had an article "Light rails to Wrington" which crucially included a colour photo, albeit of Wrington in 1961. The roof is a very light grey although by that time it would have faded. If my shed is typical though the felt must have been replaced many times over the lifetime of the building! I will have a look at earlier photos of the station as I suspect that when newly felted the colour would have been much darker; even a B & W photo would show the shade.

Thank you for your contribution.

Hi John

I've got no other photographs to look at other than the GWR stations book which is very indistinct. When I was researching Tiverton Junction though for the rebuild in the 1890s I managed to get hold of the construction plans to identify the materials used, as like you it was hard to see clearly, I was surprised to see that large sections were corrugated iron alongside the original slate tiles (on the main buildings). All the canopies and walkways between buildings were the corrugated and skylights, must have been noisy during heavy rain though.

I just thought it worth a mention as this rebuild was only a few years earlier than blagdons build date. Either way it's still grey though isn't it and to be honest I think Tim is probably correct judging by the battens or ribbing down the roof.

Great photos anyway

Jim

Hi John

 

I've got no other photographs to look at other than the GWR stations book which is very indistinct. When I was researching Tiverton Junction though for the rebuild in the 1890s I managed to get hold of the construction plans to identify the materials used, as like you it was hard to see clearly, I was surprised to see that large sections were corrugated iron alongside the original slate tiles (on the main buildings). All the canopies and walkways between buildings were the corrugated and skylights, must have been noisy during heavy rain though.

 

I just thought it worth a mention as this rebuild was only a few years earlier than blagdons build date. Either way it's still grey though isn't it and to be honest I think Tim is probably correct judging by the battens or ribbing down the roof.

 

Great photos anyway

 

Jim

Hi Jim,

Thanks your E mail. Sorry to be so late in responding but I'm still struggling with the railmotor chassis.All I need say in that respect is that I've abandoned using plastic wheels and am taking a trip down memory lane using Romford, now Markit wheels. Regarding the station roof, I think it must be roofing felt of some sort or whatever passed for that in 1902. I think I will paint it a darker grey along with some other improvements I'll be making including a total rewiring under the baseboards and a respray of some of the grass where I overdid the water colour tinting. Hopefully I should be able to update progress on the railmotor after Christmas celebrations.